Jon-Eric Sullivan has a lot of decisions to make in his first season with the Miami Dolphins. From a likely gutting of the roster to create workable cap space to rebuilding a more physically dominant team. One decision, however, will be his biggest challenge.
Tua Tagovailoa is expected to leave this offseason. The question is how and when. Trading him will be nearly impossible without major concessions by the Dolphins' front office. Releasing him comes with a massive cap hit that could curtail a rebuild for more than just a couple of years.
Through all of this, no one has asked this question: What if Tagovailoa remains in Miami under the watchful eye of a new head coach? With Mike McDaniel gone, that bridge he burned may get rebuilt.
Tua Tagovailoa could benefit from a new Miami Dolphins head coach in a way Mike McDaniel couldn't provide
The Dolphins QB is not a leader, but they wanted him to be. It's not in his makeup. They wanted him to be a quick-throwing passer who relied on one or two reads before getting rid of the ball. He was good at it. His release remains one of the fastest in the league.
He gets in trouble when he has to move around the pocket, outside the pocket, or make a decision to run with the ball. If we learned anything from Tagovailoa over the last two years of regression, it's that he is skiddish in the pocket now. Something is worrying him.
What if that worry is based on the play of the offensive line? It's not like he has been given great linemen to protect him. The makeshift group has a fantastic center in Aaron Brewer and a legit left tackle in Patrick Paul. Who else is protecting him?
James Daniels? Injured all of last year. Jonah Savaiinaea? Rated the worst lineman in the NFL. Austin Jackson? Hurt, continuously hurt. Three of the five linemen employed to protect Tagovailoa can't do it consistently. We would all be a bit skiddish behind this line.
Sullivan has a big job ahead of him. He knows what an offensive line should look like. Green Bay has always had good men in the trenches. If he can replicate that in Miami, maybe Tagovailoa can survive the next season.
For those who read my stuff, you know I'm not a big fan of Tagovailoa. I'm going to play Devil's Advocate here. Getting him through the 2026 season may be a smarter move than dumping his contract. In 2027, the contract flips in Miami's favor.
The Dolphins don't need him to start; they need him to compete. They need a new head coach who will provide him a safer environment. McDaniel built his confidence, but his system with Tagovailoa was one-note. Probably because of the offensive line.
Many QBs leave teams and flourish elsewhere. Daniel Jones, Sam Darnold, and Jared Goff are prime examples. This year, the Dolphins are getting a new identity with a new GM and a new HC. The third time may not be a charm, but if they can find a way to make it work, for just one season, they are in a better position for this rebuild without putting Sullivan in a deeper hole financially.
The plan could be simple. Draft a quarterback in round one, have a three-way competition between that QB, Tagovailoa, and Quinn Ewers. Don't put pressure on the HC to play the guy with the bigger contract; let him play the best QB he has.
If that player is Tagovailoa this year, so be it. A rebound season for him means the Dolphins have more of an opportunity to trade him in the offseason, maybe before the 2026 trade deadline. If the Dolphins can't move him before the start of free agency this year, they should plan to keep him around for the next season, and if he is gone, well, that's fine too.