Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa must have been nervously looking at his clock as the 4 p.m. trade deadline approached.
It’s no secret that his team was conducting trade talks to bring Deshaun Watson to Miami.
But no deal materialized on or before the ultimatum, giving Tagovailoa a sigh of relief.
It all ends tomorrow.
Who do you want your QB to be at 4:01 #FinsUp
RT for Tua
Like for Watson pic.twitter.com/1JvKQ31ylg— Smoke (@NickysBets) November 2, 2021
The starting role for the embattled Dolphins was his barring any injury or poor play.
However, the good times might not last because the two teams can re-engage in trade talks during the 2022 offseason.
Therefore, the second-year player from Alabama must use the remaining months to display significant improvements to his game.
Nine Games, Nine Lives For Tua
Forget about the first eight games of the season because of all the uncertainty revolving around the Dolphins’ depth chart under center.
After all, he missed three games after suffering a rib injury in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills.
Contrary to popular belief, Tagovailoa had decent performances from Weeks 6 to 8.
The Hawaii native had 825 passing yards and six touchdowns throughout that stretch while completing 68 percent of his passes.
"People used to tell me I was terrible, too!" Josh Allen to Tua Tagovailoa, probably #Bills #NFL pic.twitter.com/WD1SkM8Awb
— Ted Goldberg (@TedGoldbergTV) October 31, 2021
He had an 80 percent completion rate against the Atlanta Falcons and 70 percent versus the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
Sadly, he also threw four interceptions during those outings and lost all three games.
Tagovailoa has a chance to bounce back in the second half of the season and repay the confidence that head coach Brian Flores had for him.
In the next nine games, he must manifest continuous developments in his game, especially in decision-making.
Tua Tagovailoa since returning from injury:
🐬 89.0 PFF Grade (4th)
🐬 620 passing yards (3rd)
🐬 74.7% completion percentage (3rd) pic.twitter.com/vrL9bWIX1y— PFF (@PFF) October 27, 2021
He gets a new opportunity to build upon his mental toughness because his mechanics are already there.
The assessment about him will change for the better if he can lead the Dolphins to a winning record over their final nine games.
Yes, there’s a lot of concerns on their roster, particularly on the offensive line.
But great quarterbacks deliver even when they have disadvantages around the field.
WHAT was the point of allowing these trade rumors to fester for this long? The Dolphins completely shattered any confidence in Tua and have nothing to show for it. We have NO answers on the investigation and it could take years. There was no way to rush this.
— Joy Taylor (@JoyTaylorTalks) November 2, 2021
Likewise, Tagovailoa must manifest confidence in throwing through tight windows.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t proven that he can give the Dolphins a fighting chance every game.
If he was the franchise quarterback the Dolphins thought to be, he would find a way to march the offense downfield despite their handicaps.
Do It For Himself
Even if Tagovailoa shows massive upside throughout their remaining schedule, the confidence from the front office in him remains flimsy.
Otherwise, why are the Dolphins allegedly willing to part ways with three first-round draft picks if he is their guy moving forward?
Worse, Miami can re-open negotiations for Watson once the new NFL year opens in March 2022.
By that time, will Tua have an impressive run that will make the Dolphins forget about Watson?
Stephen Ross on rumors that Brady could go to the Dolphins vs. Stephen Ross on rumors that Miami could trade for Watson.
I don’t care if you love or hate Tua Tagovailoa. The Miami Dolphins have handled this poorly and it’s embarrassing. Either trade for Watson or support Tua. pic.twitter.com/DJ0GB0HpmX
— Jeremy Klump (@NUTTYxPROFESSOR) October 26, 2021
If not for his legal battles, the three-time Pro Bowler will likely be in Miami before the 2022 season starts.
Therefore, Tagovailoa must clear all distractions and continue to work on his craft mainly for himself.
If the Watson trade pushes through, other teams will scramble to acquire him, granted that he looks worthy of a long-term investment.
But if it doesn’t, he gets to justify being the fifth overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.
NEXT: Dolphins Not Escaping Trade Rumors After Deadline Passes