Miami Dolphins: Why it might be time to move on from Tua Tagovailoa
Is Tua Time over? A few bad games have NFL fans and media alike questioning whether or not he’s the guy or should the Miami Dolphins replace him in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Bust! was a moniker attached to Tua Tagovailoa. Since being drafted in 2020, Tagovailoa has had an up-and-down career with the Miami Dolphins. Although he has shown some promise, he has also been injury-prone and has struggled at times. However, the addition of Tyreek Hill and the innovative rookie head coach Mike McDaniel changed Tagovailoa’s football life.
A hot start to the 2022 NFL season slowly began silencing the critics. Through the first 10 games, Tagovailoa had his name in the hat for NFL MVP, proving why the Miami Dolphins should get ready to hand him a blank check. It all came to a screeching halt when the Dolphins had to travel to the West Coast.
After a two-game skid, the Miami Dolphins are on the edge of missing the playoffs. There are a lot of factors that play a role in why the team struggled offensively against the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Chargers. Having injuries along the offensive line and a lackluster running game hurt the Fins. However, the Dolphins have a problem at the most important position in the NFL.
To fans, Tagovailoa was already on a short leash, with this being his prove-it year. The Dolphins tried to replace their former first-round pick two other times. The first was Tom Brady, which costs them a first-round pick. The other was Browns’ quarterback, Deshaun Watson. Instead of looking to replace Tagovailoa, McDaniels showed faith in his young quarterback, and the results spoke for themselves — until recently. In the last two weeks, he’s completed less than 55% of his passes. He tossed three touchdowns and two interceptions.
What made it worse was that he faced the team that took a quarterback after him. Justin Herbert may not have been the better prospect coming out of Oregon, but he quickly showed he is the better pro. Herbert destroyed the Fins’ defense by displaying elite arm talent, athleticism, and accuracy. Tua struggled in prime time against a defense riddled with injuries.
Tua Tagovailoa’s history and the 2023 NFL Draft class make replacing him easy for Miami Dolphins
Beyond the recent struggles, there are a few reasons why the Dolphins should consider replacing Tua in the draft. First, he has been injury-prone throughout his career. In his rookie season, he suffered a hip injury that caused him to miss the end of the season. He then missed most of the 2021 season with a thumb injury. There’s also the issue of his struggles with consistency. He has had some fantastic games, but he has also had some bad games — that’s a problem.
The Fins have a chance to get a young quarterback who could be the long-term answer for the team. Draft fanatics know that the 2023 NFL Draft is expected to be quarterback-heavy, and there will be a lot of talented quarterbacks available. CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, and Will Levis are the big names in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, there are a few young quarterbacks who could be a long-term answer for the team. However, there’s depth in the draft.
Tanner McKee (Stanford) is 6 foot 6 with a strong arm and familiarity with a pro-style offense. There’s also Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker who improved as a passer, but his dynamic running ability would bring something fresh to the Fins’ offense. There are also two other toolsy prospects the Fins can draft, Anthony Richardson (Florida) and KJ Jefferson (Arkansas). Both signal callers and big arms, massive frames, and a bruising running style similar to Cam Newton and Josh Allen.
In all fairness, this is Tagovailoa’s first year in McDaniel’s offense — he has shown promise. He has the next few weeks to prove he can pick himself up and do what he has to in order to secure the Fins a spot in the playoffs. If he doesn’t, the Miami Dolphins have a chance to get a young quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft.