Former Dolphins Tight End Sounds the Panic Button On Tua Tagovailoa

“He just doesn’t have it,” Rose said. “He just doesn’t have it down the field, and I just figured out [Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel isn’t] gonna make him throw stuff that he just can’t do.”

Tagovailoa’s 4.5% interception rate leads all quarterbacks who have started all three games. Only the Cincinnati Bengals’ Jake Browning, who came off the bench in Week 2 and boasts an 8.5% interception rate in 59 attempts, has worse numbers than Tagovailoa.

Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins’ offense are in big trouble

Defenses have held Jaylen Waddle to a career-low 45.7 yards per game, and running back De’Von Achane leads the team with 18 receptions. Achane and Tyreek Hill are tied for the team lead with 23 targets, a concerning statistic considering Waddle and Hill’s reputation as explosive playmakers.

“Tua can’t make all the throws you need to make for what the weapons you have,” Rose argued. “You got too much horsepower for that guy to drive. He can’t drive the car; it’s got too much horsepower. He can’t handle it.”

Unfortunately for the Dolphins, they’re likely stuck with Tagovailoa for now. According to the Miami Herald, cutting Tagovailoa before June 1, 2026, would result in a $99 million dead cap hit, though that number falls to $67 million after June 1. Similarly, the Dolphins would absorb a $45 million hit if they trade him before June 1.

Although the Dolphins would only take a $13 million cap hit with a post-June 1 trade, they’d take “significant cap hits” down the road. We certainly won’t be surprised, though, if the Dolphins invest a Day 2 pick on a quarterback next spring.