Schefter notes that the market shifted after the Jacksonville Jaguars handed Trevor Lawrence a five-year, $275 million deal, which tied Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow for the highest average annual value in the NFL.
So how does that affect Tagovailoa?
Well, Miami may have previously been able to justify its stance by saying that it didn’t want to pay Tagovailoa as much as the Bengals were paying Burrow, but now that Lawrence is also earning $55 million per year, that argument becomes more difficult to navigate.
It’s important to note that the Detroit Lions gave Jared Goff $53 million annually earlier this offseason.
Schefter adds that the Dolphins are going to get Tagovailoa signed. It’s just a matter of what the number will be.
Is Tua Tagovailoa worth a megadeal?
Many have expressed concern over whether or not Tagovailoa is actually a franchise quarterback, which has led some to the conclusion that Miami should not extend him.
The question is, if not Tagovailoa, then who?
Tagovailoa is coming off of a 2023 campaign in which he led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards to go along with 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He completed 69.3 percent of his throws and posted a passer rating of 101.1 en route to his first Pro Bowl appearance.
Does the 26-year-old have limitations? Absolutely, but where are the Dolphins going to find a better quarterback at the current point in time?
Miami has made back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2001, so obviously, Tagovailoa at least has the franchise headed in the right direction.
Yes, he has struggled against good teams, and his play does dip in cooler weather, but again, the Dolphins need to ask themselves what their solution would be if they decided to move on from Tagovailoa.
Some may feel that any signal-caller would thrive in South Beach so long as he has Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at his disposal, but you still need to put the ball where it needs to be. Tagovailoa has been able to do that for the last couple of years.
Chances are, the Dolphins will reach a massive extension with Tua Tagovailoa in the near future.