Is Tua Tagovailoa winning a QB competition a “foregone conclusion”?

Is Tua Tagovailoa winning a QB competition a “foregone conclusion”?

The timeline for the Miami Dolphins to introduce Tua Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback is one of the more hotly contested sub-plots of the team’s summer. With the Dolphins looking to transition out of a rebuilding mentality and look to begin their status as contenders, the team will need the best option behind center to ensure wins come at a necessary pace to be playing meaningful football games in January of 2021.

But the presence of veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick leaves Tagovailoa’s crowning up in the air — at least for now. When should we expect this transition to the 2020 No. 5 overall pick to happen? No one knows for certain, but according to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report, it is a “foregone conclusion” that Tagovailoa will beat out Ryan Fitzpatrick for the starting gig ahead of Week 1 of the 2020 season.

Is this possible? For sure. Tagovailoa would need to receive full medical clearance from Miami’s medical team and then subsequently go out and out-perform Ryan Fitzpatrick over the course of training camp and the preseason. And if he’s able to do both of those things, then sure — why would Miami not start him? But Tagovailoa’s medical clearance is a big mystery and Tagovailoa’s exposure to Miami’s playbook has been nothing but remote at this point in time due to the restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic.

It shouldn’t be considered a surprise if Tagovailoa’s experience in a quick game offense with a lot of RPO concepts yields him the starting gig; but it does feel a bit premature to suggest it is a foregone conclusion that Tagovailoa will pass Fitzpatrick by Week 1. To suggest as much would be greatly underselling Fitzpatrick’s sweat equity with the coaching staff in 2019 and his half a decade of play under new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. Between those factors and Fitzpatrick’s savvy play under pressure that can help mitigate leaks along the offensive line, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest Miami could stick with Fitzpatrick to start the season.

The NFL is hoping for mini-camps in June, so hopefully we can get our first taste of Tagovailoa on the field before training camp rolls around in late July.