Giants' Strong Stance on QBs Complete Opposite of the One From Dolphins
Now, that's how you shut down any sort of quarterback controversy.
During their press conference to introduce Joe Schoen as their new general manager, the New York Giants made it very clear that 2019 first-round pick Daniel Jones will remain their starting quarterback and that they will not pursue a trade for Deshaun Watson.
It truly was quite the contrast from what Dolphins owner Stephen Ross did Jan. 10 when he spoke via Zoom to discuss the firing of head coach Brian Flores.
ROSS' PRESS CONFERENCE
If ever Ross wanted to make a definitive statement that Tua Tagovailoa was the unquestioned starting quarterback for the Dolphins in 2022 or to slam shut the door on a potential Watson trade, this was the perfect occasion to do so.
But Ross didn't do that, and instead what we got were later reports from national media outlets, citing sources, that Ross and GM Chris Grier fully believed in Tua and wanted their new coach to work with him to help him continue to develop.
It's certainly fair to ask that if the sources leaking that information were connected with the team, then why didn't Ross simply fully endorse Tua at his Zoom media session?
" I have a lot of confidence in Tua and I think the next head coach will work with him, or whoever else, but I have a lot of confidence in him," is what Ross said Jan. 10. "I have watched him grow. I think he’s a fine young man and he is right now the quarterback and that will be dependent upon the new head coach but I have a lot of confidence in Tua.”
REVISITING THE 2021 TUA-RELATED STATEMENT
"He is right now the quarterback" was pretty much the same thing Grier said a year ago when he was asked about Tua following the 2020 season, and then came the flirtation with the idea of pulling off a trade for Watson.
So, no, we shouldn't entirely rule out the possibility of the Dolphins again entertaining the idea of making that trade.
And it says here the Dolphins absolutely should revisit the idea of trading for Watson this offseason, provided his legal situation is settled and there's clarity as to his playing status.
And this is where there's a big difference between the Giants and Dolphins when it comes to pursuing Watson, and it was a reason mentioned by Giants owner John Mara: the Giants are a bad cap situation.
The Dolphins have the most cap space heading into 2022 of any team in the league, in excess of $70 million, according to overthecap.com.
CAN TAGOVAILOA AND JONES BECOME FRANCHISE QUARTERBACKS?
When it comes to the current quarterbacks, Jones and Tagovailoa have similarities in that both were picked around the same spot (sixth and fifth, respectively), and there are clear questions as to whether either can become an elite NFL quarterback.
And, yes, the goal should be for every franchise to get a franchise quarterback.
Yes, the 49ers are in the NFC Championship Game this weekend and went to the Super Bowl two seasons ago with Jimmy Garoppolo, but understand that there always will be exceptions and the margin for error increases dramatically with a franchise quarterback.
Do we think it's a coincidence that Patrick Mahomes is going to be playing in the AFC title game for the fourth time in four years as a starter? That the Packers won 13 games each of the past three years with Aaron Rodgers, though the postseason success hasn't been there?
And in the Dolphins' position, they saw just like everybody else the ridiculous show put on by Mahomes and Josh Allen on Sunday night and know they'll have to deal with them for, say, the next 10 years.
And if that's not enough, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert also look like franchise quarterbacks already, so it's going to be tough to make a lot of noise in the AFC without being able to stop (good luck) or match (or come close) to what those guys will produce — and before the cries of, oh yeah, the Chargers didn't even make the playoffs this season, understand that it was a fluke and that Herbert will be a regular in the postseason barring unforeseen circumstances.
WHERE TAGOVAILOA STANDS
While there have been factors at play against him, Tua simply hasn't shown that kind of elite NFL potential at this time and it's fair to wonder whether it'll ever happen.
Tagovailoa should take another step forward in 2022, but how big a step are we thinking after he finished this past season 19th in the NFL in passer rating, including a paltry 75.4 over the final four games.
The Dolphins absolutely should not dump Tagovailoa for no reason after just two seasons and they shouldn't bring in a veteran quarterback to replace him if that quarterback doesn't represent a clear upgrade.
But if they get the chance to swing a mega deal for a star, whether it be Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson or, yes, Watson, they absolutely should do it.
And this is where Ross played it right at his press conference. He backed Tua while also not shutting the door on other possibilities.
That's how the Dolphins quarterback situation should be viewed.
