The Miami Dolphins are staring down a $99.2 million problem, and its name is Tua Tagovailoa. They’ve been trying to trade the quarterback, and will take a different approach if things don’t go as planned. As per ESPN’s Dan Graziano, the approach will cost them $99.2 million.

“The Dolphins almost certainly will designate Tua Tagovailoa as a post-June 1 release to help defray some of the $99.2 million in dead money it will cost to release him, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano,” reported Adam Schefter on Instagram.

With near-certainty, Schefter declared that the Dolphins’ final decision would be to try to trade their veteran quarterback after June 1st.

The Dolphins drafted Tagovailoa in 2020, and since then, he has developed into one of the top quarterbacks in the league. As a result, he received a top quarterback contract in 2024, making him one of highest-paid QBs in the league. Unfortunately, that $212 million contract has backfired for the Dolphins.

Trading for Tua Tagovailoa before June 1 would saddle the franchise with a staggering $99.2 million dead cap hit, a number so prohibitive it effectively freezes any serious conversations. That changes significantly after June 1, when the cap number drops to roughly $56.2 million, creating about $42 million in relief.

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Even so, recent buzz has linked the Falcons and Vikings as potential landing spots, according to ESPN insiders. The facts tell a harsher story. Atlanta’s projected $23.9 million in available space offers some flexibility. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s far bleaker situation, sitting roughly $44 million over the cap, makes any trade scenario extremely difficult even after June 1.

The franchise is trying to part ways with Tagovailoa after last season’s performance. As per Graziano, the Dolphins “haven’t given up on trying to trade Tagovailoa.” He also feels “skeptical” about whether he will actually be traded or not.

The quarterback recorded 2,660 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns for an almost 68% pass completion rate. On top of that, he had 15 interceptions and 8 fumbles, leading to 23 giveaways in total. If a trade is not an option, releasing is the second-best option for the Dolphins.

However, that will leave them with a $99.2 million dead cap. Although they won’t be able to get out of it, they can spread it over two years. That is why Graziano suggested the “post-June 1 release.” While the quarterback’s future is still uncertain, there are a couple of possibilities that the franchise can approach in answering the signal-caller problem.

Malik Willis could be heading to Miami

ESPN’s Dan Graziano has given his thoughts on the Tua Tagovailoa situation. Fortunately, there is a young quarterback available as a free agent that the franchise can go after.

Last season, quarterback Malik Willis had very little game time for the Green Bay Packers. But whatever time he got, he made sure to utilize it to the fullest. That has placed him at rank 1 in the NFL’s best free agents for 2026.

The fourth-year NFL player appeared in four games for the Packers, showcasing a 145.6 passer rating. He had an 85.7% pass completion rate for 422 passing yards and three touchdowns. The young quarterback also had two rushing touchdowns, highlighting his dual-threat capabilities.

Officials have confirmed he won’t return to Green Bay. Based on his performance, his contract may cost the Dolphins around $30 million. However, despite all the positivity, there remain a few problems. First, the massive dead cap after Tagovailoa’s potential departure, and second, the Dolphins are almost $6 million over the cap space.

So, financials are a huge problem for them. Although $30 million is a pretty good deal, it could still be a challenging number for them.

If not Willis, the only option they will have is backup quarterback Quinn Ewers, who was drafted in 2025. There is still some time before June 1 for now, so proceeding may be slow on the franchise’s front.