Devon Achane – April 28, 2023
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Friday, April 28, 2023
RB Devon Achane
(I know at the Combine, you had said that you had met with the Dolphins and it was reported that you had spent some time with them. Just what were those interactions like in the pre-draft process and did you have a good feel that you were going to be in Miami?) – “It was great. Like you said, I met with them a couple times. I took a visit there. One of my 30 visits was to Miami and like you said, interacted with some of the players, some of the coaches. Coach Mike McDaniel, he’s a great coach, great man all the way around. He wants to use me in his offense and so I was glad that they picked me.”
(So you’re really fast and you’re joining an offense that has a lot of really fast players – WR Tyreek Hill, WR Jaylen Waddle, RB Raheem Mostert. What do you think about being in this high-powered Dolphins offense with so many speedsters?) – “It’s going to be a real scary offense. Like you said, we’re all pretty fast. I feel like it’s going to be very competitive at practice and like you said, Coach McDaniel – when I had that talk with him, he was saying that he planned on building the fastest team in the NFL. So by adding me to that piece, that’s something that’s, like that’s a guarantee. So it’s going to be real fun and competitive at practice. I just can’t wait to get there.”
(I know you had a big game in the Orange Bowl. What does it mean that you’re playing back here in Hard Rock Stadium now? Have you thought about just the coincidence?) – “I wouldn’t say I thought I was wishing this, but like I said, when I played at the Hard Rock Stadium for the first time, I was voted MVP so hopefully I can keep that going. And I’m just happy and blessed that I’m able to come out there in Miami and just be down there. I’m just happy that I’m in his offense – Coach McDaniel’s offense. He’s a great coach and I feel like with my ability, he knows what to do with it.”
(I wanted to ask you, General Manager Chris Grier had mentioned having you on a 30-visit here prior to the draft and I was just curious to get your perspective on how that visit went, what you thought of the building and the people in the building down here?) – “It was great. Like you said, I went around the building, the facility. It was nice. When I came down there, it was a little rainy, so I guess it was a little luck that I came down there on that day. Everybody was saying it really doesn’t rain down here, but it still was a pretty fun visit. Me and Jaylen Waddle, we’re really good friends. We communicate, so I feel like me being there and the visit that I took and the interactions with the coaches were great as well. So I just feel like I was able to be myself and I was very, very comfortable.”
(I’m curious when did you and WR Jaylen Waddle meet?) – “We knew each other since when I was in high school and he was in high school. We both played for AAU basketball … when we were little, so I’ve kind of known him for some time.”
(I see everything that you can do as far as the slot and kickoff return and out of the backfield. How is the best way that you can be used for the Dolphins, do you think?) – “Like you said, I’m a very unique player. I have a very unique skillset. I feel like I can do a lot. I can be at running back. I can line up at receiver and they also might want to use me on special teams, so I feel like me having all those good abilities, I feel like it’s hard for a defense to be able to cover us when we’ve already got threats that are already on the team. I just feel like me getting added to this offense is very scary.”
(What about running between the tackles? I see your size and we look at that and think, “I’m not sure he can do that.” Can you run between the tackles and is that a good way to use you?) – “Yes, sir. I feel like I can run between the tackles, outside. Like when I was at A&M, I feel like most of my runs were in between the tackles. Everybody sees me as the fastest guy, so they think he just wants to run outside, but most of my runs and my touchdowns were in between the tackles so I feel like I can run anywhere. If the ball is in my hands, I feel like I’m capable to do great things with it and me running in between the tackles is not a problem that I have.”
(What was it like when you met Head Coach Mike McDaniel?) – “It was great, man. He’s a great coach, got a funny sense of humor. He always keeps you on your toes. I’m a very fast guy so he will come up and ask me like a funny question like, ‘are you still fast?’ He’s just a great coach all the way around. So me, having a coach such as him, I feel like I’m just thankful and blessed that he’s my coach and I can’t wait to get out there and just see what he has in store for me.”
(In 12 years, the Dolphins have only used a first, second or third round pick on a running back one time before. It’s a good trivia question. It was an Alabama guy, third rounder. Do you know who it was?) – “No, I don’t.”
(RB Kenyan Drake. The question I’ll ask you is about the value of the running back position. Some people say running backs don’t get drafted as high, now I know two did get drafted high in this year’s draft. And some people say running backs aren’t going to get paid. What do you think about the value of the running back to the football team, the position?) – “I feel like you said, a lot of people think that running backs won’t get paid a lot. Like you said, it’s an example of this past draft – two running backs got drafted really early in the first round. Where I came from at A&M, my coach always said, ‘Running backs, we start with the energy that we need,’ so when we’re going, I feel like the whole team is going. So if you have a great running back and a good running game, I feel like you excite the team.”
(I just had a question related to your college coach, Jimbo Fisher. What’s the lesson that you take away from him? What stands out to you the most about Jimbo Fisher? What are some things that you’re going to bring with you to the NFL, some lessons that he taught you?) – “He’s a great coach. I was happy to be able to be under him for three years. He taught me a lot. We all had that relationship with him that we could talk about football, and we talk about real life, and he always kept it 100 with me. He always kept it real. That was something I liked about him. He never lied to me. I feel like we had a relationship where if I needed something or if there was something I needed an answer to, he was able to give me that. So man, just learning from him, he always said, ‘People are going to … but as long as you’ve got the confidence and the mentality that I have and you’re confident in yourself, you can go out there and do whatever you want.’ He always told me, ‘People are going to have their opinions on you on social media.’ He always told me, ‘Don’t worry about social media, just go out there and play and do what you do.’”
(Just wanted to ask you first, what does it feel like to be the first Aggie off the board in this draft to you and just kind of that initial reaction when you heard your name called and what was going through your mind?) – “I’m very thankful to be the first Aggie off the board. I’m just excited. I’m rooting for my other two brothers that are Aggies as well. I was very excited when I had my name called. I have friends and a big family that’s supporting me right now, and I was thankful to be able to achieve my dreams. For me to have my family and friends behind me, I obviously was very excited in the moment. I’m just thankful that I was able to make my mom proud.”
Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel – April 28, 2023
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Friday, April 28, 2023
General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Mike McDaniel
Chris Grier:
(With the first pick at No. 51, you guys go with CB Cam Smith, which was maybe a surprise to a lot of outsiders just given the depth and the talent that you have. Was that an example of best player available? What did you see in him there?) – “Cam is a very talented football player. We’re excited to add him and competition we’ll always add at every position, as we’ve talked about here. So it was the opportunity for us to, at that point in the draft, add a really talented football player that fit. In this league and especially in the AFC, with a lot of talented quarterbacks and teams, we can never have enough corners as we experienced last year with the rash of injuries that we dealt with. So excited to add him, he’s excited to come, so we’re looking forward to working with him.”
(Why do you think he fits well in Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense?) – “He’s a talented athlete. He’s versatile. He’s played a lot outside. He’s played nickel. It’s just the football player and the instincts, so we’re just excited. We thought he was a good fit and where he was in the draft, we just couldn’t pass on the opportunity.”
(How much did your son help you in terms of the character?) – “(laughter) I mean, he does help, but our scouts did a great job. I’ve known Shane Beamer for a long time as well, and then ‘T Rob’ (Travaris Robinson) and Will Muschamp recruited him there, so a lot of good friends that are good sources and talking to about the player. Landon gave his input. We asked. Obviously, he’s in the room with him every day and around him and they have a relationship, but the first time I really met him was at the combine. But it did help. It was just another piece of information for us.”
(Tight end and offensive line could be justified as more positions of need. Was this guy significantly higher on your board than any of the tight ends or offensive linemen available?) – “You know, when we do our board, we go through it, and there were a lot of good players that were picked too ahead of us. We look at every position, we go through it. I think you guys are probably more worried than we are, in terms of the position depth at those spots you talked about. But at the end of the day, we added a good football player. We’re happy. And like we say, it doesn’t end with the draft. There’s still guys we’re talking to in free agency, on the streets. So we’re still working through it, and we’ll keep adding the players we think fit for us.”
Mike McDaniel:
(RB Devon Achane ran a 4.32 40-yard dash. Can you describe the visions you have for that kind of speed in your offense?) – “I mean, speed we generally like around here. But I think it’s more of you feel like there’s a fit in terms of a guy fitting within your existing team. You’re always keeping in mind that you’re adding players to team and really think that that group in particular, the running back room for us is very important. You find a person and player that fits your skill set that you like but also that fits within the room because we have some other good competition in there as well. So we’re real excited to add player to a group. And he is fast. Chris and I share that – we do have affection for that trait.”
(When you look at player acquisition, I’m wondering if you look at it as a continuum? We know last year you added players at the trade deadline. How do you view it? Is it ever too late to add a player to your team?) – “Absolutely. Chris and I are lock and step on that where you’re trying to do the best thing, as your collection of people have decided, that’s available to you at the time. So you always try to position yourself and go into the draft to be able to take the best player, regardless of position. Sometimes you have depth more in other places than not, but we’re not going to take away the opportunity to have good players on our team. It’s more of the players shape what the team looks like. If we have the ability to get a good player, we’ll never turn that down. There was a lot of action. We’ve had a lot of contributors that we added to our team post-draft last year that were very impactful during the regular season, as well as post the first game of the season. So you’re always tinkering. That’s something I’m pretty sure that Chris might be half-vampire, because he’s never sleeping because he’s always evaluating something. (laughter) I think that will always be the case with us.
(Mike, we saw a reaction of you when the RB Devon Achane pick was made. It seemed like you were a bit enthused about it. Was this a player that you…) – “This is just camaraderie between two work associates. Certain people have opinions that he’ll be there, certain people don’t. I was really excited that Chris was right that a player was there. You get excited about all the players. Really, it’s down to the TV producers who decide when they catch you, because apparently, as it’s become aware to me that the first pick, I was texting my wife and had my shoe on the table. We get excited for all our players, and that’s just because of the amount of work that we all put in over an extended period of time to figure out who those players are.”
(A quick follow up, you didn’t think he’d be there at that point?) – “Really, all of the players that I like in general, I’m kind of a pessimist in the draft because you want to be prepared for all specific situations, really. I think Chris has caught on to that. And yeah, I didn’t think he was going to be there. But that happens every draft and really I was very hopeful for both of our selections, but wasn’t totally positive they’d be there. I’m very excited about that opportunity we had.”
Chris Grier:
“If you could have heard what he said, he had the room laughing. But I can’t repeat it. (laughter)”
Mike McDaniel:
“It was a safe place, which you know some things – you’re on a team for a reason. You’ve got to have some secrets. (laughter)”
Chris Grier:
(Chris, I think this is the earliest you’ve taken a running back since 2016 with Kenyan Drake. You usually opt for seventh round guys or late round guys. What is it about RB Devon Achane that made you break your own habits here or is it that 4.32 speed?) – “Well, Kenyan was fast as well too. This is probably about two years we’ve watched him. We talked about him last year a little bit with some of the flashes you saw out of him. Then just watching him this year and getting to know him, we brought him in on a 30-visit and spent some time with him and got to know him as a person. We watched film and probably about two or three weeks ago, Mike was convicted in his love for the player. We all were but he was very effusive.”
Mike McDaniel:
“Yes, I was. And I’m very proud of myself for being a good secret keeper. I just talk to myself a lot in my car because I had to tell somebody about it. (laughter)”
Chris Grier:
(Chris, how could you describe the level of activity in trade talks to move up or down between last night or tonight?) – “Last night was a complete bore, snore. We got no calls. It was awful. Tonight, we had a lot of activity, a lot of calls, as you saw with all the trades people were making. Before our pick with Cam (Smith), we had some action – a lot of action. And then with this pick too with Devon (Achane), we had a lot of action. A lot of tempting offers, but we liked the players that were there so we chose to pick them.”
(Do you prefer to draft a player at a position where that player doesn’t have to necessarily step in and have the pressure to play right away? Obviously with CB Cam Smith, he might start, he might not. He might play outside, he might play inside. He might fill in based on injury. He might be so good he needs to start. Is that a luxury? Are the Dolphins in a position of luxury in drafting at this time?) – “I’d say with any player you draft, there is always a transition to the NFL as you all have seen. There have been some players where it’s quicker and right away you see the star, and other guys it takes a year or two. For us, how we look at it, it’s the total player and the person and the fit, as we talk about in the locker room, as well as the ability. We don’t really put limits. Last year we had some guys come in and play, and we had some guys that didn’t. For us, it’s just developing the player and working with him. I think Mike and the coaching staff do a great job of working with the players and developing them. First of all, (we want) guys that love football, and guys that will come in and compete and love football. Then whenever that opportunity arises is when they’ll get that chance.”
(Are you hoping to maybe add a pick tomorrow?) – “I’d love to but 198 and 237 make it kind of hard. (laughter) But we’d love to.”
Mike McDaniel:
“Yeah, we’re just hoping people have some flawed charts out there and we can really move up. (laughter)”
Chris Grier:
(Is the 2024 draft capital something you want to make sure you stay away from in any trade talks?) – “Yeah, I think so. Mike hasn’t had a first-round pick selection yet.”
Mike McDaniel:
“But I’ll be ready Year 3. (laughter)”
Cam Smith – April 28, 2023
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Friday, April 28, 2023
CB Cam Smith
(What was the communication like with the Dolphins in the pre-draft process? Is this a place you thought could be a good chance you’d come to?) – “The pre-draft process, I really didn’t have a lot of talks. They just came to a lot of practices. I already knew the general manager’s (Chris Grier) son was on the team. He was kind of giving me the ins and outs of the league already throughout the whole process. Just (keeping) a clean nose and stuff like that. Just coming into the Combine, we had a formal meeting, and then coming into the Top 30 visit, that was my last meeting I took. It got kind of schedule … so I felt like it was given something on that accord right there.”
(What are your thoughts on coming to a defensive back room, and a cornerback room, with CB Xavien Howard on one side and CB Jalen Ramsey on the other?) – “It’s kind of a blessing. I feel like I was already in that position at South Carolina having Jaycee (Horn) and ‘Izzy’ (Israel Mukuamu) above me when I first came in. Coming in, I just kind of stayed under their wings, learned the ins and outs of what they were doing because they were already successful at that level. Just coming in and doing the same thing with Jalen and Xavien is going to be even better then.”
(What do you know about Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio’s defenses? Obviously he’s pretty storied in the NFL. What did you think of him when you met him in this whole process?) – “Very wise dude. A dude that’s going to get on you about every nook and cranny. Even just one of my steps on one of my plays, he keyed it out, and I really didn’t notice it until he said something about it. Just how he pays attention to details, I love a coach that pays attention to details and wants everything smooth, crisp and ironed out.”
(What do you consider your favorite aspects about the cornerback position? Yourself, playing the position.) – “I feel like my hands, my feet, my hips, and being able to get on top of dudes. Playing even to make sure I can hold a route, and make sure I’m on top at all times. Being able to be in those positions, my hands and feet and hips being all together in one. I feel like that’s the best thing that separates me from a lot of dudes.”
(I wanted to ask you can you take us to the moment when you got that phone call from Head Coach Mike McDaniel, General Manager Chris Grier and Managing General Partner Steven Ross? What was that moment like for you?) – “It was kind of crazy because I was just calling Landon (Grier) because we were just talking about how if I fell late into the second round, it could be that. I was just going off of what he was saying about the process, and then what Chris Grier was saying when I was on my visit. If they had the chance to get me, they would come and get me, and they stayed true to that. Just being on the phone with Landon right before that and seeing them call me with that 954 number, it’s crazy.”
(When you think about going up against in practice WR Jaylen Waddle and WR Tyreek Hill, what do you think about?) – “I think about getting better every day. Going against two of the most feared dudes in the league every day in practice, I don’t have no worries when I get on the field. That’s how I’m going to feel.”
(What was this process like for you? Being able to be at the doorstep of a dream, and I don’t know if you felt like you were being drafted in the first round, but what was it like lasting until the 2nd day?) – “I kind of felt down. When it ended and the last pick came in, I kind of felt down on myself. I was just kind of wondering what was I doing wrong and stuff like that. I was kind of thinking about it, but then at the same time, I think about what God has in store for me, and it’s not just what I want and what I think, it has to have something behind it, and it has something behind it.”
(I’d like to ask you a little bit about the role of your family in your life going back to when you were young as well as now. I understand you have a young daughter. Can you just describe the role that your relatives have had in your life?) – “Really just kind of having that close-knit family – mom, dad, brother, sister, uncles, aunts. Like everybody being close-knit. We’re always coming for Sunday dinner and stuff like that. It was always big so just having them there the whole time and then coming and seeing everybody like in a whole – everybody coming together and like even if they didn’t know me, they didn’t know this person, but they started to meet the whole support system. So just having a whole support system that was way bigger than anything for me, just seeing everybody crying and everybody doing – I wasn’t even crying that much, but I had people crying a lot harder than me. So it just shows how much they cared for me throughout this process.”
(And how is it being a dad? Are you enjoying being a dad?) – “Definitely. There’s a couple of hiccups here and there always, but it’s smooth.”
(Just curious – playing in the SEC – how do you feel like that’s prepared you for the competition you’re about to face within your own division? You got Josh Allen twice a year, you got Aaron Rodgers now twice a year. I don’t know if you’ve even had time to really let that sink in yet.) – “Just feel like – I mean, the SEC is the best ball in college football. I feel like that and I can stand by that. I feel like it’s a lot more dawg in that conference. I feel like a lot more people try to make it. People are not really just playing football just to play football. So I feel like coming from those trenches type of thing. That’s giving me an edge over anybody regardless. I know that edge. I know how to practice, I know where it comes from and what it takes to do those types of things. And every SEC team is basically ran like a pro organization, so I’m already in that doorway.”
(And then one more thing. You’re from Blythewood, right?) – “Yes, sir.”
(Do you have any relationship or do you know of CB Justin Bethel at all? I think he went to the same high school, right?) – “Justin Bethel. I think I’ve heard that name before, but I didn’t graduate (from there) – I graduated from Westwood, though. I graduated from Westwood.”
(I know that you’re capable of playing outside corner, slot corner, and some people even think you can play safety if called upon. What have the Dolphins said about whether they plan to crosstrain you in multiple positions?) – “When we were sitting down in the office, me and (Chris) Grier, we were just kind of wrapping it up about what I wanted to play and how I want to do it. We always know I can play two positions, but just kind of get my feet wet in the league first, getting outside, making sure I can hold it down, do everything I need to do and learn those new techniques that they are going to teach me and stuff like that. And then moving inside a little later, going inside, moving, learning those things and stuff like that. So just kind of gradually going into it.”
(CB Xavien Howard was once also a second-round corner. They picked him out of Baylor. And if you read his scouting reports, back in the day, they said that he can get a little physical – I’m reading this one here on one website – says he can get a little grabby. Tell me about how you balance physicality, being in their back pocket, being handsy, but trying not to get called.) – “Sometimes you’ve just kind of got to watch it, you’ve got to know the receiver that you’re going against. A big stronger dude, you can do a lot more. You’re not really going to do all that flinching and stuff like kind of the little dudes will do and stuff like that where you tug them or pushing and stuff like that. So it’s just kind of just knowing who you’re going against and knowing what you got to do.”
(I wanted to know when you first considered yourself an NFL prospect and how much did that dream drive you every day?) – “I didn’t realize it when I was young, like a lot of people and stuff like that. But I realized it really going into my junior year. So finding out – basically I just started spring ball – I was going to have a kid in the summer. And then it kind of just went from there. I kind of was different every day. I don’t know why, I didn’t really hone-in on why I was different or really think about it. I was kind of going in and doing it every day. So practice was easier. I was making a lot of plays and stuff like that. I saw I was just kind of getting in the groove of feeling like a dominant corner and then coming into the season, I continued the same trend. So it was just kind of that whole season. It just kind of solidified.”
(Did you notice other teams noticing your talent and playing you different or trying to throw things away from you and things like that?) – “Not my 2021 season. A lot more in my 2022 season. I had a lot less targets than my 2021 season, so I feel like I got the respect that I deserve.”
(First, my question to you is more so about Blythewood. Coming from South Carolina, what are you looking most forward to coming to Miami?) – “Always kind of having a little warmth to the weather, no cold fronts and stuff like that. Really just kind of the weather, that’s really the only difference, for real, for me. I don’t really go out like that or get in those type of things, I’m not really that social of a dude.”
(Secondly, your game against Tennessee last year, you were able to shut down the Biletnikoff winner. Do you think that game stood out to you the most last season? What was it about that game?) – “It didn’t stand out to me. I knew I was guarding him from the job since he started snapping. So as soon as he – when we knew it was him on the schedule, I told him, this is two or three weeks in advance, I already told him, ‘We’re going.’ Just having that game, I feel like yeah that kind of boosted everything and stuff like that, but I didn’t put it no extra effort for that. I didn’t do anything extra for that.”
(You stated a lot that you’re a perfectionist about technique and that you’re very comfortable with your backpedal. How does that help you prepare against some of the faster wide receivers in the NFL?) – “A lot of the fast dudes get a lot of people that kind of open up and run a lot, so they’ll already be opened up running, tilted up shoulders and stuff like that. So kind of just being comfortable with my pedal, knowing my speed, knowing what I can do, is going to have me just more comfortable in those situations. If somebody is pressing me hard up the field trying to get run a 15-yard comeback or a 20-yard comeback, if somebody is doing that, for me being able to stay in my pedal and keep my same transition instead of just kind of opening the gate and letting them run and being scared, just having that kind of confidence in my backpedal is going to help me.”
(I wanted to ask you about your relationship with Landon Grier and how much do you think that provided a scouting report for General Manager Chris Grier? How many times do you think you interacted with Chris Grier throughout the course of your career at South Carolina?) – “My relationship with Landon is pretty smooth. We’re not like the best of friends, but every day we’re cracking up, like in the locker room or we’re in the meeting room cracking up. So just something to that extent, but it’s just always kind of been – he was just kind of telling us the ways of the league. He was already – he’s been in it since he’s been little, so he damn near knows more than a lot of people know in the league. So just kind of having that in my back pocket was great. He just kind of led everything the whole time, he always talked good about me every time. They told me about how Landon was telling them about me and stuff like that. He always put in a good word for me, and I’m grateful for him. I’m truly grateful for him. I didn’t really have – my first time meeting Chris Grier was at the Combine at the formal meeting that we had, and the second time when I had my Top 30 visit.”
Bradley Chubb – April 25, 2023
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Tuesday, April 25, 2023
LB Bradley Chubb
(We’re all looking forward to getting to know Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio. What can you tell us about his personality and his approach and coaching style?) – “Yeah, that’s one of my favorite coaches that I’ve been in a room with just because he expects so much out of his players, and he’s going to keep it straight up with you. If he calls a play and you didn’t execute, he’s going to ask you, ‘Why didn’t you execute? I put you in a position to execute. Why didn’t you?’ So in this high-paced game we play, that’s what you need. You just need that transparency. You need somebody to be on you a little bit to hold you to that standard that we hold ourselves to. That’s what he’s going to do and I’m excited about it.”
(What was your first reaction when you heard ‘okay, he’s coming?’) – “To be honest, it was kind of like a full circle thing because I feel like getting traded here last year was like part two of my career and I wear No. 2, and it kind of played into that. Like now I get the second chance with Coach Fangio. In my first go around with him, I battled some injuries. His first year in Denver, I tore my ACL and then my third year made a Pro Bowl, fourth year kind of battled some injuries as well. It’s kind of like that, that second coming of that opportunity as well. So it kind of came full circle with everything. I was wearing the No. 2 for it and had that mindset for anyway, so it’s dope how it works out.”
(You’re also going to be reunited with LB Malik Reed. What can you tell us about him and getting to play alongside him again?) – “That’s my guy, man. One of the smartest football players I know. One of the most hardworking and talented – everything he brings to the field man – I’m excited to have that energy in the room. Whenever I have a question, we’ve been in this defense for the same amount of time, so whenever I had a question, he was right there and he was the one answering, the one talking up. So it’s going to be fun to reunite with him. I know the energy he’s going to bring into that room with the young guys we’ve got in there, I mean, ‘JP’ (Jaelan Phillips), he’s coming into himself, but technically, he’s still a young guy when it comes to age and stuff like that. ‘Cam’ (Cameron Goode) and ‘Gink’ (Andrew Van Ginkel), as well. So it’s going to be fun, man, just to merge all those personalities, all those play styles into one outside linebacker room.
(And another one on Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio. What’s something you can tell us about him that only someone who’s played under him can know that most people don’t know about him?) – “I mean, I don’t know. That’s a hard question. I don’t know something that y’all don’t know. But one thing I know, he’s going to demand the most of us. Each and every player on that roster, no matter how many plays you made in the past, how many plays you could make, it’s all about what you’re doing each and every day to get better and he’s going to hold you to that high standard.
(You were pretty transparent when you arrived in Miami about it all being very, very new to you. As you kind of are months removed from coming to Miami and whatnot, what were maybe some of the challenges, some of the things that were just very foreign to you, that now being in the city being in this system, this team, aren’t as much now?) – “I’m going to answer the city question first. I mean, just the traffic, bro. The traffic, everywhere you go, everything takes 25-plus minutes. So learning when to leave and kind of fixing my schedule around. Okay, I understand it might take me 35 minutes today, it might take me 25 minutes today. I just can’t let that throw me off. So I’ve been leaving at a reasonable time every day, making sure I beat the traffic or if I get stuck in traffic, not letting it affect me coming into the building later. But another thing with the team, just knowing everybody, knowing people’s names, knowing people that I’m working with around the facility, being able to say ‘what’s up name.’ Not just saying ‘what’s up, bro’ and then kind of be like, ‘oh, man, what’s that dude’s name?’ I feel like all that just plays a part into everything. Just how you approach every day because you’re going to war with the people and how are you going to go to war with somebody if you don’t even know their name. So just learning everybody, learning the ins and outs of the facility, the team, the coaches, all that has just been coming to me this offseason program.”
(It’s kind of fun that we’re getting you this week with the draft in two days. You’re their first-round draft pick. Are they having a draft party for you Thursday night? How’s that going to go for you?) – “I mean, we can. I mean, if y’all want to throw me one I’ll be down to join. (laughter) We don’t have anything else to do so we might as well throw a little party. Y’all might as well come to the facility we’ll get something going.”
(What’s it like knowing not only they give you the big contract but they saw enough out of you to give up a first-rounder to get you?) – “I mean, it’s a blessing. It’s just a testament to the work I put in and the guy I am. I can’t take it for granted at all. I approach every day like, like I’ve got those eyes on me, like I’ve got people with high expectations because I’ve got high expectations for myself as well. So I’ve just got to approach everyday like, yeah, they brought me here for a reason and I’ve just got to make sure I live up to that reason.”
(I want to ask you about Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense and supposedly it plays a lot of zone behind you guys. How does that benefit the team as a unit and how does it benefit the defensive line?) – “It benefits everybody. As a unit because when you’ve got us just kind of thinking freely and just going out there and attacking and being able to take a tight end and not really worry about ‘oh, I have to be in this gap.’ Just go out there and play, play fast and we’re going to read off of you and everybody around has that same mindset. The d-line can just – I feel like it’s really meant for the outside linebackers to set the tone and establish everything, establish dominance, whether it be with the tight ends, whether it be with the tackles, getting after the quarterback as much as we can. When that group does that, I feel like it makes everybody else’s job easier because say I’ve got a guard pulling to me and a tight end trying to influence me out. If I take the tight end and the guard then ‘Bake’s (Jerome Baker) running free then David’s (Long Jr.) running free and ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) can free up and catch a pick that the quarterback is just trying to get the ball out of his hands, but then boom, he’s right there in that position. So I feel like it starts with us, man. It’s going to have to end with us. So we’re taking that mindset, we’ve taken the meetings making sure we’re living like that and trying to approach every day like that.”
(How happy were you with your performance in your half-season with the Dolphins last year?) – “I was up and down with it. Just coming in, grasping a whole new defense, grasping a whole new set of teammates, I felt like I did okay. I for sure held myself to a higher standard. I wanted to come in and be that guy that got 10 sacks in half a season and stuff like that, but everything doesn’t work out like that. I battled a couple of things at the end with my broken hand and high-ankle sprain, so that was discouraging. But I just look back at all that as fuel for this year. Just seeing where I could have been, where this team could have been. We had so many high expectations and with me coming in and finishing out with just a playoff berth, that’s not what the goal is. That’s not what the standard is. So it was cool to be able to experience that. That was my first time in the playoffs, but this team and this organization have so many bigger things ahead of us that I’m using that for sure as fuel.”
(Because of what the Dolphins gave up to get you and the big contract they gave you, do you feel sort of a burden to put up big sack numbers?) – “No, not a burden. I feel like it’s my job to go out there and do everything and go out there and put up those numbers. It might not come with the numbers. It might come with the pressures, it might come from me freeing up Christian (Wilkins) and ‘JP’ (Jaelan Phillips) and ‘Og’ (Emmanuel Ogbah) and all those guys. So I don’t look at it as ‘I’ve got to get this number, I’ve got to do this.’ I’ve just got to approach it like ‘hey man, they brought you here for a reason and go out there and prove to them that they were right.’ That’s my main thing, is just doing my job to the best of my ability and everything else is going to take care of itself.”
(You hear a lot about the competitive atmospheres around teams. There was talk last year about how competitive WR Tyreek Hill was and how that spreads. I’m wondering what the environment is right now around the team? Does it need to start right now or can you just flip the switch in training camp or does that intensity need to be going right now?) – “You’ve got to introduce it for sure. Everybody has to be on the same page, know what we’re working for and know ‘okay, this guy right here is trying to beat me out.’ Or that guy right there, we’re both working for that one roster spot, so it’s not like a said thing; it’s kind of more of a understanding thing and I feel like everybody’s on the same page. Like I said, we know that a playoff berth in the first round, that’s cool, but it’s not what we work these tireless hours for, go through training camp for, and that’s not what our standard is. So the competition doesn’t just kick up in training camp. It starts now. We feel that it starts now, but it’s not like a go out there and try to kill each other. With OTA practices and stuff coming up we’ve still got to be smart, understand that this is the team we need to go into the season and do all the things that we say we want to do. So it’s a little bit about being smart but still having that competitive nature.”
(One word that stuck with me that you used to describe your performance late last year was fizzling. I didn’t expect you to say that word, but you were at that point, maybe a little frustrated with what had been going on. But looking forward, I’m wondering, what do you expect in 2023, compared to what you did in 2022 out of yourself?) – “Just to be more of a leader, more of a tone-setter. Like I said, man, how can I lead when I don’t know everybody around me? I try to learn names. I tried to do this, but it just wasn’t clicking for me. And that’s no excuse, but it’s just like, that’s just the reality of it. So my main thing is just being the person that Denver drafted and Miami decided, ‘okay, yeah, we need that guy on our team.’ So that’s my leadership, that’s my intensity, that’s my playstyle. So just got to get back to that man. I’m already taking steps to do that and so once the season gets going, I feel like it’s going to be full steam ahead.”
(You wouldn’t use the word fizzling now to describe your 2022 would you?) – “No.”
(I wanted to ask you about LB Jaelan Phillips. Obviously you were teammates at the end of last year, but now that you’ve had some time to kind of spend with him in the offseason and see how he works, I was just curious your perspective on the way he approaches his business.) – “He approaches it like a true pro. He understands the task at hand. He wants more out of himself as well. He wants to get those accolades. He wants to go to the Pro Bowl, All-Pros, and you see it just by the way he approaches everything in the meeting room. With this new defense right now he’s asking questions and making sure he knows the ins and outs, knows when to take his shots and stuff like that. In the weight room he’s a freak. Coming into the season, you kind of see ‘yeah, okay, this guy gets it, he’s working hard.’ But you don’t really see it until that offseason work gets put in. We were on the field doing drills and you see the intent that he has that he’s working with, so I’m really excited for his year three.”
(You mentioned that he was a bit of a physical freak. I don’t know if you ever saw his pro day a couple of years ago, but he jumped out of the gym, ran a million miles an hour. What can you say about the physical traits that he brings?) – “Like I said, man, he’s a freak. When the dude takes his shirt off, he’s chiseled, he’s huge. He talks with the deepest voice possible. (laughter) He has all the intangibles and he’s getting – when it comes down to like I said, the playbook and everything else, he’s getting all that and he’s becoming a true pro. I’m excited for him.”
(Coming off your second Pro Bowl in your career, how was the experience and what did you take away the most from that in hopes of getting back to that same stage again?) – “It was a dope experience, but now I’ve got my sights set on something big. I want All-Pros, I want Super Bowl rings, I want everything that comes with that. So it’s cool. It’s a cool individual accolade, but I want this team to be playing in the mix when the Pro Bowl comes around so we can’t even go. Yeah, we get nominated, but we can’t even go because we’ve got a bigger thing to worry about.”
(What do you think about out Aaron Rodgers coming into the division twice, at least two games per year?) – “I’m excited. It’s an opportunity to play against one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. I’m excited to compete against that twice a year. The game plan that goes into each and every week – I mean each time I play him, it brings out the best in everybody. Everybody knows that okay yeah, we got ‘A-Rod’ (Aaron Rodgers) this week so we got to be on our p’s and q’s. Now we’ve just got a division full of great quarterbacks, so I’m excited to be in the mix and be competing towards the end of the year when it really counts. So it’s going to be fun. I know he’s excited to play a lot of the good edge rushers we’ve got in this division as well, so it’s going to be fun.”
(Have you sacked him?) – “No, I haven’t sacked him. I got a couple of hits on him, but I never sacked him yet, so this will be a perfect opportunity to.”
Durham Smythe – April 25, 2023
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Tuesday, April 25, 2023
TE Durham Smythe
(When you were initially drafted eons ago, did you think that you would be here this long? And also, did you ever factor in that you would not only outlast Mike Gesicki, but start more games than Mike Gesicki?) – “I guess first and foremost, it was always the plan to stick around this long and hopefully a good amount longer. That’s everyone’s plan. But referencing Mike (Gesicki), I would tell him right now that it’s no surprise that I’ve started more games and have hung around longer. I tell people all the time that the Dolphins made a mistake in 2018 taking him in the second and me in the fourth, and I tell him that all the time. So that’s nothing that I wouldn’t say right to him and I’m sure he would probably say similar things back to me.”
(Safe to say that you and TE Mike Gesicki are still friends even though he’s on a different team now?) – “Oh, yeah. We still talk every day and he makes his trips down here, and I’m sure I’ll make a couple up there in the coming weeks, so yeah, we’re just as close as ever.”
(On a serious note, your reaction to getting a new contract extension?) – “That’s always exciting, to be shown that they value me here, in a place that I’ve been for so long, and that I’ve come to really enjoy living in. It’s home. I’ve been here for five years, so it was really exciting just to know that I have some value here and that’ll be here for the next couple years.”
(What do you think about the Dolphins possibly pursuing a tight end in this draft? Have you taken a look at the tight end prospects and is there anyone you like?) – “It’s funny. With just bodies in general, we’ll obviously have to add to our room in the next weeks to months. So obviously everyone understands that part of it, and it’s funny, early on in my career, I think since I still knew people in college, I would follow it a little bit, just because I had either a tie to them or something like that. But now six years in, I have no idea. I don’t know if I can tell you any names, besides guys coming out of Notre Dame, that I know through other people. So I have no idea when it comes to things like that, but luckily that’s not my job until we bring somebody in and then I get involved.”
(So you are the only player on offense who has been here for three head coaches – Adam Gase, Brian Flores, and now Mike McDaniel. What do you think is the reason for that, that you’ve been able to survive three regimes?) – “I mean, there’s a lot that goes into it. Timing in terms of contracts and things of that nature. But I’ve said this multiple times throughout my career here, is that the NFL is really an adapt-or-die game. So whether it’s the same head coach, same offensive coordinator, a different one; things are going to change every year. You’re going to have to improve on things every year, and you’re going to have to adapt to something new every year. So I think I knew that really early on in my career and that was just something that I tried to take into account every time we go into a new offseason and a new calendar year in the NFL, so I think that mentality is has helped me along the last five, six years.”
(I wanted to go back to something that Head Coach Mike McDaniel had mentioned last year about in this offense, tight ends having to relearn the way they play the games. I was, or the game. I was curious how coming back into Year 2 of that offense is beneficial to a player at your position.) – “I think it’s hugely beneficial for us that have been in the offense for more than one year now. And he’s right, honestly, it’s a different style, really across the board at a lot of positions, but at the tight end position, there’s a lot of things you do in this offense that you don’t necessarily do and others. So I think just having the experience of a full calendar year in this offense, there’s a comfort level that becomes established and I’m excited to get back on the field here in a couple of weeks to build on that through the summer and into training camp. So there’s definitely a little bit of a learning curve with this offense at the tight end position, and I think the sky’s the limit once we can at every position across the board, get on the same page.”
(Just kind of curious to measure the level of buzz and excitement with your teammates and the coaches coming back this week.) – “I mean, the boys are back. So that’s always exciting. That’s first and foremost. Just get around everyone. That’s the best time of the year, when we’re all back in the building together. And yeah, obviously, when you look at us on paper, there’s a lot of talent on the team. But that only goes so far. So I think everyone’s excited to get on the field to try to live up to expectations, establish some high expectations and really get this thing going. So I think we’re all excited about it.”
(A minute ago, you mentioned that you tried to keep up with some of the Notre Dame guys coming out into the draft. So what’s your scouting report on TE Michael Mayer and the Dolphins need to load up on more guys from the Irish?) – “I mean, you can never have too many Notre Dame guys on a team. I think you’re right there. I’ve only met him once. Actually, yeah, I’ve only met him once, officially, last summer in Nashville and he’s a great guy. I know people in the organization still, so I’ve only heard good things about him as a football player, obviously what most people see, but I’ve heard great things about him off the field as well. So I think at least for me personally, that resonates the most, that he’s but he’s keeping up with the Notre Dame tight end lineage. So that’s exciting. And you know, I’m excited for him. I think he’s going to do some exciting things.”
(I wanted to get back to the boys are back. Because that’s got my interest. What’s the feeling in the building this April 25 versus last April 25. Keeping in mind expectations are higher, Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio is there, CB Jalen Ramsey is there, LB Bradley Chubb is there, it’s Mike McDaniel’s second year? What’s different from this year at this time this year?) – “I mean obviously things change every offseason you bring in new people and such, but I think there’s just a familiarity with not only teammates from the last year and last calendar year, because obviously there’s been a good amount of turnover here in the last couple of years. So there’s some familiarity with guys that have been here for a while and then obviously some excitement from guys that we’ve added, so I think when you combine those two things and then you just have a bunch of good personalities, a bunch of good dudes in the same building, everyone’s excited to get back in here just to hang out. The offseason, it’s great, for a couple of weeks, then you’re like, ‘wow, like, kind of miss just hanging out with the boys all the time.’ So I’m excited to get back to that and I think that says a lot about how this team is constructed in terms of just good dudes, personalities and such.”
(And the higher expectations. I know obviously, you guys know that you went to the playoffs, you know a lot of people are returning, but how does that affect you? Do you feel the higher expectations in any way if that makes sense?) – “I don’t know if you necessarily feel it, or if I feel it personally. But I think it’s obvious that – like I mentioned earlier on paper, there’s a lot of talent here. So for me, I don’t know if that necessarily translates to higher expectations directly, but obviously, it’s hard to ignore the fact that this a very talented team and I think there is some responsibility, I think, is what I would call it. Some responsibility to play well and to develop some excitement with the fans and really just win games at the end of the day.”
(TE Mike Gesicki had 30 other teams he could have gone to and he goes Patriots. What did you think when you heard Patriots?) – “I thought it was a direct shot at me because if he’s not staying here, that he’d he try to get at me in some way. And that’s probably one of the more direct paths to be able to do that. So yeah, obviously, he had 31 other choices, and he chose the one to spite me the most and it was to me directly, I believe, so good for him. We’ll see him twice a year. It’s exciting and those will be some fun games.”
(I was surprised when I looked at this thing that’s in the draft guide and it says how the team was built. I was surprised and I Tweeted it and I don’t know if you saw, but the only guy who’s been on the roster longer than you is CB Xavien Howard. One guy has been around longer. I think of you as very young still. Did you know that stat, did you see it? Is it surprising?) – “I did know that stat, and the only reason I knew that stat is because last season me and Mike (Gesicki) had a running joke that I was the longest-tenured offensive player because I signed my contract, my rookie contract before he did even though he was drafted before me. So there was some conflicting opinions about who was the longest tenured offensive player. So that’s the only reason I know that and now that he is playing for the enemy, it’s obvious that I’m the only one left.”
(Five years ago, you were kind of the last of a dying breed because you actually knew how to in-line block as a college tight end. Now five years later, what do you think of the college landscape at that position?) – “It’s funny, I know that was kind of the narrative that was built around me coming out of college and for good reason because I didn’t have wild stats, and we ran the ball a lot at Notre Dame, But when I got to the NFL, I quickly realized that what I was good at in college, you’re not immediately good at in the NFL. So it’s funny that I think it’s taken me really a full four or five years to become comfortable and obviously there’s still plenty of room for improvement, but it takes a while to at this level be able to replicate what you did in college, especially in blocking in-line. So I think that’s just something that you have to build on from a year-to-year standpoint. And I think, I guess to answer your question, the landscape, I don’t know how it is now. I’m assuming it’s similar, but that it’s definitely something that takes a while and to get comfortable with at least and then obviously there’s always room for improvement, so just build on that.”
Tua Tagovailoa – April 19, 2023
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Wednesday, April 19, 2023
QB Tua Tagovailoa
(What’s your current belt ranking i jiu-jitsu?) – “Still a white belt. I’m still a white belt. I just started. Just started.”
(What have you learned, though?) – “Obviously learned how to fall. I learned some grappling techniques. I learned some other things too that I don’t think I should disclose. But for the most part, I learned how to fall. You think it’s easy, just don’t fall and hit your head. But I mean, there’s a lot more to it.”
(For us that don’t know about judo, how do they teach you?) – “We used like crash pads to land on first with trying to fall. Obviously tucking your chin, that was one of the deals. But it went a lot more into the technique of how to disperse your energy when you fall, kind of like the posture you want to be in and if you’re not presented that posture, what are other things that you can do to help you disperse the energy when you fall. So it’s a lot of those things. And it’s actually a lot cooler than you think when you hear of learning how to fall.”
(If I can follow up, if you have a split-second to think, how does that work? Because if you’re being sacked, how does that work?) – “Well, I’ve been falling a lot this offseason, so I think just like anything else, you continue to train it, you continue to work at that, it becomes second nature. Then when a situation like that does happen, it’s not something new that’s presented to you. And for guys at my position, we barely get hit, if that, throughout practices, throughout the offseason, even going into training camp. We don’t even get touched until the season starts. So I mean, with jiu-jitsu, I’ve been thrown airborne, I’ve been put in many uncomfortable positions for me to learn how to fall and try to react throughout those positions that I’m getting thrown around in.”
(How would you describe the last four months? I know that it’s probably been a while since you’ve been in this position, but the past four months, Christmas Day, the day after being in the protocol, missing the playoff game, and just kind of all the emotions, just how has it been for you?) – “Well, it’s been hard throughout the ending of the year last year, not being able to finish the season off the way we wanted to finish the season off last year. But this is a new year for us. This is a new team that we have and we’re all really excited. And it’s cool to have a lot of the big names in the locker room now. Those guys are some great people.”
(Just quick follow up. I know there was a lot of talk about you, about what you should do and whatnot. I mean, truthfully through it all, was there any thought about walking away or whatnot, through the time you were in the protocol? And if not, what kind of led you to have that confidence to not really consider that?) – “Yeah, that’s a good question. Yeah, I think I considered it for a time, having sat down with my family, having sat down with my wife and having those kinds of conversations. But really, it would be hard for me to walk away from this game with how old I am, with my son. I always dreamed of playing as long as I could to where my son knew exactly what he was watching his dad do. And yeah, I mean it’s my health, it’s my body, and I feel like this is what’s best for me and my family. I mean, I love the game of football. If I didn’t, I would have quit a long time (ago).”
(Aside from falling, what other areas of your game this offseason have you been focusing on?) – “There’s been a lot of areas. Obviously, strength work has been really big throughout this offseason for me with getting my legs under me, kind of building my upper body, building around my neck, my core. All of that has been taken into consideration. And I’ve been doing a lot more to try to help myself sustain the season.”
(What type of actual exercises help build up strength around the neck area?) – “We have like this neck device that we use where you clip it onto like one of the pulleys. So I’m able to do a four-way directional head deal. And then also you have manuals where someone is resisting or trying to hold your head down. And then, within the four ways, going side to side, and then back and forth, you have manuals. That’s really what we’ve been doing to help build that up.”
(Part of the process of learning how to fall, you had to see what happened to you. Like you had to watch it. How tough was it to watch? That has creep into your head.) – “Yeah, it wasn’t tough to watch. It wasn’t tough to watch. I want to get better at everything that I can do to help the team win games and I know the biggest one is my health, staying out on the field. And so looking at the film, I was able to watch that with my jiu-jitsu coach, and we were able to kind of relive the scenario in how I got tackled, how I fell. And it wasn’t just one particular game. It was multiple ways that I got taken down and how I could have prevented that.”
(When I talked to some neurologists after the season, they said there’s no medical evidence that concussions or multiple concussions increase the chances of concussions eight months, nine months, 10 months later. Maybe the immediate aftermath, but not that long. Did they tell you that? Or what was the thing that neurologists told you that made you feel best about continuing to play?) – “They told me exactly what you said. They also told me that CTE wasn’t going to be a problem. It’s only when you’re constantly hitting your head against something. I think that tailors more towards linebackers, o-linemen, d-linemen, guys that are constantly going at it. That also played into the factor of my decision-making and wanting to come back and play.”
(This is the first time since high school you really have the same play-caller back-to-back years. How do you think that’s going to benefit you at the quarterback position?) – “Yeah. It’s been a lot better of an offseason knowing that I don’t have to learn a new system, I don’t have to learn new formations, new motions, new snap points, new cadences. It’s good to know that I already have a year under my belt within the offense. There’s always going to be nuances, but it’s not like a drastic change. So this is really good. I mean, this is good because of the guys that we have as well that have been with us last year under the same system. We’re all really, really excited to get things going.”
(Were you close to playing in the playoffs? Or was that not a possibility?) – “I am not sure. I was going through my process with (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle (Johnston) and just trying to do everything I could to get better. But at any point, whenever – if the team, Mike (McDaniel) or (Chris) Grier would have approached me and asked me if I were ready, there’s no question, no doubt in my mind, that I would have stepped up to the plate and answered the call.”
Chris Grier and Marvin Allen – April 19, 2023
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Wednesday, April 19, 2023
General Manager Chris Grier and Assistant General Manager Marvin Allen
Chris Grier:
(Opening statement) – “Hey, welcome to the (most fun) interview of the NFL season for you guys where no one says anything. (laughter) So I guess I’ll start it off with my usual. Excited for South Florida sports teams this time of year with the Heat and Panthers and Marlins off to a great start, too, as well. We wish all the teams in the playoffs luck and we’ll probably have a crew over there watching a couple of games here in the next few days. But other than that, fire away.”
(Wanted to ask you a couple things on right tackle. At this point, is your thinking that OL Austin Jackson – is the expectation that he is going to be your starter? And also, are you keeping in the back of your mind, you and Head Coach Mike McDaniel keeping in the back of your mind, the possibility of moving OL Robert Hunt to right tackle or would you prefer clearly to leave him at guard?) – “It’s always right off the start. (laughter) Yes, the expectation is Austin (Jackson) is the starter at right tackle. We’re excited for him. I know he was frustrated with some of the injuries last year, but he’s been working hard. He’s been doing a lot of stuff here in the offseason. Having Terron (Armstead) around here, another year being around him for a year and the offseason will be tremendous value for him. And for us, we’d like to see Robert (Hunt) stay at one position right now, stay at guard where, again, you’ve heard me say it here many times; I think he has tremendous potential and is already, I believe, a very good player at that position in the league.”
(What was your reaction to the Jalen Hurts contract and how it may or may not set the set the value for quarterbacks moving forward in this league?) – “Happy for him. He’s a good kid. I met him years ago with Mike Locksley at Alabama and I told him I was proud that he stayed the year when Tua beat him out where a lot of these kids transfer out and go places. I’m happy for him. I think for us, at the end of the day, it’s a piece of information. We monitor it, but there’s going to be other quarterbacks here coming up still, who knows how soon, so the market will fluctuate based off those. So for us, it’s happy for him and the Eagles getting it done, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t really move our needle until we have to do something.”
(Along the lines of that, the team decided to exercise QB Tua Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option fairly early in the process compared to how you have acted. I know Mike McDaniel spoke about the thinking, but I was wondering if you could kind of give your perspective as well. You said everything is open. In terms of an extension, is there any possibility to discuss that or just want to kind of…?) – “Yeah, we’ve had a lot of internal discussions between Mike (McDaniel), Marvin (Allen), Brandon (Shore), Steve (Ross), Tom Garfinkel, as well. So all options are on the table like I said then, but we decided that for us, and we always hope Tua will be here, successful long term with us. And at the end day, we made this decision and decided to move forward in the offseason to get it going.”
(I’d like to follow up just on QB Tua Tagovailoa moving forward. The process of checking off all the boxes to ensure that he is as healthy as you can, what was that process like?) – “Yeah, it was a lot of discussions with our doctors, with Tua, just formulating a plan. But I think once we talked to specialists, and he met with specialists, too, and the people he met around the country, everyone felt comfortable with him health-wise. And so, when those boxes were checked, we were fine and decided just to move on and I’m looking forward to him working and doing all the things he’s been doing in the offseason now to help him for next season.”
(QB Tua Tagovailoa kind of hinted at this during I believe, Super Bowl week. But just to clarify, did you guys essentially shut him down after the concussion on Christmas Day and not allow him to progress until the season was over?) – “I think when we went through the process, it still needs to be cleared by the league people as well, too. So it was just our process of going through it, working with the league and with Tua going through it. That’s all it was.”
(Can you tell us a little bit about the process that landed CB Jalen Ramsey in this building?) – “Yeah, you guys have heard us talk for years about opportunities. We always investigate and do that, so we did our work. They reached out about him. (Rams General Manager) Les (Snead) and I have known each other for years and we talked, so we had talks for a couple of weeks and then at the end of the day, for us, it made sense for the player – who he is – after we talked to the people around him. So we’re very excited to add him. He’s been a very good player in this league. We still think he’s a very good player, and he has a good relationship with Xavien (Howard). So I know they were excited. Xavien texted me right away when he saw it. So I think for us, it was the opportunity to add a very good player, so we’re very excited.”
Marvin Allen:
(If I can address this one to Assistant General Manager Marvin Allen, when LB Channing Tindall and WR Erik Ezukanma were selected last year, was the expectation kind of always that maybe they would need a year before they could really make some kind of impact more than just on special teams?) – “Yeah, I think when we selected them, we knew the progression for both of them would be in the future. So you get guys and you want to give them a chance to sit back and learn and do some things on special teams, but knowing that their value would be much more down the line than it was immediately.”
(Marvin, what are your thoughts on QB Tua Tagovailoa – where he stands three years through and the future for him?) – “Well, he went through the protocol and we have all the faith in the world in him. He’s our quarterback and we think moving forward, he’s going to be the quarterback that gets us to where we want to go.”
Chris Grier:
(We heard Mike McDaniel talk about the story of kind of bringing his tape to you guys, the entire building last year on that Mike Silver podcast. I was curious, your perspective on when Mike McDaniel was so fired up that night and watching the tape and bringing it to y’all.) – “I think Mike was excited to work with him even before that. He had watched some film of him, but he knew him from the draft, but I think once he got here and really dug in and got to spend time, because obviously he was busy with the 49ers when they were on their playoff run. And he put together and strung all the stuff that made sense for his offense. I think he showed it to everyone in the building, just going around, he was so excited. I think he pulled an all-nighter putting it together and he was so happy when all the scouts came in, so I saw it like, five times. I was just like, ‘Okay, I get it Mike. He’s good and you’re excited.’ (laughter) But yeah, the relationship the two of them have and watching them how they work and communicate, it’s pretty cool to see.”
(How much progress do you feel you’ve made in the DT Christian Wilkins extension talks?) – “Yeah, I’ve had some good talks with his agent. As I’ve always said, we’re going to keep those conversations private, but I’m excited for Christian. He’s a very good player here. You know how we feel about him. We’ve talked about what he’s done on and off the field for us. So we’re still working through it, but hopefully we can get him here and keep him here for a long time.”
(You come from a football executive family. Your brother is the first Black GM in NHL history. Can you just explain briefly on the role that your father has played in you being to where you are today and the impact that you guys with you and your brother?) – “Just being able to grow up watching how he approached things and I was fortunate to be there in New England with him with Bill Parcells and Pete Carroll and Coach Belichick for a little bit just to see how he interacted and worked. I learned so much from him. Obviously he coached Marvin (Allen), so that’s how Marvin and my connection go back. I just think having that resource to talk to – my brother and I talk every week and we talk about a lot of different things sports-related and in terms of player acquisitions and dealing with people in the building. So just be able to talk to him and even still now Marvin and I will go to all-star games and people keep coming up saying, ‘hey, tell your dad I said hello.’ Or agents are like, ‘your dad was the first guy that gave me a chance and listened to me’ and stuff. So just how you treat people and working with them, I learned so much from him and I wouldn’t be here without him.”
(What’s been the thinking in so far not adding another tight end besides TE Eric Saubert, who you signed, and a backup defensive tackle? Are those positions you think you could address in the draft? What What’s your thinking there?) – “Yeah, I think our approach is we’re evaluating every position, going through it very thoroughly at every position. We’ve had our 30-visits that you like to track and you do your work – your Inspector Clouseau stuff on it. (laughter) For us, it’s every position. So we’ve bought in guys from basically every position except quarterback into the building. So for us, we’re always looking for good players that compete for roster spots because that’s how we get better is with competition.”
(For both of you, when you look at your roster, when you look at what’s in the tight end room right now, what do you see? How comfortable are you? And transferring that forward, what do you see in this tight end draft class? A lot of people have said it’s quite talented and deep. I wonder if you agree.) – “I’ll talk about our room and I’ll let Marvin talk about the draft class. With us, our room, we’re happy with it. Obviously, you know how we feel about Durham. We’ve talked about Durham for a long time. Letting Mike (Gesicki) leave was – he earned the right to be a free agent. Obviously I drafted him. We’ve talked in here before about how I feel about him. I’m very happy for him other than he went to New England. So I said, I’ve got to root against them twice a year. (laughter) But I’m very happy for him. But we’re excited for – Eric (Saubert) was a good addition for us. And Tanner (Conner) we feel has good upside. So yeah, we’re going to keep looking to add at that position, some competition, but we’re happy with the guys there and especially how Durham leads and what he provides for our team.”
Marvin Allen:
“And as far the draft class this year, as most of you guys know, this is probably one of the deeper tight end drafts than has been in the last several years. So we feel good about having an opportunity to grab a good football player, if he’s available when we’re picking. We’re going to look at every position, but there’s a strong chance that there are going to be a lot of tight ends selected early.”
Chris Grier:
(Obviously you’re not in the market for a quarterback in this draft. There are five that could potentially go in the first round. As an outside observer to this process, how do you see that draft class of quarterbacks?) – “They’re all very talented. I think with any quarterback, it’s the fit with the coach and coaching staff, and what you’re asking them to do offensively. I think there are some tough decisions for teams to make because they are talented and I think they can fit at a lot of places. We’ve talked to a few of them, just doing our research, just to say hello. We haven’t spent a ton of time (on that) but I like the kids. I’m excited for them and I think a couple of them will be some really good players in this league.”
(What does the addition of CB Jalen Ramsey say about where the organization stands relative to a window opening to pursue the biggest bowl – the Super Bowl? Are you all in?) – “I think where we are is we have a competitive roster that we feel we can win games with. It’s not done. Obviously with the draft here still and even post-draft, there will be signings. Again, opportunities to add good players to your roster, we’ll always do that and pursue it. And Steve Ross has given us a lot of flexibility to do that, which I don’t think he gets enough credit for allowing us to do that. But for us, I don’t really look at it as windows. It’s just opportunities to add good players and then keep building a roster that gives you a chance to compete.”
(I know with draft capital being what it is this year – it’s only four picks. But have you guys explored trying to move up?) – “I was waiting for someone to ask that one. (laughter) We’ve had a couple of teams in the bottom half of the first round reach out, saying they would be interested in coming down possibly if their guys aren’t there, and if we’d be interested in moving. So for us, again, any opportunities we can to get a player, we’ll look at it. So no serious conversations but we’ve had those and we’ll keep those options open.”
Marvin Allen:
(I know last year when the team traded for WR Tyreek Hill, Chris Grier said that you were able to kind of provide insight into the type of person and type of player that Hill is from you time in Kansas City. What did you see maybe not on the field but off the field that told you he was right for the culture?) – “Well, when he got here, just to see him take a leadership role. I saw the same competitive spirit I saw in Kansas City where he competed every day and we didn’t have a defensive back on the roster that could cover him. When he got here, I felt the same way. He could run by anybody. But just to see him take a role in the locker room, as a man, he matured and became a leader and was held accountable, it was really great to see.”
Chris Grier:
(You’ve generally been a best player available type of decision-maker when it comes to the draft. When you have a roster that, as you say, is more ready to compete, do you shift a little bit on the spectrum to focusing a little bit more on positions of need? Or do you still stick with that mentality?) – “It’s still a balance because at the end of the day, you always have to look long term. There’s guys here – just being realistic – on one-year deals. So you may have a position that you think is deep. Like last year we had, I think, four linebackers on one-year deals. We always look for the best player. Then there are some occasions where you do take a position of need but you try not to draft on need because again, I think that’s where you get in trouble.”
Marvin Allen:
(How would you describe the way you approach helping Chris Grier and serving the organization? Can you sort of take us behind the scenes in the structure and dynamics and how you guys work together?) – “Sure. Chris and I’s background are pretty much the same being college (scouting) guys. So I’m able to provide another set of eyes. I can go out and look at guys and present them to him and say ‘Hey, this is a guy we need to look at.’ Because I can pretty much tell where he’s going to go with some things. Then looking at our locker room and being a former player myself, I can kind of gauge some guys and kind of read some things in the locker room and I can be in places that Chris is not sometimes. And even during pro free agency, just to get another set of eyes on guys and bring things to the forefront.”
Chris Grier:
(We haven’t talked to you since the receiver additions. If you could talk about WR Braxton Berrios and also the appeal of adding WR Chosen Anderson?) – “Yeah, Braxton obviously has been a good returner in this league. We’ve known him obviously from the University of Miami here and met him at Miami Day a few years ago. We liked him and at that time, Adam Gase loved him. So just watching him over his career, he’s a professional and a great teammate. It’s been fun getting to know him again in the building here over the last couple of days. He’ll be our returner as well as playing some slot receiver, so we’re excited for the versatility and the things he can do. As far as Chosen, that had been going on for a couple of weeks. His agent reached out to us and him being a South Florida guy, he wanted to come play at home. So as we kind of worked through it and talked with his agent, we told him we wanted him to come in and spend some time with him and get to know him. So he and I talked one day for about an hour-and-a-half and he got Mike (McDaniel) for over an hour. He and Wes (Welker) talked a bunch over a couple of days. So once we went through it, both sides – I told him, ‘don’t rush through this decision just because it’s home. Talk to those other teams that are interested in you and make your decision on what’s best for you because we have two dynamic players that are the starters.’ And he understands that. So we told him what the role would be and he was excited and all in on it and was excited to come here. I’ve enjoyed getting to know him and talk to him, so I am excited to add him.”
(You have a ton of wide receivers now including two very, very good ones. WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. kind of got squeezed by the numbers game last year. Is that a concern again this year? Can you say with certainty that he’ll definitely be on the team in 2023?) – “I would say yeah, it’s a very talented room. Going back to Chosen (Anderson) to, we didn’t promise him anything. We said we’ve got some good young players here that are pushing for time and he understood that. Cedrick signed here to be the No. 2 (wide receiver) at the time and then we made the trade for Tyreek (Hill). But how he handled himself, he’s an incredible professional. Like volunteering to return kicks for us at the end of the year. He saved us and won us some games with some key returns that probably people don’t give him credit for. The expectation that he’s here? We’ve had teams call and ask about him. We’re not shopping him but teams have called. And especially when we just added Chosen, we’ve had a couple of teams reach out. He’s a really good guy and I’m trying to do right by him because of how he’s handled himself on and off the field.”
Marvin Allen:
(What do you guys feel about where the roster stands at running back, bringing back last year’s guys? And can you speak on the potential of potentially adding another?) – “I mean the running backs we have, obviously we like them. We brought them back and they’re coming in on one-year deals, so obviously we’re going to keep our (eyes) open to see what’s available in the upcoming draft and free agency. We’re looking at all opportunities to bring in good football players. Obviously running back is a key component in this offense. We’re going to look for the best players we can find.”
Chris Grier:
(We’ve seen a lot of creativity with trades made over the years. Do you have one more in you this month?) – “(laughter) We’ll see. I was going to say on the running back stuff – I couldn’t let this one go, Marvin. I’m sorry. (laughter) Who here played Tecmo Bowl back in the day? Did you ever play with the Patriots when Marvin was there? Our scouts found it and it’s hilarious. You give Marvin two carries and he’s running through fast. The third carry he’s tired and fumbles every time. Every time. (laughter)”
Marvin Allen:
“I was equal to Bo Jackson for two runs and that third one I was out in the pasture somewhere.”
Chris Grier:
“Tecmo Bowl did him wrong. Guys were dying.”
Marvin Allen:
“Half the team doesn’t know what Tecmo Bowl is now. (laughter)”
Xavien Howard – April 19, 2023
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Wednesday, April 19, 2023
CB Xavien Howard
(So what makes this offseason so different in terms of participating in the offseason program instead of training on your own?) – “Learning a new defensive scheme. I’ve got to come in and understand the defense’s new scheme. So I just have to get used to it.”
(As you noted, it is a different defensive scheme. What are you most looking forward to? Because it seems like over your career, we’re used to you being a man-to-man guy. Maybe now you’re going to have a little more zone looks. What are you looking forward to?) – “I’m just on the second day of OTAs and stuff like that, so we’re studying and trying to learn some new stuff. Even though it’s going to be different, I’m sure there’s going to be a couple man (coverages) in there. Especially with the guys we got outside. I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be a challenge this year for me to learn something different and play in a new scheme.”
(What are your impressions over the years of Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio from afar and then now?) – “His defense has always been top five, so he’s been doing a good job at that. I’m looking forward to having him on my side now and improve our defense.”
(Do you feel like your strengths could be playing a lot more zone?) – “Yeah. Getting my eyes on the quarterback is going to be something different. I’m not looking at the quarterback so now I’ll get my eyes on the quarterback and understand route concepts. I feel like it’ll help my game.”
(You can level with us now. The season has been over for three months. How much did your health impact your performance in 2022?) – “I’m healthy now. All I needed was some rest. With a groin injury, week in and week out, especially playing defensive back and playing a lot of man (coverage), it put me down a little bit. But I’m better now. I feel like I’m going to do better this year also. I’m just ready for it.”
(What do you think the cornerback position and CB Jalen Ramsey’s addition?) – “I love it. I feel like we’re definitely going to push each other and push everybody in the secondary, the whole defense, I’d say. They’re going to start with us. I love it. I’m looking forward to competing.”
(What’s the potential of the secondary? Can it be the best in the game?) – “I feel like the sky is the limit for the secondary. I don’t want to put nothing out there right now. We still have to play and we still have to do training camp and preseason. There’s a lot of stuff that we’ve got to get over.”
(What did you think of CB Kader Kohou’s rookie season?) – “Man, that guy got better each game. I’m looking forward to seeing him. This is his second year. I’m excited for him. I feel like he can do a lot of great things out there.”
(One of the things that you posted on social media is ‘People will think you fell off and the whole time you were …’ What was the thought behind that?) – “Just seeing people saying I’m washed, I’m getting older and stuff like that. Just a little bit of motivation. People are going to say this and say that. I’ve been proving the critics wrong my whole life so it’s nothing new.”
(Along those lines, how much of an extra motivating factor is it to have CB Jalen Ramsey on the other side as well? Do you want to be known as the best corner on this team?) – “Like I said, it’s motivation. We’re also going to compete against each other. We’re also going to make each other better. We’re also going to help the team a lot.”
(Can you explain your relationship with CB Jalen Ramsey? I think he mentioned that you guys met back in college.) – “Yeah, he came to my Pro Day in 2016.”
(What’s your friendship been like with him since then?) – “We’ve always been cool. We always respect each other and stuff like that. We had a relationship – he came to my Pro Day and we were just chopping it up before the draft and stuff like that. We always had a good little relationship.”
(What do you like the most about CB Jalen Ramsey’s game?) – “His physicality. What he does on the field. He can get interceptions but he can make big hits also.”
(I saw that you did a lot of hard training in the offseason. What were the areas of focus for your training?) – “I always do hard training every offseason. It wasn’t anything different. Like I said, I feel better now. With that little groin injury, I feel like I’m healthy now. That was something I was really working on was strengthening my groins and stuff like that.”
(You and CB Jalen Ramsey vs. WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle, who you got?) – “Us all day. The DBs, we’re going to get it right. Those guys, we definitely have to worry about their speed on that side too.”
(In the beginning of last year’s offseason workout program, we spoke to you and you said there was a different energy in the building obviously with Mike McDaniel coming in. How would you kind of assess the vibes? How would you describe this year?) – “I’m excited about it. It’s the same way, I’d say. But we brought more new pieces to the team and guys that I feel like can help us win.”
(Going back to the groin injury, when did it first start to bother you? Was it sort of an up and down thing or was it constantly a sense of annoyance for you?) – “It started Week 2. The other side happened in Week 3. We ended up playing a long game against Buffalo and then we had a quick turnaround against the Bengals. I tried to (grind) it out but it didn’t happen. I ended up getting out in the second half. It’s hard to play with groin (injuries), especially on both sides. Even though I try to push through and help my team, I feel like I wasn’t helping at all.”
(The draft is coming up next weekend. What memory sticks out to you the most? The team traded up to get you. What memory sticks out the most?) – “Getting that call from the Dolphins. When I came on my visit, I didn’t like my visit here. And on draft day, I think (Mike) Tannenbaum called me. And he was like, ‘I heard you didn’t like our visit.’ I was like, ‘No, I loved the visit.’ Then he said, ‘Welcome to the Miami Dolphins,’ and stuff like that. (laughter) That’s definitely what I remember. And just them trading up for me. I think it was the Bears they ended up switching with. It meant a lot that they trusted me and believed in me.”
(Why didn’t you like the visit?) – “It was Lou (Anarumo). (laughter) That’s my guy though. Lou is my guy. I feel like he was being mean to me as soon as I got here. (laughter) I had just come from a visit in Tampa, so I had like a two or three day visit and I was like ready to go home. And he was like ‘Fix your face.’ As soon as I got in the car, he said ‘Fix your face, you’re about to meet the defensive coordinator, Vance Joseph.’ (laughter) Ever since then, me and Lou have been locked in.”
(When we talk about last year, we mention your groin and maybe not being your best year and all of that. You still made the Pro Bowl, you were still voted for the Pro Bowl. What went through your mind? What does that say about the respect you have around the league?) – “I really didn’t like it. My expectations, I feel like it wasn’t Pro Bowl caliber. Even though I made it, I was like ok. But it made me even push harder. Like I don’t want to get in like that.”
(So you told Mike Tannenbaum that you loved your visit. But was there part of you thinking, ‘Miami? I don’t know how that’s going to work out.’) – “Nah, when I got that call, I was excited. I was happy. I thought I was going to go in the first round but ended up going second round. I just loved everything about it. It was Miami. It was something different. I didn’t really know much about it but then when I got here, I loved it. I’ve been here going on eight years. It worked out for me.”
(What are your thoughts on the organization? From the time you’ve been here, you’ve seen rebuilds and now it seems like every year, Chris Grier goes out and makes a huge splash to kind of go for it. What do you think about where the organization has come in the last few years?) – “Since 2016, there have been a lot of changes since I’ve been here. I feel like we finally got a team that I feel like we can go further. Doing all the things we’ve been doing around here, I feel like this is a team that can go farther.”
