Quarterbacks have workouts Saturday at the NFL Scouting Combine in downtown Indianapolis.
The Dolphins should disregard most of it.
In fact, the Dolphins’ scouts should go to Shapiro’s Delicatessen (that’s what I’d do) when the quarterbacks are throwing and running and jumping.
The Dolphins don’t need a rookie quarterback. They need better players at other key positions such as cornerback, receiving tight end and power running back. They need to look at improving edge rusher and center to open the season because of injuries to starters, and perhaps guard and defensive tackle depending on what happens in free agency.
Having said that, here’s the thing…
The Dolphins would be crazy not to think about quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s injury history/propensity when considering offseason moves.
I’ve considered both his injury history and tendency to be injured.
You can’t get it out of your mind.
It’s troubling and unsettling.
At this point, Tagovailoa’s 2023 season was an exception injury-wise. That’s a big reason I wouldn’t sign him to a multi-year contract. I need to see another extended stretch of good health.
Last season was the first among Tagovailoa’s previous five seasons, including his final season at Alabama, that he didn’t miss time due to injury.
And look at the league-wide injury rate among starting quarterbacks the last two seasons. It’s crazy.
In light of that, as a responsible organization, you have to consider the quarterback position when it comes to offseason additions and your long-term future.
Is the “next guy” in the building?
If not, why?
The Dolphins would be wise to plan on Tagovailoa being injured in 2024, and possibly again in 2025 (that’s also one reason Tagovailoa might consider accepting an at-market multi-year contract this offseason).
That being the case, you could make an argument for Miami drafting a quarterback.
I get it.
But I’m still against the idea.
Basically, the Dolphins have no business drafting a quarterback this year.
There’s too much to accomplish in this “win now” window to draft someone who you hope doesn’t make a significant contribution.
Plus, the quarterback they select would be a low-round pick. They already have one of those on the roster in third-team quarterback Skylar Thompson, a 2022 seventh-round selection.
Let’s break it down.
The Dolphins have six draft picks — one in the first round (No. 21), one in the second round (No. 55), one in the fifth round, two in the sixth round and one in the seventh round.
If they’re serious about drafting a quarterback they’ll do it in the first or second round.
The issue is the four quarterbacks projected to go in the first round — USC’s Caleb Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy — are likely to go in the first dozen picks or so, meaning the Dolphins would have to trade up to snag one of those guys.
It’s not worth the expense for a rookie backup quarterback.
The second-round quarterbacks — Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.— could also be gone by the time the Dolphins select. So perhaps they’d need to move up in that case, too.
Again, it’s not a worthwhile investment for a rookie backup quarterback.
Beyond that, I might take Penix, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound lefty, off my board because of his injury history/propensity (two torn ACLs, injuries to both shoulders in four seasons at Indiana).
The Dolphins are better off rolling with Mike White, a veteran backup quarterback.
And let me sneak this in once again: I think the Dolphins can win a Super Bowl with Tagovailoa. The key is building a stronger team around him. The key is having a team that’s not so quarterback-reliant, a team such as San Francisco or Philadelphia.
Drafting a backup quarterback in the first or second round wouldn’t be the best way for the Dolphins to build a stronger team around Tagovailoa.
This team needs immediate, impactful veteran help, for the most part. And not in many positions, just a few key positions such as cornerback, tight end, edge rusher and power running back.
You’ve got to be good with White running things if Tagovailoa is sidelined.
As I’ve been saying, the offensive issues are bigger than Tagovailoa, they go beyond his scope.
The Dolphins should give the offense the help it needs by strengthening the positions around Tagovailoa, not the position behind him on the depth chart.
And their scouts should have Shapiro’s corned beef on rye with brown mustard (that’s what I’d do) while the quarterbacks are going through their workouts on Saturday.
