New Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has a lot on his offseason to-do list.
The first box was checked with the hiring of Jeff Hafley as head coach. Now comes a major decision at quarterback.
The Dolphins must figure out whether QB Tua Tagovailoa remains in their plans this season and beyond, and Sullivan was asked about Tagovailoa on Thursday at his introductory news conference.
"I have a lot of respect for Tua," Sullivan said. "He's a good football player. He's accomplished a lot in this league."
Tagovailoa, 27, signed a four-year, $212.4 million extension in July 2024 but was benched late last season by former coach Mike McDaniel. It was arguably Tagovailoa's worst season since becoming a full-time starter, as he threw a career-worst 15 interceptions in 14 starts. Tagovailoa admitted after the season that a fresh start elsewhere would be "dope."
Asked how he'll approach the situation, Sullivan admitted that it's "a huge question" but said it's too early to start speculating on Tagovailoa's future in Miami.
"I think whether it's Tua or anyone else, it's unfair and irresponsible to sit up here and talk about anything specific before I talk to the player himself," Sullivan said.
Sullivan added: "Quarterback is the most important position in professional sports. I also think it's the most dependent. ... We will evaluate the position like we evaluate every other position, and we will do what is best for this football team.
"With Tua or anybody else, to sit up here today and tell you that I have a great understanding of what we're gonna do or which way we're gonna go, that would be a lie because there's just too much work to do."
What Sullivan does know is how he values the quarterback position. The new GM cut his teeth in Green Bay, first under Ted Thompson and then under current Packers GM Brian Gutekunst, where that franchise placed enormous weight on having depth and a succession plan at the position. Aaron Rodgers was drafted to replace Brett Favre, and Jordan Love was drafted to take Rodgers' spot eventually.
It's possible that the same formula is replicated with the Dolphins. Sullivan said he wanted to avoid making decisions "in an irresponsible manner" at the most important position, knowing that building the team's infrastructure also remains a critical goal.
"We've all seen teams that go about it maybe in a questionable manner and you get a really good player at quarterback, but he can't stay healthy because he's getting killed, or he doesn't have anybody to throw to," Sullivan said. "So, yes, we will find our guy, but we're gonna make sure that we're building the infrastructure along the way so when we do find our trigger man, whoever that may be -- whether it's Tua, Quinn (Ewers) or somebody that's not in the building -- we have a team that he can go play and win with."
Tagovailoa, Ewers and ex-Raiders quarterback Cam Miller are the only quarterbacks under contract for the Dolphins for 2026, with Zach Wilson set to hit free agency this spring. Sullivan praised Ewers, who started the final three games and threw for 622 yards, three TDs and three INTs on the season, saying the 2025 seventh-rounder "did a great job at the end of the season."
But Sullivan made sure to make clear that nothing has been decided yet on the future of anyone at the position.
"There's too many conversations to be had at this point," he said. "We have to figure that out. We will, but today's not the day I can give you that answer."
