Dolphins GM: 'We're very happy with' Tua Tagovailoa after Deshaun Watson links

The transaction that couldn't be, considering the situation, never materialized, as the Miami Dolphins didn't sign off on a deal for wantaway Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson with Watson guaranteed to be facing 22 lawsuits alleging acts of sexual assault and misconduct and 10 criminal complaints through Tuesday's NFL trade deadline. 

Dolphins head coach Brian Flores has repeatedly backed second-year signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa, both publicly and privately, and even said before the deadline his plan was for Tagovailoa to remain his QB1, "barring injury," through the rest of the season. 

According to Chase Goodbread of the league's website, Flores commented on Wednesday: "I love the people in this building ... we have the right ingredients." 

Meanwhile, general manager Chris Grier added the organization decided against making a trade before Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET. 

"We're very happy with Tua. We think he's developing well," Grier also said. 

Such votes of confidence don't erase that Tagovailoa is likely auditioning to keep his Miami job over the next couple of months. Watson could officially be available for a trade when the new NFL year kicks off next March, depending on his legal issues, so the Dolphins and other would-be buyers can revisit his status in the days and weeks following the Super Bowl unless he's suspended or indefinitely placed on the commissioner's exempt list by that time.