The Facts: The Dolphins' QB situation has been at the center of the news cycle early in the offseason, but when asked about it Thursday, HC Brian Flores reaffirmed his support for Tagovailoa and expressed excitement for his development going into Year 2. "A lot of attention gets paid to Tua, but I thought he made a lot of improvement over the course of the season. I'm excited about the future with him," Flores told ESPN. "He's a young player, talented player, bounced back from the hip. I think this is a big offseason for him."

Diehards Line:That Year 1 to Year 2 jump will be important, like it is for all rookies." Last week, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier made clear there wasn't any QB controversy, saying: "Tua, we're very happy with. He's our starting quarterback." Still, Tagovailoa has been the subject of questions, criticism and speculation after an uneven rookie season. That includes some questions from unnamed teammates who told the Miami Herald they weren't sure Tua has what it takes to be a high-end NFL QB. Nonetheless, the Dolphins' decision-makers still believe in Tagovailoa's talent. Throughout the season, players revealed to ESPN differing opinions on whether Tagovailoa or veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick gave them the best chance to win. And it should be noted several teammates have expressed support and optimism about Tagovailoa's future publicly throughout the season. Miami has interviewed five candidates for its offensive coordinator job, which was left vacant after Chan Gailey resigned last week, and a top priority for the hire will be guiding Tagovailoa's Year 2 development. Meanwhile, the Dolphins clearly believe development takes time and Tagovailoa will be fine.