As of today, the Miami Dolphins sit in football purgatory.
At 2-7, they are one of the worst teams in the NFL. However, unlike their fellow bottom-dwellers, the Dolphins are in proverbial draft capital and salary cap hell. Of the 10 worst teams in the NFL, only the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints currently have less cap space going into the 2026 NFL season.
Expected Cap Space in 2026 Among NFL’s 10 Worst Teams (via OverTheCap)
- New Orleans Saints (1-8): -$14 million
- Tennessee Titans (1-9): $112 million
- New York Jets (1-7): $74 million
- New York Giants (2-7): $16 million
- Miami Dolphins (2-7) : -$11 million
- Cleveland Browns (2-6): -$13 million
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-7): $103 million
- Washington Commanders (2-5): $84 million
- Cincinnati Bengals (3-6): $69 million
- Atlanta Falcons (3-5) : $4 million
This, of course, is in large part due to the contract signed by starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in 2024. That offseason, with his 5th-year option from his rookie deal still on the table, the Dolphins decided to sign Tagovailoa to a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension. The deal works out to about $53 million per year in AAV (average annual value), 6th-highest in the league.
At the time, many questioned the choice to sign a small, injury-prone quarterback to such a large deal. Reports suggest that head coach Mike McDaniel was a driving factor in the deal, pushing now ex-general manager Chris Grier to get it done. Grier obliged, Tua signed, and here we are at 2-7.
Now, the elephant in the room—Chris Grier is no longer with the Dolphins, Mike McDaniel is on the hot seat, and Tua Tagovailoa is a shadow of the player he once was.
So, what now?
Well, should the Dolphins decided to “blow it up” and attempt to build a winning franchise, that process will almost certainly have to start with finding a way to move off Tagovailoa, whose contract is arguably among the worst in the league. Though tricky, the Dolphins actually have a couple options on the table.
Before we begin, I think it’s important to go over the importance of the infamous “June 1st” deadline, and what it means in regards to cutting or trading a player.
Pre-June 1st Deadline:
- If a player is released or traded before June 1st of the current NFL season, all remaining signing bonus money and future guarantees are hit against the current season’s salary cap.
- This is known as “dead money” and can be a large, one-time cap penalty.
- Teams often prefer this option, as it allows them “rip off the Band-Aid” and take on all the dead cap money at once.
Post-June 1st Deadline:
- By designating a player for a “post-June 1st” cut, a team can split the dead money hit over two years. For example, a $12 million cap charge could be split into a roughly $4 million charge this year and an $8 million charge next year.
- However, the player stays on your books (and often your roster) until that date, meaning you can’t use that cap space when free agency opens in March.
Now, let’s dive into what the Dolphins can do.
Option 1
One possible path is for Miami to stay the course and keep Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback for 2026. The Dolphins would simply delay their rebuild by an extra year, cut him in 2027, and start fresh then. A post-June 1st cut in 2027 would save Miami $45 million in cap space, with just $8.4 million in dead money. If they decide to cut him pre-June 1st in 2027, the Dolphins would save $36.6 million in cap space, with $16 million in dead money.
The Dolphins would still have the option of drafting a rookie quarterback in 2026, having him sit behind Tagovailoa for a year, learn the system, and potentially take over in 2027. Boring, but perhaps fiscally sound.
Option 2
Another option would be for the Dolphins to cut ties this offseason—similar to what the Denver Broncos did with Russell Wilson in 2024. The Broncos cut Wilson pre-June 1st that year, and took on a record-setting $85 million in dead cap hit to move on. They immediately pivoted toward the future that year, by drafting Oregon quarterback Bo Nix in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Their decision seems to be paying off, as the Broncos currently sit at 7-2, tied for the best record in the league.
If the Dolphins were to follow a similar route, releasing Tagovailoa before June 1st would trigger a staggering $99.2 million in dead cap—the largest in NFL history. But, as per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, a post-June 1 designation would soften the impact by spreading the hit out ($67.4 million in 2026 and $31.8 million in 2027).
This is very unlikely to happen, as the Dolphins would have no reliable starting quarterback, and next to no flexibility in terms of upgrading the roster next season. However, if the organization is dead set on cleaning house from top to bottom, you’d imagine this option will still be discussed at length.
Option 3
Perhaps the most realistic scenario though, involves Miami eating a portion of Tagovailoa’s salary next offseason and trading him to a team in need of a short-term starter or a mentor for a young quarterback. There are always franchises looking for a bridge option, and that could allow Miami to transition cleanly while exploring long-term replacements. The Broncos actually did this with Wilson, moving him to the Steelers and taking on a portion of his contract. Unfortunately, until we know how much money a team is willing to pay for Tagovailoa, we can’t really discuss figures just yet.
Ultimately, the Dolphins can move off Tagovailoa in a number of ways, but when they decide to do so, is up to them. Will the new general manager want to make his mark immediately, or let things play out?
As with most things, only time will tell.
What do you think the Dolphins should do with Tua? Cut him in 2026? 2027? Keep him? Let us know down below!
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