Brian Flores – September 1, 2021
Download PDF version
Wednesday, September 1, 2021
Head Coach Brian Flores
(You had some tough decisions to make with the 53-man roster. What were you trying to get to with some of the veterans that were released?) – “We always try to do what’s best for the team. A lot of tough decisions really across the board, starting last week or a couple of weeks ago, and then culminating yesterday or the last couple of days. They are all tough decisions – veterans, some younger players who we thought played in practice well. We can only keep 53 and 16 on the practice squad. A lot of tough decisions, but we’ll always try to do what’s best for the team.”
(Can you detail what CB Trill Williams and G Robert Jones showed you throughout camp and the preseason to make the 53?) – “I think two young guys who really made a lot of improvement from the spring to the early part of training camp, then getting into games and doing some nice things. We just felt like two young guys that we could continue to develop and work with. We feel like with continued development, we may have something; but still a lot of that is on their plate. We see some potential but they’re going to have to continue doing the things they started to do – from a work ethic standpoint, from a routine standpoint. I think (they are) two competitive guys that want to get better. I think if we just continue to work with them, they’ll have a chance.”
(There was a report that you addressed players and staff and stated that ‘QB Tua Tagovailoa is our quarterback.’ What can you tell us? Is that accurate? What was the message? And why did you choose to deliver a message about Tua?) – “You guys know this, I don’t really get into conversations I have with the team, players. Those conversations are private. Like I’ve said before, I think it’s just common courtesy to keep those conversations between myself and the player or the team. I will say that Tua is our quarterback. I think he’s had a good training camp. I think he’s made a lot of progress. I think he’s made a lot of improvement and we’re pleased with where he is. He’s going through his preparations for New England the way he should be, and that’s where we are as a team.”
(It’s always important for players to feel that you have their back. But is it that much more important for the quarterback to feel that way, do you think?) – “Yeah, I think it’s important for players on the team to feel like they have the support of their teammates, their coaches and everyone in the organization. I think that’s very important. Yeah, I think that’s important.”
(Do you think that team meeting you had yesterday, do you think that was enough? Do you think there is still a process of kind of maybe regaining some trust or anything that needs to happen further?) – “Again, I’m not going to get into what was said in the team meeting. I think we’ve got a team full of guys who work hard, who will support one another, who are tough, who are smart, who love to play and are team-first. We’ll go out to practice today and try to improve and get better and prepare for an upcoming game.”
(Your roster has three running backs and 11 receivers/tight ends. When you go into that meeting to put together the 53, how much is the balance of the roster enter that conversation compared to just taking the top 53 guys?) – “I think there is a lot of conversations around depth at some positions versus keeping the guys we feel are the best players. At the end of the day, we did keep a number of tight ends and receivers. We feel good about it. We feel good about those players. If it’s one player over another, that was a choice we had to make. Again, we always try to make the decisions that we feel are best for the team.”
(With the Patriots claiming RB/WR Malcolm Perry, how much does that affect changes you might have to make with your offensive playbook and calls between now and the opener?) – “Malcolm is a tough kid, a hard-working kid. He’s smart. I wish him all the best. As far as changes, I don’t think there are very many changes. This happens, really quite a bit I would say, where you end up with a player who’s on a team that you are going to play down the road or in this case, it will be the next game. I don’t think we’ll make very many changes. I don’t think we’ll make very many changes.”
(What about the player that was added – DB Elijah Campbell, the defensive back? What do you know about his skillset?) – “Tough, fast, tackles well. He can play in the kicking game. We felt like he’d be a good addition. I’m glad we got him.”
(After the tough day yesterday, how important is it for your guys, your team, to know that you have their back so that they can give everything for the team on the first week of the season?) – “I think our guys – they’re a tough group. They play hard, they prepare well and it’s important to them. I think playing well is important to them, to each guy. I think that supersedes really everything. It’s a good group. I’m lucky to coach them and we’ll keep coaching them hard.”
(I know you said what you said about QB Tua Tagovailoa. Is he going to be your Week 1 starter?) – “Yes. I don’t know if I can be more clear. (laughter) I don’t know how many times – I don’t know how much more clear I can be here. Tua is the starter. Do I need to say it again? I will.”
(I’m curious, obviously this year QB Ryan Fitzpatrick isn’t here. QB Tua Tagovailoa has been the guy throughout. How much did you reach back to maybe his Alabama times to maybe try to form this offense and what you want it to look like?) – “I think you always want or try to do things that fit the skillset of your players – receivers, tight ends, quarterback, offensive line, safeties, corners, d-line. And there’s always different themes, different concepts that show up. You grab from the college game, from other professional teams wherever. If you think they fit the skillset of the players you have, then you try to use them. We have used some concepts – some college concepts. We’ve used some, let’s call it ‘professional concepts’ as well. And you kind of put all those together and you try to put together a game plan that fits the quarterback, but also the rest of the players on the team. That’s a collaborative effort from our offensive coaching staff. I think they’re always trying to put our players in the best position to have success and obviously the quarterback is a big part of that.”
(The roster – it only has two guys over the age of 30. One of them is DT John Jenkins. What role does his leadership and experience play into the decision to keep him on the roster?) – “John (Jenkins) was here in ’19. Didn’t have him last year, but we were happy to get him back this past offseason. Leadership is a big thing. It’s probably the first thing that comes to mind when I think of him, but he’s a good player, too. He’s already kind of taken some of the younger players under his wing and teaching them how to be professionals and talk about some of the things he wished he would have done as a young player that he does now. I think from a leadership standpoint he does a nice job.”
(Someone did some research. At this time last year, you guys had the second-youngest roster by age in the NFL and now you’re all the way up to 14th-youngest. Does that feel about right?) – “I think we’ve got a young team. If we’re 14th – there’s probably a small difference between 14th and fourth, but we’ve got a young team. It’s a bunch of hard-working young guys who football is important to them and as coaches, it’s a group we can mold and I think that’s what coaching is all about.”
(You guys made a couple trades on the offensive line these past few weeks. How comfortable are you where that position group as a whole in terms of your front five and your depth right now?) – “I’m comfortable. I think a lot of those guys have played a lot of football together last year and this training camp. So I think they do a good job as a group, as a unit – going through the material, practicing it, going through the material again, practicing it. I think there’s communication – good communication – but they’re always kind of working on it. And they’ve got a good feel for working with one another, I would say, over the past couple years. (There’s a) couple new guys in there, too, and we’ve mixed and matched I think enough where they all feel comfortable playing. I feel good, but we’re still just trying to improve and get better every day.”
(You talked a little bit about it yesterday with Patriots QB Mac Jones. You spent time with him at the Senior Bowl. What do you remember about him at the Senior Bowl?) – “Smart. He has a process of how he goes through things throughout the week and I think it’s a good process. He’s a tough kid. You can kind of feel that tough mentally, tough physically; you see that in his play and I was impressed by him.”
(I wanted to ask you about your depth at linebacker. Obviously we don’t know what the practice squad looks like right now, but seven guys on. A couple of them have battled some injuries during training camp. LB Elandon Roberts is nine months into a knee rehab. Do you feel like that unit is deep enough to carry you through a 17-game season?) – “I do. I think it’s a group – and we talk linebacker and we talk personnel groupings – sometimes there’s three, sometimes there’s two, sometimes there’s one, sometimes there’s none. So I feel good about where we’re at and kind of the conversations we’ve had defensively and what we want to do and how we want to use those guys, that group, along with some of the other groups. We feel comfortable. Like you said, there’s always the potential for injuries and hopefully we’ll add some guys to the practice squad that we’ll feel good that if they needed to step in, they could step in. So we feel good about where we’re at.”
(If I could go back to Patriots QB Mac Jones a little bit, what do you – obviously every quarterback is different, but defending a rookie quarterback – is there something that as a defense that you guys can do for a rookie specifically to make his first start difficult?) – “I think you try to make it difficult for any quarterback. Rookie – kind of goes through that position, but it doesn’t just happen because you talk about it. Everyone is saying that every week and we’ve got to prepare the right way. We’ve got to get lined up, have good communication so that we can have good execution because if we don’t do that, then we’re not going to make it hard for anybody. So rookie, 15-year vet – we’ve got to execute defensively in order to make it hard for the opposition. So that’s kind of my thought on it. There’s been plenty of rookies who have gone out and played well and we’ve got to execute.”
Robert Hunt – August 31, 2021
Download PDF version
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
G/T Robert Hunt
(You’ve had a whole preseason at guard. What has that been like? Do you feel fully comfortable there yet?) – “Fully comfortable, I wouldn’t say that. But getting the hang of it, you could say that. From going out to in, it takes a little work. I think I’m doing good with it. I think I’m on pace to continue to get better. Right now I’m still a little raw and still working on some things, some technical things. But it’s been good. I can’t complain about it.”
(I know you guys had a little bit of movement – G/T Jesse Davis got established there at some point. What’s your relationship with him like? How do you guys work together?) – “Me and Jesse, we’ve been working together since last year. He’s a leader in our group. We all look up to him. He teaches us a lot of things. We follow his routine. He teaches a lot because we’re a young room. We look up to Jesse. Jesse teaches us a lot and working with him has been good.”
(Have you offered to babysit?) – “No, I have not. (laughter) I got to (expletive) babysit myself. (laughter)”
(When they moved you to guard, before you couldn’t really talk about it. What was their explanation as to why this is the ideal spot for you?) – “I don’t know. It’s just something that came upon us and you know me, I took it head on and willing to work with it. I can’t complain about anything. I’m blessed to be playing this game at this level anyways, so any job I can think about having here, I’ll do it. It doesn’t matter what it is – receiver, kicker, punter, long snapper, it doesn’t matter. As long as I’ve got a chance to play and try to be the best I can, that’s all I can ask for.”
(It seems that guards are more of a mauler. You have to be more of a mauler and there’s more technique on the outside. Is that what you’re picking up on, and do you enjoy that part?) – “I enjoy it. I think I’m fairly decent at run blocking. It’s definitely a bang-bang type of game in there. Like you said, outside you have to be savvy. You got to be the same way inside because these guys can move. You’ve got 350 (pound) guys that can swim, spin and all types of stuff. It’s about me right now, just me working on my game and trying to fix my game or anything I can do.”
(I saw you just turned 25 years old. How does the 25-year-old Rob Hunt compare to the 21-year-old Rob Hunt?) – “Definitely different. A lot has changed. I’m blessed enough to play this game. I was playing in college at 21. I didn’t have a car. I just got my license last year at 24. That’s the biggest thing. I got a car and a new license now. That’s the big thing. Now I’ve been driving for a year. I’m 25 and I feel like I’m damn near 30.”
(I can see you in a Publix parking lot trying to learn how to drive. Take me to that scene, who showed you?) – “Nobody showed me. I really wasn’t driving. Last year I got my license with the help of (Director of Team Security) Drew Brooks. Drew helped me get my license and I’ve been driving ever since.”
(How do you get around in Louisiana?) – “My boy Rico. Shout out Rico. Make sure Rico Robinson sees this. Tweet him on Instagram or something. Rico Robinson was my roommate. Him Kevin Dotson, and Ken Marks – all of those guys I just rode with them everywhere we went. We were tight so everywhere they went, I went. I didn’t have a car, so they hooked me up. They helped me out. Those are my guys. I Ubered too with my little stipend check that I got.”
(Was it like a fear of driving?) – “No, nobody ever taught me how to drive. I never learned how to drive.”
(What do you think of South Florida traffic and South Florida drivers?) – “I’m glad I learned here because these – it’s tough down here man. (laughter) It’s tough down here. I’m glad I learned here because if I could drive here, I can drive anywhere. (laughter)”
(Most kids when they turn 15, they wait in line. They are waiting for their birthday. You never…) – “Man, those kids are more fortunate than I was. We didn’t – my pops and mom barely had a car. It is what it is. I had to wait my turn and God blessed me. I’m good now at 25.”
(This team has invested heavily in the offensive line, including bringing you in. When you take a step back and look at where this line is and it’s progress, what do you see? How do you assess it?) – “I think we’re getting better. Everybody knows we’re a young O-line. I think it comes with reps, I think it comes with age and I think just wanting to be good and having that attitude to do what you have to do and be better is the thing. I think we got a lot of young, hungry guys that are willing to get better.”
(Young o-line, and also a young quarterback. How have you seen QB Tua Tagovailoa develop since you’ve come in?) – “He’s been doing great. He’s firing. I like everything about the kid. He’s good in the locker room, he’s good on the field. He’s definitely more vocal. He’s doing his thing and that’s all we can ask for.”
(I know QB Tua Tagovailoa got you guys some Traeger grills, sausages and other meats. Have you eaten them all? I know it’s kind of tough with COVID but have you been able to have a meal together? How does that work out?) – “You know I ate all the meats already. It’s been a year. (laughter) Come on. Come on, man. You know that already. (laughter) I’ve definitely eaten all the meats, but I’ve ordered more from the guy. I’ve been using my Traeger like heck. Over the summer, I had a couple of rookies over, a couple of guys, and tried to do a little something.”
(We’re trying to shade you like you didn’t eat your meat.) – “Yeah, come on man. You know I ate that meat already. (laughter)”
(I’ve wondered about a Traeger grill. Is it good?) – “I love it. I love that grill. My girlfriend just got me a little hibachi to put on the grill. I use the grill a lot, I like the grill a lot. That was one of my best gifts last year. That and my bike. I got a bike too from Ted Karras – an electric bike. That was pretty nice too.”
(You good on the grill?) – “I’m working. I think I’m pretty good though. The next time you have Austin Jackson in here, ask him about my ribs. He’ll tell you.”
Malcolm Brown – August 31, 2021
Download PDF version
Saturday, August 31, 2021
RB Malcolm Brown
(What’s this day like for you? I think early in your career, you may have been a little more worried on a day like this and now you have worked yourself to more of an established role.) – “Yeah, I mean it’s the same old thing. Even, like you said back then it was a little more nerves but at the same time, the work is still the same. I’m still going to work like I’m not going to make the team. I still put in the same work even going on year seven. I’m still working, still got a chip on my shoulder like I am that undrafted guy coming in like I was my rookie year.”
(In the previous preseason game, you carried a dude and I didn’t get to ask you about it. You made it obvious that it wasn’t going to be easy to tackle you. If you remember that situation, what’s the mindset that you try to have in that situation?) – “In that situation, really it’s just; we’re this close, we got to score. That’s my biggest thing. I know getting into the red zone, it’s a little bit tighter. Guys are closer to the line, linebackers are walked up a little but more, safeties are walked up a little bit more. At that point, it’s whatever it takes. That’s the type of mindset I have.”
(How often would you run into LB Elandon Roberts during camp? What’s it like taking a hit from him?) – “A lot of energy. Fast player. Smart player. A lot of the plays he makes, I feel like it’s off of just his knowledge. Just seeing him the couple times I was able to really watch him and really see how he is, I definitely could tell he’s a smart guy, knows when to trigger, knows his key, knows everything he’s doing out there. He’s a vet player that knows a lot about the game. It’s easy to play fast when you know your stuff.”
(You obviously were with a team in the Rams that was able to get to a Super Bowl and have a lot of success in recent years. Now, you’re coming to a bit of a younger team that is trying to get to that level. What can you say about what the team is like, what the players are like in terms of leadership and trying to get to that level? Do you think in terms of having the right guys and leaders, this team has it?) – “Yeah, for sure. I think we got a lot of the right pieces in the right places. Obviously, a lot of the coaches have been coaching for a long time. They’re putting people in the right positions, putting people in the right places to be able to succeed. I’m pretty excited about this team. Young team, as you all know; but at the same time, I can definitely see a whole bunch of development even from the first preseason game to the second. I saw so much improvement. A lot of communicating going on. It’s definitely fun to get around the young guys and be able to interact with them and see how they work and encourage them to do anything that they can to get better.”
(I believe that season on the Rams, obviously you were hurt that season but they kind of surprised people. What stands out from that team in terms of the little things that you saw behind the scenes?) – “A lot of communication. A lot of communication, a lot of small details, communicating on the small details. It can be some of the smallest stuff from where we stand in practice, making sure we are listening, communication from players to players, coaches to coaches, coaches to players, everything like that. I feel like a lot of it, speaking on offense, a lot of it was all about communication, being on the same page whether it was us out during an actual play communicating pre-snap or in a meeting room and making sure every single running back knows what the offensive line may call in certain situations like that. I feel like that was a lot of our success was definitely, in my opinion, communication.”
(Is that part of your game? Knowing what the offensive line will call? Obviously you have to know from a protection standpoint but do you take that viewpoint from a running standpoint?) – “Yeah, you kind of know the scheme at least. You may not know every single call. I think that just comes with time and being in the system for so long. Obviously with me coming here, it’s a new system I’m still learning as well on certain stuff. But definitely at least knowing the scheme of the run and knowing what offensive linemen are blocking which players, how to set certain blocks up and stuff like that. It definitely helps and it just comes with time, comes with experience.”
(I’m sure you’ve been around a bunch of quarterbacks in your life, college and pro. How would you describe QB Tua Tagovailoa’s leadership style?) – “Great leadership. Great leadership, man. He’s a guy that when he steps in the huddle, he’s saying, ‘alright listen up.’ Everybody is quiet, everybody listens in on him. He’s not so much of a ‘rah-rah’ guy, screaming and yelling type of stuff; but when he comes in the huddle and he’s ready to call the plays and ready to make his calls pre-snap and stuff, everybody is going to listen up. I like Tua a lot.”
(Going back to what you talked about earlier being able to punch it in the red zone, that’s something that this team has been up and down on over the years. Has that been a point of emphasis in this training camp? Being able to impose your will on the goal line?) – “Oh yeah, for sure. I think that’s with every team. There are certain situations throughout games that I feel like the whole stadium may know you are about to run the ball and you still have to be successful at it. I think that comes with some heart, with will and any synonyms you can think of that when it comes down to it, even though a team knows you’re about to run the ball, you still run it and you still succeed.”
(You got to try your best to focus but I’m sure you’ve seen there’s been QB Deshaun Watson stuff in the media as far as him here. How do you guys handle that in the locker room? As far as that stuff being out there?) – “I think we really just don’t pay attention to it to be honest with you. It’s something that the coaches and the front office more so handle. Us as players who aren’t involved in any of those types of decisions, to me you really just don’t pay attention to it. It’s nothing that we can control. That’s really that.”
(Can you talk a little bit about your relationship with Head Coach Brian Flores? Is it what you expected? Is there something in particular that surprised you?) – “It’s about what I expected. When I came up here before I signed, I got a really good feel for him. He’s a straight-up guy, tells everything straight up. He’s up front, knows what he wants, he communicates to us what he wants out of us as players as far as on the field and off the field, and everything has been pretty straight forward.”
(But Head Coach Brian Flores always takes the defensive side, right?) – “Always. (laughter) He’s always on the defensive side. We make a good play on offense and he doesn’t like it (laughter).”
Zach Sieler – August 31, 2021
Download PDF version
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
DT Zach Sieler
(Are you having withdrawals about the RV?) – “No man, it’s been great. I loved that thing. We still camp here and there, but we haven’t been (living in it). It’s all right. (laughter)”
(As someone who came to the Dolphins in the middle of the 2019 season kind of rebuilding and trying to get things together to see where the team is now, I guess what goes through your mind and what do you think has played a role in the team kind of turning things around from 5-11 to 10-6 and trying to take that next step?) – “I think a lot of what we preach here is building a culture, creating a group of guys that’s close together, family. They’re going to play hard for each other. No one is here playing for themselves and we’re all here to play as 11 on each side. So I think building that culture has been a huge importance for this team.”
(What’s the demeanor like in the d-line room? It seems like you’ve got DT Christian Wilkins in there who’s obviously a personality and DT Raekwon Davis. Can you take us into the D-line room and what looks like on a day-to-day?) – “Yeah, we’ve got some characters. (laughter) Adam Butler loves the anime stuff. Christian is just Christian. Raekwon is Raekwon. (Emmanuel) Ogbah is there. Yeah, it’s a bunch of characters in there. It’s definitely a learning (environment). We all feed off each other. Adam’s got great tips. Christian’s got tips. ‘Rae’ (Raekwon Davis), Ogbah; everybody’s got tips. (John) Jenkins has got lots of tips, too. I think that’s one of our biggest things we preach on is learning from each other. And we’re never too good to learn from another player, coach, anybody like that. There’s always room to improve.”
(What’s it like for that unit where you guys know you’re kind of package-based and there’s nobody who’s going to dominate the snaps in terms of sharing?) – “I think that kind of goes back to the whole we all play unselfish. We all know who’s going to be best in what situations and our coaches try to put us in those situations based on who’s best. And I think everyone – that’s part of the unselfishness and the culture that we’ve built here.”
(We saw LB Benardrick McKinney got released. What was your reaction to seeing a player like him?) – “Great player. I loved playing with him. I hope the best for him. I know Mr. Grier (General Manager Chris Grier), ‘Coach Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) – all of them are going to do what’s best for the team.”
(You sat in here. You listened to LB Sam Eguavoen. You kind of have a similar story. Small school, you finally got some security – not security, but you got a new deal. Tell me about that drive that you hear him and you’re probably thinking in your head, “Yeah, a lot of the same things.” Is there a type of team you want to have?) – “Yeah. Obviously I was cut twice in Baltimore. (I was a) seventh-round pick. I think to me, my biggest thing was relying on God. I know He’s got a plan and kind of like what Sam (Eguavoen) said, did you give your all every day? And you get cut and you get kicked out – not kicked out – but you’re done and no one picks you up. At least you can go to bed at night knowing hey, I gave my all. That’s always been my mentality. I’m going to give my all every play and if it happens, it happens.”
(Have you seen guys that you’re like, “damn, this guy is talented.” Like you beat out a guy who you’re like, “damn, how’s that guy not here?” You know what I mean?) – “It’s the nature of the business. This is the 0.03 percent of kids from high school make it to the league or something like that – 0.05? So you have an atmosphere that’s the best of the best around the world. And I think that’s what – especially here with Miami – we focus on getting the best competition. No one is safe. It’s the best of the best. You get to perform every day. That’s why I love it here because we’re always fighting, evolving I guess – growing as players. That’s a better way to put that.”
(How important is mental health for an NFL player? You’re talking about days of players getting cut. How important is having good mental health for being an NFL player?) – “Hugely. Hugely. I think mental health is a huge part of the game. If you have a bad day and you bring it outside the field and you bring it in the building and you’re not fully focused and there’s stuff – there’s checks, there’s four checks in one play; and if you’re not fully locked in, you’re not fully at your peak mental health, it’s going to be a hard day for you. So I think it’s a huge importance to have guys that have their stress relievers, have their ways to talk. They need a good family or foundation around them to vent to, to relay, just to open up and tell what they’re going through because it’s a stressful job.”
(You mentioned earlier in your career. You were cut obviously twice. How does this day feel to you now? You have a little bit more security and maybe not sweating as much, but you still probably think back to those days early in your career.) – “Yeah, every day is a blessing to be in the NFL. That’s how I’ve always looked at it. I take it one day at a time – one meeting, one practice, one game. That’s kind of like the motto here. So for me it’s just God’s got a plan and whatever happens, happens. That’s really something I’ve tried to learn and incorporate in my life over the last three or four years.”
(What was it like for you that first time you got cut and maybe you didn’t know if another chance was coming? I don’t know. What was going through your mind at that point? How’d you handle it?) – “Yeah, the first time, we were walking off the field. Got pulled out. ‘Hey, last day of camp. Hey, thank you for all you’ve done. You’re a good player, but we just need to go another route.’ I ended up signing back to Baltimore as a practice squad player, so at least I knew I was still around. Still got to put footage out there, tape out there. It was stressful, but it’s definitely like – practice squad isn’t – there’s great players all around the league on practice squad. It’s not just practice squad. Those guys are great players. That’s where I came from. That’s when I got cut. That’s when I ended up down here the second time. So just always believe and work your hardest, I guess. Hope that answers your question.”
(What would your message be to those guys who might wake up tomorrow and they’re suddenly on practice squad, not the 53?) – “I think I would say definitely just keep doing what you’re doing. Just keep trying to grow every day if you’re giving your all and giving your best effort. Stay in the book, stay in the film because you never know when you’re going to get called up and hey, someone goes down – ‘we need you to take a lot of snaps.’ If you haven’t looked in your playbook, you can’t learn all that in one week or one day. Someone could go down on a Friday. That’s just how it is. So always stay ready is what I would say.”
Xavien Howard – August 31, 2021
Download PDF version
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
CB Xavien Howard
(Last time we saw you, you talked about shaking rust. Do you feel like it’s all shook off??) – “Oh no. I’m still cleaning up some stuff, technique-wise. Just focusing on getting better each day.”
(What’s it like watching established veterans like LB Benardrick McKinney get cut as they are trying to put together a roster?) – “It’s the NFL. It’s the business side of it. You just have to focus on the guys that are in the locker room.”
(What can you say about what LB Elandon Roberts has done since he came back?) – “Oh man, Elandon is going through the right path right now coming off an ACL. I feel like he’s grinded his way up to this point right now. He’s just focused on just getting better.”
(Do you relate to LB Elandon Roberts a little bit? Obviously you’ve gone through stuff in your past with your stuff, going through rehab and trying to come back and have a great year.) – “Yeah man, it’s a whole grind, especially with no setbacks. Just focus on that and make sure you have the confidence and the right mindset going into it. Knee surgeries, that’s a big thing. You can’t play with the knees. I feel like he’s got the confidence just coming out there, making an impact. He does a lot of things with our defense. He does a lot of play calling and stuff like that. With a guy like that, we need him out there.”
(I was thinking back to cut day in 2019 when Head Coach Brian Flores had arrived and that was the rebuild year. How do you think that the 53 men plus the practice squad that are going to be around tomorrow compared to that group?) – “It’s a lot of talent. You’ve seen a lot of guys that can be on our team that can go elsewhere and play. Like I said, it’s a business aspect of it. I feel like these guys just can’t get down. Somebody will pick them up. I feel like they will be on a team.”
(Playing with guys, you probably know better maybe than some coaches who the dudes are. Do you guys get any input? ‘Hey man, I like playing with this guy. This guy gives me a little more chance.’ Do you know what I’m saying?) – “Right now, I’m just focused on myself being out there. Anything can happen any day, any player, no matter who you are. I just focus on just being out there and just the guys that I have there. I try to teach them and also try to learn from other veteran guys on the team also.”
(Earlier today the Patriots cut QB Cam Newton and are going with the rookie QB Mac Jones as their starter for the opener. What’s your reaction to not facing Cam and instead facing the rookie?) – “Just watching film from last year, I also thought Cam was going to be the starter coming into it. I was expecting him. I guess I’ve got to watch film on somebody else, on Mac. I’m just preparing for whoever the starting quarterback and the receivers also. Like I said, it’s the business of it.’
(No. 17 on the Top 100. What did that mean to you when you saw that?) – “Just getting respect from peers around the league. Coaches, players, that’s what it’s all about. Right now, I’m just focused on trying to climb up. Trying to be top five. Really just out here grinding and trying to make my team better, myself.”
(Can you talk a little bit about the culture within the Dolphins? It seems like since Head Coach Brian Flores got here, the team has been working to establish a culture. How would you describe the culture within the organization?) – “The culture, just being here six years, I’ve been through a lot of different coaches and seen a lot of different coaches where we haven’t really had just one culture that I feel can help us, provide us and win games. ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores) brought that attitude in here. I feel like he’s the guy for the team. Everybody is just sticking to his plan and hopefully we get the job done.”
(I’m sure you’ve probably seen the rumblings in the media about QB Deshaun Watson and all those different questions. How do you all handle that in the locker room when you see that?) – “I’m on the defense side, I play cornerback and that’s all I’m worried about.”
Sam Eguavoen – August 31, 2021
Download PDF version
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
LB Sam Eguavoen
(If they brought you in here, I’m guessing you’re on the team.) – “Shoot, I don’t know man. You know how the NFL is. Crazy things happen. But it would be a blessing to be on this team. You’ve always got to think positive.”
(G/T Robert Hunt just said that he just got his license last year.) – “His license to what?”
(To drive.) – “To drive? Oh, wow.”
(Were you aware? He was 24.) – “No, I didn’t know that. I do always see him in the parking lot always waiting on a ride, so I don’t know. Maybe he doesn’t know how to drive. I’m not giving him a ride. I’m not about to get no flat tire. (laughter)”
(What’s it like for guys – you’ve been in this situation on this day where at any point they could just call you upstairs? What is that anxiety like?) – “The way I look at it is – yeah, it’s a lot of anxiety but I know from Day 1 of camp, if I came in and did everything that I had to do and left it all out there and I did everything in my control and I ended up getting cut, I’d be able to take that better at ease than me being lazy on this play or that play. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night knowing what if I went harder on this day? What if I went harder in that game? I might still be here. At least I know I went hard in every game and the team just wanted to go in a different direction. That’s the way I see it. If I’m just going hard every single day and I get cut, so be it. This is what my calling has been.”
(What message does it send to the team when a veteran established former Pro Bowler like LB Benardrick McKinney gets cut?) – “I don’t know. It’s crazy. That’s just the NFL for you. It’s always a revolving door and the GM, the head coach and the owner are always going to do what’s best for the team and things like that. It’s tough for anybody – whether you’re a Pro Bowler or undrafted. Being cut, that’s a tough feeling. That’s a tough pill to swallow.”
(What have you seen from LB Elandon Roberts since he came back?) – “It’s E-Rob. He’s looking good out there, being a leader, taking control and doing things that he always does.”
(I was thinking back to 2019 when I first met you. If the Dolphins hadn’t torn it all down and scoured the earth for anybody who might be able to play football, you might not be here. Have you thought back to that 2019 season and the opportunity that a rebuilding franchise gave you?) – “Yeah, I do always think about it because I was coming from the CFL, so I kind of had a choice to go where I wanted to go. Miami was at the top of the list because I liked the food they provided in the cafeteria. It was top tier compared to everywhere else. (laughter) But I just talked to my family, talked to God, and I’m glad I made that decision. The mindset I had going into the NFL, nobody was going to stand in my way. I worked too hard to get there, so it’s going to be hard to get me out. That was just my mindset.”
(How have you evolved as a linebacker? I think initially when we saw you early on, you were doing some pass rush stuff. How do you feel as more of a complete linebacker at this stage?) – “Every day it’s just learning. I really appreciate the coaching staff we have here. Coach Camp (Anthony Campanile), Robbie Leonard was my linebackers coach my rookie year in 2019 and I still talk to him every day. I’m always learning something new. That’s why I love the linebacker position because we’re learning stuff about the secondary and learning things about the guys up front in the trenches. Every day I’m just learning something new and then adding it to my game. I’m watching ‘Bake’ (Jerome Baker) and seeing what he does. I’m taking something from his game. E-Rob, I’m taking something from his game. Even D-linemen, (Emmanuel) Ogbah and everything like that, I’m always trying to take something from their game to always become a better player.”
Durham Smythe – August 31, 2021
Download PDF version
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
TE Durham Smythe
(It’s your fourth year. What has this camp been like for you this year?) – “It’s been good. I think it’s something I say every year. Obviously you want to keep improving to be a complete tight end, and improve things that have historically been weaknesses and things like that. I think that’s just stacking another year of that. Obviously with the room we have, it’s deep. We can all bounce ideas off each other and I think that helps everyone improve as well. It’s been good. It’s been a good thing.”
(How do you think this roster compares to the 2019 roster that Head Coach Brian Flores took over?) – “I think ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores) over the last three years has really just gotten his type of guys in this building. Guys who love to compete. I think one thing that jumps out between those two rosters is obviously there’s talent on both, but this one’s so deep really across the board. I’m confident that whoever goes down at any position really, this year you have another starter-caliber guy that can jump right in. I think it’s just the type of guys in the building and the culture we’ve built – competitive, honest, things like that, and deep. From a depth perspective, this is a pretty deep team.”
(How are you seeing the offense itself evolve with QB Tua Tagovailoa versus last year with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick?) – “Yeah, obviously to an extent you build offenses around the strengths of your players; and with Tua going into his second year, he knows what those are. He’s been – like I’ve said every time I’ve been asked about that – he’s obviously more comfortable this year. That’s how every player is from Year 1 to Year 2, regardless of position. So you can see that he’s comfortable. This will be something based around his strengths, receiver’s strengths, tight end’s strengths. You’ll see that really across the league in how offenses are developed. But from that perspective, I think he’s a lot more comfortable.”
(With that being said, do you feel like you guys are doing more Alabama stuff because that’s what QB Tua Tagovailoa is familiar with?) – “To be honest, I have no idea what Alabama does, this far out of college. I think it’s more based on just personal strengths. Like I said, I have no idea what Alabama does but as he develops, and kind of like I said earlier, as tight ends, we’re trying to be complete tight ends and work on those weaknesses. He’s done the same things. These little strengths that you see early on start to become more total in terms of what he can do. I think like I said, he is more comfortable and he has more strengths.”
(Have you had conversations about any roster bubble guys? What’s today like for them? What do you tell them?) – “Kind of like I said earlier, the depth on this team is so significant. It’s always the worst day of the year in terms of that because you go through camp, you get close with this team. Like I said, the right guys were in this building from the beginning. We had 90 of the right guys in this building, so this is always a tough day. Specifically, like I said earlier, this team is do deep. There’s a lot of guys that there’ll be tough decisions that are made. From that perspective, it’s tough; but you wish those guys the best and I think there’s a lot of guys on this team that will have a shot, whether it’s here or somewhere else.”
(LB Benardrick McKinney was one of those guys that we found out yesterday. What was he like to go up against this camp and if you could also talk about LB Elandon Roberts and going against him?) – “Yeah, he’s a good player. That kind of validates what I’m saying is there’s tough decisions when you have a team that’s pretty talented across the board. He’s a good player, a good guy. Like I said, we wish everyone the best that’s been here with us. E-Rob is a guy who has been on the injury whatever it is, and with him coming back, he made his presence felt like he always does. He’ll be an asset to this team, really across the board from a leadership standpoint and a defensive intensity standpoint.”
(You mentioned just the depth of this roster. How is maybe the additional speed that you guys have added with WR Jaylen Waddle and WR Will Fuller and some of those other guys helped you guys become more complete offensively?) – “Yeah, that definitely adds another dynamic. I think the way this roster has been built, really from the beginning, there’s guys that can really fly, guys that can go make contested catches and guys that do a little bit of both. I think when you have guys that have strengths in different areas, specifically within position groups, you can be more multiple. When you have guys that have the speed that we have this year, it definitely opens things up so that will be fun and obviously difficult for defenses to deal with.”
Brian Flores – August 31, 2021
Download PDF version
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Head Coach Brian Flores
(How much does the move with LB Benardrick McKinney equate to a vote of confidence for LB Elandon Roberts?) – “With Benardrick (McKinney), that was obviously a tough decision on our part. Very good player. I thought he did a lot of nice things in training camp. We like the guys in the linebacker room. You mentioned Elandon (Roberts). Elandon is one of them, but we like the guys in that room. Again, it was a tough decision. It really was and one that kind of we went back and forth on; but at the end of the day like everything else, we want to always do what we feel is best for the team. Tough decisions are part of that and this was one of them for sure, but nothing but good things to say about Benardrick and I have a lot of appreciation for his hard work this past month and really in the spring as well.”
(Is that an example of maybe him and LB Elandon Roberts playing similar roles in the defense and maybe just needing one of them?) – “I think there’s a lot that goes into it. I would say that’s one variable, but there’s so many variables when we’re talking about these types of decisions – position, salary cap, kicking game. There’s a lot of variables there; but at the end of the day, we’re always going to do what we feel is best for the team.”
(Where are you guys I guess with cuts at this point? Have you made all your decisions? Are you going to go through practice?) – “Yeah, we’ll go through practice and then make the rest of the releases then – after practice.”
(You probably heard that the Patriots are going with Mac Jones over Cam Newton. Obviously that’s the guy you face in the opener. Your reaction?) – “I met Mac Jones at the Senior Bowl so I have a great deal of respect for him. Look, if he’s earned the respect of Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels, then he has my respect. He was a very good college player. He did a lot of great things there. I think one other thing I would say is this is not the Dolphins against Mac Jones. It’s the Dolphins against the Patriots and they’ve got a good team. They’ve got good coaches. They’ve got a lot of good players. But specific to Mac Jones, I think he’s a good young talent and we’ll have our hands full with him and the entire team.”
(Have you guys begun prepping for New England, Mac Jones yet at this point?) – “We’ve started the early stages of preparing for Game 1. Still, I would say, in the very early stages especially since we’re not – we’ll really probably start full on tomorrow, Thursday. But yeah, the early stages, some early conversations, personnel. Very early stages of the preparation.”
(Getting rid of Benardrick McKinney sort of hints that LB Elandon Roberts is all the way back and ready to play. Is that the case? Because you guys didn’t play him in any of the preseason games.) – “Elandon (Roberts) is doing everything he can to get back as quickly as he can. Obviously he came off of PUP – I forget the exact date, but it feels like a couple weeks ago – and practiced last week and is moving in the right direction. So we feel good about where he is. That factored into some decisions; but yeah, we feel good with where he is and he’s moving in the right direction.”
(How do you expect to navigate the receiver room knowing WR Will Fuller won’t be there for Week 1 and maybe having to keep someone temporarily or how do you navigate that?) – “I think – obviously we know Will (Fuller) won’t be there for Week 1. He’ll be serving the one-game suspension. I kind of view it as a roster spot; so it could be defense, it could be kicking game. The next-best player is who we’ll keep and then we’ll make the decision in the next week when we get to that. Basically we kind of go about it as if he’s not there and then we take the 53 guys.”
(S Jevon Holland and T Liam Eichenberg. Are either of those guys good at this time or not yet?) – “Yeah, they’ll both be out there today.”
(You have spent a lot of time and effort into the offensive line over the past few years. I wouldn’t say overhaul is too strong of a word because it seems like that’s exactly what you’ve done. Given all of that, where are you in that process now? How do you assess the progress they’ve made?) – “I think that group is a group of guys who are tough, who are smart, who are competitive, who are team first and try to improve every day. I think we’ve seen that throughout the course of training camp. We’ll continue to work with them, develop them. They are still young players. I think the way they train, the way they practice, they have an opportunity to develop. There is still room to grow with each one of them. We’ll try our best as coaches, as teachers, to educate them and train them, and hopefully they get better.”
(Do you think G Durval Queiroz Neto is ready to compete consistently at the NFL level? And if so, how much credit do you take as a coaching staff?) – “I wouldn’t take any credit. The credit goes to Durval. I think he’s done a great job of training, nutrition, all the things you need to do to give yourself an opportunity or give yourself a chance. He’s gotten some opportunities in these preseason games and done a good job. We’ll see. I think he’s eager to play. He’s as competitive as anyone on this team. He’s eager to learn and we’ll just keep working with him. If we feel like he can help us in regular season games, we’ll make that decision.”
(Aside from WR Will Fuller, are you confident that you’ll have a full slate of receivers – WR DeVante Parker, WR Albert Wilson, WR Preston Williams, who we saw in the last preseason game – for the opener?) – “We’ve obviously had a lot of injuries in that room. All of those guys are working their way back and doing everything they can to get back. We’ve had them out there at practice to a limited degree aside from Albert, who with today being a walkthrough, he’ll participate in that. They are all working. We’ve still got some time – 12 days until we play. Those guys will keep taking it one day at a time with their preparation and with their rehab. If they are healthy, they will play and if they’re not, we’ll play another guy.”
(Can you share with us why it was that G Solomon Kindley played against Cincinnati on Sunday whereas the other offensive line starters did not?) – “We just wanted to get him some more work. When it’s preseason, we need numbers. There was a lot that went into that. They all wanted to play. We just felt like Solomon could get a few more snaps. That was kind of the thought on that.”
(What does the C Matt Skura release say about where you are with C/G Michael Deiter and what you’ve seen from him?) – “Deiter has worked extremely hard this offseason and during training camp. I think he’s done some nice things. He’s shown some leadership and he’s done a good job. I think we’re pleased with where he is. Again, still room for improvement, still room to grow; but he’s done a lot of good things.”
(Do you expect to have OL Greg Mancz at practice today?) – “Yeah, Greg will be there.”
(Did T Larnel Coleman get hurt during the game? Was he feeling something during? And your assessment of him playing the whole game and where his future is.) – “We’re going to put Larnel on IR. He got dinged in the game. I’m not going to get into his situation, but we had to place him on IR. We think he’s a good young talent and it’s unfortunate that that happened. But we’ll work to get him back and get him healthy as quickly as possible so he can start training and getting himself ready for next season.”
(You guys have kept two quarterbacks on the roster every year you’ve been here. Obviously QB Reid Sinnett had a solid camp. What does that mean for him?) – “Reid, as you mentioned, played well Sunday. He’s done a nice job throughout training camp. He’s really made a lot of progress and seen a lot of growth from him from last year to this year. He played well the other day and he’s a guy who with the way he goes about his business on a daily basis, and the way he prepares, I see him trending in the right direction and continuing to improve.”
