Dolphins seem set to protect Tua Tagovailoa from competition

Ryan Fitzpatrick will be gone, so the Miami Dolphins have their eye on a backup who won’t be a threat to Tua Tagovailoa.

Coming off a major injury and without a typical offseason, it was not an ideal rookie season for Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa last season. He wound up starting nine games, going 6-3 as the starter, with solid numbers (64.1 percent completion rate, 11 touchdowns, five interceptions).

The Dolphins linger as a rumored trade destination for Deshaun Watson, and they have the third overall pick via an earlier trade with the Houston Texans. The idea they’d take a quarterback with either of their first-round picks is not an impossible one. The Watson trade talk has led to a ongoing professed commitment to Tagovailoa.

Tagovailoa started nine games as a rookie, but he didn’t always finish. Ryan Fitzpatrick came in off the bench twice, most notably Week 16 against the Raiders during a wild fourth quarter. The Dolphins offense looked different with the two quarterbacks under center, which is a nod to Fitzpatrick’s aggressive style as much as it is a black mark on former offensive coordinator Chan Gailey.

The Dolphins are in the market for a new backup to Tua Tagovailoa

Fitzpatrick will surely wind up with his ninth NFL team this offseason. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald has reported Fitzpatrick believes he can at least compete for a starting job somewhere. Miami won’t be one of those places, with the two most likely scenarios being they make a move for Watson or have Tagovailoa as their guy.

In addition to that report on Fitzpatrick, Salguero added who the Dolphins are eyeing to be their new backup:

“So on the veteran QB free agency front the Dolphins can eye players such as Tyrod Taylor, Jacoby Brissett, C.J. Beathard, and Brian Hoyer, among others. Even Teddy Bridgewater might be a fit if something unorthodox happens in Carolina and the Panthers move on from the 2020 starter.”

Let’s eliminate Taylor and Bridgewater, despite Salguero’s reminder the Dolphins have had interest in both. They are just good enough to be viable competition for Tagovailoa, and replace him if he really struggles. Brissett fits that category too. So that leaves Beathard and Hoyer. Hoyer has familiarity with Dolphins’ co-offensive coordinator George Godsey from time together in New England and Houston. And head coach Brian Flores of course spent many years with the Patriots.

Salguero cited that familiarity:

“That familiarity and the fact Hoyer isn’t going to be overshadowing Tagovailoa but has started 39 games during his career makes him a logical and perhaps a leading candidate to serve as Miami’s backup.”

Not overshadowing Tagovailoa, even if it’s in the interest of his development, is centered on being no threat to beat him out for the starting job or replace him due to poor performance. Fitzpatrick was both threats last season, and that’s not a fit for the Dolphins’ plan. At least as it relates to having Tagovailoa as their starter.

There’s a fine line between showing faith in a young quarterback you hope to have grow, and outright protecting him from competition. The Dolphins are approaching that line very quickly, and they’ll get to the other side of it with someone who perfectly fits the backup mold. It’ll be up to Tagovailoa to render it moot if he gets the chance.