The mystery around the Miami Dolphins and their quarterback search isn’t going to go away any time soon. But the Dolphins will assuredly be keeping as close an eye as they possibly can on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa — the long-rumored player the team has pegged to be their answer behind center. Of course, Miami must eye Tagovailoa from afar at this point due to the country’s travel restrictions. But Tagovailoa is doing his part to sell his availability and health to not just the Dolphins, but anyone who will take the time to listen.
After posting several videos of him throwing at a recent workout, Tagovailoa revealed yesterday during an interview with NFL Network’s Steve Wyche that he’s “100 percent” and claims he could play today if he needed to.
“I feel 100 percent,” Tagovailoa told NFL Network according to Wyche. “I feel like if there was a game today, I’d be able to go out and perform the same way I was able to perform in previous years. I feel as mobile as possible. I feel 100 percent.”
If that’s fact, it would certainly help make the Dolphins’ decision on which quarterback to target a lot easier. But alas — there is no definitive way of telling just how close to fact Tagovailoa’s statement is. Furthermore, there is no game today, or any time in the near future. That bodes well for Tagovailoa’s recovery and ability to restrengthen his joint, but what about his long-term prognosis? What about his durability as a whole, which has been called into question by teams.
There are no easy answers to these questions and the Dolphins will have no easy answers as they try to decipher what direction to go at quarterback. But of course Tagovailoa is going to tell the world he’s healthy. He has a vested interest in as many people as possible believing he’s going to step onto an NFL field and be ready to go. That’s how he makes the most of his chance to be drafted here and now. But despite Tagovailoa’s claim, the Dolphins’ decision is no easier now than it was at the beginning of the week.