Is Mike McDaniel's Tua Tagovailoa decision a sign of things to come for the Dolphins?

Shortly after the Miami Dolphins were eliminated from playoff contention when they suffered a 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers this past Monday night, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel hinted that he could bench quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

On Wednesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter confirmed that rookie Quinn Ewers will start when the 6-8 Dolphins host the 4-10 Cincinnati Bengals this coming Sunday. 

The Dolphins and general manager Chris Grier "mutually" agreed to part ways on Oct. 31, but speculation about McDaniel's future quieted down after Miami notched four straight wins to improve to 6-7 before its loss to Pittsburgh. On Wednesday, NFL insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested that McDaniel may be acting like somebody safe in his job. 

Is Mike McDaniel already planning for Dolphins' future? 

"McDaniel’s willingness to [bench] quarterback Tua Tagovailoa could be interpreted as an indication that McDaniel will work with the next GM to find a solution at the quarterback position, even if Tua is owed $54M fully guaranteed for 2026," Florio wrote. "Whether it’s developing Quinn Ewers, drafting another quarterback, or finding a free agent, the financial commitment to Tagovailoa will complicate the situation. If McDaniel wants to get another year, he needs to realize that the next GM will want a new quarterback."

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is reportedly fond of McDaniel, and McDaniel's players showed with their actions and words that they will play for him when times are tough. That said, McDaniel hasn't guided Miami to a playoff win since he accepted the job in 2022. That could be enough for a new GM to want his own head coach. 

What can Dolphins do with Tua Tagovailoa?

ESPN's Dan Graziano mentioned that the Dolphins' dead-money charge would drop to $45.2M if they traded Tagovailoa before March 13 of next year. To compare, Miami's dead-money charge would be $60.2M if Tagovailoa were traded after March 13. That's a difficult spot for a new head coach to find himself in, especially if the Dolphins aren't able to land a top-tier quarterback prospect in the upcoming draft. 

Graziano also pointed out that the Dolphins could spread $99.2M in dead salary cap charges over two years by designating Tagovailoa as a post-June 1 release. Either way, it sounds like some around the NFL believe McDaniel is preparing for Tagovailoa to be off the Miami roster. 

"In reading the tea leaves, it seems more likely than not that Mike McDaniel remains the Dolphins' coach given how plucky the team has been as of late (four-game winning streak prior to Monday's loss)," ESPN's Ben Solak shared. Solak added that "Tagovailoa is actually a great veteran QB2 to keep behind a rookie passer." 

The Dolphins could better afford to move on from Tagovailoa in 2027.