3 likely reasons the Dolphins haven't given Tua Tagovailoa his monster deal yet

Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins have still not come to an agreement on a long-term deal, which has surprised a lot of people. What's taking so long? We're in voluntary OTAs and all anyone can talk about is Tagovailoa and his quest for an extension. Many people got themselves all worked up and stressed their brains coming up with anti-material, only for Tagovailoa to casually show up to OTAs like he was always going to do.

So, what's taking so long? The reasons listed aren't Earth-shattering, but getting our metaphorical cards on the table and talking about the hurdles that are still in place is interesting to talk about. Plus, it's still May, Unless a receiver pulls off a sweet one-handed catch at OTAs, there isn't that much to talk about.

The No. 1 reason that is holding up a long-term deal between Tagovailoa and the Dolphins is the driving force in all things; money. We know Tagovailoa is going to get a Brinks truck worth of dough, but is he going to get that top-five QB money or is he going to get a level below that? That really is the question in all this because at the end of the day, something should happen soon for the former first-rounder.

So, a deal is getting done at some point, right? It could be tomorrow, it could be in July. It doesn't really matter when it gets done to me. The interesting part to me is why hasn't it gotten done already. Let's get into it:

3. Tua Tagovailoa and his injury history will always follow him

Let's face it, last year was the first year of Tagovailoa's post-highschool career where he played every game. There was a conscious effort by Tua, directed by the Dolphins I would bet, that he needed to find ways to protect himself.

Tagovailoa bulked up to 235 pounds and he also embraced the discipline of jiu-jitsu. It helped immensely. We saw several times last year where he would perform barrel rolls when getting hit instead of spiking his skull against the ground. Because of these tactics, Tua was able to play every game.

However, that injury rap sheet is still there and you can understand the Dolphins having some doubt handing over a $210 million+ contract with around $75 million guaranteed to a guy who has shown a propensity to get injured. There's honestly nothing Tua can do about that right now. He can, however, start every game this coming season. Obviously, that would go a long way in dispelling the idea that he is always hurt.

2. Are there a good amount of QBs who can do what Tua does?

Are the Miami Dolphins sitting there thinking to themselves that paying Tagovailoa the type of money we imagine he is asking for, which is around what Jared Goff got and probably even a little more, something they need to hand over because others can't do what he does? We'll likely never know the answer to that. But, I can see them behind closed doors saying to themselves that they can get other guys to pull this offense off.

Look at the 49ers. Jimmy Garoppolo led them to the Super Bowl and several winning seasons. They inserted a seventh-rounder, Brock Purdy, and they went to an NFC title game and then the Super Bowl. Mike McDaniel was a big part of the 49ers and he is running a form of that offense, so you would think McDaniel believes if he gets the right guy, he can get them to run the Dolphins offense.

This isn't to say that anyone can do it or that it's an easy thing to do. The timing, anticipation, and accuracy involved are as intricate as rocket propulsion. But are there other guys in the league and in college that can do it? Yes there are. Can they do it at the level that Tua has in the last two years? That's the question, isn't it?

1. Can Tua Tagovailoa actually get better at the position?

I've listed and gone over the physical improvements that Tagovailoa made last year. We know that he has slimmed down in an effort to be a bit more elusive. That will make him able to run more, which automatically is an improvement.

However, can Tagovailoa get better in more important areas, such as getting to his second and third read and being able to play off-script when the initial play breaks down? That remains to be seen for the QB.

When the other 10 guys on offense do their job, Tagovailoa can pick any team apart and lead the offense to points. When there's a breakdown on the offensive line or the receivers don't get open, Tua has no Plan B. He hasn't shown an ability to keep the play going by scrambling (the weight loss should help this a bit) or by moving around to left or right and finding a receiver who eventually got themselves open.

These off-script plays often decide the biggest games. We see the top QBs in the game late in the year make game-changing plays that weren't called in the huddle. That's what the NFL has become and it's something he has done very little of. He needs to improve that and it's possible the Dolphins know that he can't.

I'm not saying they do in fact think this, but I'm saying it could be something that is making them pause in this whole contract negotiation. Personally, if Tua, can to a level, trust in himself that he isn't going to get knocked out of games if he takes hits, he can find guys open down the field more. He has the accuracy and cleverness to do that.