Dolphins Bench Tua for Quinn Ewers

[Mike FF Today 758]

Change at QB for Miami...

 

[Maximum Overkill 2,601]

Tank Mode Initiated 

[TBayXXXVII 2,679]

5 minutes ago, Maximum Overkill said:

Tank Mode Initiated 

Can't tank with 3 weeks left when you have 6 wins.  A month too late.  If they wanted to tank, they'd have tanked when they were 1-6.  Besides, Ewers is probably an upgrade.  They have pick 11 right now... if they go 0-3 (which is possible), the best they'll probably get to is #10.  Don't think they pick anywhere other than somewhere between 10th and 12th.

[Drogon 29]

Have to decide Colby Parkinson or Waller this week.   Went with Parkinson last week and it worked out (by 1 point lol).  Leaning Parkinson again this week especially with Davante Adams very questionable for Thursday's game.  Now this lol.  May flip a coin.  And then flip it again.  And again....

[Maximum Overkill 2,601]

35 minutes ago, TBayXXXVII said:

Can't tank with 3 weeks left when you have 6 wins.  A month too late.  If they wanted to tank, they'd have tanked when they were 1-6.  Besides, Ewers is probably an upgrade.  They have pick 11 right now... if they go 0-3 (which is possible), the best they'll probably get to is #10.  Don't think they pick anywhere other than somewhere between 10th and 12th.

But they're trading Tua. So package 10 and Tua for a 2027 1st 

[GobbleDog 1,018]

"They can't cut Tua, his contract is too big."  Everyone said the same about Russel Wilson, and look at Denver now. 

Idiot fans knew drafting Tua over Herbert was moronic. Idiot fans knew signing Tua to a long-term deal was insane. Yet the former GM Grier who got paid multi-millions and amazingly kept his job for TEN YEARS with absolutely nothing to show for it, disagreed.  

Cut Tua.  Fire the capri-wearing fruit loop McDaniel. And hope Father Time remembers 85 yo owner Stephen Ross is still sucking wind.  Go dolphins  

[Law 263]

At least Ewers gets the Bengals and TB for his first two starts. That's a fighting chance right there!

 

[Maximum Overkill 2,601]

3 minutes ago, Law said:

At least Ewers gets the Bengals and TB for his first two starts. That's a fighting chance right there!

 

Truth 

[Captain America 3]

I have Waddle in a semi-final. Not sure if this QB change is a good thing or bad. 

[weepaws 3,417]

Waddle hasn’t been all that special with Tua, unless one has a better option, start Waddle. 

[Ray_T 798]

6 hours ago, TBayXXXVII said:

Can't tank with 3 weeks left when you have 6 wins.  A month too late.  If they wanted to tank, they'd have tanked when they were 1-6.  Besides, Ewers is probably an upgrade.  They have pick 11 right now... if they go 0-3 (which is possible), the best they'll probably get to is #10.  Don't think they pick anywhere other than somewhere between 10th and 12th.

yeah, while its possible one of the teams behind them goes on an unexpected win streak, the best pick I'd expect is somewhere in the #7 or #8 range but everything would need to go just right for that to play out.  (it probably wont)

 

but  this kind of tank wont likely get them a new QB.

in my opinion the move to make is to draft an O lineman.    it will help the existing offense, and if they do have to move on from Tua, you will need the O line support for the new QB.   also, if Tua can become productive behind a better line it will prolong his career some as he is prone to concussions as we all know.

given the massive and stupid contract they gave Tua, I dont think its realistic to move on from him (yet) so getting the pieces in place for the Next QB would be a logical move right now.

[Ray_T 798]

ok I looked it up.  99 mil dead cap in 2026.   the first year where his buyout is reasonable is 2027 where the dead cap hit is like 35 mil. 

so I think they need him to stay one more year.

[weepaws 3,417]

99 million, oh my soul.  Crazy. 

[RLLD 4,282]

10 hours ago, Ray_T said:

ok I looked it up.  99 mil dead cap in 2026.   the first year where his buyout is reasonable is 2027 where the dead cap hit is like 35 mil. 

so I think they need him to stay one more year.

omg.......

[TBayXXXVII 2,679]

@Ray_T @RLLD

Yeah, Tua IS going to be the highest paid backup in the NFL.  Though, most likely scenario is that they Brock Osweiler him.  Someone like the Raiders would give a 7th round pick for Tua and a 2nd.

[LVSaint429 35]

On 12/17/2025 at 8:31 AM, Drogon said:

Have to decide Colby Parkinson or Waller this week.   Went with Parkinson last week and it worked out (by 1 point lol).  Leaning Parkinson again this week especially with Davante Adams very questionable for Thursday's game.  Now this lol.  May flip a coin.  And then flip it again.  And again....

- Both going against weak TE defenses 

- Both will play with only 1 reliable WR who will get a lot of defensive attention

- Both are in TE rotations but strong in red zone

- Proven QB? Parkinson 

- Better weather conditions? Waller

- Offensive game pace & O/U?
Waller > Parkinson

This is a total coin flip & we’ll all analyze this for nothing when they finish within a point of each other

[Ray_T 798]

3 hours ago, TBayXXXVII said:

@Ray_T @RLLD

Yeah, Tua IS going to be the highest paid backup in the NFL.  Though, most likely scenario is that they Brock Osweiler him.  Someone like the Raiders would give a 7th round pick for Tua and a 2nd.

hes one hit from being an invalid.    I dont know that anyone takes that risk on the salary given that situation.  I dont deny it could happen.  I just dont think it highly likely.

I've no doubt they will try.   

Cousins in his situation last year was a far lower risk(in my opinion) and there were no takers on his contract.

I guess we will see.   

[Maximum Overkill 2,601]

41 minutes ago, Ray_T said:

hes one hit from being an invalid.    I dont know that anyone takes that risk on the salary given that situation.  I dont deny it could happen.  I just dont think it highly likely.

I've no doubt they will try.   

Cousins in his situation last year was a far lower risk(in my opinion) and there were no takers on his contract.

I guess we will see.   

The Dolphins could trade him and eat a huge chunk of that, but who wants TUA? They'd also have to part with a draft pick to unload him

 

 

[TBayXXXVII 2,679]

6 minutes ago, Ray_T said:

hes one hit from being an invalid.    I dont know that anyone takes that risk on the salary given that situation.  I dont deny it could happen.  I just dont think it highly likely.

I've no doubt they will try.   

Cousins in his situation last year was a far lower risk(in my opinion) and there were no takers on his contract.

I guess we will see.   

I'm not sure what "risk" you're talking about.  The team trading for Tua is merely buying a Day 1 pick for $39M.  They don't care if Tua takes a single snap.  I think the only risk would be guarantees that Tua has in his deal that I'm unaware of, in his contract, that the buying team will be on the hook for.

Cousins, I do know, has a fully guaranteed contract.  Any team that trades for him is locked in for his pay and remaining years on his deal.  Yeah, no thanks.

[Ray_T 798]

4 minutes ago, TBayXXXVII said:

I'm not sure what "risk" you're talking about.  The team trading for Tua is merely buying a Day 1 pick for $39M.  They don't care if Tua takes a single snap.  I think the only risk would be guarantees that Tua has in his deal that I'm unaware of, in his contract, that the buying team will be on the hook for.

Cousins, I do know, has a fully guaranteed contract.  Any team that trades for him is locked in for his pay and remaining years on his deal.  Yeah, no thanks.

yeah I guess the full guarantee makes cousins a tougher contract to move.    either way both contracts are not highly desireable.   There is no question about that

 

[TBayXXXVII 2,679]

7 minutes ago, Maximum Overkill said:

The Dolphins could trade him and eat a huge chunk of that, but who wants TUA? They'd also have to part with a draft pick to unload him

Do you think it's better to rip the bandaid off and pay someone to take him... or have a backup with a cap hit of $56.4M in 2026, $53.4M in 2027, $65.8M in 2027, them another $11M (for good measure), in 2028 for the voidable year money?

[TBayXXXVII 2,679]

1 minute ago, Ray_T said:

yeah I guess the full guarantee makes cousins a tougher contract to move.    either way both contracts are not highly desireable.   There is no question about that

 

True that.

[Maximum Overkill 2,601]

8 minutes ago, TBayXXXVII said:

Do you think it's better to rip the bandaid off and pay someone to take him... or have a backup with a cap hit of $56.4M in 2026, $53.4M in 2027, $65.8M in 2027, them another $11M (for good measure), in 2028 for the voidable year money?

I think they'll have to deal with it, like Russel Wilson. Unless they kiss and make up somehow 

 

[weepaws 3,417]

Tua isn’t a dolphin next season. Despite the ridiculous 99 mill

[Nomad99 842]

It wouldn't surprise me if Brissett ends up in Miami sooner or later.......

[TBayXXXVII 2,679]

16 hours ago, Maximum Overkill said:

I think they'll have to deal with it, like Russel Wilson. Unless they kiss and make up somehow 

 

Yeah, $85M sucks, but we're talking about literally HALF their payroll at $142M.  If they trade him, it's only $56M.  Their other option is to wait for June 1st and take a $78M cap hit 2026 and another $32M in 2027.  The smart move is to pay someone to take him.  The smartest move is to pay someone after June 1st to take him.  Then it'll be $30M cap savings in 2026, and a managable $31M hit in 2027.  Cutting him pre-June 1st is the worst of all of them.

[Maximum Overkill 2,601]

1 minute ago, TBayXXXVII said:

Yeah, $85M sucks, but we're talking about literally HALF their payroll at $142M.  If they trade him, it's only $56M.  Their other option is to wait for June 1st and take a $78M cap hit 2026 and another $32M in 2027.  The smart move is to pay someone to take him.  The smartest move is to pay someone after June 1st to take him.  Then it'll be $30M cap savings in 2026, and a managable $31M hit in 2027.  Cutting him pre-June 1st is the worst of all of them.

Is it salvageable or is Miami completely done? 

I don't think he's an NFL QB, not a starter IMO. 

[TBayXXXVII 2,679]

8 minutes ago, Maximum Overkill said:

Is it salvageable or is Miami completely done? 

I don't think he's an NFL QB, not a starter IMO. 

Is what salvageable, their season?  No, they've been eliminated from the playoffs.  The relationship with the coach?  No idea.  I don't think there's any animosity there.  McDaniel isn't saying Tua sucks and Tua isn't bashing McDaniel.  I just think the Dolphins either came to the same conculsion that you did (that he's not a starter), or at the very least, not one on their team.

Regardless, he can't be a $54.6M cap hit as a backup.  They need to get him off that roster and it has to be via trade.  Even if it means that they give up 2 picks to trade him.  Cutting him and taking a $142M cap hit is not a realistic option. Like I said though, if they want the off-season drama of hanging on to him until June 2nd and releasing him then, they can spread the hit over 2 seasons, but still, the first year is $78M hit.

Miami is going to have to bend over and take one, because another team is seriously doing them a huge favor by trading for him.  Teams like Tennessee and Raiders should be all in.