Kelly: Four Areas of Improvement Dolphins Need from Tua
It perplexes my mind that some folks think Tua Tagovailoa has been topped off, reached his ceiling.
There's no room for improvement from this 25-year-old quarterback?
There are no areas of growth that he can make from 2023 to 2033, if his injury-prone body that held up for an entire season plays another decade?
Clearly, Tagovailoa's naysayers, non-believers, the disbelievers fueled by Miami's final three losses of 2023 haven't noticed the improvements he's made the past two seasons, leading the NFL in passer rating in 2022, and then becoming the NFL's top passing yardage producer while orchestrating the NFL's top-ranked offense in 2023.
Nor have they paid attention to the growth he's shown as a quarterback since his Elite 11 days as a Hawaii standout, an undersized quarterback who would then go on to become a college legend at the University of Alabama.
Tagovailoa's worth ethic is sensational, which is why people like his mentor Trent Dilfer, collegiate coach Nick Saban, and Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel have all fallen in love with him, and shower him with constant praise.
But growth? Improvement? Maturation?
I guess he's tapped out, unlike Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, Kyler Murray, Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts, his quarterback peers, quarterbacks who have all been given their mega deal before taking their team to the mountaintop of winning a Super Bowl.
Sometimes you have to wonder why the rules are different for Tagovailoa than they are for others.
But Tagovailoa will continue running his race.
Tagovailoa has won all four seasons he's been an NFL starter, and his game began to blossom under McDaniel's tutelage the past two years, but this perception that he's maxed out and won't improve is quiet perplexing, if not offensive.
Tagovailoa is entering his fifth season as a starter this spring. What quarterback was a finished product in season five?
Tagovailoa still hasn't reached his prime, and he knows that.
The game will continue to slow down for him. He finally got comfortable in the offense last season, which happens to be his first year since high school in the same offensive system, and he should take another step forward as the offense continues to be custom built for him, especially if the offensive line improves, and weaponry gets added.
He might not be on Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson level at this exact moment, but that doesn't mean Tagovailoa can't reach it if he makes a few alterations.
Contract extension or not, there are still areas of improvement the Dolphins need to get from Tagovailoa in order for this franchise to take the next step.
He mentioned he'll be working on four things this offseason, but wouldn't reveal what they were, for obvious reasons.
Here's my estimation of what those areas of improvement could be.
Creating more off-script plays
When the pocket is compromised and plays begin to break down, Tagovailoa needs to be able to create off-script. He must begin to use his legs and pocket presence to buy time, potentially finding his targets downfield on broken plays. It's in his arsenal, and often results in downfield passes to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but the way injuries impacted Miami's offensive line and weaponry at the end of the season, it wasn't very evident in Miami's troubling December and January stretch. Miami needs to do a better job of working in panic plays.
Utilizing his mobility more
Tagovailoa spent so much time and effort building up his body to withstand the beating that comes with playing quarterback in the NFL, it's clear he's past 230 pounds. He's THICK. Thicker than a Snickers bar, and that needs to change if he's going to become more fleet-footed, scrambling for a first down or two every week. A more athletic Tagovailoa would also open up more play action and rollout plays, which would create an added dimension to the offense.
Become less reliant on Tyreek
As dynamic as Hill is — and he's the best weapon in the NFL right now — the Dolphins offense would be more dangerous if it were diversified a bit. Not only should Jaylen Waddle be more involved in Miami's offense, but it would benefit the Dolphins to find a physical slot receiver like Jarvis Landry (in his prime), someone who could make himself a first-down converter on check-down passes. Miami also would benefit from targeting the tight end and fullback more in the passing game, and sometimes that's on Tagovailoa because he has the autonomy to make certain players a priority in the offense.
Turning up the volume on leadership
Tagovailoa has the respect of the entire locker room, and is viewed as the team's leader. He has a presence about him that commands respect, but he isn't feared. He's loved, but sometimes the Dolphins need an alpha male. Dan Marino was an alpha male. His teammates feared disappointing him, and that fear drove them. That's the next level of leadership that Tagovailoa needs to reach, and it starts with holding everyone accountable to him.
