From Crossroads to Cornerstone: Why Ereck Flowers is Key Player on Dolphins Offensive Line
The Miami Dolphins used their massive draft capital to address the offensive line, selecting Austin Jackson in the first round and Robert Hunt in the second round.
But the newcomer who just might have the biggest impact on the offensive line next season is a former first-round pick who arrived via free agency, Ereck Flowers.
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The former University of Miami standout found his calling last season when the Washington Redskins moved him to guard after four -- how shall we put it? -- disappointing seasons at tackle.
Flowers performed well enough last season that the Redskins were hoping to re-sign him when he became an unrestricted free agent, though they weren't quite willing to go up to $10 million a year.
That's exactly what Flowers got with the Dolphins, a three-year deal worth $30 million with $19.95 million guaranteed, per overthecap.com. Before he signed with the Dolphins, NFL Network analyst Mike Garafolo accurately predicted Flowers could get a $10 million deal.
"Ereck Flowers resurrected his NFL career in one year in Washington and created a nice pay day and return home because he fully bought into being a guard," said Chris Russell, publisher of Redskins Report. "He knew he wasn't a tackle anymore and that his only chance of success was to use his size inside.
"When he first came to the Redskins, he had to be an emergency tackle during OTAs and it was a disaster. Many members of the media thought he was a sure-fire release, which I always found to be ridiculous because he was a (Bill) Callahan guy and because he wasn't getting to work at guard until early in training camp. He steadily improved and was a pleasant surprise all year long."
Indeed, it was Bill Callahan, former Raiders head coach and Redskins offensive line coach from 2015-19, who was a driving force behind the move of Flowers to guard. Word is Callahan thought enough about Flowers' potential as a guard that he was pushing for the Redskins to take him with the fifth overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft.
The Redskins instead selected Iowa tackle Brandon Scherff, moved him to guard and he became a Pro Bowl player.
The New York Giants took Flowers at number 9, kept him at tackle and watched him struggle while he was a full-time starter his first three seasons.
The Giants finally gave up on Flowers in October 2018 and he ended that season in Jacksonville, where things weren't much better.
Flowers finally started looking like a former first-round pick after he began playing guard for the Redskins.
“I think the switch plays into a lot of my natural strengths," Flowers said. "It really helped to have Callahan make that switch. To make the switch with the best offensive line coach in the league, I think I was very fortunate in the situation and the timing and placement and all of that together. I’m just looking forward to taking those next steps and getting better.”
The Dolphins clearly think Flowers will be taking those next steps and get better, and they need him to.
The offensive line that takes the field next season will have different players just about everywhere, and there likely will be nobody who has played more NFL games than Flowers.
Jackson and Hunt could end up as rookie starters, and the current projected center is Ted Karras, who has one year of starting experience. The only Dolphins offensive lineman besides Flowers with any kind of significant starting experience is Jesse Davis, who has 41 career starts at guard and tackle.
Based on the contract he signed, it's pretty much a given that Flowers will be the starting left guard.
At this time, he's about the only given on the offensive line.
It's indeed quite a long way from where Flowers at this time last year. He's gone from crossroads to cornerstone.
