Would Tua Tagovailoa Be A Quarterback Option for Falcons?

The Atlanta Falcons are set to be in the quarterback market this offseason, and Tua Tagovailoa could be a potential option for them. The longtime Miami Dolphins quarterback was officially released on Monday and will be a free agent with the ability to sign with any team.

Tagovailoa has been at the forefront of pundit discussions over the last several weeks. He signed a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension in 2024, and the Dolphins will be forced to absorb a $67.4 million dead hit against the salary cap in 2026, followed by $31.8 million in 2027.

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The former first-round quarterback will be available for his new team on a league minimum deal, which will make him an interesting prospect on the open market.

Michael Penix Jr. is still recovering from a torn ACL, and any timeline for a return to action is not publicly known. The Falcons’ brass have been adamant that they believe in their young quarterback, but his injury history leaves a bit of well-warranted concern.

However, it is not like Tagovailoa is not also known for being injury-prone in his own right. He dislocated a hip and suffered high-ankle sprains in 2019 (his final year at Alabama), and has only finished one season in which he played every game (2023). Tagovailoa had a thumb injury in 2020, fractured ribs and a finger in 2021, and suffered concussions in 2022 and 2024. He was then benched in 2025 for poor performance.

In that lone full season, Tagovailoa was named to the Pro Bowl after leading the Dolphins to the playoffs, throwing for a career-high 4,624 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. That 2023 season landed him the massive contract extension. Over his six seasons in Miami, Tagovailoa was 44-32 and threw for 18,166 yards, 120 touchdowns, and 59 interceptions.

He should be viewed as a high-end backup, low-end starter during the free agency period. If the Falcons signed him, he could come in and compete with Penix for the position.

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The NFL has officially reached the preliminary negotiation period ahead of the start of free agency on Wednesday. The next two days will provide teams with their first opportunity to speak with players (up to one hour) and negotiate any potential deals.

Any agreements made over this window will become official on the start of the league year on Wednesday, but free agency will continue over the next several weeks.