With less than a week until the new NFL league year begins, Tua Tagovailoa’s future remains in flux. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the Miami Dolphins are still weighing their options with the quarterback, but he also mentioned a potential team to watch.
The sense is the Dolphins and Tagovailoa are gearing up to part ways in some way, shape or form. Fowler said while the franchise hasn’t yet made a decision yet, the “expectation” around the league remains that Miami will grant Tagovailoa his release. That comes with a hefty $99.2 million dead cap hit.
If Tagovailoa is released, it would come with a post-June 1 designation, Fowler reported. Should that happen, he said the Atlanta Falcons could try to get in the mix as they seek a “bridge” at QB amid questions around Michael Penix Jr.
“It’s about as unlikely as it’s going to be really cold in Miami tomorrow,” Fowler said Thursday on SportsCenter when asked how likely it is Tagovailoa stays with the Dolphins. “It’s a situation where he’s going to be moving on, most likely. The team hasn’t made a firm determination on that yet and they have at least wrestled with restructuring his contract and keeping him around. But the expectation around the league is that he will be released with a post-June 1 designation, which would basically make them eat a $99 million cap hit, including $54 million guaranteed.
“They’re hoping another team gives them a little bit of money to offset that. He should have some options. Atlanta could be one to watch as they need a bridge quarterback.”
Tagovailoa is still under contract until 2028 and has over $50 million left in guaranteed money. His contract carries a cap hit of $56.3 million and a dead cap value of $99.2 million, which is why there are still questions about what could be next for him after a rough stretch in Miami.
Tua Tagovailoa took a leap forward in his first two years under Mike McDaniel in Miami from 2022-23, including a league-leading 4,624 passing yards to go with 29 touchdowns in 2023. However, he struggled from there as injuries mounted. He threw for 2,660 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2025 in 14 games before being benched.
Wednesday marks the start of the new league year, meaning teams are starting to get things in order with free agency on the horizon. Monday marks the start of the legal tampering period, meaning teams can begin official talks with free agents.