Dolphins Rumors: Tua Tagovailoa's Confidence at 'All-Time High' Ahead of 2023 Season

Tua Tagovailoa's breakout 2022 season may have been interrupted by injury, but the third-year quarterback does not appear to be showing concern at Miami Dolphins training camp.

"I was actually out at Dolphins camp this weekend. Just talking to people, I'm going to tell you something right now: People are telling me that Tua Tagovailoa's confidence is at an all-time high. He is looking and playing the part of franchise quarterback," ESPN's Jeff Darlington said Tuesday on Get Up.

Tagovailoa threw for 3,548 yards and 25 touchdowns against eight interceptions in 2022, missing four games due to concussions.

While head injury concerns caused Tagovailoa to consider retirement, he instead arrived at Dolphins camp with a significant gain in muscle—one the team hopes will allow him to better withstand punishment in the pocket.

"He really took his training on his body serious this offseason for a multitude of reasons, and I've seen various things where he has a little more short-area explosiveness, where you're able to manipulate yourself in the pocket at a more explosive rate," Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel told reporters last week.

"I don't know this to be fact, but it appears by my layman's eye that he has more pitches in his arsenal; he can layer stuff and drive it just with even more command. ... He's already pretty adept at [that] considering his accuracy. I think it just overall helps him feel prepared and execute a lot of things. And the residuals are apparent and various."

Tagovailoa's health will be perhaps the largest swing factor in Miami's season. The Dolphins were 8-1 in his first nine starts last season before scuffling at the end, when it was clear Tagovailoa was worn down from a long campaign. The added bulk should help the Alabama product stay more upright in the pocket, though the extra pounds won't solve potential concussion issues if they crop up.