Miami Dolphins DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said he "absolutely" hopes to get a long-term contract extension done with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa this offseason. Tagovailoa is currently set to play the 2024 season under his fifth-year option unless the two sides can agree on an extension this offseason. The 25-year-old led the NFL in passing yards with 4,624, although his lack of rushing prowess has held him back from being among the elite QBs in both real life and fantasy. But Miami's offense was among the most explosive in the league last year, and Tagovailoa should continue to have a stable floor as at least a low-end QB1 as long as receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are around. It would be a surprise if the Dolphins and Tua didn't agree on an extension this offseason.

The Atlanta Falcons are releasing tight end Jonnu Smith on Tuesday, according to a source. Smith will be on the open market this offseason after catching 50 passes for 532 yards and three touchdowns on 70 targets in 17 games (six starts) in his lone season in Atlanta in 2023. The Falcons traded for Smith before the 2023 season, but that was with the old coaching staff. Now that a new coaching staff is in place, more specifically with new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson running the offense, the Falcons aren't going to rely as much on two tight-end sets in 2024, making the 28-year-old Smith and his $6.5 million non-guaranteed salary expendable. Smith will be hard-pressed to match his career-highs in 2024 with another team.

The Athletic's Josh Kendall lists Atlanta Falcons veteran tight end Jonnu Smith as a potential cut candidate this offseason. Smith was the team's fourth-leading receiver in 2023, but the Falcons could face some offensive upheaval this offseason with a new coaching staff coming in. Former head coach Arthur Smith kept a tight end-heavy roster, but new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson comes from the Los Angeles Rams' 11-personnel-heavy offense, meaning that Kyle Pitts may be the only tight end the team needs now. The Rams' backup tight end, Davis Allen, caught just 10 passes last year. Smith had 50 receptions a year ago, but cutting him this offseason would give the Falcons $6.5 million more salary cap room. If Smith remains in Atlanta, fantasy managers should expect a serious drop in production.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is coming off a career-best year in 2023, expects to sign a long-term contract extension with the team this offseason, he told reporters on Friday. "There's been communication," Tagovailoa. "I think the thing with that right now is I'm just letting the team talk to my agent and let them work that out." He is entering the final year of his rookie deal in 2024 after leading the NFL with 4,624 passing yards while also setting career-highs with 29 touchdown passes and 17 games played. It was the first time he played in a full season in his four-year career. The Dolphins brass has long been supportive of him publicly and picked up his fifth-year option last year. The fact that the Dolphins are around $51 million over the salary cap entering the offseason with critical decisions to make on other star players on the team makes extending Tagovailoa a bit more tricky.

The Athletic's Mike Sando discusses a couple different options the Miami Dolphins have with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is heading into the final year of his rookie deal in 2024. The most palatable option could be trading him for someone like Vikings QB Kirk Cousins and some draft picks. "Your upside with Tua certainly seems limited," an executive said, "so let's say you can trade him. I would be exploring, 'OK, Tua, we can win games with, probably not winning a championship with. Kirk Cousins, we can win games with, probably not winning a championship with. But our resources are better spent on Cousins plus draft picks than they are on just Tua." The most logical option could be to let him play out his fifth-year option and potentially go the franchise-tag route. "He is at the level of quarterback that is hard to commit to," another executive said. "But it becomes really tricky when you start betting against your quarterback like that."