The Miami Dolphins' decision to release Tua Tagoailoa had as much to do with his inconsistent performance as his massive contract. The Dolphins' former "franchise" quarterback is now in Atlanta, where Falcons fans seem to be torn on what to expect.
We took the time to speak with Falcons' expert Jason Kandel about how Tagovailoa has performed so far in camp and asked him what the expectations are for Tua.
In addition to a new team, Tagovailoa will slide into a new system designed by former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. Like Tua, Stefanski is in his first year with the Falcons.
Former Miami Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa could provide far more than depth for the Falcons
1: Tua has been in the news a lot since joining the Falcons. How has he looked in OTAs?
JK: Tua Tagovailoa has looked great in OTAs. He had one of his best practices of the spring during the Falcons’ final day of mandatory minicamp, and looks to be the early favorite for the starting job with Michael Penix Jr. currently out of commission. The change of scenery was much needed.
2: With health concerns regarding Michael Penix, do you believe Tua will start the season?
JK: We won't really know anything until training camp, but I do believe Tua will start the season. Penix has yet to be cleared for full contact, and the longer he's sidelined, the larger the gap becomes in this QB battle.
3: What are the fans expectations for Tua heading into camp and the season?
JK: Fan expectations are all over the place. Some are expecting him to completely flop, others think he'll re-establish himself as a solid bridge starter, and some fans think he’s built to return to his 2023 or 2024 form in a better situation. It depends on who you ask, but his floor should be to offer Atlanta QB stability that they haven't had since Matt Ryan.
4: Tua was a great fit for Mike McDaniel’s offense, how will he fit in Kevin Stefanski’s?
JK: Weirdly enough, he's an even better fit for Kevin Stefanski’s offense. You can talk about the supporting cast, but Stefanski’s offense is big on timing and accuracy, and Tua is still one of the NFL’s more accurate passers.
5: Who do you think will benefit the most from the arrival of Tua, and do you think he can lead the Falcons to a division title?
JK: I've been very vocal that Kyle Pitts will benefit the most from the Tua signing. We've seen Tua be a benefit to other TEs (Jonnu Smith, Darren Waller, Mike Gesicki), and Pitts has way more talent than any of them. After the way the Falcons just paid him, it appears they're banking on Tua to bring out the best in him.
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