Dolphins QB Chatter and Other Notes
If proving doubters, detractors and skeptics wrong will provide extra motivation for Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the folks behind the Madden 23 player ratings have served up another major dose.
The video game's ratings for quarterbacks were released Friday, and Tagovailoa came in tied for 22nd in overall rating for the position. He was given an overall score of 75, the exact same figure as veteran Teddy Bridgewater, who was signed this offseason to serve as his backup.
As with every position, the players were evaluated on several skills, such as awareness, accuracy, throw power, agility, acceleration, speed and strength.
The only category where Tagovailoa came in the top 10 around the NFL was in the carrying rating, where he was tied for second in the NFL with a score of 69, one point behind Lamar Jackson.
Perhaps the biggest indictment of the ratings, worse than Xavien Howard being ranked only tied for 10th overall among cornerbacks, was that one of the QBs tied with Tua in carrying rating — again, only one point behind the electrifying Jackson — was former Dolphins second-round pick Chad Henne, who has never, ever, ever been known as being even remotely dynamic as a ball carrier.
So Dolphins fans, and Tua fans in particular, should remember that as they look at the accuracy ratings on short, intermediate and deep passes and fail to find Tagovailoa in the top 10 in any of them.
So while there are many more significant reasons for the Dolphins and their fans for Tagovailoa to take a major step in 2022, you can add getting better Madden ratings for next year.
THE DOLPHINS AND THE JIMMY G ODDS
In light of a report by Heavy.com quoting an anonymous NFC executive pointing to the Dolphins as a potential trading partner with the 49ers for the services of QB Jimmy Garoppolo, we suggested in our analysis of the whole situation that it was unlikely that trade would be consummated.
At least one oddsmaker thinks the Dolphins aren't even in the picture when it comes to making a move for Jimmy G.
Per BetOnline, the Dolphins were not among the eight teams around the NFL given odds of acquiring Garoppolo now that his agent has been given official permission to seek a trade.
The favorites listed were the Cleveland Browns at 9/4, followed by the New York Giants at 7/2, the Seattle Seahawks at 7/2, the Houston Texans at 4/1, Detroit Lions at 5/1, Chicago Bears at 12/1, New York Jets at 20/1 and New Orleans Saints at 20/1.
FORMER DOLPHINS NEWS
-- The Browns, of course, would be interested in Jimmy G. only because of the looming suspension for offseason acquisition Deshaun Watson, with the idea he'd be a better alternative than former Dolphins backup Jacoby Brissett. What wouldn't have any impact on the possibility of acquiring Garoppolo is the recent signing of another former Dolphins QB Josh Rosen. The 2018 10th overall pick will be on his fourth team since the Dolphins released him less than two years ago. The best-case scenario for Rosen in Cleveland would appear to be serving as Brissett's backup until Watson is done with his NFL suspension.
-- The Dolphins now will have two recent members of the organization serving as NFL analysts this fall. After Ryan Fitzpatrick was hired by Amazon for its Thursday night broadcasts, former defensive back Jason McCourty was hired to appear on Good Morning Football on NFL Network. McCourty recently announced his retirement after playing for the Dolphins in 2021.
-- Malcolm Perry, the 11th and final Dolphins pick in the 2020 NFL draft, is done with the NFL. The New England Patriots placed him on the reserve/retired list Friday, with a report saying he would return to serve in the Navy, where he starred as a multi-dimensional quarterback. Perry appeared in nine games with two starts as a wide receiver for the Dolphins in 2020, but didn't play last year for the Patriots after they claimed him off waivers from Miami.
