MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins’ biggest decision this offseason surrounds what they will do with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Tagovailoa just completed his fourth NFL season and earned Pro Bowl recognition for the first time after leading the NFL in passing yards. Questions, however, still remain after his play left a lot to be desired during the final stretch of the season, including Saturday night’s 26-7 playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs that led to an elimination.
The quarterback is under contract for the 2024 season, on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, which the team exercised last offseason. Miami can reach an agreement on a long-term contract or play it out year to year, with the option of even placing him on the franchise tag after his fifth season.
“The goal is to have him here, long-term, playing at a high level,” general manager Chris Grier said Monday at a season wrap news conference.
Top quarterbacks to earn contract extensions last season — Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow, Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts and Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert — are above $50 million in average annual salary.
If the Dolphins offer Tagovailoa a long-term deal, are they open to put him in that category or do they offer a more modest deal?
Grier was not willing to discuss money Monday, however.
“We’ll just keep our conversations (private) working with him,” the GM said. “And I think everything will be productive, and we’ll see what happens.”
He noted conversations with his agent throughout the season about things other than his contract.
Coach Mike McDaniel said he just wants to see continued improvement from Tagovailoa, who completed 69.3 percent of passes for 4,624 yards, 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
“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.”
McDaniel’s play-calling
McDaniel, an offensive-minded head coach, has been criticized externally for questionable play-calling throughout his tenure over two seasons.
It’s something he will take a look at this offseason, even with the possibility of delegating it to his offensive coordinator.
“The way I look at it is nothing is off the table ever,” McDaniel said. “To just say, well, that’s the way we’ve done it, that’s not a good enough reason to me. I think we failed to reach our goals this season. Play-calling wouldn’t live outside that.”
The coach wants to take his time with any decision, though.
“The important part of right after the season is to make sure that you’re not making your judgments based upon the emotion of the roller-coaster ride that you just went on,” he said. “I think you have to critically assess by slowly evaluating everything. … We’ll see what it actually means as we press forward.”
McDaniel will also have decisions to make with his coaching staff after he completes exit interviews with players, but he gave the staff an overall positive grade.
“I was very, very happy with the way that our coaching staff responded to the various things that happened during the course of the year,” he said. “I thought really down the stretch, they did give it their all. We ended the season with losses, but knowing how they invested in their players and tried to give them the best chance, that’s what I was left with.”
Free agent decisions
The Dolphins have a number of impending free agents they need to make decisions on this offseason, headlined by defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, center Connor Williams and right guard Robert Hunt.
“Our goal is to keep as many good players here as we can,” said Grier, adding he had a good conversation with Wilkins earlier Monday.
Wilkins, who needed to prove he could provide a consistent pass rush on the interior, doubled his career high in sacks, with nine in 2023.
“I was very happy for him,” Grier said. “He bet on himself after a summer of negotiations where we made a couple offers and one we felt very good about was fair — and he and his representation said as much — but we couldn’t close that gap at the end.
“We’ll stay in communication and see where this ends up, but he earned the right to be a free agent. Again, I’m happy for him. We drafted him here, developed him here, and he’s the type of person we’re looking for. So we’ll see what happens.”
Williams also now has rehab for a torn ACL in his left knee suffered Dec. 11 that will likely affect what he can make.
“Connor was playing some good football for us and the leadership stuff he provided,” Grier said. “Unfortunately, with football, injuries happen. He’s been great communicating with Mike through us here through the end of the season. Again, we’ll stay in touch with him and see what happens.”
Hunt has been a solid blocker for four seasons in Miami and enters free agency for the first time.
“We did have a conversation with him during the season, so we’ll see what happens here as we go through it,” Grier said. “But again, these guys have earned the rights to be free agents. We would like them to be here. They want to be here. So we’ll have to see what happens.”
Grier also reacted to veteran cornerback Xavien Howard, although under contract, noting he may not be around next season.
“We’ll go through this process here like with every player individually, ” Grier said. “He met with Mike (Monday) and he and I may have a conversation here in the next day or so. So yeah, just right now we’re just going through this with every single player on the roster, and it’s no different with Xavien.” …
— Grier is currently slated to have a first-round pick for the first time in three seasons, meaning McDaniel may have a selectin in the draft’s opening round for the first time as a head coach.
“Can’t promise anything, but we’ll see,” Grier said.
