Vikings Linked to Terrible QB Idea
The Minnesota Vikings might be just fine at quarterback for the long haul with J.J. McCarthy, who has appeared to have a lightbulb moment in the last two games. But if that theory falls through, the team could evidently be an option as Tua Tagovailoa’s next landing spot.
If Minnesota is truly building around J.J. McCarthy, importing an expensive, concussion-concern veteran would feel like a panic move disguised as “depth.”
That’s the latest and greatest theory this week from The Sporting News, a site that examined Tagovailoa’s possible landing spots after Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel benched Tagovailoa this week.
Tua Tagovailoa Idea Feels Like a Shortcut Minnesota Should Avoid
Tagovailoa may not have long-term staying power in Miami.
Dolphins Bench Tagovailoa
After some speculation that it might happen, the Dolphins did it on Wednesday. Tagovailoa has been benched.
ESPN reported, “The Miami Dolphins are benching quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and turning to rookie Quinn Ewers as their new starter, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday. Ewers’ first start will come Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. Ewers briefly served as the team’s backup quarterback for its Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns and briefly entered the game but has otherwise been the Dolphins’ emergency quarterback.”
“Tagovailoa threw his NFL-worst 15th interception in the 28-15 loss to the Steelers, which eliminated the Dolphins (6-8) from playoff contention. Tagovailoa threw two touchdown passes Monday night but both scores came with the game already in hand for Pittsburgh. He also took four sacks in the loss.”
There’s a decent chance that Tagovailoa reached the end of the road in Miami. If so, he’ll need a fresh start somewhere in 2026.
Vikings Made the Cut on Tagovailoa Shortlist
And before the Tagovailoa demotion became official, Minnesota had already been whispered as a theoretical landing spot in 2026.
Sporting News‘ Jarrett Bailey concocted a list of new homes for Tagovailoa on Tuesday, with Minnesota making the cut.
He wrote, “J.J. McCarthy has put together consecutive good performances, so perhaps the Vikings quarterback radar is a bit more quiet than it was a month ago. However, if McCarthy struggles and looks inconsistent through the next three weeks, maybe they’d entertain a trade for Tua.”
“In a Kevin O’Connell system that values pre-snap motion and doing everything possible to make things easy on the quarterback, Tua could be the next graduate of the KOC Quarterback School.”
The Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, and New York Jets also pulled down mentions from Bailey.
Mid Performance
How’d Tagovailoa get here, sent to the bench by a team that handed him an enormous contract not long ago? Simple — a serious regression.
These are the numbers:
Tua Tagovailoa,
EPA+CPOE,
NFL Ranking:
2020: 29th
2021: 18th
2022: 2nd
2023: 4th
2024: 7th
2025: 22nd
Seventh-best to 12th-worst in a season got him a seat on the bench, paving the way for Ewers.
Splotchy Injury History
Tagovailoa also has a suspect injury situation. Concussions have infamously mounted for him — scary ones — over the last few seasons. In fact, after one of his concussions, the world wondered if he’d even come back at all. Retirement was on the table.
Then, even without a Guardian Helmet, which many thought would be a sound compromise for Tagovailoa’s problem, he returned and has remained healthy.
Still, the “one more hit to the head” concerns remain.
One item in support of Tagovailoa to the Vikings? If Miami cut him, he’d basically be paid handsomely for a year or two, and his next team could sign him at the league minimum. In that regard — close to free — Tagovailoa as a Viking doesn’t sound like the worst thing ever.
Other Would-Be Tagovailoa Destinations
Bailey also opined on Tagovailoa to the Jets: “Tagovailoa hasn’t done anything close to that with Miami, so there likely won’t be any fear in trading him within the AFC East. While there is a clear ceiling on Tua, perhaps Tanner Engstrand can do his best to Jared Goff-ify the Alabama product. For all of Tua’s shortcomings, he is good when it comes to timing plays and getting passes into short and intermediate windows.”
“That’s what the Lions made a living off of doing with Goff. That’s not to knock Goff, but he is another guy who has a ceiling on his abilities. Tua to the Jets, at minimum, would be better than what we’ve seen with Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, and Brady Cook.”
He’ll turn 28 in March.
Trading assets for Tagovailoa would be unwise — and terrible. Signing him for next to nothing might have some upside.
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