Thankfully, the Miami Dolphins decided to pick up the fifth-year option on Tua Tagovailoa.
While there was some debate about what the Miami Dolphins wanted to do, they made the right call on Monday by extending starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa his fifth-year option.
Miami used the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on the former Alabama star. Although he is only the third best quarterback in his draft class behind Joe Burrow and the guy they passed on for Tagovailoa in Justin Herbert, anything other than extending the fifth-year option to him would have been so catastrophic for Miami. This savvy move gives the Dolphins a little bit extra runway.
Tagovailoa has a bad history with injuries and concussions, but what other options did they have?
For various reasons, it is safer to pay a one-year premium for a guy like Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold than have a former first-rounder play out the final year of his deal on an expiring contract like Daniel Jones just did with the New York Giants.
Miami Dolphins wisely extended the fifth-year option to QB Tua Tagovailoa
The reason why Miami needed to extend the fifth-year option to Tagovailoa was to give off the impression of stability, something the Dolphins are not really known for. Even if they are lukewarm on Tagovailoa long-term because of his health, this extension gives them at least two more years of control. By that point, they will know what exactly they have in him as a franchise quarterback.
With head coach Mike McDaniel being a big-time believer in Tagovailoa, this gesture is an offering of good faith. Tagovailoa may be one more nasty concussion away from retiring, but when he is out there and has time to throw, he is a top-20 passer in the game. He may not win the Dolphins Super Bowls, but he has brought stability to the position the franchise has not seen in decades.
While I do not think Tagovailoa has anywhere near the trade value Darnold and Mayfield had at the times they were dealt, this move is all about avoiding a massive overpay like the Giants did for Jones. Tagovailoa is the better quarterback, but Jones does not have the injury history of his Miami counterpart. Frankly, two more seasons of control is better than a drama-filled expiring contract.
Simply put, Tagovailoa did enough in three seasons to merit getting the fifth-year option anyway.
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Author: John Buhler
