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If there is one aspect of the Miami Dolphins offseason that has fans wondering the outcome is the situation revolving the contract extension for star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Both parties are in the midst of negotiations to sign an extension that not only makes Tagovailoa one of the highest paid signal-callers in the NFL, but one that fits the objectives of the Dolphins.
However, with the University of Alabama product missing a portion of the team's offseason program and part of organized team activities (OTAs), people are wondering when a deal can be reached to prepare for the upcoming season. According to ESPN Dolphins reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques, “there doesn't appear to be an immediate deal in sight.”
“The Dolphins have entered negotiations with Tagovailoa, although there doesn't appear to be an immediate deal in sight,” Louis-Jacques wrote. “Tagovailoa was absent for at least a portion of the team's offseason program over the past month, which is unusual for him. Both sides want to get a deal done, and it likely will result in 2020's No. 5 pick being one of the highest-paid players in the NFL.”
“Miami doesn't necessarily need to extend him this offseason, as Tagovailoa still has the final year of his rookie deal in 2024,” Louis-Jacques continued. “The Dolphins also could apply the franchise tag in future years.”
Dolphins taking a cautious approach with contract with Tagovailoa
There are two sides of the conversation when discussing the validity of Tagovailoa getting a long-term contract extension where Miami should get it done since he took immense strides last season, leading the league in passing and playing every single game. The other side of the aisle and most likely the Dolphins are apprehensive of the injury history as besides the relatively injury-free year, he has been hurt every other season, even including his time with the Crimson Tide.
In an earlier report from ESPN, part of the hold up with the contract extension has been connected to different type of bonuses, with one being a “per game roster bonuses.” A contract adviser spoke to Louis-Jacques and expressed that health has been a constant factor of contract talks.
“Signing bonus, base salary, workout bonus, per game roster bonuses — that's something [the Dolphins are] going to want to put in the contract,” the contract adviser said to Louis-Jacques. “Per-game roster bonus is high because of his health — but the agent side will balk at it.”
Quarterback market making moves as Dolphins, Tagovailoa negotiate
While the two sides continue to negotiate, the Dolphins are also at the risk of increasing the price as there have been several quarterback deals already this offseason that have set the market. The most recent was the contract extension for Detroit Lions star Jared Goff that got a four-year, $212 million deal and there are still other extension eligible quarterbacks like Trevor Lawerence and Dak Presscott waiting.
“I think we're hopeful,” Grier said earlier this year via ESPN. “When you go through these things … these are deals that very rarely come together quickly. There are a lot of pieces and moving parts. We've had positive discussions so far, and we'll keep working here throughout the offseason.”
“We've been in communication since the offseason began. Our goal is to get something done,” Grier continued. “[Tagovailoa's agent] Ryan Williams has been great. Tua has been great. We'll see. There is no timeline on it. At the end of the day, you had [to] know how these deals get done.”They are complicated deals, and we're building a team through free agency as well. We'll work through it and see if we can get something done.”
Dolphins locking up Tagovailoa means quarterback stability
The Dolphins also do not want to falter the relationship with Tagovailoa who has arguably been the best quarterback for the team since team legend Dan Marino retired. Not that the 26-year old is at Marino's level just yet, but the quality of the position for Miami has been heinous as there has been 24 different starting quarterbacks including Tagovailoa since the hall of famer.
“I think Miami's come this far. They've groomed him, he's going to get better,” a front office executive said to ESPN. “You don't want to lose him. It was so hard to get a quarterback. … It's just finding that balance. My guess is $55 million [per year], maybe it's more.”
Chris Grier said goal is to have Tagovailoa in Miami “long-term”
As the front office executive said to ESPN, the Dolphins seem like they do not want to let go of a player that has provided some form of stability to the position. Especially with how the team is relatively in a “win now” mode, locking up Tagovailoa for the foreseeable future is vital as even Grier said earlier this offseason that the “goal is to have him here long-term playing at a high level.”
“We've had conversations,” Grier said to the media, via the team's official transcript. “Like we said, we wouldn't talk throughout the season in terms of contract stuff, but we've stayed in touch with his agent and had good conversations throughout the year. We never talk about money or anything, just good conversations about where he is and the relationship with (head coach) Mike (McDaniel) and the team here and everything he's done. So the goal is to have him here long-term playing at a high level. That's always the goal and we'll continue to communicate with him through the offseason here. Like we've always said in the past, you guys know me, we don't really talk in the media through all that stuff, so we'll just keep all those talks internal and with his reps.”
Mike McDaniel wants to see “exponential” growth from Tagovailoa
If there is one figure within the organization that has helped further the development of Tagovailoa, it has been Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel who has defended the polarizing player ever since taking the role after Brian Flores. He even predicted that Tagovailoa would make his return to OTAs after a brief absence and said earlier this year that he still wants to “make sure the curve continues to be exponential in his growth.”
“I just want to see him make sure the curve continues to be exponential in his growth,” McDaniel said. “We've seen at every stretch of the way him improving. That doesn't mean it's void of a result that isn't desired. But what we've seen is him learn from all the things that he goes through. I think that's the one thing that I can say in my two years of experience with him, is he's as good of a learner as I've ever seen. Take jiu-jitsu, or throwing left-handed, or etc. I think that's what I want to see, is that continued thirst to find different ways, while maintaining and growing your confidence, to always create new edges in your game.”
In any sense, it remains to be seen if and possibly when the Dolphins and Tagovailoa come to an agreement on a contract extension. Still, the team prepares for the beginning of next season where their first game will be against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium on Sept. 8.
