As the dust settles from another disappointing Dolphins season, the team is once again facing questions about quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Driving the news: Tagovailoa, who was named to his first Pro Bowl this year and led the NFL in passing yards, had a great regular season statistically and helped propel Miami to the playoffs for the second straight season.
- But the offense struggled against good teams all year and went out with a whimper on Saturday, losing 7–26 to the Chiefs in the opening game of the playoffs.
Why it matters: Miami is in win-now mode and has constructed a superstar roster with the goal of competing for a Super Bowl, so regular season accolades and media buzz don’t count for much.
The intrigue: Tagovailoa, who now enters his fifth season, will be owed a minimum of $23.2 million in the final year of his deal.
- The Dolphins have three options: extend his contract, make him earn an extension with better play this year or trade for a different quarterback.
What they’re saying: South Florida Sun Sentinel columnists Chris Perkins and Dave Hyde discussed Tagovailoa’s struggles yesterday on an episode of their podcast, “Dolphins Deep Dive.”
- Perkins said the team needs to continue building around Tagovailoa because he’s not capable of carrying the team like Patrick Mahomes and other superstar QBs can.
- Maybe that means adding a power running back or a receiving tight end, he said.
- “Now that you’ve seen what Tua is — that’s not a shot at him, this is reality — you have to help him even more,” Perkins said.
- Hyde wrote this week that Miami can’t pay Tagovailoa like a franchise quarterback until he proves he can be one.
What else: Miami will have contract decisions to make on star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, center Connor Williams, right guard Robert Hunt and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, per the Sun Sentinel.
- Unless they trade it, the Dolphins will have a first-round draft pick this year for the first time since 2021 after trading their previous picks for superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill and linebacker Bradley Chubb.
