Tua will go from a strong Alabama football team to a weak NFL franchise.
The Miami Dolphins are just getting started with an extended rebuild. They drafted Alabama football’s Tua Tagovailoa in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but they now have to build around him. They have plenty of draft capital in the foreseeable future, so how can they build the team around their new franchise quarterback?
Miami can’t expect to win their division this year. With a rookie quarterback on a relatively bad team, it will take time. Let’s step through the process.
Wait to start Tua
This is going to hurt Dolphins fans, but Tua needs to sit out for at least the first half of the NFL season. I know that he has recovered from his current injuries, but the offensive line for Miami needs work. It doesn’t have to be the best in the NFL, but they at least need to prove that they can maintain a clean pocket before you throw the face of the franchise out there. Tua already has issues with holding the football for too long.
Ryan Fitzpatrick is good enough to start for a team like Miami. In the meantime, Tua can work on his craft and possibly play in snippets here and there. The offensive line can prove that they are capable of protecting him during the season.
Offensive line
Speaking of the offensive line, it will need to be improved in the near future. Whether they sign a franchise tackle or draft one in 2021, they need to add more quality offensive linemen. They’ll just need to determine where the best value is at that position.
If Penei Sewell is available with Miami’s first pick, they have take him. He’s going to be one of the best players in this NFL Draft class, and he could be a franchise cornerstone alongside Tua for years to come.
One name to keep an eye on later in the first round is Alabama football’s Alex Leatherwood. Leatherwood has experience at both tackle and guard, and that type of versatility is valuable in the NFL.
So, let’s say that the Dolphins find a way to fix the offensive line. What’s next?
Get Tua some weapons
I don’t care if the Dolphins draft or sign receivers, but they need some. Davante Parker is a great piece to a receiving corps, but Tua needs a dynamic group of receivers to really thrive. Je’Marr Chase would be a great option early in the 2021 NFL Draft, but they could also look at someone later with their Texans pick. Alabama football fans would love to see DeVonta Smith or Jaylen Waddle end up in Miami. The Tua-Smith connection would work incredibly well with the Dolphins,
Defense
Miami has already invested a ton of capital into their defense. They now need their new signings to step up and their draft picks to pan out. If Byron Jones and Kyle Van Noy can be as productive as they were with their old teams, the defense is in good hands.
Alabama football fans want Tua to succeed as soon as possible, but it’s going to take some time. We’ll see what happens in his rookie year, but this plan would set the Dolphins up to succeed in a few seasons.