The Miami Dolphins are set to release Tua Tagovailoa, who carries an NFL-record $99 million cap hit. It’s a miserable end to Tua’s six seasons in Miami, but it was inevitable for anyone who has watched Tua’s roller coaster. Even with the best employment of an offensive genius like Mike McDaniel, Tua was ultimately unable to overcome the mediocrity of the Dolphins’ infrastructure and his limitations as a quarterback. Hell, there’s still an argument to be made that he shouldn’t be playing football due to the severe concussions he suffered during his career.
“Going forward, we will be focused on building a strong foundation for this team as we strive to infuse competition throughout the roster and create consistent winners,” general manager John Eric Sullivan said in a statement on behalf of the team. Regarding Tua in particular, he said:
“I recently informed Tua and his representative that we are moving in a new direction at the quarterback position and will be releasing him after the start of the new league year. In sharing with Tua, I have great respect for him as a player and a person, I expressed my gratitude on behalf of the Miami Dolphins for his many contributions on the field and in the community over his six seasons.”
—John Eric Sullivan
Judging by how his last year went in Miami, it’s hard to imagine Tua becoming a hot commodity on the free market. In addition to throwing an impressive 20 TDs and 15 interceptions last season, his inability to handle the locker room got him into a lot of trouble, and he openly shared his frustrations with fellow players and coaches. If his talent was already questionable, his leadership won’t help now, and an organization willing to take on $99 million in cap space just to get rid of you isn’t going to inspire any confidence.
Tua’s best bet is likely the Sam Darnold route. He’s still good enough to provide a solid backup, especially on a good team like the Rams or Packers or a team coached by Shanahan’s protégé. Rather than getting a chance to learn from a well-organized organization, Tagovailoa looks like a guy in desperate need of a reset. It wouldn’t be the worst thing to bounce around the league for a few years and aim to re-evaluate your career. If he can stay healthy, he may still have some quality football left in him.
