The Miami Dolphins added offensive guard Ereck Flowers to the reserve/COVID-19 list Sunday, becoming the team’s sixth player to join the list.
Miami also activated rookie long snapper Blake Ferguson from the list. They signed an additional long snapper on Saturday, undrafted rookie free agent Rex Sunahara.
Linebacker Jerome Baker, defensive lineman Zach Sieler and cornerback Cordea Tankersley are also currently unavailable after hitting the reserve/COVID-19 list. The roster designation means one of two things: either the player has tested positive for COVID-19 or he’s been quarantined after having been in close contact with people that have.
Defensive lineman Benito Jones was placed on the reserve list on Monday, but was cleared two days after.
Flowers joined the Dolphins on a three-year, $30 million contract this offseason following a breakout season with the Washington Redskins. The former first-round pick (No. 9 overall) by the New York Giants in 2015 struggled as a tackle and was released in 2018.
After switching to left guard, Flowers, 26, brought his career back to life, allowing just four sacks in 885 snaps last season. Flowers, who played high school football at Miami Norland High and college ball at the University of Miami, will likely be an immediate starter for Miami.
The news comes as the Dolphins held their second day of physicals and equipment distribution. The NFL’s nine-day acclimation period begins on Monday, August 3.
The roster stands at 78 players with the moves Sunday, but will rise to 82 once Flowers, Baker, Sieler and Tankersley come off the reserve/COVID-19 list. It’ll climb to 84 players once/if Xavien Howard and Calvin Munson are reactivated. Miami will have to trim their roster to 81 by August 16.
Teams could have up to 90 players in camp if they split practice sessions into two squads, which could require teams to use both stadium and regular practice facilities, per ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.
Michael Mowrer
August 2, 2020 at 10:19 pm
We want players not wannabe’s, there are good players who want to earn their money, then there are those who got paid a lot who want to sit on the bench or at home and collect without playing, I FC I had their talent and size put me in anywhere.