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MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 12: Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins looks to pass the ball during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Hard Rock Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
After six seasons together, the Miami Dolphins are seemingly done with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald reported that owner Stephen Ross no longer wanted Tagovailoa as his starting quarterback. Despite Tagovailoa having $54 million guaranteed and carrying a $56 million cap hit in 2026, the expectation is that the Dolphins will move off the quarterback and find a replacement.
The Dolphins have several options they could take this offseason to shore up the position. They could hand the keys over to seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers, who started three games for the Dolphins this season and showed some impressive moments. They could also go the route of a bridge quarterback, as they did in 2019 with Ryan Fitzpatrick. A veteran like Joe Flacco would fit the bill in that scenario. There’s also the risky, but high-ceiling move of going after free agent Malik Willis, who impressed in limited playing time with the Packers.
But there’s also another scenario which the Dolphins have been linked with, and it involves a former division rival.
Miami Dolphins Linked With Mac Jones
When the Miami Dolphins had Mike McDaniel as the team’s head coach, going after former Pro Bowl quarterback Mac Jones made sense. After all, McDaniel runs the Shanahan offense that Kyle Shanahan has mastered in San Francisco. McDaniel worked under Shanahan prior to taking the Dolphins’ job. In the 2025 season, Mac Jones impressed in eight starts for the 49ers as he replaced the injured Brock Purdy. The 49ers went 5-3 in those starts while Jones threw 13 touchdowns to only six interceptions.
However, once the Dolphins fired McDaniel, the potential of Jones joining the Dolphins diminished. Now, the Dolphins may once again be in the Mac Jones business as the team promoted pass-game coordinator Bobby Slowik to offensive coordinator. Like McDaniel, Slowik is also a member of the Shanahan tree, as he worked with Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco from the 2017 to the 2022 seasons.
FanSided’s 49ers blog has also made the connection between Mac Jones and the Dolphins. FanSided’s Nick San Miguel wrote, “Dolphins seem to be a perfect trade suitor for Mac Jones now.”
Trade Possibilities for Jones
Unlike other alternatives, Jones is not a free agent. The Dolphins would have to agree to a trade with the 49ers in order to acquire him. Jones is under contract through the 2026 season, where he will carry a $3 million cap hit. If the Dolphins were to acquire Jones, they would likely have to give him an extension. However, they could backload the contract, making it easy to fit under the 2026 cap hit.
What will make this transaction difficult is that the 49ers have made it clear they will not shop their backup quarterback. With a small salary, Jones is currently an asset that a team will have to give up substantial draft capital for. It remains to be seen whether the Dolphins will be a team bidding for his services. In his career, Jones has not fared well against the Dolphins as he’s 1-5 against Miami, which includes his first NFL start.
Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer
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