The Miami Dolphins reportedly aren’t expected to pursue quarterback Tom Brady even if he decides to return for the 2023 season.
Brady is set to become a free agent this offseason, but the Dolphins appear to be content with Tua Tagovailoa leading the way at quarterback.
“The Miami Dolphins are not expected to pursue Tom Brady should the star quarterback decide he wants to return for the 2023 season, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter,” ESPN wrote.
Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion and three-time league MVP, spent the past few seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He led the Bucs to a title in the 2020 season, but the team was knocked out of the playoffs in the 2021 and 2022 campaigns.
Brady and the Buccaneers went just 8-9 in the 2022 regular season, but it was enough to win the NFC South division. Unfortunately for the Bucs, they were promptly knocked out of the playoffs by the Dallas Cowboys.
The 45-year-old is still a solid player. He threw for 25 touchdowns in the 2022 season while leading the league in completions, but the Dolphins don’t seem to have him in their plans.
“But the Dolphins are committed to Tua Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback for 2023, sources told Schefter, and were pleased with his development this past season under first-year coach Mike McDaniel,” ESPN wrote.
Tagovailoa had a solid season in the 2022 campaign, as he threw for 3,548 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 13 games during the regular season.
The addition of receiver Tyreek Hill and development of Jaylen Waddle allowed Tagovailoa to push the ball downfield for the Dolphins, and as a result, the quarterback led the NFL in yards gained per pass attempt and yards gained per pass completion.
The big concern for Tagovailoa is in the injury department. The youngster suffered two confirmed concussions in the 2022 season. The first one came in Week 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals, and the second came in Week 16 against the Green Bay Packers.
The second concussion hurt the Dolphins’ chances of making a playoff run, as the team was forced to play rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson in the playoffs against the Buffalo Bills.
The Dolphins must believe that Tagovailoa will be healthy and able to play at a high level if they are committing to him for the 2023 season, which is a good sign for fans.
While Brady will likely be a coveted name in free agency if he decides to keep playing, the Dolphins appear to be one team that will be out of the sweepstakes.
