Does anyone really want Tua Tagovailoa?

Miami’s quarterback situation looks set for a messy offseason, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport describing the “most likely” outcome as a trade the Dolphins need to swallow a significant chunk of Tua Tagovailoa’s money.

With Tagovailoa benched in favor of Quinn Evers and carrying $55 million fully guaranteed next season, Rapoport said Miami would prefer to trade him while “eating some of that money” rather than cut him and take on $99 million in dead cap space spread over two years.

From there, ESPN’s reports explain why the league continues to shrug off the idea of ​​a clean breakup. Executives told ESPN they expect Miami to explore parting ways with Tagovailo, but the contract is the whole problem: $54 million in guaranteed money in 2026, plus an additional $3 million in 2027 in guarantees if he is on the roster on Day 3 of the new league.

One NFC executive bluntly summed up the financial reality, cutting him isn’t helping, and the first instinct would be to try to trade him, even if he ends up still on next year’s roster. Another AFC executive put it even more bluntly: they’re almost stuck with him.

Even the “purest” trading math comes with strings. ESPN noted that dealing him before June 1 would forfeit guarantees, save $11.2 million in cap space, and allow Miami to still absorb $45.2 million in lost money.

That’s a tough sell when the league is looking at durability, bullpen concerns and a huge price tag, and many executives have questioned whether they’d be comfortable with him as a starter without a specific combination.

The market, if any, is likely dependent on free agency and the draft, and ESPN listed several teams that could be in need of a quarterback, including the Jets, Browns, Vikings, Colts, Raiders, Cardinals and Steelers.

Complicating the whole picture, Miami’s leadership layer is not immune to scrutiny. Adam Schefter rejected the idea of ​​a head coach Mike McDaniel is definitely safesaying that no final decision has been made and it’s still “being played out in real time,” which adds another variable to how aggressively the Dolphins could try to reset the roster.

The Dolphins will face the Buccaneers next week, looking to keep the ball.