Grading 4 possible Tua Tagovailoa replacements for the Miami Dolphins

Since he was drafted with the No. 5 overall pick in 2020, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has faced heavy scrutiny as every Dolphins season culminated with disappointment. A reputation for poor arm strength and injuries have plagued the former Alabama standout's NFL career, but he has experienced a resurgence since head coach Mike McDaniel arrived in Miami.

McDaniel has unlocked Miami's offense by supporting Tagovailoa with speedy receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle — one of the most explosive duos in the league. This allowed Tagovailoa to be recognized for more positive distinguishing traits: his accuracy and touch. Accordingly, Tagovailoa saw his best season in 2023: in his first Pro Bowl season, he ranked fifth among NFL quarterbacks in passer rating (101.1) and led the league in passing yards (4,624).

Tagovailoa's improvements earned the approval of Dolphins brass, who elected to grant the 25-year-old quarterback a $23M fifth-year option for the upcoming 2024 season. And although Tagovailoa held up his end of the deal to some extent — the Dolphins did make the playoffs for the second consecutive year — Tagovailoa also oversaw Miami's second consecutive loss in the Wild Card round, this time to the Kansas City Chiefs. The 26-7 loss now has fans wondering once again if Tagovailoa can lead Miami to its first Super Bowl appearance since Dan Marino's 1984 season.

Although Tagovailoa has led the team to incrementally better seasons each year — from a 6-3 performance in 2020 to an 11-6 one in 2023 — this hasn't stopped fans and analysts from contemplating whether or not it's time to move on from Tua. Admittedly, this is not only unrealistic considering his guaranteed contract, but also fantastical: despite Tagovailoa's disappointments, he is virtually better than any other available option.

Still, those rooting for the Dolphins can imagine scenarios in which the team does swap out Tagovailoa, whether it's in a blockbuster trade, a free agency haul, or with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. It may be unlikely, but then again, so was the idea that Bill Belichick would be driven out of New England or that NFL teams would pass up the opportunity to sign Tom Brady. Clearly, stranger things have happened in the NFL world.

With that being said, there are intriguing quarterback options that could be entertained, even if it's little more than a thought experiment. Here are four quarterbacks that could be worth looking into during the 2024 NFL offseason.

4. Could the Dolphins replace Tua Tagovailoa with Kirk Cousins?

Kirk Cousins has received a lot of criticism during his tenure in Minnesota. Still, he has proven himself to be a solid quarterback who can take advantage of the talented weapons around him. While the Vikings haven't been able to follow up their 2017 NFC Championship Game appearance, Cousins led the Vikings to the Divisional round in 2019 and the Wild Card round in 2022. After a slow 1-4 start to the 2023 season, Cousins pulled together three consecutive wins before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 8. The Vikings ended the year 7-10, with Cousins contributing four of those seven victories.

Although his torn Achilles derailed what could have been another strong season, plenty of teams will be looking at Cousins as a potential quarterback candidate. He has the arm strength to throw to every level of the field, something Tagovailoa has struggled with — especially in cold weather. Cousins has also been known to elevate his game while he's been on short-term contracts.

Realistically, Cousins would likely be far too expensive for Miami, and the questions surrounding his ability to perform in big games wouldn't be that different from what the Dolphins currently have with Tagovailoa.

Grade: 4/10