Tua Tagovailoa gets good news, but one cautionary message offered to Dolphins, others
Could the price to move up in the draft to land Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa have risen in the past 48 hours?
Potentially so, if all teams view his medical reports through the same prism presented by NFL Network on Wednesday.
NFL Net’s Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that “following two days of medical testing … Tagovailoa received overwhelmingly positive reports on his dislocated hip from teams who examined him, sources say. The MRIs were as clean as hoped, fracture is healed, there is no loss of blood flow. One source: ‘Looked great.’”
Rapoport added: “One medical source made an interesting point on Tua’s history: Two of his surgeries at Bama were the tightrope procedure on his ankle — and likely would’ve been handled non-surgically at almost any other place.”
Tagovailoa underwent surgery in November for the dislocated and fractured hip sustained in a game for Alabama.
But ESPN’s Laura Rutledge cautioned, on Twitter: “Important timeline for Tua: Docs say hip is healed but there’s an important post combine scan in a month to make sure there’s no cartilage build up. Recent scan showed no build up but four month mark post surgery is when it could happen. Clean scan-final assurance of long term health.”
Tagovailoa, for his part, said Tuesday he expects to be cleared by doctors March 9 and hold his own Pro Day on April 9. He told me in January that he expects to be able to play in 2020 if a team needs him to play but also is fine with sitting and learning, noting it would be “awesome” to learn from Ryan Fitzpatrick and Dolphins special advisor Dan Marino.
An official who has spoken to the Dolphins said he believes Miami will explore moving up from No. 5 in the draft to select Tagovailoa if they’re satisfied with his medical outlook. But those potential conversations with Detroit about the third overall pick had not begun as of Tuesday, according to Dolphins general manager Chris Grier.
Lions general manager Bob Quinn said he’s “open to any trades” and ready to talk to teams about Detroit’s third overall pick. Giants GM Dave Gettleman also said he’s “open for business” regarding the fourth overall pick, though acquiring that choice leaves a team at risk of being leap-frogged for Tua.
Meanwhile, Redskins coach Ron Rivera said Wednesday that Washington will bring in Tagovailoa and likely No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow for pre-draft visits, even though Washington drafted quarterback Dwayne Haskins in the first round last year and even though the Redskins have generally been linked to Ohio State defensive end Chase Young in the draft.
In a Jan. 7 column, we explored the nine trades made last decade involving a flip of top-10 picks, in an attempt to offer perspective on what it might take for Miami to move up.
Let’s take a look specifically at the past five such trades and potential Dolphins parallels.
▪ Trade 1: In 2014, Cleveland traded the fourth pick to Buffalo in exchange for the Bills’ 2014 first-round selection (9th), and their first-round and fourth-round selections in 2015 (19th and 115th). Buffalo moved up to select Sammy Watkins.
Dolphins parallel: Though similar compensation would allow Miami to hold onto its 2020 first-round picks at 18 and 26, there would be risk for the Dolphins in dealing their 2021 first-rounder, which could be a top 10 pick if next season doesn’t go well in year two of a rebuild.
▪ Trade 2: Cleveland, in 2014, moved up one spot to take Gilbert, giving Minnesota the ninth pick and a fifth rounder (pick 145). Minnesota moved down one spot and took linebacker Anthony Barr.
Dolphins parallel: There’s no way the Lions would take merely the fifth pick and a fifth-rounder for the third pick.
▪ Trade 3: In 2016, Cleveland traded the second overall pick and a conditional fifth-round selection in 2017 to Philadelphia in exchange for Philadelphia’s first-round, third-round, and fourth-round selections in that draft (8th, 77th, and 100th) as well as Philadelphia’s first-round selection in the 2017 draft and second-round selection in the 2018 draft. Philadelphia took quarterback Carson Wentz.
Dolphins parallel: See trade 1. Even though Miami also owns Houston’s first-rounder in 2021, dealing its own 2021 first-rounder could prove regrettable.
▪ Trade 4: In 2017, San Francisco traded the second overall pick to Chicago in exchange for Chicago’s first-, third-, and fourth-round selections (3rd, 67th, and 111th) as well as a third-round selection in 2018. Chicago used the second pick on quarterback Mitch Trubisky; 49ers took Solomon Thomas.
Dolphins parallel: Miami likely would do this deal in a second if the Dolphins are confident in Tua’s health. But the Lions assuredly would want more.
▪ Trade 5: In 2018, the Jets picked sixth and coveted quarterback Sam Darnold, called the Colts and acquired that third overall pick for a bundle: the Jets’ first-round selection (6th), two second-round picks (37th and 49th) and a second-round selection in 2019. The Colts used that sixth pick on guard Quentin Nelson and took guard Braden Smith and cornerback Rock Ya-Sin in the second.
Dolphins parallel: Dealing the fifth pick and three second-rounders for the third pick is a stiff price, but it might take that or the 26th pick and a second rounder and third rounder.
Nobody in the last decade moved up from fifth to third - as Miami might need to do.
The view here is that it likely will require Wentz or Darnold type compensation to move up. The question, ultimately, for Miami and Detroit is what’s best for each party if a deal is struck.
And for Miami, that comes down to what’s less painful to relinquish besides, obviously, the No. 5 overall pick: A first-rounder next year and multiple mid-round picks; the 26th pick this year (via Houston) and another mid-round pick; or potentially three second-rounders over the next two years.
A decision could be influenced by whether the Chargers, Jaguars or another team with a top 10 pick enters the competition.
I found it interesting that former Houston quarterback David Carr, now an NFL Network analyst, asserted this week that Tagovailoa is a far better quarterback prospect than LSU’s Burrow, who’s expected to be selected first by Cincinnati.
Here’s part 1 of my series this week exploring Dolphins offensive line options in free agency.
Here’s part 2 of my series exploring Dolphins front seven options in free agency.
Please check back Wednesday night for part 3.
This story was originally published February 26, 2020 at 2:27 PM.
