Phins Camp Day 5… Darkest Before Dawn?

The cart was overturned by firing Flaherty heading into Phins Day 5 of camp

A day after Phins Head Coach Brian Flores made the surprise move to fire Offensive Line coach Pat Flaherty, the team put forth their ‘ugliest’ practice so far.

Plenty of ‘beats’ began to clutch their pearls as if facing the ‘beginning of the end’ for the season, Flores, and his regime.

Phinsnews is taking the turbulence in stride. It’s not as if 2019 ‘troubled waters’ weren’t a guarantee for 2019. Let’s keep it clear in no uncertain terms: This is a total reclamation project. Patience through the process during Free Agency worked for Miami with the Rosen, Tannehill, and Quinn trade… among others.

Now it’s time to have patience through the process with the team.

For some, Day 5 was the beginning of the end

To be fair to the ‘beats of gloom and doom’, we are certainly at a profound crossroads with the most crucial unit to the Dolphins success in the crosshairs… along with the coaches and GM. It could very well be the first scene of a horror show… or not. I’d say wait more than 5 days before we predict the ending, though.

And again to be fair, when I said on Saturday that this week the Offensive Line would be THE storyline… I didn’t anticipate it being this red-line critical. It is though.

Good news: This situation is where good leaders are needed most and weak leader crumble. We will get a clear view of the type of leadership Brain Flores will provide by not only how he handles this situation, but also by how it shakes out.

Whether seen half full or half empty… the situation is serious

Still, as is being said by Mando, Flores was either wrong for hiring Flaherty and right now… or wrong in both regards. He was ‘wrong’ at some point though. But, let’s be real. Sadly, the Phins are one of the least sought after spots in the NFL and Flores is very unproven. Gase suffered the same issues with putting together a staff piecemeal and scrounging at the bottom of the barrel.

Context is key: All young coaches suffer the same teething problems with their staff… unless they are going to a team laden with talent. Dolphins weren’t and aren’t such a team.

Remember, Flores took the best of what was available with Flaherty but brought in quality backup just in case. Foresight displayed for sure. A deeper analyzation of this move is for another article, though. Flores certainly made the right move. Some of how today played out showed that he did. We’ll see if the right move included the right guy for the job.

As Rocky said, “It’s not how hard you hit, but how hard you can be hit… and keep coming.”

You could see Flores was visibly uncomfortable explaining his decision… more so than in any other conference, in my opinion. Flores is fully aware that this move will go a long way to proving or disproving the pay-per-head best bookie software sites right or wrong. It took big-boy pants to fire Flaherty. But, was it backed by big-boy brains?

Flores understands the process of this thing and knows players must be developed for the plan to work. Flaherty wasn’t teaching the young guys and was leaning on familiarity.

Consider Flaherty’s starting lineup: LT Tunsil, LG Reed, C Kilgore, RG Davis, and RT Mills. Safe a road as possible. And given where he is in his career, age, and his situation last season with the Jags, job security, whether here or elsewhere, is a big concern. No slight… it makes perfect sense for him.

This though wasn’t the best road for the Dolphins long term.

Today, Deiter came in as the Left Guard starter and held his own. Davis went to Tackle and Right Guard was a tryout with Holden, Calhoun, and Reed.

Reports on the Offensive Line today:

• Deiter got 1st team reps and looked better than “a long way off “as Flaherty described
• Sterup saw more action at Left Tackle
• Calhoun saw more action with the 1s
• Prince saw action with the 2s
• Reed saw time at backup Center (good)
• Mills moved to backup RT (good) and saw time at LT
• Fuller took reps at LG and C
• OT Monteiro blipped
• Jones-Smith saw time with the 2nds at RT
• OL Ryan Anderson cut by Miami was signed by Gase

Reports on the rest of the team from Day 5

• Starting D-line: Baker & Eguavoen at LBs, DTs Wilkins & Godchaux, DEs Harris & Carradine
• Clive Walford, Chase Allen, Dwayne Allen, Mike Hull, and Cordrea Tankersley still out
• Ballage left the practice with an undisclosed injury
• As per Joe Schad, “Josh Rosen is IDing MLB for the first time.”
• Orchard still flashing in the pass rush
• Tank Carradine showing himself near-daily
• Josh Rosen is 2nd at OL but WRs 1st and Kalen Ballage in the backfield. He needs to get acclimated with WR not OL if he wants to start. Means starting job still open.
• Kiko missed practice
• Bobby McCain was a stud today
• Rosen a bit sloppy with picks and near picks
• Jakeem Grant closing in on 100% healthy
• Nick O’Leary locking down 1st string and Chad O’Shea praised his leadership
• Jerome Baker is looking excellent on every level
• Harris moved to Left End
• Raekwon McMillan seeing more reps 1s
• Lots of wall running and push-ups for both sides who were very sloppy

Well, that’s the sum of it. Even if this thing turns in an upward trajectory, expect a couple more ugly days… and maybe even the scrimmage. But, post scrimmage leading up to Week 1 of Preseason should see the Phins stabilize… if Flores has them on the right track. Go Phins!!!