Dolphins trade proposal lands Miami some quarterback insurance for Tua

The Miami Dolphins recently got some good news on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is trying to come back from his latest concussion that was suffered in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills.

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said that he expects Tagovailoa to play again in 2024 , marking the first time anyone has publicly said that. However, it remains unclear when Tagovailoa will return exactly. He is eligible to come off injured reserve after this week.

But the Dolphins have a major problem until Tua returns, as both of their backups, Skylar Thompson and Tyler Huntley, have proven to be ineffective. If Miami sticks with one of the other, there's a good chance Tua will have nothing to come back to if he doesn't get back soon rather than later.

Knowing that, it's vital that the Dolphins add another quarterback before the NFL trade deadline, not only to weather the storm while Tua is out, but to give them some insurance in case he gets hurt again.

In a recent article suggesting trades, CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin wants to see Miami strike a deal with the Dallas Cowboys for quarterback Trey Lance in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick.

"Tua Tagovailoa is apparently on track to return to the field this season, despite some medical experts suggesting his concussion history should prompt retirement consideration," Benjamin wrote. "Since when has Miami succeeded at putting all its eggs in the Tua basket, however? Lance remains a project, but he flashed his first-round athleticism under Mike McDaniel in San Francisco, and Dallas has kept him strapped to the bench. He'd make for a low-risk, high-upside rental as added Tagovailoa insurance."

The problem with Benjamin's trade idea is that Lance isn't guaranteed to be the upgrade the Dolphins desperately need. He only has two starts and eight games played in total during his career, and he hasn't been good in them.

If the Dolphins bring Lance in, it's because they believe in what he could be, not in what he has been.

We will say, however, that McDaniel, who was with the San Francisco 49ers when they drafted Lance, has the potential to get the best out of the former No. 3 overall pick.

At this point, the Dolphins have to keep all of their options open. They might be able to do better than Lance, but they could also do worse.