Miami Dolphins: 5 players who have the most to prove in 2021
By Brian Miller
![Tua Tagovailoa announced his intention to enter the NFL draft Monday, Jan. 6, 2020 during a press conference in the Naylor Stone Media Suite at the University of Alabama. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]Tua To The Nfl](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fhttps-3A-2F-2Fphinphanatic-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fimagn-images-2F2018-2F08-2F15390915-5149d46446faf4381287d0ca1ea4465429daf82ae5364705eb4096de6a2323cd.jpg "Tua Tagovailoa announced his intention to enter the NFL draft Monday, Jan. 6, 2020 during a press conference in the Naylor Stone Media Suite at the University of Alabama. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]Tua To The Nfl")
Tua Tagovailoa is the team’s franchise quarterback but that has not stopped many to doubt him and take their jabs.
In 2021, Tagovailoa needs to show that he can play at this level. Not at an “elite” level but an NFL level. His rookie season was good but it wasn’t great. He needs to take it a step further this year. There is no room for him to regress or struggle.
Tua doesn’t have to prove that he is a good quarterback but he does have to prove his doubters wrong that he is a bad NFL quarterback.
This year, Tua will have plenty of weapons at his disposal. Miami could have the deepest WR class in the entire NFL and they are boasting a better offensive line to protect their QB. Still, the success of the 2021 season falls on the shoulders of Tagoaviloa, and if can’t get the team close or into the playoffs, it will feed his doubters and detractors.
For the rest of us, seeing Tua improve over last year is enough for the no-longer-a-rookie signal-caller. We can give him another year in 2022 before we start questioning his abilities to lead the team.