Under Brian Flores, no Miami Dolphins player has an easy ride

Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores is taking on a rebuild the likes of which the team has not seen since Jimmy Johnson took over for Don Shula. And that brings challenges.

The biggest challenge that Brian Flores will be tasked with this off-season is getting his players to buy into what he is selling. From schemes and system changes to playing multiple positions, and of course that ever elusive challenge of changing cultures again.

For the players, it is about finding their place and doing their jobs well enough to keep them. While there are players that will not have too much to worry about in regards to making the final 53 man roster they may find it hard to keep their starting job.

If there has been one consistency through two weeks of OTA’s under Brian Flores is that competition is the absolute key to getting better.

Flores expects competition at every position. Not just quarterback. Not just running back and wide receiver, he expects it everywhere. Nothing under Flores and his staff will be a given. A cake walk. An anything. You want to be a Miami Dolphins football player, you better be ready to earn it.

Speaking with the media last week, Flores was asked about the positions that will face the most competition. His reply was simple.

"“Left tackle, right tackle, left guard, right guard – every position, there’s competition. I think we can’t push our players to that next level if they don’t feel competition. That’s just my opinion on competition. I think there’s competition at every position and if the guys don’t feel that way then we’re going to try to make them feel that way, one way or another. – Miami Dolphins released transcript"

The key here comes not in the first line, not the “every position” comment. It comes later in the third sentence. “If guys don’t feel that way we are going to make them feel it”. This is a big statement. Flores is going to push his players and put the best players on the field. Those best players may not be the guys we recognize as starters. Not if they are not getting on board and winning their jobs.

Winning a job is paramount to the success and growth of a football team especially when that team is getting younger and being rebuilt. Flores has his hands full indeed but so do the players.