NFL Rumors: Dolphins forcing themselves into a corner with Tua Tagovailoa contract

Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is now eligible for an extension and primed for a lucrative payday after breaking out in a big way in 2023.

While Tagovailoa and the Dolphins have not yet agreed on a deal, head coach Mike McDaniel remains hopeful that the two sides will eventually find common ground. 

“Both his representation and our organization are hard at work,” McDaniel said in a recent press conference, according to Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald.

It has also been reported Dolphins general manager Chris Grier will meet with Tagovailoa’s agent this week at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis to try to get a deal done before training camp and the start of the season. 

Considering the team’s current cap situation (roughly $28 million over the salary cap) and the career-year Tagovailoa enjoyed last season, the quarterback holds leverage in contract negotiations.

Tagovailoa is projected to sign a four-year, $220 million contract, with $105 million in fully guaranteed money upon agreement and $165 “practically guaranteed” through 2027, per Spotrac. 

NFL Rumors: Dolphins cornering themselves with Tua Tagovailoa deal

Are the Dolphins prepared to make Tagovailoa the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL (tied with Cincinnati Bengals signal-caller Joe Burrow) with an average annual salary of $55 million? Is Tagovailoa even the most valuable player on his team? Miami’s All-Pro wide receiver, Tyreek Hill, is the one who garnered MVP votes this season.

Despite leading the NFL in passing yards in 2023 (4,624) and navigating the Phins to an 11-6 record and a playoff berth, it is Hill and McDaniel who have received a bulk of the credit for the success of Miami and what was regarded as arguably the league’s best offense last season, not Tagovailoa. 

Since Miami selected Tagovailoa with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, he has been knocked for inconsistent quarterback play, his inability to improvise when a play breaks down, and his lack of arm strength. However, he’s had a 19-11 record in 30 starts over the last two years, leading the Phins to playoff appearances in both seasons.

Overall, the looming contract extension of Tagovailoa is a complex situation, putting the Dolphins in an unenviable position.