The future is a bit blurry for Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in Miami, despite the club using the No. 5 overall pick in last year's draft to bring the Alabama product to South Beach. The main reason why the southpaw QB's standing within the organization isn't exactly cemented brings us to Houston. Texans Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson has requested a trade and Miami has been one of the most talked about landing spots after reports pointed to the Dolphins being one of Watson's preferred destinations.
During an appearance on the "Dan Patrick Show" on Monday, Tagovailoa was asked about his future with the Dolphins and whether or not he'd still be with Miami come August. His answer will hardly help clear the smoke that seems to be hovering around what could be the biggest blockbuster of the offseason.
"Honestly, I'm not too sure," said Tagovailoa. "I can't control things that I can't control. What I can do is continue to work hard."
While that latter point is true -- Tagovailoa's fate is truly out of his hands -- the fact that he is unsure about where he'll be playing football in 2021 does leave one wondering if this is where Watson could ultimately end up.
In a vacuum, you typically don't move off of a quarterback with the draft pedigree and potential that Tagovailoa has. That said, Watson is a much more proven commodity and seems to have a much higher ceiling than Tagovailoa after the 25-year-old just led the league in passing in 2020. Meanwhile, Tagovailoa's rookie season didn't instill much confidence in his prospects moving forward. Brian Flores routinely subbed him out for veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick whenever the game needed to be won late and it appears as if they were limiting/protecting Tagovailoa by calling short throws over the middle and high-percentage screen passes throughout his starts.
Judging by the 10-6 record, it's evident that Miami's roster is ready to make a strong push toward a playoff berth, despite missing the postseason this year. Adding the likes of Watson could elevate the Dolphins as a legit challenger to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East. If the Dolphins believe that going in that direction gives them the best chance to win in the immediate and long-term future, that could spell the end of Tagovailoa's short time in Miami.
Along with Tagovailoa, the Dolphins have arguably the best assets to ship to the Texans in exchange for Watson. They could package the young quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick (via Houston) in the 2021 draft, along with their own first-rounder (No. 18 overall), to get the deal done. When comparing draft capital, only the New York Jets could put together a more competitive package. If the Texans feel like Tagovailoa could be their franchise centerpiece going forward, it could be the key to getting a potential deal of this magnitude off the ground.
