Tua Tagovailoa Rumors: Latest Buzz on Patriots, Dolphins, Top Suitors for QB

The 2020 NFL draft has unofficially been dubbed the "Joe Burrow draft" because the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback is widely presumed to go No. 1 overall to the Cincinnati Bengals.

However, there is an argument to be made that this year's draft is headlined by Tua Tagovailoa, as the former Alabama quarterback's landing spot is becoming increasingly mysterious.

In several mock drafts over the last few months, Tagovailoa has been projected to go to the Miami Dolphins at No. 5 overall.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. shook that notion Tuesday:

"What's going against Tagovailoa right now is that the Dolphins can't do an in-person checkup with their team doctor (the latest reports are that Tagovailoa has recovered from his hip and ankle injuries) because of the travel restrictions as part of the coronavirus pandemic. Prospects can only do virtual visits with teams, and that could have an effect on guys who are rehabbing injuries.

"There has been some buzz around [former Oregon quarterback Justin] Herbert to Miami, but it's still early. He is likely to be on the board at No. 5, whereas the Dolphins might have to trade up for Tagovailoa. Do they like Tagovailoa enough to use some of that capital to trade up? What happens if both quarterbacks are on the board at No. 5? That's what makes Miami the most interesting team in this draft."

The Boston Globe's Ben Volin lobbed the New England Patriots as a potential suitor for the 2018 Heisman finalist:

"Wouldn't it be just like Bill Belichick to swoop in and snag Tua away from the rest of the league?" he wrote on Thursday. "Wouldn't getting Tua be the big, bold move the Patriots love, and wouldn't it ease the sting of seeing [Tom] Brady go? By my calculations, it's definitely possible. In fact, the stars seem to be aligning."

Brady made the Patriots a quarterback-needy team for the first time in 20 years when he decided to leave in free agency for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last month.

The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer left a gigantic void under center, and his heir apparent will be tasked with upholding a dynastic brand that has won six Super Bowls since 2000.

The Athletic's Jeff Howe reported on April 1 that New England's 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham "appears to have the inside track on the starting job."

The Patriots' only move in the quarterback market was signing 34-year-old Brian Hoyer to a one-year contract, marking his third stint with the franchise.

Bleacher Report's Matt Hayes wrote an in-depth feature about Stidham's growing legend in New England with one anonymous scout saying, "He's a lot closer to playoff quarterback than another guy who falls on his face replacing a legend."

The Patriots have been reported to be uninterested in signing or trading for a veteran quarterback, primarily because they have the least available cap space of any team in the league at roughly $2.1 million (h/t Spotrac).

However, per Volin, the Pats could use draft capital to snag a high-risk, high-reward quarterback on a rookie contract:

"The Lions are expected to be open for business with that No. 3 pick, with a coach and GM who are on the hottest of hot seats for 2020, and aren't in the market to use a top pick on a quarterback coming off a major injury.

"And that opens the door for the Patriots. [General manager Bob] Quinn spent 16 years in Foxborough, and [head coach Matt] Patricia 14. Since Quinn became Lions GM in 2016, the Patriots and Lions have made four player trades (including Kyle Van Noy in 2016 and Duron Harmon two weeks ago), and three draft-day trades. Belichick and Patricia still vacation together. And who knows? If Quinn and Patricia are fired after 2020, maybe they end up back in Foxborough."

It's certainly possible Tagovailoa still becomes the Dolphins' first franchise quarterback since Dan Marino—proving all of this to be nothing more than a smokescreen—but Bleacher Report's Matt Miller reported on Friday that the 22-year-old's stock has taken a hit outside of Miami:

"So why are scouts down on what seems like a sure thing? It's not all injuries. One team source explained that they have knocked Tua for an all-world supporting cast that often saved him when plays broke down. Another mentioned poor interviews and board work during scouting combine meetings.

"Tua's accuracy and vision are exceptional, and he's a very good prospect with starter traits, but it's worth noting that not everyone sees him as a lock to be the second quarterback drafted."

Miller also noted Herbert is favored by the Dolphins over Tagovailoa.

Tagovailoa suffered a season-ending dislocated hip last November. His Crimson Tide career was also hampered by a broken left index finger (March 2018), two high-ankle sprains (December 2018, October 2019) and a sprained right knee (October 2018).

Though those four injuries only caused him to miss one game, former Dolphins Vice President Mike Tannenbaum (among many others) is still concerned about his long-term health.

Tannenbaum told ESPN's Get Up! on Thursday that a dislocated hip is "an injury that is hard to predict" and makes the quarterback "a huge risk."

Tagovailoa has been doing his best to put teams' worries to rest:

The Hawaii-born player said on the April 1 SportsCenter he is "100 percent right now" and "just ready to go play." He conducted his own medical re-check the following day:

When Tagovailoa was healthy, he dominated college football. His sophomore campaign saw him throw for 3,966 yards, 43 touchdowns and six interceptions on 69 percent completion across 15 games en route to finishing second in the 2018 Heisman voting.

Before dislocating his hip last season, he was on pace to equal or surpass those marks with 2,840 yards, 33 touchdowns and three picks on a career-best 71.4 percent completion.

That production will undoubtedly tempt NFL teams desperate for a quarterback.

The 2020 draft will be held in virtual format from April 23-25.