Miami Dolphins should build around Tua Tagovailoa not Watson
By Brian Miller
Deshaun Watson isn’t going to come to the Miami Dolphins cheaply. He is going to cost a lot of draft capital. Capital that could be used to build around Tua Tagovailoa.
In one week the trade deadline will arrive and Watson will either be in Miami, Houston, or somewhere else. No matter where he ends up you can bet that the Dolphins will be criticized for either trading for him or not trading for him.
Watson is a very good quarterback and many say he is absolutely elite but in Houston, there are no Super Bowl rings on his finger. There are no AFC Championships. This with Watson under center, an above average offensive line, top WRs, and a stellar defense. So Watson will find success in Miami with this team? Not a chance.
The question is whether or not we believe that Chris Grier can successfully build the team around Tua. So far, that is a resounding no. That being said, it’s better to try and fail than to not have the resources to try at all and that is what bringing Watson to Miami will do.
Looking at Watson we immediately are reminded of the 22 assault allegations. We are reminded of the potential felony charges, potential jail time, and of course an NFL suspension. Recently we learned that Watson will not be placed on the Commissioners Exempt list because the allegations don’t fall in line with the league rules to put a player on that list. That doesn’t mean this is going to go away.
There is another reason, however, what happens when Watson grows tired of the Dolphins? What happens when he wants a contract that pays him $200 million or more to match what other QBs are starting to get? What happens when the Dolphins can’t build around him or when they fire Brian Flores and Chris Grier and he doesn’t get a say in who will be hired? What happens then?
Watson’s troubles in Houston started long before the allegations and we can’t summarily dismiss his unwillingness to work with the team any more than we can dismiss his off-field issues.
Miami needs a face of the franchise and while Tua Tagovailoa has a long way to go before he is great, and he may never be, he carries himself with class and dignity. He is a person the team should be proud to have on the roster. That won’t be the case with Watson.
Watson is intriguing and long suffering Dolphins fans have the right to want a top QB talent to finally line up behind center but there are no guarantees he will succeed any more than Tua will fail.
None of us knows how this is going to play out but if the Dolphins do trade for Watson, it could easily be a case of trying to save your job. Watson is developed and Tua is developing. Brian Flores and Chris Grier may not have the time to wait for Tua but Stephen Ross needs to intervene and make them.