As the 2025 NFL season winds down and franchises prepare for what could be a quarterback-hungry offseason, there’s a growing temptation across the league to pursue established veteran talent. Tua Tagovailoa, despite his on-field struggles with the Miami Dolphins, represents exactly the type of reclamation project that could derail a team’s long-term vision. His massive contract and persistent durability concerns make him one of the worst offseason targets available. Here are three teams that absolutely should avoid making any moves to acquire the Dolphins’ signal-caller.
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Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns sit atop the list of quarterback-needy teams heading into 2026, but pursuing Tagovailoa would be one of the worst decisions their front office could make. The Browns invested early draft capital in 2025, selecting both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders to build their quarterback future from within. Taking on Tua’s massive contract—which carries a $39.2 million salary cap charge in 2025 and balloons to $56.4 million in 2026—would completely handcuff Cleveland’s ability to address other roster needs.
More importantly, the Browns need a franchise quarterback they can build around for the next decade, not a veteran stop-gap solution with a troubling injury history. Tagovailoa has now suffered multiple concussions throughout his NFL career, including three diagnosed concussions between 2022 and 2024. For a franchise that’s desperate to finally turn the page and build something sustainable, investing in a quarterback whose long-term health is a legitimate concern would be a catastrophic mistake that sets back their rebuild by years.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh’s situation presents an interesting dilemma with Aaron Rodgers nearing the end of his career at 41 years old and Mason Rudolph serving as the primary backup. However, the Steelers should look toward the draft or pursue younger veteran options rather than giving Tua a second chance. The Steelers’ organization has always prided itself on developing talent and making calculated moves, and Tagovailoa represents neither of those principles.
Beyond the injury concerns, Tua’s contract structure makes any potential trade virtually impossible. His 2026 salary will be guaranteed in March 2025, and by the time the Steelers would be in position to acquire him, they’d be taking on a $54 million cap hit for 2026 alone. For a team trying to remain competitive in the AFC North while managing an aging roster, absorbing that kind of financial burden for a quarterback who hasn’t consistently proven he can stay healthy is simply irresponsible. Pittsburgh needs a long-term solution, and Tua is the opposite of that investment.
New York Jets
The New York Jets have already made their quarterback mistakes for this decade. After watching Justin Fields struggle to justify his status as a former first-round pick, New York must commit to finding a true franchise quarterback through the draft or a trade for a younger prospect with upside. Bringing in Tagovailoa would merely be repeating the same cycle of mediocrity that has plagued the organization.
The Jets’ front office understands they need to build momentum with a high-upside quarterback prospect, and Tua’s durability issues make him the polar opposite of what they should target. Additionally, with his contract extension running through 2028, the Jets would be locked into a massive financial commitment with limited flexibility. The Dolphins’ willingness to pay Tagovailoa $212.4 million over four years should serve as a cautionary tale to other organizations, not an incentive. New York needs to stay the course with their draft-focused rebuild and avoid the temptation of acquiring a established-but-flawed veteran like Tagovailoa.
Tua Tagovailoa’s injury history, combined with his astronomical contract demands, makes him a toxic proposition for any team looking to build a sustainable winner. The Browns, Steelers, and Jets would all be better served pursuing alternatives that align with their long-term quarterback plans. Sometimes the best trade target is no target at all.
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