Miami Dolphins need serious Plan B for Tua Tagovailoa in 2023
By James Reeve
The Miami Dolphins have already confirmed that Tua Tagovailoa will be their starting quarterback next season, but the team needs a serious Plan B.
The Miami Dolphins will enter the 2023 season with Tua Tagovailoa back under center, with the 2020 fifth-overall pick showing impressive growth in his third season in the league.
The former Alabama Crimson Tide QB set career bests in a number of categories, including passing yards (3548) and touchdowns (25) while posting an 8-5 record in the 13 games he started.
Concussions were the main topic of conversation with Tagovailoa by the end of the regular season, however, as the 24-year-old entered protocols three times in 2022 while officially suffering two – with the last ruling him out for the team’s wildcard round tilt against the Buffalo Bills.
Miami Dolphins Need to Keep Tagovailoa Standing
While the Dolphins are confident with what Tagovailoa gives them when he’s in the pocket, keeping him in as many games as possible will be the biggest concern for a team that could have arguably improved their 9-8 record had he managed to play all 17 games.
Plan A for the team should undoubtedly be to strengthen the offensive line’s depth, which itself suffered a number of injuries throughout the year, including to star tackle Terron Armstead, with the team unable to protect Tagovailoa well enough to avoid the unfortunate concussions.
Whether through free agency or the draft, adding more quality to the trenches could go a long way to keeping Tagovailoa upright and able to get the ball away before contact can be made on game days.
If that fails, however, the team needs to consider a serious Plan B to protect the team and its overall potential.
Serious Plan B Time
The Dolphins had a strong offense in 2022, highlighted by dynamic receiving dup Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and a couple of tweaks should see the team be a playoff contender once again next season.
With a fully healthy Tagovailoa under center, the team is primed for another positive season and, hopefully, could even show growth and elevate themselves to the next level.
With Tagovailoa not guaranteed to be able to stay healthy through a full 17-game season, though, the team needs someone else on the roster that can be a genuine starter if their first choice is forced to miss time.
Not only to step into a game here and there but someone who could conceivably carry the team forward for a few games, as Skylar Thompson was forced to do as a seventh-round rookie for the final couple of regular season games as well as the wildcard matchup.
Free agency is the most likely place the team will find a suitable choice, with a number of noteworthy names looking for opportunities this off-season, as a trade would require using assets and drafting a QB when the team has other needs that should be addressed is not a route they are likely to consider.
Much has been said of Tom Brady’s future and the potential to link up with the Dolphins a year removed from some previous talks that landed the team, including owner Stephen Ross, in hot water – relinquishing two picks as a result.
However, the former Patriots and Buccaneers Super Bowl winner will be looking for a starting job if he decides to return in 2023, and the Dolphins will be one of the places that won’t be able to guarantee that for him.
Despite Brady most likely being out of the picture, as reported by Adam Schefter, there are players who once held starting roles that will likely have to settle for backup jobs next year while looking to impress teams enough to earn game time.
Baker Mayfield has bounced around this past season, traded by Cleveland to Carolina and then claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams, he will be looking to find a more stable situation in 2023 and would bring with him 69 NFL starts since 2018.
Sam Darnold, with his 55 starts, would also present the Dolphins with an option to strengthen behind Tagovailoa after the former Jets and Panthers QB posted a 4-2 record in six starts this past season.
A lot of the Miami Dolphins’ success next season will hinge on Tagovailoa’s health, and whether or not the team has a Plan B that could be at the very least a serviceable starter for a handful of games if the former is not the case.