When Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel decided to bench starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers, he set in motion a chain of events that likely will end with the former No. 5 overall pick's departure from South Beach after six seasons.
However, finding the right team to take a chance on him could be difficult, as Tagovailoa has too many stylistic and financial red flags for many quarterback-needy teams to commit to.
Jeff Howe of The Athletic believes that Tagovailoa, who is unlikely to be released due to how gargantuan his dead cap hit would be, is going to have a very thin trade market. Tagovailoa's performance, coupled with his contract, may be too much for some teams to stomach.
"Rival teams don’t view Tagovailoa as a viable trade candidate," Howe said. "His performance hasn’t warranted the price, and opponents don’t typically rush to save a competitor from their own cap sins. And unless the Dolphins are prepared for a Brock Osweiler-style trade, attaching a premium pick for someone to take on Tagovailoa’s contract, such a move sounds like a fantasy."
Dolphins may find it hard to trade Tua Tagovailoa in 2026
Tagovailoa, who has thrown 20 touchdowns against a league-worst 15 interceptions this season, might entice some teams with his timing and accuracy, but his declining arm strength and inability to play well in colder weather make him an unattractive prospect no matter what the contract states.
Miami is still on the hook for two more very expensive years that Tagovailoa is likely not capable of living up to, which makes it even tougher to find a trade partner. A Dolphins team that needs draft capital badly won't be too thrilled about attacking multiple picks to get off that contract.
The Dolphins have to bear the brunt of the colossal financial error that was handing Tua that contract. The NFL is not a charity, and no team is going to give Miami the lifeline they need and take that albatross contract off their hands. With Tagovailoa's play declining, Miami may need to bite the bullet and bring him back for one more go-around.
Miami believed that Tagovailoa was going to be the guy who could break their run of playoff futility, but he has since devolved to the point where the new regime will likely be willing to accept pennies on the dollar if they can get him out of town. How quickly things change in the NFL.