Pro Bowl QB May Soon Be Available to the Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings will use the 2026 offseason to find an additional quarterback on the depth chart next to J.J. McCarthy, and credible reporting suggests Tua Tagovailoa will be released or traded in the coming weeks.
If Miami cuts bait, Minnesota would have to weigh cost, durability, and fit before treating Tua as more than a fallback.
Tagovailoa isn’t the dream option for Minnesota, but he has experience and successfully led Mike McDaniel’s offense at times.
Tua Could Join Minnesota’s 2026 Quarterback Menu
Add Tagovailoa to the list of Vikings’ quarterback options, although probably low down the line.
NFL.com: Tagovailoa Will Be Dropped
NFL.com’s Michael Baca didn’t leave much to imagination about Tagovailoa’s near future, writing this week, “Tua Tagovailoa’s tenure in Miami is circling the drain. All signs are pointing toward the Dolphins’ new regime moving on from the 27-year-old quarterback in 2026, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported on NFL GameDay Morning on Sunday.”
“Tagovailoa’s fate is expected to be decided prior to the start of the new league year on March 11, per The Insiders. How the Dolphins cut ties with the former Pro Bowler is the only question that remains.”
Because of his low price tag, Tagovailoa will have a considerable free-agent market.
Baca added, “Trading Tagovailoa is a possibility, but the Dolphins would likely have to eat a large chunk of his $54 million fully-guaranteed salary for 2026 and another $45.2 million dead cap charge would immediately hit this year, per Pelissero.”
“Cutting Tagovailoa, on the other hand, would allow the Dolphins to spread the nearly $100 million in dead cap across the next two years, per Pelissero.”
So, it seems Tagovailoa’s second NFL chapter is on the way.
Tagovailoa’s Career Production
Tagovailoa has started 76 games since joining the Dolphins in Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft. Only recently has Miami soured on him.
Scaled to 17 games, his average season looks like this:
- 4,076 Passing Yards
- 27 Passing TDs
- 13 INTs
- 68.0% Completion
By year, here’s a glance at his EPA+CPOE ranking among 32 NFL quarterbacks:
2025: 23rd
2024: 7th
2023: 4th
2022: 2nd
2021: 18th
2020: 28th
Tagovailoa has also battled nasty concussion concerns, so much so that some thought he may have been on the brink of retirement a couple of years ago.
Bleacher Report‘s Joseph Zucker noted this week on possible landing spots for Tagovailoa, “Depending on how much of Tagovailoa’s contract the Dolphins are prepared to cover, he’d be a great option for a contending team in need of a proven backup.”
“That’s where the Washington Commanders and Los Angeles Rams come in. Both teams have entrenched starters yet have their backups — Marcus Mariota and Jimmy Garoppolo, respectively — hitting free agency.”
Zucker makes it sound like Tagovailoa’s role is slotted as a QB2 in 2026. Perhaps so.
He added, “Tagovailoa would be a good insurance policy and ensure the QB play didn’t fall off precipitously if Jayden Daniels or Matthew Stafford were unavailable. And while this would be a demotion for Tagovailoa, his value might benefit from some time out of the spotlight while he contributes in a small way to a playoff team. The New York Jets, meanwhile, provide a clearer path to a starting job.”
Probably a No-Go in MIN Because of Brian Flores
The Vikings may not even bother exploring Tagovailoa’s trade price or possible free agency because of the Flores connection.
Flores served as the Dolphins’ head coach for Tagovailoa’s first two seasons, and apparently, Tagovailoa didn’t care for him. In a 2024 podcast, out of the blue, the Dolphins signal-caller told the show’s host that Flores was a “terrible person,” and he never walked back or clarified the comments.
Later, Flores responded by expressing sorrow over Tagovailoa’s characterization and said their relationship was never meant to sour. The Tagovailoa rumor mill might’ve made sense if Flores had accepted a head coaching position last month; instead, he signed a massive extension with the Vikings to remain the defensive coordinator.
Someone Will Get Him for “Free”
The neat part about Tagovailoa’s offseason trajectory is that some team will likely sign him for NFL pennies. He’s already been paid by the Dolphins for 2026, banking $54 million in guaranteed money. If Miami cannot find a trade partner — it probably won’t, unless it finagles a Brock Osweiler-style deal from 2017 (a salary dump) — a quarterback-needy team can likely sign Tagovailoa for the league minimum. Call it a prove-it deal.
While Tagovailoa doesn’t have a sterling NFL reputation — he seems to collapse in big moments — a general manager will find upside in a passer who tallies 4,000+ yards and 27 touchdowns per season.
Tagovailoa, a Pro Bowler in 2023, will turn 28 the week before free agency gets underway in March.
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