Tua Tagovailoa to Jets? Latest NFL Rumors on 'Teams Doing Work' on QB Ahead of Free Agency

The New York Jets are one of the teams "doing work" on Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.

For now, Tagovailoa remains on the Dolphins roster, but Garafolo reported the Jets are "making some calls to get the fullest sense of who Tua is as a person."

The Dolphins are in the process of rebuilding, having moved on from some notable veterans already. Cutting Tagovailoa before March 13 would trigger a dead money hit of $99.2 million, and they could spread that over two years by designating him as a post-June 1 release.

The Athletic's Jeff Howe reported Tuesday prospective trade suitors are concerned about his performance because he "hasn't processed his reads as efficiently as he did earlier in his career." The multiple confirmed concussions he has suffered are a consideration as well.

Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports cited one executive who said they'd be willing to acquire the southpaw but only if the Dolphins threw in a first-round pick.

Miami's predicament reflects how much Tagovailoa's value has fallen.

This past season, he threw for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. His 6.21 adjusted yards per attempt were his lowest ever, per Pro Football Reference.

To some extent, the Jets signing Tagovailoa would evoke comparisons to the two-year, $40 million deal they handed Justin Fields last offseason.

New York bet on Fields' upside and hoped a change of scenery would benefit him. Instead, he looked like the same quarterback who struggled with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Tagovailoa is a little different in that he could sign for the veteran minimum with Miami footing the bill for almost all of his 2026 salary.

Unlike Fields, the 28-year-old has also shown he can be a high-caliber starter, making the Pro Bowl and leading the NFL in passing yards in 2023.

When there are so few good options this offseason, taking a flier on Tagovailoa on a cheap one-year contract wouldn't be the worst solution to New York's QB search.