The Miami Dolphins are setting their sights on a future with Tua Tagovailoa firmly in the pocket. The team's general manager, Chris Grier, expressed the organization's intention to "keep him here long-term and playing at a high level," a clear signal that the quarterback could soon be signing a hefty extension. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Tagovailoa is poised to make $23.1 million, but without a new deal, he will be a lame-duck quarterback in the next season, according to CBS Sports.
In the past two seasons under head coach Mike McDaniel, Tagovailoa has managed to significantly up his game, boasting a 102.9 passer rating with 54 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. Yet, after a disappointing end to their playoff ambitions with a loss to the Chiefs, Grier has highlighted the team's off-season priority will be to not just to maintain, but to push forward contract talks with the quarterback who led the league in passing yards this season. "We'll communicate with him through the offseason," Grier assured in a statement obtained by ESPN.
Despite the recent playoff stutter, Tagovailoa's season stats are formidable. Clocking in 4,624 passing yards, a 69.3 completion percentage, 29 passing touchdowns, and a fully-played season after previous concussion setbacks, his numbers speak for themselves. However, as Grier pointed out, the 25-year-old's performance dipped in the final games, raising questions about consistency that the GM did not publicly address.
When asked about the looming contract negotiations, Tagovailoa himself seemed unfazed, claiming he holds "full trust in what I'm capable of doing for our organization." McDaniel similarly expressed his desire to keep the progression trajectory upward and for Tua to continue to grow his edge. If Grier's attitude is any indication, the Dolphins are prepared to quickly move on negotiations to secure their signal-caller before he hits the open market. "These guys have earned the rights to be free agents," Grier acknowledged, noting the importance of taking steps to retain the talent they've cultivated, as told to ESPN.
While the focus is on Tagovailoa, there are other players on the Dolphins' roster inching toward free agency, including defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and offensive linemen Connor Williams and Robert Hunt. Grier praised Wilkins for earning the "right to be a free agent" after a good season and expressed a mutual interest in seeing these players remain with the team. However, it's clear the priority is set on #1, staving off the prospect of Tua hanging in the balance as a free agent next year.
