Dolphins’ Flores dodges Watson questions as deadline looms but addresses other issues
The Dolphins and their fans will get temporary clarity on Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. trade deadline.
But permanent clarity? That might stretch well into next spring.
Even if the Dolphins do not complete reportedly ongoing talks to acquire Watson, the issue likely would be revisited next spring. To this point, the Dolphins are the only team that Watson has agreed to accept a trade to, according to multiple reports.
As the 1-7 Dolphins prepare to face the 1-7 Texans on Sunday, Dolphins coach Brian Flores again refused on Monday to rule out a Watson trade or discuss the issue.
Asked if there is any possibility that the Dolphins will acquire another starting-caliber quarterback before Tuesday’s trade deadline, Flores said: “I understand the question. I basically answer it every day the same way. Tua [Tagovailoa] is our quarterback. Any conversations I have with [general manager Chris Grier and owner Steve Ross], I’ll keep them internal.”
Flores was then asked why he cannot answer that question directly if Tagovailoa is indeed the team’s quarterback moving forward.
“When I say Tua is the quarterback, I don’t know how much more I can say,” Flores said. “That’s kind of the way I handle this the last few weeks.”
As has been the case for months, the latest news cycle featured incremental media Watson updates and some reports that directly conflict.
Fox’s Jay Glazer said negotiations between the Dolphins and Texans are ongoing and they were “so close to deal” a few days ago but that the Dolphins first want him to settle his legal issues. (Watson, at any time, could settle 22 civil suits filed by massage therapists but obviously cannot control whether criminal charges are filed against him. A grand jury has been convened in Texas to consider 10 criminal complaints.)
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Houston is prepared to keep Watson past the trade deadline, while NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said the Dolphins and Texans “have been in contact recently, and both sides are open to a deal.”
And there’s this: Whereas the Houston Chronicle reported last week that the Dolphins and Texans have agreed on draft pick compensation (but that the Dolphins want Watson to settle his legal issues before making the trade), CBSHQ and Pro Football Talk reported that there is no agreement between the teams on compensation.
PFT’s Mike Florio said Sunday night: “A week ago, the Texans and Dolphins were closing in on a deal for [Watson]. Per multiple sources, the Dolphins wanted Watson to settle the 22 civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions. Per multiple sources, once the Texans caught wind of the growing possibility that the 22 civil lawsuits would be settled, their price for Watson went up.
“With no deal ever in place... the Texans were free to ask for more, if/when they sensed that the Dolphins would be getting Watson with one of the two major branches of his legal portfolio resolved. [The 10 pending criminal complaints will remain in place until a grand jury decides whether to charge Watson.]
“The increased demands caused the talks to crater. Now, the primary impediment is the gap between what the Texans want and what the Dolphins will offer. That could change as the deadline arrives, because in the NFL and most other businesses deadlines drive action. If a trade is done, the expectation is that Watson will get the 22 civil cases settled.”
Meanwhile, NBC’s Peter King said Monday he “will be shocked if Deshaun Watson is traded. As I’ve said all along, trading for a star with as many question marks surrounding him is, to put it charitably, irresponsible and desperate and stupid. Normally I’m not prone to conspiracy theories, but the conspiracy theorist in me says all the reports of the chances he could be traded are music to the ears of Houston owner Cal McNair and GM Nick Caserio. To McNair, Watson is a headache he prays will go away, soon. To Caserio, Watson is an opportunity to get a better return next March than he could get now.”
Flores said he didn’t discuss the trade deadline with players on Monday.
Flores addressed other issues in his Monday news conference:
▪ He said receiver Preston Williams and new safety Sheldrick Redwine did not accompany the team to Buffalo for disciplinary reasons but will be back at practice Wednesday.
▪ Receiver Will Fuller and center Michael Deiter, who have each missed four consecutive games with injuries, will not be healthy enough to play Sunday.
▪ On why the Dolphins pass the ball the second most in the league, behind only Tampa Bay, but are second worst in yards per attempt:
“You always want balance. We haven’t been able to create the balance we want for a variety of reasons... Score has dictated some of that. Early, we got some positive runs and weren’t able to sustain it. It’s definitely something we talked about as a staff [Monday]. We need to do a better job of that second half of the season.”
The Dolphins averaged just 3.0 yards per carry on 28 rushes Sunday.
▪ On his thinking amid a seven-game losing streak and why he spent alone time after Sunday’s game before speaking to reporters: “It’s disappointing. Our guys work hard. Our coaches work hard. I think about people around the building. I think about our fan base.
“I want to do better for all those people. The team does. Those are the thoughts that go through my mind. I think about what I can do to get us over the hump, turn the tide. Is it a scheduling thing? Play calling? Switch a guy’s position? What do we have to do? That’s where my thoughts are.”
▪ The Dolphins have only 12 sacks in eight games, tied for 29th in the league, and none Sunday.
Against Buffalo, “we had some effect on the quarterback,” Flores said. “Some instances [we were on Josh Allen] on him and didn’t get him down. But there was an effect on the quarterback.... In some instances, we created some quicker throws that benefited us. There have been some other games we didn’t have as much effect on the quarterback. We have got to do a better job.”
▪ Flores, on the offensive line: “They’ve played well in spurts; they haven’t played so well in some other situations. That’s kind of the development of a young player. Austin [Jackson] at guard has been a good transition for him. That’s the right spot for him. Same thing with Rob Hunt.
“It’s a young group. The experience of playing with that type of crowd noise [Sunday] was definitely a learning experience for them. We could have been better as far as our execution on some of those things. They’re all improving; they’re all making progress. I’m looking forward to watching them improve more as the season progresses.”
▪ Did Flores mind that Buffalo scored late and went for two with the game sealed instead of kneeling down?
“Nah, their job is to score and our job is to stop them.”
Here’s my Monday piece with the cap consequences of a Watson trade - this week or next spring - and how the team could build a roster around him if the Dolphins trade for him.
This story was originally published November 1, 2021 at 2:25 PM.
