INDIANAPOLIS — The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is supposed to be about the next generation of football talent. Instead, the biggest story coming out of Indianapolis has nothing to do with the 319 prospects invited to showcase their skills and everything to do with a quarterback who was supposed to be Miami's cornerstone for years to come.

Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan sent shockwaves through the league on Tuesday when he told reporters that "everything is on the table" regarding Tua Tagovailoa — including, remarkably, a trade. The declaration is stunning given that Miami committed $212.4 million to Tagovailoa on a contract extension signed just last year, a deal that was supposed to end the speculation about his long-term future with the franchise once and for all.

Apparently, it did not.

Sullivan's comments represent a dramatic philosophical shift for a Dolphins organization that has spent considerable capital — both financial and emotional — building around Tagovailoa since selecting him with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The franchise went all-in on the Alabama product, surrounding him with elite playmakers and ultimately handing him one of the richest contracts in league history. Now, barely a year into that commitment, Miami appears willing to rip up the blueprint and start over.

The timing of the announcement is no accident. The Combine provides the perfect backdrop for franchise-altering conversations, with every general manager, head coach, and agent in the league gathered under one roof in Indianapolis. If Sullivan is serious about exploring a Tagovailoa trade, there is no better place to gauge the market.

Questions, however, are plentiful. What kind of return could Miami realistically expect for a quarterback with Tagovailoa's injury history and massive contract? Which teams would be willing to absorb that financial obligation? And perhaps most importantly, what is the Dolphins' plan at the most critical position in sports if they move on from their starter?

Miami is not the only franchise making headlines with quarterback uncertainty at this year's Combine. The Pittsburgh Steelers have reportedly been courting 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers, who would be embarking on a remarkable 22nd NFL season if a deal materializes. In a league that grows younger and faster every year, the idea of Rodgers suiting up in black and gold is a testament to both his enduring talent and Pittsburgh's desperation for stability under center.

Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Raiders added fuel to their own fire when their general manager conspicuously declined to call star pass rusher Maxx Crosby "untouchable" amid swirling trade rumors. It seems no player, regardless of stature or contract size, is truly safe in today's NFL.

Back on the field, the Combine itself rolled on Thursday with on-field workouts for defensive linemen and linebackers, as the league's evaluation machine continues its meticulous work through March 2. But the real action is happening in hotel lobbies and meeting rooms, where the futures of established stars are being quietly negotiated.

For Tua Tagovailoa, the next few weeks will be defining. A player who once represented Miami's brightest hopes now finds himself at the center of the NFL's most unpredictable offseason storyline. In a league where loyalty is measured in cap space and wins, even $212.4 million cannot guarantee a forever home.

Everything, as Sullivan made clear, is on the table. And in the NFL, that means anything can happen.