Expectations are high for Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins this season, especially on offense as they have been one of the most explosive units in the NFL the last two seasons.
If there was any area of concern on the Dolphins’ offense, however, it’s their offensive line. However, on Monday, Tagovailoa downplayed these concerns to reporters, and there is plenty of evidence to back it up.
Dolphins Enter 2024 With Major Question Marks on the Offensive Line
As one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins have found something special. Miami features an offense full of speed at nearly every skill position, making them a nightmare to defend.
Tagovailoa led the Dolphins to finish last season as the second-highest-scoring offense in the league (496 points) while leading the league in offensive yards (6,822).
However, one area of this offense that evokes the majority of concerns would be their offensive line. On PFN’s Offensive Line rankings, Miami’s unit ranked as the 25th best in the league. After losing Robert Hunt and Connor Williams this offseason, the Dolphins’ offensive line could go from bad to worse.
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Even with the two linemen they lost, Miami’s offense line ranked second-worst in pass-block win rate last season, according to ESPN. They’re trudging ahead without two important parts of the offensive line in 2024, with the future looking uncertain at that spot.
Though, while it appears to be a part of the offense that would instill worries into the starting quarterback, Tagovailoa was surprisingly calm about the situation his offensive line is in.
Why Tua Tagovailoa Is Unconcerned About Dolphins’ O-Line
When it comes to his confidence in the players protecting him, Tagovailoa is filled to the brim. Whether it’s knowing they’re a talented group or the fact that he gets the ball out quickly, confidence is there.
Tua was asked about his confidence in the Dolphins' offensive line:
"Well brother, I get the ball out fast. So I'm confident in whoever we've got there."
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) August 26, 2024
As a quarterback who doesn’t require much time to process, the need for an offensive line to block for upwards of 4-5 seconds isn’t there.
Miami had one of the worst pass-blocking offensive lines in the league last year, yet, Tagovailoa still led the NFL in passing yards. Not to say offensive line play isn’t important for the Dolphins, but the amount of time they need to protect for is significantly less than most quarterbacks in the league.
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In college, Tagovailoa’s ability to pick apart defenses in the short-to-intermediate game was a reason why he got drafted with the fifth pick in 2020, and it’s a reason the Dolphins were able to find the success they did last season.
According to PFF, Tagovailoa had the quickest average time to throw (2.32 seconds) among all quarterbacks in the league with 350+ attempts last season. In 2022, that number was 2.52 seconds, which ranked fourth-best in the NFL.
The connection between McDaniel and Tagovailoa has been strong, but even before the two got paired up, his time-to-throw average was one of the best. In the season preceding McDaniel, Tagovailoa averaged 2.53 seconds to get rid of the ball, ranking third-quickest in the league that year.
As one of the top quick-game passers in the NFL right now, it’s clear why Tagovailoa isn’t worried about the state of his offensive line. Needing approximately 2.5 seconds to connect with Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle, an offensive line that doesn’t rank near the top of the league isn’t a concern for the Dolphins or their starting quarterback.