McDaniel Expecting Tua in Offseason

Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa is scheduled to play on his fifth-year option in 2024 unless he signs a long-term extension

Nothing has changed in terms of the expectation of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa landing a lucrative long-term contract extension, but nothing has materialized yet and the start of the offseason program is now only three weeks away.

And the offseason program, except for a three-day June minicamp, is voluntary. It's the perfect time for a player with an unresolved or unsatisfactory contract situation to make a statement by not showing up.

We saw it happen last year with center Connor Williams, and in retrospect he was right to push for a contract extension that would have given him additional security in light of his significant knee injury sustained in mid-December. We also saw it with cornerback Xavien Howard in years past.

So it's fair to wonder whether Tagovailoa might choose to go the same route, a situation that would be more problematic for the Dolphins given he's the starting quarterback.

DOLPHINS CONFIDENT TUA WILL BE AT OFFSEASON PROGRAM

But GM Chris Grier said at the scouting combine in Indianapolis last month he did not anticipate Tua skipping the offseason program, scheduled to start April 15, and head coach Mike McDaniel said the same thing at the owners meetings in Orlando on Monday nmoring.

“With intentionality, I try to keep myself as head of coaching,” McDaniel said, per Adam Beasley of Pro Football Network. “Contracts and contract negotiations, those things take time. You know, I do expect Tua to be in OTAs, only because, you know, my working relationship with Tua. “And for two years I’ve watched Tua gain some unbelievable residuals towards the season in that process. It’s part of the reason Tua is who he is, because he’s always learning, never staying the same and always working on his craft.

And I know the one thing that he likes to do now in his life besides be a kick-ass dad to [his two children] is play football with his teammates. So that’s what I expect. I don’t put too much thought beyond that. I understand the business, but I also understand my job with Tua is to make sure that his football is continuing to evolve and the best days are in front of them, which are both of our goals.”

At the combine in Indianapolis, Grier said getting a contract extension done for Tua, who is scheduled to make $23.2 million on his fifth-year option and whose market value Spotrac projects at $50.4 million annually, would not be easy and make take some time.

But Grier also didn't think staying away from the offseason program was something that Tua would decide to do.

“I think everyone, if we can do something, would like it done before the season," Grier said. "But you’ve seen over the last few years, some of these other big deals that have been done have gone all the way into training camp, because they are complicated deals to put together with the money and stuff people are talking about. I think Tua is a professional, I think he loves his teammates, he loves Mike, but again, players have the right to do whatever they do at that point in the spring. We anticipate him being here and being around as we work through it, and like I said, we’ll stay in communication with his agent.”