The debate surrounding Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been ongoing since before Miami even made him the fifth-overall pick out of Alabama in 2020. Does he have a strong enough arm? Can he stay healthy? Is he tall enough?
Even after he led the league in passer rating in 2022, passing yards in 2023 (earning a Pro Bowl selection), and completion percentage in 2024, the questions continue to swirl. Can he take over a game? Can he win in the cold?
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Some Dolphins fans love Tagovailoa and see him as the best quarterback since Dan Marino for the team. Some Dolphins fans want to move on from him, worrying that injuries could continue to derail Miami’s seasons as long as Tagovailoa is the starter. The ceiling for Tagovailoa, according to the fans, seems to be a quarterback just below the elite of the game. The floor seems to be an average or above average quarterback who can win, but needs help around him.
Then there are the quarterback rankings released this week by the Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer. Is Tagovailoa among the top quarterbacks in the league, according to Iyer? No.
Is he in the middle of the pack? Again, no.
Iyer ranked Tagovailoa 28th out of 32 quarterbacks.
There are only four projected starting quarterbacks in the league who are worse than Tagovailoa, according to Iyer.
Explaining the ranking, Iyer writes:
“Tagovailoa has gone from one of the best YPA passers in generating big plays from his receivers to a compressed offense with concerns about his durability. It’s not helping him that there’s still little in Miami after Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and the creative edge is gone in Mike McDaniel’s passing game.“
Having one of the top two wide receiver duos in the league is a problem? De’Von Achane is apparently not a factor in Miami’s offense, according to Iyer’s analysis. McDaniel cannot evolve and learn from last year’s struggles – ignore the first two years and only focus on last year when injuries caused issues throughout the season.
It is all on the 28th ranked quarterback in the league.
That is completely a joke of a rating. Drake Maye, the New England Patriots quarterback who somehow earned a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie last season with 2,276 passing yards and a 6.7 yards per attempt average in route to a 3-9 record as a starter, is ranked 10 spots ahead of Tagovailoa.
Iyer hated on Tagovailoa’s 7.2 yards per attempt average in 2024. Maye was clearly the better passer with his 6.7 yards per attempt.
Make it make sense.
Bo Nix, with the Denver Broncos, threw for 3,775 yards in 2024 nearly a 1,000 yards more than Tagovailoa. Nix did that in 17 games, averaging 222.1 yards per game. Tagovailoa averaged 260.6 passing yards per game. He was limited to 11 games played due to injuries, so Iyer’s concerns about Tagovailoa’s durability are valid, but does it make a 16-position difference? Nix is 12th while Tagovailoa’s 28th?
And, based on the yards per attempt average, Nix averaged 6.7 yards. Again, Tagovailoa was 7.2. “Compressed offense” in Miami, though.
What about Caleb Williams, the Bears quarterback who was ranked 11th by Iyer? He finished 2024 with a 208.3 yards per game average and a 6.3 yards per attempt average. But Tagovailoa is 17 spots back.
Trevor Lawrence, the prototypical big-bodied, big-armed quarterback who went number one overall the year after Tagovaloa was drafted, has not turned into the dominant quarterback the Jacksonville Jaguars had hoped he would be. He tied Tagovailoa with a 7.2 yards per attempt average last year, throwing well below Tagovailoa’s per game average with just 204.5 yards per game – and he was limited to 10 games played. He ranked 17th. Tagovailoa ranked 28th.
Of Lawrence’s ranking, Iyer wrote, “Lawrence, much like Johnson going from Goff to Williams, is hoping that new Jaguars’ coach Liam Coen can provide the same impact that Mayfield enjoyed as a fellow No. 1 overall pick last season. There are still some doubts about Lawrence’s ceiling, but the first goal is to raise the floor with Travis Hunter flanking Brian Thomas Jr.”
Doubts about his ceiling, but first they have to raise his floor. But, well ahead of Tagovailoa.
Make it make sense.
You can argue where on this list Tagovailoa should land – but I will say he should be nowhere near 28th on this list.