Dolphins' Flores: Tunsil deal too good to turn down

Brian Flores insisted Sunday the Miami Dolphins aren't tanking and only traded standout left tackle Laremy Tunsil because they received an offer that blew them away.

"Was something we couldn't turn down," the rookie head coach said, according to Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post.

Tunsil was one of two high-profile players shipped to the Houston Texans, joining wide receiver Kenny Stills. The lineman was, arguably, the Dolphins' best offensive player and was due for a sizable extension at some point over the next two years.

But when the Texans offered two first-round picks and a second-rounder as part of a trade package for the two, Miami pulled the trigger.

"You guys saw the compensation," Flores said. "(Tunsil) was part of that. He's a very good player. I like him. But at the end of the day, we just felt this was the best move for us. You've got to make tough decisions when you're sitting in this seat."

Despite shedding a great deal of talent throughout the offseason, Flores was adamant that the Dolphins aren't trying to plummet for a top pick in the 2020 draft.

"This game means a lot to me. I wouldn't disrespect the game with that," he said, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. "We're not. We're going to try to win every game.

"We're going come out, work hard, we're going to fight," he continued. "We're going to play hard and try to win every game. That's what you do. This team is motivated. We've got some talented players. We're going to go out there and try to win every game."

Flores added that Stills' inclusion in the trade had nothing to do with the political stance he took against Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.

Flores also noted that he, Ross, and general manager Chris Grier are "all on the same page" regarding the Dolphins' direction.