Brian Flores sidesteps questions regarding possible Ryan Fitzpatrick trade

Published by

Brad Sullivan

6 years ago

On Monday, Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores didn’t dismiss the possibility of the team trading veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The NFL trade deadline is on Tuesday, Nov. 3, which would give the Dolphins just over a week to deal Fitzpatrick, who was replaced last as the team’s starting quarterback by rookie Tua Tagovailoa.

There’s no indication that Fitzpatrick has requested a trade or that the Dolphins are shopping him to other teams. Fitzpatrick knew that he was grooming the position for Tagovailoa but was still jolted when informed by Flores last week.

The unexpected move caught Dolphins players off guard, considering that the team is currently 3-3 and in the midst of a two-game winning streak, scoring 67 points in those two victories.

In addition, inserting Tagovailoa into the starting job against a team like the 4-2 Los Angeles Rams is a risky move for the Dolphins.

Fitzpatrick figures to stay with the Dolphins because of his solid connection with Tagovailoa and the need for the Dolphins to have a trusted quarterback in the event the rookie struggles or gets hurt.

However, until Flores or Dolphins general manager Chris Grier clarifies the situation, the rumor mill will continue through the Nov. 3 deadline.

Brad Sullivan

Brad is a freelance writer for Dolphinnation.com and has been around long enough to remember the 1972 perfect season, and even when Don Shula was coaching the Colts. He still follows the Dolphins and other happenings in the NFL, so he can offer a little perspective when it comes to the ups and downs of each season. Some of his opinions may end up differing from the people who read them, but that's par for the course when it comes to life in South Florida.