Ranking Tua Tagovailoa trade suitors from favorites to dark horses

The Miami Dolphins don’t really have a lot of incentive to cut Tua Tagovailoa with a historic $99 million dead salary cap hit staring at them if they do. So trading him seems like the better option, but the most important question then becomes, who bites? Tagovailoa isn’t exactly a hot commodity. The Dolphins probably won’t get a good return on him either, but it’s better than hoping that he pans out for another season.

These seven teams should be interested in Tagovailoa the most. That said, which ones view him as a high-priority target? Here’s every possible suitor ranked based on whether they see him as a long-term answer.

1. New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints are probably content with what they saw from Tyler Shough after his rookie season, but I wouldn’t let first-year hype carry the weight of this organization. The Saints need a quarterback. Tagovailoa may not be the best option, but he’s better than Shough. If Shough does end up becoming a serviceable starter for them, then maybe Tagovailoa is a backup, ready to step in if necessary.

It just doesn’t make sense for the Saints to not explore Tagovailoa with quite a few questions surrounding Shough. It could turn into nothing, or it could save them in the long run.

2. New York Jets

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

A month ago, I would have said the New York Jets couldn’t possibly waste their time with another failed veteran quarterback. Now that Dante Moore is headed back to college, the Jets have no choice other than to turn to free agency in the interim for quarterback answers. Landing Tagovailoa isn’t the best option, but it’s honestly New York’s only option.

If things flop with Tagovailoa, then it ultimately puts them right back where they were before they traded for him. If it works out, maybe it buys them a little bit more time as they still search for postseason success.

3. Las Vegas Raiders

This really wouldn’t make a lot of sense, but because they do need a quarterback, it’s not irrational to think they'd pair Tagovailoa with Fernando Mendoza. Assuming the Raiders draft Mendoza, trading for Tagovailoa gives them insurance in the event things go awry for Mendoza early. Maybe they want to ease Mendoza into the starting role and allow Tagovailoa to play himself out of the job first.

I don’t see the Raiders interested in Tagovailoa at all. But on the off chance Klint Kubiak has something up his sleeve, getting a veteran to pair with a rookie isn’t a bad idea.

4. Tennessee Titans

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

Much like the Las Vegas Raiders, this doesn’t seem like an ideal move, but again, for veteran depth, it could be worthy. The Titans have bigger issues on their offense, so trading for a quarterback just isn’t smart. But if something were to happen to Cam Ward this year, it would be nice to have a backup who could hold things over. They don’t need to trade for one, but having one could bail them out in a pinch.

5. Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts were big spenders at the NFL trade deadline this past year, which might caution them to spend draft picks again. That said, they don’t have a quarterback right now. At least adding Tagovailoa could save cap space from being eaten up by re-signing Daniel Jones. This isn’t a move I expect, but it’s a move that would make sense and could work out. Tagovailoa needs a change in scenery. It’s a mutually beneficial move for Indianapolis, just like it is for Tagovailoa.

6. Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Is Tagovailoa that much better than J.J. McCarthy? Probably not. But the Vikings were already interested in trading for one quarterback from the 2020 NFL Draft, maybe this one could work out better for them. McCarthy set this team back and now they have to scramble to fill out their quarterback room. That’s why trading for Tagovailoa could be a sneaky move that works out better than sticking with McCarthy.

7. Los Angeles Rams

At some point, Matthew Stafford is going to retire, and the LA Rams will need his replacement. Because of that, trading for Tagovailoa now, while he’s cheap and doesn’t need to play right away, might just be the best move for Sean McVay and the Rams. This would give Tagovailoa a year to learn the Rams offense without the pressure of playing day one and could help save what’s left of his career once Stafford decides to retire.