The Miami Dolphins appear to be aiming for a long-term deal with their quarterback, but recent updates suggest challenges ahead. Here’s what Omar Kelly and Jeff Darlington have said about the situation between the Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa:
“Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald echoed ESPN’s Jeff Darlington’s report on Tuesday’s episode of NFL Live, stating that the Dolphins “are firm in their stance that they will not pay” Tagovailoa “a Goff-esque contract rate.” The Lions signed Jared Goff to a four-year, $212 million extension, averaging $53 million annually.
Darlington mentioned that Tagovailoa emphasized “the market is the market,” but this was before Trevor Lawrence signed a massive five-year, $275 million extension, tying him with Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow for the highest annual salary in the league at $55 million. While the Dolphins had some flexibility after Goff’s deal, Lawrence’s contract set a new standard that Tagovailoa is now considering.
Darlington added, “Currently, the Dolphins are not offering a contract that matches the market value set by those other deals.” He noted that while negotiations haven’t reached a critical point, there’s a clear divide because Miami’s offer is “not in the Jared Goff and Trevor Lawrence ballpark.”
– Kelly, Darlington, Doric Sam
The final point is that the Dolphins aren’t offering a deal in the range of Jared Goff or Trevor Lawrence. Goff signed for $53 million per year, and Lawrence got $55 million per year. This suggests the Dolphins’ current offer to Tagovailoa is likely under $50 million per year.
Tagovailoa, who has had a winning record each year of his NFL career and is a prolific passer, could have been signed for less if a deal had been reached earlier in the offseason. However, with Goff and Lawrence both securing over $50 million annually, the Dolphins might now be looking at paying close to $60 million per year for their QB. This situation could be another instance of an NFL team mishandling contract negotiations with their quarterback.
Despite the booming QB market, some teams continue to struggle with their own contract situations.
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