Will the Miami Dolphins trade Tua Tagovailoa? The NFL trade deadline has passed, which means a deal can’t happen until the offseason.
Josh Katzker of the Dolphins Talk podcast said the Minnesota Vikings should acquire the Pro Bowl quarterback:
“And if Tua Tagovailoa can stay healthy, I think you call the Vikings and you’re like we got this guy. I mean we’re paying most of his salary. Take him off our hands and go try to win something because he’s going to be better than what you got with J.J. McCarthy right now.”
It has been a miserable season for the Dolphins. The team owns a 5-7 record and it would take a miracle for them to make the playoffs.
Perhaps it’s time for the Dolphins and Tua to go their separate ways. Maybe he needs a change of scenery.
Analyst Suggests the Vikings Should Trade for Tua Tagovailoa
Looking Back at His Career
Tua Tagovailoa played high school football at Saint Louis School in Honolulu, Hawaii. After receiving 17 college offers, he chose to play for the University of Alabama.
During his freshman year, Tagovailoa backed up current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Later that season, Tagovailoa replaced Hurts (due to ineffective play) in the National Championship Game. Tagovailoa wound up throwing the game-winning 41-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith. Alabama defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 26-23 in overtime.
Tagovailoa finished the contest 14-of-24 for 166 passing yards and three touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named the game’s Offensive MVP.
As a sophomore, Tagovailoa won the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards. He also led the Crimson Tide to an appearance in the 2019 National Championship Game.
Tagovailoa later skipped his senior year and entered the 2020 NFL Draft. The Dolphins selected him with the fifth overall pick. Playing 10 games as a rookie (nine starts), he passed for 1,814 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Tagovailoa led the NFL in passer rating (105.5) during the 2022 season. That was also the year that he suffered multiple concussions, including one against the Cincinnati Bengals, that resulted in a fencing response.
2023 was the best season of Tagovailoa’s career. Named to the Pro Bowl, he led the league in passing yards (4,624) and powered the Dolphins to the playoffs.
Should the Vikings Trade for Him?
The Vikings were hoping to build around J.J. McCarthy, the team’s first-round pick in 2024. However, he hasn’t emerged as their franchise quarterback just yet. Minnesota could chose to give up on him.
This season, McCarthy returned from an injury that wiped out his rookie year. The former Michigan star has been erratic and suffered another injury. Undrafted rookie Max Brosmer took his place in Week 13, losing to the Seattle Seahawks.
McCarthy has made six starts this season. Entering Week 13, he ranked last in the NFL in QBR (24.8), completion percentage (54.1) and touchdown/interception ratio (0.6). Yeah, that’s not good.
With that said, should the Vikings trade for Tagovailoa this offseason? Again, a change of scenery could be great for him. Just look at Sam Darnold, who revived his career in Minnesota last year. Darnold is now in Seattle and is having another good season.
Tagovailoa has shown flashes of being a superstar quarterback. But due to his injury history, it wouldn’t be wise for the Vikings to acquire him. Tagovailoa has had multiple concussions and has been frequently injured since college. Plus, he possesses a huge contract ($54 million guaranteed for 2026).
It’s unclear what the Vikings would have to give up in a trade. They need to find a franchise quarterback, but going the Tua route just doesn’t make sense.
Main Image: Sam Navarro – Imagn Images
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