DeVante Parker – June 5, 2019
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Wednesday, June 5, 2019
WR DeVante Parker
(Your camp in general, your entire spring has seemed to be awesome. I wrote that you’re the best offensive player that we’ve seen out there on the field. When you hear that, how does it make you feel?) – “I know my ability and know what I can do when I’m healthy and what I can bring to the table.”
(QB Ryan Fitzpatrick told us that when he saw you before practice, he pointed out that a particular play that resulted in a touchdown was going to happen. How has he helped you?) – “He helped me a lot with communications and signals and everything. (He’s) telling me what I’m doing and what I need to do and just be in the right spot.”
(You’ve had obviously good stretches of practices before. We’ve seen it. How do you convert that into the regular season?) – “Staying healthy.”
(Do you think that’s all it is?) – “That’s it. I can play.”
(Would you say that you’re 100 percent healthy right now?) – “Yes.”
(What do you like? What have you learned about this offensive scheme that you know you’re going to like?) – “I’d say they just give you opportunities. They like to take the one-on-one matchups.”
(Your confidence level is at a higher level right now than it has been in a long time?) – “My confidence level has always been the same. Like I said before, I know what I can do and what I bring it to the table.”
(On QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, a lot of folks have talked about how he has strong leadership skills. Can you think of an example of something he has said or done that demonstrates his leadership?) – “When we are watching film, we all come in as an offensive group and he tells the linemen what they need to do, Mike points and all of that stuff. He talks to everyone.”
(How are you going to spend you summer?) – “Just go back home for a couple of weeks and come back and start working out.”
(Do you guys have something worked out to throw with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and QB Josh Rosen before camp?) – “Yeah, possibly.”
(How do you go about putting this all together for the season? How do you try to stay as healthy as you’ve been now to show off how you’ve been and take that into the season?) – “Just doing what I’ve been doing. Staying on top of my body, eating right and doing those little things.”
(Is there a part of you that questions, ‘Man I wish I was this healthy last year?’) – “No, no. All I’m focused about is now and what the future holds.”
(What is your diet like?) – “It’s good.”
(Greens?) – “Green stuff, yes.”
(WR Preston Williams is undrafted, he’s raw, he’s a rookie but there is some good stuff there right? What do you see that you like?) – “Yes. Preston is nice. (He’s a) big, fast guy. He’s holding his own. He’s a go up and get it guy like I was coming in. He’s got a lot of talent.”
Josh Rosen – June 5, 2019
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Wednesday, June 5, 2019
QB Josh Rosen
(I noticed when you’re taking snaps you kind of have one foot behind the other. Is that something you’ve always done or is that something that’s working for you now here in this offense?) – “I’ve switched footwork around with the coordinators I’ve had in college and it’s kind of a mesh of what I like to do best. So yeah, it’s just kind of natural.”
(Is that something you did last year? Is that something you picked up back here again?) – “I’ve done everything a bunch of different kind of years. I think I’m pretty similar to last year.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores said today that there is progress but he has set high standards and feels in some ways this team is behind. Is it just catching up now a new system and everything else for everyone not just you in particular?) – “I think it’s about competing, getting better at all of the one tasks at a time. You can’t take everything down at once. I think by period and by rep, you’ve got to get better. For inside run, I’m getting our run game and all the Mike points down and stuff. For 7-on-7, you focus on the passing game where you’re trying to get your completions and whatnot. In team, you put it all together. I think it’s about thinking long-term but also short-term and getting each task done day by day.”
(Can you talk about your level of satisfaction with your own expectations so far that you’ve had here?) – “I really haven’t had many expectations. I just try to go out and play. I think one of my favorite phrases is, ‘If you set no expectations, you’ll never be disappointed.’ I don’t really have any expectations. I think I have a daily standard I want to hold myself to and how good I feel like I am and how I should be. But expectations are kind of arbitrary.”
(Most of these days have you been disappointed or happy with how you’ve done?) – “A little bit of both. I think I have good days and I’ve got bad days. But I think each day I’m taking down this playbook a little bit more day by day and getting better a little more day by day.”
(When you make mistakes, is that something that’s been encouraged of you?) – “To make mistakes? (laughter)”
(Not to make mistakes, but when you see how things go wrong and correct them. Is that something that’s going through everything that’s going on here with practice?) – “Yeah. I mean a lot of mistakes are being made, so I think that’s why we’ve got all the film review. It helps having a really supportive quarterback room and coach me through what to do in certain situations and how to make less of them.”
(This is a bit off topic, but a lot has been written in the past about your tennis background. When’s the last time you picked up a racket?) – “I was at the Australian Open at the beginning of this year supporting some buddies that were playing. So, I think I picked it up for a little bit. But I don’t play too much.”
(Do you still have the game?) – “A little bit.”
(How good do you think you could’ve been if that’s the pattern you followed?) – “I don’t know. That’s another conversation for another time. Pretty good though.”
(Could you have made it as a pro tennis player?) – “I’d rather not (answer that).”
(After tomorrow and before the start of training camp, you guys have about six weeks. Do you focus on this or do you take time away and spend some time with family or get away from it? What do you do?) – “I still live with my parents, so I’m going to go back home to L.A. and continue to work out. UCLA is very generous letting us use the facilities when they’re available and bring some receivers out there and throw. The work never stops, just a little different location. I think I might come out a couple of weeks early to training camp to acclimate to the humidity a little bit. The work never stops, just change of location a little bit.”
(With QB Ryan Fitzpatrick having some big plays today and the long touchdown, how much do you let that come into your repertoire of how you feel about this competition? Do you let that fuel you at all with this competition or are you compartmentalizing everything within yourself?) – “I’m competing, but it’s not really a competition right now in how I’m thinking about it. Whatever he does well, I’m trying to figure out why he did it and emulate it and continue to add my own flavor to it. The real competition starts in training camp. We’re absolutely competing now, but right now it’s sort of more focused on me. I’m trying to get better myself. I’m always rooting for our other guys. The better any of our quarterbacks do, the better the Dolphins are going to be. Jake (Rudock), ‘Fitz,’ making plays. You saw DeVante (Parker) make a couple plays out there. I know it’s going to fire up the DBs and they’re going to work that much harder. I think anyone making those kinds of plays is good for the entire team.”
(Do you plan to work out with some old UCLA teammates?) – “Yeah, whoever’s around.”
(Is L.A. kind of a hub for NFL players in the offseason?) – “Yes. A lot of guys like to work out there, act like it’s their home. (laughter)”
(How much did that city help make you the person you were?) – “How does the city? Like L.A.?”
(Just the environment you grew up in.) – “I don’t know. I’ve got great parents who raised me well. I grew up at the beach. I love the water. (I come from an) academic family. I like school. (I have) athletic parents (that like) sports, so I think a mixture of everything. I don’t know. I wouldn’t know what it would be elsewhere if I was raised elsewhere, because I wasn’t. (laughter)”
(How are you doing with the South Florida humidity?) – “It hasn’t been too bad lately. I think it gets a lot worse as I’ve been told. It’s another element as a team we can use it to our advantage and get used to this. We’ve got some cold weather teams in our division that hopefully (will) add a little bit something more coming down here.”
(Growing up in L.A., going to UCLA and even most recently all the stuff before the draft before ending up here, how have you dealt with being in the limelight, being a big figure where people are talking about you and always wondering where you are in your career and things like that? How do you deal with all that criticism?) – “Hopefully it’s not all criticism. (laughter) I just don’t read into it too much. I’ve got good friends, good family, good teammates. It’s not that hard to avoid if you aren’t looking for it.”
(Are you trying to avoid it?) – “I’m not looking for it, so I am de facto avoiding it. The only times it really hits you in the face is when people on the street will yell at you. (laughter)”
(Has that happened often?) – “Every now and then.”
(What do you say back?) – “Nothing. (laughter) I’ve got nothing to lose.”
(How much of the offense or playbook do you feel like you have a strong grasp of?) – “I wouldn’t know how to quantify that. We have a lot more to install. I don’t know how much playbook we have left to put in but we got to just know it’s more than yesterday and the day before that. Sorry for the vague answer, but I couldn’t tell you.”
(I guess for you, you’re having to come in and play and learn at the same time rather than having a period where you’re just learning. How has that impacted your growth and how quickly you’re able to grasp that?) – “In what sense?”
(The fact that you came here and immediately when you got here you were on the field than having a learning period for the playbook.) – “I don’t know. I think it has got advantages and disadvantages. It was a circumstance and a circumstance that I was thrown into and I’m going to try to do the best with it.”
(Does it help you in that regard that you’ve had as many different coordinators as you’ve had and had to learn all these different offenses?) – “I don’t know. Maybe it could have, it couldn’t have. Regardless, I have the talents that I do, I have my experience and I’m going to move forward with that. I couldn’t tell you if it has or hasn’t helped. I don’t know.”
(We’ll find out in September?) – “Sure.”
T.J. McDonald – June 5, 2019
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Wednesday, June 5, 2019
S T.J. McDonald
(I’m sure it’s nice to have S Reshad Jones back. Just some of the things you all have achieved last year, what pleased you about how you guys played in tandem and what can you build on?) – “It’s always good to have guys out here. It’s just right now we’re learning a new scheme all over the place. It’s important for us now that you have to know the scheme as a whole and not just your position because there are so many moving pieces. That’s the biggest thing, the biggest challenge for us and in my seven years, it’s something I haven’t done before. It’s refreshing and it’s a challenge. I’m enjoying that right now.”
(How has your role changed in terms as what’s the new challenge for you?) – “Just lining up everywhere. This thing is … I don’t want to get into too many schematics but you’ve got to know what everybody is doing on the field. I think that will help us in the long run. It’s tough right now as you install and it’s a different challenge.”
(When you have all of these moving pieces, how complicated is it to learn? I know you’re the son of a coach, but how complicated is this to learn?) – “It depends what you put into it. It’s not easy. You can’t just come in and not take notes and line up and think you’re going to get it. You have to be able to put the time in and ask questions, make mistakes. Not make the same mistakes twice, but it’s not something that you can just pick up right away. That’s the challenge I’m enjoying right now. Just being able to plug yourself into different spots and see what’s going on and know what your brother is out there doing next to you.”
(So you have to be smart to play in this defense?) – “I believe so. I believe you have to put the time in. I wouldn’t necessarily say you have to be smart, but you have to put the time in.”
(How much time are we talking here?) – “Everybody learns differently. I’m in my seventh year, I might not need as much time as somebody who is playing in the first scheme that they’re playing in. For me, it’s translating stuff from my past lives and being able to correlate it to what we’re doing today and put it into my mind. That might be able to help me a little bit, but it still takes me some time too. I’m still learning and trying to maximize every practice that we get and the little things that we are doing.”
(How has CB Bobby McCain looked to you in his free safety snaps?) – “He’s looked good. He’s looked good for what they’re asking us to do. Everybody has gone in and taking the coaching that we’re getting. It’s not just me, everybody is moving around. It’s something that we all have to buy into and adapt to. I think that’s going to give offenses fits once we get lined up and know whose where and stuff like that. I think that’s going to help us in the long run. The big thing right now is buying into knowing what the hell we’re doing.”
Ryan Fitzpatrick – June 5, 2019
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Wednesday, June 5, 2019
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
(We noticed you completed several long touchdown passes. Thinking about the whole of OTA’s and minicamp, how do you feel about the way you’ve been throwing the ball, particularly the deep ball?) – “Personally, I’ve made a lot of progress in that area in the last few years. It has really started to show up for me. Some of it is mentality. A lot of it is the guys I’m throwing to and some unbelievable playmakers, and a lot of it is just the communication, expectation before the ball even gets thrown of what we want from those guys and how they expect the ball. There’s a lot of things that go into it, but (it is) certainly something that I’ve really improved on as my career has gone on.”
(You mentioned progress. Head Coach Brian Flores said today that he has seen some progress but he has set some high standards, and in a way he feels you guys are behind. Is it just a matter of time to get things together?) – “I think especially in a new system with a lot of new guys getting familiar with each other, we’re going to be playing catchup the whole offseason really. Once we get into training camp, it’s going to be the same thing. I think it’s been a very successful offseason in terms of the attendance, in terms of the attention to detail and the work. It has not been perfect by and means, but I think we’re headed in the right direction. I think everybody also understands the work that’s in front of us and the fact that we’re not even close to being where we need to be.”
(When you hit a deep ball like you did a few to WR DeVante Parker and a few others today, does that ignite something different for you than any other pass?) – “It depends. Some of it is (the) situation in the game. Some of it is if the corner got me earlier in the game or earlier in my career or something. There are a lot of different factors that go into it. I told DeVante when he walked into the building today that that play when we did the 2-minute drill is going to happen on the first play. He did a great job with his release and getting down the field on that one.”
(What have you learned about WR DeVante Parker through your time together here?) – “He’s done a nice job. (His) attention to detail, like I said. He does a good job tracking the ball, has a nice catching radius. He’s a big, physical guy and he has been impressive thus far. We have a lot of work to go. There will be a lot of stuff chemistry-wise we’re just going to continue to get better at. We had a mix-up in 2-minute even, so once you think you’ve got the communication down, something like that happens. We have to be on the same page 100 percent of the time and we’ll just continue to work at it.”
(How did you know that play was going to happen? Did you look at the script?) – “No. It was just the particular defense that they played. In terms of the confidence I have in DeVante (Parker), I felt like he deserved the opportunity and he ran a great route.”
(I know you said there is a lot to go, but as far as your standard, how have you played up to your own expectations so far and how confident are you that you’ll be the Week 1 starter?) – “It’s the offseason, so we’re not getting hit right now. We’re just kind of installing stuff and really it’s the base stuff on offense and defense. It got a little more exotic as camp when on, but there’s a lot of things we’ll face, a lot more adversity during the season and actual games. I think that as a team, as an offense, even me as a quarterback, I think we all made progress in the right direction but our work is not done.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores made it sound today like the quarterback competition is going to go pretty deep into training camp and the preseason. How does that impact the dynamic in the quarterback room?) – “Not at all. We’re all working in there trying to learn as much as we can. It’s always important to have a good room, guys rooting for each other and all of that. We’ve had a good room thus far.”
(You mentioned catchup. Once minicamp is over tomorrow until training camp starts, you have about six weeks or so. Do you just focus on this or do you take some time off for yourself, take a breather?) – “This is now always kind of on your mind with the season coming up and everything, but I also obviously have a big family. There’s also a commitment there of just being able to spend some time with them and relax and get away from football a little bit. The training will continue, but there’s also going to be plenty of fun had, lots of swimming and whatever else we’re going to do when we go back to Arizona for a little bit. It’s definitely a time to get away from it and rest a little bit although it’s always in the back of your mind.”
(Having played in Florida, do you have a plan for how swampy it gets during training camp?) – “It’s just something you deal with. You get acclimated to it because you’re in it every day. Same thing when I was in Buffalo in the snow. You just get acclimated to it because that’s what you’re living in every day. The heat will be tough in terms of the dog days of training camp and guys making sure they’re hydrating and all that, but I don’t have to run as much as they do.”
(Blizzard or 100 percent humidity, what would you take?) – “Practice or game?”
(Let’s say games.) – “One snow game a year isn’t bad. One snow game a year is kind of fun.”
(How would you say your relationship building, particularly with the receiver corps, is going?) – “You don’t try to force anything. We’ve all kind of played football for a long time. Some of them have been here for a while. Guys have been in different places – young guys, old guys. Everything kind of progresses naturally and it is a good group of guys, it’s a good locker room. Not just in that wide receiver group, but (the) offense as a whole. I’ve had a real pleasure just getting to know everybody and working with everybody. It’s been a fun group.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores has said that in a competition, particularly in a quarterback competition, he looks at everything all of the time – every practice, every drill, everything. Do you take account of every day, kind of like keeping score for yourself?) – “I don’t think it’s keeping score, but I think it’s important to learn that everything matters. That’s something I’ve learned throughout my career. These little drills that (Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks) Coach (Jim) Caldwell is putting us through on the side, they matter. They come up in games. The attention to detail you have when you’re doing it on air or when you’re doing it on a practice field shows up in a game. It shows up all the time. That’s why the drills are there for a reason. He’s seen a lot of football. Once you figure out that everything matters, and some of that I learned the hard way through not doing it right the first time on the field during a game, that lesson gets knocked into your head and you don’t forget it.”
(Today seemed to be a good day for you.) – “I come out here and do the best that I can every single day. I know every time, I’m a perfectionist. I know today wasn’t perfect and there’s already some stuff on my mind that I have to go talk to some players about, some coaches about and have to work on myself. We still have a long way to go.”
(Do you get to celebrate the joys, though? Some of the highlight plays?) – “It depends on which one it is throughout the day. Yeah, there’s always a couple throws a day that get me fired up a little bit.”
(You mentioned Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks Jim Caldwell. What have you learned from him since you’ve been here?) – “I think more than anything with him, the word that comes to mind is calm, steady influence, perspective. He has plenty of wisdom that is always great. Whether it’s him just making a comment here or there in meetings or going up to him and asking him a few questions. There was some stuff today that I didn’t feel comfortable with the way I was throwing that I just said ‘When you’re watching film, make sure you watch these few plays and just let me know what you think.’ It’s great to have a guy like that that has really been around and seen it all. The perspective that he has on life and as a man is very nice to be around.”
Brian Flores – June 5, 2019
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Wednesday, June 5, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(On one of the undrafted kids from Miami, LB Terrill Hanks, what has he shown you at linebacker? And have any of the other undrafted kids flashed you? We’ve see WR Preston Williams obviously but some of the kids maybe we can’t see closely, the lineman, etc. Has anyone else flashed among the undrafted rookies?) – “Terrill Hanks, I think he’s working hard. I think he’s got a good amount of ability. I think he’s smart. I think he’s young. He’s learning. He’s working to get better. I think he’s moving in the right direction. I think he’s eager to learn. He’s very coachable. I enjoy working with him. I think he’s got some talent and hopefully he continues to progress the way he has in almost four weeks. Hopefully we’ve got something, but it’s still very early.”
(And beyond WR Preston Williams, any of the undrafted kids? We can’t judge the T Aaron Monteiros and the G Shaq Calhouns on the line. DE Dewayne Hendrix, DE Jonathan Ledbetter on the other side. Have any of those kids at all particularly flashed to you?) – “On the offensive and defensive line, it’s hard until we put pads on but all four of those guys and really I would say all of the undrafted kids, they’re really doing a good (job). They’re all working hard. They’re all very eager to learn (and) to do extra on the practice field (and) in the meetings. They stay late, they’re in early, they’re lifting. I would say – they were way, way behind. When every rookie comes in, they’re so far behind. But I think this class, really as a whole – draft picks and undrafted guys – have closed the gap to a degree. I think they’re all doing a good job. Again, there’s a long way to go. Hopefully we continue on the progression that they’re on and we keep it going.”
(On QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, everyone compliments his leadership skills. Can you think of an example of something you’ve seen him do or say that really shows his leadership style?) – “I think it’s, the first thing I think of is his command of the huddle. I think how he works with players – older players, younger players – and his rapport with defensive guys, offensive guys and guys in the kicking game, I think that shows his leadership in a big way. I think whoever he is in there with, he’s trying to help and improve and get better. I’ve been very pleased with him.”
(How can QB Josh Rosen make up some of that experience that QB Ryan Fitzpatrick doing some of those things that you just mentioned if he hopes to win this job?) – “I think he has an opportunity to learn from ‘Fitz’ in some ways, but I think he has to be himself. I think Josh is smart. I’ve had a lot of really good conversations with him. He’s personable. He’s built some relationships on the team as well. I think it’s really for everyone. I think you have to be yourself. I think you have to work at those relationships and then, at the same time, you’re working on your fundamentals, your technique and the football aspect of it. But from a leadership standpoint, I think they’re both moving in a good direction.”
(Since we’re on this topic, we’ve obviously seen QB Ryan Fitzpatrick out there getting the first-team reps each of the last four practices we’ve attended. Is that a fair representation of where this competition currently stands?) – “I mean it’s so early that until we really get into the nitty-gritty of training camp and the preseason, it’s just too early to say ‘This guy is a starter,’ or ‘That guy is a starter.’ That’s my opinion on it. I think both guys are working. First team, second team, I think I don’t put too much stock into that. Everybody is working. The install is the install so we’re working everybody on the same plays, the same defense and the same stuff in the kicking game. It’s about execution. It’s about fundamentals, technique and if you do those things and you progress, then we’ll see where guys fall.”
(Do you put the most weight then into the preseason games when you make the decision on who will be the starting quarterback?) – “Everything counts. So today counts, tomorrow counts, training camp counts, preseason counts. Everything counts. The most weight, that’s a hard one to kind of (answer). No, I don’t put it all into the preseason games. I think practice counts for a lot of it. Production at practice, production in games, meetings, walkthroughs, I think all of it counts.”
(Wouldn’t it benefit QB Josh Rosen and you and the staff if he worked with the starting line and starting receivers? I know you don’t necessarily have starters yet but you do have guys like WR Kenny Stills and WR DeVante Parker. Wouldn’t it benefit him to get more of those reps?) – “I think I would say there are guys working in both groups. Receivers, backs and linemen are moving around. That has been the case. I don’t know if you guys have noticed that, but that has been the case. I think he’s working, I think a lot of guys are working. We’re moving guys around a lot. I think, again, with Rosen, I think he’s doing a good job. I think he’s progressing. I think he’s moving in the right direction. I think he’s very talented and we’ll see where this goes.”
(Throughout these OTAs and minicamp and so forth, are there any aspects of the work you’ve seen where you would say the team is either ahead of where you might have expected or behind where you might have expected?) – “That’s a good question. I have high expectations so I’m always going to say we’re behind. I guess that’s my thought process. There’s always two, three, four, eight things I feel like we could have done better. I do see some improvement. I see a lot of progress. Practice looks the way I want it to look like just from an operational standpoint and from a tempo standpoint. But yeah, I want to be at a higher level at everything. So no, we’re not where I want to be.”
(What have you learned about T Laremy Tunsil over these past two months?) – “He’s a very talented player. I think from a leadership standpoint, that’s something that he’s developed and we’re looking for that leadership from him. I think he works hard. I think he’s smart. I think he’s got a chance to be a good player, a very good player in this league. We’ll just keep progressing and try to demand that out of him.”
(Have you seen strides in TE Mike Gesicki’s game?) – “Mike is another guy (that is) very talented. He’s working very, very hard. He’s catching the ball decently but again, I talked to him about this this morning that one drop is one too many. One penalty is one too many. One missed assignment is one too many. That’s kind of the standard, that’s the approach we’re taking. I’m hard on Mike because I see a lot of potential in him and I think he’s working towards that. These guys are dealing with a lot from me right now. They’ve all responded well.”
(When you are to name a starting QB, how much will General Manager Chris Grier be a part of that evaluation and that process or will it ultimately just be up to you?) – “No, Chris is – this is a collaborative effort. I talk to Chris on a daily basis. We talk about the team, the roster, how practice went, individual players. We talk a lot. So those will be collaborative decisions between myself, Chris, the personnel staff and the coaching staff.
(I want to ask you about your first NFL job. Have you learned lessons from that job that you use today?) – “As a scouting assistant in New England?”
(Yes.) – “Yeah, (I learned) a lot of lessons. It’s hard to play in this league. I was the ‘grim reaper’ so I went around and when guys were getting released, I walked around and had to let guys know (to bring) the playbook and the whole (thing). That was my job. It was a tough job. That’s where I learned early that this is a tough league to play in. It’s a privilege to play in this league and not a lot of guys get that opportunity. From my perspective, I try to impart that on the players not to take it for granted, that every day counts and that you want to make the most of those opportunities because it’s a privilege to play in this league.”
(How many years were you the ‘grim reaper?’) – “Two. Two full seasons.”
(Toughest call up was what?) – “I’m going to keep those between myself and those players. It has been awhile.”
(If that was a tough job, what is it like for you when you’re on the other side of the desk, having to be the guy to tell a player you’re sorry that it just isn’t working?) – “It is hard. I think we form relationships with players and it’s one of those things where you never want to do it but it’s part of this league. It’s part of, I don’t want to call it a life lesson, but there’s instances where you do everything right and you work hard and things don’t work out. That’s part of life and it ends up being life lessons for some guys. Whether they make it or don’t make it, I think it’s something that people need to know and understand: things don’t always work out. I think that’s part of my job as a teacher, as an educator, as a leader, that adversity is going to be a part of everyone’s journey. When one door closes, another one is going to open up. Those are the conversations I try to have with guys. It’s hard, but that’s this league.”
(I’ve heard some coaches call it the worst part of their job. Would you agree?) – “I would agree.”
(You all parted ways with three defensive linemen. I know free agency and money factored into it but the one older guy you kept – the only older guy on the defensive line you kept – was DT Akeem Spence. What made him appealing to you guys to retain?) – “He’s athletic. He’s strong. He’s a hard-worker. This guy works as hard as anyone we have on this team. He’s obviously had some success in this league. We want to keep good players around.”
(I want to ask you about WR Kenny Stills. He didn’t practice this week. Is this something that’s just rest time or something that can linger into training camp a month from now?) – “I think Kenny will be just fine. He’ll be just fine.”
(And WR Brice Butler got injured yesterday. Is he going to be returning for the minicamp?) – “I think he’ll be fine. He’ll be fine, too.”
(Will WR Brice Butler return to minicamp?) – “I think he’s going to give it a shot. This is one of those things where we’re going to see what it looks like today. I think at the end of the day, he’ll be fine. I don’t know if that’s today. Hopefully (it is), but he’s a tough kid and he’s kind of battled through some things already. I think he’ll be out there.”
(You obviously like T Laremy Tunsil but you’re kind of measured when you talk about him. Do you see him as a cornerstone guy that’s going to be around for a long time?) – “I think I’m measured when I talk about everyone. (laughter) It’s not specific to Laremy. He’s a really good player. I’m looking forward to working with him. I try not to put labels on players. That’s where I’m at with him. That’s where I’m at with everyone.”
Brian Flores – June 4, 2019
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Tuesday, June 4, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Is S Reshad Jones going to be here today?) – “Reshad is here, yes. He’s here.”
(Do you expect S Reshad Jones to practice?) – “Yeah, I expect he’ll practice.”
(Was it good to see S Reshad Jones?) – “Yeah, it was great to see him. We talked briefly. He and I had a good conversation. It looks like he’s in shape, ready to work and I look forward to working with him today.”
(How comfortable are you with where S Reshad Jones is in his offseason program?) – “He looks like he’s in really good shape. We’ll see. He’s going to get out there and practice today and I’m looking forward to seeing him and getting him involved and getting going with the communication and the terminology and getting into some competitive periods. It’ll be good.”
(You’ve been telling us there’s no sacred cow and that everybody has to earn their spot. Have you told S Reshad Jones that and is he okay with that?) – “That wasn’t part of the conversation. The conversation was about coming in, learning the playbook, having good communication (and) working on your fundamentals and technique. Really, (it’s) the conversation that I have with every player that I come across. That’s not really a talking point when I’m one-on-one with a player. But yeah, I’m looking forward to working with him. Like I said, he looks like he’s in really good shape. He was excited. He was eager to get into meetings and to practice. I’m looking forward to working with him.”
(What do you see as S Reshad Jones’ potential role on this team?) – “That could go a few different ways. This is a guy who has a lot of experience. (He’s) someone who can play a few different roles. He can play a lot of roles for us, quite honestly. But that’s up to him, like it is for every other player. For each player – and I tell them all this – what your role on this team will be is up to you. That’s the case for Reshad. That’s the case for really every other player on this team. It’s about how you practice, about how you prepare, about how you perform in practice and in games when we get to that. That’s a longwinded answer but hopefully that answered your question.”
(How important is it for you to see S Reshad Jones work with S T.J. McDonald in terms of the chemistry that they can have or develop or how they are utilized?) – “I think the chemistry between the safeties is very important. I think the chemistry between the safeties, the linebackers, the corners, the d-line, I think all of it is important. Getting into a practice setting where you can work on that communication, with various calls to various formations to various personnel groups offensively, there’s 100 things that can happen on a play. The communication, from that standpoint, is something you have to build over time and we’ve been doing that over the last – really since April 1st – and he, along with everyone else, that’s part of the process. Just building that communication, we’re not going to conquer the world in one day. I’ll tell you that right now. It takes some time. We’re working towards that on a daily basis.”
(How does this affect, in any way, what you’ve been doing with CB Bobby McCain thus far?) – “I think we’re, like we do with all of the DBs, we’re going to work guys at different positions. I would say it doesn’t affect it at all. Bobby is going to work. Minkah (Fitzpatrick) is going to work. T.J. (McDonald) is going to work. Reshad (Jones) is going to work. Maurice (Smith) is going to work. We’re going to work all of the offensive linemen. We’re going to work all of the receivers. Again, we have a lot of plays in practice, so it’s scripted out and we structure it so that everyone gets work. Some get more than others. That’s just kind of how it shakes out. Again, the goal is to create an environment where there’s competition but we’re also learning, we’re growing, we’re communicating, we’re working our fundamentals and techniques, and we’re trying to get 11 guys on the same page to have a good, solid play over and over and over and over again to try to string good plays together.”
(Have you spoken with S Reshad Jones about what happened last year when he did not re-enter a game after he was part of a secondary rotation?) – “My conversations with Reshad, you guys have heard me, I’m focused on today. I’m not focused on last year or yesterday or any of that. My focus and my conversations with Reshad are about the playbook, communication, fundamentals (and) technique. Last year is last year. So no, I haven’t had a conversation with him on that.”
(Was that the first time you had met with S Reshad Jones since taking the job?) – “No.”
(What do you hope to accomplish over the next three days?) – “Well, I mentioned this: I want to finish strong. That’s definitely at the top of my list. I think we’ve made a lot of improvements since we got started on April 1st. I think this group is working hard. I think it’s important that we finish strong. We talk about continuing to build on the fundamentals, continuing to build on our techniques. There are things that we don’t even, it’s really muscle memory. That’s really what we’re trying to create here from a fundamentals and technique standpoint. So that’s a daily thing. We try to talk to them about it, coach them, educate them on those things so that when we get into the exotics and when we get into the meat of the third-down, red-area, 2-minute situations, when we get into that, you need good fundamentals to be good on those situations as well. When we get into that stuff, which we’ll get into some of that today, and there’s noise involved and then you’ve got a really good player in front of you, you just have to be able to fall back on your techniques, your fundamentals and it has to be something that’s seamless. It’s something that you don’t think about. That’s what really, when I talk about finishing strong, that’s where I’m at. It’s in those little details of the things that nobody is going to write about or that nobody is going to talk about on ESPN. It’s those little things, that’s where my focus is. I try to steer their focus in that direction too.”
(How has DT Christian Wilkins looked through nine OTAs and do you have a feeling at that position that you have with DT Davon] Godchaux and DT Vincent Taylor, two young guys who obviously had flashes?) – “Christian is a rookie. He’s got a lot to learn, a long way to go; but he works hard at it every day. He brings a lot of energy, I like what I’ve seen, but at that position you’ve seen nothing until you put pads on. We’re not winning any awards right now. We’ve got a long way to go with him and with the rest of the group as well.”
(What do you want to see out of QB Josh Rosen and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick before you guys break?) – “I want to see improvement on the weeks. Each guy’s been building. From when they got here, I’ve seen steady improvement each day, each week. I want to see that continue from a leadership standpoint first and foremost, getting us lined up. If somebody doesn’t know where to go, that guy needs to get him lined up. That’s the role of the quarterback. I want to see fire. I want to see energy. If it’s in and out of the huddle, I want to see a crisp operation that starts at the quarterback position. We need to continue to do that. It’s been solid. It can always be better and we’re going to continue to harp on those guys. Every good play starts with the quarterback. We stress ball security, ball handling. Again, I’m into the details. I’m into the fundamentals. If you keep asking, you’re going to get roughly the same answer. (laughter)”
(Regarding RB Kenyan Drake and his versatility, what have you been able to determine about that out here and what were the keys to defending him last year?) – “I’m not going to give you the keys to defending him. (laughter) I’m going to tell you that right now. You’re not going to hear that from me. You want me to just hand it over? I’m not going to give you that. (laughter) Well he’s athletic, he’s explosive, he’s fast. He’s a good route runner. He does a lot of good things. How do you defend him? We’ll let the opponent figure that out. (laughter) It’s hard to defend him from where we sit here today. We don’t know where he’s going to be lined (up). I think (Offensive Coordinator) Chad (O’Shea) has done a good job – Chad, (Assistant Quarterbacks Coach) Jerry (Schuplinski), (Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks) Jim (Caldwell), (Running Backs Coach) Eric (Studesville), they all do a really good job of coming up with ways to put our players in the best positions to do what they do well but also put the defense in some tough positions. That’s game planning, that’s coaching. We have a lot of really good coaches on this staff and they really work hard. We talk about competition on the field, (but) there is competition from the coaching perspective as well, and I like that. That’s something that we talk about on a day-to-day basis. We’re not trying to trick anybody, but we are trying to, there’s a little bit of gamesmanship that goes on there from a coaching standpoint that I like. I think we need to create that kind of environment, and I think we’re doing that and I think our coaching staff has done a good job from that standpoint.”
(I wanted to ask you about WR Albert Wilson. I know you haven’t been able to see him very much this offseason, but what is your vision for him from the skillsets that you know that he has?) – “That’s hard to say. Again as somebody who is in the moment, right now the thing for Albert is to do everything that he can do possible to get himself back on the field as soon as he can, which he is doing. This guy is working extremely hard and we know he’s talented. Right now, it’s about getting back on the field, it’s about rehab, it’s about nutrition, it’s about weights. It’s about everything that will help him get back onto the field and then we’ll take it from there. Do I have a lot of thoughts and ideas based on what I’ve seen? Yes. I think we all do. I think you guys do as well. You know what the guy is capable of. But until he’s out there, it’s thoughts.”
(One off the field question, how did you enjoy your first fishing experience?) – “It was fun. I had a great time at Fins Weekend. I think a couple of you guys were there. It’s for a great cause. I’m all about education. I said this the other day, I was humbled to be there. I’m very fortunate to be a part of this organization where they spend so much time in the community. From a fishing standpoint, I’m no fisherman. I’m not a golfer. I chose fishing and I wasn’t very good there. I reeled one in. I had a little help. Let’s be honest, I had a lot of help actually. (laughter) It was fun. I think what the weekend is about is it’s about giving back. And we’re golfing to give back, we’re golfing for education, we’re fishing for education. I think that is something that I was happy to be a part of.”
(Will you fish again?) – “Will I fish again? Quite honestly, it’s not a no; but it’s a no. (laughter) I’d rather watch film. I’d rather watch film, I’d rather draw up a couple of plays offensively, defensively or in the kicking game.”
(I wanted to ask you about DT Vincent Taylor in terms of what you’ve seen from him. I know there are no pads so it’s kind of hard to evaluate trench play, but what are the skillsets he brings that can help this defense?) – “You see some athleticism. You see some strength. He’s got good size. He does a good job of staying on his feet. Again, at that position, you said it. At that position, it’s hard to evaluate without putting pads on from a run-read standpoint, going from a run, play-action transition to a pass rush. These are things that are, until we get the pads on, there is no way to really evaluate it. He’s getting in better condition. I think from an understanding protection standpoint and how to beat a protection, I think he’s starting to understand that. I think a lot of our guys are starting to understand that. They are all working and it’s something that I think he’s doing a good job and I think if he continues on this doing what he’s doing, I think he’ll be okay.”
(Are you looking forward to your Super Bowl ring ceremony?) – “Yes. Yeah, I am. I think I’ve build a lot of really good relationships up there in New England and my wife is definitely happy to go up there. We actually had our 10-year anniversary last week, so I want to give a shout out to her. Make sure we write that down guys. (laughter) I’m excited to go. But don’t worry, we’ll be working here Thursday as well. Trust me on that one. If you guys know anything about me, we’ll work on Thursday, I’ll head up to Boston, celebrate that and then I’ll be back on Friday. But yeah, it will be good to see some old friends. I’m looking forward to it.”
Vincent Taylor – June 4, 2019
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Tuesday, June 4, 2019
DT Vincent Taylor
(We saw so much promise from you last year before being hurt. Had you felt like you had turned a corner where you were on the cusp of being a really, really good NFL defensive tackle?) – “For sure; but injuries, that’s what comes with the game. I’m looking past that and just trying to focus on this year. My feet are feeling good. I’m just trying to get back in the rhythm of everything.”
(What did it say that it was pouring out there and you guys didn’t hesitate. Nobody went to the bubble. Everybody just stayed out there.) – “When the game is coming and it starts raining, we aren’t going to be able to go to the bubble. So that was good for us, working with the quarterbacks. They were dealing with the wet ball, the center exchange and all of that. So it was good for everybody.”
(How are you liking this new defensive system? We haven’t really gotten too much of a glimpse of it but do you feel like it’s something that suits you?) – “It’s a new system. I’m learning every day, just like everybody else. The coaches, they’re going to put us in a position to be successful. We’re still getting a glimpse of it. We’re trying to get everything down pat. It’s new, but I’m learning as we go.”
(There seems to be a lot of depth at the defensive tackle position. Do you guys feel that way as well, that it’s very competitive? – “Yeah, it’s very competitive. That’s one thing ‘Coach Flo’ (Brian Flores) does. At every position, he tries to create competition and I think it brings the best out of everybody.”
(How do things change with you for this new defense?) – “It changes a lot, but the coaches are going to put us in a position to be successful. It’s just up to me to come out here every day and just try to learn and give it my all.”
(Was it nice to have S Reshad Jones back?) – “It is. I was talking to G-5 (Reshad Jones), telling him welcome back and everything. It’s good for him to be back out here. He’s an older guy, so he’s familiar with everything so it’s good to have him back at practice.”
(What do you think it’s going to do to have the defense the way you guys have where guys like S Reshad Jones and CB Bobby McCain and S Minkah Fitzpatrick can move around back there? That’s got to help you guys out too.) – “That’s going to help us out a lot because Reshad and guys like Minkah and T.J. (McDonald), they’ve got the body size to come play in the box. So I think it’s good for them and it’s good for us as a defense as a whole.”
(Does it bring an excitement to this defense?) – “It does. ‘Coach Flo’ (Brian Flores), he comes from New England. He comes from a winning program. He knows how to win and I can tell he’s bringing that same style down here and I think that’s going to help us out.”
(What are your plans for after this week?) – “Really, just let my body recover. Take a few weeks off and then get right back into it, start training to be ready for training camp.”
(Do you have any travel plans?) – “I’ll probably take one quick trip just to get away to clear my mind and then get back down here and start training, try to stay in the sun.”
Jesse Davis – June 4, 2019
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Tuesday, June 4, 2019
G/T Jesse Davis
(On where he’s been lining up) – “Just today. We wanted to shuffle the deck a little bit and put me at right tackle and see where we could find the best five as they like to say. (I was) just plugging in some reps there.”
(Is it clear in your mind where you’ll be or do you think there’s a decent chance you could be at tackle, a decent chance at guard?) – “I have no idea. OTAs to training camp, everything happens a little differently, so we’ll see what happens with the reps and game situations, injuries, yada, yada, yada.”
(Through nine OTAs, it had been guard until today?) – “Yes. Today was the first day. We just started shuffling it up a little bit, getting guys different looks and putting me at right tackle and working with a different guy.”
(Your comfort level at right tackle, and does that excite you at all because it’s a position traditionally maybe more pay opportunities than guard?) – “Right now, it’s just getting comfortable back there. I haven’t played tackle in a year and a half. Right now, I don’t want to be a one-dimensional player. I’d rather be a utility guy like I have been before. And if you want to talk about money, the money is always nice. (laughter)”
(Was it easier to play right tackle today in this downpour?) – “Actually no. It’s a lot more weight on my outside foot and a little more wet. But it wasn’t too bad.”
(What are the differences technically for you from that right guard spot to right tackle?) – “Moving to right tackle, you’ve just got a lot more space. You’re on more of an island. But you have more time to react rather than at guard. Everything happens faster and you get beat a little quicker. At tackle, you have a little more time to react, but you’ve just got to cover more ground.”
(Your impressions of G Michael Deiter so far?) – “Good. Strong guy. Good hands. Coached well. He’s a very coachable player, too, which is really nice. And he’s a flexible player.”
(What about G/C Chris Reed?) – “Awesome. He’s added a lot to this o-line from knowing the game situations to knowing the playbook. He fits right in where we’re at.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores said that all the stuff that you’re doing now is basic stuff, but what can you tell about this offense and how different it’s going to be from this point?) – “Right now it’s just a lot more demanding, I’d say, which is really good, especially for us. We want to get stuff fixed right now, that way moving forward everything is going to be clicking a lot faster.”
(How would you describe the progress of the offense through the offseason program?) – “I think it’s been really good. We’ve seen a lot of different looks from an odd defense to even defense to diamond defense. We’re putting in a lot of things, a lot of looks, that stuff shouldn’t faze us when we see it. Moving forward that’s awesome because last year we did our defense and that was it.”
(Any specific plans for after this week when you have a little bit of time off?) – “No, I’ll be here. No plans yet. I might take a trip somewhere, but I don’t know.”
(What’s the specific challenge when you’re facing a defensive line that gives you these odd and even looks and identification purposes?) – “Just knowing where everybody is going to be going. That starts with the quarterback and center, knowing which guy and how we’re going to get to these two players or one player. Then everybody being on the same page. Obviously players differ in what technique you’re going to use against this player, maybe he’s a bull-rush player, maybe he’s an outside-hands-swipe guy. Just knowing that and knowing your buddy next to you, or your buddy to your right or left is doing.”
(Does it look like your defense is throwing about seven linebackers in there at a time because all of those DBs are coming up?) – “Yeah, they’re crowding the ball a little bit. It gets a little confusing. We don’t know who’s down yet, so he’s just a linebacker to us. So we’re just going off of spots. Once we get to a game, it’ll be a lot easier. But that’s the challenge.”
(As you think about the arc of your career, what do you know you’re better at right now than like, say, two years ago?) – “Right now I’d say just my hands, especially getting that right guard position, working my hands more and especially working with these coaches, not kicking too far, staying inside out. That’s a huge thing for me. In the past, they’d say, ‘Cover him up.’ So I did that, and then you’d get beat inside or something. Right now it’s staying inside out, just knowing personnel and knowing the look, the pass rusher, and just knowing the game now.”
