Tua Tagovailoa’s future with the Miami Dolphins reportedly in question

Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

After a disappointing start to the season, Tua Tagovailoa’s future with the Miami Dolphins has come into question.

The Dolphins suffered another embarrassing defeat this part Thursday as it fell to the Baltimore Ravens 28-6. Shortly after the loss, the franchise announced that it had parted ways with long time general manager Chris Grier who is the first domino to fall in another expected rebuild of the team.

Despite speculation in the weeks leading up to this week’s game, head coach Mike McDaniel will have some more to try and turn things around and end the season on the right foot according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. But Rapoport did note that the team could explore its options when it comes to Tagovailoa at quarterback.

The duo of McDaniel and Tagovailoa previously formed one of the top offenses in the NFL alongside star wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but it has since soured through nine games this year. The loss of Hill for the season was a massive blow to the unit, but the deterioration of the relationship between the head coach and quarterback has sunk surely sunk any hopes.

Tagovailoa in particular has not performed up to his previous standard as he currently leads the NFL in turnovers with 11 interceptions on the season. His elite traits of accuracy and timing on his passes in McDaniel’s system has appeared to have eroded, and the Miami offense has been wildly inconsistent week in and week out.

According to Rapoport, if Tagovailoa’s play doesn’t improve soon then a change at quarterback will become “reasonable” and a potential benching is not off the table.

Behind Tagovailoa sits former No. 2 overall pick Zack Wilson who has started 33 games with the New York Jets along with seventh round rookie Quinn Ewers out of Texas. But Tagovailoa’s contract situation would force Miami to not only be sure that performance could improve with a change but also that a financial exit of Tagovailoa would be viable.

Tagovailoa signed a four-year $212.4 million contract extension last offseason and is tied to Miami through 2026 with $54 million guaranteed next year. That leaves Miami with the option of trading the former Alabama quarterback which would likely involve the front office paying down a majority of contract to make his deal more attractive to other teams. Or similarly to what the Denver Broncos did with Russell Wilson, release Tagovailoa and set a new record of a $99.2 million cap hit which could be spread out over multiple seasons.

Either way, the sunny skies have dimmed in Miami with major changes on the upcoming forecast.

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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77