Reporter gives notable update on contract talks between Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins
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 has not yet gotten the contract extension he is seeking from the Miami Dolphins, but the two sides might be moving in the right direction.
ESPN’s Jeff Darlington said on “SportsCenter” Monday that Tagovailoa’s representatives remain in ongoing negotiations with the Dolphins. Though a deal may not be close, the discussions have reportedly been “amicable.”
“While I can’t say that there is anything imminent in terms of a deal as we inch closer to training camp, I can at least tell you that there have been active negotiations since then,” Darlington said, via Jack Murray of Bleacher Report. “They continue to try to get this done with a very amicable approach. It does not appear that this is going sideways by any means.”
The market for a top quarterback has very clearly been set this offseason. Jared Goff signed a 4-year, $211 million extension with the Detroit Lions in May. His $53 million average annual salary briefly made him the second-highest paid quarterback in the NFL behind Joe Burrow, but Trevor Lawrence took that spot last 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.
Tagovailoa has openly indicated that he is seeking a similar contract. A previous report claimed the Dolphins are not willing to go that high, but perhaps they are inching in that direction.
When healthy, Tagovailoa has played at an MVP level under Mike McDaniel. He led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards last season. There is little chance Tagovailoa is going to accept less than $50 million given the status of the QB market.
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