Miami Dolphins forcing Tua on the next HC is the wrong way to go

Even on Wildcard Saturday where the Miami Dolphins aren’t even playing, they have to go out and disappoint me. I didn’t think they were capable of that but you should never count the Miami Dolphins out when it comes to dishing out misery and woe. That’s what the Dolphins did today with the latest news that they are essentially forcing Tua Tagovailoa on whoever the next head coach is.

Let it be said that this is such a Miami Dolphins thing to do. It also is the complete 100% opposite of what a smart team would do if they were given the situation that the Dolphins have made for themselves. Why this is such a ridiculous way to operate a team is because the beach coach, whoever that may be, should have the authority to choose who he wants to play at any position whenever he wants. What the news that has come out today is that Grier and Ross want Tua Tagovailoa to be the starting quarterback to start in 2022 no matter who they hire as the head coach.

Let it also be said that I am completely fine with Tua being the starting quarterback of the Dolphins next year if that’s who the head coach wants to be the starter. If the head coach comes in and believes that they can win with Tua, then let’s go. If that coach says that they want to bring in another quarterback, possibly even trade some draft picks for a Deshuan Watson level player then so be it.

No team, however, or at least any self-respecting team that knows what they’re doing, would force a player on an incoming head coach. Only in Miami is where this would happen.

Miami can win with Tua. I mean the team went 9-8 this year and went 1-4 with Jacoby Brissett as the starter with one of those games being the Baltimore game where Tua came in and played very well. Sure, the defense is what carried the team the second half of the year but they did it with  Tua as the starting quarterback. All those guys, for the most part, will be back next year. That’s great for whoever the signal-caller is.

The Dolphins are also projected to have the most cap space in the NFL for the 2022 season. An incoming head coach would enjoy cap space flexibility like this.

Even though cap space is a myth like the Loch Ness Monster or that nothing weird is happening at the Denver Airport, having that much money does make it a bit easier to go out and get free agents. Free agents that need to be placed on the Dolphin’s unbelievably terrible offensive line. Surround Tua with as much offensive support as possible and keep their draft picks is certainly a route you can take.

Tua is entering his 3rd season in the NFL and I don’t think it’s tough to imagine to understand that this year will be the make-or-break year for him. I hope he balls out and proves me and everyone else wrong.

As for the next head coach, I wrote yesterday that I am really starting to like Mike McDaniel more and more. Obviously, he’s not a sure thing or anything like that. I just like his style and I really think he can reach players. I very easily can be wrong like most folks are wrong about who can coach and who can’t before they ever do it. I like Jim Harbaugh a lot as well. He’s actually my number one coach that I want. I really thought it would be Harbaugh but with this news of Grier and Ross making Tua the Golden Child, I don’t think he will take this job now.

Perhaps, whatever coach comes in will have the caveat that yes Tua has to be the QB next year and if doesn’t work out the head coach can get rid of them. Then they can use Miami’s two first-round picks in 2023 on their next quarterback. That would pretty much mean the next head coach would be here for at least the next three years, which seems to be the going rate for a Dolphin’s head coach.

With today’s news, I think Brian Daboll is the Dolphin’s #1 choice for their head coach. He worked with Tua in Alabama and he used to be here in Miami as the offensive coordinator in 2011. With all that said, I’m giving him the inside track on being the next coach.

Or, they’ll go with a David Culley type knowing full well that he’ll be canned after one year. It’s the Dolphins so I think that scenario is in play.

The worst part of this, for me anyway, is that this is just the latest example of a laundry list for an orphanage type of laundry list of situations that just never happen anywhere else. All I want is normalcy just for a few days. With the Miami Dolphins, you’re not allowed to have any sense of normalcy. Maybe one day, but probably definitely not. Enjoy Wildcard weekend until the Dolphins do something else that seems completely avoidable.