Jets Quarterback Carousel Spins Again: Could Tua Tagovailoa Be the Next Stopgap in New York?
The New York Jets are back in a familiar spot this offseason-searching for answers at quarterback. After another frustrating campaign in 2025, the team finds itself staring at a reset button that’s been pushed far too often in recent years.
Last offseason, the Jets made a bold move by signing Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million deal, $30 million of which was guaranteed. The hope was that Fields could finally be the long-term answer under center.
But that bet didn’t pay off. Fields struggled to find rhythm in the offense, and the Jets offense remained stuck in neutral.
Now, with Fields likely on his way out and Aaron Rodgers still counting against the cap despite not being on the active roster, the Jets are once again in quarterback purgatory. The good news? They’ve got the resources to make a splash.
Draft Capital and Cap Space Galore
New York enters the 2026 offseason with an enviable war chest: two first-round picks (Nos. 2 and 16), two second-rounders (Nos. 33 and 44), and over $90 million in projected cap space. That’s the kind of ammunition that can reshape a franchise-if used wisely.
But all of that means little if they can’t solve the quarterback puzzle. And with Oregon’s Dante Moore staying in school and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza expected to go No. 1 overall to the Raiders, the Jets may not have a clear-cut rookie option at the top of the draft.
Some fans are dreaming big-Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, blockbuster trades-but those scenarios are long shots at best. That brings us to a more realistic, albeit complicated, possibility: Tua Tagovailoa.
Tua’s Career: Peaks, Valleys, and Everything in Between
Tagovailoa’s NFL journey has been a rollercoaster. Since being drafted fifth overall in 2020, he’s put up solid numbers: 44-32 as a starter, a 68% completion rate, over 18,000 passing yards, 120 touchdowns, and a 96.4 career passer rating. At his best, Tua has looked like a top-tier distributor in a high-powered offense.
In 2022, he led the league in passer rating (105.5) and yards per attempt (8.9). In 2023, he topped the NFL in passing yards (4,264), and in 2024, he led in completion percentage (72.9%). When he’s healthy and in rhythm, he can orchestrate an offense with precision.
But 2025 was a different story. Tua posted a career-low QBR of 37.2-ranking 26th among 28 qualifiers-and threw a career-high 15 interceptions to just 20 touchdowns. His play dipped significantly, and so did the Dolphins’ confidence in him.
Then came the benching. Miami turned to sixth-round rookie Quinn Ewers late in the season, and with head coach Mike McDaniel now out and a new GM on the way, Tua’s future in South Florida is anything but secure.
The Contract Situation
In 2024, Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.4 million extension with $167.2 million guaranteed. A massive deal, no doubt-but one that’s now a bit of a burden.
If Miami trades him, they’ll eat $45.2 million in dead money. The acquiring team would take on a $43 million cap hit in 2026, but with no guaranteed money left beyond that year. So, while expensive, it’s a one-year commitment with flexibility on the back end.
Could the Jets Make the Move?
Let’s be clear: the Jets are expected to move on from Fields this offseason. But releasing him would only free up $1 million in cap space while leaving $22 million in dead money. Add in the $35 million still owed to Aaron Rodgers, and the Jets are already looking at $57 million in cap charges for quarterbacks who won’t be on the field.
Now imagine trading for Tua and absorbing a $43 million hit. That’s $100 million tied up in three quarterbacks, with only one actually playing. That’s not just painful-it’s potentially franchise-crippling.
Injury Concerns Loom Large
Beyond the money, there’s the health factor. Tua’s concussion history is well-documented. Since 2022, he’s suffered four significant head injuries-enough to make him consider retirement before his 26th birthday.
He’s started more than 14 games in just one of his six NFL seasons. That’s a red flag for any team, but especially for a franchise like the Jets, who may be looking for a veteran to hold the line while a rookie quarterback develops behind the scenes.
If Tua were to suffer another serious injury, not only would the Jets be right back where they started, but they’d also be doing it with a $43 million cap hit hanging over their heads.
Fit and Function in New York
And then there’s the scheme and setting. Tua’s most productive years came in Miami’s warm-weather, speed-based offense. Moving him to an outdoor stadium in the Northeast, where winter winds whip through MetLife Stadium, could be a tough transition.
The numbers back that up: Tagovailoa is 0-6 when the temperature at kickoff is below 40 degrees and just 4-14 when it’s under 55. That’s not a small sample size-that’s a trend.
So, What’s the Play?
If the Jets are looking for a bridge quarterback to mentor a rookie and keep the team competitive, Tua might be the best of a thin veteran crop. The free agent market is headlined by names like Jacoby Brissett, Marcus Mariota, Kirk Cousins, and Malik Willis-not exactly a group that screams “long-term stability.”
But Tua’s price tag, injury history, and cold-weather struggles raise serious questions. For a team that needs both cap flexibility and reliability at the position, he may not be the right fit-no matter how tempting the upside looks on paper.
The Jets have the draft capital to take a swing on a young quarterback, and they may still add a veteran presence to the room. But unless the Dolphins are willing to attach a pick to unload Tua’s contract-or unless New York sees something others don’t-Tagovailoa might be a name to monitor, not a move to make.
For now, the Jets’ quarterback search continues. And once again, the most important decision of their offseason looms large.