Dolphins Predicted to Replace Tua Tagovailoa With 1,772-Yard QB

The Miami Dolphins got a nice win in Week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons, but it still doesn’t excuse some of what they’ve shown throughout the year. Sitting at 2-6 overall, the Dolphins aren’t in as good a position as anybody would’ve imagined when entering the year. While the team was expected to struggle somewhat, no one expected them to be among the worst in the NFL. 

Some believe it all starts with quarterback play, and sometimes it’s tough to argue against. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa hasn’t been good enough for the Dolphins for much of the year, despite having a decent game against the Falcons in Week 8. He threw for four touchdowns and 205 yards, his best game of the season. 

Some believe that the Dolphins need to replace him, including PFN, who predicted that the Dolphins would select Dante Moore with the second overall pick. Moore is currently the quarterback at the University of Oregon. 

“Dante Moore is a close second-place on my current 2026 NFL Draft board, but the 6’3″, 208-pound passer is in the QB1 mix, and for a Dolphins team likely nearing a QB reset, he presents a potential upgrade.

“At his size, with his easy arm talent, layering ability, underrated mobility, age-defying field vision, and composure in tight situations, Moore bears a striking similarity to C.J. Stroud,” Ian Cummings wrote.

Should the Dolphins Draft a Quarterback?

Moore would be a decent pick for the Miami Dolphins, as he’s proven a lot during his time at Oregon. While he struggled against Indiana, he’s still thrown for 1,772 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. 

Things become troubling regarding what the Miami Dolphins could do with Tagovailoa in the future. Due to his contract, the Dolphins might be unable to get out of it anytime soon. The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen explained his contract situation, stating that it has to be paid out in guaranteed money in future seasons due to his deal. 

“The Dolphins signed Tagovailoa to a four-year contract extension in July 2024 that runs through the 2028 season. It includes two void years for cap-accounting purposes in 2029 and 2030. Tagovailoa still has guaranteed money remaining on this extension, which makes moving on from the contract pretty debilitating for the Dolphins from a cap standpoint.

“All money paid to a player, including fully guaranteed money in future seasons, must hit the cap at some point. Any bonus money or future fully guaranteed money that has not yet hit the cap turns into dead money when a player is cut,” he wrote.

Is It Time to Move On From Tua Tagovailoa?

According to The Athletic, cutting him after the year for the Dolphins isn’t a solution, as they’d still be hit massively at the top. 

“Cutting Tagovailoa outright after this season is not tenable. His extension included a $42 million signing bonus that was prorated — or divided evenly — over the first five years of the contract. For cap hit purposes, that came out to $8.4 million in prorated signing bonus for each season from 2024-2028.

“If the Dolphins cut Tagovailoa outright, the prorated signing bonus for 2026, 2027 and 2028 — a total of $25.2 million — will accelerate into dead money for the 2026 season.”

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