When will Tua Tagovailoa return, and what's subsequent for Dolphins after newest QB harm?

MIAMI — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa performed a full season for the primary time in his NFL profession in 2023. He led the NFL in passing yards and directed the league’s No. 1 offense to an 11-win season and an AFC wild-card berth.

The Dolphins rewarded him with a four-year, $212.1 million extension this offseason with the hopes that he and the group would take one other step ahead in 2024.

However the 2024 season has sputtered in the beginning. Tagovailoa suffered the third documented concussion of his NFL profession in a Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He was positioned on injured reserve days later.

Within the Dolphins’ first recreation with out him, they misplaced 24-3 on the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Backup quarterback Skylar Thompson was unimpressive, throwing for 107 yards earlier than being knocked out of the sport with a rib harm halfway by the third quarter. Tim Boyle, his backup, did not fare significantly better, ending the sport finishing 7 of 13 passes for 79 yards. The offense had 205 complete yards, practically 200 yards off its season common in 2023.

The Dolphins are three video games right into a 17-game season, however they’re in a loaded AFC convention. With Tagovailoa out for not less than the following three video games, Miami’s offense faces an unsure future.

With video games towards the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals earlier than a go to to the Payments on Nov. 3, the Dolphins’ early schedule is favorable. However the quarterback state of affairs has the potential to carry again one of the costly extensive receiver rooms within the NFL ($48.7 million), limiting this offense as a complete.

With Tagovailoa’s future nonetheless unsure, here’s what we learn about the place he and the Dolphins stand.

Tagovailoa attended the Dolphins recreation this previous weekend in Seattle, how for much longer is he on the injured reserve listing and what are the hurdles he should clear to play once more?

NFL guidelines state {that a} participant positioned on injured reserve should miss not less than his group’s subsequent 4 video games — so Tagovailoa nonetheless has three video games to go. The Dolphins play the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots over the following two weeks earlier than their Week 6 bye. The final recreation of that stretch is on the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 20.

McDaniel has repeatedly mentioned there is no such thing as a timeline for Tagovailoa’s return. The Dolphins are centered on their franchise quarterback being wholesome.

“The wonderful thing about IR is there’s — for a month’s time, there is not any timelines,” McDaniel mentioned final week. “I at all times say that, however I am unsure that folks fairly perceive; in case you set a timeline primarily based upon the data you’ve got right now, how a lot of no matter goes on is fulfilling the prophecy of that timeline? And is that the fitting factor? Particularly with opponents and stuff, generally you are able to do extra hurt than good.

“Not worrying about something because it pertains to timelines could be very empowering for him as a human being to recuperate from harm, and that is steadfast the one motivating issue that you’ve got if you’re coping with gamers and their careers and their accidents.”

If Tagovailoa is cleared to return, what are the Dolphins saying about his future this season and past?

Whereas they’re centered on him returning to full well being, the Dolphins haven’t publicly instructed that Tagovailoa won’t be their beginning quarterback for so long as his play warrants it.

What should change, nonetheless, is how he protects himself sooner or later.

Tagovailoa’s most up-to-date concussion occurred when he initiated contact with Payments defender Damar Hamlin after scrambling for a primary down. That isn’t what he has been coached to do; particularly after struggling two confirmed concussions in 2022, Tagovailoa mentioned that October if he runs, he’s anticipated to slip.

“I had my coaches telling me, ‘We do not ever need you to [initiate contact],'” Tagovailoa mentioned. “Clearly, I get that, coming off of the harm and what had occurred prior with the concussion. However to me, it is soccer. You go on the market and for me, I can see the primary down in situations, and wish to do all that I can to go and get it.”

McDaniel mentioned previous to Miami’s Week 3 recreation that he understood why a participant may provoke contact throughout a run — however he would not condone it from his quarterbacks.

“I admire aggressive spirit and combating for each yard, however I do not coach quarterbacks to attempt to run over defenders,” McDaniel mentioned. “Nevertheless, you attempt to play a aggressive sport the place persons are attempting to deal with you with vigor and generally competitiveness takes over. I do not actually choose that as a lot as I attempt to have classes discovered and be capable to articulate, ‘OK nicely, what are you able to do sooner or later?’ I am not adjusting — I’ve the identical philosophy. It is nicely, on this state of affairs, possibly figuring out the yard line and operating to house or sliding.”

If he cannot be medically cleared to play, what would the Dolphins owe Tagovailoa and the way does it have an effect on the wage cap? How does that determine change if he’s cleared however chooses to retire?

Tagovailoa’s extension contains $167.1 million in assured cash, $93.1 million of which was totally assured at signing. If he’s by no means medically cleared to play, he’s entitled to your entire $167.1 million. In that occasion, the Dolphins are insured for as much as $49.3 million of Tagovailoa’s contract — though it is not identified whether or not concussions are excluded from the Dolphins’ insurance coverage coverage.

Two insurance coverage business sources without direct knowledge of Miami’s policy told ESPN they’d anticipate that concussions could be excluded from Miami’s coverage protection on Tagovailoa, primarily based on their expertise working with insurance coverage carriers.

If Tagovailoa is medically cleared to play and retires, he forfeits his proper to any of his remaining assured cash. The probably final result on this situation is Tagovailoa and the Dolphins reaching some type of good religion settlement — together with the group not attempting to recoup any portion of Tagovailoa’s $42 million signing bonus. An NFL consulting supply with out direct data of the Dolphins’ plan instructed to ESPN that if Tagovailoa have been to attend till after the season to retire, the Dolphins may advise him to take action after June 1, which might give them a cap cost of $8.4 million in 2025. The remaining $25.2 million would then depend towards the 2026 wage cap.

The “doubtless final result” if Tagovailoa have been to retire, the supply mentioned, is the Dolphins would permit him to maintain his signing bonus and presumably an extra settlement — though it could unlikely be a major quantity relative to his contract.

Neither Tagovailoa nor any of his Dolphins teammates or coaches have instructed that he plans to retire.

If he doesn’t play once more, the place would this depart the Dolphins?

Tagovailoa’s retirement would immediately disrupt the group’s timeline as a Tremendous Bowl contender. Miami is constructed to win proper now with ability gamers reminiscent of Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane all underneath group management for the following few seasons. However the supporting solid doubtless will not matter with out the fitting quarterback in place.

Thompson, Boyle and Tyler Huntley are the Dolphins’ present quarterbacks, but when Tagovailoa would not return, Miami may flip to a veteran like Ryan Tannehill, commerce for a veteran like Jimmy Garoppolo or commerce for a younger quarterback in search of a brand new state of affairs in Bryce Young.

Thompson has one yr remaining on his rookie contract, nevertheless it’s unlikely he would enter the 2025 season as Miami’s starter on this situation. If Tagovailoa doesn’t play once more this season, Miami may earn a excessive decide within the 2025 NFL draft and use that choice on a quarterback. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, Miami’s Cam Ward and Georgia’s Carson Beck are among the many high QBs out there within the 2025 draft.

Both approach, the quarterback place would have to be addressed with out Tagovailoa. Failure to take action may end in a reset of what was as soon as a promising rebuild.

If Thompson comes again from the rib harm, will he begin once more?

That is the least skilled quarterbacks room the Dolphins have rostered since Tagovailoa was drafted fifth total in 2020. When the Dolphins signed Huntley off the Ravens apply squad, McDaniel mentioned the transfer was meant so as to add depth behind Thompson.

He left the door open for a contest, nonetheless. Notably after Thompson and the Dolphins’ efficiency towards Seattle in Week 3, Huntley may see the sector quickly. McDaniel described Thompson’s rib harm as “painful” and the group was anticipated to know the complete extent Monday.

“I do suppose that it helps the dynamics of the room to offer one other man with beginning historical past to this group,” McDaniel mentioned final week after including Huntley, “and provides one other added addition of a man that is a signal-caller {that a} group can get behind. I used to be completely happy including — what we have been capable of do within the quarterback room — in including Boyle, however I feel [adding Huntley] is extra on to again up Skylar and then you definately at all times let competitors play out when it is out on the sector, however this was a depth transfer, for positive.”

Miami may additionally flip to Boyle, who has beginning expertise. He has accomplished 102 of 157 passes for 853 yards and 4 touchdowns towards 9 interceptions in 5 profession begins for the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets. He orchestrated the Dolphins’ two longest drives of the day in reduction of Thompson on Sunday.

Tagovailoa may nonetheless return for the group’s ultimate 11 regular-season video games. Even when the Dolphins are 1-5 by the point he performs once more, Miami may have an outdoor likelihood at pushing ahead into the AFC playoff image. Nevertheless, with video games towards the Packers, Jets, Texans, 49ers, Browns and Jets once more to finish the season, it could be troublesome for the Dolphins to achieve the postseason for a 3rd straight yr.