Tua Tagovailoa Rumors: QB 'Very Confident in Himself' Ahead of NFL Rookie Season

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa "appears very confident in himself" as he nears his first NFL training camp and rookie season, according to the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson.

Per Jackson, the Dolphins haven't ruled out elevating the first-round draft pick to the starting job during the 2020 season.

Jackson wrote that Ryan Fitzpatrick will likely be the starter when Miami opens the year. However, the Dolphins are still "open-minded about playing Tagovailoa if he shows command of the offense and consistently impresses in practice and if the team isn't performing well under Fitzpatrick."

Jackson speculated that Tagovailoa will supplant Fitzpatrick by the second half of the season.

The former Alabama star hasn't played since the Crimson Tide's 38-7 victory over Mississippi State on Nov. 16. He was hit in the second quarter and suffered a dislocated hip.

The seriousness of the injury raised questions about Tagovailoa's career prospects. A major hip injury forced Bo Jackson to end his football career after the 1990 season, though the nature of his and Tagovailoa's injuries wasn't the same.

Tagovailoa was fully cleared for football activity in March, but he was unable to throw at the NFL Scouting Combine. The COVID-19 pandemic also forced the cancellation of almost every school's pro day.

The southpaw staged his own event, the footage of which was distributed to NFL teams.

The Dolphins selected Tagovailoa with the fifth overall pick, and some observers wondered if they planned to keep him on the sideline for the entirety of his rookie season.

Miami spent more money in free agency ($237.7 million) than any other team, per Spotrac. Although the team is clearly looking to improve upon a 5-11 finish in 2019, Tagovailoa's health will take priority over winning in the short term.

The fact that the Dolphins haven't ruled out playing the 2018 Heisman Trophy runner-up indicates his recovery is going well.