Dolphins Camp Preview: Quarterbacks
The Miami Dolphins made a lot of changes this offseason hoping to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and win a playoff game for the first time since 2000.
The team hired former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel as its head coach, acquired highly touted offensive players like tackle Terron Armstead and Tyreek Hill, and kept its entire 2021 starting defense together.
As we head into training camp, we’ve decided to break down each positional group on the roster by giving an outlook for each player, awarding superlatives, and analyzing key questions.
We start with the quarterbacks.
DOLPHINS QUARTERBACK OUTLOOKS
Tua Tagovailoa
2021 Stats: 67.8 completion percentage, 2,653 passing yards, 16 passing TDs, 3 rushing TDs, 10 INTs, 9 fumbles
2022 Outlook: Tagovailoa is likely entering a “do or die” season in 2022 as Miami’s starting quarterback. He won’t have to fend anyone off during training camp, but the Dolphins have the assets to make a change at the quarterback position in 2023 if needed.
Tagovailoa will have the benefit of playing behind an improved offensive line with the team signing Terron Armstead and former Dallas Cowboys guard Connor Williams in free agency. He also will have a bevy of new offensive weapons, including receivers Tyreek Hill and Cedrick Wilson Jr. and running backs Chase Edmonds, Raheem Mostert and Sony Michel.
Regardless, Tagovailoa will have to be more dynamic in 2022 if he wants to leave no doubt in Miami’s mind he’s the team’s franchise quarterback.
Teddy Bridgewater
2021 Stats (Denver): 66.9 completion percentage, 3052 passing yards, 18 passing TDs, 2 rushing TDs, 7 INTs, 1 fumble
2022 Outlook: Bridgewater comes to Miami after starting 14 games for the Denver Broncos last season and leading them to a 7-7 record. He isn’t competing with Tagovailoa for the team’s starting quarterback spot, but with Tagovailoa’s injury history, there’s a chance he’ll get to play this season.
Ideally, Bridgewater won’t play in 2022, but if he does, the Dolphins are hoping he can give them better play than last year’s backup, Jacoby Brissett, who went 2-3 as Miami’s starter in 2021.
Skylar Thompson
2021 College Stats (Kansas State): 69.5 completion percentage, 2103 passing yards, 12 passing TDs, 4 rushing TDs, 4 INTs
2022 Outlook: Thompson was one of two picks the Dolphins made in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL draft. While Miami’s top two quarterback spots are solidified, Thompson isn’t guaranteed a spot on the 53-man roster.
Although there currently is no other quarterback on the roster to compete with Thompson, he’ll have to play well enough during the preseason and training camp to convince Miami’s decision-makers to use a 53-man roster spot on him. The more likely scenario is Thompson sticks around on the team’s practice squad.
KEY DOLPHINS QUESTIONS AT QB
Can Tagovailoa become a more consistent downfield passer?
Tagovailoa’s arm strength has been a contentious topic since he entered the league, and Miami’s offense has been built around the short passing game since he took over the starting job. Last season, Tagovailoa ranked 24th out of 33 passers in yards per attempt and adjusted yards per attempt. In a league increasingly relying on explosive passing plays, Tagovailoa will have to boost those numbers this season.
The acquisition of Armstead and Williams for the offensive line should allow Tagovailoa more time to throw down the field and someone like Hill should create more separation on deep passes, making Tagovailoa’s life easier.
Bottom line, there is no excuse for Tagovailoa to not improve in this area in 2022.
How will Tagavailoa’s style mix with head coach Mike McDaniel’s offense?
With a new head coach comes a new offense and new play-callers. It will be the third straight season that Tagovailoa will have a new voice in his ear.
McDaniel’s offense with the 49ers was an outside-zone system that used a lot of play-action, condensed formations, and asked quarterbacks to use the middle of the field.
Miami’s offense from last season had some key differences, including rarely asking its quarterback to attack the middle of the field, and the running game focused on inside zone concepts.
One key similarity is the high usage of play-action concepts. Tagovailoa finished 11th in the NFL in non-RPO play-action dropbacks last season, which will serve him well while playing in McDaniel’s scheme.
How Tagovailoa adapts his style to McDaniel’s offense and how McDaniel blends Tagovailoa’s strengths as an RPO thrower with his play-action experience will be a key storyline to follow this season.
Can Tagovailoa improve his ball security this season?
Tagovailoa had a surprising amount of problems with ball security last season. Despite starting in just three more games than he did in 2020, Tagovailoa’s interceptions doubled from five to 10 last season.
His touchdown to INT ratio ranked 25th in the NFL, putting him behind Bridgewater and just ahead of Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Additionally, he fumbled the ball nine times, which was tied for sixth-most in the NFL last season among qualified passers. Although all but one was recovered by the offense and didn’t result in a turnover, fumbles are still a negative play that frequently puts offenses behind the sticks.
Tagovailoa fumbled just once in 2020, so there is some evidence to suggest 2021 is an outlier in this area. If it’s not, and Tagovailoa puts the ball on the ground this frequently again, there’s a chance more of them will become actual turnovers in 2022.
