Tua...''He's the greatest prospect ever''

“Elite”
Lol

 

Did you watch Hard Knocks??

 

If Tua can get back to this weight, with this maneuverability, agility and some added speed it opens up so many doors for this offense.

 

It really won't add anything. In 2020 (year of that clip), Tua averaged 3.0 yards per attempt. To put that in perspective, Tom Brady in 2021 at 44 years old averaged 2.9 yards per attempt.

Tua will NEVER have the ability to run.

 

Tua will NEVER stay healthy for an entire season. Oh wait that was last year's narrative lol!

 

Four ways Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa can improve in 2024

Marcel Louis-Jacques, ESPN
Feb 10, 2024, 06:00 AM ET
MIAMI -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's offseasons generally have a theme.

In 2021, he was transitioning into the team's starter. In 2022, he learned a new offense entering a season in which he needed to prove his capability as a franchise quarterback.

Then of course, last year he focused on building up his body so he could withstand the punishment of a full football season.

So what is his goal this year?

"There's probably four things that I want to get better at," Tagovailoa told Pro Football Network. "Am I gonna share? Probably not. But I'm looking forward to OTAs when we get to see you guys again and you guys can see us."

The 2023 season featured myriad positives for the former No. 5 overall pick in 2020. He led the league in passing yards with a career-high 4,624, while also setting career-highs with 29 passing touchdowns and a 69.3% completion percentage.

Still, there are always things to improve. Here are four possible areas Tagovailoa could focus on for 2024.

1. Time to Throw
Let's make this clear, Tagovailoa's 2.36-second time to throw was faster than any quarterback in the NFL this season. His 78.9 QBR on passes taking less than 2.5 seconds to attempt was third-best in the league, trailing only the Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert and Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott.

When he was forced to hang onto the ball longer than 2.5 seconds, however, that QBR dropped to 43.2 and his completion percentage dipped to 58.8%. As a result, 9 of his 14 interceptions this season came on passes of this nature.

Tagovailoa is not a one-read quarterback, but he can statistically improve when his first read is covered.

2. Throwing outside the pocket
Off-platform throwing was a focal point of Tagovailoa's offseason in 2022, and while he was visibly improved last season in that category, he completed just 58.1% of his passes from outside the pocket, compared to 70.7% inside the pocket.

He was off-target on 21.2% of his throws outside the pocket, which ranked middle-of-the-pack among NFL quarterbacks -- not debilitating by any means, but still an area to continue working on as he progresses in his career.

"Is Tua going to be a zone-read option quarterback? No," Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. "But I think he has developed in some [areas] -- like buying extra time when necessary. I think that will continue to improve where you can just maybe move off the spot a little bit and not necessarily run for a first down, but you can extend the play. I think those things improve with a lot of things -- the continuity of an offensive line group that you learn where guys are generally blocking from the launch point, and so then you know your safe spot is in the pocket.

"All these things, it's all about progression. I think he just needs to continue to do what he has been doing in terms of progressing and I'll be very much happy with that."


Tua led the league in passing yards, while setting career-highs with 29 passing touchdowns and a 69.3% completion percentage in 2023. But there's still room for improvement. Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo

3. Scrambling
Tagovailoa is not Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen. As McDaniel said, he will probably never be known as a scrambler, although he was the nation's No. 1 dual-threat quarterback when he signed with Alabama out of high school in 2017.

It's also understandable that the Dolphins don't want Tagovailoa opening himself up to hits after suffering two concussions in the 2022 season. But he was a non-factor as a runner in 2023.

Tagovailoa recorded 74 rushing yards this season and converted 5 first downs on the ground in 17 games. For reference, Easton Stick, Taylor Heinicke, Tyson Bagent, Anthony Richardson, Tommy DeVito and Jake Browning all eclipsed those numbers despite playing in fewer than 10 games.

Defenses don't see Tagovailoa as a threat to run when he leaves the pocket, which means there's a lower chance they bust their coverage when he extends a play.

There shouldn't be any expectation for him to take off and run on any given down, but showing more of a willingness to do so may force a defense to take that into account, and game plan accordingly -- opening up more passing lanes for him outside the pocket.

4. Taking care of the ball
No analytics necessary for this one.

Tagovailoa threw a career-high 14 interceptions in 2023, despite going more than a month without one from Nov. 24 to Dec. 31. He threw multiple interceptions in four games, also a career-high.

Sure, there were a few that weren't entirely on him, where a receiver ran an incorrect route or a penalty wasn't called. But there were also plays where defenders dropped a potential interception. It's more efficient to address results instead of who was at fault, or what could have happened.

Taking better care of the ball is a broad goal but one Tagovailoa must accomplish for the Dolphins to reach the next step of their Super Bowl hunt.

McDaniel believes his quarterback has the exact temperament to do so.

"I just want to see him make sure the curve continues to be exponential in his growth," McDaniel said. "We've seen at every stretch of the way him improving. That doesn't mean it's void of a result that isn't desired. But what we've seen is him learn from all the things that he goes through.

"I think that's the one thing that I can say in my two years of experience with him, is he's as good of a learner as I've ever seen."

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39493805/four-ways-dolphins-qb-tua-tagovailoa-improve-2024

 

Is someone back on that? Lol

 

I didn't actually say that. Certainly an outlier in his career. First time since high school, want to make a bet he doesn't repeat?

 

So in that article... What good does it do for Tua to extend plays, if the defense isn't going to bust their coverages because they know Tua isn't a threat to run? Like that article kinda disagrees with itself in ways.

 

Hootie looks in better shape

 

I like TUA as a person and I do believe he is a good QB. I also believe almost all QB’s are products of their systems to a degree. Yes there have been QB who left one team and elevated their new teams.

I just do not believe TUA to be worth 55 million a year. I get they are going to push for that, but as a true fan of the franchise I believe that would be a huge mistake. I’d rather we get a journeyman Qb or Draft one and use that money to build a defense and oline.

 

I suspect his extension will be for about $40m/yr. And even then it should be incentive laden with an out at around yr 3. With those numbers his cap hit should be relatively minimal the next 2, maybe even 3 years. Plenty of money to spread around over the next few years which will be “win now” mode. If he keeps his upward trajectory, great, if not, then it’s time to move on. I’d much rather be in win now mode rather than giving him $25m next season, letting a lot of good players go because of that, and practically be in a mini rebuild starting next year. There’s just no reasonable scenario where we let him play out his 5th yr, pay him $25m, allow some of our great players to leave (which would make it even more difficult to win) and then expect to find a QB as good or better than Tua in 2025.
I mean, there’s a risk in everything they do. There was a risk in extending Herbert and Burrows, albeit seemed like the right thing to do at the time. But Herbert has regressed and Burrow can’t stay healthy. LJ got an extension ($50m/yr) and he’s one of the consistently worse QB’s in the playoffs in recent memory. Allen got an extension, and Bills fans are saying he doesn’t have enough upstairs to get to the SB. I suspect LJ and Allen will never win one. The Ravens and Bills have had consistent top defenses, good to great run games, good HC’s, very few injuries, and high seeds each year and both QB’s have shat the bed in the postseason. So my point is, it was the right move to give them extensions, but their windows are closing if not closed. Tua is younger, has gotten better each year, led the Dolphins to the playoffs two years straight, stayed injury free last season, and has put up elite stats each of those years. Even with a new HC, an abnormal amount of injuries, and defenses ranked near the bottom of the league. He’s basically doing what Allen and LJ have been doing and doing it with lesser teams.

 

That would be the most Grier thing to do. Giving Tua Burrow money would be an epically stupid move.

 

The market is what it is. What's epically stupid is letting a top-5 QB leave when you know you're not likely to replace him. Especially for a team that endured 20 years of mediocre (at best) play under center since our last good QB. That's the price to pay for exercising a team option for year #5.

 

Top 5 my ***. He had some of the best offensive weapons in the NFL and a great offensive coach and it all turned to **** against playoff teams when it mattered.

 

Cool story, Bro. I'm sorry, what were you saying?

 

Can't see who you're responding to, but I can guess. Some people just can't learn. This SB showed that TEAMS win SB's and Tua is good enough to get there. If not for KC's defense the Chiefs probably lose. If not for the 49ers defense the Chiefs run away with this game. Mahomes is the GOAT, no doubt, but not even he was able to "carry" the team without great play from his team. Purdy played well, but KC's defense was just too good. Teams win games. ALL QB's need a good supporting cast.

It's funny, I see a lot of similarities between Tua and Purdy. I think Tua could take a page out of Purdy's playbook and learn to just take what the defense gives you. I think he will learn that. and with less injuries and more consistent play from the defense, the Dolphins can get to the SB.

 

Grier definitely doing it. He needs the extension to make space because of all the bad money he has on the books. Just going to be hilarious when this is a disaster year one into the deal. Only on the Dolphins can you get a$$ blasted by every playoff caliber team this season, and YOUR ENTIRE CAREER, and then get rewarded for it.

 

Just one of the usual happy-to-have-something-to-piss-about suspects. You know: They disappeared when things were going well and came back crowing for joy when half the team got hurt and we met a predictable end. I usually don't engage them, but he responded to my post.

 

…and all of that bad money is due to him shelling out these big FA contracts in order to cover up his draft blunders.

 

Some folks will never learn. A football team wins or loses as a TEAM.

We were at a friends house watching the game last night and all she could comment on was how sloppy both teams were. Of course she was referring to both offenses. I scratched my head and said, “Irene, both offenses aren’t playing sloppy. Both defenses are playing THAT GOOD”.

Folks look at football so one sidedly anymore. Kinda like a couple going to prom or a wedding or what have you…no one cares about the guy, all they care about is the girl or the bride…how beautiful she looks.

Same thing with football teams anymore. No one cares about the guy (defense), all anyone cares about or talks about is the bride (offense).

 

Your plan is literally trade Tua for anything, sign Kirk Cousins to a 2 year $90 million contract, and draft mid-round talent quarterbacks until you get lucky.

 

Whoever had this bright idea was either drunk when they came up with it or isn’t really a Dolphins fan and they’re trolling.
Or both…

 

His other option is do a Panthers and set your franchise back for years.

 

Yep. Can't draft this bad for this long.

 

Tua is not top 5.

 

Then probably should cut Tua and use the money to make the rest of the team better. Apparently QB is not important LOL

 

He’s top 5-8

Mahomes- Only truly Elite QB playing
Rodgers- if he can come back from injury is here

Very good QB’s who can maybe get to elite and have had elite seasons:

Burrow (if he can stay healthy)
Allen
LJ
Tua
Purdy
Wilson (has had an elite career)


Question marks/need more time to evaluate to see if they can be very good to elite:

Herbert
Stroud
Lawrence
Levis
Love

 

Yeah, because the QB isn’t part of the team.

If you’re going to respond at least comprehend what you’re responding to.

 

Imo you could put Tua in the question mark group but he‘s definitely not top 5 (atm) more like fringe top 10… If Tua would be a FA, which franchise would pay him Burrow kind of money? I don’t think you would find many takers…

 

Rodgers should not be there. He is 40 and people have to stop thinking what Brady did was normal.

 

He's objectively top 5. Thanks for your opinion, though.

 

By that metric Tua is a better QB than Mahomes. Maybe it's a bit more complex than passer rating?

 

Did I say he was better than Mahomes? Did I say he was better than anybody? Stop trying so hard to hate and don't try to twist my words. I said he's OBJECTIVELY a top 5 passer and he is. If we want to talk about who the best QBs are, that's a different discussion.

 

Hate? Jesus man. Stop being so emotional. Who is twisting your words? You are saying he's "objectively" a top 5 passer. Wha exactly are you basing that on?

If it's passer rating, then "objectively" Tua is also a better QB than Mahomes.

 

It's based on numerous metrics, including passer rating and total yards, which are frequently cited when determining QB play. And you twisted my words by conflating my statement with suggesting he's better than Patrick Mahomes. But you know that.

 

No, I'm using your words to show a logical flaw. I'm illustrating why it's ridiculous to say "Tua is objectively a top 5 QB." Using your logic if Tua is a top 5 QB, then also using those same metrics (passer rating and total yards), Tua is also a better QB than Mahomes.