Head Coach Brian Flores spoke to the media before practice at the Baptist Health Training Facility at Nova Southeastern University on Thursday. Here were some comments that stood out, along with some perspective:
"He's smart. He's tough. He works extremely hard."
— Linebacker Sam Eguavoen earned a spot on the 53-man roster after joining the Dolphins out of the Canadian Football League in January. He made a quick impression on Flores and the entire Dolphins coaching staff after arriving in Miami and continues to progress on a daily basis.
"He's a rookie. He's learning how to play in this league. I like where he's going. I'd say he's trending up."
— Guard Michael Deiter earned a spot in the starting lineup as a 2019 third-round pick out of the University of Wisconsin. Flores said from the start of training camp that every experience is a learning experience for Deiter, who's got natural ability along with the attitude to continue to develop as a player.
"He's gotten much more comfortable each day he's been here. I like Steven. He works extremely hard."
— Defensive back Steven Parker joined the Dolphins on Sept. 2 after being claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Rams and has made a quick impression with his energy and attitude. He could be in line for an expanded role on defense moving forward, and Flores is confident he'll get the job done.
"I'm always going to be myself, transparent. I'm always going to tell the truth. I want that to be something that's reciprocal. Ultimately, in this game you need trust."
— When it comes to dealing with his players, Flores has been consistent since taking over as Dolphins head coach about being straightforward in his discussions. He's also been consistent about saying he wants good back-and-forth dialogue with his players.