MIAMI – For the second time since Dan Marino retired, the Miami Dolphins have signed a quarterback to a multiyear extension.
Tua Tagovailoa agreed to a four-year, $212.4 million deal with the Dolphins that includes $167 million guaranteed, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It is the richest contract in franchise history, and the eighth most guaranteed money among NFL quarterbacks.
It also ended a two-day standoff between Tagovailoa and the team, in which he was a minimal participant in Miami’s training camp practice.
Tagovailoa joins Ryan Tannehill as the only quarterbacks to re-sign with Miami since Marino retired after the 1999 season. he, joins Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts.
“We are strong believers in him. And you all feel (coach Mike McDaniel’s) passion about him when you talk about him,” said Dolphins general manager Chris Grier in February. “In the two years he’s been doing it, he’s grown in an area that leads the league and he’s done some great things this year. And we all feel like there’s still another level he can go to.
“The way they attack this and want to be great, and the combination of Mike and the cooperation and the trust and confidence in each other, we think there is still another level that we can do.”
The Dolphins have publicly backed Tagovailoa over the past two years under McDaniel but offered their biggest show of faith to date by offering him a new deal.
Here’s how they both got to this point.
Why did the Dolphins make a commitment to Tagovailoa?
Tagovailoa wasn’t very good in his first two NFL seasons, completing 66.7% of his passes for 4,467 yards and 22 touchdowns against 15 interceptions in 2020 and 2021.
He has blossomed under McDaniel while completing 67.4% of his passes. The former Alabama player led the NFL in passing yards in 2023 with a career-high 4,624, playing a full season for the first time in his career (more on that later).
His classmates went on to stronger careers, but Tagovailoa’s first two years at Miami were marked by a lack of continuity. The Dolphins rotated through three offensive coordinators and two quarterbacks coaches in those first two seasons before hiring McDaniel in February 2022.
Since McDaniel’s arrival, Tagovailoa has thrown for the fourth most passing yards (8,172) and the fifth most touchdowns (54) in the NFL. Tagovailoa’s 102.9 passer rating and 67.4% completion percentage also rank second and fifth in the league.
The Dolphins have started 25 different quarterbacks since Marino retired at the turn of the century, but Miami believes Tagovailoa is a cornerstone of the franchise and has rewarded him as such.
Are there risks in a long-term deal?
Entering the 2023 season, there was considerable skepticism about Tagovailoa’s ability to stay healthy through the season — skepticism that was met by changing offseason preparations.
Tagovailoa bulked up to 225 pounds and trained in a break-fall jiu-jitsu course to learn how to keep his head from falling to the ground as he did in three important events in 2022. It worked, and he finished the 2023 season without a major. cheating.
But while Tagovailoa has thrived in the structure McDaniel built, he has struggled to create when plays break down. He ranks third in quarterback rating in pass attempts under 2.5 seconds (78.9). Over 2.5 seconds, he dropped to 16th (43.2).
His off-target throw percentage doubled on passes that took more than 2.5 seconds to throw, from 11.2% to 22.1%. Considering his concussion history, teams aren’t afraid of him as a runner; he had five first downs on the field in 2023, which ranked 41st among quality quarterbacks.
Tagovailoa’s accuracy and anticipation are his trademark strengths. His playmaking ability is lacking compared to some of his teammates, such as Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, but the Dolphins have strengths that outweigh their weaknesses.
Is that taking too long?
The negotiations left Tagovailoa feeling “exhausted” as he watched the Detroit Lions sign quarterback Jared Goff to a four-year, $212 million deal with $170 million guaranteed.
The feeling did not subside after the Jacksonville Jaguars inked Trevor Lawrence to a five-year, $275 million extension with up to $200 million in guaranteed money.
Tagovailoa was absent for part of the team’s offseason program before the mandatory minicamp – which he attended, in full – and kept an eye on how the quarterback’s offer took management this offseason.
“I’m not blind to people in my position being paid,” he said. “Am I concerned about that? I’m not concerned about that, but there’s been a lot of discussion that’s been going on. We’re just trying to move things in the right direction where everybody can be happy.”
The guaranteed money — which ended up being $167 million — in Tagovailoa’s deal could be a point of contention through the negotiation process, a front office source told ESPN in May. Tagovailoa’s durability concerns are common heading into the 2023 season, but he played all 18 games for the Dolphins last season and seemed to negate those concerns.
What does this mean for the Dolphins Super Bowl window?
Still open, but time to capitalize.
Miami currently has key offensive players signed for the future in Tagovailoa, wide receivers Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill, and running back De’Von Achane. The NFL’s top-ranked offense last season also added veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., as well as rookies Malik Washington and Tahj Washington.
With a few tweaks and some good health, Miami’s offensive line is good enough to give players playing time to make an impact.
Defensively, the Dolphins have several young core players at team control, plus a star veteran in Jalen Ramsey. But the clock has passed. Ultimately, these young stars need contracts, and the Tagovailoa deal would hinder Miami’s ability to bring everyone back on deals that are considered market value.
The AFC presents a challenge from talented quarterbacks that Miami must overcome to reach its first Super Bowl since 1984. They believe that, with Tagovailoa under center, it is enough to do this.