To some, the benching of Tua Tagovailoa came as no surprise. However, it could have completely altered the trajectory of the Dolphins’ future. With seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers now at the helm, the uncertainly surrounding the Dolphins is quite apparent now.
After signing a 212.1 million dollar contract in the offseason, Tua has plainly shown he is incapable of living up to that standard. This comes as the perfect chance for Mcdaniel to both reset and also to somewhat save face after a rough start has put hm in hot water.
After all, since Week 10, Tua has statistically been one of the worst QBs in the NFL. He ranks 30th in QBR and 24th in passing yards, and his performance against the Steelers was an amalgamation of both. To top it all off, Tua leads the NFL in interceptions with 15, leaving Mcdaniel no choice to move to Ewers.
Dolphins at a Crossroads: Why the Tua Benching Signals More Than a Temporary Change
As for Tua’s future, it certainly seems bleak. Not many teams will be interested in a quarterback with a hefty history of concussions, as well as one who has 54 million dollars in guarantees the Dolphins might not be willing to cover. Ultimately, it could depend on Ewers’ performance over the next two weeks, but even then, a potential reconciliation would not make much sense, because Tua’s time in Miami seems done.
Most importantly, the Dolphins could be trapped in his contract. Tua is guaranteed 54 million dollars this year, which includes a 15 million dollar signing bonus that could be exercised between the first and third days of the league year in March. Additionally 3 million of his 31 million dollar salary for 2027 becomes guaranteed on that third day. Therefore, if he’s on the roster by that day, the Dolphins will need to pay up.
Even if they release him, they would still have to pay the 54 million and eat 99.2 million dollars id dead cap charges. A trade would mostly get them off the hook before March 13th, but the dead money charge would still be upwards of 60 million dollars.
Dolphins Turn the Page: Quinn Ewers and the Gamble on a New Direction
Another potential determining factor is not only the benching of Tua, but Mcdaniel’s own future with the team as well. After all, while he didn’t draft him, he was a huge advocate in terms of extending him this offseason. This gives Mcdaniel a chance to actually develop a brand new quarterback as well.
As for Ewers, this is huge opportunity after the disappointment surrounding his draft positioning. At one point in his career at Texas, he was once viewed as a first round prospect. However, struggles in the playoff and clutch situations could have led to his fall to the seventh round. Still, in his three year career with the Longhorns, Ewers had 68 touchdowns and just 24 interceptions in 37 career games.
His best traits stem form the touch and timing throws often found in a Steve Sarkisian offense, which the Dolphins could tap into with their abilities to scheme receivers open in space.
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