Dolphins’ Flores updates the starting center situation and where two key rookies stand
One big takeaway from the Dolphins’ offseason program: Veteran Matt Skura isn’t simply going to be handed the starting center job.
Third-year player Michael Deiter and former Saints backup Cameron Tom are going to get a look.
The competition hasn’t legitimately started in earnest, because — as coach Brian Flores noted Thursday — there’s “no run game, no contact, no bull rushes” during May and June practices. “You can’t make a true evaluation.”
But when asked if Skura was signed with the intention of being the starting center should he win the job, Flores made clear that there would be a competition at that spot and “we’ll play the best.”
Deiter, who started 15 games at guard as a rookie in 2019, moved to center last season and backed up Ted Karras, who didn’t miss a game. He has developed well enough for the coaching staff to be intrigued.
“Deiter has really made a lot of improvements,” Flores said. “Can play across the offensive line. He will be in competition to get playing time this year. He’s excited about this opportunity. He’s tough and has a lot of the qualities we’re looking for. When you get to Year 3, it’s a sense of urgency.”
The Dolphins beat out multiple teams for Tom, who signed with a Miami on a minimum deal. The Dolphins like his intelligence, athletic ability and versatility.
At 305 pounds, Tom ran a 4.8 in the 40 at the NFL Combine in 2017. Undrafted out of Southern Mississippi, Tom played in 11 games and started one for the Saints through four seasons, spending some time on the practice squad.
“HIs knowledge of the system and knowing where to be, he’s done a good job,” Flores said.
Skura, 6-3 and 313 pounds, lost his starting job briefly last season after struggling with snaps in the pistol formation.
But Skura nevertheless started three of Baltimore’s final six games.
Skura, 28, was considered one of the NFL’s best centers in 2018 and 2019.
Pro Football Focus rated Skura the 16th-best center in 2019 before his season-ending injury. But PFF rated him only 34th last season, even though his pass protection metrics were strong.
Skura permitted only four sacks over the past three seasons, including one last year.
THIS AND THAT
▪ Flores pushed back on the notion — reported elsewhere — that rookie receiver Jaylen Waddle is walking with a limp after an ankle injury last October. Flores simply doesn’t see one.
“It looks like he’s running fine to me,” Flores said. “He has worked hard, learned the playbook. He still has to see different coverages, ways he’s going to get played.”
▪ Xavien Howard, in a contract dispute with the team, did not attend the final day of the mandatory minicamp (which did not include a practice) and is subject to a $93,000 fine.
▪ Flores said rookie right tackle Liam Eichenberg “learns well. The concepts he picks up quickly. You can’t evaluate an offensive lineman in this setting. There’s no contact. But we can go off his college film and we fell good about what we saw there. We’ll have plenty of opportunities in training camp to see what he can do from a physical standpoint.”
Flores said being a rookie — or being a veteran — won’t serve to a player’s advantage in the offensive line competition: “We are always going to play the top five guys.”
▪ Jerome Baker’s contract extension raised his 2021 cap number from $2.7 million to $4.3 million. His cap numbers for the following three years are $9.7 million, $11.9 million and $14.3 million, according to Overthecap’s Jason Fitzgerald. The deal included a $5.5 million signing bonus.
▪ The Dolphins will move to their new training facility at Hard Rock Stadium when training camp begins in the last week of July, and Flores was planning to take his players for a tour of the facility on Thursday, the final day of the offseason program.
“We’re all excited about the new practice facility,” Flores said. “It’s a credit to Steve Ross and investment he made in the team. He spared no expense to create a state of the art facility for us. I’m very appreciative. I’m excited about the place. We’ll take a tour of the place today.”
This story was originally published June 17, 2021 at 9:13 AM.
