Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins appear to be headed for a split.
The writing has been on the wall for the quarterback and his time in South Beach ever since he was benched at the end of the 2025 season. As if that wasn’t enough, Tagovailoa’s future with the Dolphins has also been in doubt since the coaching and general manager change.
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Monstrous salary cap ramifications haven’t deterred the Dolphins from pursuing a trade or release, but it’s unclear how the situation will play out. A trade is more palatable from the cap standpoint, but a release appears to be more realistic at this time.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported that he expects Tagovailoa to be released by the third day of the league year after his conversations with other teams. A post-June 1 designation is considered likely for the quarterback’s release, which would offset some of the $99.2 million in dead cap penalty for 2026.
The cost of moving on is certainly expensive, but it seems like the Dolphins quarterback will be checking out real estate in a new city next season.
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AARON JONES LANDING SPOTS: Texans, Chiefs among Vikings RB’s best fits
Here’s a look at some landing spots that make sense for Tagovailoa.
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
1. Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
1. Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
2. New York Jets – Arvell Reese, LB/DE, Ohio State
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
3. Arizona Cardinals – Spencer Fano, OT Utah
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
4. Tennessee Titans – Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (Fla.)
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
5. New York Giants – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
6. Cleveland Browns – Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla.)
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
7. Washington Commanders – David Bailey, OLB, Texas Tech
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
8. New Orleans Saints – Jeremiah Love, RB, Notre Dame
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
9. Kansas City Chiefs – Makai Lemon, WR, USC
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
10. Cincinnati Bengals – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
11. Miami Dolphins – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
12. Dallas Cowboys – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
14. Baltimore Ravens – Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
16. New York Jets – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
17. Detroit Lions – Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami (Fla.)
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
18. Minnesota Vikings – Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
19. Carolina Panthers – Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
20. Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay Packers) – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
22. Los Angeles Chargers – Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
23. Philadelphia Eagles – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
24. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) – KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
25. Chicago Bears – Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
26. Buffalo Bills – T.J. Parker, DE/OLB, Clemson
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
27. San Francisco 49ers – Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
28. Houston Texans – Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
29. Los Angeles Rams – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
30. Denver Broncos – CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
31. New England Patriots – Cashius Howell, OLB, Texas A&M
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
32. Seattle Seahawks – Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina
Tua Tagovailoa landing spotsArizona Cardinals
It appears that Kyler Murray’s days in the desert could be coming to an end, which would leave an open starting quarterback job for the Cardinals. In terms of landing spots with the chance for playing time, it’s hard to not get excited about this one if you’re Tagovailoa. The Cardinals aren’t a constant topic on debate shows and the media attention in general is minimal.
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That would allow Tagovailoa to go about his work silently, but with a head coach who has learned from some of the best. Mike LaFleur has stepped into the big chair in Arizona, leaving his post as offensive coordinator for Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams. The competition in the division and NFC would be fierce for the quarterback, but this should be high on Tagovailoa’s list if he gets to pick a destination.
Atlanta Falcons
Could the Falcons corner the market on left-handed quarterbacks? The Falcons already handed the keys to Michael Penix Jr., but he is coming back from a season-ending torn ACL in November. It is not a given that the quarterback will be ready in time for Week 1, especially given his injury history.
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Atlanta hired Kevin Stefanski as its new head coach and a little consistency with quarterback handedness might not be the most far-fetched idea. There is a path for Tagovailoa to take the starting job on an interim or permanent basis, depending on his performance while Penix rehabs. Considering that he’d be surrounded with the likes of Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson, it would be a risk worth taking for Tagovailoa.
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Minnesota Vikings
If a starting job doesn’t present itself, Tagovailoa might want to try to rebuild his career with Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota. The Vikings‘ quarterback reclamation project has seen multiple success stories over the last two seasons as Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones went on to revive their careers in a big way. Tagovailoa could be the next, whether that means serving as a backup for a season or potentially sliding into the QB1 job.
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The Vikings struggled with J.J. McCarthy under center in 2025, and it’s unclear what the team can expect from him in 2026. Injuries have been a major part of the young quarterback’s story through his first two seasons. Tagovailoa is the type of proven player that can provide some much-needed insurance behind McCarthy, or step in to take over the starting gig.
New York Jets
The Jets will be connected to every quarterback with a pulse this offseason. Is Tagovailoa the right fit? Probably not. That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t look into it. There is the cold-weather element to playing for the Jets, something the other teams on this list don’t have to worry about. There is the media circus and, most importantly, a pressure to win that other teams don’t have.
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New York is in the midst of a playoff drought that has spanned 15 seasons, something that doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon. There’s no question that Tagovailoa would step into the starting job, but it doesn’t feel like a soft landing spot for someone trying to turn their career around.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tua Tagovailoa best fits: Landing spots for Dolphins QB if released