The Dolphins (mostly new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan) must make dozens of important decisions over the coming months.
Even beyond particular free agents targeted or draft picks chosen, there are three big-picture issues that we find fascinating. Exploring those:
The Ross/Tagovailoa question
After we first reported last Thursday that the Dolphins strongly prefer to trade Tua Tagovailoa if they move on from him — as opposed to immediately throwing up their hands and cutting him and sustaining an ever bigger cap hit — ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that “Miami is expected to be willing to pay down a portion of Tagovailoa’s contract to help facilitate a trade, though the money still makes it challenging.”
Owner Stephen Ross’ willingness to pay some of Tagovailoa’s $54 million while he plays for another team is commendable, because it will give Miami some cap relief than other scenarios.
As former agent and cap expert Joel Corry told me, the amount that Ross agrees to pay of Tagovailoa’s 2026 salary (for a new team) would not have much effect on his Dolphins’ dead money cap hit provided the trade is made after June 1.
If Ross pays a third or half or most of the $54 million, Tagovailoa’s Dolphins’ 2026 dead money cap hit — if the trade is made after June 1 — would be $48.2 million regardless, Corry said.
That $48.2 million would be less than his $56 million 2026 Dolphins cap hit if he’s on the team next season and less than his $67 million 2026 dead money Dolphins cap hit if he’s cut after June 1 or the $99.2 million cap hit if he’s cut before June 1.
(Corry said there would be an enormous cap hit — close to the $99 million — if the Dolphins trade Tagovailoa before June 2 and Ross pays all of his salary for a new team.)
But what’s reasonable to expect Ross to pay? Ross already paid $7 million of Jalen Ramsey’s $26 million salary last season to facilitate a trade that helped Miami land Minkah Fitzpatrick.
For perspective, the most an NFL owner has paid in cash to facilitate a trade is $16 million; that’s what Houston Texans owner Janice McNair forked up to cover a part of Brock Osweiler’s salary in a 2017 trade with Cleveland. The next closest reportedly was $9 million paid by Denver ownership to cover part of Von Miller’s salary in a trade to the Rams.
So expecting Ross to cover even half of the $54 million would be unprecedented and probably unreasonable to expect.
That said, some team will be left without a starting quarterback because of the weakness of this year’s free agent class (only free agent Malik Willis and Kyler Murray, if cut, are sure-fire starters) and a draft with only one potential 2026 starter (likely Las Vegas No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza).
So some team invariably will look at Tagovailoa. The question is how much Ross would be asked to pay to turn Tagovailoa from a negative asset (where Miami would need to attach a draft pick) to a positive asset (where the Dolphins could perhaps get back a late round pick instead)?
If you missed it, Sullivan told season-ticket holders at an event Thursday night: “I don’t know what the future holds right now and I told Tua that....He will be the first to know when we make a decision....We’re getting close to a decision.”
The Willis question
If there’s a bidding war for Willis, how high might it go and what could the Dolphins stomach?
An unidentified general manager told former CBS insider Jason LaCanfora that Willis’ contract “is going to be close to the” Justin Fields 2025 deal with the Jets, which was two-year, $40 million and $30 million guaranteed. Despite their cap problems, the Dolphins could accommodate such a deal using void years, when some cap charges reflect after a player has left your team.
LaCanfora, who now reports for SportsBoom.com, said one GM viewed Miami and Cleveland as the teams to beat, and one agent predicted he will end up in Cleveland. “Willis made a strong impression on Miami head coach Jeff Hafley, the Packers former defensive coordinator,” LaCanfora said.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who is well-sourced at the top of the Dolphins’ organization, noted on ESPN last week that Willis “is expected to be the premier quarterback free agent. He is expected to command a lot of interest around the league. It’s logical to connect the dots in Miami where they have the former Packers executive and former defensive coordinator” as GM and coach.
Willis, a former third-round pick of the Titans, lasted only two years in Tennessee before he was dealt to Green Bay in August 2024 in exchange for a seventh-round pick. Willis thrived as Jordan Love’s backup the past two seasons, producing a 134.6 passer rating, six touchdowns, no interceptions, while completing 70 of 89 passes for 972 yards and a 2-1 record in three starts.
ESPN’s Ryan Clark said the Dolphins must do everything to try to sign him.
“If you’re the Dolphins, how can you get this to work out?” Clark said. “How can you get Malik Willis in your building? We’ve seen him become a better passer. We know what type of athleticism he has.
“He is going to get a good wage on the market. Can you work it out contractually to get you [what can] be a franchise starter now that he’s developed.”
Clark and ESPN’s Mina Kimes said Willis’ best spot would be Pittsburgh, if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t return.
“Pittsburgh is top destination given their timeline,” Kimes said. “He’s got a cannon, incredible duel threat quarterback. He’s best with a strong run game. And they’ve got DK Metcalf, an amazing perimeter threat.”
How much to sacrifice the 2026 season to get the Dolphins’ salary cap in order
One person who has spoken to the Dolphins’ front office said he was left with the strong impression that this will be a significant rebuild, though not with the intention of tanking. That means there aren’t going to be just a few chairs shuffled around; my suspicion is much of the roster likely will be overhauled in the next few years.
I found this response from Hafley interesting when he was asked by WSVN 7’s Josh Moser whether he was told if he must win a playoff game by a certain year.
“There was a clear connection with our vision and the ownership’s vision and Sully’s vision,” Hafley said. “At the same time, I want to win everything that I do. Certainly, we want to do it as quickly as possible.
“But that goes into: How do we want to build it? Do we want instant success, which might cause failure down the road? Or we want sustained success, which requires a lot of hard work, building it the right way where Sully and I can dive into this thing with no shortcuts?”
That verbiage often is pro sports code for something that will take some time, with potentially short-term pain. We’ll see how it plays out.
Two people who have spoken to the new Dolphins management said maximizing and collecting draft picks will be a priority for Sullivan and cautioned us not to be surprised if the team trades down in any of the early rounds to accumulate more picks.
To Sullivan, draft picks are gold, an associate emphasized. There could be potential to add more picks with trades of a few veterans who aren’t in the long-term plans.
Here’s my Monday piece on the Dolphins tight end situation.
Here’s my Tuesday piece on the Dolphins edge rusher situation.
Here’s my Wednesday piece on Dolphins rookies.
Here’s my Thursday piece on Patrick Paul and the Dolphins’ offensive line.