Miami Dolphins’ Flores addresses Fuller, Cristobal, more

Dolphins coach Brian Flores declined to offer a timetable for injured receiver Will Fuller or an assurance that he would return this season but suggested it remains a strong possibility.

“He’s working hard to get back,” Flores said Monday.

Fuller has missed 10 games with broken bones in a finger.

Malcolm Brown, who has missed five games with a quadriceps injury, “is working hard, starting to run a little bit. Getting closer.”

Flores said tests are being run on running back Patrick Laird, who was injured during Sunday’s game. He reportedly could miss a few weeks with a sprained MCL.

Flores addressed other issues in his Monday Zoom session with reporters:

▪ His guidance to his players in the bye week is to “get some rest and get away from the game a little bit, spend time with their families and recharge their batteries and come back next week and prepare the way we’ve got to prepare.”

The Dolphins will practice Wednesday. Players are off Thursday through Sunday, in accordance with league rules. Miami next plays host to the Jets on Dec. 19.

▪ On Tua Tagovailoa: “Every game he plays, he gains confidence. You’re seeing that in his play. Hopefully that continues.”

▪ Flores, asked about big contracts being given to college coaches: “I don’t coach for money. I coach because I enjoy [helping] young guys reach their potential. It’s not something I look at.”

UM gave Mario Cristobal a 10-year, $80 million contract, as The Miami Herald first reported. LSU gave Brian Kelly a 10-year, $100 million deal.

▪ Flores said he has never met Cristobal.

“I know he’s done a great job at Oregon. From everything I’ve heard, he’s a very good coach and leader. Congratulations to him. I didn’t know [Miami hired him].”

SNAP DECISIONS

Here’s how the Dolphins allocated snaps in Sunday’s win against the Giants:

▪ Running back: With Laird leaving the game in the first half with an injury, Miami had only two backs available for the second half: Myles Gaskin (who played 44 of Miami’s 69 offensive snaps) and Salvon Ahmed (22 snaps). Laird played two snaps.

Gaskin and Ahmed each averaged just 2.9 per carry, with Gaskin rushing 15 times and Ahmed 8.

▪ Wide receiver: As usual, Jaylen Waddle played the most snaps of the group (53). DeVante Parker, in his first game back after missing four in a row with a hamstring injury, played 49, compared with 40 for Albert Wilson, 14 for Isaiah Ford (who caught a touchdown), 11 for Preston Williams and 9 for Mack Hollins (who also caught a touchdown).

▪ Tight ends: Durham Smythe and rookie Hunter Long started, but Mike Gesicki played the most (46 snaps), compared with 42 for Smythe and 10 for Long, who had his first NFL reception. Cethan Carter played three snaps.

▪ Defensive line: Emmanuel Ogbah played 38 of Miami’s 65 defensive snaps, with Christian Wilkins logging 37 snaps, Raekwon Davis 34 and Zach Sieler and Adam Butler 35 apiece.

▪ Defensive backfield: The entire starting secondary - Xavien Howard, Byron Jones, Jevon Holland and Eric Rowe - each played all 65 snaps. Nik Needham played 38 snaps, Justin Coleman 22.

▪ Linebacker: The Dolphins - for the second week in a row - played seven players at the position: Jerome Baker 63, Andrew Van Ginkel 54, Elandon Roberts 35, Duke Riley 33, Jaelan Phillips 29, Sam Eguavoen 3, and Vince Biegel 2.

▪ On offense, Pro Football Focus said these were the Dolphins’ five best performers: Tagovailoa, Parker, Waddle, Robert Hunt and Hollins.

▪ On defense, PFF said these were the Dolphins’ five best performers among those who played significant snaps: Roberts, Howard, Sieler, Holland, Wilkins. The Giants threw at Howard only twice and neither pass was completed.

Here’s my Monday piece with more Dolphins nuggets, on Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Deiter, DeVante Parker and more.