Brian Flores' first year as coach of the Miami Dolphins won't be an accurate representation of how he's poised to fare long-term.
Not only should all rookie coaches be given some measure of leeway during their initial season on the job, but Flores is inheriting a roster that went 7-9 in 2018 and seems unlikely to undergo any major changes for the positive ahead of next season.
Big picture, though? Flores and his team are nevertheless situated extremely well, as Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald noted on Twitter Friday afternoon.
Including rollover money, Dolphins are projected to have more than $120 million in salary cap space in 2020 plus at least 10 draft picks. Chris Grier doing work.
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) March 15, 2019
A significant portion of that cap room stems from the long-awaited trade the Dolphins made on Friday, sending longtime starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, plus a sixth-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft, to the Tennesee Titans in exchange for a 2020 fourth-rounder and 2019 seventh-rounder.
Shedding Tannehill, who signed a four-year, $77 million contract extension with Miami in May 2015, saves the Dolphins $33 million in cap space over the next two seasons.
The eighth pick of the 2012 draft, Tannehill struggled to live up to the potential he exhibited at Texas A&M. He missed the entire 2017 season with the Dolphins after suffering a torn ACL early in training camp. The 30-year-old returned last season, failing to improve on his unspectacular career averages by throwing for 1,979 yards, 17 touchdowns, and nine interceptions while completing 64.2 percent of his passes.
Tannehill isn't the only long-serving member of his former team moving on this offseason, either.
Star veteran pass-rusher Cameron Wake signed with the Tennessee Titans earlier this week, ending his 10-season stint in South Florida.
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