Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa faced another frightening moment on Thursday night, suffering a concussion during the game against the Buffalo Bills. This latest incident has once again raised concerns about the future of his playing career, as many in the football world are calling for him to walk away from the NFL.
While the official timeline for Tagovailoa's recovery is still being determined, rumors have been swirling about potential replacements, with Dallas Cowboys backup quarterback Trey Lance being a frequently mentioned candidate.
According to CBS Sports, Trey Lance has been identified as a prime candidate for the Miami Dolphins to consider if Tagovailoa can't continue this season. In a recent column, author Cody Benjamin suggested Trey Lance as a potential option for Miami, citing his inability to surpass Dak Prescott as the starter in Dallas and the likelihood that he wouldn’t cost much to acquire:
“The former No. 3 overall pick has failed to earn the top backup job with the Dallas Cowboys in successive seasons, and he remains something of a total unknown as a passer. But (head coach Mike) McDaniel is very familiar with his game, serving as the San Francisco 49ers‘ run game coordinator in 2021, the year Kyle Shanahan and Co. moved up to draft Lance. If nothing else, McDaniel might be able to redraw parts of the offense to work in favor of Lance’s rushing ability, and the youngster isn’t likely to cost a lot via trade.”
Lance is now virtually guaranteed not to secure the starting spot in Dallas (barring injury) since Prescott recently signed a four-year contract extension, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history. He's in the final year of his contract which carries a cap hit of $5,310,714; he'll be a free agent this offseason after the Cowboys decided this past May to not pick up the fifth-year option on his deal.
Originally selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the 3rd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Lance would eventually find himself third on the depth chart behind Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold. He was traded to the Cowboys in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round pick last August but was designated a healthy scratch for the entire 2023 season.
Tua Tagovailoa has a history of concussions
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Tagovailoa, who suffered a concussion on Thursday night after being hit by Buffalo's Damar Hamlin, already has a concerning history of brain injuries. The Dolphins faced heavy criticism for how they handled Tagovailoa’s injury in Week 3 of the 2022 season when he was allowed to play in Week 4, resulting in a concussion against the Bengals.
If he were medically forced into retirement, he'd still be able to collect the $124 million remaining of his deal's guaranteed money.
