Tua Tagovailoa

Tua Tagovailoa Suffers Concussion; Dolphins To Make QB Addition

September 13th, 2024 at 10:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

Thursday’s night’s contest saw the Dolphins’ record drop to 1-1 but the main takeaway was quarterback Tua Tagovailoa exiting the game with a concussion. Miami’s franchise passer has a history of head injuries, and this latest one will lead to a depth move being made.

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said after the game that Tagovailoa – who went down late in the third quarter during a scramble which produced a collision with Bills safety Damar Hamlin – will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis. Tagovailoa’s history with head injuries is a factor which will be taken into consideration when evaluating his recovery process, which does not have a timeline at this point. McDaniel added he and Tagovailoa will speak later today.

After a college career which included several ailments (one of which was a concussion), the Alabama product dealt with at least two more concussions during the 2022 campaign. That cost him five combined regular and postseason games and led to signficant changes to the NFL’s concussion protocol. The 26-year-old’s ability to progress through the protocol will now be critical as he and the team evaluate his rehab. Until more is known about Tagovailoa’s condition, no decision regarding an IR stint will be possible.

In the meantime, Miami will move forward with Skylar Thompson under center. The 2022 seventh-rounder served as third-stringer behind Mike White last season, one in which Tagovailoa remained healthy. White was let go during roster cutdowns this summer, however, paving the way for Thompson to operate as QB2 in 2024. He will be counted on to lead the offense moving forward, but the team is now eyeing an addition to serve as healthy depth.

“The team and organization are very confident in Skylar,” McDaniel said during a Friday press conference (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). “There’s a reason he is our backup quarterback. We will bring in someone. I’m expecting Skylar is the next man up.”

Thompson made a pair of starts to close out the regular season in 2022, and he remained at the helm for Miami’s wild-card loss that year. The 27-year-old threw five interceptions against just two touchdowns during that span, but he will be atop the depth chart for the foreseeable future with Tagovailoa on the mend. Amongst veteran passers still on the market, Ryan Tannehill is an option familiar to the Dolphins (albeit not to McDaniel). The 36-year-old is remaining patient while considering his options, and he may not be interested in a backup gig if that is what Miami offers him.

Tagovailoa admitted last spring to contemplating retirement in the wake of his concussion issues. He managed to avoid any injuries last season, however, and his 2023 performance landed him a four-year extension this summer. That pact carries an AAV of $53.1MM and includes $167MM guaranteed for injury. Questions have been raised about the prospect of Tagovailoa retiring in the wake of his latest concussion, but plenty still needs to be determined on that front as things stand. How he recovers over the coming days and weeks, along with how the team proceeds at the QB position, will be worth watching closely.

Assessing Dolphins’ Financial Options With Tua Tagovailoa

September 13th, 2024 at 10:03pm CST by Ely Allen

After he left last night’s loss against the Bills with a concussion, many have been speculating about the future of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. An extensive history of head injuries has many wondering if yesterday’s latest brain trauma will lead to the end of Tagovailoa’s NFL career.

Last night offered another scary scene for those who have followed Tagovailoa throughout his time in Miami. After lowering his head into a tackle by Damar Hamlin, who is no stranger to scary injuries, Tagovailoa exhibited signs of unconsciousness as he laid writhing on the ground demonstrating what is called a fencing response. It was the second such instance in the past two years.

In a Week 3 game against the Bills in 2022, Tagovailoa left the contest with a reported back injury before returning to finish the game. Many suspected that the team may have violated concussion protocols by letting him return, but he was back in the starting lineup the following week, regardless. In the Week 4 matchup with the Bengals, Tagovailoa was sacked and demonstrated the fencing response for the first time, leading to an exit and a two-game absence. He later missed the last two games of the season under concussion protocol.

After a fully healthy 2023 season, Miami rewarded Tagovailoa with a four-year, $212.4MM extension, including 167.17MM in guarantees. With so many wondering about the potential end of Tagovailoa’s career due to the frequency of his brain injuries, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald took a look at what that would mean financially.

Firstly, it seems wildly unlikely that the Dolphins would make the decision to move on from Tagovailoa if he is medically cleared. First of all, they gave him his extension under the assumption that he would be their quarterback of the future. If he is able to return, they’ll likely stick with that assumption, especially after his 2023 season. Second, releasing a healthy Tagovailoa would require the team to eat $83.65MM in dead money.

On Tagovailoa’s side, if the 26-year-old were to pass a physical but still decide to retire, the Dolphins would be left with $33.6MM in dead money, per Jason Fitzgerald of OvertheCap.com, which they would be able to spread over the 2025 and 2026 seasons. That option seems unlikely, as well, though, as it would require Tagovailoa to pass up several of millions of dollars that he has already been guaranteed.

Though many are worried for the health and safety of the former Alabama passer, his recent extension makes it difficult to see a swift end to NFL career. Decisions may be made to limit his exposure and playing time if injuries continue to occur, but with so much money on the table, expect both Tagovailoa and the Dolphins to keep working to forge a way forward together.

QB Rumors: Dak, Cowboys, Dolphins, Tua, Titans, Rudolph, Willis, Sanders

August 14th, 2024 at 7:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys continue to drag out their complex contract situation, one headlined by Dak Prescott‘s contract-year status and enormous leverage. One of the issues believed to be factoring into the quarterback’s negotiations: when the contract’s escape hatch emerges, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. This would pertain to when guarantees vest. Considering Prescott’s built-in advantages stemming from no-trade and no-tag clauses, along with his lofty 2024 cap number and a $40.1MM void years-driven penalty that would go on Dallas’ cap if he reaches free agency, the ninth-year QB is undoubtedly pushing for most of this contract to be guaranteed. Rolling guarantees, which feature money locking in a year early, are also likely coming up during these talks. The Cowboys prefer five- or six-year deals, though they are not in good position to dictate term length or guarantee structure to their longtime passer.

As could be expected, a host of execs are critical of Jerry Jones for slow-playing this. Some are puzzled (via the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora) the Cowboys owner has lost this much leverage with Dak. The Cowboys are believed to be closer on terms with CeeDee Lamb, but one GM told La Canfora that Jones “totally screwed this up” re: Prescott. A $60MM-per-year contract, or something close to it with a player-friendly guarantee structure, will almost definitely be necessary for the Cowboys to keep Dak away from free agency come March.

Here is the latest QB news from around the league:

Tua Tagovailoa‘s Dolphins deal features a rolling guarantee structure. The Miami QB’s $54MM 2026 base salary will shift from guaranteed for injury to fully guaranteed in 2025, Florio notes. Of Tua’s 2027 base salary ($31MM), $20MM is guaranteed for injury; $3MM of that total shifts to a full guarantee by 2026 before the remainder vests in 2027. A $5MM roster bonus is also due in 2027. Tagovailoa’s 2028 base ($41.4MM) is nonguaranteed. Miami has set up a potential 2027 escape hatch, though the southpaw starter would still collect more than $150MM from 2024-26 in the event the team moved on three years down the road. Two void years are included to spread out cap hits, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin tweets.
Mason Rudolph has displayed accuracy at Titans camp, to the point Titans.com’s Jim Wyatt notes Malik Willis has been unable to gain ground — even though he has looked more comfortable in Year 3 — in the battle for the QB2 job. In the team’s preseason opener, Rudolph came in first and went 10-for-17 for 126 yards. Willis entered midway through the third quarter, going 5-for-7 for 38 yards (but rushing for 42). The Titans gave Rudolph a one-year, $2.8MM deal with $2.7MM guaranteed. A 2022 third-rounder, Willis is tied to a $985K base salary. Cutting the erratic third-year QB would cost the Titans only $466K, and it is certainly worth noting neither this coaching staff nor GM Ran Carthon was in Nashville when Willis was drafted. The Titans are open to carrying three QBs, but will this staff continue to develop an inherited arm given Carthon’s Will Levis investment?
NFL evaluators are split on Shedeur Sanders‘ stock for the 2025 draft. While ESPN.com’s Jordan Reid slots him as his No. 2 quarterback (behind Georgia’s Carson Beck) for the ’25 class — though, as a late-Round 1/early-Round 2 prospect — one NFL exec tabbed the Colorado QB as a Day 2 pick. Another evaluator labeled the returning Buffaloes passer as a first-rounder based largely on what is viewed as a weaker quarterback crop. Deion Sanders‘ influence on his son’s career is certainly not lost on execs, Reid adds, as the NFL legend/Colorado HC has already said he does see a cold-weather team as a fit (despite the duo’s current Boulder, Colo., location). Sanders’ impact on his son’s value has come up in NFL circles already and will likely remain a talking point moving forward.

Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa Agree To Extension

July 26th, 2024 at 10:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

Training camp participation will no longer be an issue for Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins quarterback has agreed to a four-year, $212.4MM extension, as first reported by Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Many of the league’s QB mega-deals have been five years in length, making this extension slightly unique. It is the most expensive four-year investment in league history with an average annual value of $53.1MM, third highest amongst signal-callers. Rapoport adds Tagovailoa will receive $167.1MM guaranteed.

Given the 26-year-old’s injury history, questions have been raised this offseason regarding how much of a long-term commitment the Dolphins would be willing to make. Full details are not yet known, but Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports this deal is a three-year accord in terms of practical guarantees. As a result, Tagovailoa will be in place atop Miami’s QB depth chart through at least the 2027 campaign.

Team and player in this case expressed a desire in February for a deal to be worked out in relatively short order. Miami dealt with a number of other priorities in the months since, then, however, and talks continued through to this week. Tagovailoa was largely a non-participant in spring workouts, a departure from his normal offseason routine. The Alabama product made it clear he was acutely aware of the surging market value of quarterbacks on their second contracts, something which applies to him. Tagovailoa was already on the books for 2024 via his $23.17MM fifth-year option.

Using one or two franchise tags after this season would have been an option had the Dolphins taken a hardline stance at the negotiating table, but they have instead made a long-term commitment. Tagovailoa put up career highs in a number of categories in 2023, a campaign in which he crucially managed to remain healthy. He led the NFL in passing yards (4,624) and earned his first career Pro Bowl nod while helping the team to an 11-6 record and a postseason berth. Needless to say, expectations for a repeat of that success (and beyond) will be in place moving forward.

Miami inked receiver Jaylen Waddle to a $28.25MM-per-year deal this spring, and teammate Tyreek Hill is angling for a raise as well. Keeping that tandem in place while also retaining Tagovailoa in the fold has been an overarching goal for the organization during the offseason, one in which the likes of Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt departed via free agency. It remains to be seen what happens with Hill, but now Waddle and Tagovailoa’s futures have received clarity.

The latter rejected at least one extension offer prior to today’s blockbuster accord being finalized (something which came as little surprise considering Miami’s initial unwillingness to offer a market-value pact). A report from earlier this week indicated Tagovailoa and the Dolphins were not as close to working out a deal as Jordan Love and the Packers were. Instead, Miami has managed to get negotiations across the finish line before Green Bay. This deal will serve as another blueprint for the Packers and Love to follow with seven quarterbacks now occupying the $50MM-per-year club.

Tagovailoa reported to training camp on time, but he barely participated during the first day of practice. That was followed by a total on-field absence yesterday, a sign that an extended period of uncertainty regarding his availability could extend for days or longer. The former No. 5 pick took every first-team rep in Friday’s practice, though, a development which certainly makes sense given the fact a monster deal has now been agreed to.

Head coach Mike McDaniel has been in place for the past two years, having been hired in large part to maximize Tagovailoa’s potential. The pair have worked well together so far, and 2023’s productive (albeit inconsistent) showings on offense offered a glimpse of what could be possible down the road. Now, the McDaniel-Tagovailoa partnership will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

Contract Structure Holding Up Packers’ Jordan Love Negotiations?

July 26th, 2024 at 3:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tua Tagovailoa‘s Dolphins extension leaves two NFC quarterbacks in talks with their respective teams. Jordan Love and Dak Prescott remain in contract years, and while the Packers passer might be closer to the goal line than the longtime Cowboys starter, work remains.

The Dolphins and Tagovailoa needed to address the QB’s per-year number, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, whereas the Packers and Love are attempting to agree on contract structure. Packer contract structures come up frequently, as the organization does not typically include guarantees past the first year. That said, the team has bent for quarterbacks in the past.

Timing of guarantee vesting dates, a matter Patrick Mahomes‘ mega-extension influenced, and three-year payouts are among the primary issues pertaining to structure. Bonus payments represent another. The sides being in agreement on AAV and term length, however, would cross the key items off the list as negotiations wind down. As of now, however, Love remains tied to the half-measure extension (two years, $13.5MM) he signed in lieu of a fifth-year option payment in 2023.

Trevor Lawrence‘s Jaguars extension included three fully guaranteed base salaries and a partial guarantee into Year 4, with the rest of Lawrence’s 2027 money becoming guaranteed a year early. Preferring larger bonuses as opposed to fully guaranteeing salaries that far into the future, the Packers organized a complex deal with Aaron Rodgers in 2022. The team traded that contract to the Jets, restructuring it on the way out. Rodgers’ last traditional extension, which came in summer 2018, included what was then the largest signing bonus in NFL history ($57.5MM).

Rodgers’ pacts in 2013 and 2018 showed the Packers are not afraid of record-setting contracts, as the four-time MVP’s ’18 extension (worth $33.5MM per year, illustrating where the QB market has gone since) included $103MM over the first three years and $80MM by March of 2019.

Lawrence received $200MM guaranteed in total (on a five-year deal), while Tagovailoa just secured $167.5MM guaranteed. This gives Love some targets, though his one season as a starter gives the Packers relatively new territory to cover. The team extended Rodgers midway through his first starter season (2008), but it did not require a top-market deal to do so. Love’s contract will assuredly come in beyond $50MM per year, with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter mentioning early this summer Lawrence’s $55MM AAV would likely be the floor.

Love is not practicing without a deal, and while the sides may indeed be close, training camp workouts going on while a healthy starting QB watches represents a rarity. While Love and Packers were hoping to complete this extension before training camp, the sides missed that soft deadline and continue to work on this long-sought-after agreement.

Latest On Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa’s Training Camp Participation

July 26th, 2024 at 11:32am CST by Sam Robinson

JULY 26: Continuing to vary his participation on a daily basis, Tagovailoa took every first-team rep during Friday’s practice (h/t Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network). McDaniel confirmed earlier on Friday the team will use a day-by-day approach at all positions (video link via Beasley). Until Tagovailoa’s extension situation is resolved, therefore, he can be expected to continue spending time both on and off the field during team sessions.

JULY 25: Last year, Brian Burns made the unusual move to pivot to a hold-in effort days before Week 1. That did not last, but Tua Tagovailoa may be shifting the relatively new negotiating tactic to a new place as well.

After taking just two snaps during 11-on-11 drills Wednesday, Tagovailoa did not participate at all during Miami’s Thursday practice. Labeling this a hold-in measure, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Beasley indicated the Dolphins’ team drills — as could be expected — did not feature too much offensive success.

Mike McDaniel said Wednesday that Tua’s camp participation would be fluid during negotiations, so it is certainly possible the lefty passer suits up Friday. This would be a rather unusual effort on the QB’s part, as hold-ins typically do not feature yo-yoing with regards to participation. T.J. Watt participated partially in Steelers practices throughout his 2021 hold-in, but he passed on team drills during a negotiation that did not end until just before Week 1. Given his position, Tagovailoa not participating stands to disrupt his team’s process more so by comparison.

While it would be more interesting if Tua indeed practiced Friday, an in-and-out routine would be quite odd amid negotiations. Jordan Love is not participating in Packers practice without an extension. Tagovailoa and the Dolphins have been in talks for much of the offseason, though the Packers believed to be closer on terms with their starter compared to Miami’s talks.

Tagovailoa has turned down at least one Miami offer, and reports earlier this summer suggested hesitancy regarding AAV and guarantees with respect to the skyrocketing QB market. Trevor Lawrence secured $142MM guaranteed at signing on a $55MM-per-year deal, one that matched Joe Burrow atop the league’s salary hierarchy. It would surprise if Tagovailoa was not angling to top Lawrence’s guarantee, seeing as he has been more consistent — at least, under McDaniel — than the Jaguars starter.

For the time being, the Dolphins have Mike White and Skylar Thompson taking snaps in team drills. Tagovailoa, who is tied to a fully guaranteed $23.17MM fifth-year option this year, appears set to shift to a full-on hold-in effort or introduce a new strategy for mid-camp negotiations.

QB Notes: Tua, Rodgers, Daniels, Steelers

July 24th, 2024 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tua Tagovailoa is not holding in, separating the Dolphins‘ top negotiation from multiple others around the NFL. This includes Jordan Love‘s Packers arrangement, which has become a hold-in situation. Despite Tagovailoa having a longer track record than Love, the fifth-year passer went through Dolphins workouts Wednesday. This did come with a notable exception. Tagovailoa took only two reps (both handoffs) in Dolphins team drills to open camp, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa’s camp workload — absent an extension — would compare to OTAs; the lefty did not go through team drills then or during minicamp. We heard Monday this would likely be the route Tagovailoa takes.

The Dolphins have been negotiating with Tua for months, and while some optimism has emerged, Miami’s QB1 has turned down at least one offer and may have seen the team dig in on a price south of Trevor Lawrence‘s $55MM-per-year deal. Lawrence receiving $142MM may also be much higher than the Dolphins want to go. McDaniel said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) both sides are “relentlessly” working on this agreement. The parties still have time to hammer out a deal before the season, but the longer this goes, the closer Tua comes to carrying a lofty franchise tag number (upwards of $40MM) on Miami’s 2025 cap sheet.

Here is the latest QB news coming out of training camp:

Aaron Rodgers confirmed a trip to Egypt indeed led to his missing minicamp and confirmed the Jets fined him for the unexcused absences. Rodgers has been criticized for a lack of leadership by skipping the offseason’s only mandatory workout, but he said his relationship with Robert Saleh has been unaffected. “I’m an adult; I knew what I was getting into,” Rodgers said, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “I knew the fine that was coming and also knew how much I wanted to be in Egypt. I wish there hadn’t been a conflict scheduling-wise, but it was what it was.” Rodgers, who said be based the trip on the Jets’ 2023 offseason schedule, had shown up for OTAs prior to the abrupt — to the public, at least — departure.
Jayden Daniels does not have Commanders first-string reps to himself just yet; the No. 2 overall pick is splitting them with free agency addition Marcus Mariota, the Washington Post’s Sam Fortier notes. While Dan Quinn is labeling this a QB competition, Fortier cautions that Daniels is all but assured of the starting job. This follows a report that pointed to the Commanders indeed feeling no real reason to hold back the 2023 Heisman winner by giving Mariota bridge work.
Although the Daniels-Mariota split may deprive the highly touted rookie from early reps, Washington is holding an actual battle for the No. 3 spot. The team is pitting rookie UDFA Sam Hartman against veteran Jeff Driskel, Fortier adds. The former Notre Dame starter, who has a safety net via the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions’ recent draft choice, played behind Driskel to start camp. It is not yet clear if the Commanders plan to keep three QBs, but the winner of this battle would stand to at least be the team’s emergency option in the event only two are rostered.
Prior to the USFL and XFL merging, Ben DiNucci played in the former league’s second season and spent last year as the Broncos’ third-stringer. The recent Russell Wilson teammate worked out for the 13-year vet’s new team this week, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who notes the Steelers brought in the veteran. Pittsburgh has Kyle Allen in place behind Wilson and Justin Fields presently.

Latest On Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins

July 23rd, 2024 at 11:50am CST by Ben Levine

JULY 23: While it will not be known until tomorrow if Tagovailoa takes part in the first practice of training camp, he is in attendance. Tyreek Hill confirmed on Tuesday (via Beasley) that Tagovailoa reported along with the rest of Miami’s veterans. Attention will now turn to the progress of extension talks and whether or not he engages in a hold-in before an agreement is reached.

JULY 22: While the Dolphins are set to hold their first training camp practice on Wednesday, Tua Tagovailoa is still attached to an expiring contract. Following reports from today that Packers QB Jordan Love won’t practice until he inks an extension, we’re hearing similar sentiments out of Miami. Adam H. Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com writes that the expectation should be that Tagovailoa “follows Love’s lead and withholds his services in some capacity.”

If Love truly did set a 2024 precedent for extension-worthy quarterbacks, then that doesn’t bode well for Tua’s chances of seeing the practice field any time soon. ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted today that the Dolphins and their franchise quarterback are not as far along in discussions as the Packers and Love (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald).

Of course, there’s no immediate urgency to complete an extension. The Dolphins have plenty of offensive continuity, and considering Tagovailoa’s injury and concussion history, the team was probably going to manage his workload either way. The Dolphins have about three weeks until their preseason opener and about seven weeks until the start of the regular season. The former first-round pick could face up to $5MM in fines if he sits out the entire preseason, although Beasley recently noted that those fines could be offset if Tua’s camp is able to squeeze more guaranteed money out of the organization.

Tagovailoa was present during OTAs, but he didn’t participate in any team drills as he pushed for a new contract. If the quarterback refuses to practice during training camp, there’s still a good chance he follows Love’s lead and attends team meetings. Tagovailoa’s camp wanted to avoid a distraction during training camp, and with the Dolphins eyeing a run at the Super Bowl, a complete absence would probably do more harm than good.

We’ll know about Tagovailoa’s status one way or the other by this Wednesday. Veterans are set to report to training camp on Tuesday before taking the practice field on Wednesday. Tua nor Mike McDaniel are expected to speak to reporters tomorrow (per Beasley), but the head coach has his first news conference scheduled for Wednesday morning. We’ll surely get an update at that time.

Guaranteed Money A “Sticking Point” In Tagovailoa Extension Talks?

July 8th, 2024 at 6:04pm CST by Ben Levine

As the Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa continue their staring contest, we’ve getting some clarity on the main obstacle during extension talks. As Adam H. Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com writes, guaranteed money is “what most believe is the sticking point” in the ongoing contract negotiations.

A report from last month indicated Miami has yet to submit a market-value offer, but as Beasley notes, it would be “foolish” for the Dolphins to offer Tagovailoa “anything substantially less” than the $53MM average annual value set by Jared Goff (and recently surpassed by Trevor Lawrence). Assuming the two sides are around the same range for AAV, the extension’s guaranteed money would be the next major hurdle.

Deshaun Watson, Joe Burrow, Lawrence, Lamar Jackson, and Justin Herbert all earned at least $130MM fully guaranteed at signing on their respective extensions. While Tagovailoa’s camp may not necessarily be looking to top that list (Watson leads the way with $230MM, followed by Burrow at $146MM), Beasley believes the QB is pushing for at least a nine-figure guarantee…and the writer also believes the Dolphins will be reluctant to reach that mark.

While the win-now Dolphins aren’t necessarily in position to play hard ball with their franchise quarterback, Beasley doesn’t blame the organization for being wary of Tagovailoa’s impending guarantees. The former first-round pick has dealt with his fair share of injuries and concussions, and while 2023 represented a clear step forward for the 26-year-old, he still failed to guide his squad to any playoff success.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald previously noted that both parties “seem determined” to work out an extension agreement, and it doesn’t sound like negotiations have been contentious. Still, until the two sides agree to a new deal, Tagovailoa can still threaten a holdout. While the QB could face more than $5MM in fines by skipping training camp and the regular season, that still may be in the player’s interest if he’s able to recoup that lost value via additional guarantees, per Beasley.

Tagovailoa’s extension will continue to hang over the Dolphins with training camp rapidly approaching. At the start of the offseason, both sides wished for speedy negotiations as they looked to avoid the drama. With veterans set to report on July 23, we’ll see if the organization feels any pressure to finalize a deal.

Latest On Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa Talks

July 3rd, 2024 at 10:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

A number of quarterback dominoes have yet to fall this offseason, and the situation regarding Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins remains unsettled. A lucrative investment in the Pro Bowl passer could still very well be worked out relatively soon, however.

Contract talks have been ongoing throughout the spring, and developments on the QB front have helped Tagovailoa’s bargaining position. The Lions gave Jared Goff a third contract carrying an annual average value of $53MM before Trevor Lawrence secured a Jaguars extension worth $55MM per year. Tagovailoa is younger than Goff while he has generally outproduced Lawrence when healthy.

Keeping that in mind, the 26-year-old has publicly stated how he is well aware of where the market currently is, suggesting a hometown discount should not be expected in his case. Tagovailoa is already thought to have turned down at least one extension offer, and while he has cited progress there is ground still to be made up. A report from last week indicated Miami has yet to submit a market-value offer.

Still, efforts from team and player continue on the negotiating front. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes both parties “seem determined” to work out an extension agreement, adding a “decent chance” remains that one will be in place before the start of the 2024 season. Plenty of blockbuster extensions are not finalized until training camp, and this summer is likely to be no different with a number of potential holdouts looming and the likes of Dak Prescott and Jordan Love also positioned for big-money QB deals.

As things stand, Tagovailoa is set to play out his $23.17MM fifth-year option this season. The Alabama product put together a healthy campaign in 2023, leading the league in passing yards (4,624) while adding a career-high 29 touchdowns. Questions about his durability and ceiling as a passer could limit the team’s willingness to make a long-term investment, on the other hand, which could lead to a patient approach and a potential 2025 franchise tag coming into play.

Of course, the Dolphins also have the Tyreek Hill contract situation as a summer priority. The former receiver leader (in terms of annual average compensation) is seeking a raise, and accommodating that wish will alter Miami’s cap structure for 2024 and beyond. With respect to Tagovailoa, meanwhile, traction at the negotiating table will be worth watching closely for.

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