Dolphins Planning to Release Tua Tagovailoa After 2026 Option

The Dolphins plan to exercise Tua Tagovailoa's 2026 option before releasing him as a post-June 1 designation to manage his $99 million dead cap hit. The team is not considering trading a first-round pick to move his contract, prioritizing the retention of draft capital for their ongoing rebuild. Tagovailoa is currently being evaluated as a potential backup candidate for playoff-contending teams.