It doesn't sound like the Dolphins are preparing to enter the Tom Brady sweepstakes this offseason.
Miami has been tabbed as a potential landing spot for Brady, who can enter NFL free agency in March. The Dolphins were very interested in the star quarterback a few years ago, and the organization has plenty of selling points that could appeal to Brady.
But according to a report Sunday from ESPN's Adam Schefter, Tua Tagovailoa is "expected" to be Miami's starting quarterback in the 2023 season. The report was filed roughly eight hours before the Dolphins' wild-card matchup with the Buffalo Bills, a contest Tagovailoa will miss due to his second documented concussion of the campaign.
Miami reportedly was "pleased" with the developments Tagovailoa made in his third NFL campaign. Furthermore, medical professionals are "confident" the 24-year-old will be able to resume his playing career next season, per Schefter.
Schefter's report probably doesn't mean the Dolphins are completely out of the running for Brady's services. It's imperative for an NFL organization to do its due diligence any time a top-tier player becomes available, especially a quarterback. Plenty can change in two months, and Dolphins brass, led by Michigan alum Stephen Ross, eventually might become intoxicated by the idea of a TB12-led offense.
But as it stands, other quarterback-needy teams are likely to make a stronger push for Brady than the Dolphins.