“I’m not blind to the people that are in my position that are getting paid,” Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa said, reflecting on his contract situation. The Quarterback market just got a major jolt after Jacksonville Jaguars handed Trevor Lawrence a jaw-dropping five-year, $275 million deal, making him the joint highest-paid QB in the league alongside the Bengals’ Joe Burrow. Now, every signal-caller in the league is itching for a piece of the pie. With Dak Prescott and Jordan Love, all watching closely, the ESPN reporter has a strong word of advice for the Dolphins.

Speaking on ESPN’s UNSPORTSMANLIKE, on the 24th of July, Michelle Smallmon gave her two cents on the current contract situation of Tua at the Dolphins. She noted that, in the current market, it’s expected for the 24-year-old to seek an extension. But she hinted that the delay might be due to the quarterback shuffle. According to her theory, if Prescott or Love hits the market, their stock could soar higher than a Hail Mary pass in the last seconds. Michelle quipped, “There will certainly be teams that view him [Tua Tagovailoa] as an upgrade. There will absolutely be teams interested in him. But would it be the same as the other two guys? Not even in the same ballpark. If I’m the Dolphins, I’m going to have my number and stand firm on it because you look at all the weapons around. ”

What’s in the Dolphins’ playbook? According to the ESPN reporter, it’s all about Coach McDaniel steering the ship and guiding Tua on a winning streak. This is what is giving the Phins a serious negotiating muscle. Michelle further added that the 24-year-old signal-caller would be naïve to look for greener pastures elsewhere. First, with the system built around him in Miami. Second, his injury record does not put up a strong case for him. Michelle said, “I think the Dolphins need to stand firm here and not give him or what he demands or overpay for Tua.”

Without drawing assumptions based on ‘he said’, ‘she said’, let’s compare the 2023 stats of Tua to that of Love and Prescott.

Do these numbers paint a vivid picture in the reflection of the Dolphins delaying the contract? Tua Tagovailoa’s certainly winning the game of passing yards against the two. But Love and Prescott have proved it when it has mattered the most.