Officially Confirmed: A star player  Tua Tagovailoa committed to the Jacksonville Jaguars just……………..

If the 2023 statistics were to dictate quarterback salaries, Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins would be at the top. This is a key point he will likely leverage in his contract negotiations.

Tagovailoa, currently in the option year of his rookie contract signed in 2020, is negotiating an extension with Chris Grier and Brandon Shore. He aims for a salary comparable to the league’s top quarterbacks.

The recent deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars has set a new benchmark, with Trevor Lawrence securing a $275 million contract, including over $200 million guaranteed, averaging $55 million annually. Lawrence now shares the highest annual average salary with Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, although Lawrence’s higher guaranteed amount may make his contract more valuable overall.

So, how much will the Dolphins pay Tagovailoa? Given his impressive statistics, he deserves to be the highest-paid quarterback in the league. Last season, he led the league with 4,624 passing yards and maintained a better than 2-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He also led the Dolphins to consecutive playoff appearances and had the best passer rating (101.1) among the top candidates while taking fewer sacks than Goff and Lawrence.

Lawrence, who has been injury-prone, missed crucial games at the end of the last season due to injuries, impacting the Jaguars’ playoff push. Despite throwing over 4,000 yards, Lawrence’s 21 touchdowns to 14 interceptions fall short compared to Tagovailoa’s 29 touchdowns. Moreover, Jacksonville did not make the playoffs last season after winning their division in 2022.

Jared Goff, who finished second to Tagovailoa in total yards and had one more touchdown, led the Lions to the NFC Championship Game. His recent contract is worth $53 million annually, second only to Burrow. With Lawrence equaling Burrow’s salary, Tagovailoa is expected to surpass both with his upcoming extension, potentially worth around $60 million per season and totaling approximately $300 million, with over $250 million guaranteed.

Statistically, Tagovailoa deserves to be the highest-paid quarterback. Grier and Shore need to offer a substantial contract to ensure a content and well-compensated Tagovailoa, unlike the situation with the Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott, who might leave in 2025 without a long-term extension.