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Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa Agree To Extension

July 26th, 2024 at 10:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

Training camp participation will no longer be an issue for Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins quarterback has agreed to a four-year, $212.4MM extension, as first reported by Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Many of the league’s QB mega-deals have been five years in length, making this extension slightly unique. It is the most expensive four-year investment in league history with an average annual value of $53.1MM, third highest amongst signal-callers. Rapoport adds Tagovailoa will receive $167.1MM guaranteed.

Given the 26-year-old’s injury history, questions have been raised this offseason regarding how much of a long-term commitment the Dolphins would be willing to make. Full details are not yet known, but Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports this deal is a three-year accord in terms of practical guarantees. As a result, Tagovailoa will be in place atop Miami’s QB depth chart through at least the 2027 campaign.

Team and player in this case expressed a desire in February for a deal to be worked out in relatively short order. Miami dealt with a number of other priorities in the months since, then, however, and talks continued through to this week. Tagovailoa was largely a non-participant in spring workouts, a departure from his normal offseason routine. The Alabama product made it clear he was acutely aware of the surging market value of quarterbacks on their second contracts, something which applies to him. Tagovailoa was already on the books for 2024 via his $23.17MM fifth-year option.

Using one or two franchise tags after this season would have been an option had the Dolphins taken a hardline stance at the negotiating table, but they have instead made a long-term commitment. Tagovailoa put up career highs in a number of categories in 2023, a campaign in which he crucially managed to remain healthy. He led the NFL in passing yards (4,624) and earned his first career Pro Bowl nod while helping the team to an 11-6 record and a postseason berth. Needless to say, expectations for a repeat of that success (and beyond) will be in place moving forward.

Miami inked receiver Jaylen Waddle to a $28.25MM-per-year deal this spring, and teammate Tyreek Hill is angling for a raise as well. Keeping that tandem in place while also retaining Tagovailoa in the fold has been an overarching goal for the organization during the offseason, one in which the likes of Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt departed via free agency. It remains to be seen what happens with Hill, but now Waddle and Tagovailoa’s futures have received clarity.

The latter rejected at least one extension offer prior to today’s blockbuster accord being finalized (something which came as little surprise considering Miami’s initial unwillingness to offer a market-value pact). A report from earlier this week indicated Tagovailoa and the Dolphins were not as close to working out a deal as Jordan Love and the Packers were. Instead, Miami has managed to get negotiations across the finish line before Green Bay. This deal will serve as another blueprint for the Packers and Love to follow with seven quarterbacks now occupying the $50MM-per-year club.

Tagovailoa reported to training camp on time, but he barely participated during the first day of practice. That was followed by a total on-field absence yesterday, a sign that an extended period of uncertainty regarding his availability could extend for days or longer. The former No. 5 pick took every first-team rep in Friday’s practice, though, a development which certainly makes sense given the fact a monster deal has now been agreed to.

Head coach Mike McDaniel has been in place for the past two years, having been hired in large part to maximize Tagovailoa’s potential. The pair have worked well together so far, and 2023’s productive (albeit inconsistent) showings on offense offered a glimpse of what could be possible down the road. Now, the McDaniel-Tagovailoa partnership will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

Contract Structure Holding Up Packers’ Jordan Love Negotiations?

July 26th, 2024 at 3:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tua Tagovailoa‘s Dolphins extension leaves two NFC quarterbacks in talks with their respective teams. Jordan Love and Dak Prescott remain in contract years, and while the Packers passer might be closer to the goal line than the longtime Cowboys starter, work remains.

The Dolphins and Tagovailoa needed to address the QB’s per-year number, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, whereas the Packers and Love are attempting to agree on contract structure. Packer contract structures come up frequently, as the organization does not typically include guarantees past the first year. That said, the team has bent for quarterbacks in the past.

Timing of guarantee vesting dates, a matter Patrick Mahomes‘ mega-extension influenced, and three-year payouts are among the primary issues pertaining to structure. Bonus payments represent another. The sides being in agreement on AAV and term length, however, would cross the key items off the list as negotiations wind down. As of now, however, Love remains tied to the half-measure extension (two years, $13.5MM) he signed in lieu of a fifth-year option payment in 2023.

Trevor Lawrence‘s Jaguars extension included three fully guaranteed base salaries and a partial guarantee into Year 4, with the rest of Lawrence’s 2027 money becoming guaranteed a year early. Preferring larger bonuses as opposed to fully guaranteeing salaries that far into the future, the Packers organized a complex deal with Aaron Rodgers in 2022. The team traded that contract to the Jets, restructuring it on the way out. Rodgers’ last traditional extension, which came in summer 2018, included what was then the largest signing bonus in NFL history ($57.5MM).

Rodgers’ pacts in 2013 and 2018 showed the Packers are not afraid of record-setting contracts, as the four-time MVP’s ’18 extension (worth $33.5MM per year, illustrating where the QB market has gone since) included $103MM over the first three years and $80MM by March of 2019.

Lawrence received $200MM guaranteed in total (on a five-year deal), while Tagovailoa just secured $167.5MM guaranteed. This gives Love some targets, though his one season as a starter gives the Packers relatively new territory to cover. The team extended Rodgers midway through his first starter season (2008), but it did not require a top-market deal to do so. Love’s contract will assuredly come in beyond $50MM per year, with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter mentioning early this summer Lawrence’s $55MM AAV would likely be the floor.

Love is not practicing without a deal, and while the sides may indeed be close, training camp workouts going on while a healthy starting QB watches represents a rarity. While Love and Packers were hoping to complete this extension before training camp, the sides missed that soft deadline and continue to work on this long-sought-after agreement.

Latest On Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa’s Training Camp Participation

July 26th, 2024 at 11:32am CST by Sam Robinson

JULY 26: Continuing to vary his participation on a daily basis, Tagovailoa took every first-team rep during Friday’s practice (h/t Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network). McDaniel confirmed earlier on Friday the team will use a day-by-day approach at all positions (video link via Beasley). Until Tagovailoa’s extension situation is resolved, therefore, he can be expected to continue spending time both on and off the field during team sessions.

JULY 25: Last year, Brian Burns made the unusual move to pivot to a hold-in effort days before Week 1. That did not last, but Tua Tagovailoa may be shifting the relatively new negotiating tactic to a new place as well.

After taking just two snaps during 11-on-11 drills Wednesday, Tagovailoa did not participate at all during Miami’s Thursday practice. Labeling this a hold-in measure, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Beasley indicated the Dolphins’ team drills — as could be expected — did not feature too much offensive success.

Mike McDaniel said Wednesday that Tua’s camp participation would be fluid during negotiations, so it is certainly possible the lefty passer suits up Friday. This would be a rather unusual effort on the QB’s part, as hold-ins typically do not feature yo-yoing with regards to participation. T.J. Watt participated partially in Steelers practices throughout his 2021 hold-in, but he passed on team drills during a negotiation that did not end until just before Week 1. Given his position, Tagovailoa not participating stands to disrupt his team’s process more so by comparison.

While it would be more interesting if Tua indeed practiced Friday, an in-and-out routine would be quite odd amid negotiations. Jordan Love is not participating in Packers practice without an extension. Tagovailoa and the Dolphins have been in talks for much of the offseason, though the Packers believed to be closer on terms with their starter compared to Miami’s talks.

Tagovailoa has turned down at least one Miami offer, and reports earlier this summer suggested hesitancy regarding AAV and guarantees with respect to the skyrocketing QB market. Trevor Lawrence secured $142MM guaranteed at signing on a $55MM-per-year deal, one that matched Joe Burrow atop the league’s salary hierarchy. It would surprise if Tagovailoa was not angling to top Lawrence’s guarantee, seeing as he has been more consistent — at least, under McDaniel — than the Jaguars starter.

For the time being, the Dolphins have Mike White and Skylar Thompson taking snaps in team drills. Tagovailoa, who is tied to a fully guaranteed $23.17MM fifth-year option this year, appears set to shift to a full-on hold-in effort or introduce a new strategy for mid-camp negotiations.

Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill Will Not Seek Trade To Secure Better Contract

July 25th, 2024 at 5:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Their back-to-back Super Bowl wins aside, the Chiefs certainly have been a less explosive offense since trading Tyreek Hill. Kansas City had entered extension talks to retain the historically talented deep threat in early March of 2022, but after Davante Adams‘ Raiders deal raised Hill’s asking price, a quick trade to Miami transpired.

Hill has thrived in Miami, with the two first-team All-Pro nods he has secured post-trade almost definitely locking up his Hall of Fame case, and has said he wants to finish his career with the Dolphins. This has made his current quest for an updated contract tricker, and Hill continued to remove one of the leverage plays he would have by insisting these negotiations not reach the point where another trade enters the equation.

“To be honest, I have no idea,” Hill said (via ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Beasley) regarding his contract status. “Obviously, I let Drew [Rosenhaus] and the team handle that situation. The only thing I told Drew was, ‘Do not get me traded, bro.’ Last time you did this, you got me traded. That’s been my only thing to him. I want to stay here in Miami.”

The Chiefs had Hill tied to an $18MM-per-year contract, one with team protections due to the wideout’s turbulent past, from 2019 until March 2022. Adams landing his $28MM-per-year Raiders accord moved Hill to ask for a deal in that neighborhood, though the speed merchant said at the time he was not mandating he become the NFL’s highest-paid receiver. The Dolphins made Hill the position’s kingpin by authorizing a four-year, $120MM extension; that deal kept Hill atop the WR salary list until Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown and Justin Jefferson eclipsed his $30MM AAV this offseason.

The structure of Hill and Adams’ contracts point to their respective teams moving on or revising the deals, as lofty base salaries that likely will not be paid out are in place. Hill’s 2026 salary (a nonguaranteed $43.9MM) effectively makes 2025 a contract year, and he has sought better terms — potentially a new deal altogether — since last season ended. Hill’s 3,509 receiving yards since 2022 lead the NFL by more than 400, and his impact on Tua Tagovailoa‘s trajectory has been undeniable.

As the 2022 Xavien Howard redo showed, the Dolphins have a precedent in place for renegotiating with a player that had three years left on his contract. Hill’s deal running through 2026, along with his desire to stay in Miami, gives Chris Grier some ammo in the event the veteran GM does not want to provide a raise to a player locked in for three seasons. While Tagovailoa looms as Miami’s top priority, the team paying Jaylen Waddle does point to some type of adjustment to Hill’s contract commencing. But the timeline here is murky.

QB Notes: Tua, Rodgers, Daniels, Steelers

July 24th, 2024 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tua Tagovailoa is not holding in, separating the Dolphins‘ top negotiation from multiple others around the NFL. This includes Jordan Love‘s Packers arrangement, which has become a hold-in situation. Despite Tagovailoa having a longer track record than Love, the fifth-year passer went through Dolphins workouts Wednesday. This did come with a notable exception. Tagovailoa took only two reps (both handoffs) in Dolphins team drills to open camp, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa’s camp workload — absent an extension — would compare to OTAs; the lefty did not go through team drills then or during minicamp. We heard Monday this would likely be the route Tagovailoa takes.

The Dolphins have been negotiating with Tua for months, and while some optimism has emerged, Miami’s QB1 has turned down at least one offer and may have seen the team dig in on a price south of Trevor Lawrence‘s $55MM-per-year deal. Lawrence receiving $142MM may also be much higher than the Dolphins want to go. McDaniel said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) both sides are “relentlessly” working on this agreement. The parties still have time to hammer out a deal before the season, but the longer this goes, the closer Tua comes to carrying a lofty franchise tag number (upwards of $40MM) on Miami’s 2025 cap sheet.

Here is the latest QB news coming out of training camp:

  • Aaron Rodgers confirmed a trip to Egypt indeed led to his missing minicamp and confirmed the Jets fined him for the unexcused absences. Rodgers has been criticized for a lack of leadership by skipping the offseason’s only mandatory workout, but he said his relationship with Robert Saleh has been unaffected. “I’m an adult; I knew what I was getting into,” Rodgers said, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “I knew the fine that was coming and also knew how much I wanted to be in Egypt. I wish there hadn’t been a conflict scheduling-wise, but it was what it was.” Rodgers, who said be based the trip on the Jets’ 2023 offseason schedule, had shown up for OTAs prior to the abrupt — to the public, at least — departure.
  • Jayden Daniels does not have Commanders first-string reps to himself just yet; the No. 2 overall pick is splitting them with free agency addition Marcus Mariota, the Washington Post’s Sam Fortier notes. While Dan Quinn is labeling this a QB competition, Fortier cautions that Daniels is all but assured of the starting job. This follows a report that pointed to the Commanders indeed feeling no real reason to hold back the 2023 Heisman winner by giving Mariota bridge work.
  • Although the Daniels-Mariota split may deprive the highly touted rookie from early reps, Washington is holding an actual battle for the No. 3 spot. The team is pitting rookie UDFA Sam Hartman against veteran Jeff Driskel, Fortier adds. The former Notre Dame starter, who has a safety net via the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions’ recent draft choice, played behind Driskel to start camp. It is not yet clear if the Commanders plan to keep three QBs, but the winner of this battle would stand to at least be the team’s emergency option in the event only two are rostered.
  • Prior to the USFL and XFL merging, Ben DiNucci played in the former league’s second season and spent last year as the Broncos’ third-stringer. The recent Russell Wilson teammate worked out for the 13-year vet’s new team this week, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who notes the Steelers brought in the veteran. Pittsburgh has Kyle Allen in place behind Wilson and Justin Fields presently.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/23/24

July 23rd, 2024 at 8:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OT Julién Davenport

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

  • Reverted to IR: WR Jared Wayne
  • Released from IR: WR Jaxon Janke

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Latest On Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins

July 23rd, 2024 at 11:50am CST by Ben Levine

JULY 23: While it will not be known until tomorrow if Tagovailoa takes part in the first practice of training camp, he is in attendance. Tyreek Hill confirmed on Tuesday (via Beasley) that Tagovailoa reported along with the rest of Miami’s veterans. Attention will now turn to the progress of extension talks and whether or not he engages in a hold-in before an agreement is reached.

JULY 22: While the Dolphins are set to hold their first training camp practice on Wednesday, Tua Tagovailoa is still attached to an expiring contract. Following reports from today that Packers QB Jordan Love won’t practice until he inks an extension, we’re hearing similar sentiments out of Miami. Adam H. Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com writes that the expectation should be that Tagovailoa “follows Love’s lead and withholds his services in some capacity.”

[RELATED: Jordan Love Will Not Participate In Packers’ Training Camp Without Deal]

If Love truly did set a 2024 precedent for extension-worthy quarterbacks, then that doesn’t bode well for Tua’s chances of seeing the practice field any time soon. ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted today that the Dolphins and their franchise quarterback are not as far along in discussions as the Packers and Love (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald).

Of course, there’s no immediate urgency to complete an extension. The Dolphins have plenty of offensive continuity, and considering Tagovailoa’s injury and concussion history, the team was probably going to manage his workload either way. The Dolphins have about three weeks until their preseason opener and about seven weeks until the start of the regular season. The former first-round pick could face up to $5MM in fines if he sits out the entire preseason, although Beasley recently noted that those fines could be offset if Tua’s camp is able to squeeze more guaranteed money out of the organization.

Tagovailoa was present during OTAs, but he didn’t participate in any team drills as he pushed for a new contract. If the quarterback refuses to practice during training camp, there’s still a good chance he follows Love’s lead and attends team meetings. Tagovailoa’s camp wanted to avoid a distraction during training camp, and with the Dolphins eyeing a run at the Super Bowl, a complete absence would probably do more harm than good.

We’ll know about Tagovailoa’s status one way or the other by this Wednesday. Veterans are set to report to training camp on Tuesday before taking the practice field on Wednesday. Tua nor Mike McDaniel are expected to speak to reporters tomorrow (per Beasley), but the head coach has his first news conference scheduled for Wednesday morning. We’ll surely get an update at that time.

Dolphins, Emmanuel Ogbah Agree To Deal

July 23rd, 2024 at 8:21am CST by Adam La Rose

With the Dolphins in need of depth along the defensive front, Emmanuel Ogbah will remain in the fold for 2024. The veteran agreed to a new Miami deal on Tuesday, as first reported by NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe.

Ogbah – who worked out recently, with the Dolphins searching for a Shaquil Barrett replacement – will receive up to $5MM on a one-year deal, Wolfe adds. The 30-year-old has spent the past four seasons in South Beach, logging 27 starts in 57 games. He was attached to a four-year, $65.4MM deal before being among the veterans let go by Miami in a cost-shedding move earlier this offseason.

Barrett surprised the Dolphins by hanging up his cleats just before the start of training camp. The former Bronco and Buccaneer was set to play an important role along the edge, particularly early in the campaign. The Dolphins have Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb atop the depth chart, but both are questions marks with respect to being available in time for Week 1. Barrett’s retirement led to renewed interest on Miami’s part in pursuing an Ogbah reunion.

The former second-rounder spent three seasons in Cleveland and one in Kansas City before the start of his Dolphins tenure. Ogbah posted back-to-back campaigns with nine sacks in 2020-21, proving his value as a full-time starter. He was limited to nine games through injury in 2023, though, and this past season his production took a step back (5.5 sacks, nine quarterback hits). The Oklahoma State alum should nevertheless be able to carve out a rotational role in a familiar setting over the course of training camp.

Miami also hosted Yannick Ngakoue yesterday as part of the team’s search for edge depth. Given today’s news, it is safe to assume the journeyman sack artist will need to look elsewhere to find his next deal. The Dolphins entered Tuesday with just over $12MM in cap space, so this Ogbah addition could prove to be the most impactful one made for the foreseeable future.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/24

July 22nd, 2024 at 7:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

  • Waived-injured: WR Jared Wayne

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

  • Signed: WR Kevin Austin Jr.

New York Jets

Dolphins To Host DE Yannick Ngakoue

July 22nd, 2024 at 9:02am CST by Adam La Rose

Shaquil Barrett‘s retirement has left the Dolphins in search of help along the edge at the start of training camp. Miami will bring in Emmanuel Ogbah for a visit today, but he is not the only free agent who will receive a look.

Yannick Ngakoue will also visit the Dolphins today, as confirmed by agent Drew Rosenhaus (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). The 29-year-old remained on the free agent market well into the summer last year, though he still managed to secure a $10.5MM Bears deal. Ngakoue’s value took a hit considering how the 2023 campaign played out.

The former second-rounder was a full-time starter for 13 games in Chicago until a season-ending ankle injury shut him down. Ngakoue was limited to four sacks, making 2023 the first season in his career during which he failed to record at least eight. The journeyman (who is certainly not known for his run defense) hoped to find a new home before training camp, but this will be his first known free agent visit.

The Bears were not active along the edge during free agency, leading some to believe a reunion with Ngakoue could be in the cards. General manager Ryan Poles recently expressed confidence in Chicago’s incumbent defense ends, however, so any additions may need to wait until training camp is well underway. Ngakoue is one of many free agents who could step into at least a depth role if a Miami agreement were to be worked out.

The Dolphins have Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips atop the depth chart, but both are rehabbing the injuries which ended their respective 2023 seasons. Depth early in the season will be critical if one or both are unable to suit up for Week 1. Barrett was on track for a notable workload as a result before he elected to hang up his cleats. Now, Calais Campbell and any addition made in the coming days will join rookies Chop Robinson and Mohammed Kamara as Miami’s edge options for the summer.

Like Ogbah, Ngakoue will no doubt be forced to take a deal worth far less than his previous one when he signs with a new team. The Dolphins have just over $12MM in cap space, so a contract for either one should be feasible.

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