Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is preparing to enter the final year of his contract, which has sparked debate as to whether or not he is the team’s franchise quarterback.
Some feel that the Dolphins should pay Tagovailoa. Others disagree.
Well, it appears that Miami is nearing a solution.
Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports that while there is no recent news on contract negotiations between Tagovailoa and the Dolphins, Miami views Tagovailoa as its quarterback of the future and that a deal is expected to be completed sometime this offseason.
Joined @nflnetwork Path to the Draft & threw cold water on @joelklatt mock draft idea Dolphins could take RD1 QB. Think OL/DL at 21 and/or 55 with some options named.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) April 15, 2024
+ Plenty Tua Tagovailoa nuggets: Weight trim, new QB coach, contract talks, Luau with Tua Bob Marley vibes, more pic.twitter.com/bfcey5byk0
This should not come as much of a surprise to anyone.
While there are certainly legitimate reasons to question Tagovailoa’s status as the face of the franchise moving forward, you have to wonder just what the plan would be for the Dolphins if they opted to shirk an extension with him.
For the first time in decades, Miami appears to be building something, and essentially tearing it down by starting over with a new signal-caller would not be something the club could easily achieve.
Tagovailoa is coming off of a 2023 campaign in which he led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards to go along with 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also completed 69.3% of his passes and posted a passer rating of 101.1 en route to his first Pro Bowl appearance.
The 26-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Alabama, was selected by the Dolphins with the fifth overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft.
After a couple of lackluster years to begin his career, Tagovailoa broke out in 2022, totaling 3,548 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight picks in 13 starts. He also paced the league with a 105.5 passer rating.
It’s looking more and more like Tua Tagovailoa will be Miami’s quarterback for the long haul.
The Dolphins went 11-6 this past season and lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!