MARCH 12: Tagovailoa’s release is now official. The Dolphins have designated their six-year starting quarterback as a post-June 1 cut. As a result, Miami will take on a record-smashing dead money number. Tagovailoa has secured another opportunity, landing with the Falcons.
Atlanta is planning to pit Tagovailoa against fellow left-hander Michael Penix Jr. in an open competition ahead of the 2026 season. As Russell Wilson was in 2024 (and as Kyler Murray may well be this year), Tagovailoa is expected to be tied to veteran-minimum money. The Dolphins have used both their post-June 1 designations, making the same move to jettison Bradley Chubb (who has since joined the Bills).
MARCH 9: Tua Tagovailoa‘s Dolphins tenure is about to officially end. His release will take place at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, per a team announcement. 
“As we move forward, we will be focused on infusing competition across the roster and establishing a strong foundation for this team as we work towards building a sustained winner,” a statement from new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan reads in part.
“As I shared with Tua, I have great respect for the person and player he is. On behalf of the Miami Dolphins, I expressed our gratitude for his many contributions, both on the field and in the community, during his six seasons.”
This will be a post-June 1 release, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes. That comes as little surprise, as it will allow Miami to spread out the record-breaking $99.2MM dead money charge in this case over two years. Thanks to Tagovailoa’s guarantees on his contract, he could account for $67MM a dead cap charges in 2026 as the Dolphins move forward with their full-scale roster reset.
Alternatively, that dead money figure could be split more evenly. As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap notes, Miami’s decision on a pending option bonus will dictate how this release is processed from a financial standpoint. The team could take on $55.4MM in dead money now with the remaining $43.8MM being delayed t0 2027.
In any case, today’s news confirms Tagovailoa will be among the veteran quarterbacks on the market this week. The former first-rounder was the subject of a tanking effort from Miami leading up to the 2020 draft. With Joe Burrow off the board, the Dolphins opted for Tagovailoa over Justin Herbert, who was selected one pick later by the Chargers. Burrow and Herbert remain in place with their respective teams and are attached to monster contracts. Tagovailoa, 28, inked a mega-extension of his own in 2024 but things did not go according to plan afterwards, to say the least.
The former No. 5 pick earned a Pro Bowl nod for his level of play in 2023, a year in which he led the NFL in passing yards. Tagovailoa managed a healthy campaign leading up to his extension agreement, but that was not the case in 2024. After being limited to 11 games that year, Tagovailoa’s future, as well as that of head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier was a talking point. Grier was fired in the middle of the 2025 campaign, one in which McDaniel (who was himself dismissed after the year ended) benched a healthy Tagovailoa. Since then, the Alabama product has been open to a fresh start.
Given the major guarantees present in Tagovailoa’s contract, interested teams have been willing to wait for a release before making a push to acquire him. A veteran minimum deal will now be in store from a suitor seeking an inexpensive option under center. The Vikings and Jets have been mentioned as possibilities, but more teams could be in the fold as well.
Miami, meanwhile, will seek out a new QB1 under Sullivan and former Packers colleague Jeff Hafley. The new GM-HC tandem’s Green Bay background has led to the expectation of a Malik Willis pursuit, but a less expensive option may be needed given the team’s cap situation. In any event, a new setup will be in place at the quarterback spot as a new Dolphins era begins in 2026.
Supposedly Colts offered Jones a deal similar to darnolds but jones wants 50 a year
I wonder if Tua or Murray could find their way to Indy if things break down with jones
Murray to Vikings seems realistic. If Rodgers and Steelers can’t work out a new agreement Tua might be a back up plan.
Arizona could be another spot. It feels like O’Connell wants Murray-for some reason-and I think that the Colts want Jones for familiarity’s sake. I don’t think that either team are out of the realm of possibility at all, though.
One team that would be interesting as well is Atlanta. Now, it’s probably not what Falcons fans want to hear, and there definitely could be better options (and worse options, for that matter), but a ball control Stefanski offense with several talented skill players and a good offensive line could relieve pressure off Tagovailoa if he ends up there. Most importantly, he gives Penix a chance to regain his job; if not, he could possibly be a starter for several games. It could happen, even if I don’t think that Tua is necessarily the Falcons’ first choice.
I won’t bother picking where Tagovailoa will end up, because he’s probably the consolation signing after the upper end of the free agent QB market finishes out, but he is a player who could start several games without removing the possibility of your young starting hopeful being shut out from regaining his spot. Basically, signing Tua doesn’t mean that your young guy is out of the running (e.g. Penix or McCarthy), but he could also start if they lose. He’s not the only option here like that, of course (Geno Smith, Jimmy Garappolo, Jacoby Brissett), but he’s had the highest ceiling recently. Perhaps a team picking a QB considers this, as well.
CBS sports thinks Tua would thrive with those weapons in Atlanta.
Apparently so does Stefanski. Looks like they’re signing him.
Tua is a game manager and not a game winner. He doesn’t have that passion or competitive drive for success. Put him in an offense where they run the ball well and play good defense and he’ll be fine.
Tua’s next stop should be the club that just traded for his Dolphin teammate Minkah Fitzpatrick. J-E-T-S.
J-E-T-S will wind up with Tua or Murray as QB
Tua can’t win in the cold. Atlanta or Arizona are the most likely options.
Jones won’t get $50M especially with his latest injury. All of these giant QB contracts for the bottom half of QB’s is over, dead money is tough.
Yeah $50 million a year for him after one good year would be insane.
He has the cleveland browns written all over him
It’s cold in Cleveland. Tua has never done well under 40 degrees, and will more likely end up in Atlanta or Arizona.
Jets and Vikings make most sense. O’Connell could more up on Kyler though.
Cold weather is not his thing…though Minneapolis has a dome.
He’s a Twinkie in the cold that’s true
Should a player designated as a post-June 1 release be allowed to participate with his new team in activities before then? It doesn’t seem right. There should be rules against it. If you’re not released officially, you should still be a part of your old team, though you obviously won’t work out with them anymore.