Dolphins zero in on Pats’ Flores, stressing defense in coaching hire
The Miami Dolphins’ search head coach could nearly be over.
The Dolphins, led by team owner Steve Ross and general manager Chris Grier, intend to offer their vacant head coaching position to New England Patriots defensive play-caller Brian Flores.
But, the Dolphins are in a holding pattern while the Patriots are competing in the postseason.
Once the Patriots’ run in the NFL playoffs ends,
Flores and the Dolphins can reach a formal agreement to make him the
10th coach in franchise history.
Flores — who has worked in various roles with New England for the past 15 years — has a reputation for being an energetic, demanding and hard-nosed coach.
Here are five things to know about Flores and the Dolphins’ coaching search: for
anew
Timing is everything: Ideally, the Dolphins would have preferred for the Friday news of Flores’ potential hiring to come after the Patriots exited the playoffs.
But after six other NFL teams announced coaching hires this past week, and the Cin-
Dolphins’ potential plans for the future on Sunday.
The Dolphins hope to be in position to land one of the top quarterbacks in the 2020 NFL draft, which could include Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, Oregon’s Justin Herbert and Georgia’s Jake Fromm, according to the report.
The Dolphins are in a holding pattern to hire a new coach, but expect New England Patriots assistant Brian Flores to accept their offer for the position once the Patriots’ run in the postseason comes to an end.
“I think we really have to take a different approach in how we do it,” Ross said on Dec. 31 regarding the state of the Dolphins.
“What you want and what I want, is really sustained winning seasons and having an organization that is used to winning, because that’s what people in Miami expect. That’s what the fans want and the fans deserve.
“Basically, the thought is we’re going to look to really build this organization based on our needs and if it takes a year or so — two years, three years — we’re going to be there and we’re going to be an organization.”
Once the Patriots season is over, the Dolphins are expected to finalize a deal with Flores. In the meantime, the Dolphins are allowed to negotiate a deal with Flores’ agent and expect that he will accept their offer, according to ESPN.
New England defeated the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, and will face the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game next Sunday.
The Dolphins have a number of roster needs to address, likely the main one being to identify a new quarterback to lead the franchise following seven years with Ryan Tannehill.
The Dolphins, who finished 7-9 in 2018, have the No. 13 pick in the 2019 draft. They may not be in position to trade future assets to move up and land one of the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft like Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins or Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray in a draft considered to have few transcendent talents at the position.
The Dolphins are expected to build their defensive and offensive lines, while finding depth at other positions of need, and hope to have a top-10 pick in the 2020 draft, according to ESPN.
Ross and Grier acknowledged the Dolphins’ knack for finishing between 10-6 and 6-10 during the past 10 seasons. They also understand to achieve the type of sustained success they covet, the Dolphins may have to lose during the 2019 season in order to capture ideal draft position in 2020.
“I hope I don’t have to go 3-13, but whatever it’s going to take, we’re going to build that organization with the right players that want to win,” Ross said. “They’re coming here to win.”
Overall, the Dolphins are 199-201 since 1994, and have missed the playoffs 15 times in the past 17 seasons.