The Miami Dolphins have already set this franchise up for a big change in the future by firing Chris Grier and laying the groundwork for a possible Mike McDaniel firing, and now things have been kicked up yet another notch when starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was sent to the bench in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers.
As is so often the case with average quarterbacks who earn long-term extensions at salaries they don't have the talent to live up to, Tagovailoa is in the middle of an albatross contract. Tagovailoa is in Year 2 of a four-year, $212 million deal that pays him like a top-flight quarterback.
Even though Miami finally managed to get Grier away from this organization, the Dolphins face a serious multi-year rebuild unless they find some way to strike gold under center. This may be the last Grier-based challenge the Dolphins will need to overcome.
Chris Grier's Tua Tagovailoa contract will be difficult for next Miami Dolphins GM
Grier's combination of poor drafting and cap management not only led to the Dolphins getting stuck with a rotten contract, but it also depleted the talent around Tagovailoa. With his mobility and arm strength limited, it became harder and harder for Grier and Mike McDaniel to replenish Tua's complementary pieces.
Miami is already over the cap for 2026, which will make it even harder for this team to get competent, winning play if they decide to move on from Tua at quarterback. Top GMs will have plenty of premier jobs to focus on in this cycle, and Miami is losing some luster.
Imagine being the new GM Miami hired to replace Grier. Not only do you have to deal with the McDaniel situation, find a way to improve one of the worst offensive lines in the league, and prepare for the loss of No. 1 wide receiver Tyreek Hill, but you must also work around Tagovailoa's big contract.
While some cap gymnastics can take place in the name of minimizing the overall impact the decision to part ways with Tua might hypothetically have on this team, this is far from an ideal situation, especially as the scales start to tip fully into rebuild mode. Thanks, Chris!