Tua Tagovailoa has watched several quarterbacks, like Kirk Cousins, Joe Burrow, and Trevor Lawrence, secure massive contracts this offseason. However, the Miami Dolphins have yet to extend their franchise quarterback, despite the 26-year-old entering the final year of his contract.
For now, Tagovailoa will play under the $23.1 million team option in 2024. If the Dolphins don’t reach an extension before next offseason’s free agency, they risk losing their QB to the open market. The Minnesota Vikings learned that letting a Pro Bowl QB reach free agency can significantly increase their price.
Many wonder why the Dolphins are delaying Tagovailoa’s contract. The longer they wait, the more they may have to pay, especially if he has another strong season after leading the NFL in passing yards in 2023.
However, one unnamed current NFL GM believes the Dolphins would be wise to wait. “I talked to a GM for a different team this morning…what he said was, ‘I would let Tua play it out,’” Pelissero shared when asked about teams resetting the quarterback market. “…The GM who called me this morning said, ‘You can’t do a deal at that number, it’s gone too far.’”
Tagovailoa, despite battling several injuries during his first four seasons, has never played fewer than 13 games since his rookie year. Mike McDaniel’s system, along with star receivers like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, puts Tagovailoa in an advantageous position. The Dolphins finished with the NFL’s second-highest-scoring offense last season, thanks to these talents.
Despite their offensive success, the Dolphins might call Tagovailoa’s bluff and let him play out the season on his current contract. Time will tell how this strategy unfolds.
