Mike McDaniel describes Tua Tagovailoa's status for training camp as 'fluid'

The Miami Dolphins will begin training camp this week with limited participation from star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Head coach Mike McDaniel described Tagovailoa’s status as “fluid” as he continues contract negotiations with the team that drafted him fifth overall in 2020.

“It’s important to acknowledge that Tua is in the midst of a contract negotiation,” McDaniel said. “That’s important to him and the football team. That being said, we communicate very well and it’s very fluid. We’re taking it day by day. Today, I’m expecting it to be kind of like OTAs and we’ll move on from there.”

The Dolphins are coming off of an 11-6 season that saw them fall to the eventual Super Bowl champions in the first round of the playoffs. Tagovailoa is entering his fifth year in the league and as it stands, he’ll play on a fifth-year option that’s worth $23.17 million.

Tagovailoa threw for a league-high 4,624 yards with 29 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions in 2023. Miami has benefitted massively from the former first-rounder’s success, and now the bill is coming due.

Tagovailoa waiting for mega-deal

The star addressed his status last month with reporters, noting that there had been progress, even though a deal hasn’t come to fruition.

“I think there’s been a lot of progress at this point,” Tagovailoa said. “From where we started, there’s been a lot of progress. Now, you can ask the other question, then. Why aren’t we seeing an agreement? Well, that’s the tough part about it. That’s why it’s business. That’s why you’ve got one side and the other trying to work to meet in the middle.”

Tagovailoa was the second quarterback off the board in the 2020 NFL Draft, but is one of the last to get a new contract. Trevor Lawrence landed a new contract with the Jaguars that tied him with Joe Burrow for the highest-paid quarterback in the league at $55 million annually.

The Green Bay Packers gave Jordan Love a one-year contract prior to last season, so he’s not playing on a fifth-year option. However, he is also looking for a long-term deal. Love is refusing to practice or participate in the preseason until he lands a new deal. It appears that Tagovailoa is less willing to completely stay away from his team.

The Miami quarterback’s teammates have been consistent in their calls for the team to pay him. After securing his own massive extension from the Dolphins this offseason, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle advocated for Tagovailoa’s big payday.

“Tua is my guy,” Waddle said last month. “I’ve been saying that for a long time. Without Tua, I don’t think I would’ve got the extension I got. So everybody is rooting for him. He’s our guy. Make sense, let’s get it done.”