Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa eased the nerves of supporters of the team on Monday as Miami’s organized team activities (OTAs) commenced.
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa is in the building for the start of Dolphins OTAs, per source. The QB is slated to become the next quarterback to receive a big payday, but the sides are in negotiations. Tagovailoa said he was planning on attending the workouts.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) May 20, 2024
The Dolphins’ OTAs are scheduled to take place on May 20, 21, 23, 28, 29 and 31. Shortly after Miami’s OTAs, the team will hold a mandatory minicamp which will last from June 4 to June 6.
Unlike during Tagovailoa’s first four seasons in the NFL, he has reportedly opted to sit out the lion’s share of voluntary offseason work, and a report suggests that he made this decision because the Dolphins have yet to sign the signal-caller to a contract extension.
“Tagovailoa has been absent for the large majority of voluntary offseason work since the Dolphins reported back April 15, sources close to the situation told CBS Sports,” Jonathan Jones wrote. “That is in stark contrast to his first four seasons in the league, when Tagovailoa was present for most of the voluntary work.
“Sources believe his absence is related to his contract status.”
Per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Tagovailoa has seemingly rejected at least one contract offer from the Dolphins at this time.
“He has missed some OTA time, I’ve confirmed, and really it could depend on how negotiations go with his contract as to whether he starts to show up or is there full time,” ESPN’s Fowler said Sunday. “They have had contract talks, preliminary talks. I’m told that the Dolphins have made at least one contract offer, but we know how these things go; the offer apparently hasn’t been good enough or he’d probably be there full time. So, the market is pretty set. We saw Jared Goff, $50-plus million a year, that’s going to apply to Tua and Trevor Lawrence.”
Tagovailoa has spent the entirety of his NFL career as a member of the Dolphins, who selected him with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft after he spent time playing college football at the University of Alabama.
In the 2023 regular season, his fourth season in Miami, the signal-caller earned the first Pro Bowl nod of his NFL career on top of finishing fifth in the league’s AP Comeback Player of the Year voting. Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco — who won a Super Bowl during his time playing for the Baltimore Ravens — ended up winning the award.
Tagovailoa also racked up a league-high 4,624 passing yards to go along with 29 passing touchdowns, 222 first downs passing and 388 completions in 17 starts with Miami during the 2023 regular season.
The 26-year-old’s phenomenal passing numbers were a contributing factor in the collective success that the Dolphins enjoyed. Miami won 11 of its 17 regular-season contests and ended up in a tie with the Buffalo Bills organization for the AFC East’s best record. It’s worth noting that the Dolphins finished with an 11-6 record despite ending the regular season on a two-game losing streak, with losses coming against the Ravens and Bills.
Dolphins fans should hope that Tagovailoa and the Dolphins can agree to terms on a contract extension sooner rather than later.
