The Miami Dolphins will be forced to make some tough decisions this offseason. Miami is in an awkward situation with QB Tua Tagovailoa with a potential divorce looking inevitable in the coming weeks. Some around the NFL believe the Dolphins could be ready to make a massive move simply to get rid of Tua's contract.
Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk reported that some around the NFL believe that the team could cut Tagovailoa this offseason.
“Some in league circles think the Dolphins may do just that. Eat the full $99.2 million now,” Florio wrote on Tuesday. “With the cap for 2026 projected to fall between $301.2 million and $305.7 million for the coming year, anywhere from 32.4 percent to 32.9 percent of the team’s total cap space would be allocated to Tagovailoa.”
The Dolphins signed Tagovailoa to a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension during the 2024 offseason. That already looks like a terrible decision by former GM Chris Grier, as it leaves the team in a difficult situation with the salary cap.
Miami released multiple veteran players, including Tyreek Hill, on Monday as the first steps of getting their salary cap in order.
The Dolphins now have just $3.18 million in salary cap space. That could make it difficult to field a competitive team this fall.
So why would Miami make matters worse by cutting Tua?
Florio explained that the Dolphins could eat all of Tua's $99.2 million dead money in 2026. But if they designate his release with a post-June 1 designation then they can split that figure between two season. That would leave Miami with $55.4 million in 2026 and $43.8 million in 2027 as dead money.
The temptation to eat all of that dead money in 2026 is gaining financial freedom in the future.
If the Dolphins take that path, they will be entirely free of Tua's contract in future seasons. That means $53.4 million in additional cap space in 2027 and $65.8 million in 2028.
Ultimately, there is no clear path for the Dolphins to compete during their first season under head coach Jeff Hafley. That could make it tempting to be rid of Tua's contract once and for all.
It will be fascinating to watch how this situation evolves in the coming weeks leading up to the new league year.
