Why the Miami Dolphins Need to Sign Tua Tagovailoa to New Contract
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The Miami Dolphins are in a pickle. They’re well over the salary cap, with some of their best players asking for new contracts, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, whose salary is expected to exceed 50 million bucks backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
The Dolphins have decisions to make, but re-signing Tua at the going rate for Pro Bowl-caliber quarterbacks shouldn’t be one of them.
The Dolphins have no choice but to sign Tagovailoa to a long-term contract, potentially worth more than a quarter-billion dollars. They’ve made their bed, and now it’s time to lie in it.
This is why.
Team Timeline: Win Now
The Dolphins’ current roster makeup and “win-now” mentality leave little room for messing around or second-guessing their strategy regarding what is arguably the most important position in all team sports: quarterback. Like a poker player who’s pot-committed, the Dolphins have invested heavily in a team built to succeed in the immediate future.
Cutting ties with Tua would be like trying to change the flavor of a cake after it’s been baking for 20 minutes — good luck with that.
Like in marriage — for better or worse, in sickness and health — this era of Miami Dolphins football is tied to Tua, his left arm, and whether he can keep his skull from bouncing off the field, as he managed to do last season.
Mike McDaniel’s Comments
Head coach Mike McDaniel loves to talk. So much. But sometimes, saying less is more. Being in the middle of a contract negotiation with the most expensive player in franchise history is probably one of those times, but McDaniel didn’t get the memo.
Recently, McDaniel said about Tua at the NFL combine, “My belief has always been strong from day one in Tua. It’s stronger than it was the first day I met him. And that’s because of that relationship where I’m focused, which is continuing to provide the coaching so he can continue to evolve his game as he has since the second that I started talking to him.”
Yeah. No taking that back.
McDaniel’s unwavering support for Tagovailoa underscores the quarterback’s importance to the team’s vision. Still, the public declaration of the team’s commitment to their quarterback makes it nearly impossible to change course.
Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins makes an acrobatic entrance during player introductions on November 27, 2022, in Miami Gardens.
Tyreek Hill on Point
You cannot invite a VIP guest over for dinner and, at the last second, explain that you canned celebrity guest chef Gordon Ramsay and decided to order takeout instead. That’s an excellent way to ensure your guests bail from the soiree, as would Hill if the Dolphins brought in a backup-caliber option to save money.
The acquisition of Tyreek Hill signaled the Dolphins’ Super Bowl ambitions. Hill’s immediate impact and chemistry with Tagovailoa have been pivotal to the team’s offensive dynamism. With the possibility of the 2025 season being Hill’s final run with the Dolphins, starting over with a new quarterback could jeopardize everything they’ve built, including chemistry.
Maintaining the synergy between Hill and Tagovailoa is essential.
Keep the chef.
Salary Cap Increase
Financially, re-signing Tagovailoa has become more feasible with the recent increase in the NFL salary cap to $255.4 million for 2024. This adjustment anticipates the escalating market price for signing a quarterback and accommodates Tagovailoa’s potential pay raise. Today’s contracts will seem economical in a few years, and making a long-term investment in Tagovailoa appears sensible and prescient.
Don’t believe $50 million will seem valuable in three years? People had similar skepticism when Patrick Mahomes signed for $45 million in yearly pay just a few offseasons ago. It’s the price of doing business today, but it may be tomorrow’s bargain.
Tua Tagovailoa throws a touchdown pass at Hard Rock Stadium on November 15, 2020.
Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images
Tagovailoa’s Performance
At the heart of the matter is Tagovailoa’s undeniable talent — he’s good. Good enough? Probably not! He will need lots of help to win a Super Bowl, but what quarterback doesn’t?
Despite the criticism that he’s shaky under pressure and prone to injury, he remains the best quarterback the Dolphins have had in 25 years. His ability to lead the team could revitalize a cursed franchise, making the idea of economizing on his contract inconceivable.
Tagovailoa’s significance to the Dolphins transcends numbers. He’s the heartbeat and identity of a team on the cusp of finding out who he is. Sometimes you need to see things through to the end.
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