NFL analyst braces for Dolphins to call plays based on Tua Tagovailoa’s injury history
Tua Tagovailoa will be hoping to do something he's never done before with the Miami Dolphins during the upcoming 2023 NFL season. This is to complete a full season without suffering an injury.
His 2022 campaign was specifically plagued by concussions. He suffered at least two of them, forcing him to miss five full games, including one in the NFL Playoffs against the Buffalo Bills.
NFL analyst Jamie Erdahl recently appeared on an episode of Good Morning Football to discuss plans for how the Dolphins can potentially keep Tua Tagovailoa on the field this year.
"We might end up seeing a Dolphins offense that runs the ball so much because they want to get, they want to score, and get off the field as fast as possible. Just to keep him healthy, to keep him upright, not have them sustain, you know, seven 3rd down packages on a single drive. Because the more he's out there, the higher risk it is, unfortunately, for him to get injured.
"And you just hate to hear that. You hate to see it. The Dolphins, with a healthy Tua Tagovailoa in 2023, I finally landed on the word divisive. Divisive, that which causes hostility between people, because if they're good, which with a healthy Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins will be good in this division."
Dolphins with a healthy Tua Tagovailoa will be...
Interesting to say the least @JamieErdahl https://t.co/enboxLIfxW
Focusing more on their rushing attack would be a wise move for the Dolphins, and that requires a philosophical change in their offensive style. They were one of only eight teams to average fewer than 100 rushing yards per game last year.
They also ranked fourth in the entire NFL in passing yards per game, demonstrating their offensive imbalance.
Taking some of the snaps off Tua Tagovailoa and putting them in the hands of their running backs could potentially prove to be extremely valuable to their long-term outlook. Their activity in the 2023 NFL Draft suggests they may be thinking the same thing.
The Dolphins used the 2023 NFL Draft to support Tua Tagovailoa's health
The Miami Dolphins had just four picks in the 2023 NFL Draft this year, including being without a first-round selection. They were forced to be economical with their draft picks this year. They used three of them on players who directly support the theory that they will focus more on a rushing attack this season.
Devon Achane will join Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. as additional firepower in the running backs committee. The Dolphins also selected Ryan Hayes, an offensive lineman who specializes in run blocking.
They also drafted Elijah Higgins, a hybrid offensive player with excellent blocking skills on the perimeter. This suggests that they are working to improve their ground game.