As the Dolphins brace for major offseason change, one intriguing quarterback hedge to Tua Tagovailoa reportedly favors a scheme like Miami’s
If Miami is looking for a cash friendly second option at quarterback, they may have an edge with their resume.
The Miami Dolphins‘ upcoming offseason is going to be rooted in change. There’s already one big change happening at the top of Miami’s football operation via the team’s general manager position. With that hire, Miami could usher in a new head coach and/or some major changes to the roster. Another position that could see some change, but comes with major hurdles along the way, is quarterback. Miami starter Tua Tagovailoa is owed north of $50 million in compensation in 2026 from the team. Fully guaranteed!
Perhaps a more likely path for the Dolphins, as compared to moving on from Tagovailoa all together, would be to add a high-upside alternative at the position. One that could offer Miami a viable alternative — but come without excessive cash cost. Tagovailoa will eat up plenty of cash payroll himself in 2026. As it turns out, one possible option to target reportedly may be drawn to the idea of working with Miami’s current head coach, Mike McDaniel, thanks to his ties to the Rams’ Sean McVay.
One intriguing hedge quarterback the Dolphins could have an advantage in pursuing this offseason
“(Anthony) Richardson has interest in playing for a coach from the Sean McVay tree, either the man himself or a disciple like O’Connell.”
— ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler on Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has put out his weekly intel update and indicated that former Colts first round draft choice Anthony Richardson “has interest in playing for a coach from the Sean McVay tree”. McVay, of course, has plenty of shared experiences with Mike McDaniel, thanks to their overlap in time together in Washington from 2011 through 2013 and their shared connection to Kyle Shanahan.
There are teams with much more obvious “McVay tree” connections than Miami, and McDaniel may actually be best described as a “McVay adjacent” option.
But if that’s the kind of offense that Richardson, who is under contract in 2026 for a scheduled $5.385 million in compensation, is interested in? Miami’s current coaching staff can at least offer some of the same opportunities and concepts. This is dependent on several factors: Miami would need to commit to retaining McDaniel for 2026 and then find a proper trade compensation for a quarterback who has yet to take a leap parallel to his physical ability.
The Dolphins’ ultimate quarterback plans can go a lot of different directions. But options like Richardson shouldn’t be dismissed as one-year swings of the bat opposite Tagovailoa — short-term commitments with cash-friendly budgets feel like the right way to offset the Tagovailoa contract while also offering a chance at more dynamic play at the position.
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