Will Focusing On A Quality Backup QB Force Tua To Play Smarter

As we all know by now, we need a solid backup QB for when Tua Tagovailoa goes down. We need someone who can come in early and fully understand the offense—likely a veteran familiar with the scheme. We cannot go into the season thinking we can get by with an unproven backup, and it sounds like the front office finally gets it.

But will having a solid contingency plan not only save us from the inevitable but perhaps even prevent it from happening? In other words, will having a reliable QB option who can take over the offense keep Tua on the field out of fear of losing his job? While Tua certainly excels in this offense, any quality QB should be able to perform well with the playmakers we have, especially if we invest in the offensive line.

It seems that the fear of injury does not keep Tua from playing recklessly, but the potential of a demotion could make him play smarter. While we don’t doubt his toughness, we have to question his judgment. Just as we’ve seen Tyreek Hill act selfishly at times, throwing his body into harm’s way is not something the game is designed for—especially when the goal is to protect the QB. In fairness to Tua, he is fighting for the team and trying to keep us in the game, but it doesn’t help the Dolphins if he’s unavailable.

At this point, we need to see at least two full years of health and consistent play, showing that he can contribute to the team’s long-term success if we want him to be our franchise QB. Based on the recent press conference, we know that this message has been communicated to him. If he continues to resort to bad habits, at least we should have a solid contingency plan in 2025.

Some potential suitors could include Andy Dalton, as was recently reported, but we may also see names like Jimmy Garoppolo, Joshua Dobbs, Drew Lock, Justin Fields, or even Taylor Heinicke pop up (although we’ll likely opt for the person with the most reps and value). Regardless, this person needs to be in the building early in the offseason so the team is actually set up for success and has a backup plan ready to go.