Tua Tagovailoa's time as the Miami Dolphins' starting quarterback seems to be nearing its end. After a slow start to the season, many fans are ready to move on from him in favor of a new prospect.
But there's one major problem standing in the way of the Dolphins replacing Tagovailoa. The 2026 NFL Draft class isn't exactly loaded with top quarterback prospects. In fact, there are only a few expected to be taken in the first round.
After recent updates, it seems like the class is getting even thinner. Oregon QB Dante Moore, one of the most highly-touted passers in college football, is now expected to return to school for another year, leaving the Dolphins with scarce options to replace their struggling quarterback.
Dante Moore update has Miami Dolphins fans preparing for another season of Tua Tagovailoa
Coming into this season, the upcoming quarterback class was expected to be one of the strongest in recent years. Teams in need of a replacement under center had clear hope of finding their answer in the draft. But as the season has progressed, those top prospects are dropping like flies.
Players like Arch Manning and Garrett Nussmeier have played their way out of first-round conversations, leaving only a few QBs near the top of prospect rankings. Moore, Alabama's Ty Simpson, and Indiana's Fernando Mendoza are the only remaining consensus first-round picks at the position.
Now, it looks like Moore isn't going to enter the draft next offseason. On "The McShay Show," NFL analyst Todd McShay claimed that the Oregon QB is almost certainly returning to school next year. Relaying information that a scout told him.
"Book it. He’s gonna be back at Oregon next year. They have the resources. The parent, the agent, the coaches are all in lock step on this thing. Dante Moore is gonna be an Oregon Duck next year and be paid handsomely to be that.”
That leaves just two likely options at the top of the draft. With other quarterback-needy teams like the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns expected to be picking near the beginning of the first round, the Dolphins could be left without the chance to draft a quarterback.
As much as Dolphins fans may hate the sound of it, that leaves Tagovailoa as the most likely starter next season. His contract is a difficult one to move on from anyway, so Miami's best course of action may be to keep its QB around for one more year.