Time to take stock of Tua

The Dolphins quarterback showed improvement in his second camp, but the question remains as to how big a jump he can make in 2021

- Alain Poupart

The Miami Dolphins addressed their most pressing issue as they wrapped up what could be considered the first phase of training camp when they restructured the contract of All-Pro cornerback Xavien Howard.

So as they prepared to head to Chicago for joint practices with the Bears followed by their preseason opener at Soldier Field, the Dolphins had settled the issue of Howard a little less than two weeks after he requested a trade on Instagram.

While it might not have been a long-term solution — the Dolphins agreed to revisit Howard’s contract next offseason — it assured they’d have the services of their most important player in 2021.

And, let’s be realistic, the Dolphins wouldn’t have been nearly as good this season without Howard manning one of the outside cornerback spots.

With Howard on board, the hope is the Dolphins can take the next step after knocking on the door of the playoffs in 2020 and burst into the postseason for the first time since 2016.

If that’s going to happen, there are two things that positively, absolutely have to happen.

First, Tua Tagovailoa has to take a significant step forward in his second NFL season.