A Quarterback Swap with Miami for Minnesota?
The Miami Dolphins played a truly goofy football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs this season, but the result had eyes on their quarterback. If they want to make a change, there are rumblings that the Vikings’ free agent may be of interest. What if the teams swapped signal callers?
A Quarterback Swap with Miami for Minnesota?
Mike McDaniels led his Miami Dolphins to an impressive 11-6 record this season, but the result was a first-round playoff exit. The game was played in suboptimal weather conditions, with temperatures feeling like 35 degrees below zero. The helmet of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes shattered, and fans sat throughout the stadium, risking frostbite. Still, that’s how Tua Tagovailoa and company saw their year end.
At this point, rumors are swirling that Miami could look for a change under center. Tua may not be the guy going forward, and while they would likely need to trade him in order to move on, the next quarterback doesn’t have to be acquired in said trade. Kirk Cousins is going to draw plenty of interest this offseason, and his chain-wielding self may fit in South Beach.
This season, Tagovailoa threw for a league-leading 4,624 yards. He posted a career-best 29 touchdowns but did have a career-worst 14 interceptions. Often looking for speedster Tyreek Hill, the Dolphins quarterback found success putting up gaudy numbers in an offense that generally clicked on all cylinders. If you remember, there was that 50-point drubbing of the Denver Broncos in which Tua and company put up 70 points in a regular game.
Seeing the Dolphins break up their quarterback to wide receiver combination feels weird, but there has definitely been plenty of smoke to suggest that as a possibility. Cousins would represent a different type of quarterback, but he may be the breath of fresh air they need. For Minnesota, acquiring Tua would immediately pair him with another elite option and upgrade on Hill vis-a-vis Justin Jefferson.
The capital required to net Tagovailoa may not be as high as initially perceived. 2024 will be the final year of his rookie deal, and he will generate a cap hit just north of $23.1 million. That’s substantially less than Cousins’ cost in 2023 and should be well below where he checks in for 2024 as well. With only a one-year commitment, Minnesota could still draft a quarterback to groom for the future, or they may find that Tua is their guy. Either way, thinking about him in purple is a pretty crazy concept.
There’s no denying that what Minnesota does under center remains the most intriguing storyline of the offseason, and until that is settled, everything else will take a back seat.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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