The Miami Dolphins haven’t played well throughout the first three games of the season, sitting at 0-3. While the Dolphins played better in their Week 3 loss against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night, there’s still plenty they have to improve.
That starts with Tua Tagovailoa, who not only hasn’t been able to stay healthy but has had some questionable play at times. Throughout much of Tagovailoa’s career, when healthy, he’s been fine, but certainly not worth what the Dolphins paid him.
The issue is clear, given his contract, as the Dolphins won’t be able to simply get rid of him and sign another quarterback.
Despite that, Bleacher Report believes the Dolphins should have some level of interest in a trade for Russell Wilson, with Joseph Zucker of the outlet naming them as one of the top landing spots for the New York Giants quarterback, who was recently benched for Jaxson Dart.
“A head coach on the hot seat and a quarterback who isn’t delivering is a recipe to make a change, even when the QB in question is only in the first year of a four-year, $212.4 million extension. The Miami Dolphins are off to an 0-3 start as Tua Tagovailoa is playing worse than he ever has. His QBR ranks 29th (35.8) among qualified passers at ESPN.com.
“One could argue acquiring Wilson would be a lateral move when he has an even lower QBR (34.0). The 36-year-old would, if nothing else, give Miami an alternative if head coach Mike McDaniel gets desperate or Tagovailoa goes down with an injury, two things that could plausibly happen,” he wrote.
Is Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa in Danger of Losing His Job?
Seeing the Miami Dolphins move on from Tagovailoa at this stage would be a bit surprising, even if the contract isn’t factored in. While he could be improved, it’s not as if Wilson would come in and be the perfect option.
Plus, it’s also important to remember what Dolphins general manager Chris Grier had to say about him in January of this year.
“He needs to be available,” Grier said, per the Miami Herald, adding that he’s “very confident” in his franchise quarterback. “He needs to know how to protect himself. He’s going to get hit at times — it’s always going to happen — but he needs to control what he can control and he understands that. Not being available for taking chances and risks is unacceptable to us and he knows that.”
Could a QB Change for the Dolphins Happen?
If the Miami Dolphins continue to lose games, there’s always a possibility that a quarterback change could happen. With some questions about Mike McDaniel moving forward, too, he might view Tagovailoa as the easiest player to replace.
That’s why Sporting News named him as one of six quarterbacks who could be benched in the upcoming weeks. It remains uncertain how the Dolphins feel about him at this stage, but considering Grier made those comments about him earlier in the year, he seems safe.
Nonetheless, it’s clear that some think a change could come.
“Tagovailoa is last on the list for many reasons, led by him being in the second season of a four-year, $212.4 million contract. He also has seemed to rebound well from a disastrous Week 1 vs. the Colts and has proved in three seasons that he’s been the best choice to operate Mike McDaniel’s offseason,” Vinnie Iyer wrote.
“The bottom line, however, is the Dolphins are 0-3 with McDaniel and not helping a bad defense with the No. 25 scoring offense in the NFL. If the going gets rougher to Tagovailoa, one cannot rule out the possibility of a desperate McDaniel turning to backup Zach Wilson, the Jets‘ No. 2 overall pick from the 2021 class.”
Dolphins Linked to Giants Veteran Amid Tua Tagovailoa Struggles