Miami Dolphins’ Flores assesses Saints QB Ian Book, offers updates on COVID, other issues
Dolphins coach Brian Flores got an up-close look at Saints and former Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book at the Senior Bowl.
So Flores has a sense of what to expect when Book is expected to make his first NFL start on Monday when the Dolphins play at New Orleans.
“I spent a lot of time with him,” Flores said of the week coaching a Senior Bowl team in Mobile. “He showed good command of the offense in the Senior Bowl. I’m sure that will be the case on Monday. Smart, tough kid. I’m sure they will put him in very positions.
“He was able to execute at a good clip. He’s been there the whole year. I’m sure he has a good handle of their offense and how they do things. They’ve been grooming him the entire year. Good runner of the football as well. We will go back to the college film [to study him further].”
Flores also noted that the Saints’ Sean Payton “is obviously a great head coach, one of the best offensive minds in the history of the league. We’re preparing for their entire team. I’m sure they will try to feature [running backs Alvin] Kamara, [Mark] Ingram as they always do.”
Nola.com’s Jeff Duncan reported that Payton has cleared COVID protocols and has returned to the team.
Book, who was selected in the fourth round of April’s NFL Draft, reportedly will start because Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian are on the COVID-19 list and Jameis Winston is on injured reserve with a knee injury. Duncan reported that former Jaguars starter Blake Bortles will sign with the Saints and serve as Book’s backup on Monday.
In other news, Flores said none of the seven Dolphins players on the COVID-19 list would come off it on Friday.
Those players are linebacker Duke Riley, cornerback Justin Coleman, tight end Cethan Carter, offensive linemen Greg Mancz and Robert Jones, practice squad running back Gerrid Doaks, and receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. (who’s on injured reserve and ineligible to return this season).
3:45 PM NEWS UPDATE: The Dolphins elevated wide receiver/returner Tommylee Lewis and center Cameron Tom to the active roster as COVID replacements. Lewis, who previously played for the Saints, handled returns for the Dolphins against the Jets last Sunday but did not play a snap on offense. With Greg Mancz on the COVID list, Tom will serve as Michael Deiter’s backup at center on Monday at New Orleans.
Also, running back Gerrid Doaks was removed from the COVID list and restored to the practice squad. And Spencer Pulley - who has started 26 NFL games for the Giants and Chargers - was signed to the practice squad.
Flores also said there are no new additions to the Dolphins’ COVID list.
Flores addressed other issues in his Friday Zoom session with reporters:
▪ Albert Wilson, who missed the past two days for personal reasons, was back at practice on Friday.
▪ The Dolphins have tough decisions about how to allocate carries among Duke Johnson, Phillip Lindsay, Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed, and also must decide whether to activate Malcolm Brown off injured reserve.
“We’ll see how that goes and talk about it post practice for roles for different backs,” Flores said. “It’s tough decisions but we will do what’s best for the team.”
▪ Flores was non-committal about whether Tommylee Lewis would be elevated to be the Dolphins’ returner for a second game in a row, or whether Jaylen Waddle and Jevon Holland -- who are back after missing a game on the COVID-19 list -- would resume handling punt and kickoff returns.
“You can’t have everybody up,” he said. “We’re working through that. Good to have Jevon [Holland] and Jaylen [Waddle] back. They’ll be up [active for the game]. I can tell you that. We will have some COVID elevations. Lot of different ways we can go.”
▪ On how Holland looked Thursday after missing more than a week with COVID: “Yesterday was a walk-through. Today we’ll see him move around at a better pace, faster pace, game tempo speed.
“As far as the walk-through yesterday, getting back into things. Didn’t see too much rust. Saw a lot of energy. Guys were excited to have him back. Same with other guys coming off the COVID list and Malcolm Brown [who has been out with a quad injury]. Today will be better tempo. It’s good for him to practice at that speed.”
▪ What’s Flores’ favorite Christmas gift?
“My mom always got me underwear for Christmas. That’s my favorite gift.”
This story was originally published December 24, 2021 at 11:03 AM.
