Dolphins, Cardinals face challenges in trades for Tua Tagovailoa, Kyler Murray - ESPN

As the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals navigate their future with new head coaches, both teams would like to be able to find trade partners for their starting quarterbacks.

The Dolphins would like to explore trading Tua Tagovailoa; ditto for the Cardinals and Kyler Murray — but it remains unclear whether a deal for either quarterback is feasible given the financial hurdles for an acquiring team.

There certainly are expected to be a handful of teams in the quarterback-acquiring market — a list that could include the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, and both the Dolphins and Cardinals.

Miami is expected to be willing to pay down a portion of Tagovailoa's contract to help facilitate a trade, sources told ESPN, though the money still makes it challenging.

The Dolphins signed Tagovailoa to a four-year, $212.1 million extension in July 2024. They already owe him $54 million guaranteed in 2026; another $3 million of Tagovailoa's 2027 salary becomes guaranteed on March 15.

Cutting Tagovailoa would leave a $99 million dead money salary cap charge — the largest in NFL history — while designating him as a post-June 1 cut would spread out the money over two years.

Murray already is guaranteed $36.8 million in 2026. On the fifth day of the new league year on March 15, another $19.5 million of his 2027 base salary becomes guaranteed if Murray is still on Arizona's roster.

If the Cardinals release Murray before June 1, they would take on a $54.7 million dead cap hit. Designating Murray as a post-June 1 cut would spread out the money over two years.

If the Cardinals were to trade Murray, they would create $34.7 million in cap savings while leaving behind $17.9 million in dead