Miami Dolphins 2022: What's next at quarterback?

This look at quarterbacks is part of a series from our Dolphins beat writers.

He was more accurate than Tom Brady, Matthew Stafford and Patrick Mahomes.

He also threw fewer touchdown passes than Baker Mayfield, Teddy Bridgewater and Taylor Heinicke.

Where exactly do the Dolphins stand with Tua Tagovailoa?

Also in this series: What's next at running back?

Depends on whom you ask.

A certain segment of Dolphins fans take it as an affront to even ask the question. Obviously, Tua is the long-sought answer as the team’s franchise quarterback, those fans say.

He hasn’t proven much of anything outside of an ability to complete short passes, critics say.

The only certainty is that Tagovailoa needs to up his game in 2022 or else the organization will have to start casting eyes elsewhere — even more so than in 2021, when the club admittedly was considering trading for Deshaun Watson.

New coach Mike McDaniel, offensive coordinator Frank Smith and quarterbacks coach Darrell Bevell’s priority next season will be to not just determine Tagovailoa’s ceiling, but help him reach it.

How they did in 2021

“They” refers to Tagovailoa and Jacoby Brissett, his backup who started five games last season, going 2-3, but is not expected back in 2022.

So we’ll restrict this discussion to Tagovailoa.

His accuracy, punctuated by a 67.8 completion percentage, is clearly a strength. So is his immediate connection with his old Alabama teammate, Jaylen Waddle, who set team and NFL receiving records as a rookie.

But his overall stats are pedestrian: 263 of 388 for 2,653 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. That left Tagovailoa with a 90.1 passer rating, good for only 19th in the NFL. Pro Football Focus rated him only 25th among all QBs — 10 spots behind Brissett, somehow.

Tagovailoa had strong outings against Baltimore (104.0 passer rating) and the Jets (27 of 33, including a fourth-quarter TD pass to Myles Gaskin to take a 21-14 lead). He did this with little support. His offensive line was poor and so were his running backs.

On the flip side, he had just one 300-yard game in 2021.

Put it together and what does it mean? Probably that whatever side of this you were on when you woke up today, you’re still on.

Free agents of interest

The Dolphins could go one of two ways in their search for a backup to Tagovailoa.

They could continue their recent history of signing a journeyman to add a voice of experience to the QB room. Another Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brissett, basically.

Or they could decide that Tagovailoa will be that voice of experience at age 24. The Dolphins then could consider taking a flier on a late-round project, which they haven't done since 2016 with Brandon Doughty. (One school of thought is teams should frequently use late-round picks on project QBs because you never know when you’ll hit the lottery.)

A number of veterans could hit the free-agent market with starting experience but not in position to command big bucks. They include the Raiders’ Marcus Mariota and the Jets’ Joe Flacco. Others to watch include Houston’s Tyrod Taylor and Seattle’s Geno Smith.

For Florida State fans with an eye on Jameis Winston: He’s coming off a good season in New Orleans and surely will return to New Orleans or jump to a team that needs a starter. At a price to go with that status.

Draft prospects to watch

With needs elsewhere, the Dolphins surely won’t think about a QB until Day 3 of the draft.

Players to watch that day (and possibly as priority free agents):

Western Kentucky’s Bailey Zappe threw for 5,967 yards and had an outstanding ratio of 62 TD passes against only 11 interceptions last season. He was sacked only 16 times, raising a question of how he’ll do under pressure in the NFL.

Iowa State’s Brock Purdy threw for 2,250 yards as a freshman and didn’t let up from there, finishing his college career with four-year totals of 12,170 yards, 81 TDs and 33 interceptions.

Brown’s EJ Perry, who began his college career at Boston College, threw for 3,034 yards and 23 TDs.

While with the 49ers, McDaniel had an opportunity to track the careers of Cal’s Chase Garbers (2,531 yards, 16 TDs, eight INTs) and UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson (2,409 yards, 21 TDs, six INTs).

What the Dolphins should do

A good early step is to do everything possible to make sure Tagovailoa is a leader on this team.

Few if any other starting quarterbacks aren't captains of their team. For teammates not to vote Tagovailoa a captain last year speaks much louder than any of their feeble claims that he was more vocal and had more command of the huddle.

One measure of a quarterback’s ability to carry his team is if he pulls out victories when things look bleak. We’re not suggesting Tagovailoa needs to be Dan Marino, but the fact that his most recent fourth-quarter comeback victory came on Dec. 20, 2020 — and that he has only two such wins in 21 career starts — is reason to question whether he can put this team on his back.

For Tagovailoa to prove he can lead a contending team, there must be days next season when the Dolphins win because of him, not just with him.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins 2022 quarterback options in free agency and NFL Draft