So far in his short career, Tua Tagovailoa has not lived up to expectations. Selected with the fifth pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Alabama product was supposed to be one of the most polished, pro-ready quarterbacks in recent memory. However, he hasn’t lived up to the billing and the Miami Dolphins could trade Tua Tagovailoa and start over with another top prospect.
Thanks to a 2019 trade for left tackle Laremy Tunsil, the Dolphins currently own Houston’s first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. That pick is currently a top-three selection, which means Miami could start over with a new quarterback. Should the Dolphins go back to the well, or should they trade Tua Tagovailoa?
NFL Rumors: Should the Miami Dolphins Trade Tua Tagovailoa
Why They Should Do It
By just about every metric imaginable, Tagovailoa has been an outright disaster when on the field. Through Week 16, Tagovailoa is PFF’s 33rd-ranked quarterback out of 38 eligible passers. Additionally, he ranks 26th out of 34 eligible quarterbacks in DAKOTA and 28th in EPA/play. By comparison, fellow rookie quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert have outperformed Tagovailoa in all of the aforementioned metrics.
Tagovailoa has a bad supporting cast, but these struggles go beyond poor receiving talent. Veteran journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick has been notably better when on the field, currently ranking 19th in PFF grade, 8th in DAKOTA, and 6th in EPA/play. If the supporting cast is good enough for an age-38 Fitzpatrick, then it should be good enough for Tagovailoa.
This is a good quarterback class, and the Dolphins should be able to get either Justin Fields or Zach Wilson with Houston’s pick. The NFL Draft is anything but a sure thing, but both players have a good shot of being an overall improvement from Tagovailoa. If the Dolphins go this route, they could still trade Tagovailoa and probably end up with a decent return.
Why They Shouldn’t Trade Tua Tagovailoa
Tagovailoa has been bad, but it’s only one season. Quarterback is arguably the hardest position in sports, and you can’t put too much stock into one season of underwhelming play. Even in a regular offseason, adjusting to the NFL is a difficult process.
Of course, this was not a typical offseason. Thanks to COVID-19 and offseason hip surgery, Tagovailoa did not get a preseason or a true training camp workload. Tagovailoa wasn’t put in a position to succeed, and the difficult circumstances surrounding his rookie season could explain most of his struggles.
Additionally, there is the fact that the coaching staff refuses to bench him. Starting Tagovailoa over Fitzpatrick would make perfect sense in a lost season, but Miami’s season is very much alive. The team currently sits at 10-5 and currently is the fifth seed in the AFC. Even though Fitzpatrick has played better thus far, the coaching staff clearly believes that Tagovalioa has the ability to be the superior quarterback.
Whereas fans only see players on the game day, coaches see players every single day of the week. This confidence implies that Tagovailoa is doing something right behind the scenes to make Brian Flores and company believe he’s the best option for this playoff-bound squad.
The Verdict
While Tagovailoa’s situation hasn’t done him any favors, he should’ve shown more potential by now. Because he hasn’t, the Dolphins need to pick up the phone for any potential trade offer. Justin Fields and Zach Wilson are both great prospects, and Tagovailoa hasn’t done enough to establish himself as Miami’s future. This doesn’t mean they should trade him for pennies, but Miami should make a deal if they receive the right offer.
The easiest comparison here is Josh Rosen and the Arizona Cardinals. Selected with the 10th pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Cardinals traded the UCLA product to the Miami Dolphins for a second- and fifth-round pick after just one season. The Cardinals replaced Rosen with Kyler Murray, and the rest is history.
Chances are, the Dolphins could get a larger return for Tagovailoa’s services. Tagovailoa was a better prospect than Rosen, and the Dolphins have managed to win games with Tagovalioa under center. Because of this, Miami should be able to find a team willing to part with a first-round pick for Tagovailoa’s services. Assuming that happens, the Dolphins have to pull the trigger on a trade.
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