Tua Tagovailoa's potential extension numbers put him in elite company but a new deal may not come until June.

While half the fanbase screams for Tua Tagovailoa to get a new deal, a portion of the other half are screaming for his release. They won't get their way.

The Miami Dolphins are poised to give Tua a record-setting contract, if not on a league level, then at least from an organizational standpoint. At Spotrac.com, they have listed what they anticipate being the salaries of the quarterbacks that could be extended this year. Tua is near the top.

Spotrac sees the Dolphins paying Tua $220 million on a four-year contract with $105 million guaranteed at signing and another $50-60 million in guarantees as well. The average per-year average is around $55 million and his cap hit over the life of the contract would break down like this.

• 2024 - $15 million - down from his current $24 million on the 5th-year option

• 2025 - $60 million

• 2026 - $60 million

• 2027 and 2028 - $54.1 million

The Dolphins would get potential outs in 2027 with a $20 million dead money hit and in 20228 with a $10 million dead money hit should they need to move on for any reason.

Spotrac does believe the Dolphins could look to potentially include bonuses that would come into play should Tua get hurt. For example, they believe that Miami could try and include per-game roster bonuses that would pay out only if he is available to play. It would be a small comfort but not much overall.

Interestingly enough, while Spotrac does say the Dolphins could sign him to a 5 year deal, they anticipate that difference to be only another $23 million.

While Tua will get paid, another QB that is looking for an extension could be waiting to see what Tua's contract looks like but at the same time, Tua could wait to see what Trevor Lawrence gets from the Jaguars.

Jacksonville doesn't have to extend Lawrence this year but they can. Spotrac is estimating Lawrence could receive a $ 6-year deal that pays nearly $300 million. Honestly, I'm not sure why they see a 6-year deal as opposed to a four-year extension.

No matter what, Miami Dolphins fans are waiting to see what happens with Tua Tagovailoa and it could be a move that is made later in the off-season.

Tua Tagovailoa is set, as everyone has said, to be paid. The Dolphins are releasing Xavien Howard as part of their salary purge. There has been some speculation that Miami will part ways with a June 1st designation for Howard. That would make sense given the amount of dead money the Dolphins would carry if he is not designated as such.

If Howard is designated a post-June 1 release, the Dolphins will get $18.5 million added to the cap. A new contract for Tua could come when the money can be easily digested for the 2024 season.

One thing Dolphins fans need to understand, regardless of the fence line they stand on, Tua is going to be paid. It will be a lot and the Dolphins are committed to him for at least another four years.