Brian Flores doesn’t expect ‘wholesale changes’ on offense. Dolphins signing veteran offensive lineman
Dolphins coach Brian Flores said he does not expect to make any “wholesale changes” to the team’s offense or play-caller structure after the offense struggled to generate explosive plays for much of Sunday’s 27-17 home loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
In the team’s third consecutive loss, the Dolphins accumulated just 203 net yards and had 91 by the end of the third quarter when it trailed 17-3. The offense averaged 4.1 yards per play, and quarterback Jacoby Brissett failed to throw the ball downfield for much of the afternoon. He completed 20 of 30 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns but had 76 passing yards through three quarters.
The offense’s issues throwing the ball downfield were further compounded with Flores’ announcement that wide receiver Will Fuller won’t play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after reportedly breaking his finger Sunday.
“There were some opportunities on downfield shots,” Flores said. “We have got to take advantage of those. We had guys open downfield; we have to take advantage of them. I don’t think we should force the ball down the field. If we need to check it down, we should. That’s the right play. Right now, we’re pushing it down the field late in the game because we have to. We need to do a better job earlier in the game of finding ways to create explosive plays. If we get opportunities to push the ball downfield, we’ve got to try to take advantage of them which we have not done.”
Flores did not provide clarity as to who the play-caller is as speculation continues that quarterbacks coach Charlie Frye is, in fact, calling the plays. In recent weeks, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden have said that co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach George Godsey is calling plays. However, former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer said last week that Frye is the play-caller. Former NFL kicker and CBS analyst Jay Feely reiterated that statement during the broadcast of the Dolphins-Colts game.
While Flores has yet to divulge who is calling plays among Godsey, Frye and co-offensive coordinator/running backs coach Eric Studesville, he reiterated that Frye is the one who relays the play call to the quarterback.
With starter Tua Tagovailoa still on injured reserve for at least one more week with fractured ribs, Brissett is expected to start his third consecutive game against the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay. Flores said Tagovailoa “is starting to throw a little bit” but did not confirm nor deny an ESPN report that Tagovailoa is expected to return for the team’s Oct. 17 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. After the Dolphins’ game against Tampa Bay, they can designate Tagovailoa to return to practice, opening a 21-day window for the team to officially add him back to the 53-man roster.
Dolphins signing veteran offensive lineman
Meanwhile, the Dolphins are signing veteran NFL center Austin Reiter, according to a league source, and he could compete with Greg Mancz for the starting job until Michael Deiter returns from a foot injury.
Miami plucked Reiter from the Saints’ practice squad on Monday, where he had been elevated to play in one game this season. He fills Deiter’s spot on the 53-man roster. Reiter has started 33 NFL games, including 32 for the Kansas City Chiefs and was the starting center on their 2019 Super Bowl team and the 2020 team that lost the Super Bowl.
Washington selected Reiter in the seventh round of the 2015 Draft out of the University of South Florida but he never appeared in a game for Washington. Reiter spent the next two years playing for the Cleveland Browns, starting the 2016 opener but then missed much of that season with a torn ACL.
According to a source, the Dolphins expect Deiter to miss one to two months with an injury sustained in last Wednesday’s practice. Deiter was placed on IR last Saturday, forcing the Dolphins to use their fourth starting offensive line combination in as many games. Mancz, a seven-year veteran, started at center.
Injury updates on Davis, Jones
Flores said he is hopeful defensive lineman Raekwon Davis will return to practice this week after missing the past three games on IR with a knee injury.
Davis sustained the injury on the defense’s first possession of the Week 1 win against the Patriots. The Dolphins’ run defense has struggled with Davis sidelined, allowing 136.8 rushing yards per game, sixth worst in the NFL.
Flores also said cornerback Byron Jones, who sustained a quad injury against the Colts, is day-to-day and the team will see if he can practice Wednesday.
This story was originally published October 4, 2021 at 4:12 PM.
