For Brian Flores, it starts from the bottom
DAVIE — This is all uncharted territory to Brian Flores.
No, not referring to the transition of a fledgling NFL coach. That is obvious and a path every long-time assistant must traverse in ascending to the top spot.
What is most foreign to Flores is the situation he finds himself in with the Miami Dolphins. As was pointed out to him prior to Tuesday’s start of minicamp, the roster he has been given to work with is very thin, in experience and accomplishment.
A team in the early stages of rebuilding has spent most of the offseason subtracting salaries and recognizable names.
Flores has no frame of reference to that after the past 15 years as an assistant with the New England Patriots, where each offseason is matter of reload and carry on for a run at another Super Bowl.
Slim pickings on roster
Right now there aren’t enough offensive linemen for two full units. Scan the group and it appears to be Laremy Tunsil and the Pretenders. (Zach Sterup, whose experience has mostly been on the practice squad the past two seasons, was at the opposite tackle from Tunsil on Tuesday, taking the place of Ja’Wuan James, who signed a big contract with Denver.)
There are way too many glaring holes left in Miami than can be filled by next week’s draft and the dwindling free-agent talent pool.
Flores, who took the reins of the Dolphins the day after winning his fourth Super Bowl with the Patriots, is dealing with the task in the only way he knows.
“The guys we have, however many or however little, we’re going to do everything we can to help those guys improve, help those guys become the best version of themselves,” he said. “I tell those guys to take it one play at a time, and I’ve got to practice what I preach. That’s kind of my object over the next few days.”
Granted, the whole roster isn’t as inexperienced as Durval Queiroz Neto, the Brazilian defensive tackle allocated to Miami via the International Player Pathway Program. Queiroz, known in Brazil as Duzão, is a former judo champion who hasn’t played football in the United States.
“I think this is a great time for him to be here because it’s strictly fundamentals, it’s strictly technique, it’s the most basic part of football where you’re laying a foundation down,” Flores said of minicamp.
Nonetheless, there is a glaring lack of names on the current list who have advanced far beyond the basic level of NFL experience, particularly on defense, Flores’ forte.
Cameron Wake is gone. So is Robert Quinn. With Reshad Jones electing not to take part in the voluntary workouts, there is reason to believe he may join the exodus before the season begins.
Miami wasteland for coaches
Flores is the latest in a long list of coaches beginning their first head job in the NFL — the seventh, in fact, since Dave Wannstedt succeeded Jimmy Johnson in 2000 (not including three interim coaches).
The challenge he faces is as steep any of them have undertaken. None of the others have succeeded in returning the Dolphins to prominence.
Flores has the benefit of all of that winning in New England to call on. But he also has to contend with that example within the division.
As of Tuesday, the first time on the field with his new team, Flores said, “I’m living my dream. This enters the phase that I’m used to and I enjoy the most. I’m passionate about coaching football, so today is a special for me.”
Time will tell whether Flores can sustain that dream better than so many predecessors who have fallen by the wayside in Miami.
Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns
This originally appeared on our sister site Dolphin Maven
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