We can officially eliminate the Dolphins from the Lamar Jackson sweepstakes.
Speaking to the media at the NFL owners’ meetings on Monday, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel fielded a few questions about his quarterback situation.
Earlier this month, the Dolphins exercised Tua Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option. That means he’ll be on the roster through at least the 2024 season.
When asked if picking up Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option takes the Dolphins out of the running for Jackson, McDaniel replied, “Absolutely.”
“That’s why you pick up a fifth-year option,” McDaniel said, via the Palm Beach Post. “That’s why you, that’s how you do it. That’s why you pick the option up as soon as you know you’re going to. So to, to kind of as opposed to speaking, having an action speak, to really squash any of that an unnecessary direction or chatter.”
Mike McDaniel on if Dolphins are out of Lamar Jackson sweepstakes and starting Tua: ‘Absolutely.’ https://t.co/IOUOxY0iGY
— The Palm Beach Post (@pbpost) March 28, 2023
Injuries have been the main knock on Tagovailoa so far. When healthy, he performed really well last season.
That being said, it’s all about making sure Tagovailoa has the right protection around him to play a full 17-game season.