It's ironic to think that the Dallas Cowboys were involved in the last good Thursday Night Football game. Remember last year's shootout against the Seahawks? That's the end of the list. While last night's Dolphins vs. Bills clash had the potential to be box-office, Buffalo won in blowout fashion.
It was a nightmare showing from Miami and it got morbidly worse in the third quarter after quarterback Tua Tagovailoa stayed down after a hard collision with Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Tagovailoa went into the fencing position, which is the tell-tale sign of a severe head injury.
It took the Dolphins six minutes to diagnose Tagovailoa with a concussion. Tagovailoa was able to play all 17 games last season, but this is now his fourth concussion in three years. There are obvious concerns about Tua's playing career.
There currently isn't a timetable for Tagovailoa's return, but it is safe to say the Dolphins will take every precaution before trotting him out there. Clearly in need of a quarterback, Miami should give the Cowboys a call about Trey Lance.
Cowboys could trade Trey Lance to Dolphins after Tua Tagovailoa injury
It could be a while before Tagovailoa is back on a football field, if at all. You have to think a stint on injured reserve, which would rule him out for four games, is the bare minimum endgame here. Behind Tagovailoa, the Dolphins only have Skylar Thompson.
A 2022 seventh-round pick, Thompson started two games as a rookie, completing 57.1% of his passes for 534 yards and one touchdown to three interceptions. He averaged 5.1 yards per attempt. Thursday night wasn't much better. He was 8-of-14 for 84 yards and posted a 47.3 passing grade, per PFF.
The Dolphins can still have an explosive offense without Tua under center. Head coach Mike McDaniel is an elite play-caller and Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De'Von Achane are some of the most dynamic playmakers in the league.
Yes, Lance capped his preseason with a five-interception performance, but he made noticeable improvements over the three-game slate. He had an electrifying touchdown run in the finale and finished preseason with a 64% completion rate, 662 passing yards, three total TDs and 168 rushing yards.
Lance needs an abundance of reps to continue his development, but those aren't available to him with the Cowboys, where he's the emergency third quarterback. He'd have a realistic path to playing time in Miami. It can be argued he's a better option than Thompson.
Beyond that, the Dolphins alternative options are nothing to write home about. The Packers traded for Malik Willis (!) after roster cuts because they were desperate for a backup. Ryan Tannehill, Brandon Allen and discarded former Chargers draft pick Easton Stick might be the only options at Miami's disposal.
The Dolphins might not want to hand the reins of their offense to Lance, but they are in dire straits following Tua's concussion. In a vacuum, Lance is an upgrade over Thompson and he offers a higher ceiling than any available free agent or veteran trade target.
