NFL insider weighs in on Tua Tagovailoa’s early practice struggles with Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins believed they landed a franchise quarterback after selecting Tua Tagovailoa with the No. 5 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. A year later, the former Alabama star hasn’t quite lived up to the hype and was the subject of trade rumors this offseason.

Miami got involved with the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes before sexual assault allegations and an uncertain NFL future ended that pursuit. Once Watson was off the table, the Dolphins committed to Tagovailoa as their quarterback for the 2021 season.

But things got off to a rocky start at minicamp. Coming off his first healthy NFL offseason, the left-handed passer arrived for practices as the unquestioned starter. But things got ugly quickly with a five-interception session at minicamp on Tuesday.

While Florida’s weather can be blamed for some of the poor throws, creating the worst circumstances for a quarterback, NFL insider Jeff Darlington detailed that it wasn’t entirely responsible for the 23-year-old’s struggles.

“So here’s the deal. First of which. I’m not going to completely sugarcoat this thing. He didn’t look great. He didn’t look great before the torrential rain. Even when he wasn’t throwing interceptions, he didn’t look great.”

ESPN’s Jeff Darlington on Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, The Rich Eisen Show

• Tua Tagovailoa stats (2020): 64.1% completion rate, 11-5 TD-INT ratio, 6.3 ypa, 181.4 ypg, 52.5 QBR

Tagovailoa showed flashes of being a reliable quarterback in his rookie season, even posting a 6-3 record as the starter. While he made accurate throws and quick reads, he also took very few chances and put a low ceiling on the Dolphins’ offense.

Miami wanted him to unleash his talents more in practices this summer and the results weren’t great.

Should the Dolphins be concerned about Tua Tagovailoa?

A five-interception performance, whether it’s in practice or a game, isn’t a great look. Unsurprisingly, it generated plenty of debate regarding Tagovailoa’s viability as a franchise quarterback. There is an even greater spotlight on him this season because the Dolphins have a playoff-caliber roster.

It’s also important to consider context. These things happen when quarterbacks are asked to be more aggressive. Jimmy Garoppolo threw five consecutive interceptions during training camp in 2019. He’d go on to play in the Super Bowl that year and finished the regular season with 3,978 passing yards and a 27-13 TD-INT ratio.

Miami wanted Tagovailoa to be more aggressive during practices, treating it like a competitive throwing camp where he would take risks and do things he normally wouldn’t. The results weren’t great, but that’s why these practices are held. Furthermore, the second-year quarterback was generating buzz before minicamp.

“This is a guy who, I talked to the people in the organization, including before practice. People kept saying he’s different. He came back different, he looks better physically, he seemed better mentally. He just seems more prepared for what he’s about to endure.”

ESPN’s Jeff Darlington on Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, The Rich Eisen Show

The Dolphins would certainly be a better team, potentially a Super Bowl contender, if Deshaun Watson was their quarterback instead of Tua Tagovailoa. But the 2021 season isn’t nearly that simple. Watson is facing a multi-game suspension and his availability to return in 2021 is unknown. Meanwhile, Tagovailoa already has chemistry with the players around him and is familiar with the offense.

Barring a sudden change in circumstances, Tagovailoa will be starting every game on the Miami Dolphins schedule. If he takes even a small second-year leap, this team should be in the NFL Playoffs.