Dolphins are in a tough situation with Tua Tagovailoa

It’s easy to say, “Yes, Tua Tagovailoa deserves a new contract.” » The hardest part comes from setting the right value.

The Dolphins and their quarterback clearly haven’t been able to do that or he would have a new contract by now. And Tua does the only thing he can to gain leverage: he stays away from voluntary workouts.

It’s surprising that the news remained a secret for as long as it did. But no one had any real reason to think he wouldn’t participate.

Tagovailoa and coach Mike McDaniel said Tua will be present for OTAs, which begin Monday. If he doesn’t show up for the on-field workouts that lay the groundwork for the upcoming training camp, it will be significant.

He earns $23.1 million this year through his fifth-year option. That’s way too low, considering he led the league in assists last year. But the Dolphins surely think Tua’s expectations are way too high.

It’s a difficult situation for the team. For starters, the delay has already made the deal more expensive — thanks to the massive contract the Lions gave Jared Goff this week. Plus, fans love Tua, which makes it harder for the Dolphins to make a football decision on whether to give him what he wants.

While teams claim to make football decisions and only football decisions, teams ultimately make business decisions. And when a player has become a key part of the company, it pays to keep him around.

For example, those Jared Goff chants might have something to do with the fact that the Lions gave him $148 million guaranteed at signing, in practice, as well as a $73 million signing. The Dolphins have a similar problem.

The other problem for the Dolphins is that, unlike the Lions, they let key players go instead of paying them. Most recently, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins is out for the Raiders. At some point, the Dolphins have to keep one.

So yes, it’s a difficult question. And the Dolphins could find themselves fighting against themselves to appease Tua, even though the best football decision would be to give him another year and tag him or let him test the market in 2024.