NFL Execs Recommend Dolphins Trade Tua Tagovailoa, Sign Kirk Cousins to Contract

After the Miami Dolphins lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Saturday's AFC Wild Card Game, some believe that the team has reached its ceiling with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

The Athletic's Mike Sando spoke to multiple NFL executives who suggested the Dolphins should look to trade Tagovailoa and acquire a veteran like Minnesota Vikings signal-caller Kirk Cousins, who is set to become a free agent this offseason.

"If you could get a 2 and a 3 for Tua and sign Kirk, I'd want to make sure I felt comfortable about having him for three years from a health standpoint," the exec said. "I do think Tua works much better in a domed stadium where you know half your games are played in pristine conditions."

Tagovailoa struggled in the snowy conditions at Arrowhead Stadium in Saturday's 26-7 loss. The Dolphins have not won a playoff game since 2000, the longest active streak in the NFL.

While Cousins is seen as a more dependable option, another executive suggested that he's also unlikely to lead the Dolphins to a championship. Still, the exec acknowledged the benefit of trading Tagovailoa.

"Your upside with Tua certainly seems limited," the other exec said, "so let's say you can trade him. I would be exploring, 'OK, Tua, we can win games with, probably not winning a championship with. Kirk Cousins, we can win games with, probably not winning a championship with.' But our resources are better spent on Cousins plus draft picks than they are on just Tua."