Miami Dolphins fans are waiting to see what and when the next Tua Tagovailoa contract will be finalized and announced. There is a lot of debate among fans as to whether he should be paid as the best QB in the NFL or if he shouldn't be.
There are a lot of fans who think paying Tagovailoa as much, if not more, than Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence is responsible or even worth the money. Others will argue that he should be paid lower than Jared Goff. The Dolphins seem to be more in the region of Goff's deal than Burrow's. Still, if you are going to be paid as the best quarterback in the league, shouldn't you be the best quarterback in the division? So, is Tua tops in the AFC East? We have our rankings in this piece:
4. Drake Maye - New England Patriots
The Patriots are banking on two things, 1: that a former player with limited coaching experience can turn around the franchise that parted ways with Bill Belichick, and two, that a rookie quarterback can lead the team.
Drake Maye isn't going to turn the Patriots into immediate winners and there are questions as to whether or not he can develop as quickly as the Patriots hope he can. Time will tell, and his rookie season should be tough. Plain and simple, New England isn't built to be a top contender in the near future.
For now, Maye is the quarterback ranked lowest in the AFC East because he hasn't proven anything at all yet. His 2024 season will be full of bumps and a lot of bruises. The Patriots are going to rely heavily on their running game until Maye gets up to NFL speed.
3. Aaron Rodgers - New York Jets
While Maye doesn't have the experience and is being relegated to the bottom of this list, Aaron Rodgers has a lot of experience, but the brightest moments of his career could be behind him. Rodgers is an enigma at this point. He has the history to be great, but he is coming off an Achilles injury and is on the wrong side of 39.
There are a lot of questions about Rodgers and what he can do for the Jets. His decision to skip mandatory workouts wasn't a good look for him and the team was thrown into the spotlight for the wrong reasons again.
This year will be interesting for the future first-ballot Hall of Famer, provided he doesn't go off the rails between now, his retirement, and the five-year waiting period. Can he rebound from the injury and lead a group of players who are far younger and less experienced? Does he have the patience for them to go through their own ups and downs?
Rodgers should be one of the best QBs in the league, but those days are past him, and now, he isn't the best in this division like he was in the NFC North. He has a lot to prove, and the franchise is resting on his shoulders.
2. Tua Tagovailoa - Miami Dolphins
Tagovailoa has every tool you want for a quarterback. He has quick decision-making ability; he can throw every pass a quarterback should, he can move around the pocket, and he is one of the most accurate QBs in the NFL. So, what's missing?
Tagovailoa has yet to consistently beat the Bills and has yet to lead the Dolphins to a division title or a playoff win. You can't be the best until you can beat the best, and so far, the Miami QB has yet to do that. Now, with a contract situation looming over his 2024 season, will he play more protective of his body, or will he play more aggressively should he enter the season without an extension?
Statistically, Tagovailoa is in the top of the league in many categories and he showcases his abilities in games, but he has to do better to beat good teams. So far, he has struggled to take the team on his shoulder in big games and lead them on winning drives. For all he has shown in games like the massive comeback against the Ravens two years ago, he also has fallacies like he showed against the Titans last year.
1. Josh Allen - Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen is the best quarterback in the AFC East, but the margin or difference isn't what it was a year ago. Tagovailoa is on his heels, and Rodgers' great season will close that gap further. For all the good that Allen has done, he too hasn't led his team to the Super Bowl, and that is something many expected last year.
Just like the Bills are the Achilles heel to Tagovailoa, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are the same to the Bills and Josh Allen. Allen is a fantastic quarterback when he isn't trying to force throws and his vision of the field is far better when he is running the ball than when he throws it on the run. He can be erratic at times and he needs to cut down on the interceptions because they are costing the Bills opportunities.
With that said, 2024 could be the last year that fans look at Allen as being one of the Top 5 quarterbacks in the league. He has to take the Bills further with less talent and that means he will shoulder the team without excuses.