Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores suggested Monday the team will continue to roll with veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick as the starting quarterback, though it was hardly a ringing endorsement.
The Dolphins have been operating with the notion Fitzpatrick would essentially be grooming 2020 first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa.
Flores indicated this still appears to be the case, but Miami's quarterback situation seems a bit more fluid now:
“I understand where everybody is coming from with Tua, I get all that,” Flores said, via Alain Poupart of Sports Illustrated. “We'll make the decision on the starter. I would presume it's going to be Fitzpatrick.”
The Dolphins have started the year 1-3, with Fitzpatrick providing mixed results.
Although he is completing 69 percent of his pass attempts, Fitzpatrick also has four interceptions, including two during Miami's loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Moreover, his expected completion rate of 66 percent is more toward the middle of the league, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
Rookie signal-caller Justin Herbert has had success in Los Angeles after being pressed into duty. Is it possible Tagovailoa could have the same impact for the Dolphins?
The former Alabama star has had a roller-coaster ride of a year. Tua entered the 2019 college football season as the likely top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, but a hip injury led to questions about his health going forward.
However, Tagovailoa impressed enough during individual workouts for the Dolphins to select him with the fifth overall pick this past April.
Flores seems reluctant to rush things, but it is possible he is considering giving Tua a shot under center if the losing continues.
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