Dolphins Trade For Bradley Chubb Speaks To How They Feel About Tua Tagovailoa
The Miami Dolphins trading for prized edge rusher Bradley Chubb has tons of significance and we're bound to see in the months. But the greatest significance of this trade may be what it says about quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
The Dolphins are soon expected to begin negotiating (if it hasn't already begun) with Chubb on a long term contract that will pay well north of $110 million and could reach as high as $30 million per season on average, if the player gets his asking price.
The NFL's current highest-paid edge rusher on an annual average basis is Pittsburgh Steelers end T.J. Watt, who averages $28 million per season, according to overthecap.
But that, believe it or not, is not the most staggering implication from this trade.
Miami Dolphins for Bradley Chubb has significant meaning for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Dolphins Chubb Trade Affects Tua Tagovailoa
The Dolphins are now fully committed to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa beyond this year and for the foreseeable future.
That's obvious based on the fact the Dolphins traded their remaining 2023 first-round pick (along with other resources) to the Broncos and are about to commit serious cap space to signing Chubb.
If the Dolphins want to find a Tagovailoa replacement now they just made it very difficult on themselves.
Consider that the 2021 season ended with significant questions about Tagovailoa's future in Miami. When new coach Mike McDaniel was hired and GM Chris Grier added talent, including premier wide receiver Tyreek Hill, the narrative about Tagovailoa remained.
The narrative was Tagovailoa has talent around him this season, so he has to produce or he's out.
The reason this was legitimate is because the Dolphins had two first-round picks at the ready for the '23 draft. And they could use that to find a replacement for Tagovailoa if he didn't perform.
And, granted, the club forfeited one of those picks when the NFL sanctioned ownership and the franchise after the tampering and tanking investigation.
That left Miami with one first-round pick in next April's draft.
Well, that pick is gone to the Broncos now.
So it's Tua or bust for the Dolphins now.
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, general manager Chris Grier and club owner Stephen Ross are obviously sold on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for the foreseeable future. (David Santiago/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Reasons Team Sold On Tua Tagovailoa
And the club is fine with that. The Dolphins are comfortable making this deal because they're sold on Tagovailoa as their QB of the present and the future.
Tagovailoa has done nothing to betray that confidence.
Quite the opposite.
He leads the NFL with a 112.7 passer rating.
Tagovailoa has 12 TD passes which ties him for seventh in the NFL -- with Jared Goff and Justin Herbert, played one extra game.
And Tagovailoa has been careful with the football, throwing only 3 interceptions in his six starts.
The Dolphins are undefeated in the five games Tagovailoa has started and finished. He started in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals but was forced out of the game with a concussion.
That, really, is the only major question anyone can have remaining about Tagovailoa at this point. (It might change later on but the Dolphins don't have the benefit of knowing the future).
Tagovailoa's durability has been a question mark. And, indeed, the two games he missed with the concussion after leaving the Cincinnati game, add to those questions.
But when he's healthy Tagovailoa has erased the questions whether he can prosper in the offense. He and McDaniel have bonded and the results have translated onto the field.
He has combined with receivers Hill and Jaylen Waddle to make up one of the NFL's most proficient QB-WRs trio. Hill leads the NFL with 961 receiving yards and Waddle is fourth with 727.
All of that made it possible for the Dolphins to go trade for Chubb. All of it ties together for a team that believes it has the right quarterback to succeed into the future.