Lions Speak With Tagovailoa, Herbert
The Lions denied shopping Matthew Stafford earlier this offseason and have said they are happy with their quarterback situation. They are either doing due diligence on this draft’s top non-Joe Burrow passers or attempting to entice a team to trade up.
Lions brass conducted video conferences with Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com notes. Detroit’s staff already coached Herbert in the Senior Bowl.
Considering the Lions have discussed trading down from No. 3, this could well be an effort to help accelerate that process and convince teams to up their offers. The Lions have been connected to Ohio State cornerback Jeffrey Okudah with that pick and, should the Redskins surprise and trade out of No. 2, will be expected to draft Chase Young third overall. Okudah is believed to be the Lions’ preference of the non-Young contingent expected to be available at 3.
The Dolphins and Chargers have been the teams most closely connected to Tagovailoa and Herbert, and considering they respectively hold the Nos. 5 and 6 picks, the Lions should not expect a monster trade proposal. However, some teams have extracted value in making short trips down in the top five recently. The Vikings were able to pry fourth-, fifth- and seventh-round picks from the Browns in 2012 — when Cleveland moved up from No. 4 to No. 3 for Trent Richardson. The 49ers did even better five years later, landing two thirds and a fourth from the Bears when they climbed from No. 3 to No. 2 for Mitchell Trubisky.
Stafford, 32, is on the Lions’ payroll at $21.3MM this season; his cap number jumps to $33MM in 2021. Although he has dealt with back injuries over the past two seasons, he ended his shortened 2019 campaign sixth in QBR. Lions owner Martha Ford gave win-now mandates to GM Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia, further pointing to the Lions drafting a player who can best help them win in 2020.
Dolphins Favoring Herbert Over Tua?
Connected to the 2020 quarterback class for over a year, the Dolphins may have a major decision to make in Round 1. They may well have to choose between Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert at No. 5 or be prepared to trade up for one of them.
Less than two weeks away from the draft, Herbert may be pulling ahead. At this juncture, 90% of the pre-draft intel on the Dolphins’ QB hierarchy points to them going with Herbert over Tagovailoa, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report notes.
This is peak smokescreen time. But teams do not have the same tools to throw competition off the scent — pro day attendance, pre-draft visits, workouts — and one scout told Miller he believes the Dolphins are trying to execute such an operation to drive down the Tua market.
Miami holds the No. 5 overall pick. Tagovailoa was viewed as this draft’s No. 1 pick for much of 2019, but his hip injury and list of previous maladies have created the possibility he will be available at No. 5. Though, Herbert would seem to have a much better chance of dropping to 5. The Dolphins going in that direction would allow them to hold onto their bounty of draft picks rather than trading some to move up.
Tua proceeded through a voluntary medical recheck recently, but former NFL GM Michael Lombardi said a team failed the ex-Alabama standout on a physical. Multiple teams have, per Miller, who notes the concern around the league is the southpaw’s ability to have a long career. Tagovailoa suffered multiple high ankle sprains, a knee sprain and, per Lombardi and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, a broken wrist during his college run. Tagovailoa’s agent, as could be expected, said medical concerns around his client are overblown (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Cameron Wolfe).
Still, Tagovailoa’s upside is seen as greater than Herbert’s. Miller slots Tua sixth on his big board and Herbert 27th. Scouts Inc. has the Alabama alum seventh and the four-year Oregon starter 26th. Jordan Love comes in ahead of Herbert, per Scouts Inc. The Dolphins have also been connected to the Utah State product as well. But reports of their Herbert interest began to emerge before the 6-foot-6 talent fared well at the Combine.
If the Dolphins do pass on Tua, Miller adds the “overwhelming expectation” would be for the Chargers to pounce.
Latest On Tua Tagovailoa
On Thursday, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa recorded an hour long workout and distributed the film to all 32 teams, according to Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The audition included “55 scripted throws and another 20 throws in a dynamic drill.” 
[RELATED: Tua Says “I Feel 100%”]
The Alabama star worked out at a local private gym with less than ten people present to safeguard against the transmission of coronavirus. Ultimately, Tagovailoa’s camp is looking to silence concerns about his hip and looking for creative ways to showcase his health in lieu of a traditional pro day.
So far, it seems to be working. A few months ago, some wondered whether Tagovailoa – once presumed to be the No. 1 pick in this year’s class – would be drafted in the first round. Now, all indications are that he’ll be one of the first names called on April 23rd.
The Dolphins have a clear QB need and they’ve been heavily connected to him at No. 5 overall. Unless Oregon’s Justin Herbert is really the guy they want, it sounds like they’ll target him there or, potentially, trade up to guarantee they’ll get him. It’s even possible that the Redskins could nab him with the No. 2 pick, though we’d be shocked if they passed on defensive end Chase Young.
Redskins High On Tua Tagovailoa
Everyone seems pretty convinced that the Redskins will select Chase Young with the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft. In fact, no teams picking below the Lions at No. 3 have even bothered to contact the Ohio State sack machine. Young-to-D.C. remains the most likely outcome, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that Redskins head coach Ron Rivera is a big fan of Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
[RELATED: Could Patriots Trade Up For Tua?]
Due to his surgically-repaired hip, Tagovailoa’s stock has been murky for months. However, the QB seems to have restored much of his luster through his voluntary medical exam and videos that show off his health and mobility.
If the Redskins stun the football world by taking Tagovailoa and putting Dwayne Haskins on the back-burner, they’ll create a domino effect throughout the rest of the first round. The Lions, for example, could be tempted to bypass trade-back opportunities in order to grab Young, who many believe to be a generational talent. No matter what, the Lions seem to be in excellent position at No. 3.
AFC East Notes: Tua, Pats, Diggs
Though Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa has most commonly been connected to the division-rival Dolphins, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe believes the stars are aligning for the Patriots to make a play for the southpaw passer. The Lions — and all of their New England connections — hold the No. 3 overall pick and will have a major impact on how the quarterback dominoes fall in this year’s draft. If Detroit trades down, as many expect, Volin suggests that New England’s No. 23 overall pick along with a mid-rounder and a veteran player like Julian Edelman could be enough to get a deal done. The Patriots’ ties with Alabama head coach Nick Saban would also help give the team a little more insight into Tagovailoa as a player and as a person.
Let’s round up a few more AFC East rumors on another stay-at-home Sunday:
- Volin’s proposal may be a little far-fetched, but if Tagovailoa starts to slide on draft day — after all, the Dolphins may not be entirely sold on him, and Matt Miller of Bleacher Report says the 2018 Heisman runner-up is the No. 3 or 4 QB on some teams’ boards even if he is completely healthy — then the Patriots could be in play, per Doug Kyed of NESN.com.
- One way or another, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says the Patriots will draft a rookie signal-caller. While he does not rule out a dramatic move for a player like Tagovailoa, he also says the team could once again target a mid-round prospect and is eyeing FIU passer James Morgan.
- WR Stefon Diggs sounded like a man who wanted out of Minnesota for awhile, and he finally got his wish when he got traded to the Bills in March. However, his displeasure with the Vikings had more to do with his role in the offense than his contract; he signed a five-year, $72MM extension last summer, and he still has another four years to go on that pact. Still, the contract looks fairly team-friendly in the current market, so Buffalo GM Brandon Beane was recently asked if Diggs is content with his deal. Beane side-stepped the issue, saying simply that Diggs is “happy to be in Buffalo” (Twitter link via Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News). It would indeed be rather surprising to see the Bills rework a contract that has four years remaining.
- Rich Cimini of ESPN.com confirms that Jets guard Brian Winters, who was presumed to be a cap casualty not that long ago, will remain with the Jets and will compete for a job in training camp. Cimini says that if Winters does not win a starting role, he will likely be asked to take a pay cut.
Draft Notes: Bengals, Burrow, Redskins, Giants, Dolphins, Jets
Sports leagues across the world are shutdown due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the next big event for most fans to tune into is the NFL draft. The league is hoping the draft can serve as a welcomed distraction for the country, and we’ve got a fresh batch of notes on what’s happening from Matt Miller of Bleacher Report. It’s been assumed for a while now that the Bengals will be taking Joe Burrow with the first overall pick, but that apparently isn’t set in stone.
While the expectation is still that Burrow is the pick, there is “a lot of buzz in scouting circles that the Bengals will at least listen to calls” on potential trades for the top choice, Miller writes. Since there’s no one ahead of them, it wouldn’t make all that much sense for the Bengals to be playing games if they weren’t actually planning to listen to inquiries. As of a couple of weeks ago we had heard that the Dolphins were still interested in trading for the first pick and selecting Burrow.
Here’s more on the draft, which will now be held remotely:
- New Redskins coach Ron Rivera has said ever since he took the position that Dwayne Haskins won’t just be handed the starting quarterback job and will need to compete. That has led to some rumblings that Washington could use the second overall pick on a quarterback, but that looks like it was all bluster. Sources told Miller that the Redskins are not considering using the pick on a passer, and it continues to look like Ohio State defensive end Chase Young will be the pick.
- The Giants are in an interesting spot with the fourth pick, and Miller writes that he’s heard talk out of New York that the team loves Clemson do-it-all linebacker Isaiah Simmons. While Miller has made Simmons the pick in his latest mock draft, he notes there has been “quiet buzz building for Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs“ with the fourth overall pick. The Giants could certainly use an offensive tackle as well as Simmons’ versatility on defense, so either pick would make sense.
- Speaking of the Dolphins, if they aren’t able to pull off the shocking trade up for Burrow, their situation is pretty up in the air. Although there has been a ton of talk over the last year linking Miami to Alabama signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa, multiple sources told Miller the team isn’t “convinced Tua is the best option and could instead target Oregon’s Justin Herbert.” In fact, the “buzz around the league is that Herbert has the most fans in the Dolphins’ draft room,” Miller writes. This echoes what Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald wrote back in February, when he reported that Miami had an “increasingly positive” view of Herbert and that the Dolphins were concerned about Tagovailoa’s hip as well as his long-term durability.
- The Jets lost Robby Anderson in free agency and didn’t do much to replace him or add receiving help outside of signing Breshad Perriman. They could certainly use another wideout and while the sources Miller talked to still expected the Jets to take an offensive tackle with the 11th overall pick, he also learned that the team is very high on Oklahoma receiver CeeDee Lamb. Lamb put up ridiculous numbers with the Sooners last year, racking up 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns in 13 games.
Tua Tagovailoa: “I Feel 100%”
After receiving good news on his voluntary medical re-check, Tua Tagovailoa says his surgically-repaired hip is completely healed, as NFL.com’s Steve Wyche writes. 
“I feel 100 percent,” the Alabama quarterback said. “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.”
Tagovailoa’s reps have echoed similar sentiments in recent days. They say that Tagovailoa is looking strong despite the devastating injury and grueling rehab he’s been through. So far, NFL teams seem to agree, and that could pave the way for him to be one of the top picks in the April draft.
For months, Tagovailoa has been linked to the Dolphins, who hold the No. 5 overall pick. That may represent his floor in the draft, but it’s also possible that another team could leapfrog the ‘Fins to take the Alabama star, who was once projected to be the No. 1 overall pick. It seems unlikely that the Bengals will pass up the opportunity to take Joe Burrow No. 1 overall, or that the Redskins would trade the No. 2 pick and lose out on a generational talent in Chase Young, but the Lions could theoretically move out of the No. 3 pick and try to snag Ohio State corner Jeff Okudah – their rumored target – further down the board. The Giants, who hold the No. 4 pick, are also a candidate to trade back.
As a fully healthy sophomore, Tagovailoa had scouts drooling as he threw for almost 4,000 yards and 43 touchdowns against only six interceptions. In that season, he was the runner-up for the Heisman trophy behind Kyler Murray.
Tua Tagovailoa Undergoes Medical Re-Check
Earlier today, Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa underwent a voluntary medical re-check facilitated by the league office and an independent doctor. The results were “overwhelmingly positive,” according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Latest On NFL Draft]
All 32 of the NFL’s team doctors and trainers were allowed to provide input on what exams they wanted to see conducted and those suggestions were blended to create a comprehensive exam for Tagovailoa, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Now that the results have been shared every team in the league, Tua’s reps say that the QB has tackled all of his medical obligations.
Many see the Dolphins at No. 5 overall as Tagovailoa’s floor. If he slips past the ‘Fins, he probably won’t fall too much further, especially after today’s thumbs-up medical.
Before Tagovailoa’s devastating hip injury and subsequent surgery, he was widely regarded as the most promising QB in the 2020 class. He’s no longer in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick – that mantle almost certainly belongs to LSU’s Joe Burrow – but his future remains bright.
“He’s moving really, really well,” Chris Cabott, co-agent to the QB, said recently. “To this point, we don’t have any medical concerns. Obviously in any given situation, it’s a day-by-day situation, but his road to return has not been interrupted.”
Meanwhile, theTagovailoa has remained focus on the road to recovery.
“My main goal is not to win the 40, not to win the bench press, but to win my medical,” Tagovailoa said earlier this year. “I’m going to go over there looking to win my medical and then go in and interview with the teams. That’s pretty much what I’m going to do. And then hopefully there’s a pro day down the line, either late March or early April.”
Latest On Tua Tagovailoa’s Draft Status
Though pre-draft visits for collegiate prospects have been scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the draft itself is still going to take place as scheduled. As such, teams will not have as much intel as they would like prior to draft night, so players with medical and/or character red flags may find themselves slipping down draft boards.
One such player is Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Though it would be surprising to see him fall too far past the Dolphins’ No. 5 overall selection, the individual pro day that Tagovailoa was supposed to hold on April 9 has been canceled, as Mike Rodak of AL.com notes, so that’s one less piece of critical information that interested teams will have.
Similarly, clubs that could be in the market for the southpaw signal-caller will not be able to evaluate him during medical re-checks that were supposed to take place shortly before the April 23 draft. So the team that drafts Tagovailoa will be taking a leap of faith that his surgically repaired hip will not jeopardize his professional career.
On the plus side, reports last month indicated that Tagovailoa’s MRIs showed that his fracture is healed and that there has been no loss of blood flow. Last week, videos of him dropping back and throwing passes were posted to his Instagram account, and his reps have obviously passed along glowing reviews.
“He’s moving really, really well,” said co-agent Chris Cabott, who also indicated that the response from NFL teams has been overwhelmingly positive. “To this point, we don’t have any medical concerns. Obviously in any given situation, it’s a day-by-day situation, but his road to return has not been interrupted.”
As Rodak suggests, Tagovailoa could schedule a live-streamed or taped version of his individual pro day, and while no plans have yet been made in that regard, Cabott said he would continue working with individual teams to make sure they have as thorough of an evaluation as possible. That includes FaceTime, Zoom, or WebEx interviews, and continuing imaging scans, which Cabott said would be provided to teams upon request.
So Tagovailoa’s prospects still appear to be on an upward trajectory. As of now, look for him to hear his name called within the first five picks of next month’s draft, with the Dolphins, Redskins, Chargers (and even Bengals) looming as potential landing spots.
Dolphins Tried To Host Tua On Visit
The Dolphins did some last-minute work before the NFL banned pre-draft visits, hosting Jordan Love and J.K. Dobbins. But the team wanted a higher-profile player to come in for a meeting.
Linked to Tua Tagovailoa for over a year now, the Dolphins tried to bring in the Alabama prospect for a pre-draft visit last week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. In fact, the former Crimson Tide superstar was the Dolphins’ first call, but Rapoport adds the logistics for a Tagovailoa Miami trek did not line up before the league nixed visits.
COVID-19 prompted the NFL put the kibosh on pre-draft meetings and workouts last Friday; the Dolphins had Love and Dobbins in their facility earlier that day. The Dolphins, who hold the No. 5 overall pick, wanted additional information on Tagovailoa’s surgically repaired hip, Rapoport adds.
Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert were on Miami’s radar over a year ago, and the team wants to end up with one of these two passers. The Dolphins will still try to trade up for Joe Burrow, however. While the Dolphins may need to keep tabs on the Chargers in their race for a quarterback, they are fully expected to end up with Tagovailoa or Herbert come April.