Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has his fair share of critics who do not think he is a legitimate franchise quarterback.
With Tagovailoa entering the final year of his deal, those critics are getting even louder, saying that the Dolphins should not pay Tagovailoa big money on an extension.
However, one of Tagovailoa’s former teammates disagrees.
Defensive lineman Christian Wilkins, who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders last month, sang Tagovailoa’s praises during a recent appearance on the Third and Long podcast with Arik Armstead.
“I had a front-row seat to Tua and his growth as a player, teammate, and leader, so I was able to see his process, and it’s been cool to watch,” Wilkins said. “I don’t care what system you’re in, you’re the one out there still playing. So definitely shoutout to him for the things he’s been able to do and accomplish, and it was just cool having a front-row seat to watching his development as a player.”
Tagovailoa is coming off of a terrific 2023 campaign in which he led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards to go along with 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also completed 69.3 percent of his passes while posting a passer rating of 101.1.
However, the 26-year-old’s lack of elite arm strength and inability to beat good teams thus far have been major knocks against him. Plus, Tagovailoa has struggled in colder weather, and his subpar performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs didn’t do him any favors.
There are also many who feel that the University of Alabama product is merely a product of a pair of great receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, as Tagovailoa’s numbers skyrocketed once Hill arrived in 2022.
Regardless, as Wilkins said, Tagovailoa is still the one who needs to make the throws.
We’ll see if the Dolphins decide to re-up with Tua Tagovailoa this offseason or if they allow him to play out 2024 on what would essentially be a one-year deal.
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