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NFL insider Ian Rapoport admitted that the Dolphins will struggle to find a trade partner for Tua Tagovailoa
The Miami Dolphins are blowing things up this offseason. With a new regime, led by general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, taking charge, the Dolphins have begun the process of cleaning out their roster, as stars like Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb headlined a group of players released by the team on Monday.
With these moves in the books, all eyes have turned to Tua Tagovailoa, who is also expected to be on the move this offseason. Reports indicate that the team would rather trade Tagovailoa than release him, but according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, it doesn’t sound all that likely that Miami will be able to find a trade partner for the embattled quarterback.
Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa Trade Viewed as Unlikely
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The rise and fall of Tagovailoa has played a big role in the Dolphins finding themselves in the position they are currently in. Just two seasons ago, Tagovailoa led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards. Now, the front office is willing to eat an unfathomable amount of money just to get rid of its former franchise quarterback.
There are teams across the league that likely will be interested in Tagovailoa’s upside, though. While Miami’s offense crumbled in 2025, Tagovailoa still threw for 2,660 yards and 20 touchdowns during his time under center. The problem is that he also threw 15 interceptions, and his tape shows several major issues that could be tough for any team to fix.
The Dolphins find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place with Tagovailoa, thanks to the four-year, $212.5 million contract he signed in July 2024. The preferred outcome for Miami would be to trade Tagovailoa, but when considering his contract situation and the fact that he will likely be released if no trade partner comes along, Rapoport doesn’t seem to believe that a trade is all that likely.
“It does feel like a full reset for Miami. Even Tua himself has said a fresh start would make sense. That seems to be the direction they’re going,” Rapoport said on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “I don’t know what form it’s gonna take. Can they trade him? I know that they would like to, but how feasible is it?”
What Should the Dolphins Do with Tua Tagovailoa?
GettyMIAMI 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)
It’s not too hard to see why the Dolphins are so intent on trading Tagovailoa rather than cutting him. Simply put, if Miami releases Tagovailoa, it would have to stomach $99 million in dead money, which would be the largest figure in NFL history. That could be spread out over two seasons if he’s designated a post-June 1 release, but that doesn’t exactly make things much better for the front office.
Trading Tagovailoa would still incur tens of millions of dollars in dead money, but at least the Dolphins would be able to save some money, rather than having to take a total loss on him. Even if Miami trades Tagovailoa, though, it would have to eat a big portion of his deal in order to get a deal to go through. It’s a tough situation, and no matter which way you slice it, the team is going to have to pay quite a bit of money in order to free itself of Tagovailoa.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
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