Shortly after the Miami Dolphins had been eradicated from playoff competition once they suffered a 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers this previous Monday evening, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel hinted that he might bench quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed that rookie Quinn Ewers will begin when the 6-8 Dolphins host the 4-10 Cincinnati Bengals this coming Sunday.
The Dolphins and normal supervisor Chris Grier “mutually” agreed to half methods on Oct. 31, however hypothesis about McDaniel’s future quieted down after Miami notched 4 straight wins to enhance to 6-7 earlier than its loss to Pittsburgh. On Wednesday, NFL insider Mike Florio of Professional Soccer Speak recommended that McDaniel could also be performing like anyone who’s protected in his job.
Is Mike McDaniel already planning for Dolphins’ future?
“McDaniel’s willingness to [bench] quarterback Tua Tagovailoa may very well be interpreted as a sign that McDaniel will work with the subsequent GM to discover a answer on the quarterback place, even when Tua is owed $54M totally assured for 2026,” Florio wrote. “Whether or not it’s growing Quinn Ewers, drafting one other quarterback, or discovering a free agent, the monetary dedication to Tagovailoa will complicate the scenario. If McDaniel needs to get one other 12 months, he wants to comprehend that the subsequent GM will need a new quarterback.”
Dolphins proprietor Stephen Ross is reportedly keen on McDaniel, and McDaniel’s gamers confirmed with their actions and words that they may play for him when instances are robust. That stated, McDaniel hasn’t guided Miami to a playoff win since he accepted the job in 2022. That may very well be sufficient for a brand new GM to need his personal head coach.
What can Dolphins do with Tua Tagovailoa?
ESPN’s Dan Graziano talked about that the Dolphins’ dead-money cost would drop to $45.2M in the event that they traded Tagovailoa earlier than March 13 of subsequent 12 months. To match, Miami’s dead-money cost could be $60.2M if Tagovailoa had been traded after March 13. That is a tough spot for a brand new head coach to seek out himself in, particularly if the Dolphins aren’t in a position to land a top-tier quarterback prospect within the upcoming draft.
Graziano additionally identified that the Dolphins might unfold $99.2M in useless wage cap expenses over two years by designating Tagovailoa as a post-June 1 launch. Both approach, it seems like some across the NFL imagine McDaniel is getting ready for Tagovailoa to be off the Miami roster.
“In studying the tea leaves, it appears extra probably than not that Mike McDaniel stays the Dolphins’ coach given how plucky the crew has been as of late (four-game profitable streak previous to Monday’s loss),” ESPN’s Ben Solak shared. Solak added that “Tagovailoa is definitely an important veteran QB2 to maintain behind a rookie passer.”
The Dolphins might higher afford to maneuver on from Tagovailoa in 2027.
