Former NFL executive Mike Lombardi explains what's the 'smarter play' for Tua Tagovailoa's future
As the extent of Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa’s injury is digested and reports of his surgery and rehab are top of mind, another factor to consider eventually is what his spring and next season will look like.
That includes they key decision about the junior entering the NFL Draft or returning to Tuscaloosa. The subject was covered by Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports in a story where he quoted former NFL executive Mike Lombardi.
Thamel wrote, is it worth 20 spots in the draft to be able to prove to NFL teams that his hip is healthy enough for him to run, change direction and throw in the same way that he did before the injury? If so, that would be a swing of tens of millions of dollars and would have to be considered an option.
“I think that’s the smarter play,” Lombardi said of Tagovailoa either sitting or returning to Alabama.
Thamel also pointed out that Tagovailoa’s injury insurance policy details are unknown.
“While Alabama can’t comment on individual insurance because of privacy laws, there is a system in place at the school where high-level draft prospects receive insurance coverage through the athletic department’s student-assistance fund,” Thamel wrote.
Among the other unknowns is if Tagovailoa will be healthy enough to return for the NFL Scouting Combine in the spring. Otherwise, scouts would work off of incomplete information.
“He’s not a big man,” Lombardi said of the 6-foot-1, 218-pound quarterback. “Little men get hurt. Let’s be honest, here.”
Lombardi doesn’t subscribe to the sitting out for a prolonged period theory.
“I don’t think so,” Lombardi said about players potentially sitting out seasons. “The one thing about football, you’ve got to play.”
Tua has a tough decision to make. Staying at Alabama might be best for him. Plus he would have now until Aug to rehab.Combines and drafts are in spring. No way can he showcase himself then.
By all means, he should combine this spring if he’s healthy enough. But, something tells me he’ll need 12-18 months to find out if he can fully recover. In that case, it’d be wise to stay with the pachyderms.
I hope he’s able to make a full recovery.
I would advise my son to go in the draft. The good news is that every NFL team will know that he will likely not play in 2020. More than likely he will be drafted by a team that does not need a quarterback right away, allowing him to heal and learn before being tossed on the field. Many potentially great quarterbacks have been ruined by going to bad teams (Tim Couch comes to mind) and Tua will likely avoid that. If he is drafted and makes a full recovery, he will likely lose little total earning power by going early. If his recovery does not go as planned, he can still bank his signing bonus and whatever he is paid as a 1st round pick. First round quarterbacks have guarantees for 4 years, btw so he will still be a rich man (if he goes in the 1st round and spends his money wisely). If he goes back to Alabama, and fails, he will likely not be drafted in the first round and lose guaranteed money. He could theoretically lose his insurance money since he played again and was not totally disabled as a result of his injury. I say take the NFL money asap–it may not be there next year.