With the Dolphins throwing in the towel on a potential Tua Tagovailoa trade and announcing on Monday that he’ll be released, the next question becomes where he’ll land.
And the word is already getting out, per multiple reports, that the Falcons are expected to make a play for him.
As mentioned over the weekend, the Falcons make sense. With the Dolphins owing Tua $54 million in 2026, he could be signed for the one-year minimum of $1.3 million. Also, with current Falcons starter Michael Penix Jr. recovering from a torn ACL and with new management not committing to him, Tua could be a low-cost, high-reward replacement.
The Falcons saw what he could do last year, when the Dolphins won 34-10 in Atlanta. Tua threw four touchdown passes and no interceptions in the game.
The Falcons have plenty of potent offensive weapons. Tua would give them a pair of lefties at quarterback, making it easier for the pass catchers to adjust to the presence of the ball before the throw, and to its spin, if both Tua and Penix play.
For now, the Falcons are firmly in play for Tua. And if he ends up with multiple suitors, it will be critical to use that leverage to get something that would guarantee a trip to the market next year, if everything goes well this year — a no-tag clause.
