Dave Hyde: Do you believe in Tua? Sixth year is defining one

"Tua Tagovailoa's sixth year as the Miami Dolphins quarterback isn't some final code-cracking of who he is or last incursion into what he can do. There's no identity crisis here. Everyone knows his talent by now, where he succeeds and what he lacks. This year is simply about whether all that's enough. You can talk about cornerback holes and the lack of offensive line depth, but everyone knows a quarterback can spray perfume on most any problem if he's good enough."

"Do you believe in Tua? Believing isn't important by now, though. Showing is. Performing in a way to be worth the injury concerns that accompany him. Every career has a defining moment and this sixth year is it with Tagovailoa, considering the organizational timelines around him. Either he succeeds this season, meaning the Dolphins succeed, meaning coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier succeed with him and return next season or ... Tua sinks with them. They all get swept out."

"Tua is the centerpiece of this era's decisions, too. What he's good at he's great at: anticipation, vision, accuracy, timing, release, rhythm, communication with receivers. But what Tua can't do, he really can't do: improvise, make plays with his feet, use arm strength to attack defenses' edges and invent an option when chaos happens, like it so often does against the good defenses."

Tua Tagovailoa is in his sixth NFL season as the Miami Dolphins' quarterback and faces a defining year for his career and the franchise. His strengths include anticipation, vision, accuracy, timing, quick release, rhythm and strong communication with receivers, enabling a rhythm passing attack built around Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. His limitations include poor improvisational skills, limited mobility and inadequate arm strength to consistently attack edges or create plays under chaos. The Dolphins' success and the job security of coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier hinge on Tua performing despite injury concerns. The season will determine whether the organization continues its current course or changes direction.

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