Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was noticeably antsy when he reported to the team’s mandatory minicamp earlier this month.
Tagovailoa is entering the final year of his deal, a fifth-year option of his rookie contract that will earn him roughly $23.2 million in 2024. The goal has always been to get a new deal before the regular season begins, but Tagovailoa still has not inked a contract extension with Miami.
Tagovailoa has taken note of lucrative contracts that have been signed by other quarterbacks this offseason, and he has already declined one contract offer from Miami, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The Dolphins are reportedly “in the ballpark” of signing a contract extension with Tagovailoa, Fowler reported on Friday.
“Miami is committed to doing something,” Fowler said, h/t Bleacher Report. “Haven’t made a lot of progress as of yet, but I’m told they’ve been in talks, they’re at least in the ballpark, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this starts to heat up as early as next week because the Dolphins know this is the market and this is the leading passer from last year, played all 17 games, proved he could be durable, so he’s earned the coin, just depends on when Miami is going to put something on it.”
Just a few days ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed quarterback Trevor Lawrence to a five-year, $275 million contract extension with an average annual value of $55 million. The figure matches the record-setting contract signed by Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow last year.
Lawrence and Burrow have less lingering questions surrounding them, however. Both players, unlike Tagovailoa, have led their teams to at least one postseason win.
After an 11-win regular season campaign, Miami came up empty-handed in the postseason, losing in the Wild Card Round for the second consecutive year.
Still, as the league’s salary cap and quarterback continues to surge, Tagovailoa set himself up for a lucrative payday by earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2023.
Tagovailoa led the league with 4,624 passing yards last season. He completed 69.3 percent of his passes and recorded 29 passing touchdowns, both of which were career highs. More importantly, Tagovailoa played all 17 regular season games for the first time in his career.
Injuries have riddled the early stage of Tagovailoa’s career. In 2022, two documented concussions ended the quarterback’s season and put his career in doubt.
Spotrac estimates that Tagovailoa’s market value is approximately a four-year, $198.5 million deal with an average annual value of $49.6 million.
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