The Miami Dolphins settled for Tua Tagovailoa in the 2020 NFL Draft, at least that's what the newest report claims, according to ESPN. The Dolphins apparently were very high on fellow 2020 Draftee Joe Burrow, that the Dolphins offered the Cincinnati Bengals four first-round picks for the first overall pick so they could select Burrow.
Not long after, a move like that looked rather bold and unnecessary. By 2022 and 2023, the Dolphins looked like they had developed Tagovailoa to be every bit the Pro Bowler that many had hoped he'd be in the pre-draft process. Much of that is due to the coaching of Mike McDaniels, who helped unlock the next level in his development.
Yet, over the last two seasons, Tagovailoa has fallen off a bit. He's thrown more interceptions in 2025 than at any other point, and was so inconsistent week to week that the Dolphins finally benched him with just three weeks before the end of the season. Such a move could only really indicate that his time with the team is ending sooner rather than later.
A trade could happen in the offseason. The Houston Texans created a sort of blueprint for moving on from bad quarterback contracts when they traded Brock Osweiler to the Cleveland Browns for a second and a sixth-round pick. The Browns then sent back a fourth-round pick and took on Osweiler's contract. The Dolphins could likely do something similar. According to Spotrac, the Dolphins could save $43 million over the next two years if they wait until after June 1, 2026, to trade him.
A move like that could reset the Dolphins going forward. What would be even more interesting is what the Dolphins would do after that. Miami could see if the rumblings around Burrow in Cincinnati are true or not.
For the last few weeks, many have wondered if Burrow's cryptic comments about being unhappy with the situation are just frustration over his recent injury and a lost season, or if there's more there than just smoke. The Dolphins could be a team looking for a new quarterback, especially if the quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft Class are as weak as many fear they may be.
Still, only time will tell if the benching of Tagovailoa or the unhappiness of Burrow will actually lead to anything or if things will return to the status quo in 2026.