The 2020 Miami Dolphins locker room will have more rings than a sequoia.
And most of those baubles sparkle with Patriot red, white and blue.
Brian Flores, of course, has the most hardware. He won four as a longtime Bill Belichick assistant.
But he wants a fifth ring with aqua and orange flair.
And he thinks the best way to do that is by assembling a bunch of players with whom he won in New England.
Two more Patriots alumni agreed to join the Dolphins Wednesday: center Ted Karras, on a one-year, $4 million deal, and linebacker Elandon Roberts.
They'll join Kyle Van Noy (who joined up with Flores Monday), Kamu Grugier-Hill (another free-agent addition who spent parts of 2016 with New England), and at least seven other former Patriots in Dolphins training camp this summer.
The others: defensive backs Eric Rowe, Jomal Wiltz, Ken Webster, Ryan Lewis and Nate Brooks; and linebackers Calvin Munson and Trent Harris.
Put another way, a year after coaching players he had to, Flores in 2020 will coach players he wants to.
Familiarity is an asset.
But so is hard work, selflessness and smarts.
Flores seeks out such players and rewards them with not only riches, but playing time.
Karras can expect to play plenty after picking the Dolphins over the Patriots _ who actually offered more money than Miami, a source tells the Herald.
The Patriots wanted him back but he didn't know with certainty that he would remain a starter there. With Miami, he's very likely to be the Dolphins' starting center. He took the one-year, prove-it type deal, hoping to parlay it into a more lucrative contract in 2021.
Karras replaces Daniel Kilgore, who is now a free agent.
Karras started all 15 games in which he appeared last season, his fourth NFL season. Selected by New England in the sixth round out of Illinois in 2016, Karras was primarily a backup for the Patriots in his first three seasons, with five starts in those three seasons.
Pro Football Focus rated Karras 20th of 38 qualifying centers last season; Kilgore was rated 21st.
Karras allowed two sacks and 14 pressures in 15 games _ which are solid numbers for a center. That compares with three sacks and 19 pressures permitted by Kilgore in 13 games.
Karras was considered among the top handful of starting centers available in free agency, along with Connor McGovern (who agreed to terms with the Jets), guard/center Graham Glasgow (who is joining Denver) and Baltimore's Matt Skura, who remains available.
The 6-4, 305-pound Karras is a third-generation NFL player. His grandfather, Ted Karras, Sr., and great uncles, Lou Karras and Alex Karras, played in the NFL during the 1950s and 1960s, and his father Ted Karras, Jr. played during the 1987 season. His grandfather, his father, and Karras himself have all won NFL championships, with the Bears, Redskins, and Patriots, respectively.
Miami has now added two new offensive line starters, with Karras and left guard Ereck Flowers. Right tackle Jesse Davis is expected to remain a starter _ at either tackle or guard _ and the Dolphins are expected to try to find a long-term starting left tackle in the NFL Draft, which is deep at the position.
The Dolphins also have inquired about several veteran tackles, including the Jets' Brandon Shell, and Jets left tackle Kelvin Beachum is also a free agent; both played for new Dolphins offensive line coach Steve Marshall in New York.
Michael Deiter, Shaq Calhoun and others could compete to start at right guard. And the Dolphins have called about multiple guards and centers, including Carolina free agent Greg Van Roten.
Roberts, meanwhile, was a team captain in 2019 despite playing just 20% of the Patriots' defensive snaps. But he was a true three-way player for New England, serving as a fullback (he caught a touchdown pass against the Dolphins) and a core special teamer.
Roberts had 29 tackles and a sack in 16 games for New England last season, including three starts. He started 35 games for Patriots over past four years.
Flores surely has a role in mind for Roberts, but coverage might not be his primary job.
According to Pro Football Reference's advanced stats, he has allowed 25 of 34 passes in his coverage area to be completed the last two years. However, he's missed just five tackles since 2018, including only one last year.
