The Dolphins made one of the biggest splashes at the trade deadline when they moved to acquire edge rusher Bradley Chubb from the Broncos and one common reaction to using a 2023 first-round pick to get him was that it showed the team has confidence it can make a run in the AFC this year.
Another was that it showed the team is convinced Tua Tagovailoa is their quarterback for the long term. The Dolphins had two first-round picks as a result of a trade they made with the 49ers ahead of the 2020 draft and that draft capital was seen as a way to facilitate a move for another quarterback if Tagovailoa fell short of expectations this season.
Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier didn’t directly answer a question at Wednesday’s press conference about whether the trade means the Dolphins think Tagovailoa is an elite quarterback, but made it clear that the team is very happy with how he’s played this season.
“I will say we’re very, very happy with how Tua is playing and what he’s done for us. It’s been exciting to see him blossom here on and off the field,” Grier said, via Safid Deen of USA Today.
Tagovailoa missed two full games and most of another with a concussion, but he’s posted the best passer rating and average yards per pass attempt of any quarterback in the league when healthy. Those are good reasons for Grier and the Dolphins to like what they’ve seen and more of the same in the second half may be enough to quiet any outside doubts about the quarterback’s fit.