The Miami Dolphins entered the 2022 NFL offseason with a clear goal in mind. Head coach Mike McDaniel made it clear at the time he was hired that the franchise was going to move forward with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback. However, Miami, who had one of the worst offensive lines in the league and little running game to speak of, had to surround their young signal-caller with better talent to really put him in the best possible environment. The Dolphins did just that, signing a skilled left tackle in Terron Armstead and a pair of dynamic running backs in Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert, while also bringing back tight end Mike Gesicki, a favorite target of Tagovailoa's. However, the big splash came on Wednesday, when the Dolphins pounced on a golden opportunity. Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill became available on the trade block thanks to a contract disconnect between he and the franchise. Miami saw their opportunity to land an elite wide receiver for Tagovailoa to throw to- and they didn't hesitate, sending five draft picks to Kansas City in exchange for the speedy receiver.
Hill provides the Dolphins with an alpha wide receiver for Tagovailoa. The third-year pro now has elite-level protection at one of the tackle spots and one of the league's best playmakers at his disposal. Tagovailoa has a great chance to put up the best numbers of his career in the 2022 NFL season. That said, here are three bold predictions for Tagovailoa in 2022 after the Hill trade.
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Tua Tagovailoa Predictions After Tyreek Hill Trade
3. Tagovailoa throws for 25-plus touchdowns in 2022
This is pretty bold. In two seasons, Tagovailoa has thrown for 11 and 16 touchdowns, respectively. However, his rookie year was cut short, as he spent time on the bench before ultimately being named the Dolphins' starter. His second year was cut short due to chest and finger injuries, which limited him to just 13 games. The Alabama product has yet to play a full season in the NFL but could be very productive if he ultimately does. For all the criticisms of the 24-year-old, he is an accurate passer who has completed 66.2 percent of his passes in two seasons. Adding a strong receiving back like Edmonds and an elite wideout like Hill gives Tagovailoa even more options to throw to. Hill alone should help Tagovailoa create more touchdowns in 2022. The third-year pro will equal his 27 career touchdown passes in 2022 for the Dolphins.
2. Tagovailoa throws for over 4000 yards
This Tagovailoa prediction might be even bolder. He has never eclipsed the 3000-yard mark in the NFL. Even at Alabama, where he was a star, Tagovailoa failed to throw for 4000 yards. However, he will do something he's never been able to do in college or the NFL- and here's why. The Dolphins now have Hill, a yards-after-the-catch dynamo, and Jaylen Waddle, another receiver who has shown he can do damage after the catch. Tagovailoa excels in the short passing game area, which means he can pick up huge chunks of yardage simply by dumping the ball off to Hill, Waddle, Edmonds and even tight end Mike Gesicki. McDaniel will design an offense that plays to the strengths of Tagovailoa, who will take advantage of the new system he's playing in en route to a career year in 2022.
1. Tagovailoa leads the Dolphins to their first playoff berth since 2016
If the first two Tagovailoa predictions seemed bold, then sit down to hear this one. In an AFC loaded with contenders, Tagovailoa will lead the Dolphins to their first playoff berth since the 2016 season. In two years as a starter, he has proven to be a winner, totaling a solid 13-8 record. The Dolphins went 10-6 two seasons ago, then went 9-8 last year. Miami is right there in the AFC East- and they just got significantly better this offseason. It's not entirely out of the question to expect better team results if Tagovailoa takes a big step forward. Plus, the AFC East comes with plenty of question marks after the Buffalo Bills, who seem to have wrested control of the division from the New England Patriots. New England will always be in the mix as long as Bill Belichick is pacing the sidelines, though the Patriots come with some quarterback question marks of their own. The Jets don't seem quite ready to make some noise in the AFC East. That leaves an opening for a team like the Dolphins, who has a solid defense and an improved offense, to seize their chance and surprise the NFL.
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