Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had a forgettable rookie season. He certainly will want to forget the first day of his sophomore effort.
According to The Palm Beach Post, the Alabama product threw five interceptions on the first day of Miami’s minicamp. The team practiced in what was described as a “monsoon,” but it still was a less-than-inspiring afternoon for the young quarterback.
His interceptions went to Trill Williams, Jamal Perry, Nik Needham, Nate Holley and Jevon Holland, according to the report. Not to be (completely) outdone, backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett was also intercepted twice.
The harsh weather conditions can’t be ignored, but Tua has a lot to prove in his second NFL season. Selected fifth overall by the Dolphins in the 2020 draft, his first year in Miami was less than inspiring, as he managed 1,814 yards and 11 touchdowns in nine games started.
On two occasions, he was benched late in games in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is now a member of the Washington Football Team. Meanwhile, Justin Herbert, drafted by the Chargers just one pick later, had a spectacular rookie season, logging 4,336 yards and 31 touchdowns en route to the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Tagovailoa spoke to the media after the rough practice.
“I think today, the emphasis on the QBs is we wanted to be aggressive,” he said, per Dolphins beat writer Josh Houtz. “We wanted to see if we could fit throws in. We wanted to see what throws we could make under these conditions. We were just trying to push the ball vertical down the field.”
A fair excuse after just one day of practice. But there’s no doubt that Tagovailoa’s every move will be scrutinized until he’s back on the field for Week 1.
The report did also mention that Tagovailoa “had several deep connections” with free agent signing Will Fuller.
