Tyreek Hill hasn't practiced in a couple of weeks as he deals with an oblique injury. One would think the Miami Dolphins offense would suffer, but in this case, it might be getting better.
The Dolphins are not saying too much about his injury or when he will return, and most in the media are not asking those tough questions of Mike McDaniel. Tua Tagovailoa has been asked about Hill's absence, and he isn't all that upset. Tagovailoa's answer for not having Hill on the practice field was perfect. As he states, he has more time to work with the other receivers.
"It also allows me the opportunity to see which guys I can trust, which guys I can depend on," said Tagovailoa. "It allows me the opportunity to see who's in their playbook, who knows where to be and what spots, and then play within the timing of that play."
Tua Tagovailoa gets more practice time with other Dolphins WRs while Tyreek Hill remains out
There are several reasons why the Dolphins' offense might sputter each season, and one of those reasons happens to be the on-field relationship between the quarterback and his receiving corps. With Hill on the field, Tagovailoa spends his reps with Jaylen Waddle and Hill specifically. There are reps with other receivers as well, but the bulk tends to be those two.
With Hill out, Tagovailoa is getting quality reps with guys like Dee Eskridge and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, two receivers who could play a big part in the Dolphins' offense.
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If there is one knock on Tagovailoa that most fans will not debate, it's the fact that he tends to favor familiarity over anything else. The Dolphins quarterback leans on his relationships with the receivers he trusts the most. As an example, he will always seek out Hill and Waddle first before checking down to another receiver. That tends to leave Tagovailoa dumping passes to the running back or tight end.
Last year, Jonnu Smith got off to a slow start before injuries forced the offense to shift more toward using the tight end. When this happened, Tagovailoa developed that trust. This year, he should have a better feel for the other receivers on the field. That could give him more confidence in throwing the ball to his third, fourth, and fifth receivers.
It's all about timing and trust, and Tagovailoa has taken the steps, if not by choice, to get better acquainted with the rest of the room.