Tua Tagovailoa can win his job back by seasons end
Tua Tagovailoa has had a rough sophomore season. He is constantly hearing the rumbles of the Deshaun Watson trades and suffered an injury that kept him out for three weeks. With all that said he still has a chance to be the Miami Dolphins quarterback of the future.
With the recent reports that Miami has reached terms with the Texans on a Watson trade, many feel that Tagovailoa is done in Miami. But the trade is not official yet. The condition placed on the trade is that Watson must settle his legal disputes before any deal is complete.
Watson is facing more than 20 civil lawsuits of sexual misconduct and 10 criminal complaints. These legal issues are not expected to be done with until at least after the trade deadline on Nov. 2.
Therefore, Tagovailoa can theoretically win his job back this season. If Tagovailoa can make Dolphins owner Stephen Ross a believer by year’s end this Watson business may be over with.
Houston Chronicle reports Dolphins & Texans have agreed on trade terms for Watson, but Dolphins want his legal issues resolved before consummating deal (good luck with that).Chronicle suggests Ross wants clarity from Goodell on length of potential suspension (good luck with that)
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) October 26, 2021
Ross has been the strongest voice in the organization pushing for a Watson trade. Now Tagovailoa has to prove he is the quarterback that can lead this team to great things. The problem with this is that he has not proven he can be or depending on how you look at the situation hasn’t been given the chance.
Since his return from injury, Tagovailoa is 0-2 but has put up numbers that make you think he can win games. Six touchdown passes, 620 passing yards, and a 74.7% completion percentage to go along with three interceptions.
While those numbers from a distance seem good, the Dolphins have faced the Jaguars and Falcons two teams who combined had two wins when they played Miami. Tagovailoa has also made costly turnovers in both games that could be seen as the difference between a win and a loss.
Tagovailoa will have to look as good as his previous two weeks against Buffalo this Sunday. This will be a hard test for the young quarterback last time he played against the Bills he was brutally sacked that resulted in fractured ribs and him spending three weeks on the injured reserve list.
Tua hasn’t even started 16 games. When he’s started 16 games, which is a full NFL season - ONE SEASON - let’s stack it up and evaluate. Until then let’s stop the he’s a bust talk cause he’s one of the most efficient QBs this franchise has had since Marino, and he’s just started.
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) October 27, 2021
Buffalo is considered one of the best teams in the NFL, if Tagovailoa can show that he is the solution and not the problem maybe Ross begins to second-guess his Watson decision.
Many Dolphins fans are divided with the recent Watson news. While it is a moral conundrum to root for a team with a player accused of so many unwarranted sexual advances, it is not often a top-five quarterback becomes available via trade.
Tagovailoa still has plenty of fan support if he can continue to show his growth the Dolphins may stick it out with Tagovailoa for at least one more season. Chad Henne, former Dolphins quarterback started 31 games for Miami, Tagovailoa has started 13.
Tagovailoa could be given the benefit of the doubt, especially with how poor the defense has been this year. Tagovailoa has to find a way to begin to win these games even if his defense is offering no help.