This whole thing is frustrating and annoying, the offseason isn't even two weeks old yet and this is all so exhausting. Between so many people piling on Tua to the bogus trade rumors for Watson, is this really something we have to deal with everyday until the 2021 season starts? It is annoying because so many people act like Tua flat out sucked this past season. He threw for twice as many touchdowns as interceptions and put the team on his back in a couple of games (see Arizona game). He didn't light the league on fire or blow people away, but for a rookie season (and only 9 starts to be exact) he played above average for a rookie quarterback. This isn't a Josh Rosen type rookie season where he had 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
I could understand if this was Tua's third season and he never really improved or the team is struggling because of him, but we are talking about 9 starts. lol. He didn't have much help in the skill positions and he was less than a year recovered from major hip surgery when he took the starting job. He spent all last season rehabbing that injury, this offseason he doesn't need to do that and he can train and build strength.
Also I don't understand now how some people/media are saying he is too short(same height as Drew Brees, taller than Kyler) and the most shocking statement is that he has no elite talent. Seriously? Are we really going to pretend that Tua is a sucky quarterback and everything he did at Alabama was a fraud? Someone even said he has no elite talent besides being accurate, um, I would consider that a very elite talent to be accurate. haha.
I was also listening yesterday to Moving the Chains on Sirius yesterday coming home from work yesterday with Jim Miller and Pat Kirwan and they were entertaining the idea of Miami trading Tua plus picks, for Watson. Kirwan was all giddy from a Houston perspective saying he would love to trade Watson to Miami for Tua (who he says Nick Caserio was very high on in last year's draft) and the 3rd pick, 18th pick and probably another first rounder in 2022. He was saying how it made so much sense for Houston because they would be getting a young QB in Tua to develop and build around and how Houston could use all the new draft pick assets on building the talent around him. Um, am I the only one who sees the problem in that from a Miami perspective? Miami is a far more talented overall team than Houston is right now. With no trade, Miami already HAS the young talented QB (Tua) AND all the draft picks assets to boost the talent around him. Why would Miami seriously give that all up?
I get it, Tua wasn't an immediate star, he played like a rookie. Gasp! I also understand Herbet played amazing stat wise, he did finish with a losing record and his coach got fired, but I digress. Did Burrow play a lot better than Tua did? That is debatable.
I also don't like when players play the anonymous card and say things they otherwise wouldn't say if they had to put their name to it. I also can understand how a player might not feel Tua is a star or proven, because he isn't yet. But he is also a rookie having started just 9 games. These players will quickly change their tune if Tua goes out and improves over the offseason and takes the next step that most logical minded people expect he will in year 2. I am also sure players in Buffalo privately questioned Josh Allen after his rookie season and even after his second year. As someone posted in this thread earlier, players in KC questioned Mahomes. I don't think this is really much of a story as Armando is trying to make it out to be. The media eats it up because it is just more fuel to the anti-Tua narrative.
My expectation, Tua remains in Miami, remains the starter, the team builds a lot around him on offense via free agency and draft and he does in fact take the next step in year 2. I think the Tua we see in 2021 will probably look a whole heck of a lot different than he did in 2020. I think the 2020 season was a perfect season for him to get his feet wet and get a real good feel for the NFL. He will definitely build off of that.
BOOM. I’ve been saying exactly this for 2 + weeks now. Well Done Nubs.