Dolphins players are slamming Tua Tagovailoa and sending up smoke signals

According to some Dolphins players, they hope to move on from the No. 5 pick this offseason.

The Miami Dolphins, like all teams that didn’t make the playoffs. will have plenty to think about this impending offseason. Self-evaluation is key when trying to get better and build for the future.

The biggest decision for the upcoming year might have already been made by Dolphins general manager Chris Grier. Rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is expected to return for the 2021 season as the team’s starter and hopeful franchise guy.

Is this a ploy to drive up the asking price for him on the market or is Miami for real? According to several players, this might all be smoke and mirrors.

In an interview with Miami Herald’s Armando Salguero, several of Tagovailoa’s teammates questioned his abilities and upside as the franchise starter. In win-now mode with the right head coach and defensive setting, the team is unsure if the former No. 5 pick can ever reach his max potential.

“I understand what they said,” one player was reported saying. “But I don’t understand why.”

Are the Dolphins not sold on Tagovailoa?

Tagovailoa totaled 1,814 passing yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 appearances. The biggest concern came in Week 17 against the Buffalo Bills. Tagovailoa threw three interceptions in a 56-26 loss that ultimately kept Miami out of the postseason.

Normally in situations such as this, the team would turn to veteran journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick. They couldn’t as the 38-year-old was ruled out following a positive test with COVID-19. For the season, Tagovailoa posted a 6-3 record.

This certainly raises the question of what Miami should do under center. It’s one thing for the fans outside the locker room to question Tagovailoa’s ability. There are now teammates who share a locker room with him that are saying the exact same thing.

The Dolphins have been linked as a potential trade partner for Houston Texans’ quarterback Deshaun Watson. Ultimately, any trade involving a franchise gunslinger would be costly and force Miami to package Tagovailoa in the deal, along with multiple first-round picks.

Could Miami trade their draft to secure Watson as their future?

Grier will have the final say in all things this offseason. However, losing the locker room for a player that the team doesn’t believe in might not be worth all the trouble.