INDIANAPOLIS — New Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan addressed a series of hot-button topics early in his first offseason managing the team’s roster to a small group of South Florida reporters Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine before taking further questions at a podium.
Sullivan laid out that the Dolphins are open with regards to their plans with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and his guaranteed $54 million for 2026.
“The easiest way to answer that is everything’s on the table,” Sullivan said. “It could go a lot of different ways. A trade is a possibility. Tua is aware. His representation is aware.”
Everything on the table would possibly include a release if the team can’t find a trade partner. If it were to get to that point, Sullivan did not indicate whether pre- or post-June 1 would be the preference and said there are valid arguments for either case.
“There’s a lot of different factors in play,” Sullivan said. “If we were to go down that road, there’s other candidates (for one of two post-June 1 cuts available), so we’ll have to see how that kind of all plays out with the other decisions that are in play.”
Designating Tagovailoa a post-June 1 cut would spread the $99.2 million dead cap hit over two years, with most of it coming this offseason. Taking it all on in 2026, he said, would be difficult to make work financially.
Sullivan said, from Tagovailoa and his representation, what the team has heard is he simply wants to play and he has not requested a trade.
When Sullivan spoke at his introductory news conference with new coach Jeff Hafley last month, he avoided answering specifically as to a plan on Tagovailoa as he hadn’t spoken with him at that point.
“Always been a fan. He’s done a lot of really good things in this league. He’s had a really good career,” Hafley said Tuesday at the combine.
“Playing against him when I was (defensive coordinator) at Green Bay a year ago on Thanksgiving, I thought he was talented. Distributed the ball. He was kind of like a point guard, got the ball out quick, made plays with his feet, had a good two-minute drive.”
Also, Sullivan comes to Miami with previous ties to Malik Willis, one of the hottest quarterbacks in free agency this offseason, from time together with the Green Bay Packers.
Sullivan said the team has discussed Willis, but he’s merely one of many quarterbacks that could be in the plans.
“Have we had conversations about Malik? I think anybody that is potentially in the quarterback market would be lying to you if they said they are not,” Sullivan said. “My job is to infuse competition into that quarterback room, whether it’s Malik or another free agent or through the draft.”
“Him and I have a really good relationship,” Hafley later added on Willis from being with him in Green Bay. “He always did a really good job and gave us everything he had.”
Hafley added he sometimes would have to remind Willis, as scout-team quarterback designed to emulate that week’s opposing passer, to stay in the pocket for certain quarterbacks instead of scrambling.
Like with Tagovailoa, the Dolphins are also active in trade conversations involving safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
“I’d kind of throw him in the same bucket as Tua,” Sullivan said. “Everything is on the table with Minkah.”
Sullivan looked back on the cut of Tyreek Hill, mentioning financials, injury and age all played a factor in his release. He called Hill a phenomenal, Hall of Fame-caliber player.
“The best thing for the Miami Dolphins was to move forward,” said Sullivan, adding he believes Hill will make a comeback from last year’s dislocated knee. “My gut tells me that we have not seen the last of Tyreek Hill.”
He said of also releasing guard James Daniels: “Availability’s the best ability. … He probably needed a fresh start and so did we.”
The Dolphins are open to conversations with running back De’Von Achane, linebacker Jordyn Brooks and center Aaron Brewer over contract extensions, but those will occur later, in the summer.
“He’s a marvelous player. We want him to be part of this thing moving forward,” Sullivan said when asked specifically about Achane. “We’re kind of focused on what’s at hand, which is free agency — and then the draft. We will have those conversations with him, as well as some other guys, as we move down the road.”
When it comes to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who was already signed to an extension in 2024 under the previous regime, Sullivan said he would prefer to keep him around.
“Jaylen is a very good football player,” Sullivan said. “My vision is for Jaylen to be part of this. … We are not actively trying to move Jaylen Waddle.”
He said, however, it is his job to listen to teams when they ask about any player.
Asked about right tackle Austin Jackson and his status on the roster, Sullivan said: “We don’t have the flexibility to run people out the door right now. … I would like him to be part of the football team.”
Sullivan said his understanding is tight end Darren Waller is still exploring whether to return next season or retire. The new Dolphins regime may not bring him back, though.
“I would say if you just look at it with some common sense, it probably doesn’t make a ton of sense for us just because of where we are,” Sullivan said. “But that’s not to say no either. I mean, it really isn’t. It’s just, I would say, looking at it today, probably no.”
Sullivan said he will approach the draft with a “best-player-available” mindset.
“We’re not looking for quick fixes here,” he said. “We’re looking for something that will last a long time.
“The simplest way to say it is I want good football players.”