Evaluating the Dolphins' next steps after benching Tua Tagovailoa

Tagovailoa’s career was also impacted by a series of frightening injuries, most notably a trio of concussions that cost him eight games between 2022-24. Whether due to those concussions or lingering effects from a college hip injury, Tagovailoa has become much less willing to use his legs than he was early in his career, culminating in a career-low 43 rushing yards in 2025. 

Tagovailoa’s decline has coincided with a shift in philosophy by McDaniel and the offensive coaching staff. With wide receiver Tyreek Hill suffering a torn ACL in Week 4, the Dolphins have transitioned into a ground-and-pound style of offense, leaning even more heavily on superstar running back De’Von Achane. The change should have allowed Tagovailoa to succeed despite his limitations, but the uptick in turnovers eventually became too much for the Dolphins to bear. 

Though Ewers had a successful college career at Texas, the seventh-round pick is highly unlikely to be the long-term solution at quarterback. For the first time in his Dolphins tenure, McDaniel will be able to pick his starting quarterback, and the prospect of playing in a QB-friendly system with a strong offensive line and running game could be appealing to free agents. McDaniel could also look to grab a quarterback in the draft, though the Dolphins have likely won too many games to have a chance at any of the top prospects. 

While the Dolphins may have conceded that Tagovailoa is no longer their franchise quarterback, his contract situation will make getting rid of him an extremely difficult task. He is due to make $54 million next year, and cutting him before June 1 will trigger an astronomical cap charge for 2026. A move after that date will allow the Dolphins to split that charge between two seasons, but it will still result in a $55.4 million hit in 2026. Regardless of whether or not any team still believes Tagovailoa is a starting-caliber quarterback, his salary will likely scare off any potential trade partner. 

All of these points indicate that Tagovailoa will still be a member of the Dolphins in 2026, either with the chance to compete for the starting job or as the league’s most expensive backup. Whatever avenue the Dolphins choose, it’s clear that the decision to extend Tagovailoa set the franchise back years, and it will take a Herculean effort by McDaniel and the incoming general manager to pull themselves out of the self-created hole.