There is a growing feeling amongst Miami Dolphins fans that general manager Chris Grier could restructure quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's contract. They should leave it the way it is.
Restructuring his current contract would give the Dolphins an extra $19 million in cap spending for 2025. That's a lot of money, and Grier could add a few players with that kind of extra cash, but if we are being an open book, Grier shouldn't be allowed to touch his contract.
There are several types of Tagovailoa fans: those who believe he is the legitimate franchise quarterback, those who think he is the problem, and those who are still waiting to find out. After five seasons with the Dolphins, the biggest problem is that we still don't actually know if we are being honest with ourselves.
Getting $19 million back in spending cash is hard to pass up, but that money doesn't simply appear out of nowhere. The balance gets pushed into future years of the deal, so inevitably, Miami still has to pay it. If a team has a top quarterback they know will anchor the franchise for years, it makes sense.
In the case of Tagovailoa, there are too many questions.
Miami Dolphins shouldn't risk losing the escape from Tua Tagovailoa's contract
Tagovailoa is easy to like, and no one complains about his character, but if he gets hurt again this season, the contract structure will give Miami an out after the 2025 season. Tagovailoa will count $56 million against the 2026 cap, but if the Dolphins release him as a post-June 1st release, they will reduce that number to $8.4 million, according to OvertheCap.com. They would save $48 million.
It's not a great situation to believe the top quarterback on the Dolphins could be gone two years after signing a big contract, but the alternative, paying a quarterback that can't stay healthy, is a legitimate concern.
If Grier decides to restructure Tagovailoa this offseason, he may be desperate to fix the roster and potentially save his job. It doesn't make sense to touch it, despite the needs of the roster.