The Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets now have a new quarterback to target in free agency.
The Miami Dolphins announced on Monday that they are cutting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and according to reports it will be with a post-June 1 designation.
"We have informed QB Tua Tagovailoa that he will be released after the start of the new league year," the Dolphins said on social media.
This move comes as no surprise after Tagovailoa saw a steep decline in the level of his play the past two seasons.
Miami tried to trade Tua, but no team was ever going to take on that huge contract. Now, the Dolphins will absorb $99 million in dead money over a two-year period. That dead-money figure is the highest in NFL history.
Why it matters for Steelers, Vikings, Falcons and Jets
All four teams could be in the market for a veteran quarterback this offseason.
We already know the Falcons, Jets and Vikings will be.
Atlanta and Minnesota need an insurance policy for Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy, respectively, and New York doesn't have a sure starter on the team.
In Pittsburgh, the Steelers' interest in a veteran signal-caller will depend upon what Aaron Rodgers does. If he returns, the Steelers will be good to go.
While Tua's stock is in the toilet, the fact that he'll come at the veteran's minimum ($1.3 million) will lead to some team taking a chance on him.
We would say the Jets and Falcons are more likely to sign him than the Steelers or Vikings.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler was told by an unnamed NFL coach to keep an eye on Tua to the Falcons, and the Jets are going to have a tough time finding anyone who wants to play quarterback for them, so down-and-out Tua might be their best option.
More NFL News