Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa's Top Landing Spots amid Latest NFL Trade Rumors Before Free Agency

The Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals might both be looking to offload their franchise quarterbacks this offseason, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schefter reported Sunday that Miami "would like to explore trading Tua Tagovailoa," and he added it's "ditto" for Arizona with Kyler Murray.

Murray counts for $52.7 million against the cap and is signed through at least 2027 with a club option for 2028. Tagovailoa carries a $56.3 million cap hit and is on the books through 2028.

Those commitments will complicate any trade.

Should Murray and/or Tagovailoa be on the move, these suitors make sense for the notable signal-callers.

Kyler Murray

AP Photo/Butch Dill

Whether they trade Tagovailoa or not, the Dolphins might look to add another quarterback. It's tough to go back when a team has shown it no longer has faith in its starter.

Murray wouldn't be a bad alternative if Tagovailoa is dealt.

Bobby Slowik's stock fell precipitously in 2024, leading to his firing by the Houston Texans. It's not as though C.J. Stroud thrived in his absence, though, so Slowik could've gotten a raw deal.

Maybe Stroud's 2023 Pro Bowl nod was a bit of a fluke that inflated both his and his offensive coordinator's reputation. Taking on a reclamation project would allow Slowik to dispel that notion.

For the Cleveland Browns, it's hard to get excited about either of their internal options. Dillion Gabriel averaged just 170 passing yards in his first five starts, while Shedeur Sanders had seven touchdowns to 10 interceptions and finished with an 18.9 QBR.

Newly hired head coach Todd Monken has plenty of experience working with a mobile quarterback after having been the Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator. Murray could thrive in a Monken-led offense.

The Minnesota Vikings aren't going to cut J.J. McCarthy already, but head coach coach Kevin O'Connell might be feeling some pressure after the team fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

Minnesota needs a better contingency plan at quarterback than Carson Wentz. Murray would be a big upgrade in that regard.

Tua Tagovailoa

AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

Tagovailoa is arguably more of a distressed asset and has a lesser body of work than Murray.

The southpaw threw for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 14 starts this past year. He also drew some criticism when he discussed what he thought was a lack of accountability in the locker room.

Depending on how much of Tagovailoa's contract the Dolphins are prepared to cover, he'd be a great option for a contending team in need of a proven backup.

That's where the Washington Commanders and Los Angeles Rams come in. Both teams have entrenched starters yet have their backups — Marcus Mariota and Jimmy Garoppolo, respectively — hitting free agency.

Tagovailoa would be a good insurance policy and ensure the QB play didn't fall off precipitously if Jayden Daniels or Matthew Stafford were unavailable.

And while this would be a demotion for Tagovailoa, his value might benefit from some time out of the spotlight while he contributes in a small way to a playoff team.

The New York Jets, meanwhile, provide a clearer path to a starting job.

New York has the No. 2 pick in a year with only one quarterback (Indiana's Fernando Mendoza) who's a consensus top-10 player. The Jets are likely to add a veteran quarterback while possibly investing some draft capital in a long-term solution.

Were they to get Tagovailoa, they may not feel compelled to reach for Alabama's Ty Simpson or LSU's Garrett Nussmeier.