'Tua can't be my quarterback' - Cris Carter says Dolphins should give up on QB

The Miami Dolphins have stumbled through the first six weeks of the 2021 season, holding a 1-5 record, with many questioning Tua Tagovailoa's future.

For a major part of the initial weeks, the team has operated without Tagovalioa, who has missed three contests due to injury. The Alabama product returned for Week 6 action against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the Dolphins fell 23-20.

Tagovailoa completed 33-of-47 passes for 329 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. His health has continued to remain an issue throughout his brief NFL career as he’s navigated through tough injuries that impacted his availability.

Since this past offseason, the Dolphins have remained firmly committed to Tagovailoa as the team’s starting quarterback. However, it’s a notion that Hall of Famer Cris Carter questions, as he voiced on Tuesday. Carter isn’t convinced the 23-year-old is the franchise's future under center.

“I like Tua,” Carter said on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” on Tuesday. “He’s a nice guy, but he can’t be my quarterback moving forward. I gotta be able to make the trade. I’ve got the picks, and I’m gonna get me a guy. [Do] you know the reason why? Because I can’t replace that whole offensive line, but if I trade for Deshaun Watson, I can have a bad offensive line, and he can get around with it.”

Carter suggests Dolphins should move for Deshaun Watson to replace Tua

Although it’s been a brief NFL career for Tagovailioa, Carter believes he’s seen enough to make a fair assessment of his talent. The former wide receiver holds the belief that the Dolphins should make a move for Houston Texans star quarterback Deshaun Watson despite him dealing with serious legal matters.

The NFL hasn’t placed Watson on the exempt list, but there is a legitimate chance that could become the case, especially if he’s moved. The Pro Bowl quarterback continues to be linked to the Dolphins, but the franchise has repeatedly shot down the idea.

Watson reportedly prefers to play for Miami, but head coach Brian Flores has regularly aired his support for Tagovailoa while voicing that he wants “high character” players on the roster. However, Flores and the Dolphins’ tone may change on that front if the star quarterback's legal situation works in his favor and if he avoids any significant punishment.

In the meantime, Miami remain firmly behind Tagovailoa as the future under center this season. He will have every opportunity to get back on track after a rough start due to injury. Things can certainly change, making it a situation to monitor moving forward.