Dolphins taking hard stance in Tua Tagovailoa contract negotiations?

Sep 11, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) watches prior throwing the football during the first quarter against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Tua Tagovailoa is looking to become the next quarterback to capitalize on a market that is rapidly becoming more expensive, but it sounds like contract talks between the Miami Dolphins and his representatives are not going all that well.

Tagovailoa is set to make $23.1 million in the final year of his rookie contract this season. When asked earlier this month about what he feels he is worth, the former Alabama star stated very clearly that he has kept a close eye on what his peers are getting paid.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, the Dolphins have not yet shown a willingness to match some of the huge quarterback contracts that have been given out this offseason.

“The complicated part of this is the Dolphins could point at that Jared Goff deal and say we’re not the Detroit Lions, we’re not making that decision,” Darlington said Tuesday. “But when Trevor Lawrence then leap-frogs it, you’ve got a situation. Right now, the Dolphins are not offering a contract that is the market value based on those other deals that were done. … Based on my conversations, they are not in the Jared Goff and Trevor Lawrence ballpark.”

So on @ESPNNFLLIVE @JeffDarlington seemed a little pessimistic that the Tua deal will get done at “market price.”

I’ve long said #Dolphins are dug into their position that they will not pay Tua a Goff-esque contract rate. pic.twitter.com/yo6bqCVmif

— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) June 25, 2024

Goff signed a 4-year, $211 million extension with the Lions in May. His $53 million average annual salary briefly made him the second-highest paid quarterback in the NFL behind Joe Burrow, but Lawrence took that spot earlier this month. The 5-year, $275 million deal Lawrence signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars has an average annual value of $55 million, which is the same as Burrow’s contract.

If the Dolphins are offering anything below $50 million per year, Tagovailoa is almost certainly not going to accept. There are now six quarterbacks who make that much. Tagovailoa has played at an MVP level under Mike McDaniel and finally stayed healthy last year, so he probably feels he is in a great position to cash in on the market.

Tagovailoa is not the only Dolphins star who wants a new deal, but he is probably the most likely to get one before the season begins. It just may take longer than expected to get there.