Dolphins' QB swap: Tagovailoa out, Malik Willis in, reports say
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Tua is gone. Photo: Cooper Neill/Getty Images
Less than two years after the Dolphins made quarterback Tua Tagovailoa the highest-paid player in franchise history, Miami is sacking him and bringing in a replacement.
- On Monday, after Miami announced it was releasing Tagovailoa, NFL Network reported that the Dolphins were signing Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis to a three-year, $67.5M contract.
Why it matters: Armed with a new head coach and general manager, the Dolphins are cleaning house, releasing big-name players like Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb last month and trading away Minkah Fitzpatrick on Monday.
- Miami is paying a premium to get off Tagovailoa's contract in the hopes that a new quarterback can lead the team to its first playoff victory in 25 years.
State of play: Willis, 26, is more mobile than Tagovailoa, but he lacks starting QB experience.
- He has logged just six starts in his four-year career, but he had been considered one of the most coveted free agent quarterbacks this offseason, per NFL.com. (Check out his highlights)
- The former third-round pick shone in his last start for Green Bay late last season, completing 18-21 passes for a career-high 288 yards and combining for one passing and two rushing touchdowns.
- He is reuniting with new Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, who both spent time with Willis in Green Bay.
Flashback: During a roller-coaster six seasons in Miami, Tagovailoa went 44-32 as a starter, was named a Pro Bowler in 2023 after leading the NFL in passing yards and led the Dolphins to two straight playoff appearances.
- The team missed the playoffs the past two seasons.
By the numbers: Tagovailoa's $212.4 million contract, signed in the 2024 off-season despite concerns over his concussion history, has become one of the most criticized deals in the league.
- After missing four games with concussions in his 2022 breakout season, Tagovailoa missed six games in 2024 with a concussion and a hip injury, per ESPN.
- After losing Hill to a season-ending leg injury early last season, Tagovailoa threw a career-high 15 interceptions and was benched for the final three games.
What they're saying: Tagovailoa thanked the team and fans in an Instagram post, saying, "Wearing this jersey and representing this city has been one of the greatest joys of my life."
Stunning stat: The Dolphins still owe Tagovailoa $54 million this season.
- His release will reportedly leave the team with a $99.2 million dead-cap hit split over the next two seasons, an NFL record.
- Miami plans to pay $66.7 million of that this season, $11.1 million more than it would have paid if it kept Tagovailoa on the roster, per The Athletic.
What's next: The Dolphins have the 11th pick in next month's NFL Draft and Sullivan, the general manager, has said previously that the team would likely draft a quarterback.
- Second-year quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Cam Miller are the only signal callers under contract for the 2026 season, per SBNation.