Tua Tagovailoa thinks starting anew is great.

Winter Changes Ahead in South Beach

There’s definitely a shift in the air for the Miami Dolphins, who find themselves out of playoff contention for the second year in a row. The organization decided to part ways with general manager Chris Grier during the season, and now there’s growing uncertainty about head coach Mike McDaniel’s future. He might have salvaged his position towards the end of the season; the team wrapped up with a 7-10 record after a rocky start of 2-7.

Then there’s the matter of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Following a 28-15 defeat against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15, McDaniel hinted at a possible change at the quarterback position. In a post-game press conference, he mentioned that the passing game didn’t meet the “standard” expected from the Dolphins. While he didn’t place all the blame on Tagovailoa, it was evident he anticipated more from him.

“I think there are multiple factors involved,” McDaniel reflected on the offensive struggles after the loss. “Ultimately, we all need to improve. Coaching, execution… a lot of times the quarterback gets blamed. There were moments that stood out, particularly when he was trying to make the right reads. We should be able to secure wins even without control of the game.”

The very next day, Miami announced that they would be moving forward with Quinn Ewers, who would take over for the remainder of the season.

This decision has sparked speculation about Tagovailoa’s future, and in a chat with reporters today, he seemed to be leaning towards a fresh start elsewhere.

This comes on the heels of reports suggesting Tagovailoa’s chances of returning to Miami are dim.

However, parting ways with Tagovailoa may not be straightforward due to significant financial implications. The Dolphins are looking at a total of $106 million over the 2025 and 2026 seasons. If they release Tagovailoa before June 1, it would result in $99 million in dead money. A post-June 1 cut would lessen that impact to $67 million.

Even if a trade were to happen, costs would still persist. According to Jason Fitzgerald, examining scenarios for the Dolphins to move on from Tagovailoa reveals little appealing options.

What might offer a glimmer of hope—both for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins—is the quarterback market. It’s uncertain which players will enter the draft, but Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore look like top candidates for first-round picks. Yet, both have college eligibility remaining, especially Moore, who may choose to extend his college career.

Besides them, Ty Simpson and Trinidad Chambliss are potential options, but Simpson’s performance has plateaued, and Chambliss is currently pursuing a medical redshirt to gain another year. Some speculate he might stay at Ole Miss or follow Lane Kiffin to LSU.

With a number of teams at the top of the draft seeking to bolster their quarterback situations, Tagovailoa may be viewed as a short-term redemption project, similar to what happened with Daniel Jones. Should that not pan out, teams could still take another swing at a quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft.