While rumors will always persist, it sounds like the Dolphins are going to stick with their current QB. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tua Tagovailoa is expected to be the Dolphins starting quarterback for the 2022 season.
[RELATED: Dolphins GM Chris Grier On Deshaun Watson, Tua Tagovailoa]
According to the writer, the organization has “significant” belief in the former fifth-overall pick. The front office will no longer pursue a top-end QB, which would seemingly take them out of the running for Texans QB Deshaun Watson, who the organization has been connected to for the better part of a year. While the team’s new head coach is expected to “evaluate every facet of the football team, including the QB,” the hope is that the new HC will continue to help with Tagovailoa’s development (vs. pushing for a replacement).
Rapoport adds the caveat that the plan is “barring some sort of unforeseen occurrence,” like a “high-profile QB demanding a trade to the Dolphins.” This is an interesting distinction; the franchise won’t pursue a top QB unless that top QB explicitly says he wants to play in Miami. This could indicate that the report is merely posturing by the Dolphins front office.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter provides a bit more context (on Twitter), noting that the firing of Brian Flores was what ultimately “diminished” the Dolphins’ chances of acquiring Watson. According to Schefter, Flores was one of Watson’s main proponents, while owner Stephen Ross was on Team Tua. However, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com pushes back at this notion, tweeting that he’s heard that Ross was “obsessed” with acquiring the Texans QB.
Tagovailoa dealt with injuries once again in 2021, but he still managed to start 12 of his 13 games. The Dolphins went 7-5 in those 12 starts, and the 23-year-old finished the season having completed 67.8 percent of his passes for 2,653 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
Injury prone and didn’t get it done… like biting off your nose to spite your face
The phrase is “cutting off your nose.” Biting off one’s own nose would be much more difficult.
Why..?
‘Tagovailoa dealt with injuries once again in 2021, but he still managed to start 12 of his 13 games’
It was a 17 game season. Who started the other 4 games?
Jacoby Brisset
enough said.
Brissett was fairly effective, so what do you mean by “enough said” exactly? His 77.4 PFF grade was better than many starting QBs, including Tua.
Get him some help
Round 1 id take a chance on Drake London
Round 2 Kenneth Walker Breece Hall Isiah Spiller
Id sign some free agents to beef up the oline
Sign David Njoku as a TE
Definity think Tua can be successful if they invest in talent like the Bills did with Stephon Diggs for Josh Allen and Patriots did with Bourne Henry Smith for Jones.
Going into his 3rd year Tua definitely needs a big body physical receiver to pair with waddle and a physical running back.
I keep wondering if Tua should beef up. He’s a similar size to Russell Wilson. If he can do it, so could Tua.
Would help prevent injuries during sacks.
I like those RB prospects and they could use one, but fixing the line is more important to fixing the run game than investing in a back.
Free agency.
Center is a clear need. Tyler Linderbaum probably is gone before they pick in the 1st. Philly definitely grabs Linderbaum to replace Jason Kelce. Doubt he falls past Philly
Free agency wise Ted Karras, Ryan Jansen are immediate upgrades.
LT is also a need. Terron Armstead is clearly going to be in high demand. But Duane Brown and Jason Peters still have stuff in the tank. Spending a 3rd round pick on Daniel Faalele also is an option. Mammoth of a man. 6’9″ 380. Get him down to 365 360 you got yourself a stalwart LT right there whos quicker..
A 40-year old can’t be the answer to a tackle spot here. They need a solution for more than one year, not a guy who could turn into a pumpkin any minute (which might also be Brown). And counting on a third round rookie you already think needs to drop a bunch of weight isn’t the most confidence-inspiring–not that Grier drafting linemen is, generally.
Current projections have all available LTs gone by the time Miami picks at 22.
Neal, Cross, Ekownu.
Petit- Frere is a RT
Trevor Penning comes from a small school Northern Iowa so concern about competition level exist
Rasheed Walker could be in play in the 2nd but hes a bit undersized at 295
Darian Kinnard moved to RT
Dont see Miami trading up to get a LT
Dont see miami drafting a RT to play LT
Penning and Walker could be had in the 2nd or they sign Armstead.
You never know with the competition level. Marpet and Meinerz both looked good early in their careers.
Seems likely one of Penning, Raimann, or Kinnard will be around, if not all of them. Kenyon Green could be, too. Zion Nelson and Max Mitchell could be appealing in the second or possibly even around in the third. There are definitely linemen in this draft. Grier has to actually pick well, though.
Joey, before blowing horn for Pats signing of Smith, give it another year. He was invisible this year and couldn’t catch a cold.
Is there another realistic option right now? The draft prospects all have pretty big question marks and Rodgers or Russ won’t want to play behind that line. There’s the Watson possibility, I suppose, but he comes with some pretty big questions himself. Tua certainly hasn’t looked great, but he played decently considering he had a mediocre offensive scheme and the worst line in football. Not sure there’s a better realistic option than sticking with him—for now. They’ll have two first rounders in a hopefully better QB class if they want to love on next year.
I feel you. Best to give it a full go one last time before pulling the plug.
You summed it up nicely. I have similar reactions to people who want Wentz, Mayfield, Cousins, etc. replaced… who are you going to get who you can afford and who is sure to be an upgrade? There are a lot of starting QBs, including Tua, who right now are in this sort of middle ground between the great ones and the subpar ones. Tua is younger and has been given less of an overall chance than most of the others in this group, and his supporting casts have been mediocre at best. IMO it’s too early to pull the plug on him after drafting him so high to begin with.
And unlike those other guys, he’s still cheap!
With Tua staying and Flores going, you can expect the Dolphins to go back to being irrelevant.
They were so relevant with Flores
Dolphins tanking for Bryce Young.
At some point, tanking for an Alabama QB will work. It may take a few decades, but still …
Lol
I’d rather have Cam Newton than Tua Tongue
You might wanna think about that statement again Jessa. Newton is done
Tua gets more stick than deserved. Yes he ain’t on the same level as Butrow or Herbert but he’s not as awful as others.
Tua has 27TDs-15INTs through 21 starts.
In comparison
Daniel Jones has 45-29 in 37 starts.
Drew Lock is 25-20 in 21 starts.
Baker Mayfield is 92-56 in 59 starts.
Sam Darnold is 54-52 in 47 starts.
Tua (1.8) is better than Jones (1.5), Lock (1.2), Mayfield (1.6) and Darnold (1.0) TDs per INT.
Tua’s career wins record is 13-8
In comparison
Jones is 12-26, Lock is 9-15, Baker is 30-30, Darnold is 17-33.
None have a career winning record whereas Tua does. Now to be fair not all situations are the same and you can factor in poor coaching and other things aswell. But the dolphins aren’t some amazing franchise either, they have two OC’s for some reason with a defensive HC which didn’t like Tua. He had to share starting duties with Fitzmagic and then also beat out Jacoby this offseason.
Just back Tua, give him support and confidence to head into the season with. He was looking good in the back half of the season with Waddle. Maybe just upgrade the o line, settle on 1 good OC and give him another year then let’s have this discussion again
To paraphrase, in what he’s shown, he’s better than Dan Jones, Drew Lock, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold so he should deservedly get atleast another season a starter. All starters through their short careers who don’t get as much negative media attention. If anything he should get more support and backing so that way he feels confident and can preform at his best.
Maybe cause he’s black he’s getting more negative attention compared to say Dan Jones or Sam Darnold.