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Miami Dolphins Really Consider a QB in First Round as they decides to sign the world class quarterback
The biggest offseason topic with the Miami Dolphins clearly concerns the status of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and his contract status, specifically whether to sign him to a long-term extension.
And a question often presented as an argument for doing just that is: Who would be the quarterback if not Tua?
FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt came up with this eye-opening answer this week: Michael Penix Jr.
On a podcast episode this week of the appropriately named The Joel Klatt Show, he mocked the University of Washington quarterback to the Dolphins with the 21st pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.
Klatt boiled down his reasoning to three main points:
— The cap advantages of avoiding having a quarterback on a second contract.
— Tua’s past concussions.
“Giving Tua a huge deal I think is risky,” Klatt said. “I think it’s risky. He has been injury-prone outside of (concussions), but that’s clearly something that … from firsthand experience, it doesn’t get better. It’s not like a ligament. OK, so what ends up happening or happening is less and less of an impact creates more symptoms and a greater degree of those symptoms. So that makes me nervous.”
— His belief that Penix is a better downfield passer than Tua.
“I have said this before, a guy that I could see stepping into that offense with that coach with those weapons and looking like he did in college is Michael Penix. Imagine starting over with a rookie deal at that position, solidifying some of the things that they’ve got, in particular in their skill position, and having a guy that quite honestly is a better downfield passer than Tua — Penix is a better downfield passer than Tua, … I’m not saying that like Tua is not going to be in the league but I’m just saying if you’re the Dolphins, you’ve got to really think about this. Yes. You know, Tyreek had a great year.
How many times did Tyreek have to adjust on an underthrown ball? Now maybe that’s a bad example because the guy is so fast, but it happens a lot. It happens a lot. Meanwhile, the best attribute that Michael Penix has, the No. 1 attribute is his ability to throw with great leverage and accuracy down the field — down the field. Him in that offense to me is like I want to see it. I think it would be amazing.”
