Greg Cote: Bill Belichick must be smiling as Dolphins deal with Watson rumors and Tua with doubts
Greg Cote, Miami Herald
MIAMI — What a stinking mess for the Miami Dolphins — and especially Tua Tagovailoa — to be dealing with on the doorstep of the NFL regular season.
The season is supposed to launch with the second-year quarterback feeling super confident and feeling the full faith of his coaches and team. Instead he is being chased not by opposing edge rushers but by Deshaun Watson rumors that have risen anew with very curious timing, indeed.
Who might want this story suddenly in headlines again to his own advantage.
Bill Belichick, perhaps? Hmmm.
So, out of nowhere, on Saturday, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports “reports” the Dolphins are now front-runners to trade for Watson. (“Reports” in quotes because no source was named).
“Hey, Chuck. Bill. In the mood for a scooop?”
Then Tuesday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk “reports” it is Dolphins owner Stephen Ross who “really wants” Watson.
“Hey, Mikey. Bill. Not coming from me, but you won’t believe what I heard today …”
Hey, I’m not saying Belichick did it. Only that he has to be smiling right now as Miami coach Brian Flores Flores puts out brushfires of the capital-D distraction variety and Tagovailoa keeps being given reasons to sort of wonder how committed to him his team really is.
A win-now imperative by Ross would be understandable. He’s 81.
The volley of unnamed sources escalated later Tuesday with the Miami Herald quoting a Dolphins source as saying Ross “does not force football decisions” and that the owner “believes in Tua.”
Yes, and Flores does, too, enough to say this week, “I’m very confident.” But not enough to flatly and unequivocally state the Fins have no interest in trading for Watson. Which means there could be tendrils of interest out there. Maybe. Or not.
And somewhere up in New England right now Belichick is smiling as his Patriots and newly named rookie starting quarterback Mac Jones prepare to host Miami in the regular-season opener.
Whether or not Belichick planted the rumors, they work in his favor.
Meantime, the Houston Texans are demanding three first-round and two second-round draft picks for Watson, an unhappy, great star quarterback in his prime being chased by 22 civil lawsuits and 10 criminal complaints related to alleged sexual impropriety with massage therapists.
It’s a holy mess for the Texans, for the NFL and likely for the team that might trade for him as a lengthy NFL suspension of Watson also looms possible.
And the mess would not be greater than in Miami, where Flores — who makes a habit of always mentioning his high regard for character — would be left scrambling to explain how the criminally beleaguered Watson meets that standard.
For Flores the price of winning on a dice roll with Watson would be all of those high draft picks and also the blatant hypocrisy to set aside the high moral demand for character when the situation suits.
Don’t do it, Dolphins.
Instead, imagine what good use you can make of the three first-round and two second-round draft picks you’ll save.
You selected your quarterback of the future fifth overall last year for a reason.
How about you have a little faith in your own judgment?
Mostly, how about you have a little faith in Tua Tagovailoa?
Greg Cote: Bill Belichick must be smiling as Dolphins deal with Watson rumors and Tua with doubts
Michael Ainsworth
The days of Aaron Rodgers spending three years on the bench as Brett Favre's apprentice or Carson Palmer sitting out his entire rookie season behind Jon Kitna in Cincinnati are mostly in the past.
While some point to the success Patrick Mahomes has had in Kansas City since spending almost his entire rookie season on the bench behind Alex Smith, rookies are being thrown into the fire quicker than ever. The differences between the pro and college offenses have narrowed and teams try to take advantage of having a starting quarterback on a cheaper rookie contract.
Since the rookie wage scale was put in place before the 2011 season, 30 of the 32 quarterbacks drafted in the first round — all but Jake Locker and Jordan Love — started at least one game as a rookie. Twelve of those started the opener and nearly two-thirds (21 out of 32) got their chance in the first four games of the season.
There is no clear pattern of success when it comes to when to start a rookie quarterback. Andrew Luck stepped in right away to turn Indianapolis into a playoff team. Josh Allen and Justin Herbert off to good career trajectories after making their first start in Week 2. But other early starters such as EJ Manuel and Sam Darnold didn't have the same sort of success.
While Mahomes and Lamar Jackson won MVPs in their second year after waiting until the second half of their rookie seasons to start, others like Johnny Manziel and Locker didn't appear to benefit from the time on the sideline.
“Each situation has its own situation,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. "I look at ours, I learn from everything through my own experience and just reading about football and watching it over the years. That’s why we all develop our opinions. But just like the perfect play call or the perfect throw, you don’t know until the end of it. Stuff is adjusting at all times and you’ve got to always be ready to adjust and do the best with opportunities you have.”
Michael Ainsworth
The days of Aaron Rodgers spending three years on the bench as Brett Favre's apprentice or Carson Palmer sitting out his entire rookie season behind Jon Kitna in Cincinnati are mostly in the past.
While some point to the success Patrick Mahomes has had in Kansas City since spending almost his entire rookie season on the bench behind Alex Smith, rookies are being thrown into the fire quicker than ever. The differences between the pro and college offenses have narrowed and teams try to take advantage of having a starting quarterback on a cheaper rookie contract.
Since the rookie wage scale was put in place before the 2011 season, 30 of the 32 quarterbacks drafted in the first round — all but Jake Locker and Jordan Love — started at least one game as a rookie. Twelve of those started the opener and nearly two-thirds (21 out of 32) got their chance in the first four games of the season.
There is no clear pattern of success when it comes to when to start a rookie quarterback. Andrew Luck stepped in right away to turn Indianapolis into a playoff team. Josh Allen and Justin Herbert off to good career trajectories after making their first start in Week 2. But other early starters such as EJ Manuel and Sam Darnold didn't have the same sort of success.
While Mahomes and Lamar Jackson won MVPs in their second year after waiting until the second half of their rookie seasons to start, others like Johnny Manziel and Locker didn't appear to benefit from the time on the sideline.
“Each situation has its own situation,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. "I look at ours, I learn from everything through my own experience and just reading about football and watching it over the years. That’s why we all develop our opinions. But just like the perfect play call or the perfect throw, you don’t know until the end of it. Stuff is adjusting at all times and you’ve got to always be ready to adjust and do the best with opportunities you have.”
Greg Cote: Bill Belichick must be smiling as Dolphins deal with Watson rumors and Tua with doubts
Jed Jacobsohn
Shanahan went into training camp with Jimmy Garoppolo as his starter and Lance getting up to speed after San Francisco traded three first-round picks to take him at No. 3 overall in the April draft. Lance has shown some spectacular plays in the preseason like an 80-yard touchdown to Trent Sherfield, but also some growing pains as he struggles with accuracy after starting just one season at FCS-level North Dakota State — and only one game in 2020 because of the pandemic.
Garoppolo helped San Francisco reach the Super Bowl in the 2019 season before his fourth-quarter struggles contributed to that loss to Mahomes and the Chiefs. Garoppolo lacks the mobility and big-play skills of some of the top young quarterbacks in the league and has struggled to stay healthy, leading to the Niners' decision to make a big play for Lance.
That's why Shanahan isn't in a rush to make a change and will likely opt to use Lance in a part-time role early in the season to get him experience.
“Jimmy’s a very good player,” Shanahan said. “And when Jimmy’s at the top of his game, I told him this back when we made the trade: ‘There’s no rookie that’s going to just come in here right away and take your job if you’re at the top of your game.’”
Garoppolo hasn't been at the top of his game in the preseason but is still slated to start Week 1 against Detroit.
Jed Jacobsohn
Shanahan went into training camp with Jimmy Garoppolo as his starter and Lance getting up to speed after San Francisco traded three first-round picks to take him at No. 3 overall in the April draft. Lance has shown some spectacular plays in the preseason like an 80-yard touchdown to Trent Sherfield, but also some growing pains as he struggles with accuracy after starting just one season at FCS-level North Dakota State — and only one game in 2020 because of the pandemic.
Garoppolo helped San Francisco reach the Super Bowl in the 2019 season before his fourth-quarter struggles contributed to that loss to Mahomes and the Chiefs. Garoppolo lacks the mobility and big-play skills of some of the top young quarterbacks in the league and has struggled to stay healthy, leading to the Niners' decision to make a big play for Lance.
That's why Shanahan isn't in a rush to make a change and will likely opt to use Lance in a part-time role early in the season to get him experience.
“Jimmy’s a very good player,” Shanahan said. “And when Jimmy’s at the top of his game, I told him this back when we made the trade: ‘There’s no rookie that’s going to just come in here right away and take your job if you’re at the top of your game.’”
Garoppolo hasn't been at the top of his game in the preseason but is still slated to start Week 1 against Detroit.
Greg Cote: Bill Belichick must be smiling as Dolphins deal with Watson rumors and Tua with doubts
Wade Payne
It's a similar situation in Chicago, where the Bears traded up to draft Fields after already signing Andy Dalton earlier in the offseason.
Fields has shown flashes in the preseason of a quarterback who won the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in each of his two seasons at Ohio State, displaying the ability to make big plays.
“Big picture, we love where he’s at,” Nagy said of Fields. “He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do.”
But with a spotty offensive line the Bears seem ready to stick with Dalton, at least for Week 1 against Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams.
Wade Payne
It's a similar situation in Chicago, where the Bears traded up to draft Fields after already signing Andy Dalton earlier in the offseason.
Fields has shown flashes in the preseason of a quarterback who won the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in each of his two seasons at Ohio State, displaying the ability to make big plays.
“Big picture, we love where he’s at,” Nagy said of Fields. “He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do.”
But with a spotty offensive line the Bears seem ready to stick with Dalton, at least for Week 1 against Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams.
Greg Cote: Bill Belichick must be smiling as Dolphins deal with Watson rumors and Tua with doubts
John Minchillo
The situation in New England could be even more complicated. While Jones was the last of the first-round quarterbacks drafted at No. 15, he might be the most polished and could be ready to step in early after a stellar final season at Alabama. Jones has looked sharp in the preseason and got extra time with the starters last week when Cam Newton was forced to be away for five days because of COVID-19 protocols.
“I’m here to play any role that I can play and, help any way I can,” Jones said. “I’m going to be ready whenever my time comes up.”
When that time is remains a question with coach Bill Belichick saying only he has “a lot of decisions to make.”
If Jones starts Week 1 it would mark just the second time since the merger that more than two rookie quarterbacks started the opener, joining the five rookie starters in 2012. Those were Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill, Brandon Weeden and Russell Wilson Only Wilson, in Seattle, is still with the team that drafted him.
John Minchillo
The situation in New England could be even more complicated. While Jones was the last of the first-round quarterbacks drafted at No. 15, he might be the most polished and could be ready to step in early after a stellar final season at Alabama. Jones has looked sharp in the preseason and got extra time with the starters last week when Cam Newton was forced to be away for five days because of COVID-19 protocols.
“I’m here to play any role that I can play and, help any way I can,” Jones said. “I’m going to be ready whenever my time comes up.”
When that time is remains a question with coach Bill Belichick saying only he has “a lot of decisions to make.”
If Jones starts Week 1 it would mark just the second time since the merger that more than two rookie quarterbacks started the opener, joining the five rookie starters in 2012. Those were Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill, Brandon Weeden and Russell Wilson Only Wilson, in Seattle, is still with the team that drafted him.
Greg Cote: Bill Belichick must be smiling as Dolphins deal with Watson rumors and Tua with doubts
Michael Reaves/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa looks on during a preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons at Hard Rock Stadium on August 21, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images/TNS)
Michael Reaves/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa looks on during a preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons at Hard Rock Stadium on August 21, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images/TNS)
