ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler used the word “complicated” to describe Tua Tagovailoa’s contract situation with the Miami Dolphins while speaking on the matter on Saturday.
“This one’s complicated, because Miami is dedicated to doing it,” Fowler said. “They want to sign him long-term, they’ve had talks. I believe, and my sense is, that they’re at least in the ballpark. But that recent deals from Jared Goff, Trevor Lawrence at $55 million a year does complicate the situation.”
Fowler also mentioned that the clock is ticking if the two sides want to come to an agreement before the start of training camp.
“Miami’s not sure if they can get to that high of a number, but that’s the market for a player that showed that he is durable and led the league in passing yards. So he’s produced,” Fowler said. “He believes the market has to be what it is. We’ll see if Miami can bridge the gap. They’ve got six weeks before training camp to try and do it.”
The report from Fowler comes just a few days after a report surfaced indicating that the Dolphins would like to avoid paying Tagovailoa the type of contract that Goff of the Detroit Lions received earlier this offseason. Goff inked a four-year extension with Detroit worth a whopping $212 million.
Additionally, Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald communicated earlier this week that the franchise tag is likely being used as leverage in contract negotiations by both camps.
“Using the franchise tag to retain Tagovailoa in 2025 is an option, one that will cost Miami something in the neighborhood of $43 million in real salary, and cap space,” Kelly wrote. “That’s certainly doable for all parties, and is likely being used as negotiating leverage by both camps.”
Tagovailoa is set to enter the fifth and final year of his rookie contract when the 2024 NFL season rolls around in a few months.
On a team with arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL in Tyreek Hill, Tagovailoa made a legitimate case for being Miami’s most effective offensive player during the 2023 regular season.
For the first time in his NFL career, Tagovailoa suited up in every one of Miami’s regular-season contests and totaled a league-high 4,624 passing yards along with 29 passing touchdowns. Plus, he threw for 222 first downs in his fourth season with the Dolphins franchise, and his longest completion was for an unbelievable 78 yards.
For a player as young as Tagovailoa is, he boasts a particularly impressive resume. But playoff success is one glaring thing that’s missing from his resume at this time.
Tagovailoa does not have a playoff victory under his belt since he joined the NFL, and he threw for just 199 yards while totaling the same number of interceptions as passing touchdowns (one) in Miami’s playoff loss to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs last postseason.
Even so, it will be exciting to follow Tagovailoa’s contract situation with the Dolphins as the start of training camp begins to creep closer and closer.
