Tua Tagovailoa on Miami Dolphins extension: ‘I believe that will happen’

Tua Tagovailoa expressed confidence that he and the Miami Dolphins will come to an agreement on a contract extension for the first-time Pro Bowl quarterback.

“I believe that will happen, but I’m gonna let my agents, gonna let you know Chris [Grier], Mike [McDaniel], let those guys talk about that and let them move forward accordingly,” Tagovailoa said.

The No. 5 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft just completed his fourth NFL season. NFL teams that believe they have a first-round franchise quarterback traditionally attempt to secure that player with a contract extension before playing his fifth season.

Two other quarterbacks taken in the top 10 of the 2020 draft – Joe Burrow at No. 1 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals and Justin Herbert at No. 6 overall by the Los Angeles Chargers – have already signed lucrative contract extensions with those teams. Burrow received a five-year, $275 million deal from the Bengals this past September after Herbert received a five-year, $262.5 million extension from the Chargers in July.

In March, the Dolphins exercised their fifth-year option on Tagovailoa, which means he is signed through the 2024 NFL season. It is possible he could become a free agent if the sides do not reach an agreement on an extension after the upcoming campaign. The franchise tag is another possibility if negotiations on a longer deal do not work out.

During his end-of-season press conference, Grier, the Dolphins’ general manager, said the goal is a contract agreement that will keep the University of Alabama product in Miami for a long time.

Tagovailoa made a strong case that he is worthy of a lucrative new contract with his performance during the 2023 season. He threw for 4,624 yards and 29 touchdowns in helping Miami to an 11-6 record and back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time in more than 20 years. Perhaps more importantly, he was able to avoid the injuries that derailed him previously and was able to appear in all 17 regular season games for the first time.

His previous lack of durability may have been one of the main reasons he was not given an extension in the same way Burrow and Herbert were at the same point in their careers. Though Tagovailoa ultimately may not be able to secure a deal as hefty as those two contemporaries did, it looks like he will be in line for a considerable raise from the Dolphins at some point soon.