Dolphins decide to take advantage of 1 new NFL rule but not another. And Flores report.
The NFL has implemented new practice-squad rules and the Dolphins have decided to take advantage of at least one of them, not take advantage of another one of them, with a decision pending on the third.
The Dolphins decided to take the NFL up on its offer to protect four players from being poached by another team each week. Those four can be changed weekly. This week, Miami is protecting cornerbacks Tae Hayes and Ken Webster, tight end Chris Myarick and Jake Rudock, who’s the team’s third quarterback.
Hayes, as we’ve reported, finished 54th in the battle for 53 roster spots, according to multiple sources. Webster, the Patriots’ seventh-round pick 17 months ago, allowed a 97 passer rating in his coverage area last season before a season-ending injury. Myarick has impressed the Dolphins in more than a year around the team but lost out to Adam Shaheen in the battle for the No. 3 tight end job.
The Dolphins may take advantage of the new rule that allows them to promote two players to the 53-man roster, giving them a 55-man roster Sunday, with only 48 of those players permitted to be active for the game. The NFL said those two players must be submitted to the league office at the end of the week and do not necessarily need to be announced publicly.
But the Dolphins bypassed the NFL’s offer allowing teams to carry six players with unlimited experience among the 16 on each team’s practice squad.
Of the Dolphins’ 17 practice squad players (guard Durval Queiroz-Neto has an exemption allowing 17), four have one year experience and 11 are rookies. So they would have been eligible for the practice squad anyway.
Rudock and suspended receiver Antonio Callaway have a bit more experience but might have been p-squad eligible anyway.
So except for Rudock and taking a flier on the talented Callaway, the Dolphins are using the p-squad for developmental purposes rather than a place to stock battle tested veterans in the event of injuries or a COVID-19 outbreak.
Incidentally, teams are permitted to increase the number of players active for a game from 46 to 48 as long as that includes at least eight offensive linemen. Teams with fewer than eight offensive linemen can activate 47 players on gameday.
FLORES REPORT
Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores addressed several issues in his Wednesday media briefing:
▪ Receiver DeVante Parker, who was wearing a white compression sleeve on his left thigh/hamstring, was at practice Tuesday and “we expect him out there today,” Flores said.
▪ With most Dolphins players have not played a game since late December or early January, “we are thinking along the lines that somebody will probably need a blow here [and there] for the most part [on Sunday at New England],” Flores said. “Given no preseason, no one has played a football game in a long time. There will be a handful of guys we expect to go the whole way.”
▪ How comfortable is Flores starting rookies?
“I started as a rookie at opening day once,” he said. “If those guys we feel like they’re ready, we will put them out there. If they’re active, we expect them to be ready to play. Rookies play every year. We never want to put anyone in a situation where they don’t feel like they’re ready.”
What is Flores’ message to rookies playing their first game? “One play at a time. Good play, bad play, penalty, touchdown, give up a touchdown, move onto the next play. You don’t want to take good plays and think about those the entire game.”
And here’s something else he will tell them: “We need our best communication late in the game.”
▪ On the Heat advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals: “It was a good game last night. Happy for them and getting to the Eastern Conference finals. It was a good accomplishment.”
▪ On the fact the Dolphins have had very few COVID-19 cases since players reported:
“Our staff from a protocol standpoint and transparency standpoint, they’ve done a great job. The numbers where they’ve been, they’ve been positive.
“A lot of times, good numbers lead to some complacency. We need to be vigilant. I don’t want to put any type of message out there like we’re doing a great job because things can turn quickly as they do with the virus.
“We need to be responsible and make smart decisions on the team. Guys on the team, guys who are around the team. That’s going to continue to be my message to do the right thing inside the building. Let’s not take our foot off the gas.”
▪ Flores said without preseason, “the tackling, defeating blocks are things guys haven’t been able to do under game circumstances. It would be better if we had live games to actually tackle.”
PRACTICE REPORT
Linebacker Kyle Van Noy is still wearing a soft cast on his right hand.... Cornerback Xavien Howard and receiver DeVante Parker participated in every drill. Parker did not have any visible wraps on his leg, unlike Tuesday... Quarterback Jake Rudock (playing the role of new Patriots quarterback Cam Newton) and running back Salvon Ahmed (playing the role Patriots running back James White) were both wearing scout team jerseys.... Miami practiced inside the bubble.
Here’s why Tony Romo thinks the Dolphins are going to take a big leap this year and a monster leap in 2021.
Here’s our Tuesday post with news from Brian Flores’ Tuesday press briefing and a practice report.
Here’s my Tuesday post with Bill Belichick’s comments about the Dolphins.
Here’s my loaded Dolphins 6-pack with their plans for the rookies, five players summoned for auditions and a bunch of other things.
This story was originally published September 9, 2020 at 9:31 AM.
