Can We Fire Flores Now?

[Dolfanalyst]

The team is virtually the same as it was in 2018 in terms of quality, when Grier/Flores took over and started the total rebuild.  They've spent three years rebuilding and produced an overall result exactly within the expected range -- average.

The team has a shot to improve significantly next year however if several of the players obtained develop further and become exceptional, and the team adds more through free agency who play at an exceptional level as well.  Tua has to be one of them.

[masterfins]

Flores has certainly had some growing pains the last couple years, but IMO it would be wrong to replace him.  He's not terrible, and the players still play for him.  Outside a handful of Coaches in the league everyone is the same or worse.  Who would he be replaced by?  A washed up former coach?  A college coach that knows nothing about the NFL?  Another NFL coordinator with no prior HC Experience like Philbin or Gase?

IMO Miami is on the verge of getting over the hump and needs to keep making some small tweaks, instead of blowing everything up.

[ArtieChokePhin]

Seeing Najee Harris run all over the Browns last night really burns me up.   The Dolphins could've and should've taken him.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Flores has certainly had some growing pains the last couple years, but IMO it would be wrong to replace him.  He's not terrible, and the players still play for him.  Outside a handful of Coaches in the league everyone is the same or worse.  Who would he be replaced by?  A washed up former coach?  A college coach that knows nothing about the NFL?  Another NFL coordinator with no prior HC Experience like Philbin or Gase?

IMO Miami is on the verge of getting over the hump and needs to keep making some small tweaks, instead of blowing everything up.

How much can a coach do? He is supposed to get the team ready for the game, manage timeouts, decide what to do on 4th downs and make adjustments mid-game when necessary. Which one of these does he do well? Too often the team looks unprepared for the game and they get blown out when it matters most. We all know he is terrible with challenges. I guess he is fine when it comes to kicking a FG or going for it and he isn't too great with adjustments.

If a player fumbles or a Corner gets beat on coverage, that's not on him because he isn't on the field but he isn't great with anything and it's been 3 years now with diminishing returns.

Truthfully, I would do what I can to get Harbaugh out of Michigan. We need an established coach and I don't think we have had anyone with HC experience since Wannstedt. He can be a prick but he has had NFL success and success at Michigan too even if he couldn't get them over the hump. Ross is a Michigan alum and loves him. I don't see it happening but I know exactly how the 2022 season starts if Flores is the HC and that's by us going 2-6 and him getting fired midseason.

[Pappy13]

Truthfully, I would do what I can to get Harbaugh out of Michigan. We need an established coach and I don't think we have had anyone with HC experience since Wannstedt. He can be a prick but he has had NFL success and success at Michigan too even if he couldn't get them over the hump. Ross is a Michigan alum and loves him. I don't see it happening but I know exactly how the 2022 season starts if Flores is the HC and that's by us going 2-6 and him getting fired midseason.

I thought about Harbaugh too but I kinda doubt that Ross can get him to come to Miami. I think he's pretty happy being in Michigan right now. Maybe a year or 2 ago you could have persuaded him.

For me the question isn't do Flores and Grier deserve to return, the question is if you fire them who do you get to replace them and do you trust Ross to be able to find the right people for the jobs and then convince them to come to Miami? That's a hard sell in my opinion right now especially for the people that you would like to get who are either retired or have pretty cushy jobs already. The reality is that we might be stuck with Flores/Grier even if they don't deserve another year.

[EDGECRUSHER]

I thought about Harbaugh too but I kinda doubt that Ross can get him to come to Miami. I think he's pretty happy being in Michigan right now. Maybe a year or 2 ago you could have persuaded him.

For me the question isn't do Flores and Grier deserve to return, the question is if you fire them who do you get to replace them and do you trust Ross to be able to find the right people for the jobs and then convince them to come to Miami? That's a hard sell in my opinion right now especially for the people that you would like to get who are either retired or have pretty cushy jobs already. The reality is that we might be stuck with Flores/Grier even if they don't deserve another year.

Michigan did better this year than in the past but they still got killed in the playoffs. Before this season, the locals wanted to move on for not taking them to the promised land. Maybe he stays another year and tries to finish what he starts and maybe Ross gives him the Godfather deal and tells him he runs the whole show. We know what Flores and Grier can and can't do, why even waste the 2022 season on Year 4? I'd rather take a chance and fail miserably, although with Harbaugh that is very unlikely to happen as he was very successful before the Niners ownership and GM had some dumb drama that made him leave.

[Dave Gray]

Flores needs to be better -- so fire him or not, he needs to have better game management.  He gets flustered, he's too conservative for how bad his offense is.   But he has been better, so I'm trying to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, after having given him a hard time pretty much since he's been here.

I think we're really probably 2 players away from being considerably better --- maybe not Super Bowl quality, but certainly a team that can win a playoff game.

OL - Specifically replace Jesse Davis.  If we take that huge negative and put in a cornerstone tackle, while I don't think the rest of the line is great, it will go a long way and they can improve together....you can use RBs to chip-block in areas of weakness, etc.  You can't do that on both ends, when Davis just lets guys through every time.

WR - I think you need one.  And not to replace anyone.  But to add.  Waddle is great and Parker is good, but you really need one more guy to make Parker the 3rd receiver.  Pair that with re-signing Gesicki and I believe there's a lot to get excited about.

[Pappy13]

Could Jim Harbaugh return to the NFL? 'I think it's real'

[CF DolFan]

Please ... NO to Harbaugh. I'd rather keep Flores one more year than bring in that nutball.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Could Jim Harbaugh return to the NFL? 'I think it's real'

That article mentions Las Vegas and Chicago but not Miami? We got the most cap space, Ross loves him and would probably give him total money and the most money.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Please ... NO to Harbaugh. I'd rather keep Flores one more year than bring in that nutball.

Intensity works when you have a successful resume at both levels of football and on the playing field. We are a soft team who gives up on games, we need a hardass that people will respect. We got a lot of rookies so they're easier to motivate and buy in than veterans.

I know we could be here in 2025 with me starting a "FIRE HARBAUGH NOW!!" thread after the players refuse to take the field and we drop to 2-9, but I'd rather roll the dice on something new than continue to lose with something proven.

[Dave Gray]

I don't know if he's NFL material (because I think coaching college is way, way different of a skill set), but I really like Lane Kiffin.

[Pappy13]

I don't know if he's NFL material (because I think coaching college is way, way different of a skill set), but I really like Lane Kiffin.

In four years with the 49ers, he went 44-19-1 and took San Francisco to a Super Bowl in his second year. Harbaugh has had better success in the NFL than in college.

[Dave Gray]

In four years with the 49ers, he went 44-19-1 and took San Francisco to a Super Bowl in his second year. Harbaugh has had better success in the NFL than in college.

Oh, I was talking about Lane Kiffin.

[Pappy13]

Oh, I was talking about Lane Kiffin.

Oh, misread that completely then.