Kenny Stills is among the veteran Dolphins with uncertain futures. (Photo/Tony Capobianco)

Which Dolphins veterans will follow T.J. McDonald out the door?

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DAVIE – There is nothing shocking in T.J. McDonald’s release by the Dolphins. It’s the way of the NFL that veteran players become expendable before their shelf life expires.

He likely won’t be the last familiar name to be discarded this week by the Dolphins.

There is considerable speculation regarding players such as Kiko Alonso, Kenny Stills, Reshad Jones and John Denney with the cutdown of rosters to 53 players looming Saturday at 4 p.m.

I wouldn’t be surprised if any or all of them are gone before the opener.

While other teams will be cutting veteran players, a key consideration for the Dolphins is determining which players will be able to help them when they are ready to compete for the playoffs.

That’s why veteran linebacker Alonso is at the top of the list of established players likely to join the exodus out of Miami that began this past offseason.

Jones, a two-time Pro Bowl safety and Miami’s highest-paid player ($13 million base salary) is 31 and has missed most of training camp with a foot injury following offseason shoulder surgery.

Denney, in his 15th season as long snapper, is 40 and has rookie Wesley Farnsworth nipping at his heels.

Stills, the team’s most productive receiver over the past three seasons, is a bit of a different case after criticizing owner Steve Ross regarding hosting a fund raiser for Donald Trump.

Dolphins coach Brian Flores on Monday revealed little about the move to part with McDonald, a starter the past two seasons.

Bobby McCain has taken over as the starter at free safety. But McDonald still had a role as a hybrid linebacker-safety in Flores’ defense, though he has been dealing with an undisclosed injury.

Naturally, there is savings in salary cap and real money, which is a factor to varying degrees whenever teams part with players who still have value.

“Putting a roster together, there’s many variables, salary cap being one of them,” Flores said. “That’s just one part of the equation that goes into making these decisions.

“We’re going to do what we feel is best for the team from a salary cap standpoint , from a performance standpoint on the field, from an overall team standpoint.”

As for what tilted the equation against McDonald, Flores said, “I think he’s a guy who has a good skill set, one that has been productive in this league. But there’s a lot that goes into putting a team together.

“I think with T.J., at the end of the day it just wasn’t the right fit and we as an organization decided to move on.”

Who will follow him out the door?

Asked if there is a place on a team looking to the future for players with six or more years of experience, Flores said, “Good players and productive players and guys that we feel fit what we’re trying to do offensively, defensively and the kicking game, we’re going to try to keep them around.”

Keep that response in mind as cut-down day approaches and see if upcoming moves match those words.

The Stills situation will be most interesting to watch, given the off-field issues. Flores revealed after Thursday’s game that he played a string of Jay-Z songs at practice as a challenge to get Stills to focus more on the field.

“I think he’s responded well,” Flores said. “I think he’s practiced well. I think he’s a guy who’s got mental toughness and he works hard and the game’s important to him. I think he’s responded well.”

Alonso and Jones have returned to practice after injury absences and Flores says he’s glad to have them. If remains to be seen if he and the front office decide to keep them – and other veteran mainstays – around.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

(Video: Dolphins coach Brian Flores discusses T.J. McDonald and his view on how veteran players fit into the rebuilding plan.)

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Five questions with Marlins rookie pitcher Jeff Brigham

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Jeff Brigham is in his second season with the Miami Marlins but is still considered a rookie because he only threw 16.1 innings as a starting pitcher in 2018. He’s a reliever now for the first time of his professional career and has been called up from Triple-A New Orleans four times this season. He played college ball at the University of Washington and came to Miami in a 2015 mid-season trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers. We discussed his experiences leading up to and throughout his rookie season.

5R: What was your first minor league experience like?

JB: The Pioneer League, especially Ogden gave me the full minor league experience. I like to joke around, we had a former Cy Young winner in “Blackjack” McDowell as our manager and some of those towns were tough. It was tough travel, not the best towns. I had a bunk bed with a roommate sleeping below me that entire summer. It was a really special experience. Wouldn’t want to go back and do it but it kind of developed me into the player I am today.

5R: You were on a Rancho Cucamonga Quakes team that won the California League title in 2015 and was loaded with future Major League talent, from Cody Bellinger to Alex Verdugo and Tim Locastro. You were traded to Miami before the Trade Deadline. How did you find out were getting traded?

JB: I got pulled out in the third inning. I think it was on a Tuesday. The trade deadline was Friday. I ended up finding out Thursday afternoon on Twitter, on social media I think and then they called me the next day and say, “Everything you’e seen is true. You’re going over to the Miami Marlins.

5R: What’s the process like for someone to be repeatedly called up and sent back down to Triple-A in a single season?

JB: It’s definitely been a hectic last few months for me. You get called up, they tell you to come up and you pack everything up, call your parents saying you’re coming up and then a couple days later they send you back down. It’s just a lot of traveling, building up a ton of airline miles. I joke a lot with Donnie [Mattingly] about that is the airline is starting to know my name. It’s definitely been an experience. I mean, there’s worst things to do for sure.

5R: This is your first year as a reliever. What is the difference being preparing for this role and being a starting pitcher?

JB: The biggest difference is finding a routine that works. As a starter, you have every set five days, you exactly what you’re gonna do every single day. You’re gonna know how many throws you’re gonna make, when you’re off the mound. As a reliever, it’s kinda more by feel. You got to prepare to pitch every single day. You gotta find a day to get your lifts in, gotta just be ready to pitch. So that’s really been the main difference, just preparing every day to pitch.

5R: This was your first Trade Deadline period while on a big league club. Three players were traded during that day, all of whom were fellow pitchers. How did you experience that?

JB: They definitely came out of the blue, all three of them to be honest. Those were three of my best friends on the team so it was definitely a tough pill to swallow. I am excited for the other guys who got called up with me because of these past couple trades but it definitely was tough to see my friends go.

Preseason

Top 3 performers from preseason Week 3 – Dolphins vs. Jaguars

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The Miami Dolphins dress rehearsal preseason was not a pretty one in the first half, and it’s clear Brian Flores has some personal evaluations to do. But even when the overall performance is disappointing, there’s still a few players who stand out for good reasons. Here are the top three performers.

Jerome Baker, LB

It seems that any given preseason game, either Baker or Sam Eguavoen makes this list. The second-year linebacker out of Ohio State stood out more than his teammate against the Jaguars, and for once the numbers match the eye test. Baker was all over the field, chasing running backs, shooting gaps and bringing players down behind the line of scrimmage, there was nothing he couldn’t do on Thursday.

If anything has been made clear, it’s that this defense goes through Jerome Baker. He’s now the captain of this defense, and it can even be argued he’s the best player on that unit. Miami finally found a third round gem. It’s likely the Dolphins won’t be all that successful in 2o19, but it’s not all bad. Everyone will have the privilege of watching the defense slowly evolve into a solid – perhaps more – unit. Baker will be leading the way there.

Eric Rowe, CB

While the former Patriots cornerback wasn’t perfect on Thursday, credit needs to be given where it’s due. Rowe made solid plays, making five tackles, two pass deflections, and even coming back to jump a route and make an impressive interception to redeem himself after he’d previously made a costly mistake.

Making plays like that is always a surefire way to get noticed. From the very beginning of the offseason, Rowe was the favorite to win the other starting job opposite Xavien Howard. Injuries kept him off the field at times throughout camp, but now that he’s back, he’s making up for it somewhat this preseason. Is Rowe the number two cornerback of the the future? Who can say? This coaching staff presumably wants to develop young talent, and Rowe fits that mold.

But it’s possible that in the future, Miami will still look to find a more talented and reputable corner to pair with Howard. Rowe can try to prove that’s not necessary with a strong (and healthy) 2019.

Josh Rosen, QB

This, more than anything, should force head coach Brian Flores to be looked at with scrutiny. From the very beginning, since Rosen was acquired, he’s said that the best quarterback will start the season. Early on, that was veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick. As time passed, Rosen closed the gap, and on Thursday, it seemed he’d firmly surpassed Fitzpatrick, leading a 99-yard touchdown drive down the field after Fitzpatrick and the starters were unable to do much of anything until the Jaguars sent in their backups.

That’s something to take into account. It took Jacksonville putting in their second team defense before Fitzpatrick could lead the starting offense to a touchdown. Then what’s the first thing Rosen does? Marches down the field from endzone to endzone for a score, making incredible plays on the way. Rosen’s night had him throw only seven passes, completing five of them for a total of 59 yards. Unimpressive numbers on the surface, but that’s what film is for. And Rosen archived some impressive film.

It feels like the obvious choice at this point is to start Rosen and see what he can do. If he does well, then the Dolphins have a potential franchise quarterback. If he doesn’t, then there’s no reason whatsoever not to draft a quarterback next season. But, Rosen has to actually start, and coach Flores seems hesitant to do so.  Why? That’s a very, very good question. Flores is now under scrutiny for many things. He can help his case by making the right decision with Rosen after this preseason.

Dolphins coach Brian Flores says will be in for a long season in 2019 with young, inexperienced Dolphins team.

Davis: Brian Flores’ stance on Kenny Stills’ invites scrutiny of his coaching style

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The most extraordinary Dolphins performance didn’t happen on the field Thursday.

It came after the 22-7 win against the Jaguars when coach Brian Flores disclosed that he used the Jay-Z hit parade at practice earlier in the week to motivate wide receiver Kenny Stills.

It was eye-opening and emotional as Flores made it clear that he supports the social justice protests that Stills and other NFL players have staged the past three years.

It was unlike anything we’ve seen from a Dolphins coach, and in that way it was revealing.

It provided insight into Flores’ approach to leadership, including his handling of quarterback Josh Rosen, who made his strongest case for the starting job yet in Thursday’s game – more on that later.

Flores brings a personal perspective that is atypical of the NFL coaching fraternity. Yes, it is partly the Belichick influence but also indicative of his background and personal experience.

He framed his support of the player protests in the context of, “I’m the son of immigrants. I’m black. I grew up poor. I grew up in New York during the stop and frisk era, so I’ve been stopped because I fit a description before. So everything that these guys protest, I’ve lived it.”

It was raw. It was riveting. It was real.

At the same time, Flores opened himself to valid questions about his coaching methods: Does it make sense to publicly challenge a veteran player who has been the Dolphins’ most productive receiver over such a hot-button issue?

Stills has 21 touchdowns since 2016 – the most on the team – during the period he has taken the controversial stance of kneeling for the national anthem and dealing with all of the fallout that has brought him.

So, does calling out Stills for substandard performance during the preseason strengthen his command of the team?

Some of predecessor Adam Gase’s heavy-handed attempts at motivation didn’t turn out so well.

Meanwhile, the gauntlet Flores has presented to Rosen is working. The second-year quarterback is getting better.

It is easy for many of us on the outside to say, start Rosen now!

I am in that camp because I don’t see this team achieving anything significant with Ryan Fitzpatrick. That is not to say Rosen will lead them to the playoffs this season, but he’s shown enough progress that I want to see what he can become.

Granted, the 99-yard touchdown drive Rosen led Thursday came in the fourth quarter against second- and third-team defenders, many of whom won’t be playing in two weeks. Fitzpatrick also led a touchdown drive in the second half against backups after accomplishing nothing in the first half when he faced Jacksonville’s starters.

But Rosen’s resourcefulness is intriguing. He seems at his best avoiding trouble and finding – and connecting with – receivers while on the move. The talent that made him a first-round draft pick is becoming more evident.

He’s also exhibiting much better “body language” that Flores called him out on recently, which relates to commanding the offense on the field.

Flores does send mixed signals about the quarterback competition. Prior to Thursday’s game, he made it seem the starting job was Fitzpatrick’s and that the results of one performance wouldn’t be conclusive.

Afterward, he said, “We’re still evaluating both guys.”

So which is it?

All coaches have their ways of pushing players and cajoling them to maximize their ability.

I think Flores has determined a certain level of competency that Rosen must meet, and is willing to wait as long as it takes.

Fans and media fixate on who starts the season opener. Flores is looking at a bigger picture.

At the same time, the rookie head coach is also under scrutiny. So far this century, we’ve seen several others in his spot fall by the wayside in Miami.

We haven’t seen anything quite like Flores.

It will be fascinating to watch if he can translate the winning ways he learned in New England to a franchise that hasn’t won anything notable in decades.

His methods may be open to question, but the conviction of his beliefs is clearly firm.

Will that make him a winner?

All we know right now is this Dolphins coach is no pushover.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

(Video: Prior to the Dolphins’ third preseason game, Brian Flores discussed what he needs to see from Josh Rosen)

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Josh Rosen should be the Dolphins’ starting QB. Now.

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All offseason long, Brian Flores and the Dolphins’ coaching staff continued to motivate Josh Rosen, for better or worse.

And although Flores chose not to name a starting quarterback heading into Miami’s dress rehearsal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, it was clear Ryan Fitzpatrick was team’s starting quarterback moving forward.  After all, Flores and his staff spent much of OTAs and training camp, stacking the odds against the 22-year old QB from UCLA.  So if Rosen wanted to be the man, he had to beat the man.

And that’s exactly what he did.

During the summer months, Rosen continued to get better, each and every day.  And for a team that has started 19 different QBs over the last two decades.  It was always in their best interest to find out what he can be, sooner rather than later.  Unfortunately, it was never that easy.  And as we saw over the first three weeks of preseason, Flores and Co. are doing whatever they can to assure Fitzpatrick is the week 1 starter.  Even if he looks more like a QB battling Jake Rudock for the back-up job, as opposed to the most important position on an NFL roster.

Which makes you wonder, why?

Why are the Dolphins trying to do whatever it takes to assure Rosen is not the starter week 1 vs Baltimore?  Why have the continued to use the media and other outlets, to motivate their young QB?  No one knows for sure.  But a quick glance at Miami’s first four weeks of the season, could give you a pretty good indication of what is going on behind the scenes in Davie.

At first glance, the Dolphins play four playoff teams to start the 2019 season.  Those teams include the Ravens, Patriots, Cowboys and Chargers.  And although Rosen may look like the guy in Miami.  It is possible Flores believes it’s in the team’s best interest to throw the veteran Fitzpatrick to the wolves, behind one of the worst offensive lines in football. Maybe they believe that if Rosen begins the year vs those top-tier teams, they may not get a chance to evaluate him properly.  And that would be bad.  Because as we learned early on, Miami’s entire 2019 season – aside from developing players- is to get a full evaluation on Rosen.

And whether he is the day one starter, or the team transitions to him during their Week 5 BYE, he will have every opportunity to showcase he can be the long-term answer in Miami.  Even if that means taking a backseat to guy known by many as ‘FitzMagic’.  The problem, however, is this.  EVERYONE knows who Fitzpatrick is.  He’s a player that has done everything right in the league and to this day, continues to get paid lots of money to play a game he loves.  But the verdict is out on the man known as ‘FitzMagic’.  However, the same can not be said about Rosen.  Who in 2018, played behind the worst team in all of football.  And as we mentioned time and time again, has continued to progress throughout the summer month-proving he has what it takes to be a viable starting QB in the league.

In the end, Coach Flores is going to make the decision that he feels is best for the team.  And whether that means naming Fitzpatrick the week 1 starter, or to hand the reigns over to the younger QB with more potential, Flores is going to do things his way. And if there is one thing we’ve learned about Coach Flo during the early stages of his tenure in Miami, it’s that he’s a no BS, straight-forward head coach.  A head coach that has preached all offseason long that the best players would play.  If that is in fact true, the QB competition is over.  Finished.  Done.  Rosen is far and away the best QB on the roster and unlike the 17-year veteran Fitzpatrick, has just scratched the surface of his true potential.

The battle was fun while it lasted, but this is Josh Rosen’s team.  And it would be in the Dolphins best interest to find out what he can become, as soon as possible.  Because if Rosen can be the man in Miami.  They can use the treasure trove of draft picks and plethora of cap space, to build a sustainable winner around him.  Rosen has the tools to be a franchise-caliber QB  and when the dust settles, could go down as one of the best trades in Miami Dolphins’ history.   After all, they don’t call him ‘The Chosen One’ for nothing.

 

Josh Houtz (@houtz) is on social media all day, posting the stuff you retweet. Or ignore. 

Preseason

Preseason: Dolphins vs. Jaguars – Top 3 players to watch

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Traditionally, the third preseason is considered the “dress rehearsal” for the season. Each team’s starting lineups play for at least a half, perhaps more, as they attempt to work out the final kinks before games start counting. But this preseason, things are changing. Teams are forgoing tradition, instead choosing to sit several starters and treat this third preseason game as just another evaluation opportunity. The Miami Dolphins are no exception to this.

With several projected starters sitting, including left tackle Laremy Tunsil, the younger players have another opportunity to prove themselves. So here are the top three players (besides the quarterbacks) to keep a close eye on for this week.

Jaryd Jones-Smith, OT

The young offensive tackle got elevated on the unwritten depth chart (because the official one is undependable) and got to be the second team left tackle against the Buccaneers. At first glance, Jones-Smith struggled, but further analysis showed that other factors needed considering. He wasn’t good, but he wasn’t bad either. With Tunsil out, this could be a new chance to prove that he has what it takes to be an NFL left tackle.

The Jaguards have a strong pass rush and good depth, so he’ll be challenged on Thursday. How he performs against Jacksonville could make or break his roster chances.

Preston Williams, WR

Here we are again, looking at Preston Williams. He’s made so many lists this offseason, one would think he’s a lock to make the roster. Maybe he is. Nevertheless, after he became an instant star, earning the nickname “the unicorn,” he struggled against the Buccaneers in the second week of the preseason. Even if it was raining, three drops is not a good look.

He has a chance to bounce back after his less than ideal performance against Tampa Bay. If he takes it, he has a strong chance to unseat DeVante Parker (once again injured) from his roster spot. All he has to do is hang onto the ball when it’s thrown to him.

Patrick Laird, RB

Not many saw this coming, but undrafted free agent Patrick Laird has come on strong in recent weeks. He made the top three list from last week’s game, and should get a chance to move up the depth chart against Jacksonville. Brian Flores preaches execution above all else, and Laird executed to the highest degree in the second preseason week. Up until this point, Mark Walton and Myles Gaskin have been getting snaps ahead of Laird.

It’s still possible the coaching staff forces Laird to work with the third team. But if he puts together another performance like he did against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the coaches will have to reconsider.

Brian Flores indicated this week that Josh Rosen isn't ready to be the Dolphins' quarterback. (Photo/Tony Capobianco)

Brian Flores sends message that Josh Rosen is not ready to lead Dolphins

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Months of suspense building in the Dolphins’ quarterback competition quite suddenly left the balloon this week with an unsatisfying pffttt!

Rather than the expected culmination of the joust for the starting job between veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick and upstart Josh Rosen in Thursday’s third game of the preseason, coach Brian Flores sent the unmistakable signal that the signal caller who will open the season has already been decided.

Responding to a question about whether it makes sense for a team in rebuilding mode to go with the younger quarterback as an investment in the future, Flores gave his clearest indication yet about how he views Rosen.

“I think a lot of times – I understand that thought process but I’m the one dealing with the individual player, and sometimes guys just aren’t ready,” Flores said. “The whole sink or swim mentality, it’s easy for somebody on the outside to say; but for that individual player and the best interests of that individual person, that might not be the case.

“If a guy is ready, we’ll put him out there. If he’s not, we won’t put him out there. I think that’s the right way to approach it.”

Certainly, if Rosen had shown command of the position and the team, through months of offseason work, training camp and the first two exhibitions, he’d be the one starting against the Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium on Thursday. But unless Flores is throwing down a total smokescreen, it is Fitzpatrick, the 36-year-old journeyman, in the lead role for the dress rehearsal showcase.

Leading further to the conclusion that the matter is fait accompli, Flores said Thursday’s game won’t be winner-take-all.

“For it to come down to one game, no I don’t think it’s that,” he said. “I think as a staff, we’ve talked about this position – as well as every other position on this team – a lot. We’ve spent a lot of time on it. We’ll make the decision we feel is best for this team and this organization.”

Right. Because they’ve already concluded Rosen isn’t ready and are more comfortable with Fitzpatrick, for now.

That doesn’t mean Rosen doesn’t have a future with the Dolphins. He will get a chance at some point this season.

My guess is it won’t come until at least after the bye week, and that will depend on fortunes of Fitzpatrick and the offense in the first four games.

More from Maven: Reshad Jones excited to play in Flores’ defenseIt is difficult to dispute the assessment of Rosen, based on what fans and media have been able to observe. Obviously, Flores and staff have much more information to draw upon.

One can question how much Rosen will develop in the coming weeks while getting backups’ reps in practice and toting a clipboard in games.

I still favor going with Rosen and seeing if he is up to the task and ready to grow with it. He’s not a rookie. He played 14 games (13 starts) for the Cardinals last season, albeit not well (66.7 passer rating).

The Dolphins thought enough of him to invest a second-round draft pick to get him. Let’s see what he can do on a team that is looking beyond this season.

Flores offered a different viewpoint on that:

“I would say there is a long list of guys who have gone through that process. Patrick Mahomes is a guy that comes to mind. [Tom] Brady is a guy that comes to mind – Steve Young, [Aaron] Rodgers. … I think sitting – in some instances, not all – could be a good thing. Sitting, learning, improving your technique, improving your fundamentals, going through the mental reps of games and practices, I think guys have gotten better that way.”

How that works out with Rosen remains to be seen. The message is clear that he’s not as good as he needs to be right now.

It is difficult to argue otherwise.

(Video: Brian Flores discusses what Josh Rosen needs to do to show he’s ready to start at quarterback for the Dolphins)

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

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Opinion: Rosen nothing special but he should be Dolphins’ starting QB now

Brian Flores indicated this week that Josh Rosen isn't ready to be the Dolphins' quarterback. (Photo/Tony Capobianco)

Brian Flores’ first misstep as Dolphins coach

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I promise you, there was a time when the news coming out of Davie, Florida and St. Thomas University before that, was typically about whether the Miami Dolphins finally had enough to win the Super Bowl that year. Even later on toward the end of their relevancy, the news was about hiring Jimmy Johnson, or trading for superstar Ricky Williams, or nabbing Nick Saban. Hell, I even look fondly upon the news cycles surrounding the hiring of Bill Parcells, when compared to these days.

But now? The current development of the good young talent on this team gets glossed over on a weekly basis due to the latest deaf ear moment perpetrated by this franchise and its leadership. Allow me this stroll down nightmare lane. I won’t tell you about all the other instances where the leadership of this franchise has embarrassed us fans, to not beat a dead porpoise. But I will take you through this latest moment of shame.

First, we had the team’s owner, Stephen Ross, hosting a $100,000 a plate luncheon fundraiser for the President that was sure to rankle at the very least, half of the public at large, a very large number of his fan/customer base and a very large swath of his locker room. But fine. His money, his right, right? Sure. I can get behind that. But Donald Trump is no ordinary Republican. His brand of racial politics, and the cringe worthy moments that show real racial animus, justifies the outcry /indignation that non-Trump supporters showed at the news of this event. That was predictable. Ross should have realized it.

Full disclosure, I do not own a pink pussy hat, have never used the hashtag #Resist, do not use the word “Kompromat” and hardly identify with any left wing politics. I in fact support some of the President’s economic policies, including his Trade war with China in which he declared himself “The Chosen One” in fighting it Wednesday (Yeah, he did that). Putting aside his latest buffoonish behavior, you have to be completely dishonest to not concede that the president can be characterized as racist. Can it be debated, for sport? Sure, anything can. But we all know better. It was this that compelled Dolphins receiver Kenny Stills to make comments concerning Stephen Ross’ true devotion to the cause of social justice.

Kenny Stills was 100 percent justified in doing so, even if some fans did not agree, some sending him hateful messages. But that is not where our tale of Dolphins self-flagellation ends.

Then came the Roc Nation partnership with the NFL.

Jay-Z (Shawn Carter) entered into a partnership with the NFL on the very anniversary of Colin Kaepernick taking a knee for the first time.

To which Kaepernick responded:

“Today marks the three year anniversary of the first time I protested systemic oppression,” “I continue to work and stand with the people in our fight for liberation, despite those who are trying to erase the movement! The movement has always lived with the people!”

Carolina Panthers Safety Eric Reid then stood in front of reporters and said: “Jay-Z claimed to be a supporter of Colin, wore his jersey, told people not to perform at the Superbowl because of the treatment that the NFL did to Colin and now he’s going to be a part owner? It’s kind of despicable,” Reid also posted a tweet on the matter from another Twitter user:

With every controversy, there comes overreach. This was it. In researching the philanthropic endeavors that Jay-Z (Shawn Carter) has engaged in, I found this: Jay-Z does a lot. More than a lot. For good. Questioning his motives, or suggesting that he is some puppet of the NFL, or a useful idiot, is downright insulting.

Then we have Kenny Stills, who makes the most reasonable, and thoughtful comments on the whole matter on a video posted by Cameron Wolfe of ESPN:

“I can go on a list of things I felt like could have been done or handled in a better fashion,” “I really don’t want to get into that but for the most part what I’m trying to say to people is that let’s work toward solutions. Let’s wait and see what goes down from this deal.”

Stills went on: “You can’t really tell right now. It doesn’t sit well with me. I don’t think it was handled the right way but you never know.”

How is this in any way offensive? Nevertheless, here came the detractors, and the Twitter hate machine to figuratively put Stills “in his place.” But that’s the Twitter cesspool. When we get back to football, all will be forgotten.

Or should have been.

But Flores didn’t leave it there.

The very next day at practice, eight consecutive Jay-Z songs blared from the field side DJ and it was later confirmed by Miami Herald sleuth Barry Jackson that Flores controls the playlist. Somebody didn’t get the memo. What possible use is there for this than to exacerbate the situation, cause more issues for his Stills, and worse, draw further attention to the owner of the team that was involved in his own controversy just 2 weeks ago.

This was not smart. Funny? Maybe. But all that was accomplished was the advancement of the narrative that your franchise cannot get out of its own way.

And here’s the thing:

This time, it is actually affecting the football side of the operation.

“Oh, shut up, it’s just music” you say? Sure. But Kenny Stills has value. Value you might want to monetize in trade for your rebuilding squad. Now, you have political considerations, as well as aesthetic considerations due to the actions of first, your owner, and now your newly minted head coach.

What possible motivation could there be for this?

Let me give it a try.

Coach Flores has, on many occasions, talked about the team being singularly focused, and he did say that he wished that Kenny had essentially kept things in house with his Ross/RISE Initiative comments. So a broad shot across the bow? For what? Doesn’t make sense.

While Flores has a reputation for being soft spoken, and is considered somewhat a “aw shucks” type character, nothing can be further from the truth. He, to not put it delicately, takes no shit. You see it in practice. You hear it in the undertones of his statements. I like him. He is the first of his kind here since Saban. No comparison here though, in that this guy (Flores) was made to coach men in the NFL and not bully college kids for rings and profit. So he gets the benefit of the doubt with me, because I am predisposed to like him. I agree with him that all this individuality/53 separate franchise jazz is a bunch of bullshit. To quote Movie Villain Gordon Gecko, “If you want a friend, buy a dog.” (or hire Adam Gase).

But I would not be honest here if I said that this should be brushed aside. I hope that Coach Flores learns from this misstep, and realizes that he should practice what he preaches. A team is a family. Things are to be kept within the family, and under this new regime, we do not pass the buck or single out players in this manner. We protect and fight for them, because they will protect and fight for you, when it’s you that’s in need.

 

Alfredo Arteaga (@UptownReport) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

It’s Jarren Williams’ Hurricanes now

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Jarren Williams is the chosen one. For now…

For the past couple weeks, Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz made it seem like picking his first starting quarterback was like picking his first Pokemon.

He’s got three: Tate Martell (Charmander), N’Kosi Perry (Bulbasaur) and Jarren Williams (Squirtle). Each of them have different talents yet each of them can get you eight gym badges an into the Elite Four.

After the second scrimmage of fall camp, Diaz chose Williams and made it public through the team’s social media channel. This in turn vaulted Williams to the top of the pecking order and elevated him into the position of leader of the locker room.

“It’s the natural thing of having the confidence of the coaching staff and the team to know you’re the guy,” Diaz said. “Which is why we made the decision, it’s why we made it public, because we just felt that would far more superseded any value in making it a surprise on Saturday.”

Williams always had the confidence in himself necessary to become a starting quarterback. However being the starting quarterback didn’t automatically make him the leader of the team.

“Jarren has always been a leader,” Donaldson said. “Ever since he came in he’s been a vocal guy, trying to communicate with the whole offense, even the whole team, trying to get us on the same page. That’s what [offensive coordinator Dan Enos]  saw, I guess and he just took that stuff further now.”

“I feel like it’s a gradual process,” Williams said, “because throughout the summer and spring, my thing was I’m gonna show these guys that I’m gonna work and give everything I got for them. I go out there every day and I would give everything I had, empty the tank for them just to show them I’m gonna be a guy that you can rely on. So I feel like doing that time after time gradually built that leadership so that when I had the opportunity to be named starting quarterback, I was already in that leadership role.”

It almost didn’t came to be. Before the 2018 Pinstripe Bowl, Williams nearly transferred out of Miami. He chose to remain and even with extra competition coming in through the transfer portal and recruiting, he rose above it all and has earned his chance to lead the Hurricanes against the No. 8 Florida Gators.

“It’s very rewarding,” Williams said. “That really comes with me trusting God. I prayed about it and I know he would never lead me wrong.”

Williams said the turning point came when the team returned from an embarrassing bowl loss and Diaz quickly became the new head coach after Mark Richt announced his retirement.

“I feel like the whole mindset just started to change for everybody,” Williams said. 

Williams has received texts messages from former Miami quarterbacks Stephen Morris and Brad Kaaya encouraging him going into the biggest matchup of the season.

“They really just told me to be confident and be you,” Williams said. “This is the moment you prepared your whole life for. Don’t let the moment get too big for you.”