The Miami Dolphins have decided to bench Tua Tagovailoa after his struggles this season, creating questions about how they will handle his contract this offseason.
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NFL insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo reported the benching on Wednesday morning while citing sources informed of the roster move. They also noted that rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers will take over instead of Zach Wilson.
Head coach Mike McDaniel said on Tuesday that everything was on the table concerning the quarterback position. He indicated a decision would come by Wednesday as the Dolphins prepared to face the Bengals.
— Ty Hill (@cheetah) December 17, 2025
The contract questions hinge on the massive four-year, $212.4 million deal that Tagovailoa signed in 2024. The Dolphins owe him $56.4 million in guaranteed money in 2026, and he has a base salary of $39 million next season.
The Dolphins could release Tagovailoa this offseason, but this will not solve the financial concerns. If the team releases him, this will cost $99.2 million in dead cap money.
If they designate him as a post-June 1 release, the hit would fall to $67.4 million. If the Dolphins trade the former first-round pick before next season, the cap hit drops to $45.2 million.
One option for the Dolphins is to keep Tagovailoa on the roster through the 2026 season as a wildly expensive backup. If the team chose to release him after 2026, the dead money would drop to $31.8 million. A significant amount but far less than $99.2 million.
The Dolphins will have to make decisions about this contract after the season ends, but for now, the team will focus on the three remaining games. They will see what Ewers can do with time to prepare for an opponent.
The former Texas quarterback previously appeared in one game while completing five of his eight attempted passes for 53 yards. He also fumbled twice.
Scouts praised Ewers for his quick feet and quick release when he came out of college, but they also expressed concerns about his lack of consistency.
"Ewers' arm talent and game flashes are enticing, but he hasn't learned to play the game with a high enough level of consistency," NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. "The tape of road wins over Alabama and Michigan over the last two seasons showed the clearest picture of Ewers' ceiling. He spins it with a sudden release and good touch over the first two levels and makes it look easy when he finds a rhythm.
"He won a high percentage of his career starts but struggled to put points on the board in most big games in 2024. Ewers rarely operates as a smooth, full-field reader. He often predetermines his target and throws into coverage instead of taking what the defense is offering.
"A lack of escapability will require him to process quickly enough to stay ahead of NFL blitz packages. The raw talent and upside will be alluring for pro-style passing attacks, but it's fair to wonder if he will ever be able to rise above the talent on his roster and the ability of his play-caller to create favorable terms."
