Expectations for Tua

What expectations should we have for Tua in year 2? Miami built the offense just for him. We rebuilt the line, the receiving Corp. we drafted the best blocking TE in the draft. The only possible weakness is RB.

Expectations
Wins 10+
Yards 4000
TD 25+
Int 10 or less

Your thoughts?

Well, last year's rankings in yards per play didn't really indicate a 10 win team:

Offense: 20th pass, 29th rush
Defense: 24th rush, 18th pass

Taking Tua into account, I expect us to improve to the top half of the NFL in yards per passing play on offense at least. Improving to the top 12 IMO would make a great season from Tua if he continues to protect the ball well.

I think the expectations has always been the same.  I think the coaching staff changes the expectations when they ask Tua to do different things.  

When you dive into the roster that Miami has built around him, there's speed everywhere.  Much like he had at Alabama.  This is probably by far the fastest group we have had in Miami.  (Although I'd take Davone Bess with Tua all day).  I think we will see a marked improvement in Tua's development but I dont think it'll be something that you can count on a stat line.  I think he'll have above average stats but the TEAM will benefit.  Defenses wont be able to load the box anymore with the speed on the perimeter, which will make his ball handling skills shine.  He'll make the right reads but again it won't be major stats.

Offensively they are just building towards an RPO scheme.

Just my opinion

i don't know, i think you're mixing player versus team expectations. Herbert threw for 4336 yards, 31 TDs and 10 INTs, but the Chargers were 7-9...i imagine that wasn't very satisfying for fans and does that make Herbert a failure? what if Herbert continues to put up similar or even better numbers, but the Chargers continue to miss the playoffs, would that make him a successful QB?

i want Tua to do well - a i think he will. but i am a Dolphins fan first and foremost and i have expectations for the team overall. and i think the barometer for this upcoming season is an easy one. playoffs = good season. no playoffs = disappointment.

My expectations are that Tua will be much improved and will lead the Phins to a 10+ win season and a playoff berth. I don't really care what his stats are...just interested in wins.

merc wrote:playoffs = good season. no playoffs = disappointment.

That's the bottom line.

If I'm looking solely at Tua performance, and not team, I want to see him ranked dead center in the league at worse. So, a ranking of 16 on the important statistics like Total QBR, passer rating, completion percentage, TD to INT ratio, YPA. That's what I am expecting and will consider a success.

I'm sure Flores can win games even if he's not that good. In fact, I think Gaskin is underrated and with a better offensive line I see a strong running game this season. Malcolm Brown will be a good addition for power situations also.

However, if Tua can't reach a middle-of-the-league performance in his second year... the red flag is starting to make an appearance. That extra first round pick in 2023 starts to loom as trade bait to get in position for a QB during that draft...

I think Tua will be improved. Chan got a little too "risk averse" at times in the play calling I think, and maybe ball security got emphasized too much with Tua. Especially when the WRs were dropping like flies late in the season. Also, there was the whole "just got hip surgery" thing going on where they were trying to avoid injury.

With a full off season under his belt and all the training and strengthening he has been doing, Tua should hit the ground running (No pun intended) and be ready to showcase why Saban started Tua over Jalen Hurts and Mac Jones.

I also think the Rookie O-lineman from last year will be much improved.

We shall see.

finfanatic wrote:I think Tua will be improved. Chan got a little too "risk averse" at times in the play calling I think, and maybe ball security got emphasized too much with Tua. Especially when the WRs were dropping like flies late in the season. Also, there was the whole "just got hip surgery" thing going on where they were trying to avoid injury.

With a full off season under his belt and all the training and strengthening he has been doing, Tua should hit the ground running (No pun intended) and be ready to showcase why Saban started Tua over Jalen Hurts and Mac Jones.

I also think the Rookie O-lineman from last year will be much improved.

We shall see.

Yep. It is reasonable to expect a big jump in performance from Tua for all the reasons you mentioned.

He's in much better shape, doesn't have to worry about the hip, and has worked out like a madman all offseason - that all should add up a big improvement on the physical side.

He now has an offense specifically tailored to him, and he'll be practicing with the starters from day 1 instead of running the opposition's playbook on the scout team - that should add up to a big improvement on the mental side, as far as comfort and knowing the playbook.

Add in the weapons (Waddle, Fuller) and projected improvements on OL, and this could be a very dangerous offense led by a big-time QB.

Of course, "should" doesn't mean "will" - so we will have to see how it all comes together. But again, it is very reasonable to predict significant from Tua and the offense in 2021.

He's touted as the guy. I expect him to show that he can be the guy. We all know the little "IT" things that make someone the guy. If we don't see that this year, then we need to start looking for another one. Not saying he can't or won't be good, but you know the differences between good and great. Tannehill is a good QB, but no one is going to sit here and say he's gonna lift a team on his shoulders.

Degarmo wrote:He's touted as the guy.  I expect him to show that he can be the guy.  We all know the little "IT" things that make someone the guy.  If we don't see that this year, then we need to start looking for another one.  Not saying he can't or won't be good, but you know the differences between good and great.  Tannehill is a good QB, but no one is going to sit here and say he's gonna lift a team on his shoulders.

I agree. That intangible "IT" factor is hard to spot. I did not think Josh Allen had it, but he sure has his team believing in him! When the team BELIEVES in the QB, something special happens to the offense. They are never out of the game and the other players just know that if they do their jobs, the QB will deliver.

I was not sure Tua was going to be great in the NFL.... He is short. He played at Alabama with talent that was USUALLY far superior to the opposition. But he is smart. He seems determined to put in the work to be great, so I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I sure was (half) hoping that Tua got picked BEFORE the Phins #5 spot though, so they would HAVE to take Herbert, who looks like prototypical NFL QB frame-wise. Like I said, sort HALF-HOPING.

I want to see significant improvement. His high draft status should be matched by his on field performance. I didn't see anything special last year. I saw a weak arm and very little command of a vanilla offense. The team goes as the QB goes typically. A top 10 performer should be demanded by the team and its fans.

CarsonChris wrote:I want to see significant improvement. His high draft status should be matched by his on field performance. I didn't see anything special last year. I saw a weak arm and very little command of a vanilla offense. The team goes as the QB goes typically.  A top 10 performer should be demanded by the team and its fans.

I agree, a top 5 pick should play well. But when is that? Immediately? Burrow and Herbert played well immediately, but Josh Allen looked like a goober for two years. Then in the third year, he had the Bills in the AFC Championship game. And the Bills are talking BIG MONEY to lock him up.

Tua's performance last season was not what we wanted of course, but there had to be an adjustment going from Bama with the superior talent level to the Phins who were good but not all that superior even when they had all their starters. And when the starters started dropping like flies, it made the adjustments even harder. Add in the recovering from surgery, no off season to speak of, no training camp...etc....

Anyway... If Tua plays well enough to have the Phins in the AFC Championship game in his third season, I will look on the pick as a success. We need to see SOME IMPROVEMENT from Tua this year of course. What we saw at the end of last season will not cut it. If he plays this season like he did last season, I suspect Grier and Flores will be looking for a new QB in 2022!