Tua Tagovailoa trade destinations: 3 teams that should pursue Dolphins star if QB becomes available

Tua Tagovailoa got off to a scorching hot start to the 2023 NFL season with the Miami Dolphins. He recorded 18 touchdown passes across his first eight games, including at least three touchdowns in half of those games. He cooled off considerably after that, failing to record another three-touchdown game for the remainder of the season. He also recorded just 12 touchdowns across his final ten games.

After seemingly having the AFC East division title locked up, a late-season skid resulted in the Dolphins settling for just a Wild Card spot in the NFL Playoffs, where they were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs in their first game. Tua Tagovailoa's dip in production late in the season surely contributed to their eventual downfall.

Rumors have recently been swirling that the Dolphins could potentially be exploring the idea of moving on to a new quarterback for next season. His current contract situation fuels this possibility as he currently has just one year remaining on his current deal. Many quarterbacks prefer not to play out the final year of any contract, creating a scenario where the Dolphins may need to choose between extending him and trading him.

If Miami does choose to make Tua Tagovailoa available in the trade market, several teams are likely to be interested in acquiring him. Here are three potential destinations that seem to make sense.

#1 - Tua Tagovailoa to Falcons

Desmond Ridder

The Atlanta Falcons suffered through some of the worst quarterback play in the entire NFL last season with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. This is one of the main reasons why they just missed out on the NFL Playoffs. The rest of their roster is relatively strong, so adding a quarterback like Tagovailoa could get them to the postseason. They are expected to make a change in their position, so they could be interested in a trade.

#2 - Tua Tagovailoa to Vikings

Kirk Cousins

The Minnesota Vikings have yet to sign Kirk Cousins to a contract extension as he is scheduled to become a free agent this offseason. If the veteran departs the team this year, they will immediately be in need of a new quarterback. They have one of the most talented groups of pass-catchers in the NFL with Justin Jefferson, TJ Hockenson, and Jordan Addison, so replacing Cousins with Tagovailoa should keep them in contention to return to the NFL Playoffs.

#3 - Tua Tagovailoa to Broncos

Russell Wilson

Many rumors have surfaced that the Denver Broncos could be looking to move on from Russell Wilson, who was benched for the final two games of the 2023 NFL season. The franchise invested heavily to acquire him and head coach Sean Payton, so they are likely trying to remain in win-now mode, especially with their lack of NFL Draft picks. Replacing Wilson with Tagovailoa is one way to do so as he has already proven he can lead a team to the playoffs.