Dolphins GM leaves door open for Tua Tagovailoa decisions

A recent report suggested that new Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and new head coach Jeff Hafley could take the full $99.2M cap charge to part ways with QB Tua Tagovailoa.

This would be without designating Tagovailoa as a post-June 1 release, which would get the quarterback off the books for the 2027 season. While speaking with reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday, Sullivan indicated he and Hafley haven't yet made a final decision about Tagovailoa's future. 

"Everything’s on the table" regarding Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa relationship? 

"The easiest way to answer that is everything’s on the table," Sullivan said about Tagovailoa, according to David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. "A trade is a possibility. Tua is aware. His representation is aware." 

Despite Sullivan's comments, outsiders couldn't be blamed for assuming that Tagovailoa has taken his last meaningful in-game snap as a member of the Dolphins. The regime that signed Tagovailoa to a four-year, $212.4M contract in the summer of 2024 is no longer running the franchise's football operations, and he was benched in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers late this past season. More recently, Sullivan embraced a roster purge that involved moving on from big names such as pass-rusher Bradley Chubb and wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

What does Tua Tagovailoa want to do during 2026 season?

Back in January, Tagovailoa admitted that he could be interested in receiving a "fresh start" with a different team. According to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN, Sullivan shared on Tuesday that Tagovailoa's representatives haven't confirmed that he may want to remain with the Dolphins and fight to re-win the QB1 job. 

"They have not, in particular, said he wants to stay," Sullivan explained. 

It seems unlikely that any club would trade for Tagovailoa because of his well-known injury history, the money attached to his contract and the fact that the Dolphins will almost certainly release him at some point after the new league year opens on March 11. 

The New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals are among the teams that potentially could allow Tagovailoa to compete for a starting job once he hits the open market.