Chris Perkins: Here’s how I envision the conversation on Tua’s contract talks with the Dolphins
Let’s talk about a Tua contract extension with the Dolphins without mentioning a single statistic.
Let’s talk about who has the hammer, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa or the Dolphins.
Both sides can hit hard.
Ultimately, however, I think the Dolphins have the biggest hammer. And, in a respectful fashion, they need to use it.
Repeatedly, if necessary.
Relentlessly, if necessary.
This isn’t personal, it’s business.
Yes, Detroit quarterback Jared Goff just received a four-year, $212 million contract with $170 million guaranteed, which will serve as a reference point for Tua.
But here’s my bottom line, and it’s very important: I don’t care about the AAV (Average Annual Value) of Tua’s contract.
That’s Steve Ross’ problem.
He owns the Dolphins.
He pays Tua.
I only care about the salary cap charge, because that’s what affects the Dolphins’ ability to surround Tua with enough talent to win a Super Bowl.
That’s my key to this whole thing.
Yes, Tua might be a better quarterback than Goff (who, by the way, has been to a Super Bowl and a NFC Championship game).
However, as I’ve said before, some team must draw a line in the sand.
Teams can’t keep allowing quarterbacks with lots of potential to eat up the same amount on the salary cap as quarterbacks with actual skins on the wall because “that’s the market.”
Someone has to re-set the market.
This is about having enough money to surround your quarterback with the necessary talent to win a Super Bowl.
That’s the goal.
It’s very tough to reach that goal when your Pro Bowl quarterback, who is limited in many ways, is drawing, say, $45 million on the salary cap.
To me, that’s the case for 31 teams, everyone except Kansas City.
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, for example, is eating up 18.4% of his team’s salary cap this season with his $47.8 million cap hit.
Quarterbacks are overpaid. Period.
Someone must stop the madness.
As for Tua’s contract extension, you’ve heard me refer to this on Dolphins Deep Dive, but I haven’t put it all together in one concise, written space, so let’s do that now.
Here’s the biggest hammer the Dolphins can hit Tua with (in a respectful way) as far as signing an extension:
“You’ll never have another coach who loves you as a son, such as Mike McDaniel.
You’ve seen the other side of this coin; it’s called Brian Flores.
You were one of Mike McDaniel’s main selling points to us in getting the job.
He FaceTimed you as soon as he got the job.
Plus, a big part of his coaching reputation is directly tied to your performance.
The whole offense is tailor-made to your strengths — quick reads, a quick release, accuracy, speedy receivers, YAC (Yards After Catch).
And, yes, we’re short-changing you a bit on the guaranteed money, according to the current market.
We’re not giving you $170 million guaranteed.
You haven’t won a playoff game, and you have an injury history.
Look at it this way: You’ve had one healthy season among your last five, and that was last season. If you miss a single game this season due to injury, whether it’s a sprained pinky finger or a sprained knee, your guaranteed money goes down a bit from us, and it drops precipitously on the free agent market.
And if you miss a game due to a concussion, well, we don’t have to go much further explaining what that does to your guaranteed money from any team, including us. It falls off a table and onto the floor.
We’ll give you lots of guaranteed money, but our main intention is keeping your salary-cap number down so we can build around you and win a Super Bowl.”
Tua’s comeback to the Dolphins?
It’s simple, reality-based and hard-hitting.
“You see what Jared Goff just got.
If I earn a Pro Bowl berth and win a playoff game this season, both of which are possible, and some would say likely, I’m re-setting the market as far as my price tag.
You can mess around if you want to, but you’re playing with fire by not giving me what I want right now. Today.
This is as cheap as I’ll ever be.
We both know it’s cheaper to sign me to an extension than having me play the 2025 season on the franchise tag.
Plus, you’ve got other contract situations approaching among wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, who are both playing the 2025 season on fifth-year options unless they get extensions, and safety Jevon Holland, who is in the final year of his deal.
Those negotiations become much easier if you know what I’m costing you against the salary cap.
Think about this, too — you need to win now, before you get into deeper contract uncertainty, and I’m the biggest single piece of the puzzle when it comes to winning.”
The way I see it, both sides have good arguments, but I’m on the Dolphins’ side on this one.
Again, this is business, not personal.
I like and respect Tua.
I’ve stated many times that I’d have Tua play the 2024 season on his fifth-year option and then extend his contract based on his past performance and future projection.
Yes, the Dolphins could get burned badly.
But the Dolphins could also franchise tag Tagovailoa for the 2025 season.
Ideally, you sign Tua to a long-term contract because that allows you to lower his salary-cap number and get him the additional help he’ll need to win a Super Bowl.
If that doesn’t work, however, I guess you franchise tag him for 2025, and go through this whole process again.
As a reminder, the goal isn’t having the highest-paid quarterback in the league. The goal is having enough money to surround your quarterback with the necessary talent to win a Super Bowl.