Dolphins predicted to replace Tua Tagovailoa with $180 million Pro Bowl quarterback

Jarrett Bailey

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Dolphins predicted to replace Tua Tagovailoa with $180 million Pro Bowl quarterback image

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The Miami Dolphins will wrap up their 2025 season on Sunday when they take on the New England Patriots in Week 18. Miami has had quite the eventful season for more bad reasons than good, which sets up a very interesting offseason for Miami.

The Dolphins fired general manager Chris Grier in the middle of the season, and head coach Mike McDaniel benched Tua Tagovailoa after the team's Week 15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, which all but ends his tenure in Miami. If that is the case, Miami will need a new starter at quarterback, which they could address in the NFL Draft or with a signing/trade. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report weighs in on the matter and says Kirk Cousins to Miami would make sense.

"Regardless of McDaniels' fate, it feels like Miami is out on Tua Tagovailoa, who was benched for Ewers for performance reasons," Knox writes. "Offloading Tagovailoa's contract this coming offseason won't be easy, as it will contain $56.4 million in dead money, but if the Dolphins can do it, they may need a veteran QB to at least push Ewers. Cousins could do exactly that, and he could feel good enough about his chances of beating out the Texas product that he'd sign off on a trade to South Beach. It's also worth noting that McDaniel was on the Washington Commanders' staff during Cousins' first two seasons in the NFL."

Cousins has started seven games in 2025 after Michael Penix went down with a torn ACL. The four-time Pro Bowler was signed by Atlanta in 2024 to a $180 million deal and was benched at the tail end of the 2024 season. If given the right offense, we've seen what Cousins is capable of. With Jaylen Waddle and De'Von Achane as proven commodities, Miami could do a lot worse than signing Cousins once he is released, which is heavily expected.

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