The Miami Dolphins seem committed to Tua Tagovailoa for at least the 2023 season, but that likely means they are going to have to find a serviceable backup as an insurance policy. That could make the Dolphins a good fit for former first-round pick Mitch Trubisky.
According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, Trubisky could find a nice situation with the Dolphins.
“Trubisky is a name to watch in the coming weeks,” Fowler wrote. “The [Pittsburgh] Steelers would like to keep him, but his $8 million salary on a $10.6 million cap hit is steeper than usual for a Pittsburgh backup. Miami could be a good fit for him, as the Dolphins need a capable veteran behind Tua Tagovailoa in case concussion issues persist.”
A similar approach of finding a backup quarterback with starting experience was taken by the Dolphins last offseason when the team acquired South Florida native Teddy Bridgewater.
Unfortunately for him, he suffered injuries during both of his starts during the 2022 season.
That slotted Skylar Thompson into a starting role multiple times during the campaign, and while he played about as well as could be expected of him, his lack of experience at the NFL level was very apparent.
When it comes to Trubisky, he’d definitely have a shot to continue refining his game. He started five games for the Pittsburgh Steelers last season and looked solid in some of his outings.
He finished the season with 1,252 passing yards and four passing touchdowns. Obviously, those numbers don’t leap off the stat sheet, but he’s already proven that he has what takes to at least be a serviceable player in the league.
As for Tagovailoa, he looked great when he was playing during the 2022 season and took the leap that many felt he needed to take. However, he dealt with injuries yet again and suffered two concussions during the season.
The University of Alabama product has yet to play a full season in his NFL career, and injury concerns are starting to force some to wonder if he’ll be able to really be the dependable franchise quarterback that the Dolphins need him to be.
Tagovailoa recently said that he’s planning to take judo classes during the coming offseason in order to learn how to fall better.
Whether or not the Dolphins decide to bring in a solid backup quarterback will be a strong indication of just how confident the team’s front office is in Tagovailoa going forward.
