Change appears to be coming in Miami.
Speaking Tuesday at the NFL Combine, new Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan made it clear that no scenario is being ruled out regarding quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
“Everything is on the table, including the potential of a trade,” Sullivan said.
Whether that possibility becomes reality is another matter. Tagovailoa is under contract through 2028 on a four-year, $212 million extension, and moving him would come with significant financial implications. If the Dolphins were to release him outright, they would face a staggering $99.2 million dead-cap charge. A post-June 1 designation could spread that hit over two seasons, but either path would require careful cap maneuvering.
Miami may prefer to explore the trade market in hopes of recouping assets for a quarterback who, not long ago, was among the league’s most efficient passers. Tagovailoa led the NFL in passing yards in 2023 and topped the league in completion percentage in 2024. Even in a turbulent 2025 season, he flashed stretches of high-level play before being benched late in the year.
Sullivan acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the situation.
“We don’t know which way that’s going to go,” he said. “There are a lot of different factors at play, a lot of conversations being had.”
A New Regime, A New Direction
The Dolphins’ organizational reset extends beyond the quarterback position. Sullivan arrives from the Green Bay Packers and has already leaned into familiar ties, hiring former Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as Miami’s new head coach.
That fresh leadership group is evaluating every room – especially quarterback.
Sullivan praised seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers, who started the final three games of the 2025 season after Tagovailoa was benched.
“Excited about what’s ahead for him,” Sullivan said. “Tua, I thought, even though things didn’t go well at the end of the year, did some good things along the way. It’s my job to infuse competition into that room, along with every other room.”
Notably, Sullivan added that Tagovailoa has not requested a trade. That detail suggests Miami’s exploration of options is internally driven rather than player-motivated.
Still, any potential trade partner would have to weigh more than just performance and contract structure. Tagovailoa’s concussion history remains a significant consideration, differentiating him from other veteran quarterbacks who have surfaced in trade or release conversations this offseason. Players such as Kyler Murray and Kirk Cousins do not carry the same medical red flags, even if their situations come with their own complexities.
If Miami ultimately pivots toward a full reset, Sullivan could once again look toward Green Bay connections. Packers backup Malik Willis is set to hit free agency and may command upward of $20 million annually despite just six career starts. His market could be competitive, complicating that route.
There is also the divisional wrinkle. Should Tagovailoa be released, the New York Jets could emerge as a theoretical landing spot. However, intra-division trades are rare, and Miami would likely prefer to avoid strengthening a rival.
For now, the Dolphins are projecting flexibility. Publicly keeping “everything on the table” creates leverage, preserves optionality, and signals that the franchise is not locked into one path.
But one thing is clear: stability at quarterback is no longer guaranteed in Miami. Whether through trade, release, or renewed competition, Tagovailoa’s future with the Dolphins feels more uncertain than ever.
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