The Miami Dolphins entered the season hoping to even just slightly improve upon their 8-9 record from last season. With
The Miami Dolphins entered the season hoping to even just slightly improve upon their 8-9 record from last season. With a bit of luck and a couple more wins, Tua Tagovailoa could lead the Dolphins back to the playoffs.
However, after a 1-4 start, the Dolphins’ playoff hopes are quickly fading. It doesn’t help that Mike McDaniel, touted as an offensive genius, is leading a scoring attack that just ranks 21st in scoring. Is Tagovailoa, who has a $39.1 million cap hit in 2025 and a $56.4 million cap hit in 2026, part of the problem?
Some fans of the Dolphins do feel like the team would be better off moving on from their franchise quarterback. Yet, after signing a four-year $212 million contract extension in July of 2024, would the Dolphins really move so quickly to trade their 27-year-old Pro Bowl QB?
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer chimed in with his opinion on Tagovailoa’s job security in South Beach. He doesn’t believe Miami would trade the QB until 2027 at the earliest.
“As for Tagovailoa, I’d say whether it’s McDaniel and Grier or someone else running the show, the quarterback will probably get one more year in Miami. The reason: He has $54 million fully guaranteed for 2026. So even if new leadership comes in and drafts a quarterback in April, I’d think Tua would stick around as the bridge guy. After 2026, the Dolphins would be on the hook for just $3 million if they cut the quarterback. Suffice it to say, the rest of this year is pretty important for McDaniel and Grier, and next year will be a pivotal one, regardless of who’s in charge, for Tagovailoa.”
SI’s Albert Breer on Tua Tagovailoa
Once again, after leading the NFL in completion rate in 2024, Tagovailoa has returned to ranking among the league leaders in 2025. He also has 1,008 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and four interceptions through five starts. That type of production feels like it’s worth trading for. Yet if you’re the Dolphins, it’s also respectable enough not to move on so quickly.
Related: Miami Dolphins’ $84-Million Star Linked in NFL Trade Rumors
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