Dolphins Likely to Release Tua Tagovailoa After Failed Trade Attempts

The former first-round pick has struggled with injuries and inconsistent play in Miami.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Miami Dolphins are expected to release quarterback Tua Tagovailoa after failing to find a trade partner, according to ESPN insider Dan Graziano. Tagovailoa, who was signed to a four-year, $212 million extension, has played in only 17 games over the past three seasons due to injuries and inconsistent play. The Dolphins will likely designate him as a post-June 1 release, which will help spread out the $99.2 million in dead cap space it will cost to let him go.

Why it matters

Tagovailoa's struggles in Miami have been a major disappointment for the franchise, which had high hopes for the former Alabama standout. The Dolphins' inability to trade him and the significant financial burden of releasing him highlights the challenges of moving on from a high-profile draft pick who fails to live up to expectations.

The details

Tagovailoa threw 15 interceptions, lost one fumble, and had a passer rating of 88.5 in his final season under former head coach Mike McDaniel. The Dolphins pulled the plug on Tagovailoa late in the 2025 season, starting rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers for the final three games. With a new general manager and coaching staff in place, the Dolphins are now looking to move on from Tagovailoa, but his $54 million fully guaranteed salary in 2026 and the $99.2 million in dead cap space make a trade unlikely.

  • Tagovailoa was released by the Dolphins in March 2026, shortly after the start of the new league year.
  • Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension with the Dolphins in 2024.

The players

Tua Tagovailoa

A former first-round pick of the Miami Dolphins who has struggled with injuries and inconsistent play during his NFL career.

Quinn Ewers

The rookie quarterback who started the final three games of the 2025 season for the Dolphins after Tagovailoa was benched.

Mike McDaniel

The former head coach of the Miami Dolphins who was in charge during Tagovailoa's final season with the team.

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What they’re saying

“The Dolphins continue to tell people that they've had trade talks with teams and haven't given up on trying to trade Tagovailoa, even though that would mean picking up a significant portion of his $54M in fully guaranteed 2026 salary.”

— Dan Graziano, ESPN Insider (ESPN)

“But based on my conversations with other teams, I'm skeptical, and I expect Miami to release Tagovailoa by the third day of the league year (when $3M of his 2027 salary would become fully guaranteed). The Dolphins will almost certainly designate him as a post-June 1 release to help defray some of the $99.2M in dead money it will cost to release him.”

— Dan Graziano, ESPN Insider (ESPN)

What’s next

The Dolphins will have to decide whether to release Tagovailoa by the third day of the 2026 league year, when $3 million of his 2027 salary becomes fully guaranteed.

The takeaway

Tua Tagovailoa's struggles in Miami highlight the challenges of moving on from a high-profile draft pick who fails to live up to expectations. The Dolphins' inability to trade Tagovailoa and the significant financial burden of releasing him underscore the risks teams face when investing heavily in unproven quarterbacks.