NFL teams warned off trade for $212m QB whose ‘severe limitations’ have been figured out

Tua Tagovailoa is proving a big offseason headache for the Miami Dolphins, and the rest of the NFL has been warned off their overpriced quarterback.

It’s been a rocky few months for the 28-year-old signal caller, who arrived at Hard Rock Stadium as the fifth overall pick in 2020.

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He finished last season warming the bench, as rookie Quinn Ewers stepped into his starting spot.

Then, at the NFL Combine last month, Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan confirmed ‘everything’s on the table’ regarding their veteran QB, who plays under a $212 million contract — arguably the worst deal in the league.

While the financial implications will be staggering, Miami is ready to move on — and that means they are either looking to trade Tagovailoa, or will have to settle for releasing him.

As time ticks towards the beginning of the new NFL season on March 11, a trade is looking less and less likely.

The Dolphins have played their hand, and no franchise is going to offer anything substantial in return for a player that will almost certainly be shown the door.

Miami has been backed into a corner, and could be forced to eat the monster dead money hit ($99m pre-June 1, or $67m post-June 1) which comes with cutting their overpaid quarterback.

But where would that leave Tagovailoa himself?

According to NFL Network analyst Marc Ross, he might struggle to find a new home.

Teams warned off deal for ‘limited’ Tua Tagovailoa

“I don’t think there will be teams clamoring to get Tua,” Ross exclusively told talkSPORT’s Brian T. Smith.

“Unlike Kyler (Murray), where he’s still young, he’s still dynamic and he’s shown that maybe there’s still something left.

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“Tua — he’s here and he’s kept going down. Teams have kind of figured out what he does well and what he can’t do well.

“And the coach there, Mike McDaniel, did a great job of working that system around him and then it kind of got figured out.”

“He just has such severe limitations, and I saw that coming out of college. I wasn’t sure why most didn’t.”

Ross went on to break down the ‘limitations’ that he believes have held back Tagovailoa for his entire six-year career to date in Miami.

The analyst continued: “Those limitations of, he’s got to get the ball out super quick. If not, he’s not really good going into a second read, not good against pressure and can’t make plays.

“A little guy, that’s just a one-read pocket passer, is really not a good situation. And then there’s the contract situation as well.

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“I think when the dust settles around this thing, there may be some play for Tua, but not teams at the forefront to go get him.”

NFL team explored frowned-upon trade for Tua Tagovailoa

Tagovailoa might have limited prospects as a starter in 2026, but he has been touted as a potential backup for both the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs, who might have the chance to sign him to a veteran minimum salary.

Miami has tried to find a taker for their QB and his huge contract — and one team is said to have recently considered a trade under bizarre circumstances.

“One high-ranking team executive told CBS Sports he had considered taking on Tagovailoa if the Dolphins would send a first-round pick to take on the freight of his contract,” Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports wrote this week.

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“It is the type of deal the NFL frowns upon and something that has only been done at that level with Brock Osweiler.

“The odds have been overwhelmingly in favor of the Dolphins exercising Tagovailoa’s 2026 option at some point 10 days after the start of the league year and then releasing him as a post-June 1 designation.

“That will spread the $99 million dead cap hit over two seasons and make Tagovailoa free to sign somewhere on the veteran minimum.”

Jones added that there are only ‘so many places’ Tagovailoa could play, considering he is not accustomed to playing in the cold. A warm-weather team, or a team that plays in a dome, could be potential landing spots.

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But with Ross suggesting Tua has ‘severe limitations’ beyond playing in the cold, teams will be reluctant to take on a quarterback who struggled so much before being benched in 2025.

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