Tua says hip ‘100 percent’ but injury concerns persist
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is among top draft-eligible players under consideration by the Dolphins, received good news in a medical recheck on Thursday,
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa reportedly received good news in an NFL medical recheck Thursday. Former Dolphins exec Mike Tannenbaum said it would simply be too risky to use a high pick on him.
according to NFL Network.
Tagovailoa, according to the report, participated voluntarily in a medical recheck facilitated by the NFL Combine with an independent doctor that was selected by NFL team physicians. Results were
“overwhelmingly positive,” according to NFL Network.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said all NFL team doctors were permitted to provide input on what exams they wanted to see conducted and a compre
hensive exam was performed, with results shared with all 32 teams. His agency said he has now performed all his medical obligations.
Tagovailoa told NFL Network on Wednesday that he is 100 percent after sustaining a dislocated hip and a posterior hip wall fracture during a November game, injuries that required surgery.
Hours before Tagovailoa’s latest medical report leaked Thursday, the man who oversaw football operations for the Dolphins until last season says not only should his former team not trade up for Tagovailoa, but that it would be “irresponsible” to select him at all in the top 10 of this month’s NFL Draft.
Asked on ESPN’s First Take about whether he would trade up for Tagovailoa, Mike Tannenbaum — who’s now a commentator for the network — said: “In this environment I simply can’t do that for an organization when you look at the type of guaranteed money you have [for picks that high. Arizona quarterback and 2019 No. 1 overall pick] Kyler Murray had $25 million in fully guaranteed money.
“You just don’t know [how his health really is]. You want your own doctors, your own trainers, your own strength coaches to work with Tua, see mobility, see range of motion. And because we’re in this very unique environment, it would be irresponsible to take him in the top 10 simply because you don’t have information first hand to know exactly where he is.”
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, teams are not permitted to have contact with draft prospects. The Dolphins, who selct fifth overall in the draft, tried to bring Tagovailoa to South Florida for a visit before the NFL banned pre-draft visits on March 14, but that never materialized.
What conversation would Tannenbaum have with ownership about bypassing Tagovailoa in the draft?
“It is an opportunity because the upside is so compelling, he is so talented [but] this is a conversation you want to have with your owner and your head coach and say, ‘Hey, if we are sitting here in January and he has to miss another year because this is an injury that’s hard to predict. It’s not a well-vascularized part of the body in terms of you could have reinjury.
“I want the owner to sign off to know if, ‘Hey, if this goes sideways, remember this conversation. This is a huge risk. And by the way, this player has been hurt two other times.’
“He is injury-prone, and I want to make sure we’re in lockstep and this is a true partnership because I would rather take a safer player in the top 10 this year because of the unique circumstances. I would want to make sure the owner is ironclad with our decision.”
Tannenbaum, who has expressed an admiration for Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert, is hardly alone among former or current evaluators who have concerns about Tagovailoa’s health.
Tannenbaum added that he could see a “team like Miami” taking Tagovailoa because the Dolphins have multiple firstround picks and might be able to “take a risk.”
Here’s his injury history at Alabama:
March 2018: During Alabama’s first spring practice, Tagovailoa broke an index finger, requiring surgery, when he hit an offensive lineman while throwing a pass. The injury required surgery but he didn’t miss any spring practices.
October 2018: Tagovailoa sustained a sprained knee before Alabama played Missouri, but practiced through it and played in the game that week.
November 2018: Tagovailoa sustained a quad injury against Mississippi State and sat out the rest of the game.
December 2018: Tagovailoa sustained a left ankle injury against Georgia in the Southeastern Conference championship game, when a lineman fell on his ankle, and was replaced by Jalen Hurts for the duration of that game. He underwent an ankle procedure called Knotless Syndesmosis TightRope Implant System.
Tagovailoa returned 28 days later for a national semifinal game against Oklahoma.
October 2019: Tagovailoa sustained another high ankle sprain in a win against Tennessee and again underwent that Knotless Syndesmosis procedure, which typically takes three to four weeks to recover from.
But Tagovailoa returned two weeks later — after a bye week — to play LSU.
November 2019: Tagovailoa suffered a dislocated hip and posterior hip wall fracture against Mississippi State and missed the remainder of the season.
This week, he told NFL Network that he’s 100 percent and could play immediately.
But some NFL people say that public statement won’t suffice.
“They cleared him, thank God they cleared him,” former Patriots and Raiders executive Mike Lombardi said sarcastically in an interview with vsinlive. “Dr. Leigh Steinberg’s office cleared him. … If Tua passed a physical, 32 teams in the NFL don’t know about it. Let me put it that way.”
Lombardi was kiddingly referencing Steinberg, one of Tagovailoa’s agents, along with Chris Cabott.
VIDEO CONFERENCES BEGIN
The Dolphins have begun scheduling video conference sessions with assorted prospects, and LSU offensive tackle Saahdiq Charles is one of the players scheduled for a Miami session in the next week or so, according to a league source.
The 6-4, 321-pounder — who could go on the second day of the draft or early on the third day — started nine games at left tackle last season but also missed six games for disciplinary reasons. He also has started at right tackle and right guard during his college career.
“He lacks desired tackle size and is still a work in progress, but he has enough traits to warrant consideration as a swing tackle with guard potential,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said.
He made 29 starts at LSU and has good tape against strong competition.
The Dolphins are expected to take one or potentially more tackles in the draft.
Teams can interview as many players as they want via video conferencing in the weeks before the draft, and teams can interview the same player as many as three times in one week. These sessions essentially replace the maximum 30-permitted draft visits to team headquarters, which are no longer permitted because of coronavirus.
The Dolphins had two of those visits before the NFL banned them — with Utah State quarterback Jordan Love and Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins.
Like most teams, the Dolphins don’t reveal players they’re interviewing via video conferencing.
Barry Jackson: 305-376-3491, @flasportsbuzz