Insider: Dolphins should decline fifth-year option for Tua Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins insider Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN believes the club should decline the fifth-year option attached to the rookie contract for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

"It has nothing to do with his ability but rather his availability," Louis-Jacques explained in a piece published Wednesday. 

Tagovailoa largely performed like a Most Valuable Player candidate under first-year head coach Mike McDaniel while healthy but suffered at least two known concussions during the 2022 season. The 24-year-old most recently was sidelined shortly after a game against the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day and missed Miami's final three contests, including the playoff loss at the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 15. 

Interestingly, an unnamed AFC executive told Louis-Jacques last month that the Dolphins shouldn't offer Tagovailoa any contract extension this offseason because they "can't tie the money to a player you're not sure can stay healthy." Despite such takes, both McDaniel and Dolphins general manager Chris Grier insisted in January they're comfortable riding with Tagovailoa as their QB1 into springtime workouts. 

Miami has until May to decline or exercise Tagovailoa's fifth-year option, and Louis-Jacques argued both sides should want the Dolphins to reject it. 

"Tagovailoa will not want to play on his fifth-year option if he has a strong 2023 season, and the Dolphins will not want to be tied to that option if he falters in 2023," Louis-Jacques pointed out. 

Rumors that Tagovailoa could retire over concerns related to his head injuries have quieted this winter, but the Dolphins nevertheless have been linked with other signal-callers by multiple in-the-know individuals. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported before the playoffs that Tom Brady joining Miami was "definitely on the table" before Brady retired "for good" on Feb. 1, and it's also been suggested that Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson could be available for the Dolphins if he and the Ravens don't work out a long-term contract before the new league year opens in March. 

The Dolphins declining Tagovailoa's option could later put them in a situation similar to what the New York Giants are facing today regarding Daniel Jones. That may be a risk worth taking, especially if it's true that some within the Dolphins kicked tires about possibly replacing Tagovailoa following the postseason defeat in Buffalo.