New details on Tua Tagovailoa’s rise to Dolphins starter. What’s made Brian Flores unhappy. And two important questions

Let’s begin by answering the questions we have answers for, shall we?

This is easier because there are certain things we know as facts but a ton of stuff that has not yet been uncovered because as I write this, Tua Tagovailoa has confirmed he is the new Miami Dolphins starting quarterback, sources have confirmed the move, but the Miami Dolphins themselves are the last people on Earth to utter a word on the matter.

One supposes even coach Brian Flores will join the news confirmation party when he speaks to reporters Wednesday morning.

[Update: Flores spoke confirmed Tagovailoa is the new starter. But the coach was very unhappy how the news got out before he had a chance to tell all the players first. Flores said he would apologize for how this happened in a team meeting today. By the way, the Dolphins don’t have a leak problem. The story got out from an agent or agents who passed the information along to ESPN.

“One thing that’s unfortunate is I didn’t get a chance to address the team before this was out, you know, in the media. It’s not the way I or we want to do business. Unfortunately, that’s kind of the way of the world right now. That’s unfortunate. I’m not happy about that at all. So, I’ll address that to the team and, really, apologize that they had to find out through social media. I don’t think that’s fair to them.”]

Until then what we know, and then some questions about this whole interesting event:

We know the Dolphins have very little concern the move from veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick to the rookie Tagovailoa will upset the locker room in any significant way.

I am told by a club source that the Dolphins are certain the switch won’t rock the locker room because players respect Tagovailoa. So no one who will speak publicly sees this as giving up on the chance to win games in 2020.

Yes, there are some players who are huge Fitzpatrick guys. Tight end Mike Gesicki comes to mind.

But the Dolphins believe when those guys see Fitzpatrick fall in line behind Tagovailoa, they will all fall in line behind Tagovailoa. So no problem at this stage.

I am told by another source the Dolphins realize Tagovailoa is not the quarterback Fitzpatrick is at this time. To argue otherwise would be intellectually disingenuous.

Fitzpatrick has a decade and a half of experience that Tagovailoa simply does not have. So Fitzpatrick recognizes defenses faster, he knows the Miami offense better, all that.

But the same source tells me the Dolphins believe Tagovailoa is more physically talented and has a much higher ceiling based on tangible stuff they have seen from him in practice. He has improved the past six weeks of this regular season. And the improvement is physical and mental, I’m told.

The fact Tagovailoa played five snaps against the New York Jets and looked the part also seemed to help his cause. And, yes, the Dolphins could glean something from those limited snaps.

“Oh gosh, yes,” offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said. “You go out there and you look at it, and he got it under duress, and made an accurate throw. Then he sat in the pocket on third down and made a throw for a first down. Those are positives. Those are real positives. For a guy that hadn’t played a snap, those are real positive.”

One more thing: The Dolphins’ offensive line is solid now. Even as the unit nurses the temporary loss of left tackle Austin Jackson, the Dolphins are not falling apart up front. Gailey said the communication in pass protection has been good. Fitzpatrick has not been running for his life to make a play.

So the Dolphins are confident they are not exposing Tagovailoa to a disastrous amount of hits.

Plus, the offense Miami is going to run with Tagovailoa will endeavor to get the ball out quickly. Lots of quick slants. Some screens, some roll outs to get him away from pressure. Anything to keep Tagovailoa from getting hit too often.

“Fitz did a lot offensively for us offensively as far as communications, getting guys lined up,” Flores said. “Tua’s going to have to do a good job of that as well. We’re going to need everyone to step.”

That’s it. That much is known.

So what do we not know?

▪ Did owner Stephen Ross persuade coach Brian Flores to play Tagovailoa?

This is a yes or no question that requires an answer because Flores has been adamant about Fitzpatrick remaining his starter. When I called for the Dolphins to make the move from Fitzpatrick to Tagovailoa on Oct. 5, Flores was steadfast.

“Look,” Flores said on Oct. 6, “the honest thing from me is if he was my kid and he had a serious injury like [the hip injury Tagovailoa had in November of 2019], I wouldn’t want his coach to be in a rush to throw him in there because of media pressure or anything like that.”

Flores did not bench Fitzpatrick after the quarterback’s stinker against Seattle and didn’t even play Tagovailoa at the end of a 43-17 whipping of San Francisco.

But he changed course last Sunday and played Tagovailoa in mop-up duty in a victory over the Jets. And now the dramatic about-face in that Flores is benching Fitzpatrick in the middle of a two-game win streak.

So, yes, the circumstances raise eyebrows that perhaps the coach’s dramatic shift was suggested from a higher authority.

[Update: Ross has not answered a request for comment. Flores said his shift comes because “through practice and meetings and walk-throughs, we feel that he’s ready,” speaking of Tagovailoa.]

Next ...

▪ Do the Dolphins believe Tagovailoa is going to be good?

Another yes or no question. And the easy answer is, “yes.” Otherwise, why the heck did they draft him?

But I want to hear it from the team, from Flores.

If the head coach cannot say unequivocally that his new starting quarterback is going to be good, why did he make the change?

And, granted, everyone expects there will be potholes in the road for young Tagovailoa. No one is demanding Dan Marino II.

But, similarly, no one is wanting John Beck II.

Tagovailoa might have some rookie struggles, but there needs to be a good if not equal amount of reasons to feel he’s the right guy once he gets more experience. So is that what the Dolphins see on the horizon?

Not a tough question. Or it shouldn’t be.

[Update: Flores answered my question when I asked. He said, “I’m confident in all our players, that includes Tua. I think he’s practiced well. He works hard in meetings and walk-throughs. He has good rapport with his teammates. Look, every week we go out to win so, yeah, I’m confident he’s ...if he prepares the right way, prepares the way he’s been preparing, I’m confident he’ll go out there and have good results. But it’s not a one-man game. I think that’s the one thing that’s, it’s football. We need 11 guys on each play to go out there and play together as a team. I’m confident we’ll be to do that, play as a team with great energy and hopefully with good execution.”]