Tua Tagovailoa is seeking a new contract, but it doesn’t appear he’s making the situation uncomfortable just yet.
The quarterback is in attendance for the Miami Dolphins’ first day of organized team activities (OTAs), The Athletic reported Monday. Tagovailoa reportedly wasn’t present at the team’s facilities for the earlier stages of the offseason program. However, those workouts were voluntary, as are OTAs.
While Tagovailoa is with the team for the start of OTAs, his future in Miami might be murky. He’s entering the final year of his rookie contract, playing on the fifth-year option ($23.171 million guaranteed). Both sides have expressed a desire to get a deal done this offseason, but Tagovailoa has already rejected a contract offer, ESPN reported late last week.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier has iterated multiple times over the offseason that the team still views Tagovailoa as its long-term quarterback. He also recently told reporters he isn’t worried about the process of getting a deal done.
“I think we’re hopeful,” Grier said, via ESPN. “When you go through these things … these are deals that very rarely come together quickly. There are a lot of pieces and moving parts. We’ve had positive discussions so far, and we’ll keep working here throughout the offseason.”
Tagovailoa is next in line among quarterbacks who are expected to receive a big payday. With both sides looking to get a long-term deal done, the question is just how large Tagovailoa’s contract will be.
Three other quarterbacks from Tagovaioloa’s draft class in 2020 received some of the richest deals in NFL history last offseason. Jalen Hurts received a five-year, $255 million deal with nearly $180 million guaranteed from the Philadelphia Eagles. Justin Herbert signed a five-year, $262.5 million extension with just over $218 million guaranteed to remain with the Los Angeles Chargers. Joe Burrow topped them all, getting a five-year, $275 million deal with $219 million guaranteed.
Tagovaiola’s production suggests that he should receive a contract similar to what others in his draft class have received. He led the league in passing last season (4,624 yards) while also finishing in the top five in passing touchdowns (29) and passer rating (101.1). He also led the league in passer rating (105.5) in 2022.
But concerns about Tagovailoa’s long-term health have been used as a possible reason why his next contract might not be as lucrative. He had two reported concussions in 2022, which actually caused him to begin practicing jiu-jitsu during the 2023 offseason. He also suffered a severe hip injury in his final season at Alabama, adding to those concerns.
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Still, Tagovailoa’s teammates want to see him get paid. Jalen Ramsey recently wrote, “Pay Tua,” on a golf scorecard, sharing a picture of it, alongside Tagovailoa, on social media. Tagovailoa also took a concern-free approach when asked about it in April.
“Just letting my agent deal with that and talk to the team about that,” Tagovailoa told reporters. “For me, my focus is when OTAs come, go to OTAs, show up and be the best teammate I can be.”
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