The NFL season is in plain sight up ahead and the Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa enters fresh off a multi-millionair contract. In addittion he has some new faces and weapons around him as he sets for his third year in Mike McDaniel’s offense. Odell Beckham Jr is perhaps the biggest name added to this roster as of late and Tua made his feelings noted about the wideout’s arrival at South Florida.
The 2023 NFL passing yards leader has signed a 4-year extension with the Dolphins which guarantees him over 160 million dollars. With that figured out, Tua and Miami are ready for a critical season for the organization. Last season’s late collapse and inability to win against the best teams brought along much skepticism about this franchise and whether they are headed in the right direction.
The fans are on board the ‘Tagovailoa and McDaniel’ wagon, though another winless postseason could make patience run out. The time to win is now for this team that traded for huge superstars like Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey. Another big household name that has now moved to Miami is Odell Beckham Jr. However, the wide receiver has not taken part in any on field practices since joining the Dolphins on the offseason.
Odell was placed on the PUP list on July and on it he remains just two weeks prior to the team’s debut on September 8th. Beckham Jr’s status when the Dolphins host the Jaguars remains unclear. And even if he starts, his lack of rhtyhm and connection with QB Tua Tagovailoa may be a thorn in the Dolphins‘ side. Tua has been direct and completely straightforward on his connection with Odell.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa of Miami Dolphins at the game vs New York Jets on November 21
“Off the field, I’ve been able to hang out with him a good amount of times. Cool dude, 100 percent,” Tagovailoa stated during his press conference after practice. “But does that translate? Does our relationship translate on the field? I couldn’t tell you because I haven’t gotten reps with him. And that’s just the honest truth. I want to make sure I get as many reps with him [as I can].”
see also
NFL News: HC Mike McDaniel makes final decision on Tua Tagovailoa"s backup for the Miami Dolphins
What OBJ are the Dolphins getting?
Odell Beckham Jr entered the league in 2014 after an elecric college career over at LSU. On his rookie year Odell took the centerstage after making a touchdown grab so good it is now referred to as “The Catch“. Ever since that moment, Beckham Jr became a superstar and headlined hundreds of football news. However, he was not always the hero on those articles.
His one of a kind personality has been a cause of discomfort in many of his past teams. For example, when playing for the Cleveland Browns Odell put together dozens of plays where he was open and his then QB Baker Mayfield wouldn’t throw his way. Due to his antics and unfortunate injuries, the wideout’s production has not been consistent throughout his 10-year career in the NFL.
Beckham Jr joins the Dolphins organization after a disappointing season with the Baltimore Ravens, while he was expected to become the team’s WR1 he barely surpassed the 500 yard mark in the season and caught just three TDs. Injuries are to blame, though. And the Dolphins hope they are getting ‘2021 OBJ’ (or at least an alike version) when he won the Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams.
Miami knows Beckham is past his prime, injuries have taken a toll on his athleticism and he will most probably not be available for a whole season, but they trust he can sporadically mix in and be a reliable outlet for this offense. McDaniel and Tua are willing to take that chance and hope the 31-year old wide receiver still has some juice left in the tank.
