Not one place was missed, not one field went unchecked. Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa bought the quickest receiver in league in Tyreek Hill and the perfect left deal with in the marketplace in Terron Armstead.
He bought two operating backs, a fullback, one other gifted receiver and offensive lineman and two re-signed tight ends – all to suit into new coach Mike McDaniel’s scheme.
Assist? Tagovailoa bought it.
Anointing? He bought that from McDaniel, too.
Competitors? Teddy Bridgewater even introduced that closing, feisty piece along with his first phrases as a Dolphin. That was good. Bridgewater’s presence ought to give one other push to substantiate the Dolphins’ choice on Tua, assuming it’s the best one.
Tagovailia ought to are available in with the mindset to blow away Bridgewater from the primary minicamp. Outwork him. Outplay him. Out-and-out present each on the workforce he’s a a lot better quarterback with all of the additions to this offense.
That is the primary time in 5 years it’s enjoyable to consider the Dolphins. Dolphins Common Supervisor Chris Grier and McDaniel stated they wished to improve the expertise round him this low season they usually upgraded past what anybody anticipated with Hill’s addition.
Does any workforce have a extra harmful receiving duo than Hill and Jaylen Waddle? Anybody enhance extra on the offensive line than the Dolphins with signings of Armstead and former Dallas guard Connor Williams? Did anybody rebuild a broken-down offense like this?
The Dolphins have confirmed they'll’t draft correctly, in order that they went the Los Angeles Rams route. They purchased gamers. They traded the worth of a full draft for Hill. Did they overpay? Completely. It’s at all times dangerous within the NFL when a workforce considers it’s a participant away – and that was the thought right here.
Hill could be that good, although, that impactful. However right here’s danger right here and it’s not small danger contemplating the sum of money and draft picks the Dolphins threw at Kansas Metropolis. Hill averaged 14.7 yards a catch in 2019, in what was his lowest since his rookie season.
He averaged 11.2 yards final yr.
Why? The Dolphins needed to come to some understanding on that. Additionally they needed to take into account why good soccer minds like Kansas Metropolis’s coach Andy Reid and Common Supervisor Brett Veach opted to not hold Hill. Was it simply cash? Once they might have stored Hill for another yr and run for an additional Tremendous Bowl?
Right here’s the Dolphins thought: Now we have cash. Now we have a two-year window earlier than our younger gamers might be needing larger contracts. The most important choice might be on Tua. We have to get nice gamers round him to see who he's.
Now it’s on Tua. There are whispers he hasn’t labored arduous sufficient, whispers about why he didn’t know the playbook his first yr as he admits, whispers about why he and coach Brian Flores had a harsh phrases at halftime of the Tennessee finale final season.
None of that issues now. What he does issues. His energy the primary two seasons just isn't dropping video games. That’s vital for a quarterback. He’s 13-8 as a starter. However extra might be requested of him beginning with drubbing Bridgewater in low season exercises contemplating he threw the gauntlet of competitors earlier than Tua.
“Actually, that’s a dialog I’d relatively hold in home,’ Bridgewater stated this week when requested what his position can be . “It’s a singular alternative, and I’m pleased to be a part of it this season. To be the perfect model of Teddy I could be. Assist one of the simplest ways I will help. Be real. And giving all to this recreation.”
Is he a backup or a competitor to Tua?
“That’s one thing the coaches and I, we talked about,’ he stated. “I’m assured in that dialog, and it’s actually one thing I’d relatively not talk about.”
So there’s a possible public-relations firestorm and quarterback-room rift right here. So what? They’re operating a NFL workforce, not a charity.
Does Tagovailoa need to earn this workforce’s management in a way he didn’t final season?
Go put Bridgewater in his place this spring and summer time. Present him who’s boss — and, by extension, present your new teammates as properly. That’s the way you go about main a workforce, not just by being handed the job.
Tua has been forged as some poor martyr the primary couple of years. A few of that’s warranted. The Dolphins publicly thought-about changing him with Deshaun Watson final yr. They surrounded him with suspect offensive expertise final yr.
However there aren't any excuses now.
As a result of if there’s a debate come September, Tagovailoa or Bridgewater, it’s a loser’s debate. Neither are within the High 10 quarterbacks of the AFC proper now.
No? Right here’s that High 10 listing proper now: Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Russell Wilson, Justin Herbert, Deshaun Watson, Lamar Jackson, Ryan Tannehill, Derek Carr and Matt Ryan.
Tua must be in the course of subsequent season. He has the brand new assist. He has the brand new offensive coach. He even has a push from Bridgewater. Each field was checked this low season, each good transfer made.
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