Jeremy Fowler: Dolphins 'were a little spooked' by QB market amid Tua Tagovailoa contract talks

As the quarterback market evolves, Tua Tagovailoa still finds himself awaiting a new deal with the Miami Dolphins. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract after a big year in 2023, and negotiations are continuing as training camp begins.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the ever-changing market for QBs had an impact on the talks between Tagovailoa and the Dolphins. In fact, he reported the franchise was “spooked” by the growing salaries at the position.

Two major contracts changed the landscape dramatically this offseason. Jared Goff signed a $212 million contract with the Lions, and Trevor Lawrence is now tied for the league’s highest-paid player at $55 million. Tagovailoa could be one of the next dominoes to fall, and Fowler said training camp could be when something starts to come together.

“I think things could heat up starting next week when Miami gets back in training camp and negotiators are all in the building,” Fowler said on SportsCenter. “They can sort of recalibrate, figure out their game plan. But my sense, after asking around, is they were a little spooked by the ballooning quarterback market with Jared Goff, Trevor Lawrence pushing that $55 million [per year] mark. Because now, Tua can say, ‘Hey, look, I led the league in passing last year. You wanted me to show I’m durable,’ so he played a full 17 games. That costs a lot of money.

“So Miami has to come to grips with that. I just don’t think they’ve been in that ballpark quite yet, but they are committed to trying to get it done. I expect, around training camp, for it to heat up a little bit.”

Adam Schefter: Dolphins determining ‘fair market value’ for Tua Tagovailoa

Tagovailoa put together the biggest year of his career in Miami, throwing for 4,624 yards and 29 touchdowns to make his first career Pro Bowl. The Dolphins made a case as the NFL’s fastest team with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at receiver along with Devon Achane and Raheem Mostert at running back, and Tagoaviloa ran the show at quarterback. The Dolphins previously picked up Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option, valued at $23.2 million, according to Spotrac.

But with fellow 2020 draftees Burrow and Justin Herbert locked in to extensions, as well as Lawrence – the No. 1 pick in 2021 – Tagovailoa is looking to secure the same fate. The Dolphins have been watching the landscape closely, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter previously said the franchise was still figuring out what a “fair” value would be.

“The Dolphins have been very clear, they want to pay Tua Tagovailoa,” Schefter said on NFL Live June 26. “The question is, what is fair market value? And that’s a moving bar because a couple of weeks ago, it would’ve been easy to argue, ‘Hey, we don’t know that he’s worth the money that the Bengals are paying Joe Burrow,’ which is $55 million a year on average. But then, Trevor Lawrence comes long and he gets $55 million a year on average. So when that happens, the market shifts.

“And so, the Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa are left to figure out what is the proper value for a quarterback of his ability? Look, the Dolphins want to keep him. They’re expected to keep him. They’re gonna get him signed at some point. The question is, what is that number?”