Tua Tagovailoa traveling to Seattle feels like promising news for eventual return

The question of whether or not Tua Tagovailoa is getting closer to rejoining the Miami Dolphins isn't one that needs to be asked because it doesn't matter at this point. That question is better suited for asking when the Dolphins enter their bye in Week 6.

Miami doesn't have to release information on the health status of Tua because he is on Injured Reserve. Until it starts to get closer to him being cleared from the concussion protocol and closer to him being taken off IR, Miami isn't going to give much details about how well or poorly he is progressing.

That leaves fans wondering and media members trying to dig into what little information there is as it relates to Tua's situation. While it is only speculation, some recent news might be a good sign. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported that Tagovailoa will be taking the flight to Seattle to be with the team this weekend. That is not typically the case for players on IR. Let's look at why that might be a good thing.

Tua Tagovailoa is showing great leadership by traveling to Seattle with the Dolphins

According to Jackson and others, Tagovailoa has been quite involved in game prep this week. He has studied film with Skylar Thompson, has been at practices observing Thompson and is helping where he can. He has also sat in and participated in both team and unit meetings.

Those are all good signs that Tua is progressing despite the protocols, not mentioning his current status. With him on IR, he will miss four games regardless of where he is listed or progressed to. Getting cleared is a five-step process.

The fact that Tua is taking the flight to Seattle is also a good sign because most players dealing with head injuries don't typically make those types of cross-country trips, but Tagovailoa clearly is comfortable with his health situation and it could be a good indication that he isn't experiencing additional issues from his head injury. We have to wait and see on a potential return date, but the great news is that Tagovailoa is in good spirits and he appears to be moving in the right direction.