Is Benching Tua a Crazy Idea?

The Miami Dolphins could find themselves almost out of playoff contention if they lose at Buffalo on Sunday.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) throws the football against the Arizona Cardinals during the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Benching Tua Tagovailoa?

Yep, that suggestion is out there from more than one national football analyst in the aftermath of the Miami Dolphins' crushing loss against the Arizona Cardinals in Tua's return to the lineup and the looming matchup at Buffalo, after which Miami will find itself with a 2-6 record — and its playoff hopes practically gone — barring what well could become one of the greatest upset victories in franchise history.

Former NFL player Chris Canty and Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis both have suggested the idea.

Sharp wrote in his weekly NFL power rankings: "Miami's current record raises the question of whether he should be benched to look ahead to 2025."

Canty elaborated on the thought process on the ESPN radio show Unsportsmanlike.

"The Dolphins should bench Tua, and it's not because Tua didn't play well (Sunday)," Canty said Monday. "He was fine. But the risk just isn't worth the reward. Currently, the Dolphins have only an eight percent chance to make the playoffs. Now, it's more probable that he has another injury than it is that the Dolphins make the postseason. If they fell into the accidental tank, while it's not ideal, it just makes sense to lean in.

"Now, I know that Dolphins fans don't want to hear it, but why are you putting your franchise quarterback at risk? Why are you continuing to put Tua in harm's way after you guaranteed him $167 million on a contract extension? It just doesn't make any sense. I don't think the juice is worth the squeeze. You lost to the Cardinals, and I felt like that was the last gasp for your season. Now it's time to be smart and think about the future."

THE IDEA BEHIND BENCHING TUA

If the Dolphins win at Buffalo for the first time since 2016, you can disregard everything else in this column.

But if they lose, the Dolphins will be all but done in the playoffs. Two days later, the NFL trade deadline could bring a couple of deals to move veterans who don't figure in the plans for 2025. Emmanuel Ogbah and Calais Campbell are two names that immediately come to mind.

Those kinds of trades would help the Dolphins gain draft capital and bounce back in 2025 and beyond, but they would hamper the team's already long-shot efforts to make a deep run to the playoffs.

The Dolphins have committed to Tagovailoa as their quarterback for at least the next couple of years, and the last thing they need is for him to sustain another injury — let alone another concussion — while they play out the string in 2024 if indeed, that's what they're reduced to.

Maybe the extended playing time would give Skylar Thompson (or maybe even C.J. Beathard) a chance to prove — without a shadow of a doubt — that they can operate the offense and lessen the need to get an upgrade at the backup quarterback spot next offseason.

Of course, it's not as simple as that...well, because it never is.

For starters, how would sitting Tua — even if it might be in the franchise's best interests — go over with some high-profile veterans on the team? How would guys like Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey, to name two, react to that scenario?

And based on his comments from his press conference signaling his return to practice, do we really think Tua would agree to that idea?

And how would any or all of that play with an already irritated and frustrated fan base because of the unenviable "honor" of having the longest playoff victory drought in the NFL?

Or would it even matter to fans by then if the playoffs—and obviously a playoff win— are no longer on the table?

One thing is for sure: all of those scenarios are pretty unappealing.