Miami Dolphins Star Absent From 2024 Offseason Workouts Amid Contract Negotiations

The Miami Dolphins are one of the most difficult teams to figure out for the 2024 season. They do not lack talent on the roster between Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Jalen Ramsey. However, there are some real question marks. One of them is quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. His play has been good, but he has failed the team in the biggest moments. As of this moment, he is in the last year of his rookie contract and is absent from offseason workouts amid the negotiations.

Miami Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa Absent From Workouts

CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones was the first to point out that Tua Tagovailoa has been absent from all of the voluntary offseason workouts. While this may not seem like a big deal as it is voluntary, it is worth noting that the former Alabama quarterback has participated in these in the past. GM Chris Grier isn’t concerned about the situation and expects Tua to be back for OTAs.

“I think it’s something that when it happens, it happens. We’ve had communication with him and I’ll just leave those between the organization and his representation, and it’s been good so we’ll just keep working towards it. Him and his agent are very understanding that this is now the draft, so he’s letting us focus on that and then we’ll turn our attention to that after the draft finishes.”

With every new quarterback contract that gets signed, the negotiations change for the next players in line for a deal. Jared Goff signed a massive extension which will cause other players to demand more money. The Miami Dolphins don’t seem keen on throwing a huge amount of money at Tua Tagovailoa and they might have good reason.

What Should The Team Do?

Last season was the best season Tua Tagovailoa has had in the NFL. He led the league in passing yards with 4,624. However, there are concerns. He puts up big numbers against inferior teams but struggles against the elite competition. Tua tends to turn the ball over a lot, as well. Last season, he had 29 touchdowns but a whopping 14 interceptions. If the team is going to give out over $50 million per year, they want to make sure they are getting an elite player.

On the other hand, the quarterback position is the most difficult to figure out. While Tua Tagovailoa has his issues, he has shown he can be a quality starter in this league. If the Miami Dolphins decide to try and lowball him, they could risk losing a quality player. It would be worse to have all of this talent and no quarterback to run the offense. This is a situation to watch this offseason. With every new player who signs, the price only goes up.