Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins are hoping to get an extension done as soon as possible. As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo pass along, there’s been indications from both sides that they “would like to get a deal done quickly this offseason.”
Both sides have previously expressed their interest in a long-term commitment, and it now bodes well for the impending negotiations that neither the Dolphins nor Tagovailoa’s camp are looking to draw out the process.
As the NFL Network trio notes, both sides also want to avoid “a storyline that hangs over training camp or the regular season.”
Of course, settling on a new deal will be easier said than done. The fourth-year quarterback is coming off of a career year where he set career highs in passing yards (4,624), touchdowns (29), and completion percentage (69.3).
Even more notably, Tagovailoa managed to get into all 17 games this past year, a huge accomplishment after he missed 14 games through his first three years due to injuries and concussions.
Tagovailoa showed a clear step forward under Mike McDaniel in 2022, but thanks to a series of concussions, it was reported that the Dolphins would table contract talks until after the 2022 campaign. While the gamble made sense, it didn’t end up working out for the Dolphins front office.
As the salary cap continues to grow and QB contracts continue to climb, Tagovailoa could be eyeing a significantly larger pay day than he likely would have received last year.
It’s uncertain if Tagovailoa’s camp would push for a deal that’s approaching Joe Burrow‘s league-leading $55M per year, but the former first-round pick will surely be eyeing a cap hit that’s much larger than his $23.17M salary via the fifth-year option in 2024. The Dolphins do have the franchise tag in their back pocket, so not all would be lost if the two sides are unable to agree to a deal.
The Dolphins’ disappointing end to the 2023 campaign briefly put Tagovailoa’s future with Miami in doubt. Ultimately, it sounds like both sides are committed to hammering out a deal sooner than later.
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