It would be foolish to think Dolphins aren’t looking to upgrade at QB
Tua Tagovailoa can’t be the Dolphins’ starting quarterback in 2023.
Whether it’s ‘Tampering Tom’ Brady or Lamar Jackson, rules-breaking Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has to go all-in on a star quarterback to maximize one of the NFL’s best receiving corps, led by Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Especially if the Jets acquire Aaron Rodgers from the Packers, are the Dolphins really going to keep the injury-prone Tagovailoa in place as their starter, sign a mid-level veteran backup and simply cross their fingers?
“You can’t count on Tua,” one league source said, citing the QB’s concussions among other durability issues.
The Dolphins picked up Tagovailoa’s $23 million fifth-year option for 2024 on Friday. But sticking with him at quarterback won’t suffice, and it is incongruent with Ross’ rabid recent pursuit of an upgrade at the position.
What? Ross thinks it’s worth a $1.5 million fine and league suspension to tamper with Brady in 2019-20 while he was on the Patriots — and in 2021 while he was on the Buccaneers — but it’s not worth a couple of draft picks to get Jackson?
You think Ross won’t try to pry Brady out of retirement after trying to sign him twice while he was playing on two different teams?
You shouldn’t need someone to tell you it’s raining if you’re already standing outside soaking wet.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and coach Mike McDaniel have been very careful with their words to leave all of their options open.
CBS insider Josina Anderson recently reported that the Dolphins will explore all quarterback options, including possibly moving in a different direction from Tagovailoa. They can still trade him after picking up this fifth-year option. In fact, that offers potential suitors two years of control at a reasonable cost on a player who carries substantial risk.
Miami just cleared more than $55 million in salary-cap space this past week through player releases and restructures as free agency approaches. One source said if Miami does make a move at quarterback, he believes they would get either Brady, Jackson or 49ers free agent Jimmy Garoppolo.
Garoppolo would be a couple of steps down from the others and comes with his own injury history. But his familiarity with McDaniel and his offense from their time together in San Francisco is a natural possible fit.
It also would be the cheapest route, so that’s probably the fallback option if Brady and Jackson don’t happen.
But imagine how lethal McDaniel’s offense would look with Jackson under center and Hill and Waddle running routes.
“That would be one of the fastest offenses this league has ever seen,” another league source said. “What would defenses do? How would they defend the box?”
It is no secret Jackson would love to play in his home state if he is traded by the Baltimore Ravens. Brady already unretired once last year, and it wouldn’t shock anyone if he did it again.
Ross and the Dolphins already made the mistake of drafting Tagovailoa over Justin Herbert in 2020.
Then, although Tagovailoa played pretty well early last season, his concussions called into question just how long he will be able to play in the league at all. And the Dolphins lost his final four starts, including a three-interception defeat against Green Bay.
Miami went just 9-8 to finish second in the AFC East, far behind the Bills (13-3), before playing Buffalo close with third-string QB Skylar Thompson in a 34-31 road wild-card playoff loss.
Around the league
Has anyone stopped to think about whether Rodgers would be able to handle the spotlight in New York? It sure seems like the Jets have.
This has been one of the most clandestine courtships of a star player I can remember. I wonder if the Jets are trying to be careful about what gets leaked and said locally for fear of scaring off their famously rabbit-eared top target.
The Rams have released edge rusher Leonard Floyd, 30. The Giants wanted Floyd in the 2016 draft and made a huge push again for him in 2021 but failed to prevent him from re-signing with the Rams. Something to keep in mind.
Keep an eye on Buccaneers free-agent corner Jamel Dean, 26, when the freeagent negotiating window opens Monday. Outside corner is the Giants’ biggest need on defense, where they also are looking at tackles and inside linebackers.
Dean is a strong outside cover corner with good size who is still young. He has seven intercept ions ,41 passes defended and a Super Bowl ring in four NFL seasons. He would be an excellent fit in Wink Martindale’s blitzheavy scheme after playing for Todd Bowles.
At inside linebacker, the Bills’ Tremaine Edmunds is a pricey free-agent target to watch for the Giants, while the Bengals’ Germaine Pratt is another player to watch.
Vikings legend Grant dead at 95
Bud Grant, the stoic and demanding Hall of Fame coach who took the Minnesota Vikings and their mighty Purple People Eaters defense to four Super Bowls in eight years and lost all of them, has died. He was 95.
The Vikings announced Grant’s death on social media Saturday.
“We are absolutely devastated to announce legendary Minnesota Vikings head coach and Hall of Famer Bud Grant has passed away this morning at age 95,” the post said. “We, like all Vikings and NFL fans, are shocked and saddened by this terrible news.”
Wearing his trademark purple Vikings cap and a stone-faced demeanor, Grant’s steely sideline gaze became synonymous with his teams. He guided the Vikings from 1967-85, with a one-year hiatus in 1984, on his way to a 158-96-5 record with 11 division titles in 18 seasons.