NFL official suggests that the Dolphins sign a proven QB and trade QB Tua Tagovailoa
With Tua Tagovailoa approaching the last year of his rookie contract—a fifth-year option worth $23.17 million—head coach Mike McDaniel and the team now have a decision to make at quarterback.
There are several ways the Dolphins may go forward with Tagovailoa, but one that hasn’t gotten much attention is conditioning him, according to Mike Sando of The Athletic.
Three options are presented by Sando in his piece on Tagovailoa for Miami to consider, including giving the quarterback his fifth-year option to play out or signing him immediately. But, Sando believes that the Dolphins should sign quarterback Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings, who will be a free agent in March, then trade for Tagovailoa.
To Sando, an executive said, “Your upside with Tua certainly seems limited.” Let’s say that you are able to exchange him. “Well, Tua, we can win games with, probably not win a championship with,” is what I would be thinking about. We could win games with the Cousins, but probably not a championship. However, it would be wiser to use our resources on Cousins and draft picks rather than just Tua.
After having the best season of his career, in which he played in 17 games for the first time since joining the NFL, he set career highs in yards, touchdowns, and completion percentage and led the league in passing yards.
The same executive informed Sando, “If you like Cousins and you can sign him to a three- or four-year deal and you can trade Tua for a couple of draft picks, that to me is a different type of path forward.” “I’m not sure if it is the best option. It is truly only apparent if you are physically present in that building, but if you are searching for other options, there is a decent one.
By the time the 2024 NFL season rolls around, Cousins will be 36 years old. He recently recovered from an Achilles tear, which has ended many players’ careers. While the veteran does have expertise with the McDaniel-Kyle Shanahan system, it is a risky bet to assume that he will remain healthy and productive into his late 30s or early 40s.
Considering the claims that Cousins is reportedly seeking a guaranteed $90 million over the next two years, the Dolphins could be better off waiting out the season to see what Tagovailoa can accomplish in his third season leading the offense. Right now, it seems like too big of a risk.