Tagovailoa’s injury status this week should impact the Dolphins plans at quarterback going forward.
The storyline going into the last week of the season should be about the Miami Dolphins winning and trying to sneak into the playoffs, but it’s not. It’s the fact that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa might not be able to play…again.
During Monday’s media availability, head coach Mike McDaniel was asked about Tagovailoa’s status going into the final game of the season, and he didn’t give much of a timeline, stating they’re “Firmly in the unknown” on that front.
He did confirm that under the circumstances, they’ll have to prepare like either quarterback could be out there Sunday.
“There was a lot of optimism last week in my mind based upon the previous experience. So this week, I know one thing, Snoop (Tyler Huntley) will get more reps than Tua this week as we go through the week, and have to be prepared for both guys to play because I don’t really know exactly what it’s going to look like this next Sunday. So that’s really the optimism, we’re kind of in a gray area now because of just how his body did not cooperate with my agenda.”
Although Tyler Huntley had a great showing against the Cleveland Browns, The New York Jets are a better team with a weirdly high ceiling. They can compete with the best on any given Sunday and were beating the Dolphins late in their first matchup. They would’ve won if not for horrible clock management, and that was with Tagovailoa.
The problem I’m having with this whole situation is once again, Tagovailoa’s health is a concern. He’s already missed five and a half games this year, and that should already be too much. If he misses his second straight game with the season on the line off of an injury he already played through, he can’t be the guy the franchise invests in long-term, not with his injury history.
When he’s on the field, I have all the confidence in the world that he can consistently be a top-ten quarterback and at times, play like a top-five quarterback. His play isn’t the problem, it’s his availability.
He came into the NFL with injury concerns and had sporadic injuries over his first two seasons. In the last three seasons, he’s had major concussion issues, where he seems to be one hit from not being medically cleared, and is now dealing with the same surgically repaired hip from college that teams thought could impact his career.
It’s been reported that it’s not the same spot as the one in college, but if he’s having issues that linger for weeks, it can be assumed that it won’t just magically heal.
Tagovailoa pushed to play the last game but was overruled by the medical staff because they were “saving him from himself.” If that’s the case, then it’s his body not healing quickly enough, and that’s a cause for concern. He is a warrior and more than willing to put his body on the line, but when does moving on from him become the more responsible thing for general manager Chris Grier to do for the organization and fans?
What’s Out There?
If the Dolphins realize that no matter how great Tagovailoa is, the availability cannot consistently sustain playoff pushes, where do they turn to?
The market is dry out there. Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield’s recent signings are what people can point to, but they are anomalies. They are the exception to the rule. Going from Tagovailoa (with the injury issues) to a mid-level quarterback trying to strike lightning in a bottle is a downgrade and not worth the risk.
The only option I can see for the Dolphins in a post-Tagovailoa era is to put all their chips into the middle of the table and trade up to a top-three pick in the upcoming draft. Trade all your assets to get Cam Ward or Sheduer Sanders. I’m sold on Ward more than anyone else, but he or Sanders would be a light at the end of the QB purgatory tunnel for the Dolphins.
I’d expect a team would take on Tagovailoa’s contract and give decent assets to acquire him, but if that’s not the case, the Dolphins can roll with him for another year or two and have the incoming quarterback sit and learn behind him until it was their time.
I see Tagovailoa as a consistent top-ten caliber quarterback when he’s on the field, but the best ability in the NFL is availability, and he hasn’t been available enough to be the guy to take the Dolphins into the future. There’s a chance he recovers, plays Sunday, balls out, and shuts me up, but if that doesn’t happen, it may be time to move on.