The Pittsburgh Steelers have a glaring hole at the quarterback position, and a former first-round reclamation project just became available. However, Omar Khan shouldn't be quick to the punch.
Perhaps the biggest concern across the NFL is deciding whether to re-sign a young quarterback with upside or move on. If you let them walk in free agency, they could develop elsewhere and make you regret it. But if you bring them back and they fail on a massive contract extension, it looks even worse. We have already seen examples of this with Kyler Murray in Arizona and now Tua Tagovailoa.
ESPN reporter Adam Schefter announced that the Miami Dolphins have released their former starting quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, effective after June 1. This move comes less than two years after he signed a massive four-year contract worth just over two hundred twelve million dollars on July 28, 2024. Despite the size of that deal, the Dolphins have decided to move on.
Tua is now a free agent, but he cannot sign with another team until after June 1.
After some promising seasons in Miami, things have not worked out in recent years. Releasing him was not an easy decision for the Dolphins, especially since it leaves the club with ninety-nine million dollars in dead money over the next two seasons. The Pittsburgh Steelers could be looking for help at the position in free agency, but they should avoid Tagovailoa. He appears to be close to fading out of the NFL.
The Pittsburgh Steelers would be crazy to consider free agent Tua Tagovailoa after release
After two solid seasons in 2022 and 2023, Miami felt they had no choice but to meet Tua’s contract demands. They gave in and re-signed the quarterback to a massive deal. Since the moment he signed it, things have gone from bad to worse. After showing real promise as a top-tier player during those two seasons, he has not been the same quarterback.
He could have trouble securing a new landing spot.
No one should expect Tagovailoa to draw a strong market in free agency. He may need to consider a veteran minimum contract similar to the one Murray is reportedly weighing. Find a club willing to give him a chance to compete for a starting role and earn it. If not, his career could slip even further into irrelevance. The Steelers may need to sort out the position on the fly this offseason.
While Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh continue their exhausting tug of war, it still appears likely the pending free agent will re-sign. Unless something changes, Rodgers should be their starter in 2026. Tua could become a quiet fallback option if Rodgers turns into a problem for the club. Tagovailoa would not be an ideal choice, but it also would not be a complete disaster.
Most fans in Steelers Nation would prefer to go with Will Howard as the starter this coming season if Rodgers does not return.
Signing Tua could put those hopes at risk. If the franchise wants to move forward with Howard, they would be wise to add a quarterback who can start if needed. Tagovailoa is now a free agent, but he should not be near the top of the Steelers' radar. He is damaged goods and cannot be fixed.