Tagovailoa, Dolphins In Contract Talks

Tua Tagovailoa is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract with the Miami Dolphins. Contract talks have been underway between the two parties in hopes to sign the quarterback to a long-term extension.

Tagovailoa was previously represented by Leigh Steinberg before changing agents in 2023 to Ryan Williams and Austin Lyman of Athletes First.

Rookie Contract

Tagovailoa was drafted fifth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. He signed a rookie contract with Miami that went from 2020 to the 2024 season, with a fifth-year option. The Dolphins picked up Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option last year. This raised the cap hit from $9.6 million in 2023 to $23.2 million for the upcoming 2024 season.

From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: #Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa should have some peace, as he’s done everything he needs to do to get a big-time contract extension. It’s just a matter of time. pic.twitter.com/ERrCIF3390

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 5, 2024

With Tagovailoa entering the final year of his contract, discussions have been heating up between his agent and the Dolphins. Negotiations started at the beginning of this offseason, but so far nothing has been finalized. Discussions will continue between Tagovailoa’s agents and Dolphins’ general manager Chris Grier until a solution is finalized.

QB Contracts in the NFL

Quarterbacks around the league have continuously signed deals that exceed the last. In 2024, Kirk Cousins signed a four-year $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons. Quarterbacks, Baker Mayfield and Jared Goff each signed extensions in the 2024 offseason. Mayfield signed a three-year $100 million contract extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Goff signed a four-year $212 million contract extension with the Detroit Lions that made him the second highest paid quarterback annually.

#Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa on whether Jared Goff's $53M per year contract sets a benchmark for his negotiations:

"The market is the market. If we didn't have a market, none of that would matter. That's what I would say. The market is the market." pic.twitter.com/bAluntAsor

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 4, 2024

2020 Quarterback Class

Three out of the five highest annually paid quarterbacks were drafted in Tagovailoa’s 2020 NFL draft class. Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jordan Love and Jalen Hurts all headline the quarterbacks in the 2020 draft class.

Burrow was drafted first overall and is now the highest paid quarterback in the NFL after signing a five-year, $275 million contract with $219 million guaranteed. Herbert is the third highest paid quarterback in the league after he signed a five-year, $262.5 million contract with $133.7 million guaranteed. Hurts is the fifth highest paid quarterback in the league after he signed a five-year, $255 million contract with $179.3 million guaranteed.

Tua Tagovailoa will look to sign his own big-time contract before the 2024 season begins.