Yesterday, new Dolphins head coach Brian Flores spoke about his hopes for his team and how he planned to help get them there. Flores, who was asked if he needed a rookie quarterback to groom and develop, insisted that development isn’t just a proposition for young guys.
“I think we are always developing players,” Flores said. “So we’re developing rookies, second-year players . . . seventh-year players. We’re in a business where we’re all looking to improve. . . I know you say, ‘develop a rookie’, but I’m trying to develop everyone.”
So looking at this Dolphins roster, who could benefit most from this line of thinking? Who would Miami gain the most from tapping into hidden potential?
How about a young player at a critical position of need? Offensive guard Isaac Asiata comes to mind.
Asiata, who was the team’s 5th-round pick in 2017, has played in just two games through the first two seasons of his NFL career. That limited exposure makes it difficult to understand where the disconnect is.
It’s certainly commonplace for 5th-round picks to flame out in the pros, but Asiata was a player who had positive tape during his time at Utah. He showed requisite mobility and good functional strength to bully defenders along the line of scrimmage.
Those skills have gone by the wayside in the NFL, but perhaps Flores’ hope to develop all players and the efforts of new offensive line coach Pat Flaherty can bring them back from the brink?
Flaherty served as the Jaguars’ offensive line coach the last two seasons, helping to re-establish a physical offensive line during the team’s run to the AFC Championship Game in 2017.
