MIAMI -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa cracked a smile Wednesday when asked about the new contract Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert signed to become the NFL’s highest-paid player.

The Chargers inked Herbert to a five-year, $262.5 million deal -- making him the second quarterback of the 2020 class to sign a huge extension. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts signed a five-year, $255 million extension in April, and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow likely is not far behind.

"I mean, it’s big. Big. First off, congrats to him and congrats to Jalen," said Tagovailoa, the No. 5 overall pick in 2020. "I think it’s really good for the quarterback market.

"It gets me excited, gets me going. But at the same time, they got what they deserve, and I’m happy for them.”

Tagovailoa played at an MVP-caliber level for most of last season, setting career-highs in passing yards (3,548), touchdowns (25) and quarterback rating (an NFL-best 105.5).

He also missed the better part of six games due to two concussions, and he has yet to get through an entire season without missing a game to injury.

With the combination of upside and durability issues, the Dolphins opted to exercise Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option in March instead of signing him to a multiyear extension.

Tagovailoa changed agents earlier this year, sparking speculation he was aiming for a new contract before the 2023 season began.

Tua Tagovailoa shows off his new tattoo sleeve after Dolphins practice today pic.twitter.com/1REHIsEQdy

— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) July 26, 2023

“I haven’t talked about any contract since what I’ve understood with my fifth-year extension," he said. "I don’t think that’s a worry of mine. When things come, they’ll come, because you either deserved it or it’s supposed to happen that way.”

Tagovailoa spent most of his offseason transforming his body. Sources told ESPN that Tagovailoa bulked up to 225 pounds while maintaining his mobility. He's also trained in jiu-jitsu to improve his weight distribution while being brought to the ground, hoping to prevent further head injuries.

Then after showing off a portion of a new tattoo during mandatory minicamp in June, and hiding it from the public in the ensuing weeks, Tagovailoa revealed a full tattoo sleeve at Wednesday's practice.

The Hawaii native said the sleeve is an ode to his Samoan heritage and his first child, Ace, who was born in 2022.

"It’s a piece that represents my first child," he said. "There’s a lot of things that go on behind it, a lot of cultural significance, a lot of things that have to do with protection, guidance. Sort of things like that that we believe in the Samoan culture.”

The Dolphins enter their second year under head coach Mike McDaniel, whose offensive scheme helped Tagovailoa evolve from fringe starter to MVP candidate in their first year together. Remarkably, this is the first time Tagovailoa has spent consecutive seasons in the same offense since high school.

“At the starting point, I would equate it to language. When you’re learning a foreign language, you have to translate in your head," McDaniel said. "Then at some point in time, if you’re fluent enough, you can think in terms of that language. Last year, Tua ... was literally speaking a foreign language and doing it at a pretty high level. This year, he owns the language. What that manifests? Everything.

"Ask a player what conviction does in a playcall within a huddle. These little nuances are a big deal. All of a sudden, your conviction, the quarterback, you’re saying the same play, but with authority and ownership. Guys believe in it that much more. All of a sudden, your pre-snap penalties are less as well because you’re getting to the line of scrimmage faster. That, in combination with other people doing their part, including myself, gives the potential to have a really cool product.”