Miami Dolphins rebuild already began but it’s time to put it to the field
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins started the rebuilding process way back when they parted ways with Adam Gase and held out for Brian Flores. Now it’s time to put it on the field.
Today the Miami Dolphins begin their training camp sessions and Flores and his staff will begin the process of taking the classwork they installed in OTA’s and mini-camps and put it on the field.
The Dolphins purged the roster as they got the salary cap under control and created cap space for the future. They added Josh Rosen and Ryan Fitzpatrick and sent Ryan Tannehill to Tennessee. Then they purged the defensive end positions among others. All of that off-season work has led to Flores’ first camp as an NFL head coach.
Miami is the NFL’s media whipping boy. They are predicted to win as little has three games and some believe that is generous while others believe they will run to an 8-8 finish. Either way, no one is giving the Dolphins any chance at a successful season.
While the Oakland Raiders will debut on HBO’s Hard Knocks this season, the Dolphins are going to find themselves dealing with their own hard knocks as they progress through the high-temperature South Florida sun.
Miami has questions and competitions at almost every position and Flores has stated that no one is guaranteed of a roster spot. It will be interesting to see if the team makes any bold moves before the season begins in September. Moves that clearly define this as Flores’ team.
Defensively, the Dolphins are going to move on from the wide-nine they have run the last several seasons under Matt Burke and Patrick Graham will begin to install a secondary heavy defensive system designed to stop the run and create mismatches for the offense.
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The question is do they have the right personnel to make this happen this year? The answer won’t be known immediately. Excitement is high for Dolphins fans but without the lofty expectations, many fans are looking forward to watching this team grow and hopefully build something for the future.
The rebuilding of the Dolphins is not a one year project. It likely isn’t a two-year project either. Brian Flores has a fully guaranteed five-year contract and Stephen Ross is all-in on this coaching staff and the changes that are being made. Tired of losing, Ross is hoping that this hire will be the one to take the team to the next level. It all starts with camp.
Now that the off-season is over, we will finally see what the Dolphins are hoping to do this year. Flores has repeatedly said they will try to win every game, there is no quit and he hates the term “tanking”. Can his coaching take the team further than many expect? That too will be what fans will be watching for this season.
In reality, lowered expectations allow fans to watch the growth from week to week and month to month as they identify players for the future. This season is as much about the identification of players as it is trying to win football games. Evaluations started long ago in the film room and continued through off-season camps but now with training camp beginning, the real evaluations begin.
Everything the Dolphins do from this point is in an effort to identify the best 53 players on the roster that give the team the best chance to win. Not just for this season but for the future as well.