Last week I focused on the importance of the Dolphins offensive line to the team’s success, so this week let’s focus on the guy they will be protecting – the quarterback.
Tua Tagovailoa is Miami’s starter, and he might very well be the quarterback that gets more scrutiny this season than any other QB in the NFL. I say this for several reasons.
While in college he was the consensus future #1 pick in the NFL draft due to his accomplishments at Alabama. It all started with his 2nd half heroics as a freshman in the 2018 NCAA championship game which was followed up by 2 stellar seasons playing for the Crimson Tide. Dolfans everywhere led the “Tank for Tua” chants.
Then came the serious hip injury midway through the 2019 season. Despite the tremendous Heisman Trophy winning season put up by LSU QB Joe Burrow, many people still felt Tua would have been the #1 pick in the draft if not for the injury.
Despite the injury, all the experts still had him going in the top 5 of the draft and Miami grabbed him with the 5th overall pick. But after his rookie season, many people are down on Tua, hence the intense scrutiny. How did his stock fall so much in just 1 season in many people’s eyes?
Well, in the 9 games he started in 2020, his performance was mediocre. He threw for only 11 touchdowns and averaged just 201 yards passing a game. And in 2 games he was replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick.
People have also taken the glass is half empty approach with several of his physical traits. Such as:
He’s only 6 feet tall. Well, that’s the same height he was in college when everyone believed he was the next great QB in the NFL.
His arm strength leaves something to be desired. Granted, his arm will never remind anyone of Patrick Mohomes, Josh Allen, or Aaron Rodgers, but it is the same arm he had in college when he was regularly completing a myriad of deep passes to the likes of Devonte Smith, Jerry Jeudy and Jaylen Waddle.
His mobility is just average. While he won’t remind anyone of Lamar Jackson (who does?), he’s lightyears more mobile than Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Dan Marino and they all had “pretty fair” careers. And once again, it’s the same mobility he had in college.
Hence, his 2020 performance and these supposed physical limitations will have him under the microscope in 2021. But his defenders will argue that:
He didn’t have the benefit of OTAs, minicamps and pre-season games in 2020.
His hip wasn’t 100% healed.
The offensive line was average at best with 3 rookies starting.
His receiving corps was banged up with DeVante Parker, Jakeem Grant, Preston Williams and Mike Gesicki all missing games in addition to Albert Wilson and Allen Hurns opting out of the season for Covid reasons.
All legitimate excuses, but the NFL isn’t about excuses, thus the increased scrutiny.
How good will Tua be in 2021? That’s a fair question with the answer still to be determined.
Tagovailoa says his hip feels much better and he’s added some muscle to his frame. He also stated that he’s much more comfortable with the playbook. These factors all bode well for a successful 2021.
Additional reason for optimism is that 2 of Tua’s supposed strengths are the 2 qualities I feel every successful NFL quarterback must possess. One, football IQ. The ability to read defenses and make quick & correct decisions. Two, throwing accuracy, which is much more important than arm strength.
My biggest concern with Tua is his injury history. Freak injuries like the hip injury can happen to anybody. What concerns me more are the little injuries. He missed games at Alabama due to 2 separate high ankle sprains and last season he missed some time when he injured his throwing hand.
The NFL is a physical sport even with the rules to help protect QBs. Tua, and the Dolphins, can’t afford for him to be in & out of the lineup due to minor injuries.
So, what do the Dolphins do if Tua does get injured? In the offseason they made a good move in signing veteran Jacoby Brissett. He’s a 5-year veteran who has started 32 games in his career. Not only is he a solid backup QB talent wise, but he will also be a good mentor for Tua.
But he, like all other backup QBs, is a backup for a reason. So, let’s hope he spends the season wearing a ballcap and holding a clipboard.
Reid Sinnett is the 3rd QB on the Fins roster, but look for him to be on the practice squad, not the 53-man roster.
Tua and his growth as a QB will be the #1 story line for Miami this season. Let’s hope it is a best selling story!
