The Miami Dolphins entered a do-or-die 2025 season under head coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Through seven games, they seem to be dying.
Miami sits at 1-6 on the season, with its lone win coming against the 0-7 New York Jets. Tagovailoa is having a poor season to say the least, and it's possible the Dolphins could find a way to part ways with their longtime quarterback despite his behemoth of a contract.
Dolphins could move on from Tua thanks to this contract detail
Through seven games, Tagovailoa has been horrid. He's completed 67.8% of his passes for 1313 yards, 11 touchdowns, and a league-leading 10 interceptions.
The Dolphins owe the former Alabama standout $212.4 million over the next four years, thanks to an extension signed in 2024. But could there be a minor detail in the contract that will make it easier to cut ties?
Kyle Crabbs of A to Z Sports thinks so and pointed out as much.
"Here’s where the good news comes in. The Dolphins structured $15 million of Tagovailoa’s fully guaranteed compensation in 2026 to come in the form of an option trigger, which Miami could choose to exercise even if it chooses to release him," wrote Crabbs.
"That means Miami could split that $15 million by a 20%-80% split between 2026 and 2027 if they were to waive Tagovailoa with a post-June 1 designation in March, which they would need to decide on by the third day of the league year, before that $3 million of 2027 compensation becomes fully guaranteed."
Similar to how the Denver Broncos moved on from Russell Wilson, the Dolphins could take a page out of George Paton's book and decide to swallow their guaranteed money medicine for the sake of the future of the team.
Whether that's McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier making that decision or a new regime next offseason remains the burning question.
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