Jerome Baker – April 27, 2018
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Friday, April 27, 2018
LB Jerome Baker
(Any idea that you were going to end up in Miami? What are your thoughts on landing here?) – “I’m truly blessed. I love the city … I’m happy to get to work.”
(Can you describe yourself as a player?) – “Versatile, tough, fast. I’m just a dynamic player. I’m the whole package, for sure.”
(Do you have any idea where you would be best suited in the Dolphins defense? Do you have a preference – weak side or strong side or anything?) – “It doesn’t matter. I’m a player that can play anywhere. I make plays, so it doesn’t really matter where you put me at. You’re going to feel my impact.”
(When you say you can make plays, give me an example. Are you talking passing game or run game or with your speed? How do you make plays?) – “First, it starts with my intelligence – my football IQ. I can dissect the plays before sometimes they even happen. We’ll start with that. I can play fast and I can also run fast. I can pretty much do it all. I can cover any tight end, any receiver. I can also run down any back.”
(Have you heard from LB Raekwon McMillan yet tonight?) – “No, not yet.”
(What are your thoughts on being reunited with LB Raekwon McMillan?) – “It feels good. It’s definitely going to feel good. I’m going to get down to Miami, get back on that field and get to work.”
(How did you and LB Raekwon McMillan work together back when you were playing in college?) – “He taught me a lot. He taught me how to carry myself to be a pro. He taught me to be a student of the game even more. I’m definitely excited to get back next to him on the same side. It’s definitely going to be fun.”
(You sound pretty confident in your abilities. Do you expect to come in here and start from scrimmage or start in the nickel package? How are you looking at your rookie season?) – “I expect to come in and make an impact. I don’t care what that is. I’m just going to make my impact. You’re definitely going to see a dynamic player on that field.”
(How much do you weigh right now and what is your ideal playing weight in the NFL?) – “I’m weighing about 232 right now. I’m going to play at 230. That’s what I’m going to play at, for sure.”
(How would you describe yourself in the locker room? Would you say that you are a leader type?) – “I’m a different type of leader. I don’t lead just vocally. I don’t lead just on the field. I lead all the way around, so I can definitely lead in all aspects.”
(Do you have any special teams experience?) – “Yes, I’ve played pretty much every special team there is, honestly.”
Chris Grier – April 27, 2018 (Round 2)
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Friday, April 27, 2018
GM Chris Grier
(following TE Mike Gesicki selection in Round 2)
(Opening Statement)
“We selected Mike Gesicki, tight end, Penn State. For us, addressing that position and adding some competition was important. We had him in on a 30-visit, got to know him and spend time with him. We enjoyed being around the kid. He is very football smart. (He) spent a lot of time with (Head) Coach (Adam Gase) and our offensive staff talking football and the one thing that came out was his passion for football. The one thing everybody talks about is him not being a great blocker; but there’s a lot of really good tight ends that are pass catchers that aren’t great blockers. It is about giving effort and stuff. This kid wants to be a better blocker. He talked about a lot of good things with us and the one thing we really loved was his skill set offensively. All of the things you guys have seen and talked about, being a red zone matchup … He’s just got a very unique skill set. He’s big, he’s long, he’s fast and high-points the ball well. For us, we’re very excited to have him here.”
(What attracted you the most to him? Was it the athleticism, the numbers that he put up or the film?) – “It was the film because you get in trouble if you fall in love with the athletic numbers at the combine, because guys will go away and train and they don’t play as fast or do things; but you see his play speed on film. You see the plays, the height, the vertical jump. You see that, him going up and high-pointing the ball. For us, finding that skill set like that was very important. I think in this league, it’s a matchup league; and with what tight ends can do, he’s got a unique skill set that not many guys in this league have.”
(When you go back through his history and you look at his progression at Penn State, what did you find about his work ethic? He dealt with a drops issue at one point. He kind of pushed through that. What can you tell us about that?) – “The kid, he’s very competitive. Like everyone’s talked about, he was a very good high school basketball player. This kid has a … He’s got a streak and he’s very competitive and wants to be good. When people tell him he can’t do anything, he wants to keep pushing and prove you wrong. That comes out when you talk to the kid and when you watch him at practice and watch his practice film when he does stuff. We’re very excited for his future.”
(He was the second tight end taken in the draft. You had your choice, obviously, of a bunch of guys. What set him apart from the rest of the class?) – “Again, his skill set. He was productive for Penn State the last two years, put up some good numbers and made some big plays for them in games. And as we got to know the kid, the football intelligence and being around him multiple times, he felt like our type of guy we wanted to be around.”
(You guys have a tendency of going after big school guys. Is that by design?) – “No; but I think that that’s an advantage for players like Mike (Gesicki) and Minkah (Fitzpatrick) that have come from (big) programs or are used to the big stage. They’ll come in here and they’re not going to be in awe of anything. There are a lot of very good players that are small school players that have done well in this league. It just happened that most of these players so far from us have been from major conferences or major schools.”
(Did you hold your breath again when Tennessee traded up, that it was the same thing that happened last night where somebody trades up to the pick right in front of you?) – “A little bit. (laughter) Yes, a little bit; but we had a couple of other players that we might have considered if he was gone. It worked out for us.”
(Since the game is so important to him and because he is so athletic, why hasn’t he become a better blocker?) – “When you’re 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds … Jimmy Graham was not a good blocker coming out. These tall guys … Name a good tight end with those types of build that are good blockers at the line of scrimmage? Most of the time it is leverage and stuff and taller guys at the point of attack have a hard time getting down. This guy can bend and do it, and it’s developing that strength and stuff; but a lot of these guys have a hard time and in the college game, a lot of these guys are flexed out in space. At times depending on the offense … No disrespect to the coaches there. That’s their scheme and they win, and the kid was a productive player doing that. I think with us, we’ll spend time and he said he wants to spend time working to improve his blocking because he wants to be the best all-around tight end in the game. Every kid says that coming out and we’ll see, but we’re very excited to have him.”
(What can it mean to Head Coach Adam Gase’s offensive scheme to have a target like this at tight end?) – “He and (Offensive Coordinator) Dowell (Loggains) and the offensive staff, and Tight Ends Coach Shane Day are thrilled with the red zone possibilities and he’s a hard matchup for people, being that big and athletic. (He can) move the chains on third down and then his speed will open up other stuff on the field for you. It is just a lot of possibilities. He’s had players in the past, as you guys know, that have had big seasons for him. He’s had a player – Julius (Thomas) – when he was young and coming out. It’s kind of the same thing, (he was a) basketball player. We’re very excited to have him.”
(It’s been said that TE Mike Gesicki was somewhat of an outspoken player back at Penn State. Is that one of the traits that attracted you to him?) – “Yes, I think you always want guys that have leadership ability and will speak out if he sees things going wrong. The one thing is, he’s a team guy. When you talk to (Head Coach James) Franklin and the staff and the other players there, they all love this kid. When you talk to other players on teams, you always ask them, ‘Who would you bring along with you?’ And every guy we talked to was like, ‘Hey, my man ‘Big Mike’ (Mike Gesicki).”
Mike Gesicki – April 27, 2018
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Friday, April 27, 2018
TE Mike Gesicki
(Were you surprised to be taken by the Dolphins or did you have any hint that they were very interested in you?) – “I visited with them last week, so … This is honestly one of the most exciting moments of my life. I’m so excited to play down in Miami, get to work and know that I’m exactly where I belong.”
(What makes you feel that you’re exactly where you belong?) – “The people in that program, the people in that organization – Coach (Shane) Day, the tight ends coach, (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase. Everybody involved, they made it seem like home when I was down a couple of weeks ago. I’m so excited to get down there.”
(You’re regarded as a very good athlete and I know that you played volleyball. Can you talk about your athletic background and what makes you such an athletic tight end?) – “My history of playing sports – whether it be football, basketball, volleyball, running track in middle school – it’s all given me an opportunity to be where I am today and helped me to be the athlete I am today and the player on the field that I am. I’m just excited to get to work in this offense, because I know that with the weapons they have, with the quarterback they have in Ryan Tannehill, it could be something very exciting in Miami.”
(What do you feel is an area that you need to continue to work on to improve?) – “I definitely need to continue to improve my run blocking and all that kind of stuff. Obviously, my best attributes are in the pass game and I need to continue to develop on the other side; but it is something that I’m so excited about. I have great coaching there and I’m really excited just to get to work and do what I know I can do.”
(You have an opportunity to come in and start right away with this organization. Is that exciting for you? How does it feel?) – “Obviously, there’s going to be talented tight ends in that room and people that I’m excited to learn from, older guys to lean on and all of that kind of stuff. I’m just excited to get in there and surround myself with talented players, mature players, with guys that have been in my shoes and just get to work. It’s an unbelievable opportunity and I’m so excited.”
(What is it about Head Coach Adam Gase that appeals to you so much?) – “Just meeting with him a couple of weeks ago and just talking with him, he’s a young coach in this league and an up-and-coming coach in this league. Obviously, he was in Denver with Peyton Manning and had success with the tight end (Julius) Thomas back then. I’m just excited to be able to learn from him and be coached up by him and get to work.”
(How does your athleticism help you out on the field, whether it is running routes, high-pointing the ball or in the red zone? What does your athleticism do for you?) – “I think my athleticism is who I am on the field. It allows me to stretch the defense, it allows me to get up the field quickly, it allows me to high-point the ball. Playing tight end, playing receiver, playing the slot, playing on the line, it doesn’t matter where. (I) just (want to) get to work.”
(Can you paint a picture of where you are right now, who you’re with and what this moment is like?) – “I’ve been waiting for this moment, honestly, my entire life. To be here with the people that mean the most to me, I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
(So the dream was always to be a tight end in the NFL?) – “The dream has always been to be a professional athlete. When I was growing up, I thought it was basketball. Then I got to high school and had the opportunity to really start playing football at a serious level and since then, (the goal has been) to get to where I am now; but this is only the beginning. This is honestly just another stepping stone moving forward.”
(I think that you and S Minkah Fitzpatrick are both New Jersey kids. Do you know each other at all? Do you ever cross paths?) – “Minkah is obviously a phenomenal talent and a guy that is going to be extremely successful for this organization and is also a Jersey guy, like myself. I’m excited to get down there with him. I was training at EXOS with him leading up to the combine. I’m just so excited.”
(You said you trained with S Minkah Fitzpatrick?) – “Yes, he was at EXOS in Pensacola, Florida.”
(What were your observations of S Minkah Fitzpatrick?) – “Obviously a great athlete, a great kid. He’s all business and is a great player.”
Minkah Fitzpatrick – April 26, 2018
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Thursday, April 26, 2018
Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick
(What has this experience been like for you in terms of being in the draft process and being selected by the Miami Dolphins?) – “It’s been a fun experience. It’s something that not a lot of people get to do, so I try to enjoy it as much as I can. I know Miami is a great team, a great program, a great state and a great city. It’s going to be an awesome opportunity down there. I’m going to go down there and work my hardest and just try and win championships down there.”
(When you adjusted your headset, I noticed that there are a couple of rings on your hands. Show us those and do you expect maybe…) – “I’ve got to fill the rest of them. I got to fill the rest of them. (laughter)”
(Yes, that’s what I was getting at. They give out rings for winning a Super Bowl.) – “Yes, sir. Yes, they do. Like I said, I’m trying to fill the rest of those fingers up.”
(Tell us about the suit. You look like you got dressed with South Beach in mind.) – “(laughter) I just tried to do something that wasn’t too bright, wasn’t too flashy; but also stood out a little bit. So I decided to go with this off-white color with black on black, and that’s really it.”
(Did you have an idea that Miami was interested, that this was a place you could end up and what is your reaction about being taken by the Dolphins?) – “I knew a lot of teams were interested and I had no clue honestly where I was going to be going. With every single team, I had as open (of a) mind, that I could or could not go, to that team. Like I said earlier, it’s a great program. I’m just happy to be selected by the Dolphins.”
(You played a lot of positions during your career at Alabama. Where do you feel is the best fit for you as a football player?) – “I just say wherever the team needs me. That’s what I did at Alabama. Week to week I was playing a different positon based off what the offense did and where I was needed at week to week. If the coaches at Miami think I can play multiple positions, then I’m going to play multiple positions and do whatever they need me to do.”
(Can you talk about how playing at Alabama prepares you for the NFL?) – “Honestly, Coach (Nick) Saban. He has coached underneath some great coaches like Bill Belichick, and he has been in football for over 40-plus years. He knows what the NFL is like. He knows how to get his players right on and off the field, whether it be discipline or … The scheme that we run is very complex and very similar to NFL schemes. It’s a combination of a bunch of whole different things and that’s it really.”
(What do you think helped you contribute at a high level as a freshman at Alabama and do you think it’ll translate into the NFL?) – “Yes, sir. I think it was my mental maturity. I kind of had to grow quick just because of some things I’ve been through at a young age and it kind of helped me realize what I was chasing after. I had a goal in mind and I wasn’t going to fall short of that goal. That was my mindset going in, and it is the same thing in the NFL. My dream wasn’t to just make it to the NFL, it’s to be a great player in the NFL. It’s just the beginning. Like I said, I’m going to take that same mindset I had at Alabama and apply it to the Miami Dolphins organization.”
(How would you describe that approach and that mentality and mindset that you try to take to practice as well as game day?) – “You’re only going to be as good as you are in practice. People can say to you, ‘I don’t go that hard in practice, but I play hard in the game.’ That’s not true, because if you do that, you’re hurting your team, you’re hurting yourself and at the end of the day, you aren’t going to win games and you aren’t going to play the way that you want to, or at least you’re not going to play as well as you want to. Every single day, just flying to the ball, racing each other to the ball, is going to get everybody better. Everybody is going to want to run as fast as you and beat you to the ball so when you do that and compete with each other every day in practice, it translates over to the game.”
(You mentioned playing a lot of positions, different positions in college. What allowed you to be able to contribute at multiple positions? What about your personality or your work ethic allowed you to do that?) – “I would say a couple of different things. One is my athleticism. I’m an athlete, so you can put me in multiple different spots and I could adjust to different techniques and stuff like that. After that, it’s my football IQ. Coach Saban taught me a lot at Alabama, a whole bunch of other coaches, (Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Backs) Coach (Mel) Tucker, (Defensive Backs) Coach (Derrick) Ansley, Coach ‘Shoe’ (Director of Player Development and Associate Director of Player Personnel Glenn Schumann). All of them taught me a whole lot while I was there – (Assistant Director of Player Personnel) Coach Aazaar (Abdul-Rahim). They all just taught me a whole lot. It kind of allowed me to move around, be a chess piece as you would say, or a Swiss army knife as you would say. That’s really it, those two things right there.”
(What was your interaction with the Dolphins like prior to getting the phone call tonight?) – “I only talked to them about two or three times. I didn’t have any visits with them. I didn’t do any workouts with them. I talked to them at the Combine and I talked to the DBs coach (Tony Oden) one or two times over the phone.”
(You referred earlier to some of the adversity you’ve been through. I know you had the situation with your family home after Hurricane Irene. How were you able to get through that and did it affect your preparation for football very much?) – “It was a tough time in my family’s life, but the only way we got through it was by sticking together as a unit, doing everything together, making decisions together and making sure everybody was alright. And then of course, at the foundation of all of that, was our faith. Our faith in Christ kept us all rooted in the right things, kept our minds and our hearts in the right place. So that was how we did that. It did affect my ability to play sometimes. At one time I told my family I was going to quit and just work and not go to (the) school I was going to because t was a private school, so my family had to pay. So, it did affect my mindset a little bit; but after a while it kind of reverted my mindset onto something else and it made me work harder rather than just giving up.”
(What, if anything, do you know about the Dolphins safeties – S Reshad Jones and S T.J. McDonald?) – “I don’t know too much, but I know just watching some of their games throughout the season that they’re both real good safeties. They do what they’re supposed to do and they get the job done.”
(Do you know anybody on this roster aside from perhaps RB Kenyan Drake?) – “’Mo’ (Maurice) Smith. He was at Alabama and then transferred to Georgia. He’s a DB as well.”
(What do you think is the key to creating turnovers?) – “The key to creating turnovers is simply just doing your job and being in the right place. If you’re a DB and you try to get picks, you’re going to be out of position and you’re going to be looking at the wrong things; but simply when you’re just doing your job and being in the right place, they just come.”
(You had six interceptions in 2016 and one last year. Were you concerned that might somehow affect how teams would look at you in anyway?) – “No, sir. I wouldn’t say that. I think it was because I was moving around so much. It allowed teams to kind of not target me as much. I think I was targeted about 20 less times in 2016 than I was in 2017, so there was really nothing I could do about it. I just tried to do my job as much as I could and I think teams realized that.”
(So you would like to be targeted, correct?) – “Yes. I think any DB wants people to throw at them; but at the same time, it’s a compliment and an honor if teams don’t throw at you.”
(What was your favorite team and player growing up?) – “NFL team?”
(Yes.) – “My favorite NFL team was Philly. I was a Philadelphia fan. One of my favorite players was either … I love Brian Dawkins and I love Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook. All three of those guys were guys that I watched all growing up. They’re awesome players and awesome men on and off the field. I just love watching them play.”
(I’m curious, what kind of name is Minkah? Where did that come from?) – “I’m named after my father. His name is Minkah. He’s also named after his father; but my grandfather’s name is Justice. He already had named one of his sons Justice. He wanted to name another one after him but not with the same name, so he chose Minkah. It means justice and equality in either … I think its Arabic or Swahili – some form of that. So I’m named after my grandfather, but not exactly the same exact name.”
(You know that Nick Saban was the head coach of the Dolphins for a little while. Any chance that you talked to him about what it’s like down here?) – “I didn’t get a chance to talk to him. We just had a quick handshake and I gave him a hug after I got the phone call, and that was really it. I’m sure I’ll talk to him a little bit once I get done with all of the media.”
(The Dolphins have sort of needed someone who can help cover tight ends for a minute. Do you think you can do that pretty good?) – “Yes. I did that a lot in college, whether it was at the money position or the safety position. I would come down in the box and cover those bigger tight ends, and even when they moved outside I would go out there and cover them just because I’m a physical guy. I’m physical with those guys and I know they can’t run by me, so Coach (Nick) Saban trusts me to do that job.”
(What was it like playing for Coach Nick Saban?) – “It was awesome – an awesome experience. I became so much better of a player in the past three years just by sitting underneath him, watching everything that he does and move the way that he moves. I really appreciate everything that he’s done and how hard he was on me because it made me into a great man. It also made me into a great player.”
(He obviously thought very highly of you and it is one of the reasons you’re probably here, because Head Coach Adam Gase is a disciple of Nick Saban. Is it kind of rewarding that the hard work you put in college is now kind of manifesting now in the pros?) – “Yes, sir. It’s awesome just being able to see my family here enjoying this moment with me and just being able to call myself a professional athlete.”
(You mentioned how hard Coach Nick Saban was on you. Can you point to one particular time that he was hard on you that maybe helped you get to where you are today?) – “I remember one of the first weeks I got there, he was just on me; like on me bad, on me hard. At first, I wasn’t frustrated because I was used to getting yelled at but he was, even when I was making good plays, he was just finding something to tweak and finding something to fix. It was kind of getting under my skin a little bit because I’m like ‘I’m making good plays, why is he still yelling at me?’ He would see me getting frustrated one day and he just told me why he was that way and why he was hard on me specifically, and some of my other teammates. He just told me it was because he realized how great I could be and he’s not going to let me get away with slacking or not doing the right thing, whether it’s the smallest of little things. He wasn’t going to let me get away with it.”
(What similarities do you see between Nick Saban and Adam Gase?) – “Both of them are really great coaches. Both of them are very thorough in their approach to the game. They’re both great coaches. They both have good ‘reps’ (reputations) behind them. I’m happy I played for Coach Saban and I’m excited to play for Coach Gase.”
Chris Grier – April 26, 2018
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Thursday, April 26, 2018
General Manager Chris Grier
(On S Minkah Fitzpatrick) – “For us, he was a player that was a targeted player. He’s a unique kid when you meet him. (He’s) unbelievably smart (and) loves football. Obviously he’s one of Nick Saban’s favorite players. This guy played right … He came off at 18 right as a freshman and was an impact player for them. He’s been a very good football player for three years. (He has) impeccable character. There was a story … You guys have all seen his story. At the end of the day, this guy is a football player. He creates turnovers. He’s had a bunch of touchdown returns as well on those. This was a player we just felt, at that point, that we could not pass up.”
(What’s your vision for S Minkah Fitzpatrick in this defense?) – “He’s going to be a safety.”
(How do you see the free safety situation that you have?) – “That will play out here in the spring and summer. I think for him, it’s a great mix now. He has a little different skill set than the other two guys. From there, they’re going to battle it out this spring. It’s all about competition and we’ll see how it plays out.”
(It looked like after the fifth pick that you might get one or two quarterbacks falling all the way to you, or you had that option at least. Were you hopeful or expecting that some teams were going to swoop in and get them?) – “Really, the way it all played out, we didn’t think any of the quarterbacks would make it to us. For us, we talked to a couple of teams about maybe moving up or down but nothing real serious. For us, at the end of the day, if one of those guys was there, we would have talked about it; but we just didn’t think anybody would be there.”
(How does S Minkah Fitzpatrick’s skill set possibly lessen the importance of adding a premium third linebacker?) – “For us, at the end of the day, his skill set and the things he does … You’ve covered him a lot. We still need to add a linebacker. We made the trade for Stephone Anthony. Stephone is going to compete for a spot there, as well. We’ll still keep looking to add to the roster and we’ll keep adding players post-draft. I think Philadelphia last year led the league in adding players after the draft as pro free agents, and it worked out well for them.”
(CB Minkah Fitzpatrick’s ability to also defend the slot, how does that benefit you?) – “He’s like a Swiss army knife. He does a lot of things really good. You’ve heard everybody talk, it’s his skill set. He gives your defense a chance to be flexible and do a lot of different things. It’s his football intelligence, his love for football and he’s been a productive player from the minute he stepped on campus at arguably one of the best programs in college football.”
(Any thought to moving S T.J. McDonald to linebacker?) – “I think you’ve asked (Defensive Coordinator) Matt (Burke) about it, but that’s for the coaches to decide here once they get going through the spring. They’ll let Minkah (Fitzpatrick) come in and get settled in and start working with the guys and see how it all fits.”
(So of all the things CB Minkah Fitzpatrick has done at Alabama, I’m not sure that he did too much coverage of the tight ends. In fact, I haven’t seen that.) – “No. He did a lot of covering receivers.”
(Right. Exactly. So do you think the tight end thing is a thing that CB Minkah Fitzpatrick can do or that’s not going to be…) – “Personally, me? I think it’s easier to cover tight ends than it is receivers. The athletes … A lot of receivers … There’s very few tight ends … Obviously with (Rob) Gronkowski, there’s different kind of matchups, (and Travis) Kelce; but the one thing he gives you, he’s a 6-foot, 205-pound guy that runs 4.45 (40-time) and can run and cover, and he’s been a good cover guy. It’s a unique skill set at that position and his history of producing turnovers is very good.”
(Are you guys done for the night? Are you guys going to try to get back into the first round?) – “If there’s an opportunity to move in, we will. I wouldn’t say … There’s still some teams that want to move out. We’ve had a lot of calls about teams wanting to move out, so we’ll investigate every call that comes.”
(You mentioned at quarterback, you didn’t expect guys to drop there. At any point, did you have conversations about moving up a bit once a couple of them maybe started to drop?) – “We had a couple of calls with teams but it didn’t get very serious. Moving up, they wanted a lot, obviously. (laughter) And they know what you’re coming for. For us, at those spots and the opportunities, we just didn’t really take it very far. Again, Ryan (Tannehill) is our guy. We believe in Ryan. He’s going to be our starter.”
Mike Tannenbaum and Chris Grier – April 18, 2018
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Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Executive Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum and General Manager Chris Grier
Chris Grier:
(I’ve got a draft and develop question for you. By my count, over the last three years, you guys have drafted 22 players and 18 are still on the roster. Eight or nine of them could be starters, which is almost half of your starters. How do you think you’ve done as far as draft and develop over the last three years?) – “It’s always an interesting question. I would say we feel good about the players we’ve added to the roster. Obviously the first year here with Mike, Adam (Gase) and I together, we had a great run and we went to the playoffs. It was a good season for us. Last year was a disappointment. Again, we are what we are. Mike and I have been … That’s a saying from one of our mentors. So for us, we’re very happy with the guys (but) they all need to get better. We need to get better. (A) 6-10 (record) is not where we want to be. I think at the end of the day, you’re judged on the results. We’re happy (because) we have some good players; but we just need to get back to where we were two years ago.”
(Can you explain to us a little bit of the process of actually making the pick? When you guys are getting maybe five spots away from wherever you’re picking, what kind of conversations are you having? Specifically, it would be good to know what Head Coach Adam Gase’s role is in it.) – “For us, this past week, all of this week and a little bit of Monday and Tuesday of next week, the three of us (Chris, Adam and Mike) will have talked through every scenario possible, just about. Obviously we don’t know what’s going to happen being at No. 11, but we’ve talked through trade possibilities, who might be there and who may not be there. For us, the big thing is just the communication, talking and working what we think is best for the Dolphins. Adam plays a big role. He coaches the team. Mike and I, we have to get players that he wants and that he feels fits best for what he wants to do offensively and defensively. So we work with the coaching staff as well and our scouts have done a great job, led by (Director of College Scouting) Adam Engroff on the college side. (Director of Pro Personnel) Anthony Hunt has done a great job for us on the pro side as well, through the free agency process. For us, when the pick is coming up at five, we’ll start getting together and looking at the board and see who is there. Most of the decisions have been made by next week before, like I said, on Monday or Tuesday, we’ll kind of know. We’ll have an idea but there’s always a wrench that gets thrown in from someone on draft day.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“Just to add to that, listening to Bill Polian last night, who did as good of a job as anybody for years, he talked about when he was drafting in the 20s, it wasn’t until they were at 15 that they really had a sense of ‘It’s going to come down to these two or three guys.’ Seeing where we are at 11, it’s the same for us. We could sit here and run through all of these different scenarios with Adam, but until you’re just a couple of picks away, we’re really not sure how it’s going to unfold.”
Chris Grier:
(So when you actually get to that spot, do you have it narrowed down to like maybe three guys or five? How many guys is it and who is making the final call on which one of those players it will be?) – “We go through it. I don’t think it’s … Everyone always wants to know who is making the final call. For us, the three of us work great together. We’ll have discussions before and like last year for instance, we had two guys targeted at our pick and we ended up with Charles (Harris), and Charles was the higher one. We felt good about it. We were going to make the pick and we got two calls from teams below us that did very well last year (and they were) calling to trade up for the pick. In the end, they told us it was for Charles. For us, he was the guy we were going to take; so we were happy to get him. At the end of the day, when it gets there, you’ll always have two or three guys you like and you make that decision on which one fits best.”
(What are some of the things that would cause a player to be completely off your board or significantly moved down?) – “There may be character issues or certain things that … (Director of Team Security) Drew Brooks does a great job of investigating all of the background on players. There are some things … We take each player individually. You never want to say you’ll never take a player that’s done this; but once you spend time and get to know the players, you kind of get a feel for ‘Maybe this guy is not for us and we wish him best,’ and go on. It’s a process. We don’t just jump to any conclusion right away. We go through (the process). For us, at the end of the day, we want guys who we feel comfortable would represent the Dolphins well on and off the field.”
(You mentioned the fifth pick kind of being the zone where you start to get an idea of how the draft is going to unfold. There’s been a lot of debate about some teams moving up into that top five or top six to get a player they’ve targeted. Not saying who you might target if that’s the case, but if there’s a guy at five or six that really is on your radar that you love, do you have enough capital to go get into the top six if you decide to do that?) – “I think there is. You can always make a deal to move up. It’s just always dependent on how much you want to give up. (laughter) At the end of the day, you’ve seen some deals where some teams … We may think they gave up a lot to get up there but then there’s other times where you think they didn’t get enough. If teams want to move up or down, depending on what they want to do … We’ve had a situation here in the past when we made a trade in the first round where we really didn’t give up a ton for a player. At the end of the day, you can move up or down I think fairly easily; but you also still need someone to want that player or want to move out of that spot.”
(You’ve talked about best player available and that’s what you want to do. You want to get the best player available; but you have needs. You don’t have a starting tight end. You don’t have a starting outside linebacker. How do you balance the best play available to fit also needs?) – “Well, when you build your board, you’re always building it for the Miami Dolphins, for your team. So as you’re doing it, you start evaluating each position and you’ll start ranking the players how you think they’re valued in terms of on and off the field. We do our psychological testing if some guys come in for visits. We spend a lot of time with the players to get to know them. So once that process is done, the film obviously takes precedence. That’s going to tell you really what he is. You build all of the other stuff. When you build your rosters, when we say best player available, you’re still looking at your roster because we’re building it for the Dolphins. We’re not just saying ‘Hey, the NFL says this guy is the best player so we’re going to put him up at No. 1.’ There may be … I’m not just saying us but you may have a team that has four quarterbacks and they feel good about their starter and the backup. The quarterbacks here in this draft are good players but they may not have them ranked that high in the draft because they’re building their board for their team needs.”
(So the need is built into the best player) – “Yes, because you’re always building for your roster.”
(How do you perceive the depth and variety of talent at these two positions – linebacker and tight end – this year’s draft class overall?) – “I think it’s balanced. I think there is depth at both of those positions. Every draft you have guys that you like at the top; but I think you can find value and the draft’s always shown there is value through that. I think the tight end group is a deep group this year, and there’s some good linebackers, especially mid-to-late rounds, as well.”
(It seems like Head Coach Adam Gase has been doing a lot of work relating to reviewing last year and planning ahead for next year with scheme and things like that. How much do you bring him in on a lot of the months leading up to the draft, as far as do you give him film on a guy to watch to get his input? How do you involve him in that?) – “You probably know how Adam is. (laughter) During the season, he’s just focused all on our team and getting better and free agency. He likes to work in stages. Once we get through … He’ll start coming in our February meetings. He’ll come in a little bit and sit in for a little bit. From that point on, he’ll ask Mike and I for a list of players. He’ll say ‘Hey, give me five players at this position,’ and he’ll work through it that way. Even now, he’s upstairs watching college players right now, still. He’s in it heavy; but he doesn’t really start dialing in on it until probably mid-February.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“And really, the process starts going back to the end of the season, where we evaluate our own and figure out who we can keep and also what our needs are. Then we start hitting it in free agency. Obviously the draft is the next opportunity, but that’ll go on through the summer and into the early fall.”
Chris Grier:
(Are the Miami Dolphins comfortable with where you are at quarterback or do you need to come out of this draft with another quarterback?) – “Well, Ryan Tannehill is our quarterback. We feel good about Ryan and we’re excited to have him back. For us, and you’ve heard this before, (it’s about) competition. We’d love to draft (someone) at every position, it doesn’t matter who it is. So for us, if we can come out and find one, then yes; but we’re not going to reach or overextend for something. We’ll make the decisions but we’ll also always keep looking to evaluate the roster. Post-draft, we’ll keep looking. That’s at every position.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“And I think those two guys give us flexibility. Adam (Gase) has coached both (David) Fales and (Brock) Osweiler before, so his comfort with that was one of the reasons they’re here. It’s good to have depth at any position going into the draft, especially quarterback. We’ll see how things go.”
(Can you give us some insight into what goes on over the last week until the draft? Is your phone ringing off the hook? Is there silence a lot of the time? Are you readjusting things? Just give us a little insight as to what this last week is like?) – “I think we kind of divide the teams up a little bit and we try to get a sense of what’s going to try to happen the best we can, and touch base with as many teams as possible. Like we said earlier, until we’re three or four picks away, you really don’t know what’s going to happen. I think the reason for that is because there are other trades that we can’t project. If we think a team four spots ahead of us has a certain need, but a different team trades up with a different need, that’s going to affect where we’re going to go. As Chris mentioned, I think at this point it’s just crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s, and that goes for security, medical, all of the different areas that touch the draft process. Then, just let it unfold and we’ll be surprised just like everyone else will be in this room. All we can worry about is our preparation and we’ll be ready to go.”
(I’m sure you guys have done extensive research on every possibility with the 10 teams in front of you. How do you feel about the 11th slot, on all of those different possibilities you’ve worked out, getting a guy that you really want?) – “I was joking with Chris about this that if you have the 11th pick, there are eight guys you love. If you have the eighth pick, there are five (guys you love). That’s just one of the axioms. Maybe we wind up trading back. You never know. I think we feel really good about our preparation. We’ll see how it unfolds when we get to 11.”
(What was your reaction to the Jets/Colts swap, as far as the price that it took to move up three spots? Does that set the market higher than you expected?) – “We track it. Our guys do a great job. (Senior Director of Football Administration) Brandon Shore and (Director of Analytics) Dennis Lock, they do a really good job of tracking and value. Obviously, three (second-round picks) for three spots, it looks like one team is targeting something. That doesn’t necessarily affect the rest of the trades. Sometimes trades before the draft have one set of criteria whereas once you’re in the heat of the moment, things … I think my view with that is the trade chart is a great guideline, but at the end of the day, if two teams want to get something done, they’re going to get something done.”
Chris Grier:
(I think we talked to you guys some about the quarterbacks in January. Now, three months later when you’ve done all the homework on these guys, is there any one or two traits that stand out from this class? And you as a franchise, what’s the most important thing? Is it accuracy, arm strength, durability, leadership? What do you judge a quarterback on? What is the one thing you want?) – “I think the biggest thing with getting to know all of these guys is that they’re all very smart kids. They all have personality and they’ve all been successful. I think they all have a chance to be good players in the league. We’ve been fortunate to spend a lot of time with each of them. We like them. In terms of the quarterback … Everyone is looking for the same thing. The leadership, the intelligence, the ability to process information, accuracy, is the guy a winner, is he durable. All of those things, everyone is looking for the same traits in those quarterbacks.
Mike Tannenbaum:
“I think the other thing I would add too is with this class, not just the quarterbacks; but the poise a lot of these first-round players and some of these top players have, they are very polished. You can tell that they are used to the spotlight. I think that’s just the popularity of our sport, be it college football and the way it’s covered now and the number of premium games, because they’re coming in and you look at them like, ‘Wow, these are pros, the way they handle themselves, how they talk, communicate, how they dress.’ You can see for some, their transition will be very easy and they are very polished.”
Chris Grier:
(Would you be surprised if there are six quarterbacks that go in the first round, because there seems to be not a likelihood but a possibility?) – “Nothing surprises (me) with the draft. Not just the quarterback position, but every year there’s always one where everyone is shocked.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(A lot has been said about improving leadership, culture and so forth on the team and on the roster, this year and going forward. You’ve had to import a lot of those guys in free agency. Shouldn’t you get to the point where you draft those guys and they’re yours instead of having to bring them from somewhere, like a RB Frank Gore or WR Danny Amendola, or G Josh Sitton from somewhere else?) – “I think those guys are also good players. I think it’s hard to lead unless they can produce. I think we’re happy with the players we’ve added and we want to keep adding players. I think there’s a lot of good, young players here that have leadership that maybe hasn’t been covered; but someone like Bobby McCain. And there’s a lot of different ways to lead. Leadership to me isn’t just about giving a team speech. It’s about how you conduct yourself, how you get better, how you hydrate, how you study, do you grab a teammate with you. Maybe those aren’t household or noteworthy names, but I think there are a number of young guys, as Chris alluded to, and we feel good about the process we’ve had over the last couple of years. Maybe it’s not to the forefront yet, but we think there are a lot of young players here that do have leadership attributes.”
Chris Grier:
(So going forward, it’s not that big of a deal?) – “No, I mean you always want to add good people in your locker room. I think with us, what do we have, 35 players under 26 or something on the roster? Danny (Amendola) is a good player. Josh Sitton is a good player. They’ve been in Super Bowls and just to have those guys around such young guys as they’re coming into their own in the league, I think it’s a great benefit. For us, the players we’ve drafted, I think you’ve been around some of them. There’s a lot of them – Davon Godchaux, all these guys – Raekwon (McMillan), you guys haven’t been around him a lot, but if you ask a lot of players, they talk about how mature and what type of leader he is. I’m just throwing those guys out, but all of these guys are all biting at the bit to take over and be leaders on this team, so we’re excited about it.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(In your first three rounds, would you say that you need two starters? Could you take a starter, a major contributor and a guy to develop? How would you break down your first three rounds?) – “I think you always have to stay away a little bit from the starter label because guys could play a lot and not necessarily start, especially on defense depending on which packages we use; but certainly, our hope and expectation is some of these players are going to come in and contribute right away and Coach Gase will obviously determine their playing time. Especially early in the draft, as Chris alluded to, having Adam as part of the process as intimately as he is, you want to have a vision so early on these guys can contribute and hopefully like in previous years, the first few picks will play a significant amount come the fall.”
(You have a reputation as one of the more active traders in the NFL, even going back to your days with the Jets. What goes into your mind and the thought process, especially on draft day, when you’re proposing or fielding those trade calls?) – “I think for us it’s just, again, being prepared and looking for opportunities like the (Daniel) Kilgore trade. That just kind of popped up and we felt like that was a good opportunity for us. Like I said, Chris and I will work the phones quite a bit between now and next Thursday to get a sense. It’s rare to sit there at 11 and you’re on the clock and then the first conversation of a trade happens, (like) if someone else wants to come up for the 11th (pick). You have multiple conversations. I think, again, you just try and be prepared and look for opportunities. Likewise, if you’re trying to move up, you’re working the phones several spots ahead and saying, ‘Alright, what’s reasonable for us?’ I think a lot of work goes into it and then we’ve got to make the best decision once those opportunities present themselves.”
(Do you make those calls before Thursday?) – “Sure.”
(Or do you make those calls on Thursday? Do you wait for the calls to come to you?) – “I think it happens both ways.”
Chris Grier:
“It’s kind of fluid how it works. Mike will talk to a ton of people and I’ll talk to a few. We’ll talk all the way up until draft day, and then sometimes after the third or fourth pick, someone will start calling us.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“But to answer your question, those conversations won’t happen … They will start before Thursday. Sometimes it could be a team saying, ‘We can come up for two players.’ And then we try to keep that alive and likewise we’re sitting in the second round, and we call a team 10 spots ahead. ‘We want to come up. If one or two guys are there, we’ll come up and we’ll give you a third. Is that good enough?’ A lot of that has to happen before you actually get to that part in the draft. I think that’s the part that maybe is a little misunderstood, is for every 10 calls you make, you may get one trade done; but very rarely does a trade actually start while you’re on the clock.”
(Going back to the quarterbacks in this draft class, what did you think of their readiness and their ability to play right away, some of these quarterbacks in this class?) – “I think it’ll be, for whatever team that chooses these players, what you ask them to do. There’s always going to be a developmental phase. The college game does things different than the NFL; but I think the one thing that’s impressive about the five or six guys you’re talking about is they’re all very smart, and they’ve played for coaches that have systems that some people may say are simple, but they’re asked to do a lot of stuff. So, I think for us, the good thing here is the guy is going to come in and Ryan Tannehill is the starter. So you’re going to sit and learn behind Ryan and compete with Ryan; but at the end of the day, Ryan is our starter, and he’s going to get a chance to learn.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On free agent RB C.J. Anderson, you guys were obviously in it two years ago I guess. Now you have RB Frank Gore in. Does that preclude going back to C.J.? Is that a possibility?) – “We’ll certainly see what happens once we get after the draft with any free agents, and we’ll see where we are. We’ve got to get through the draft here first. That’s the next opportunity and then we’ll look at other things once we get through that.”
Frank Gore – April 17, 2018
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Tuesday, April 17, 2018
RB Frank Gore
(Talk about how happy you are to be here finally.) – “When you get the opportunity … I played at (the University of) Miami, grew up in Miami and I was away for 13 years. Now that I get the opportunity to play back here, it’s very big. For one, my kids get to see me every day. I get to see my oldest son’s high school (football) games. This will probably be my first time really getting to see him play since I’ve been in the NFL, so that’s a plus. Just to be back playing in front of my fans where I grew up is very big and I’m happy for it.”
(What kind of role did Head Coach Adam Gase discuss with you that you have coming in here?) – “They want me to come out there and be me. They want me to come out there and be the football player I’ve always been. I’ve known Adam since 2007 or 2008. He knows I love the game and how much passion I have for the game. Like I told him before I signed, if I felt like I couldn’t play, I won’t play. I know I still can play and I’m going to try to do whatever it takes to help this team win.”
(Being a Miami guy, was it ever or always in the back of your mind that someday you might be wearing Dolphins colors?) – “When I came out, when I had to do the workout for the team, I thought they were going to take me in the second or third round. When they took Ronnie (Brown), I said that was out the door. They worked the hell out of me, so I said I might have a chance to get drafted here; but it didn’t happen. It’s all good. I feel like I’ve had a pretty good career so far. I’m still playing and I’m blessed, and I’m happy I’m here.”
(Will it really hit you when you get in a game?) – “Yes. I think once we get into training camp and I’m here every day and competing with my teammates and probably the preseason, once that comes around, it will probably hit me then.”
(Can you talk about your longevity and how you’ve been able to be so productive in your career and that it’s a point of pride for you?) – “First of all, I’d have to say it has to be the man up above. Without him, I don’t think I could do it at all. The way I train in the offseason and I think the way I love the game – you have to love the game to keep playing this long – I think that’s what it is.”
(What’s your oldest son’s name and where does he go to high school?) – “He went to Coral Gables last year and now he’s going to Killian. He’s junior – Frank Gore Jr.”
(What does he play?) – “Running back. Slot.”
(How much longer do you think you want to play or can play?) – “I don’t know. I just take it one day at a time, one year at a time. If I feel like I can play and I’m still enjoying it and they still want me and I feel like I can at a high level, then I’ll play. If I feel like my body can’t take it and I feel like I’m not playing at a high level and I can’t be myself, I’ll walk away.”
(In regards to the rushing record, you’re 75 yards from being No. 4 all-time. How much does being on that list, how important is it to you?) – “I would say that I don’t think about it; but when people ask me, it’s a blessing. Thinking about where I came from, coming out of college with two ACL (injuries) and all of the doubters saying that I won’t be able to play two or three years, and getting picked in the third round was a reach. I’m still going. I will say it’s a blessing.”
(What keeps you going outside of the love of football?) – “I’ve been doing this my whole life. In Miami, football is big for us. That’s one way out of our community that we feel we can get out of our neighborhood. I’ve been blessed to do it. I feel like I’m still playing at a high level and I’m still having fun, so why not do it?”
(When you were released, did you consider other teams or did you focus in on you wanting to be here?) – “I didn’t get released. My contract was up. Before I got out of the NFL, I always wanted to play here. It’s a business; but also, when I got the opportunity to play in the Super Bowl and we were successful in San Francisco, I always wanted the opportunity to get back and chase that trophy. Hopefully as a team here, we get it together and play for each other and try to change that to get back to the playoffs here. When I got here, the locker room has been pretty cool. (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase is a good coach and a good dude. We’ve just got to keep taking it one day at a time and believe in our locker room and coaches, and see where we can take it.”
(A lot of what has been done with the roster makeover this year has been about bringing in leaders, bringing in guys that are going to be at the head of the roster and showing guys what to do. Do you embrace that? Do you see yourself as one of those men?) – “I’m not a talker; but I will show in practice the way that I work and the way I love the game and the reason I’m still playing at a high level. So when training camp comes, all of my guys in my running back room will see how much and how hard I go every day. Once I start making plays here and playing good ball, then I’ll feel like I have the right to talk in the locker room. Right now, I’m a new face. I have to prove myself to the coaching staff and also my teammates. Right now I’m just standing in the back, doing what I have to do every day, working hard and getting ready for training camp and for the season.”
(What are some observations that you’ve picked up over the years about what separates the teams that win and the teams that lose?) – “I would say … In San Francisco, we were like brothers. The offense, defense we stuck together – on the field and off the field. After the game we met up at each other’s houses and hung out. In San Francisco, I didn’t want to let Justin Smith down, so I played every play like it was my last. I didn’t want to Patrick Willis down. In San Francisco, I’d say the reason was because when we all got drafted, it took us five or six years to be a top-dog team. We grew that bond. Once we got a chance to taste how to win, we never wanted to go back, so every day we competed. I remember me and Patrick – he’s a Pro Bowler and I’m a Pro Bowler – but we used to be about to fight because I didn’t want to lose against him and he didn’t want to lose against me. Basically it was the same thing of how we were at the University of Miami. I think once you get that and want to compete and you get the opportunity to start winning, you never want to go back.”
(No one goes into the league saying I’m going to be a Top 5 rusher of all time. Has real life exceeded your dreams?) – “I’d say I’ve been blessed; but I don’t think about it. I was talking to my cousin and he’s older than me and he was calling out all of the running backs who he used to look up to when he was a kid in the streets. He’s like ‘You’re my little cousin and you’re at No. 4.’ I told him I don’t think about it because I guess I’m still playing. I think when I’m done and I look back, it’ll probably hit me then. I’ve been blessed and I’m happy. I’m going to show this organization that they picked the right guy by bringing me in this year.”
(Do you think about that bust in Canton one day?) – “No, I don’t. When the time comes and it happens, it happens. I don’t (think about it).”
(Playing in Miami now for the hometown team, how much pride is there to do something in your hometown because you’ve been away for so long?) – “It’s big. Like I said, some guys go to different teams and feel like when they get older, they just want to ride the coattails of other guys. I don’t want to do that. I respect every man on this team. I’m here to still play and help the young guys; but I want to show my fans in Miami that I can still be a top guy in this league.”
(Have you met RB Kenyan Drake yet? What are you impressions of him and how do you see the two of you working together in the backfield?) – “Yes, I met him. I think he’s a great young man. He’s got a lot of tools. I remember when they played Denver the week before they played us, I was watching tape. He kind of caught my eye. He’s got a lot of talent. I think me and him in the backfield, I think it can help this team with a different style, and it should be good.”
(A lot of players have certain diets, certain exercises. I’m wondering why you’ve been able to last so long at such a physical position and be effective.) – “I’m smart. (laughter) I love it and I’ve been blessed. The way I train in the offseason – training with Lamarr Miller, training with Gio (Bernard) – training with a lot of these young guys just to keep myself honest and if I can still hang with those guys. I feel like if I can’t, I don’t need to be here.”
Danny Amendola – April 17, 2018
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Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Wide Receiver Danny Amendola
(Why Miami? What else was out there for you and why did you decide here?) – “It’s a great place to play football. I’ve played against these guys for a long time in our division and we’ve got a strong division. It’s a great place to play. I love what (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase does. I’m excited to be a part of this group.”
(What are your impressions of Head Coach Adam Gase?) – “He’s a great coach. Obviously he’s been in the league for a long time and been doing a lot of great things. Just being here for a couple days, I can tell these guys really respond to him and they play hard for him.”
(We asked CB Bobby McCain – with a smile – on Friday how it was, the first meeting between you guys and he said everything was cool. From your standpoint, how was that first meeting with Bobby?) – “We’re brothers now. We play on the same team, so we’re going to fight together and I can’t wait to get out there and start working with him and start pushing each other and start getting better.”
(What do you feel like are some of the keys to being a good leader and a good teammate?) – “Just expressing your knowledge for the game, what you’ve been through and what you’ve learned along the way. We’ve got some young guys, got some old guys and the leaders are going to step up. Whatever I can do to help this team win is what I’m going to do.”
(How much time have you been able to spend with QB Ryan Tannehill since you got down here?) – “A few days. We’ve thrown the ball around a couple times. We’re always talking, always picking each other’s brain here in the short time that I’ve been here. He seems to be a great guy, a great player. I watched him play when he was in college when he played receiver, when he played quarterback. I know what kind of athlete he is and I’m excited to be a part of a group playing with him.”
(Who’s got better hands, you or QB Ryan Tannehill?) – “He’s a good quarterback. That’s all I know. (laughter)”
(Recently you talked about Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick. You said he’s one of the greatest coaches of all time, sometimes he can be a bleep. You don’t see ex-Patriots say that about Bill. I think you meant it in a very respectful way, but could you expound on that, and why did you feel the freedom to be able to say that?) – “I’m just focused on the Miami Dolphins, trying to get better every day here in OTAs and focused on forming a bond with my teammates here and I’m really focused on the future.”
(Is it weird coming from the Patriots to the Dolphins? You guys have been rivals for so long. It’s got to be a little awkward, no?) – “No, I love these colors, so I’m excited to be wearing them and I’m excited to be a part of this group.”
(You and a lot of the other veterans who are accomplished in the NFL were brought here, in part, to show leadership. How do you balance that with being the new guy? Is it harder to just come in and be the guy and show everybody when you haven’t been here?) – “When the time is to come for me to lead, then I’ll lead. Right now, I’m just trying to flow and get the playbook, trying to learn, trying to adapt to this organization, to this facility and the way things are going. It’s my second day in the building. Everything will work itself out.”
(What does it mean to you to be rewarded with a quite substantial contract at this point in your career?) – “I’m excited. I’m excited to get out there and play football. It’s what I like to focus on. Obviously, there’s a business aspect to this game. Sometimes it works out for you, sometimes it doesn’t. I’ve been on both ends. I try to keep it consistent with playing good football and trying to be there for my teammates.”
(You’ve been on the other side for a lot of Dolphins games. What is it that this team needs to be better?) – “Just continue to improve every day, try to embrace the grind and create an atmosphere around here that’s conducive to winning. We’re excited to be … I know I’m excited to be here, and we’ve got a great group.”
(When a player comes into a new organization and if you’ve had success against that team, do you ever tell coaches, ‘This is what worked well against you guys or this is what didn’t work. This is what you guys are doing well.’) – “I’m here to listen to my coaches and listen to what they have to say. I’m here to be coachable and follow directions. If they ask me, then whatever I can provide, whatever kind of information I can give to help my team win, that’s what I’ll do.”
(How much do you know about your fellow wide receivers either personally or on film – WR Kenny Stills, WR DeVante Parker and the rest of them?) – “I’ve obviously, watched them play for a long time and it goes back to college for a couple of them. (I am) familiar with some of the new guys in the room, too. We’ve put a lot of good ideas on paper these last two days and we’ve got a great group. I’m excited to get on the field and get working with them.”
(Is the idea of running some of the routes that WR Jarvis Landry had success with somewhat appealing to you, that role in this offense?) – “Every team in the league has the same concepts, really. It’s just a matter of getting out there, getting them repped, getting familiar with your teammates, creating a rapport if you will, and then just getting out there and getting reps.”
(How quickly do you think it will take for you to learn this offense considering this is the third offense you’ve been in?) – “I’ve been in three or four of them, I believe. It’s all new verbiage, so it’s going to take some time to learn the language and learn the vocabulary. The system and the way things work pre-snap and within the play are similar to a lot of places I’ve been; but to learn the language, to learn the verbiage, it’s going to take a few days.”
(Did the idea of playing your old team a couple of times a year factor at all in your decision?) – “Not really. I wanted to go … I wanted to play for a good coach, a good team and a good city, and here I am.”
(You’ve had some memorable plays in the biggest moments. I’m wondering is there some sort of key to being the guy who makes the plays in pressure situations?) – “It just all comes down to preparation and being ready when your number is called. Really, no matter what month it is, what down it is, for me it’s just all about preparation. Whenever your number is called, just be ready.”
(As former, fellow Texas Tech players, did you have any kind of relationship with WR Jakeem Grant before you got here and what do you think of his game?) – “I have. I have known him and watched him play for a really long time. He’s a great player. He’s strong. I found out he’s an exceptional athlete these last two days. He’s fast. He can do a lot of great things. (He has) a lot of upside as a player. I’m really excited to see what fellow Texas Tech Red Raiders are going to do this year.”
