Tua Tagovailoa’s medical status with Dolphins plus Thuney trade, Rosen status, more notes
One day before the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft — the most important day for the Miami Dolphins in maybe 15-20 years — and this is what I’m hearing:
NEWSY NOTE 1
The Dolphins, like other teams, have been unable to get their medical people around Tua Tagovailoa since the Indianapolis Combine in February because of the NFL rules installed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But Dolphins doctors examined Tagovailoa extensively in Indianapolis. And the club gave the former Alabama quarterback a passing grade on his physical, according to multiple league and team sources.
The Dolphins were satisfied Tagovailoa is on course to recovery from the hip injury and ensuing surgery that derailed his 2019 season with the Crimson Tide.
So Tagovailoa, who has a significant injury history that includes multiple other surgeries, has overcome a major hurdle with the Dolphins and their medical team -- even if he’s not fully cleared.
That means the Dolphins could absolutely pick Tagovailoa in the coming draft if medical exams at the combine is the issue.
NEWSY NOTE 2
Multiple NFL pundits and draft gurus expect the Dolphins to seek a trade up in the coming draft, and I have reported the Dolphins would try to entice the Cincinnati Bengals to trade for the rights to the first overall selection.
Except the Bengals are planning to take Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick, so any attempt by the Dolphins to make that move is likely going to fail.
But the Dolphins could still try to trade up to the second, third, or fourth pick to land their quarterback of choice, right?
That is looking increasingly unlikely.
Two people familiar with Miami’s general thinking say they don’t expect the Dolphins to trade up from No. 5 overall. And there are multiple reasons:
First, the Dolphins have been studying two quarterbacks who have significant questions about what kind of pros they will be. So the idea of trading up for a player who isn’t necessarily a slam dunk seems illogical.
Secondly, the draft board suggests not many teams will be able to vault the Dolphins because there aren’t a lot of quarterback-needy teams. And there’s maybe only one or two — the Los Angeles Chargers among them — that are close enough to make the leap, anyway.
So the Dolphins might be feeling insulated from getting vaulted for a quarterback.
Thirdly, the Dolphins have lots of options at No. 5. That comes straight from general manager Chris Grier’s mouth.
“We’re at five but we feel really good about — [there are] probably eight or nine players we feel really good about,” he said. “We’ll get a good player and we’ll be very happy to have him, and I think the fans will be happy as well.”
Well, if the Dolphins have eight or nine players they feel good about at No. 5, why go up?
NEWSY NOTE 3
So the question is whether Tagovailoa will be the pick for the Dolphins at No. 5 overall over Oregon’s Justin Herbert or other players? The answer is complicated.
Multiple sources are telling me Tagovailoa is the favorite to be the Dolphins selection at No. 5. That’s one reason I ultimately typed in Tagovailoa to the Dolphins at No. 5 in my interesting, if I do say so myself, mock draft on Tuesday.
That mock had Herbert off the board when the Dolphins pick. So what do the Dolphins do if Tagovailoa and Herbert are available when they pick?
I do not know. But there is a building movement around the NFL that Tagovailoa will ultimately end up with Miami — somehow.
Somehow?
Multiple personnel people who hear from Dolphins people tell me the Dolphins seriously have debated not picking a quarterback at No. 5 overall.
Think about that ...
The Dolphins tanked in 2019 to get the highest possible draft choice in order to select a quarterback in 2020. And then they don’t select a quarterback with that highest possible draft choice?
Sounds unfathomable. But it really is a smart discussion by the Dolphins.
Because even if both Herbert and Tagovailoa are available at No. 5 overall, the Dolphins expect players with higher draft grades to be on the board, as well.
What if the two quarterbacks are there, but so is Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons? Or Georgia’s Andrew Thomas? Or Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs? Or Alabama’s Jedrick Wills?
The question for the Dolphins, which they have discussed, is whether to play it safe and select their quarterback right away, primarily because he’s a quarterback. Or do they pick the higher-graded prospect and select the quarterback later?
It’s a huge gamble that counts on that quarterback still being on the board later in the draft either when the Dolphins are scheduled to pick again (No. 18 overall) or when they can trade up to pick again.
Now want the stunner? There has been serious thought given to doing just that within the Dolphins organization.
I mean, I have given it thought and have even advocated selecting Thomas at No. 5. But it’s not my call. Nor my job on the line.
Obviously I don’t know all the information involved in making that decision. (If I did, the call would be clear). The point is the issues has been chewed over by the Dolphins. So it’s not a media fabrication.
NEWSY NOTE 4
So I was “spitballin’,” as I said in the mock draft, when I mentioned a trade with New England for Joe Thuney.
And then a source, who obviously read the mock, texted that it was given consideration by the Dolphins. No, not after they read it in the newspaper, which would be so amusing.
The idea of signing Thuney is something the Dolphins actually wanted to do before free agency. And when Thuney was franchised by the Patriots in March, the possibility of trading for him was also discussed.
NEWSY NOTE 5
The Dolphins have continually said all the right things about backup quarterback Josh Rosen. So the idea of them trading him after one season seems remote on the surface.
Except I don’t really think what the Dolphins say publicly is always a true gauge of what they think of a player. Remember, Reshad Jones was said to be great, until he was cut this offseason. Daniel Kilgore was said to be an outstanding veteran presence until he was cut this offseason. There’s a battalion of similar examples.
So I don’t care how hard the Dolphins say Rosen worked and how much he improved last season. All I know is he didn’t start any of the final 11 games.
I don’t care how much potential they say he has and how young they say he is, he’s not on the 2020 team until he’s on the 2020 team.
And the coming draft is a time when that will be tested. Because the Dolphins have done significant due diligence on adding developmental-type quarterbacks as well as perceived franchise quarterbacks.
So what happens if the team picks two quarterbacks in the draft — one early and one later?
Rosen might become expendable.
What happens if the Dolphins draft a quarterback Thursday and get an offer for Rosen on Friday or Saturday?
Again, Rosen might be expendable.
This story was originally published April 22, 2020 at 12:43 AM.
