SAD NEWS: The Miami Dolphins had an 11-6 season and were eliminated from the playoffs after just one game.

The Miami Dolphins had an 11-6 season and were eliminated from the playoffs after just one game.

After finishing with an 11-6 record, the Miami Dolphins were eliminated from the postseason after just one game for the second consecutive year.

Now that Tua Tagovailoa is about to reach the last year of his rookie contract, which includes a $23.17 million option for a fifth year, head coach Mike McDaniel and team must make a decision about the quarterback position.

Although the Dolphins have several options for how to go forward with Tagovailoa, Mike Sando of The Athletic highlighted one that hasn’t received much attention: training him.

he lays out three choices Miami could make with Tagovailoa which include allowing the quarterback to play out his fifth-year option or extending him now. However, the most palatable idea in Sando’s mind is for the Dolphins to trade Tagovailoa and sign Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, who is set to be a free agent in March.

“Your upside with Tua certainly seems limited,” an exec told Sando. “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.”

After having the best season of his career, in which he played in 17 games for the first time since joining the NFL, set career highs in yards, touchdowns, and completion percentage, and led the league in passing yards.

“To me, that is a different type of path forward if you like Cousins and you can sign him to a three- or four-year deal and you can trade Tua for a couple of draft picks,” the executive said to Sando. “I’m not sure if it’s the greatest one. The only way to find out is to actually be in that building, but if you’re seeking for other options, there is a decent one.

When the 2024 NFL season gets underway, Cousins will be 36 years old. He recently recovered from an Achilles tear, which has historically cost a lot of players their careers. It’s a risky bet to expect the veteran, who has familiarity with the McDaniel-Kyle Shanahan system, to remain healthy and productive until his late 30s or early 40s.

It seems like too big of a risk at this time, and if Cousins is demanding a guaranteed $90 million over the next two years, the Dolphins would be better served waiting out the season to see what Tagovailoa can do.