Tua Tagovailoa on Goff's Contract Impacting Dolphins Talks: The Market is the Market

Jared Goff signed a massive four-year, $212 million extension with the Detroit Lions this offseason, giving him an annual average salary of $53 million per season, second only to Joe Burrow ($55 million).

And yes, Tua Tagovailoa took notice of Goff—and other players at his position—continuing to increase the market value of quarterbacks.

"I'm not blind to people who are in my position getting paid," he told reporters on Tuesday. "... The market is the market. If we didn't have a market, none of that would matter."

Extensions for Burrow (five years, $275 million) and Justin Herbert (five years, $262.5 million) also helped push the quarterback market forward. It's unclear if Tagovailoa—who led the NFL in passing yards last season (4,624 yards) to go along with 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, and was a first-time Pro Bowler while leading Miami to the postseason—will hit those benchmarks.

Namely, his previous concussion issues and high number of interceptions last season probably put him on a lower tier than players like Burrow and Herbert. Goff getting a contract that ranks second in AAV might have changed the quarterback market enough for Tagovailoa to enter that stratosphere, however.

One way or another, talks are ongoing, with the hopes of an agreement being settled upon by the start of the 2024 season.

"I think there's been a lot of progress at this point, from where we started there's been a lot of progress," Tagovailoa told reporters. "You can ask the other question of, 'Why aren't we seeing an agreement?' Well, that's the tough part about it. That's why it's business."

He certainly has the support of his teammates.

"Tua should've been paid, man. I've been saying this all offseason," wideout Tyreek Hill told reporters. "I know we've got a great front office... and they're going to get it done. Obviously, a lot of people are comparing the Goff situation, but I feel like Tua is supposed to be up there with some of these guys and passing those guys."

Time will tell. But with Tagovailoa entering the final season on his rookie contract, the clock is ticking.