The Dolphins made some flashy moves this offseason—namely the additions of Tyreek Hill and Pro Bowl tackle Terron Armstead—but how those pieces fit remains to be seen. Miami may be guilty of putting the cart before the horse with some worried Hill’s skill set as one of the league’s premier deep threats could be wasted on Tua Tagovailoa, whose arm strength—or lack thereof—has been a frequent criticism throughout his two seasons in South Florida.
Perhaps it won’t matter. Hill’s speed off the line of scrimmage makes him just as dangerous in the short and intermediate game, which, as we know, is Tagovailoa’s bread and butter. Still, this highlight from Tuesday’s practice, which the Dolphins inexplicably shared to their social media accounts, was not seen as particularly encouraging.
Headed into what could be a make-or-break season for the much-maligned 24-year-old, this clip of Tua badly underthrowing Hill will do little to assuage concerns about his perceived difficulty throwing downfield. If Tagovailoa again falls short of expectations in 2022, the Dolphins could easily pivot to another quarterback next season, addressing that they need in either the draft (they hold five picks in the first three rounds including two first-rounders) or free agency (owner Stephen Ross has long coveted Tom Brady, who is entering his walk year with Tampa Bay). Hill will be around either way after inking a record four-year, $120-million extension.
Tagovailoa doesn’t have to be a star per se—coach Mike McDaniel was successful scheming for a similarly limited quarterback in San Francisco last year, riding game manager Jimmy Garoppolo all the way to the NFC Championship. But if this wobbler to Hill is Tua’s ceiling, Miami could be in for a long season.
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