Watching Tua throw the ball around the gym gives me a warm feeling. Didn’t he look great? Even though most guys look good with no defense or 300-pound lineman bearing down on you. He looks fluent in the pocket, whether it’s in game and in his private workout. His hip looks fine and he was spinning the football well in his Pro-day workout. He sent that video to all teams. I remember watching him come off the bench in the Championship game a few years ago, he had the” IT” factor. Taking over for Jalen Hurts, who at the time was undefeated for Alabama, and was in the running for Offensive Player of the Year. Tua showed no lights were too bright for him. Leading a comeback win in overtime was unbelievable, from that point on I wanted him to be a Dolphin.
Once this year started, most people thought Miami was going to have the worst record. Trading off our best players for future picks seemed to be leading up to one thing; Tua Tagovailoa. Somehow the Dolphins managed to win 5 games. Kudos to Coach Flores for keeping the guys playing hard, even though his team had the least talent in the NFL by a far margin.
— DolphinsTalk.com (@DolphinsTalk) April 10, 2020
Sometimes the eye test is enough to maybe get out of your comfort zone. With all the smokescreen going on before the draft, it would be a shame if Miami passed on Tua this year. In the past, GM Chris Grier passed on a lot of good quarterbacks. For example, he wasn’t in love with Lamar Jackson and didn’t find Mahomes or Watson attractive, even though none of those players got picked inside the top 10 (Mahomes was picked 10th).
Tom Brady missed a season with a knee injury, Roethlisberger missed last season with a torn rotator cuff and he seems to be always banged up. Drew Brees missed enough time last year to get Teddy Bridgewater $63 million dollars. Aaron Rodgers continues to miss time with a broken collar bone and fingers. Jimmy Garoppolo missed a season with a torn ACL. The best player in the league, Pat Mahomes missed time last year with a dislocated knee cap. In college he had multiple surgeries. My point is simple, none of us think all those elite quarterbacks I named are injury prone. The talent outweighs the risk of being injured. Tua is a winner and a good, genuine person that fits the mold of a franchise guy. He has the “it” factor.
We can go with Herbert or Love instead. What a mistake it would be, after two decades of being mediocre at best, it’s time for a Miami to take a chance to be great again. If it doesn’t work it doesn’t work, they are loaded with picks next year as well. Rookie deals aren’t paralyzing like they were 12 years ago when Jamarcus Russell got 50 million before walking on the field. It was impossible to get out of those type of contracts. In today’s rookie contracts, they’re team friendly, you can get out of them after a year. If Tua gets hurt and can’t play and be available, then so be it. At least we took a swing on a home run rather than a slap hitting single.
The draft is less than 2 weeks away. I think Miami can stay pat and grab him at 5 and keep their picks. Giving up all their picks for Joe Burrow doesn’t make sense regardless if they think he is the guy. Last year, before the year started, no one knew him. Mel Kiper had him graded out as a 3rd or 4th round pick going into the year. Tua has showed production and leadership for years now. Watching his private workout yesterday, he just has a different vibe about him. It’s time for Miami to swing for the fence. Go get Tua because he has a chance to be special. Maybe the Tua injury was a blessing for Miami, or maybe it’s a sign of things to come. I’ll take my chance and go for it, Miami deserves a break after 20 years, don’t they?
As always,
Phins up
