The kickback from Brian Flores’ statement yesterday was pretty swift. What could the Dolphins head coach say that could possibly be so inflammatory? Who was the team cutting? Or trading away? No one.
Instead, Flores made the comment that Miami expects opportunities for defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick to play a bit of linebacker this season — in addition to his roles as a safety and cornerback.
Really? Really. And there’s no need to panic about the idea, either. When Flores states that the Dolphins will get reps for Minkah at linebacker, he doesn’t mean it in the kind of sense of playing MIKE and keying the run to challenge the line of scrimmage. Or at least it’s a pretty safe assumption to believe that’s not what Flores means.
Instead, think about sub-packages. When teams put more defensive backs on the field, linebackers are typically the ones to get pulled off the field. Such a move makes the team more vulnerable against the run — the defense gets smaller as the opposing offense stretches and spaces the field more.
Having a player like Minkah Fitzpatrick can be quite valuable in these situations — he’s big and physical for a defensive back and tackles very, very well. So when Miami goes to nickel or dime sub-packages, expect to see Fitzpatrick playing closer to — and sometimes in — the box. Such a role makes him a de facto linebacker.
Flores’ vision for the Dolphins? A team filled with smart, versatile football players. No one on Miami’s team embodies more of that than Minkah, considering the reputation he carried with him out of the University of Alabama. There’s not a ton of safeties that can play man coverage, play the run in the box and play centerfield in coverage at a high level — but Miami’s got one. So when fans hear all of the ways the Dolphins plan to use Fitzpatrick, it’s important to keep that in mind.
