Latest report indicates Dolphins are playing a dangerous game with Tua Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been an enigmatic player ever since he was selected with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The former Alabama quarterback entered the league with high expectations, but a rough start to his career left Dolphins fans with buyer's remorse.

Tagovailoa began to thrive under the tutelage of new head coach Mike McDaniel in 2022. Equipped with the wide receiver tandem of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Tagovailoa showed signs that he could become Miami's first franchise quarterback since Dan Marino.

Tagovailoa's improvements earned the team's approval. Miami opted to pick up the 25-year-old quarterback's $23M fifth-year option for the 2024 season. And although Tagovailoa held up his end of the deal by taking the team to the postseason, he also oversaw Miami's second consecutive loss in the Wild Card round, this time to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The up-and-down career has stirred debate among fans and analysts alike, especially with the clock ticking for an upcoming contract extension.

Tua Tagovailoa's contract could get more expensive for the Dolphins

Tagovailoa is expected to get a new contract extension this summer, according to The Athletic's Dianna Russini. The fourth-year quarterback has attended a majority of the team's voluntary practices despite not having a new deal in place.

After two consecutive postseason appearances and losses, Miami will have to decide if they believe in Tagovailoa for their long-term future. Tagovailoa is set to earn $23.1 million on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. Miami would have to pay nearly double that price if they want to retain Tagovailoa past the 2024 season.

While it would seem that the Dolphins have nothing to gain from extending Tagovailoa now, getting him signed as quickly as possible would be in their best interest. The longer they wait, the more expensive Tagovailoa will be.

The Detroit Lions signed quarterback Jared Goff to a four-year, $252 million contract extension in May. Goff's figure trails only Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. It's a clear indication that quarterback contracts are continuing to skyrocket.

The Dallas Cowboys appear to be in a standoff with quarterback Dak Prescott, but a potential record-setting contract extension for the first-team All-Pro would only raise the price tag for Tagovailoa.

With significant salary cap space tied up on offense, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier would be wise to save every last penny of salary cap space. The Dolphins were gutted this offseason. After entering the legal tampering period with a $23 million salary cap deficit, Miami was forced to let key free agents walk out of the door. The list of departures included guard Robert Hunt, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, and safety Brandon Jones.

In 2023, Tagovailoa led the league with 4,624 passing yards while completing 69.3 percent of his passes for 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Still, concerns about Tagovailoa's injury history continue to linger.

Although Tagovailoa played a full season in 2023, he has missed games in each of his first three years. He has sustained a total of seven injuries during his professional career. Tagovailoa's most concerning injuries occurred during the 2022 season, when two separate concussions put his health and career in jeopardy. During his collegiate career, he suffered hip and ankle injuries that required surgery.

Although Miami did a good job of keeping Tagovailoa upright in the pocket during the 2023 season, it seems that he is likely to miss games in most seasons. The Dolphins have to determine how much faith they have in Tagovailoa to stay healthy and lead them to postseason victory.

The Dolphins currently have $1.8 million in salary cap space, but the post-June release designation of cornerback Xavien Howard will provide them with an additional $18.5 million in salary cap space on Saturday.

Tagovailoa has already declined one contract offer from Miami, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.