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DeutschThe Miami Dolphins appear ready to shake up their pod in 2026.
They already cleaned house with the coaching staff and front office. A roster remodel is the next logical step. Reports surfaced in February that the team will be releasing Tyreek Hill but there was no indication of what the future would hold for Tua Tagovailoa.
Miami benched the quarterback on Dec. 17, when then-coach Mike McDaniel said "the quarterback play was not good enough" following the Dolphins' loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15. The Tagovailoa era in South Beach has appeared to be on borrowed time ever since.
Barring a last-second trade, it appears that the quarterback will be released with a post-June 1 designation, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported on March 1. That would help soften the blow of the $99.2 million dead cap hit that comes with the transaction.
Teams across the league have begun to do some work on Tagovailoa with the start of free agency looming on March 9, when the legal tampering window opens, according to NFL Media's Mike Garafolo.
The quarterback said on Jan. 5 that he would be open to playing for a new team in 2026 and even opened some eyes when he welcomed the idea.
"That would be dope," Tagovailoa said via Palm Beach Post's Joe Schad, when asked if he was hoping for a fresh start this offseason. "I would be good with it."
With change being the only thing seemingly guaranteed in Miami, here's a look at the potential quarterback options they could pursue for 2026.
Dolphins QB options 2026
Kyler Murray
Murray is set to hit the free agent market after the Cardinals announced their intention to release the quarterback. Much like Arizona, Miami needed a reset after being held back, in part, by its highly paid, underperforming quarterback. More importantly, Tagovailoa's big dead cap hit won't hurt the Dolphins' potential pursuit of Murray, who should come cheap in free agency.
Murray has his shortcomings, but Arizona's recent failings without him show that the team's issues go beyond its quarterback. He was the rookie of the year in 2019 and made two Pro Bowl appearances, so it's not like Murray is incapable of playing the position. The quarterback might not be a home run and catapult Miami into contention, but most solutions like this aren't going to be. Murray's dual-threat ability would at least add a new dimension to the Dolphins' offense.
Quinn Ewers
The in-house option. A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Miami likely isn't expecting a miracle from Ewers. Maybe he surprises and stakes his claim to the job. It certainly wouldn't be the craziest outcome. After all, "Mr. Irrelevant," Brock Purdy, led the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance in his second season.
That shouldn't, and won't, be the expectation for the Dolphins who are just starting a rebuild. The quarterback was fine in limited action last season, completing 66.3% of passes and throwing three touchdowns to three interceptions. Cleaning up the turnovers would be a teaching point, but if Miami is kicking the quarterback can down the road to 2027, there are certainly worse options on the table. And who knows, maybe Ewers makes a leap and proves to be a capable starter in the NFL.
Marcus Mariota
From one Hawaiian to another? Mariota is a free agent after spending a good majority of the 2025 season filling in for an injured Jayden Daniels. Originally a backup, Mariota proved that there is something left in the tank, especially when it comes to his dual-threat abilities.
Unlike most teams, Miami could be in a position to offer him the starting job upon arrival. Considering he hasn't been a full-time starter since 2022, it's not hard to see why that would be enticing.
Anthony Richardson
The reclamation project. Daniel Jones shined for the Colts in 2025 before his season ended with a torn Achilles and it's unclear how that will impact his 2026 season. However, Richardson's days in Indianapolis have long been numbered, dating back to last offseason. In February, he was officially given permission to seek a trade.
There is no question that Richardson has all the tools to be a great quarterback. Injuries and inconsistencies plagued the quarterback in his first two seasons, during which he played in just 15 games, and he spent his third season on the bench. Richardson's on-field results haven't been much better. He completed just 50.6% of passes, tossing 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Despite that, the Miami native and former Florida Gator is just 23 years old.
The Dolphins could easily take a one-year dart throw on Richardson. If it works, they solved the quarterback problem. If it doesn't, well, they'd probably be in position to draft a new one.
Malik Willis
If the Dolphins want to make a bet on potential, Willis is their guy. There is plenty of familiarity with the quarterback who spent the last two seasons with the Green Bay Packers, since the Dolphins hired their head coach, Jeff Hafley, and general manager, Jon-Eric Sullivan, from the organization. Both got a good look at Willis and what he is like behind the scenes, giving them the inside track on any evaluation.
Willis filled in nicely for Jordan Love when needed over the last two seasons, completing 78.7% of his passes while throwing six touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also displayed plenty of rushing upside, posting 261 rushing yards and three touchdowns as a runner.
It's unclear how much Miami can get involved in a bidding war though. Given the potential cost, the Dolphins might have to look elsewhere with Tagovailoa's dead cap hit presenting a major obstacle in the short-term.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Murray, Richardson top Dolphins QB options to replace Tua Tagovailoa