The 2025 NFL season could be a make-or-break year for the Miami Dolphins. The team missed the playoffs a year ago and heads into the 2025 season with a lot of lingering questions. Is this a team capable of making the postseason, and if they’re not, what happens if the Dolphins are on the outside looking in once again?
The future of Tua Tagovailoa has been under constant scrutiny over the last few years. The former first-round pick has been productive when on the field, but injuries have constantly slowed down his momentum. The Dolphins signed Tagovailoa to a four-year, $212.4 million extension last season, outlining their commitment to the signal caller, but naturally, another season of disappointment could leave the team with a decision.
Per Jim Ayello of The Athletic, it’s not unrealistic to think that the Dolphins could move on from Tagovailoa at the end of the season, even if the move could come with massive cap implications.
“There’s a world where this is Tagovailoa’s final season in Miami. To be clear, the odds of the Dolphins moving on after this season are remote (it’s far more likely after 2026), but it’s maybe not as crazy as you think.” Ayello writes, “Imagine if the up-against-the-cap Dolphins struggle to a five- or six-win 2025 season. Ownership decides it’s time for a hard reset, and the new GM and coach don’t see Tagovailoa, with his concussion history and limitations as a pocket passer, as a franchise QB.”
It should be said, Ayello believes the chances of such a move happening are unlikely so soon, but the fact that a conversation is even being had is a worry for Dolphins fans. Tagovailoa has completed 68.1% of his passes for 15,506 yards, 100 touchdowns, and 44 interceptions in his five seasons with the Dolphins, but he remains a polarising figure under center, in large part due to his struggles with injury.
Tagovailoa has had several concussions, as well as other ailments, since being drafted in 2020, and his inability to stay healthy has meant that the Dolphins may not have full trust in him. After all, availability is the best ability.
Ayello went on to add that the Dolphins could decide to draft a quarterback, in a strong quarterback class, and trade Tagoavailoa, but his value could depend on his health.
“They decide to draft a QB and look to trade Tagovailoa to a QB-needy team. His value would depend on his health and how he plays this year, but for the record: Simply cutting him after this season would come with a $79 million dead cap hit. That’s a lot, but it wouldn’t even be the NFL record.”
That dead cap hit would be a stumbling block, but it could be a necessary evil to eat if the Dolphins wanted to get out from under Tagovailoa’s contract, especially if they believe he isn’t the man moving forward. There’ll be many questions to answer in Miami, and they can only be answered on the field.
-1750993653-q80.webp "Vikings Named NFL Offseason Winners; Lions Losers")
-1750866586-q80.webp "Putting an End to This Ridiculous Bears’ Trade Rumors")
