Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Burke hopes ‘D’ can move on, minimize egos
DAVIE — There are many reasons organizations find it so difficult to instill their teams with healthy teamwork.
The existence of inflated egos sits atop that list.
Matt Burke is trying to make sure his unit checks any narcissism at the door so it doesn’t poison the Miami Dolphins defense, which had the team’s best performance of the season – a 13-6 win over the New York Jets, which featured four sacks and four interceptions – tarnished by one of its top players deciding to leave — and not return to — Sunday’s game.
While the Dolphins were holding the Jets to a season-low 282 yards, miffed Pro Bowl safety Reshad Jones headed to the sideline after Burke put rookie safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in his spot for a series.
Burke said Miami’s coaches had planned to put Fitzpatrick on the field in different spots all game. He started on the boundary instead of Bobby McCain, and also took a series from safety T.J. McDonald.
The problem is Jones wasn’t in agreement with that strategy when his time to stand on the sideline arrived, and protested by not returning to the game.
Head coach Adam Gase has addressed the issue with Jones, who had to speak to his teammates about his decision, and with Burke.
The team claims the issue has been resolved, and Jones is back on board.
“We’ve had a lot of conversations. The whole defense and myself. Reshad and myself. Adam and myself. I think we’re all on the same page,” Burke said on Thursday. “We have a big challenge ahead of us this week. We’re trying to move forward.”
The Dolphins are trying to turn the page with the hope this issue won’t resurface again this season, and that the defense will be at its best for Sunday’s road game against the Green Bay Packers.
“We got everything that we need to get straightened out with all of us completely knocked out, moved on. I think sometimes you have to go through all of this kind of stuff during a season and that’s what happens,” Gase said.
The source of Jones’ discomfort likely centers on his understanding of how the NFL treats aging, and expensive defenders.
Back in 2011, which was Jones’ first season as starter with the Dolphins, he shared the secondary with fellow safety Yeremiah Bell, who piled up 107 tackles, two sacks and one interception in 16 starts that season.
The next offseason Bell was released so the younger and more promising safety, which happened to be Jones, could move over from free safety to play strong safety.
The Dolphins clearly view Fitzpatrick as the future at free safety, and seem to be easing him into that role, which Jones is filling.
As for Jones, who signed a four-year, $48 million extension in 2017, and restructured the deal last offseason to help Miami create salary-cap space, he’s making $9,735,000 this season. More importantly, $11.1 million of Jones’ $13.1 million salary in 2019 is guaranteed.
That means Miami would need to trade Jones if the plan was to move on next offseason. But for now, Burke and Jones need to figure out a way to make their relationship work.
“The important thing for us is to move forward as a team,” Burke said. “This is hard, and we’re in the middle of tough stretch of games we need to win.”