Flores provides update on Van Noy

The Miami Dolphins are at the halfway point at training camp.

Tuesday marked practice No. 7 of 14 the Dolphins will have ahead of the 2020 season opener, a road game against the New England Patriots on Sept. 13.

Here are a few quick tidbits from coach Brian Flores’ media availability:

Flores says outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy is day to day with an injury he suffered in Monday’s practice.

It is believed to be an upper-body injury for Van Noy, the former Patriots standout.

“Kyle got banged up [Monday]. He’s getting treatment,” Flores said of Van Noy. “We’ll take this day to day.”

On the Dolphins’ decision to waive/ injured rookie fifth-round pick Curtis Weaver, a defensive end who is the Mountain West Conference’s career leader with 38 sacks, Flores said that because Weaver does not have four years of NFL experience, he had to be waived before he could be placed on injured reserve.

The Cleveland Browns claimed Weaver Tuesday afternoon. If another team didn’t claim him, he would have reverted to the Dolphins’ IR list.

Flores did not offer any assurances that fourth-year linebacker Raekwon McMillan, who has appeared to fall behind in training camp, would make the Dolphins roster if he did not perform better with seven camp practices remaining.

“Raekwon has obviously started a lot of games in this league. He’s a good tackler, good communicator, smart player, plays in the kicking game, [and] he’s still ascending,” Flores said of McMillan, who excels in the running game but not so much in the passing game on defense.

“I think he’s doing well and playing well in this training camp. There’s a lot of competition at the position between Raekwon, Elandon Roberts, Calvin Munson, [Jerome] Baker and Kamu [GrugierHill]. We’ll just see where the chips fall. “Some people are ahead of others.” Flores offered plenty of praise for new veteran offensive lineman Ereck Flowers, who has taken on a mentorship role with the team with many of the younger players on his unit.

Flowers often leads players such as rookie draft picks Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt, Solomon Kindley, and others like Shaq Calhoun and Durval Queiroz Neto during some drills after each training camp practice.

“It’s very valuable,” Flores said of Flowers’ role as a mentor.

“Ereck has had a lot of experiences in this league. As a high draft pick, he’s played for a few different teams. He’s had a lot of ups and downs over the course of his career.

“He’s learned a lot. He’s really taken those young players under his wing to a degree. To me, what better of a guy to do that?”

On cornerback Nik Needham, who took advantage of an opportunity with rookie Noah Igbinoghene leaving Monday’s practice with an injury:

“I think Nik has made a lot of improvement over the course of the year,” Flores said of Needham, who started in 11 of 12 games with 11 pass deflections and two interceptions last season.

“How Nik came into training camp, he’s learned a lot. He’s matured a lot. He’s taken a more professional approach since he’s rookie year. He’s made some strides. … When Nik goes in because somebody else goes down, that’s what we’re talking about with taking advantage of the opportunity.”

Flores on

Wisconsin:

“There’s a lot that gets into this. For me, when a situation comes up like this again, there’s a lot of fear in this world. … There’s a lot of division. What we need is [to] unite.

“Unfortunately, situations like this create more division. It’s sad.

“I haven’t watched it because I’m not ready to watch it emotionally. I have a pretty good idea of what I’m going to see.” the

Jacob

Blake shooting in