Miami Trades Flowers to Washington

Per PFT: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/04/27/miami-trades-ereck-flowers-to-washington/

Wow. The free agent class of 2020 is not lasting long in Miami. Van Noy, Lawson, Jordan Howard and now Flowers all gone after one season.

My guess? Progress stopper. Perhaps Dieter or another younger player gets a shot to win starting job at LG. Flowers too expensive to sit on the bench as depth.

this was set in motion when Miami signed DJ Fluker.

Great move. Frees up money and we dump a player that didn't figure into the team's long-term plans. I thought Flowers played OK - just OK - and he was a leader, but really this isn't a big loss.

Speculation all over the internet that Kindley will play LG, Hunt will move to RG, and Phins will look to draft a tackle - but apparently Sewell is NOT a target. I'm shocked that they'd move Hunt inside after he played well at RT, but if it makes the line better I'm all for it.

Assuming the Hunt move to guard is correct, RT now becomes a serious option at 18 or 36...hopefully 36. I would like Darrisaw or Jenkins, though...and they'd probably have to be taken at 18. Slater would make me puke...too small to play T in this system.

white1 wrote:The free agent class of 2020 is not lasting long in Miami.  Van Noy, Lawson, Jordan Howard and now Flowers all gone after one season.

These were all stop-gap players that needed to be signed because our roster was so bare. This was always part of the plan, and none of those guys was expected to be a long-term solution. The fact that we're able to move on from all of them is a good thing - it means we are headed in the right direction and are going to build through the draft.

The Flowers move frees up $8 million, which is huge.

Yep I agree

OK, Harris at 18, Radunz at 36. That's my new plan if Hunt moves to RG.

With Hunt position flexibility you could draft a RT or get a RG later and still upgrade the line. Pencil in Kindley at LG.

Or, draft a center and kick Skura over to RG.

Tons of options it opens up many possible solutions we can let the draft come to us

white1 wrote:With Hunt position flexibility you could draft a RT or get a RG later and still upgrade the line. Pencil in Kindley at LG.

Or, draft a center and kick Skura over to RG.

Tons of options it opens up many possible solutions we can let the draft come to us

Great to have options! Grier has done a fantastic job of setting us up to do pretty much anything - that type of flexibility is huge as good players fall.

Yesterday the Fins only had around $7 mil of cap space so I knew they'd have to make some sort of move, and fast. I thought they might even be trading Howard but this works even better

mercury22nathan wrote:this was set in motion when Miami signed DJ Fluker.  

Hey Merc, what do you think of Alijah Vera-Tucker? Is he worth drafting at or near 18? I think he could be a realistic target due to having that position versatility Flores lives and is all the rage these days.

JMP wrote:OK, Harris at 18, Radunz at 36.  That's my new plan if Hunt moves to RG.  

I would've thought Radunz was a bit too light for your taste in O-linemen, he's barely 300 soaking wet

Changes things up for sure.  Might put Slater or Vera-Tucker in play, *IF* they plan to keep Hunt at RT.  Hunt did play well at RT late in the season.  If Hunt is moved to RG and Kindley to LG, a RT to compete with Fluker seems possible.  Of course, so is Fluker and Hunt starting on the right side.

I don't think we go O-line in the first round, myself, but this does put Cosmi in play at 36 or Eichenberg at 50 for sure.  

Center remains the biggest need on the line IMO.

DolFan 316 wrote:

JMP wrote:OK, Harris at 18, Radunz at 36.  That's my new plan if Hunt moves to RG.  

I would've thought Radunz was a bit too light for your taste in O-linemen, he's barely 300 soaking wet

That is true - but at least Radunz is 6'6" and appears to have the frame to put on a lot of weight. But you're right - thinking about it further I don't think the Phins would draft him. He is a player I like, but yes - doesn't fit the profile. Maybe Sam Cosmi? Or Robert Hunt clone (but bigger) Jordan Carman...who may be a better guard too.

For the record, I'd still rather leave Hunt at RT, put Kindley at RG, and draft Aaron Banks for LG.

And draft Quinn Meinerz and coach him up to compete at RG and be the future starting center.

Looks like the cap savings for the Phins is $5 million, not 8. Still a good deal.

JMP wrote:Looks like the cap savings for the Phins is $5 million, not 8.  Still a good deal.

SI says the cap savings was a measly TWO million Still think that was a good deal? Grier messing up already, and the draft is still two days away! I'm getting a bad feeling now...

https://www.si.com/nfl/dolphins/news/miami-dolphins-trade-of-ereck-flowers-grows-more-mysterious-as-more-details-emerge

This is strange. I could understand it for $5 million in cap savings, certainly for $8M, but only getting $2M in cap savings makes this deal less understandable. Unless we're targeting a guy at 244 that we can't get at 258.

I'm not a big Grier fan at all. To many big mistakes so far.

Hello Penei Sewell

I don't think we need to spend a 1st round pick on a lineman. I really dont think that last seasons issues were because of the OL. I think it was scheme and the lack of playmakers.

The Phins wanted OUT of the "Wreck"Flowers contract. They got out and saved some cap space. Period.

That was a bad contract for a marginally talented player who had a good season at OG for Washington but had been a disappointment everywhere else he has been.

And if this is the WORST deal Grier ever does, I will be overjoyed!!! Some of the past regimes would have stuck with the so-so play and too high salary to the bitter end rather than admit it was a mistake. At least Grier and Flores are not ashamed to say "Sorry! We Effed up! We got to get rid of this putrid player ASAP!"

Hunt is moving in to play G.

If Sewell had played last year... No way Grier could pass on him at #6. I think the BenGals are going to draft Chase. If Pitts goes at #4 to ATL, then Grier is going to draft Sewell IMO.

What we have to hope for is that ATL trades down and some team comes up to get a QB. Then Chase goes at #5, and Pitts is waiting there for the Phins.

I would much rather have Pitts than Sewell. What is going to make me join some of you Phans on the Anti-Grier bandwagon is if he picks Sewell with Pitts and or Chase available.

Then... Grier got to GO!

DolFan 316 wrote:Hey Merc, what do you think of Alijah Vera-Tucker? Is he worth drafting at or near 18? I think he could be a realistic target due to having that position versatility Flores lives and is all the rage these days.

short answer: no, i don't think he is worth the #18 pick, for Miami. he might be worth it for a zone blocking team, but i don't think he's that highly regarded for the power gap scheme i believe Miami is trying to incorporate. if he's still there in the late 2nd or 3rd, then maybe based on the aforementioned position flexibility and developmental value. which was very astute of you to notice because when i watched him, i saw a player that is almost identical to a player Miami already has on their roster. Vera-Tucker is Jesse Davis with a little more athleticism. He'll be adequate at G or T, but never quick enough to handle elite pass rushers nor never powerful enough to move people in the run game. he may never get completely blown up, but nor will he ever be the guy leading the charge and creating movement - he'll just kind of be there...like Davis.

DolFan 316 wrote:https://www.si.com/nfl/dolphins/news/miami-dolphins-trade-of-ereck-flowers-grows-more-mysterious-as-more-details-emerge

that article right there cites the exact reason why Miami had to basically make a payment to get the Redskins to take Flowers off their hands...

...it's not like the Dolphins just gave away an All-Pro offensive lineman here because the running game did have its lowest per-carry average going behind left guard (where Flowers played)...

the biggest issue for Miami's anemic run game last year was the gap (or lack thereof) combo weakness of Flowers and Karras. those guys couldn't move a paper bag last year. i view a lineup of:

LT - Jackson
LG - Kindley
C - Skura
RG - Fluker
RT - Hunt

...as an upgrade over last year. i don't see this move as altering the draft plans significantly. i don't see any reason to spend higher than a late second rounder on a lineman (and only then if he's the highest rated player on the board) in this draft.

I do think our starting OL is pretty much set. Read an article that college coaches (and Flores staff) believe while Hunt is a good RT, he will be a pro bowl caliber RG. To maximize his value it sounds like they are going to roll with him at RG.

I also agree that our starting interior will be a much more physical group with the capability to dominate teams that are not stout up front on defense. Kindley - Skura - Hunt can move people.

Jackson seems to be set at LT, so my question is who plays RT? I would guess Davis has the inside track to start there.

Overall this is still a young line, and we have Dieter and Fluker as depth, in addition to Pankey - another player called out as young with potential, that the staff likes. He hasn't won a starting job, but I can't see them cutting him if they believe he can develop.

By my count that's 8 guys on the OL already in the fold, so how many do we keep? I guess if you do draft a T, G or C, you could cut either Skura or Fluker. More likely to move on from the aged veteran than sacrifice a younger player with a higher ceiling.

Like the 5 that Merc has so we can Keep Hunt at RT. Would rather Draft a Guard where he should be Picked instead of OverDrafting a Tackle .