Tua Tagovailoa is having a disappointing 2025 NFL season with the Miami Dolphins. He has turned in just a 2-7 record so far and leads the entire league with 11 interceptions ahead of the Sunday slate of games in Week 9.
He is currently on a massive contract with the franchise, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he can’t be traded ahead of the deadline on Tuesday. An NFL insider recently gave an update on the situation as rumors continue to swirl about his future.
Tua Tagovailoa Trade Rumors and Contract Situation Clarified by NFL Insider
The Dolphins are coming off another loss, being defeated by the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football in Week 9. They signaled that significant changes to the franchise are underway when they parted ways with general manager Chris Grier on Friday morning.
They announced that they will be sticking with head coach Mike McDaniel for now, but Tagovailoa’s role as their starting quarterback appears uncertain. NFL insider Ian Rapoport recently outlined the contract situation and potential outcomes as the 2025 NFL trade deadline approaches rapidly.
His current contract with the Dolphins is the biggest hurdle to him being moved this year, but Rapoport explained that it’s still a possibility. Trading him would come with a massive dead cap hit of $45.2 million, which is still significantly less than Russell Wilson’s $85 million for the Denver Broncos when he was released during the 2024 offseason. It’s also much more reasonable than the $99.2 million that would result from cutting Tagovailoa.
“Another option, which seems more viable, is pay down some of the salary next offseason and trade him as a bridge QB for a team in transition or one that has a young QB they’d like to have sit. Would a team pay a portion of Tagovailoa’s salary to have a bridge starter? Likely, they would,” suggested Rapoport.
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His current contract situation and struggling performances make it unlikely that he is moved before the deadline, but an offseason trade is clearly on the table. This is also fueled by the Dolphins parting ways with Grier and McDaniel being in the hot seat. Miami could theoretically clean house and start fresh for next season.
Tagovailoa currently ranks as the 19th quarterback on PFSN’s Impact Rankings, with the halfway point of the season coming at the conclusion of Week 9. Considering he signed a four-year contract worth $212.4 million, making him the sixth-highest paid player by AAV, this simply isn’t good enough to guarantee future security in his position.
