Inter Miami Adds MLS Talent Through Expansion Draft

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Five selections were made on Tuesday night in the MLS Expansion Draft for Inter Miami, thus bringing more new names to the club’s first ever roster. The draft provided both expansion teams, Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC, the opportunity to add players from other MLS clubs onto their roster. Inter Miami had the first pick.

A breakdown of Inter Miami’s Picks

Ben Sweat went off the board at number one and was just an overall logical pick. Left back in MLS is one of the thinnest positions league- wide. Being able to bring on someone like Sweat is extremely valuable. Although losing his starting role last year for NYCFC, Sweat has proven throughout the years he’s a reliable piece on the backline. He also fills in a position Inter Miami have not yet been able to fill. Sweat is also a Florida native, and having gone to USF and playing in Florida conditions growing up, the climate down in Fort Lauderdale come Spring should serve no issue. The 28 year old has also made two international appearances with the US Men’s National Team, debuting in October of 2018. His experience in MLS with both NYCFC and Columbus Crew will provide Sweat a leadership role on and off the pitch.

After Nashville SC went on to take Abu Danladi with their first pick, Paul McDonough announced that Inter would take a right back with their second pick. Filling out the back line seemed to be the priority for Inter Miami coming into the Expansion Draft as Alvas Powell is set to be making his way down to South Beach. The Jamaican International will most likely start at right back playing across from Sweat, and his youth and experience is something Inter Miami hope to rely on.

Powell debuted for the Jamaican national team in 2012 at 18 years old. Since then he’s gone on to be capped 43 times. It’s a remarkable record at a youthful age. Powell is a player to look forward to for Inter fans as he’s even scored six goals in his MLS career dating back to 2013. From Portland to then the expansion team FC Cincinnati, Powell has gone through the beginning of an MLS franchise before, so that experience will also be valuable.

Inter Miami brings a veteran, MLS star to the fold

A true MLS veteran was next taken by Inter Miami as Lee Nguyen, a name most MLS fans are extremely familiar with, will be joining “La Familia.” Nguyen, the once attacking midfielder saw a much deeper role last season as instructed by Bob Bradley of LAFC. Though it seems from the outside like a good move as LAFC won the Supporters Shield with the best record in MLS, Nguyen’s natural role is playing as a number 10. Throughout his 239 games played in MLS, most of the 54 goals he’s scored has come from that position.

With his experience does come some age. At 33, it was questioned whether or not Nguyen would be the player taken from LAFC in the draft or if it would be Tyler Miller. Inter Miami are confident with taking  Nguyen. He is an experienced player whose also seen time with the National Team. So look for Nguyen to be feeding in balls and sharing some interplay with the likes of Julian Carranza up top from his natural attacking mid position.

McDonough then announced that with Inter Miami’s fourth pick, they’d be taking Luis Argudo from Columbus Crew. This was much of a lesser- known pick by Inter compared to the previous three. Argudo had only entered the league from the MLS SuperDraft in 2018. At 23, Argudo is a young talent with a lot to prove. However, he’ll fit right in Miami. He’s bilingual and claims to represent both Colombian and Ecuadorian heritage along with being American. What also should be noted, Paul McDonough spent time as an assistant at Wake Forest University, which is where Luis Argudo attended college. This pick was influenced by the potential, and most likely the connection to a player from the front office, which gives insight on Argudo’s character.

Meredith will be a valuable piece to team

With Inter Miami’s final pick in the MLS Expansion Draft, they took a Seattle Sounders’ fan favorite in goalkeeper Bryan Meredith. Though he spent a lot of time as a backup in Seattle, Meredith will absolutely compete for the starting goalkeeper spot. He’s also a player any club loves to have around. He was extremely active in Seattle’s community and is also active with the MLSPA.

It’ll be great for Inter Miami to have a guy like this at least in the locker room. Time will tell if he cracks the starting lineup on March 14th against the LA Galaxy. With Tyler Miller becoming a free agent after not being taken in the Expansion Draft, arguably the best keeper in the league is up for grabs. The reports to come out of Los Angeles told that LAFC and Miller were not agreeing to terms. If Inter are willing to throw around some cash, Miller could be headed down to Miami when the free agent period opens up. That would give Meredith the ultimate test, but he surely comes as good insurance.

Inter Miami’s roster features several names

Inter Miami’s roster for the upcoming season now looks like this:

  • Drake Callender – Goalkeeper
  • Bryan Meredith – Goalkeeper
  • Ben Sweat – Defender
  • Alvas Powell – Defender
  • Christian Makoun – Defender
  • Grant Lillard – Defender
  • Lee Nguyen – Midfielder
  • Luis Argudo – Midfielder
  • Jay Chapman – Midfielder
  • David Norman Jr. – Midfielder
  • Victor Ulloa – Midfielder
  • Matias Pellegrini – Midfielder
  • George Acosta – Midfielder
  • Julian Carranza – Forward
  • Jerome Kiesewetter – Forward

 

Reshad Jones, back in 2020?

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With the placement of veterans Bobby McCain and Reshad Jones on IR, speculation as to their futures on the Miami Dolphins has begun.  As for Bobby McCain, his future here is not clear, and he is under contract till 2022 when he will be 29 years old. On Reshad Jones however, the writing has been on the wall for a while, that he does not figure in future plans, and would surely be cut before the 2020 season kicks off.

First of all, I consulted with one-third of the Three Yards Per Carry Podcast, Chris Kouffman (@ckparrot), to explain the machinations of Reshad’s 2020 contract:

“Only $2.1 of Reshad’s 2020 salary is guaranteed. If he’s working anywhere next year, I’d expect that fully offset. So cutting him will definitely save $9.5 million cash owed and probably save the full $11.6 million. The accounting number saved (i.e. ‘cap figure’) will be a little bit less than the above (probably about $8 million) but that doesn’t matter as much because the Dolphins have far more accounting space in 2020 than they could possibly use, thus what matters for the long term health of the team’s salary cap standing is the savings on new cash owed.”

Well, that clears some things up.  So where is the player in all this?  Back in September, Reshad Jones told the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson that he wanted to stay here for the “long haul”, through this rebuild:

But where do the Miami Dolphins land on this?  I can confirm that the Dolphins made repeated efforts to trade Reshad, but only under the most friendly circumstances.  A league source tells us that the most serious of the suitors was the Dallas Cowboys who required Miami to take on “too much” of his salary, which in turn, made the deal not palatable.

Head Coach Brian Flores has repeatedly stated how much respect he has for Jones, but has never offered bouquets as to his future, or standing on the team:

So what does the future hold? Having spoken to somebody close to the situation, not much else has changed, and cutting him this offseason is surely “the leader in the clubhouse.”, while trading him is always preferable. However, new thinking has come in, and there is a growing sense that Reshad Jones could be more valuable in uniform for the Miami Dolphins in 2020, than just a cleaner entry in their balance sheet.

The ultimate decision on whether Reshad Jones sticks here or not, could be Brian Flores’ and if it is, it could bode well for Jones to be here in 2020.  As for the front office, there is plenty of goodwill between them and Reshad Jones since the safety allowed a restructure of his contract in 2018 (he did however collect the same money).  Jones has consistently been accommodating to staff, and is considered “one of the good guys” among team personnel.

It could be as simple as the coaching staff seeing a bit of value in retaining Reshad Jones’ leadership, and experience to go with what is likely to be one of the youngest units on the team in 2020.  A Jones departure as of now, is seen as a loss to many in the organization. Reshad Jones has made a very good impression to many of the new faces in the organization to go with all the good will he retains.

In closing, the balance sheet could dictate the future of the Dolphins’ Safety, and most likely will, but there are many forces at play here that do not rule out a return to the Miami Dolphins lineup in 2020.  If I had to put an arbitrary number on his return, I would put it at 25%, but there are many in the organization, with influence, that do not share my pessimism of Reshad Jones prospects as a roster player on the 2020 Miami Dolphins.


Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Panthers top Flyers, move to 2nd in the Atlantic

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The Florida Panthers entered Tuesday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers with a 10-5-5 record and sitting third in the Atlantic division, two points clear of the Buffalo Sabres.

With about 2:30 minutes left in the third period, Mike Hoffman put in the game clinching empty net goal to give the Panthers a 5-2 win, improving their record to an impressive 11-5-5 and now 2nd in the Atlantic.

This marks one of the best starts in franchise history. This start is happening thanks to a high attacking offense who ranked 2nd in the NHL in goals entering play.

“We played well enough to get 2 points,” Panthers forward Brett Connolly said post game. “Guys are starting to get their roles 21 games into the season, and it’s been fun to be part of the team.”

The one downside so far for the Panthers is their big splash free agent goalie, Sergei Brobvosky, who is off to the worst start of his career. Entering play, he had a .882 save percentage, which ranked 57th in the league. He’s also allowed 54 goals so far this season, which is the most amongst goalies. Bobrovsky seems to be on the rebound after saving 35 of 37 shots faced.

The Panthers were in need of a solid 60 minute effort going into the game and after an early goal by Travis Sanheim,  the Panthers started to get the game in their control, dominating puck possession in the first and second period.

The Panthers had a comfortable 4-1 lead most of the way through the second period, until the Flyers’ highly touted prospect Morgan Frost got one past Brobvosky in his NHL debut.

The Panthers finish off the homestand Thursday, then go on the road for a couple games before coming home again for a franchise record nine-game homestand.

 

 

Miami Heat are getting the best version of Jimmy Butler

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Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat have been a perfect match.

You can tell that Jimmy Butler likes the Miami Heat and the organization. You can see by the way he interacts with the media in his press conferences, and just his overall demeanor in practice.  He is just happy to be here. Sometimes athletes’ put on a happy face when they reach their new destination. Underneath the million-dollar smile, they aren’t really happy. That’s not the case with Jimmy Butler.

It’s showing in his statistics as well. On the year, he is averaging 18.4 points per game 7.2 assists, and 5.2 rebounds. The 7.2 assists are the most he has had in his career to this point. The 18.4 points per game are the most has had in a season since 2018-19, during his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He has always had the ability to put up numbers and he has always been a solid player whereever he has gone. However, in Miami the ballgame has completely changed for Butler. Unlike in the past, it has changed for the better

For someone who likes winning, going to a team with rookies and unproven players could be a frustrating endeavor. Instead of being frustrated, Butler is leading. The way he carries himself is a complete turnaround from some of his other NBA stops. He rubbed people the wrong way in Chicago, Minnesota, and Philadelphia. Part of it was due to his fierce, competitive nature. On a team that is still looking for a source of direction, Butler is proving to be the leader and he is embracing it.

In talking to the media on Tuesday, Butler acknowledged that he is happy in South Beach. The biggest reason? He’s allowed to be himself.

Butler as himself has been great for Miami Heat

Butler being himself has paid off for Miami so far. He has recorded three games of at least 10 assists, and three games of at least 20 points. He has also logged a fair amount of minutes. In seven games this season, he has logged at least 30 minutes.

Butler is working to his strengths while getting others involved. That’s huge as the team looks to build around guys like Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn. It has undoubtedly helped everybody get touches on the court and we have seen players such as Bam Adebayo really thrive in this offense. Furthermore, he has taken on a leadership role. With the Miami Heat sporting a 9-3 record, it’s safe to say that Butler”s efforts have paid off.

Between moving the basketball, scoring, and getting others involved, Jimmy Butler is thriving. As the Miami Heat look to make headway in a crowded Eastern Conference, they will need  him to keep up this level of play. They need him to continue being the best version of himself.

 

Jerome Kiesewetter Set to Join Inter Miami

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In the week before the MLS Expansion Draft, Inter Miami CF have made multiple moves to bolster up their team going into the club’s first year. They’ve now added their 9th player to the official inaugural roster, Jerome Kiesewetter.

Kiesewetter is no stranger to American soccer or joining clubs in their first year as he spent last season with El Paso Locomotive FC in the USL Championship. El Paso’s inaugural year was quite the success. After making it to the Western Conference Semi-Final, their entire season was led by the 12 goals Kiesewetter scored in 28 games. As the top goalscorer, Kiesewetter went through the year looking like a reliable striker when he was healthy. He did battle injury along the way, but he showed consistent form when he returned to the pitch.

At 26 years of age, Kiesewetter’s experience is well surprising. Before playing with Locomotive last year, he was with Fortuna Düsseldorf of the Bundesliga for two years. And years before that he climbed through the ranks of German soccer starting in youth academies and eventually making his way to the first division.

His 17 caps with the US Men’s U-23 side and 2 caps with the National Team, are another great feat in Kiesewetter’s young career. He’s scored a total of 8 goals playing with various US Men’s sides. This, along with top tier soccer in Germany, seem to prove as worthy experience as Beckham looks to bring in goal scoring threats to his first Inter Miami side.

Inter Miami also went on to acquire Grant Lillard, an experienced MLS defender before the Expansion Draft that takes place this Tuesday. With nine players set to already join, and a potential five more to be added Tuesday, the roster has finally taken shape.

Fans now wait for the much anticipated coach and “star” to be announced.

 

Potential Miami vs Alabama Orange Bowl Offers Intrigue

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This Saturday the Miami Hurricanes face FIU on the former site of the Orange Bowl, Marlins Park.

The Hurricanes, believe it or not, have an actual path to the Orange Bowl game itself as well.

Basically the formula is to take the highest ranked ACC team that does not make the College Football Playoff.

Problem is, besides No. 3 Clemson, no other ACC team is ranked.

 

If Miami runs the table and finishes 8-4, and Clemson makes the playoffs, it would be up to the Orange Bowl committee to pick an ACC representative.

The Hurricanes have FIU and Duke to close out the regular season, both project to be wins for Miami.

Many storylines would capture local interest – can the Hurricanes beat the Crimson Tide without star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa?

Will Dan Enos (former Alabama QB coach) now on the Miami sidelines, have something extra for his old boss Nick Saban?

(Dolphins fans may want a little revenge on Saban as well).

These two storied programs have not met since the 1993 Sugar Bowl, when No. 2 Alabama beat top ranked Miami 34-13.

They are also scheduled to open their 2021 campaigns in the Chick-fil-A kickoff game.

Miami lost three out of their first five games, to be in this discussion is quite the feat.

The Hurricanes have won three straight ACC games by a 95-49 margin, they are peaking at the right time.

With two winnable games ahead, the Hurricanes could close out this year on a five game winning streak.

A hometown bowl game against a high profile opponent will get the attention of recruits.

Forget the Coastal Hurricanes fans, that ship has sailed.

However an Orange Bowl berth is a nice consolation prize to say the least.

Make sure to subscribe to the 5 Rings Canes Podcast for exclusive Hurricanes coverage.

Follow us on Twitter for more Miami Hurricanes @5ReasonsSports.

Photo courtesy of Tony Capobianco.

Mark Walton

Dolphins waive Mark Walton in light of latest police incident

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The Miami Dolphins are spending the 2019 season giving players a chance at redemption. Robert Nkemdiche, a former first round pick, couldn’t show enough to warrant Miami keeping him on the roster. Running back Mark Walton, on the other hand, seemed to be taking everything in stride. He even became the starter over Kalen Ballage.

But then he got suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Then on Tuesday, things took a dramatic turn, as Walton found himself in the middle of yet another incident. Mark Walton is charged with aggravated battery of a pregnant woman.

This woman is pregnant with Walton’s child, and she told police that she told Walton of her pregnancy on Sunday.

According to Tom Schad of USA Today Sports, one of Walton’s attorneys stated that the now ex-Dolphins running back cooperated fully with the police. But that doesn’t change what happened, and naturally, Miami released him immediately after hearing of the incident. General manager Chris Grier offered a statement to the public, and nothing more has come from the Dolphins since then.

It’s always sad when a promising young athlete throws their career away due to a lack of self control. Mark Walton’s actions are inexcusable, and it’s no surprise the Dolphins cut ties immediately. Coach Flores wants to create a team-first culture of accountability. Decisions like the one Walton made have no place in Miami, or anywhere else.

Credit the Dolphins for giving Walton a chance to redeem himself. Second chances are needed in this world. However, once the chance has been given, it must be taken.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Miami Dolphins: Devante Parker turned back the clock Sunday

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Devante Parker put on a show for the Miami Dolphins Sunday.

The Miami Dolphins lost on Sunday to the Buffalo Bills by a 37-20 score. Nevertheless, there were several good individual performances. Miami seemed to get things going a bit offensively. However, they could just not get the job done.

In spite of the loss, Devante Parker turned back the clock on Sunday. He finished the game with seven catches for 135 yards. Averaging 19.3 yards per reception, a 50-yard snag was his longest of the afternoon. In addition, five of his receptions equaled a first down. That’s production at its finest. His performance on Sunday was a microcosm of what has been a successful season.

On the year, he has caught 40 passes for 604 yards and four touchdowns. He needs only 66 more yards to record his highest total since the 2017 season. That year, he had 670 yards. He is obviously not going to catch his career mark of 744 yards this season. However, it is a goal he can shoot for next year.

Sunday, he recorded his first 100-yard receiving game since last October against the Houston Texans. It was great to see him show what he is truly capable of. People forget how impactful he was at Louisville. However, he was one of the most dangerous receivers in college football.

Parker had a tremendously successful career at Louisville. He recorded 10 100-yard receiving games during his time there. His best season came in 2013. He played in 12 games, and caught 55 passes for 885 yards and 12 touchdowns. He had three 100-yard receiving games that year. Two of those came back-to-back against Cincinnati and Miami. In those games, he recorded 104 yards and 142 yards respectively.

While at Louisville, Parker was named to the all AAC First-Team in 2013 and the All-ACC Second-Team in 2014. There was no doubting that Parker had a ton of talent. The Miami Dolphins were definitely wise to draft him with the 14th overall pick in 2015.

Parker turns back the clock on Sunday for Miami Dolphins

Before Sunday’s game, Parker had only recorded four 100-yard receiving games. Sunday, he did it with relative ease. He sliced and diced the Buffalo Bills secondary. With high expectations placed on Parker throughout his tenure with the Dolphins, it was nice to see him deliver. Hopefully, he can continue to do so. He turned back the clock on Sunday and it was great to see.

With the Miami Dolphins heading into the last stretch of the season, I hope Parker can put up more big-time numbers. He is definitely a key piece of the Miami offense. Hopefully, he can continue this success and use it as the building block for next year. In a season that is all about building blocks, Parker has found himself ahead of the game.

Jalen Hurts Dwyane Wade

Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade gives Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts ringing endorsement

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In light of the recent devastating injury suffered by Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins fans have been forced to look elsewhere for a potential franchise quarterback. While there’s still a chance Tagovailoa will make a full recovery, it is now riskier than ever for Miami to put all their eggs in one basket. Tagovailoa may return to form, or he may never play football again. Even if he does, there’s also a chance he will never be the same player he once was. Does that mean the Dolphins shouldn’t draft him? Not necessarily. Miami has several draft picks to spare, and Tagovailoa will likely be available when the Dolphins pick now that his health is a huge question mark. Where’s the harm in drafting two quarterbacks?

However, there is another possibility. After suffering such a major injury, Tagovailoa could decide that his best option is to return to Alabama for one more year. By doing so, he can rebuild his draft stock and prove to potential suitors that he still has what it takes. But that leaves Miami without a clear cut QB selection in the 2020 draft. Who do they turn to now? Oregon’s Justin Herbert? Georgia’s Jake Fromm? Utah State’s Jordan Love?

The 2020 draft class is filled with talented quarterbacks besides Tagovailoa, and a good coaching staff has a very good chance of developing one of them into a franchise quarterback. But there’s one quarterback who has captured the attention of another legendary athlete in Miami’s history. Former Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade took to Twitter early Sunday morning to express his support for Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts.

There’s a certain irony to this. Back during Hurts’ junior year, he was replaced as the starter at Alabama by none other than Tua Tagovailoa. Hurts did well as his backup and the two became good friends. Hurts recently offered his thoughts on Tagovailoa’s injury.

“It hurt me to hear it. He’s a great friend of mine,” Hurts said. “I pray for him and his family. I hope everything works out for the best for him.”

That said, Hurts did want to have an opportunity to play for himself. So, for his senior year, Hurts announced he was transferring to the University of Oklahoma. Since then, Hurts has become a favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, and he leads the nation in passer efficiency rating. In second place, is Tagovailoa. Hurts is breaking Baker Mayfield’s records and he’s showing amazing talent as both a runner and a passer.

However, he’s also making mistakes. His recent incredible comeback against Baylor was partly necessary because of errors he himself made. But the fact he made that spectacular comeback, bringing the Sooners back from a 28-3 deficit to win, proves his talent is there, waiting for someone to develop and utilize.

But what makes Wade, a basketball player, an authority on potential NFL quarterbacks? Frankly, not much. But there is one universal trait among all competitive sports. The untraceable concept of “it.”

Wade has “it.”

There’s a saying that game recognizes game. True, Wade likely knows next to nothing about what it takes to be an NFL quarterback. However, there’s a strong chance he can recognize that all so important “it” factor that defines Wade’s entire career in Jalen Hurts.

The kind of quarterback the Dolphins need to start their path back to greatness must possess that intangible. For Wade to endorse Jalen Hurts so emphatically means he must recognize something that makes Hurts special. True, he may not be Tagovailoa, but even Tagovailoa himself may not be that player anymore. So the next best thing may very well be Hurts. If nothing else, it should prompt Miami’s scouting department to take a very close look at him.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Nik Needham

Nik Needham coming on strong at CB for Dolphins

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Think back to training camp and the preseason. Of all the players that put themselves on display, one of the worst by far was cornerback Nik Needham. Regularly beaten in coverage, missing tackles, it seemed he could no right. Within two weeks, fans were tired of hearing his name. Usually, unless someone is making a big play, the less you a corner’s name, the better. Needham’s name was said a lot.

So, how in the world did an undrafted free agent who didn’t even make the final 53 man roster suddenly become one of Miami’s top defenders?

It starts with understanding the game on a deeper level.

“I think just the understanding of the game, as well as the understanding of the business side of things.” Needham said after Miami’s second loss to Buffalo, in which he spent most of the game shadowing wide receiver John Brown. “It’s not just a fun and games thing anymore … I think I’ve matured a lot, I’ve taken a lot of the information that the other guys and the coaches have gave me and just applied that.”

Once more, we come back to the emphasis that head coach Brian Flores put on developing players in 2019. True, Sunday’s game against Buffalo ended in a loss, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. Miami’s two wins against the Jets and the Colts came as a result of continued improvement from young players, Needham included. That serves as a testament to Flores and his staff. Taking a band of misfits and making them competitive from week to week.

However, there are still growing pains that comes with this approach. Needham did much better than expected, but he wasn’t perfect. He did allow Brown to break free on a couple of plays, one of which turned into a touchdown.

“Yeah it was Cover 2, but that was my fault. I’ve got to sink a little more. I’ve got to carry John Brown right there and be underneath him a little more and drift inside a little bit, so that was on me for sure.” Needham said. “It’s just a learning process but you’ve got to grow up quick because you don’t want to just be out there messing up all the time and then say ‘Oh, that’s a rookie.’ To me personally, that doesn’t feel good. People saying, ‘It’s alright.’ No, it’s not alright. If I’m out here, I need to be out here performing at my best and at a high level.”

Again, no one expected Nik Needham to be as good as he is right now. They expected his career in the league to be over after the pitiful performance he displayed in preseason. But players who want to succeed find ways to learn from everything, even his opponents. New York Jets WR Demaryius Thomas offered some valuable insight not too long ago, telling the rookie out of UTEP that he could recognize what Needham was going to do on any given play.

That message, along with many others, resonates with Needham. That’s the difference between players who have potential, and players who develop into solid contributors. To some extent, all players have potential, it’s what they do with it that matters. Needham is taking everything in stride, including the recent onslaught of praise he’s receiving. That’s exactly what coach Flores wants from all his players. That’s how he envisions players continue to grow and not stagnate.

“You forget about everything you’d done. You forget about the last couple games or you forget about any success you had.” Flores said on Thursday. “I know he’s getting – I don’t know much about social media, but people are saying he’s this or that or (any of that). Your friends, your family, they’re going to congratulate you. That’s great. But if you start listening to all that too much and – I don’t know. Maybe it’s one minute less on one more text and (it’s) one minute less on film. You’ve got to try to put that away and focus on the task at hand.”

Flores didn’t talk much more about it that day, since he felt the need to call out a member of the media for laughing at his statement. Nevertheless, the message was received, and it seems to be working.

Nik Needham is developing faster than anyone could have anticipated. He’s already deflected six passes in six games for Miami, and come away with an interception against the Colts, and nearly another one against Buffalo. Does this mean he can be the clear-cut number two cornerback alongside Xavien Howard next season? That will require much more time to decide. If nothing else, Nik Needham is proving he can be an excellent backup in a young secondary, and he should be considered a success for this new regime. At this point, there’s no telling what his ceiling could be.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung