As the NFL approaches the Draft, the Miami Dolphins are participating in their off-season program, with little news to report on.
Players are working to stay in shape for the toll of a 17 game season just a few months away.
However, there is interesting movement on the quarterback front, more particularly from the Arizona Cardinals.
Kyler Murray is looking for a new deal, and his camp has stated that he will not play until he receives it. While much could change, this is the latest chapter in an interesting saga between the rising star and Arizona.
Earlier this off-season, Murray deleted all of his Cardinals-related posts from his social media pages. While he eventually put them back, it was something to note, and led to questioning from insiders and media. Could the Miami Dolphins possibly be in the trade market for Kyler Murray?
A Cause for Conflict
While Murray has had substantial success in Arizona, it makes sense why he would be discontent. The Cardinals, under Kliff Kingsbury, have consistently began the last few seasons as one of the hottest teams in the NFL. However, as teams begin to have a read on them, Kingsbury and the rest of the staff fail to adjust, leading to second half collapses.
This lack of late-season success flowed into the playoffs, where the Cardinals were greeted with a Wild Card loss to the Rams. This began the appearance of blame being cast on Murray, while Kingsbury received an extension last month.
Thus, Murray and his management have withdrawn their contract offer to the Cardinals. Teams are monitoring the situation, and there has been speculation that the Dolphins are one of them.
Why Miami?
On the surface, it makes sense. Kyler Murray is a top 10 quarterback in the NFL, and contrasts from Tua, who has had a divisive first two years.
Miami also has the capital to make a move. Even after trading for Tyreek Hill, they still have two first round picks in 2023, among other substantial capital. The Dolphins opened up a window with their acquisitions, and are definitely in win-now mode. A move for a QB might be in their minds to push them over the top.
Does it Make Sense?
Although, this seems far from the case. Miami has verbally committed to Tua Tagovailoa several times this off-season — which is a far contrast from the Flores regime. This new offense is dedicated to his skill set, adding play-makers who excel at getting open and working after the catch.
New head coach Mike McDaniel and his assistants have expressed an excitement to work with him and cater to his traits, and have presumably gone forward with their playbook with him in mind as the starter. McDaniel even attended Tua’s luau event that took place recently.
This is the strongest affirmation of Tua’s career, and making a deal after committing this much to him wouldn’t make sense. It’s clear that they are sticking with him for this year, with his future beyond 2022 in question.
If he does not live up to expectations this year, it’s fair to expect his tenure in Miami to end.
The Bottom Line on Kyler Murray and the Miami Dolphins
While it may happen in the future, I wouldn’t expect Miami to make this big of trade — at least not now. Murray appears to have leadership issues, and taking on this big of a contract would require other moves to be made.
Miami has also verbally committed to Tua Tagovailoa, and it’s clear that they are excited to work with him. I expect this to be his “try-out year”, with a contingency plan in place. While that may be Kyler Murray, the Miami Dolphins would likely wait until a year from now.
Miami’s team is going to be exciting this year, and even if it doesn’t work out at quarterback, there are several intriguing possibilities.
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