{"id":167425,"date":"2026-02-24T20:44:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:44:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/167425\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:44:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:44:10","slug":"miami-dolphins-gm-on-tua-everythings-on-the-table","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/167425\/","title":{"rendered":"Miami Dolphins GM on Tua: ‘Everything’s on the table’"},"content":{"rendered":"

INDIANAPOLIS \u2014 New Miami Dolphins<\/a> general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan addressed a series of hot-button topics early in his first offseason managing the team\u2019s roster to a small group of South Florida reporters Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine before taking further questions at a podium.<\/p>\n

Sullivan laid out that the Dolphins are open with regards to their plans with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa<\/a> and his guaranteed $54 million for 2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe easiest way to answer that is everything\u2019s on the table,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cIt could go a lot of different ways. A trade is a possibility. Tua is aware. His representation is aware.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everything on the table would possibly include a release if the team can\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of different factors in play,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cIf we were to go down that road, there\u2019s other candidates (for one of two post-June 1 cuts available), so we\u2019ll have to see how that kind of all plays out with the other decisions that are in play.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019t spoken with him at that point.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlways been a fan. He\u2019s done a lot of really good things in this league. He\u2019s had a really good career,\u201d Hafley said Tuesday at the combine.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also, Sullivan comes to Miami with previous ties to Malik Willis<\/a>, one of the hottest quarterbacks in free agency this offseason, from time together with the Green Bay Packers.<\/p>\n

Sullivan said the team has discussed Willis, but he\u2019s merely one of many quarterbacks that could be in the plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave 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,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cMy job is to infuse competition into that quarterback room, whether it\u2019s Malik or another free agent or through the draft.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHim and I have a really good relationship,\u201d Hafley later added on Willis from being with him in Green Bay. \u201cHe always did a really good job and gave us everything he had.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hafley added he sometimes would have to remind Willis, as scout-team quarterback designed to emulate that week\u2019s opposing passer, to stay in the pocket for certain quarterbacks instead of scrambling.<\/p>\n

Like with Tagovailoa, the Dolphins are also active in trade conversations involving safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d kind of throw him in the same bucket as Tua,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cEverything is on the table with Minkah.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sullivan looked back on the cut of Tyreek Hill<\/a>, mentioning financials, injury and age all played a factor in his release. He called Hill a phenomenal, Hall of Fame-caliber player.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best thing for the Miami Dolphins was to move forward,\u201d said Sullivan, adding he believes Hill will make a comeback from last year\u2019s dislocated knee. \u201cMy gut tells me that we have not seen the last of Tyreek Hill.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said of also releasing guard James Daniels: \u201cAvailability\u2019s the best ability. \u2026 He probably needed a fresh start and so did we.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Dolphins are open to conversations with running back De\u2019Von Achane, linebacker Jordyn Brooks and center Aaron Brewer over contract extensions, but those will occur later, in the summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a marvelous player. We want him to be part of this thing moving forward,\u201d Sullivan said when asked specifically about Achane. \u201cWe\u2019re kind of focused on what\u2019s at hand, which is free agency \u2014 and then the draft. We will have those conversations with him, as well as some other guys, as we move down the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cJaylen is a very good football player,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cMy vision is for Jaylen to be part of this. \u2026 We are not actively trying to move Jaylen Waddle.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said, however, it is his job to listen to teams when they ask about any player.<\/p>\n

Asked about right tackle Austin Jackson and his status on the roster, Sullivan said: \u201cWe don\u2019t have the flexibility to run people out the door right now. \u2026 I would like him to be part of the football team.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would say if you just look at it with some common sense, it probably doesn\u2019t make a ton of sense for us just because of where we are,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cBut that\u2019s not to say no either. I mean, it really isn\u2019t. It\u2019s just, I would say, looking at it today, probably no.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sullivan said he will approach the draft with a \u201cbest-player-available\u201d mindset.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not looking for quick fixes here,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re looking for something that will last a long time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe simplest way to say it is I want good football players.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"INDIANAPOLIS \u2014 New Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan addressed a series of hot-button topics early in his…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":167426,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[58521,54599,123,1763,125,124,21226,1762],"class_list":{"0":"post-167425","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-miami","8":"tag-jon-eric-sullivan","9":"tag-malik-willis","10":"tag-miami","11":"tag-miami-dolphins","12":"tag-miami-headlines","13":"tag-miami-news","14":"tag-minkah-fitzpatrick","15":"tag-tua-tagovailoa"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167425","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=167425"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167425\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/167426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=167425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=167425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=167425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}