Brian Flores is a good coach. There’s no two ways about it. With probably the most talent-deficient team in the NFL, Flores has still managed to guide this young Miami team to 4 wins.
That is, of course, coupled with 11 losses. And as things stand, that would hand the Dolphins the 5th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
To say the least, this has caused quite the unrest in South Beach. As general manager Chris Grier tore down the team from top to bottom, fans were told to bear with the losses, in hopes of the landing the #1 overall pick in 2020.
But that pick belongs to the Cincinnati Bengals, as they secured the #1 pick following their Week 16 38-35 OT loss to, you guessed it, Miami.
Yes, this has effectively taken Miami out of the race to land Heisman winner Joe Burrow out of LSU. And barring any drastic changes, Miami will NOT get a chance to draft the uber-talented Chase Young of Ohio State, one of the best pass-rushing prospects in recent memory. But what Miami does get, is a chance at finally building a winning culture, something that has eluded the franchise since the glory days of Dan Marino and Don Shula.
Anyone ever wonder why the Patriots, year after year after year of losing talent, continue to dominate the AFC and win Super Bowls? Anyone question why the Steelers, after losing their starting QB, WR, and RB, are currently one game out of a playoff spot? And on the flip side, why the Browns, with an extremely talented roster, sit 6-9 and are out of the playoffs? Culture.
In this league, culture is everything. You can have a boatload of draft picks, an extremely talented roster like the current Browns or the 2011 Eagles, but it’ll ultimately amount to nothing without a proper, winning foundation in place.
It’s still early days, but Brian Flores has shown glimpses of establishing this culture, instilling a no-nonsense mentality within the walls of the organization. What Flores has done with the worst roster in the NFL, is nothing short of remarkable. To put the Dolphins’ roster into perspective, the average NFL team has about 16 undrafted players. The Dolphins? 24. Flores and his staff have taken undrafted rookies like Preston Williams and Nik Needham, and turned them into solid, reliable starters.
Or what about Devante Parker? The former 1st-round pick, who most of the fanbase had given up on, is having a career year. Posting 64 catches for 1,065 yards and 9 TDs, Parker is finally having his breakout year, and it’s thanks in no small part to Brian Flores.
These improvements are not luck. This right here, is the work of a good coach.
But the underlying stats tell an even better story. For example, the Dolphins are the 5th least-penalized team in the NFL, a clear sign of effective coaching and discipline. And since the re-introduction of Ryan Fitzpatrick into the starting lineup, the Dolphins are a surprising 4-6.
So yes, while the Dolphins blew their chance at the #1 pick, all is not lost. They’ll still have a top-5 pick, but more importantly, they’ll have the groundwork of a winning culture in place.
Not to mention, the #5 overall pick may be a blessing in disguise, as it would still give Miami a chance to draft the player they’ve wanted all along, but at a cheaper cost.
That player, is Tua Tagovailoa.
Yes, I’m well aware of Tua’s season-ending hip injury he suffered back in November, and whether or not he even enters the draft is still left to be answered.
But if he does, Miami is in perfect position to grab the player they’ve wanted all along (with some reports even hinting at the Dolphins’ interest dating as far back as 2018). Following Tua’s injury, his draft stock significantly dropped, due to obvious injury and durability concerns.
Armed with a whopping three first-round picks, via the Texans and Steelers, the Dolphins have full freedom to draft who they wish. I believe that the first priority should be to draft Tua Tagovailoa, and at the 5th overall pick, it’s more than doable.
No one knows what the future holds, and the next four months will be fun to watch unfold. And whether the Dolphins draft at #1, or at #32, is rendered insignificant if the right people aren’t in charge. But what is certain, is that if the Dolphins really do want Tua Tagovailoa, they’ll have the opportunity to get him. And when they get him, they can feel comfortable knowing that they have the right man on the sideline.
