In an interview with Mike Florio and Chris Simms on PFT Live in February, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said that he is “hoping to be a lot better” in 2021 than he was during his rookie season.
The fact that he wasn’t great as a rookie led some to wonder if the Dolphins might use the No. 3 pick in the draft to provide them with another option at quarterback, but the team didn’t show any signs of wavering and their decision to trade that pick was further signal that Tagovailoa is their guy.
Improvement remains a must, however, and cornerback Byron Jones said on NFL Network that the expectation around the team is that it will be a major leap forward.
“It’s exciting. This team is comprised of a bunch of young guys,” Jones said. “Obviously, he’s going into his second year. What we saw last year was great from him but we expect a big jump. The kid’s been working, I know he’s been working. He’s been a great kid. Really good head on his shoulders. And that’s the beauty of it. We’re surrounded by a bunch of good guys who want to be great again. So I’m looking forward to seeing his jump. His contributions to the team have been great so far, but we’re looking for even something better this year. It’s exciting. I can’t wait to see him work his magic.”
The expected return of in-person offseason work and a year of NFL experience should benefit Tagovailoa’s bid for progress in his second season. If it doesn’t, the Dolphins have a pair of first-round picks in each of the next two seasons that could be used as capital to find someone else.