{"id":761870,"date":"2026-02-19T07:31:33","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T07:31:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/761870\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T07:31:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T07:31:33","slug":"kelly-why-dolphins-cant-absorb-tagovailoas-2026-cap-hit-opinion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/761870\/","title":{"rendered":"Kelly: Why Dolphins can\u2019t absorb Tagovailoa\u2019s 2026 cap hit | Opinion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Put aside whatever feelings you might have for Tua Tagovailoa, his struggles last season, and what he has contributed \u2014 or hasn\u2019t \u2014 to the Miami Dolphins franchise the past six seasons.<\/p>\n

Ignore the realization that the franchise\u2019s former decision-makers put themselves in this predicament by giving the 76-game starter a massive contract extension two seasons ago.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s just keep things simple and do the math on the $54 million the Dolphins\u2019 2020 first-round pick is guaranteed in 2026.<\/p>\n

Cutting Tagovailoa before June 1 and taking all of the cap hit that comes with that decision wouldn\u2019t just be challenging.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s virtually impossible.<\/p>\n

The Dolphins had an early roster purge Monday \u2014 releasing offensive lineman James Daniels and receivers Tyreek Hill and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine \u2014 to become salary cap compliant, which is necessary for the start of the new NFL league year on March 11.<\/p>\n

New general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has also told pass rusher Bradley Chubb and his camp he\u2019s not in the team\u2019s plans moving forward. At some point before training camp Miami will release the pass rusher, with the expectation that it will be done with a June 1 designation because that would create $20.2 million in cap space, $12.9 million more than the alternative.<\/p>\n

That explains why Chubb\u2019s release wasn\u2019t announced Monday, or any other day this week like the others.<\/p>\n

However, that salary cap space, the relief, the spending power, wouldn\u2019t be available until June 1 based on the league\u2019s rules. That\u2019s long past the upcoming free agent period next month.<\/p>\n

Miami can release two players with a June 1 designation, which allows the team to split up their cap hit over two seasons.<\/p>\n

It is extremely possible the second June 1 designation will be saved for Tagovailoa if the Dolphins can\u2019t find a trade partner at next week\u2019s NFL Combine, which is typically used for negotiating with teams and player agents.<\/p>\n

Cutting Tagovailoa before June 1 would require the Dolphins to create $43 million in cap space, and that would completely gut the roster because there aren\u2019t enough players to release, trade, or contracts to restructure to absorb that massive cap hit.<\/p>\n

Cutting Chubb with a June 1st designation creates $20.2 million, as opposed to $7.3 million for a regular release, and the potential cuts of fullback Alec Ingold (which would create a $3 million savings), kicker Jason Sanders ($3.9 million savings), offensive lineman Austin Jackson ($1.6 million savings), and trading safety Minkah Fitzpatrick ($5.8 million savings), which is seemingly being discussed, would create $34.5 million in cap space.<\/p>\n

Nevermind the fact Miami would have to acquire their replacements, either via free agency or the draft.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s stick to the math, crunching the numbers.<\/p>\n

Cutting those four starters and trading Miami\u2019s top safety would leave Miami $8.5 million short of being cap compliant to cut Tagovailoa before June 1. And that\u2019s before one player is signed, or re-signed this offseason.<\/p>\n

The only players whose removal might potentially create enough cap space to absorb Tagovailoa\u2019s early release are De\u2019Von Achane, if the Pro Bowl tailback and his $5.6 million salary get traded, and starting inside linebacker Tyrel Dodson, whose release would create slightly less than $3 million in sap savings.<\/p>\n

So now we\u2019re cutting five starters, and trading two of the team\u2019s top performers just to get rid of Tagovailoa before June 1.<\/p>\n

Hopefully, my proposed gutting of Miami\u2019s roster illustrates just how challenging it would be to cut Tagovailoa and absorb all of his cap hit in 2026 like the Denver Broncos did with Russell Wilson in 2024.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s possible the Dolphins could restructure a few of the team\u2019s bigger contracts \u2014 defensive tackle Zach Sieler, who already has a small base salary, center Aaron Brewer and inside linebacker Jordyn Brooks \u2014 but that typically requires player\/agent participation, which isn\u2019t guaranteed.<\/p>\n

Especially since Brewer and Brooks are likely seeking substantial raises from what each captain is due to make in the final season of the three-year contracts they signed in the 2024 offseason.<\/p>\n

The bottom line is that the math isn\u2019t mathing when it comes to Miami parting ways with Tagovailoa.<\/p>\n

So unless some team decides to rescue the Dolphins, acquiring Tagovailoa and his bloated contract, possibly with some enticement like a draft pick added in the deal, he\u2019ll be with the franchise through the summer, if not longer.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n


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