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WFT Daily: Ereck Flowers Is Ready To Compete

Ereck Flowers runs to make a block during OTAs. (Emilee Fails/Washington Football Team)
Ereck Flowers runs to make a block during OTAs. (Emilee Fails/Washington Football Team)

Training camp is here, and we have you covered as the Washington Football Team progresses through its second season under head coach Ron Rivera. Stay up to date with "WFT Daily," which comes out every weekday evening.

Ereck Flowers was in a transitional period of his career when the Washington Football Team first signed him in 2019.

The Giants drafted him No. 9 overall in 2015 to be their left tackle, but once Washington brought him in on a one-year deal, the team slid him over to guard to see how he would handle it. It turned out to be a positive change for Flowers, and he was so good that he signed a three-year deal with the Dolphins the following year.

But Flowers is back with Washington after the team traded a seventh-round pick for him, and he's more prepared to compete in a reunion with the burgundy and gold.

"It's a very talented team," Flowers told Senior Vice President of Media and Content Julie Donaldson. "I'm just excited to see where we are."

Flowers was one of Washington's better offensive linemen in 2019, allowing just two sacks and quarterback hits that season, according to Pro Football Focus. Those improvements continued even further in Miami, where PFF gave him a career-high 73.8 pass-blocking grade. He also posted his second-best pass-blocking efficiency rating (97.5).

There hasn't been anything too complex to how Flowers has built his skillset as a guard over the past two seasons. It's involved staying in shape and working on technical aspects of his game like using his hands more efficiently.

"It's never ending," Flowers said. "You can have it one day and lose it tomorrow. So you gotta keep getting better and keep using what you got and try to learn new things. It's a whole slew of things. It's like a never-ending battle."

Speaking of battles, Flowers has been competing to be part of the starting offensive line with Wes Schweitzer. Although Schweitzer has been lined up with the starters more often, Flowers has also had reps in the role as well. Flowers' focus has been on controlling what he can control, and no matter what happens, "may the chips fall where they lay."

Flowers does have a couple advantages on his side, though, namely that he's already familiar with Ryan Fitzpatrick’s playing style dating back to their days with the Dolphins. Fitzpatrick started the first six games last season before Tua Tagovailoa was given the reins, and during that time, Flowers only allowed one sack and eight total pressures.

"I love playing with him," Flowers said. "I've never seen anybody who hasn't liked Fitz. So, he's just a great guy on the team. You always want to have a guy like that."

Flowers proved he could be a vital member of Washington's offensive line in 2019, and now that he made his return, he wants to do it again. He's fresh off playing some of the best football of his career, and Thursday's preseason game against the Patriots is a chance to add more credit to his case.

But being a starter isn't even what he's looking forward to the most this season. He summed it up in one word: postseason.

"I've been to one postseason," Flowers said. "So I'm looking to maybe, God willing, get into the postseason...more than anything.

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