Jaylen Waddle – April 29, 2021
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Thursday, April 29, 2021
WR Jaylen Waddle
(Obviously you get an opportunity here to reunite with QB Tua Tagovailoa. Has he talked to you yet and how exciting is that opportunity to present itself to reunite with Tua?) – “I haven’t talked to Tua yet, but I can tell you I’m excited just to get back with him, get everything down, get our timing down and things like that. Luckily for me, we spent time together at Alabama, so we’ve just got to keep going.”
(What was the draft process like for you and what were some of your early conversations like with Head Coach Brian Flores and General Manager Chris Grier?) – “The process was great, and our conversations were – I wouldn’t say confidential, but just private and stay between just us.”
(We hear so much from Head Coach Brian Flores about players with high character. Just wondering, did you trying to play in the national championship game, showing you wanted to be out there with your teammates – do you think that went a long way with coaches and more specifically, maybe even the Dolphins? Is that something that came up as a positive in your pre-draft meetings?) – “Honestly, I just played because I love to play the game, so I wasn’t really thinking on how I came off to anyone or anything like that. They never really spoke about it or anything like that or anything. I’m just trying to be me. I play because I want to play, not to come off any type of way … or anything like that.”
(I wanted to ask you more about your partnership with QB Tua Tagovailoa. Normally when rookies come into the NFL, there’s a little bit of time that you have to get used to your quarterback. How do you feel your chemistry is going to go right off the bat since you’ve played with him before?) – “It’s there, for sure. It definitely needs to improve. It’s something that we’re going to try to improve on, so it’s good to be familiar with him; but I’m coming to work and I know he is, too. So just getting it down and just going and having at it, day by day, just trying to build it and build it more.”
(We’ve heard all the talk about your speed and WR Tyreek Hill comparisons pre-draft. How would you describe your game and what you think your impact can be on this league?) – “Yeah, I get a lot of comparisons to Tyreek (Hill), just because of my small size and being able to be a runner; but I want to be my own player and try to play the game that I play and try to do my own style and not try to emulate someone else’s style. So I think I’m going to try to be the player that I always have and try to make plays for the team, and just try to put the team in position to win.”
(How can you make QB Tua Tagovailoa better?) – “Make him better? I don’t know if that’s a thing or anything. I feel like it goes both ways. He’s going to make me better. I’m going to make him better and we’re just going to push each other and try to get better each and every day.”
(Just curious how you see yourself kind of fitting into this particular offense, what you might know about it and how you can impact this particular team?) – “I’m just going to do my best to do what the team asks of me and try to be the best player and do the things that the team asks of me at the highest level and the level that I know I can play at. I’m going to try to do whatever my coaches want of me.”
(I’d like to ask you a little bit more about your speed. Where do you think you rank right now in the NFL among the fastest players?) – “Who’s telling? I don’t know. That’s not something that runs by my mind or anything like that.”
(Just overall what does this moment and being drafted in the NFL, what does it all mean to you?) – “It’s special. Just getting that call, it’s something special. Honestly, I’ve never had that mixed-emotions feel ever in my life, so it was a lot of hard work that got put into making this moment happen, so just seeing it all come into action is something special.”
(Can you talk about what playing at Episcopal High School has meant to you to get you where you are today and the fact that two of your teammates are going to join you in the NFL Draft here at some point?) – “Yeah, EHS (Episcopal High School) is special. It’s always a special place in my heart. I’ve always loved the game, but I really truly fell in love with the game being there, being around the guys, and like you said, we’ve got two more players – actually three with Jhamon Ausbon from (Texas) A&M that’s going to be drafted and going to be in the NFL. It’s just great. I played alongside great players and we all went our separate ways, but we can meet up all on the big stage.”
(You kind of went a little viral after you got picked leaving all your family behind in the draft room. What was that moment like for you? Can you kind of talk us through that moment?) – “It was special, just walking out there, having that moment. It’s just special just to share it with your loved ones, for sure. It’s something that you can’t even describe.”
(I know you were coming off that ankle injury in college. Where are you health-wise?) – “I’m good. I’m ready to go.”
(WR Devonta Smith just got drafted at No. 10. What did it mean for both of you guys to get selected…?) – “Where did he end up going?”
(Philly.) – “He went to Philly? Y’all said y’all were going to remind me. (laughter)”
(But what does it mean for both you and WR Devonta Smith to go in the top 10 and obviously you passed by him on the way to the stage?) – “It’s just a moment you get to share with your brother. ‘Smitty’ is like my brother, man, so it’s just tremendous. It’s a lot of emotion. I almost saw him like, tear up, and ‘Smitty’ is not like, a real emotional guy. So it’s just a special moment. You just share it with your brother – Pat (Surtain Jr.), ‘Smitty,’ Mac (Jones), (Christian) Barmore. It’s something special. It just makes the moment even more special and even more emotional.”
(I wanted to bring up a point that QB Tua Tagovailoa has now played with four quarterbacks taken in the first round and possibly a running back that’s going to be taken in the first round. Were you guys the best offense, in your opinion – weaponry – in college football history?) – “Yeah, I’m not really big on trying to compare and stack up teams on teams – teams from other decades and other things like that. I can tell you that we were really good. (There was) a lot of talent in that room and on the team, especially on that side of the ball. But I don’t really want to get into the best or anything like that. But I can tell you that we were really good.”
(Tell us about your experiences in South Florida. How much time did you spend here and what are your impressions of the area?) – “I got to spend time there for bowl games, and like I said, my good friend Pat (Surtain Jr.) is from the South Florida area, so I’ll go out there and hang with him from time to time; but I’ve never really spent a good amount of time there. I’m excited to get around the culture, get around the people there and get around my teammates, try to build bonds and just get ready and try to do well for the organization.”
Chris Grier – April 21, 2021
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Wednesday, April 21, 2021
General Manager Chris Grier
(Opening Statement) – “I appreciate everyone coming on this morning, but I thought there was something we really need to talk about before we get started, obviously with the George Floyd verdict last night. You guys know me and I’m not a prepared statement type of person and doing stuff, but I just think it’s important for me to organize my thoughts, and I wanted to put them down after the last few hours and like everyone kind of dealing with what transpired yesterday. Yesterday’s verdict was a very emotional day for me. For me as an African American, there was a sense of relief and sadness. George Floyd was senselessly taken from family and friends. His story was one of many that have taken place in our communities over the years. It’s 2021 and yet, people of color are still asking for equality and justice. The jury in Minnesota served notice that police brutality is unacceptable, and people will be held accountable for their actions. We as a people should all be touched by the raw emotions of joy and relief by the verdict. The justice system worked for people of color yesterday; however, we cannot forget that a life was lost. I am proud of the work our organization has done in the South Florida community over the years led by Steve Ross, Tom Garfinkel and Brian Flores. Our players are actively out in the community trying to make a real difference. There’s a lot of work to still be done in terms of reform and equality. We will continue to do more and ask others to do so as well, across the NFL. We have the opportunity to make things better for everyone in our country. There are a lot of good people that want to make a difference. It’s encouraging to hear and see the number of white people and big companies willing to be uncomfortable and speak out against systematic racism. There are a lot of good law enforcement officials who want change for the better. These are good men, women, who uphold their oaths. We need to support them as well. We have made tremendous advancements in our way of life, except for dealing with race. It’s not just (Black) people being affected. Look at what’s happening with all the hate being directed towards the Asian community right now. I am hopeful, but not naïve to think that this verdict will change things. Politics and rhetoric have created a great divide in our country. We as an organization believe in bringing people together and valuing all human life, and I hope our country can move towards that, too.”
(Before I ask you a football-related question I have, if I could follow up with your comments, I’m wondering how surprised, if at all, you were by the verdict? Is that what you expected at the start of this trial?) – “You know me, I don’t dive into politics and stuff much on-camera. I think a lot of people were very hopeful that the verdict would come down the way it did; but just being honest, that always hasn’t happened. When things look like clearly something was wrong and happened in this country, and particularly with people of color, it hasn’t turned out that way. So I think that was the relief, I think some of the joy; but again, it’s also saddening that it takes people dying for people to realize and want change. But I was hopeful, and then when it happened, I was happy.”
(Moving to my football question if I could, obviously you made a couple of moves up and down in your first-round draft position, and there’s talk that you might well have opportunities to make a further move out of six. How likely is it or how much more open would you be toward listening to offers for that No. 6 pick after the No. 5 pick is made and you have an idea of what kind of draft board you’re looking at at No. 6?) – “I think you said it right there. I think we’ll always listen to everything. We’ve shown that. I think you owe it to your team and your organization to always listen to any offers that may or may not come. At the end of the day, as the draft falls and gets towards our pick, if someone wants to call and they make an aggressive pitch to us, we’ll evaluate it, look at the board and look at our options and we’ll make the decision that’s best for the Miami Dolphins at that point.”
(If there’s a player that’s taken in the top 10 that you may feel like you missed out on, would you guys have any regrets on trading out of three?) – “No. I think when we made our move, we had targeted a number of players that we liked that we’re comfortable with getting. So I think with us, when you make a move like we did and doing what we did to get back up, we’re very comfortable where we are; but again as I said, we’ll always evaluate it and drafts change as you know. People fall for some reasons unknown or people select players for their roster based on their needs. We’re comfortable where we are. We feel very good where we are and we won’t have any regrets.”
(The second question I had for you is kind of just the opt-outs and how you view them. I look at QB Tua Tagovailoa, T Austin Jackson, CB Noah Igbinoghene all having kind of something particular to them with being your first-round picks last year. Do you look at the opt-outs as something being bigger than what they are or do you look at it like a player has missed time due to injury or missed some experience along the way?) – “I think 2020 was such a unique year with the pandemic. All players have reasons for opting out and I don’t think it’s right for us to hold it against any player whether it’s family or – we don’t know all the circumstances until you get to this point and you talk to players. But a lot of players opted out. You also have schools that – some schools played four games, some played 10. So however you look at it, it wasn’t going to be an apples-to-apples comparison around. But for us to sit here and judge players on opt-outs for their reasons why, it’s unfair and I think it’s unrealistic.”
(I’m wondering just your thoughts, your thinking, for making the move, the trade – coming down and then going back up – that you did. Just your mindset for doing that.) – “We’ve had a number of teams call us. They were talking about coming up to three. We were comfortable being where we were and once we evaluated it, obviously San Francisco was very aggressive. (General Manager) John (Lynch) was great to deal with. He was very open and honest, transparent. As we worked through it, we thought with the offers that we talked through, once they gave us the offer that we were comfortable with taking, we decided it was important for us also to get back into that top 10. Once it looked like San Francisco could happen, we kind of reached out to a few teams just gauging whether they would move or not. Philadelphia was a very good partner to work with. (Executive Vice President/General Manager) Howie (Roseman) did a good job with us in terms of what we were looking for and what we were looking to do, and I give them a lot of credit. There were a lot of teams that wanted to wait. They wanted to wait and see. It takes guts to make a move like that so I give San Francisco and Philadelphia both credit for doing it.”
(The second part of that, does it bother you at all that you didn’t get back more for this year? That the stuff that is coming is out in the future. This year, you are weakened by those trades.) – “I don’t think we view it like that, we still have four picks in the first two rounds. I just view it completely different. We just have a difference in opinion. We feel very good about it and we also added a lot of stuff for the future, including two picks in 2023 – two first round picks in 2023. At some point – I’m sure someone will ask the question – we picked three guys in the first round last year. We’re going to keep adding young players and talent and growing. We feel good. We feel really good about how things transpired for us.”
(I know Bill Parcells was a mentor of yours and he had a saying about height, weight, speed exceptions. What’s your philosophy? There are a couple of smaller players in this draft whether it’s WR Devonta Smith or WR Jaylen Waddle. How does your philosophy impact evaluating those guys?) – “It’s all a part of the evaluation but every player tells their own stories as a different player. I think the league has changed as well. There are more rules. It’s more of an offensive league. I think that what’s been evident is that there is a lot of smaller players that have become really good players in this league, as well. You always evaluate it. You always talk about it. But again, each player is their own case. Those guys have shown that they’ve been good players at a high level of play in the SEC. That goes for a lot of players around the country. I just think the game has changed a little bit, and I think these smaller players are given more room and freedom to showcase their talents.”
(We’ve talked to you about playmakers and you’ve talked about wanting to get more playmakers. How much do you grade what QB Tua Tagovailoa’s skillset is and what maybe fits best for him versus what you guys view as the best prospect overall?) – “Yeah, I think especially when you’re picking where we are picking, you’re always looking at your team and Tua is a big part of that. So as we build around and what we’re doing, yeah, you’re always looking at what your quarterback does best. But you’re also looking at weighing that versus the best player that is available for your team because at the end of the day, it’s always about the team. It’s not about one player, one pick, one person. You’ve heard Brian (Flores) talk about team-first players that fit right. For us, it is – it’s just looking for the right player, the right person, the right fit for our team as well as the mesh with the quarterback.”
(My question is about QB Tua Tagovailoa. At the end of the season, you said that you were very happy with his development. I wanted to ask you for an update in regards to what’s the team’s communication been like with him this offseason. We’ve seen him posting on social media with him training with some of the Dolphins’ receivers. What type of benefit do you think that has with this full healthy offseason for Tua heading into next season and just what the communication been like with him?) – “The communication has been great. He’s been around. He’s been working hard. I know he’s been working with the receivers. He’s a very competitive kid as you know. I think coming off the injury last year with no OTAs, no minicamp and just being thrown in right away, that is a hard transition, especially with the rehab part he was doing. He’s healthy now. I’ve seen a couple of videos – I’m not on social media very much. He’s been working very hard. Our guys have been around and popped in and out here. He’s been great with the players and the receivers have been working. Like I said, he’s got to take the next steps. He’s been a winner everywhere he’s been and I’m really excited for him to have an offseason under his belt. I think that will be really important for him.”
(Regarding the pandemic protocols, how are you organizing your room and how does it compare with normal? How close are we to getting back to normal?) – “We talk about that constantly between Brian (Flores), Brandon (Shore), Tom (Garfinkel), Steve (Ross), Kyle Johnston. The big thing is trying to get back some sense of normalcy. We’ll be in the draft room this year back for the draft; but it will be a much smaller group following NFL protocols. Things are still different at the end of the day. We’ll adjust according to the league rules, but it is different still. The good thing is that we’ve all gone through it before, so we’re finding ways where things could maybe work better and working with the league to see which rules work best for teams going forward.”
(How many people will you have in the room down here compared to normal and how many people will you have at the draft?) – “At the draft, just like every team there will only be one person that goes. We’ll have – 10 people max is the guideline for our room here so we will have 10 people in the draft room.”
(I wanted to ask a little bit about free agency. I wanted to get your thoughts on moving on from LB Kyle Van Noy. You didn’t sign a big name pass rusher in free agency. That seems to be the one position you didn’t address with a big name. I’m curious your thinking on moving on from Kyle, not spending big money on an edge rusher and where do you see the position going from here?) – “Kyle did a good job for us last year and provided a lot of things. He helped us win 10 games like a lot of our players on this roster that are no longer here. I wish him the best. But for us, we had some young players we were developing that we felt good about and those guys need to get on the field. At the end of the day, it was a decision we made as an organization going into it. We talked about the roster at the end of the season between Brian (Flores), myself, the coaches and the scouts. At the end of the day, it was a move we made. In terms of the pass rush, we feel good about it. Like everything, we’re always looking to keep upgrading. It’s just such a unique year with the pandemic and so many teams releasing players, players taking one-year deals on cheaper – or below market value I should say – because of the lower salary cap. For us at the end of the day, we’ll continue looking at turning over the roster. We’ll go through the draft here and keep looking at free agents that are on the streets as well.”
(A number of the best defensive players in the draft opted out last year. Miami had one and obviously Penn State had one. How do you, as a personnel department, evaluate players that opted out in 2020? Are you less likely to take risks on guys that you don’t have 2020 film on? What’s your thinking, particularly on the defensive side of the ball?) – “Like I said earlier, I don’t think we can hold that against these players. Even some of the guys that played this year only played four or five games because of pandemic rules at their schools. You go back, you watch the 2019 season. I think our scouts and coaches have all done a great job of working through that process and spending time here getting to know these players. It’s a challenging year. Every team is dealing with the same level playing field. At the end of the day, you just get as much information as you can and rely on the relationships that scouts and coaches have with the schools to really get to know these players – from coaches. At the end of the day, you really can’t punish these kids because again, every team and every college is so different this year in terms of games played, etc.”
(How do you feel about the group of sort of upper-echelon running backs in this year’s class, as you evaluate it with the group from last year?) – “Every year is always different. This year’s class, there’s good players at that position throughout the draft, just like last year. Last year I know there were no backs I think taken in the first round, I believe. And there was a big run in the second and third rounds. People talk about valuing and devaluing positions. At the end of the day, I think teams are always looking at their rosters and evaluating, and good players get picked where teams feel that value is for their roster. It’s a good group of backs. At the end of the day, where they all fall, they’re all good players and they’ll be good players in this league.”
(You had mentioned briefly about the right players. You have four picks in the top 50. The players that you’re targeting, considering if you stay where you’re at, are those players you feel maybe not starters immediately but could contribute immediately?) – “I think it all depends on where they fall. At the end of the day, some of these players, yeah, they will be starters and impact players; but again, you’ve heard Brian (Flores) say this and I love this statement, that when they’re coming in, no one is a starter in April. Guys have to – and these rookies have to come in and there’s such a transition for them to learn. I think that’s why you always see guys take those huge second-year jumps, like (Andrew) Van Ginkel for us last year. I think ‘Mike G’ (Gesicki) did a few years ago, made a jump after his rookie year when people were unsure of him. I think with all of these guys, you preach patience for them a little bit; but I know because guys are first-round or second-round picks, you’d like them to be impact players right away. And they may be, but it may be subtle to where the coaching staff and the personnel staff, we all feel good about it and you’re just waiting for the public to see it. At the end of the day, they could be starters; but again, the players make their own way and create their own jobs on the team here. Brian (Flores) has created a great environment here of competitiveness and that’s what I love about our guys here. I think that’s why we won 10 games last year is guys here generally know it’s about competition and taking care of each other, and that’s an important thing.”
(I’m curious if you have any more clarity on who is going to call plays for you this year offensively, and the follow up to that would be how that collaborative effort has maybe influenced your evaluation of players and whether Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey or Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Eric Studesville and their input, how that affects the kind of players that you guys are going to want next year?) – “Coaching staff stuff, I’m not dodging the question, but I’ll leave that up to Brian (Flores). It’s not fair for me to come out here and talk about coaching staff stuff. But at the end of the day, yeah we are familiar with George and Eric and our communication has been great. Getting everyone on the same page, working through it has been good. I don’t think there’s any issues for us and we’re all on the same page on what we’re looking for and what we want to add to the team.”
(I was curious, how much does Head Coach Brian Flores and his coaching staff’s ability to develop talent, like you mentioned with LB Andrew Van Ginkel and TE Mike Gesicki, how much does that kind of weigh into the decision to acquire as much draft capital as you guys have accumulated the last couple of years?) – “That’s part of it. We’re not afraid to make picks. At the end of the day, we’ll make the picks, but we have great confidence that this coaching staff has shown that they can develop players and get the best out of them. That’s the exciting part of it. Listening to them, the thought process in watching those guys coach every day and the details that Brian (Flores) and his staff are on is what makes it fun here. The players know that and they appreciate it. Finding those right types of guys that love to work and do everything is very important because we know those players can get even better. So that’s the exciting part of working with Brian and his staff.”
William Fuller V – March 23, 2021
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Tuesday, March 23, 2021
WR William Fuller V
(First, I’ve got to ask you, you got hit with the escalator in the grocery store? They don’t have that in Houston?) – “That was my first time seeing that. (laughter) They might have that in Houston, I got some Houston fans that were contacting me saying, ‘we’ve got that in Houston too.’ But I didn’t see it in Houston. That was my first time seeing it in Florida.”
(I have a football question for you. It’s a nice one-year deal for you. How did free agency with the cap room being a little bit smaller this year affect you weighing a one year versus a multi-year deal? And how happy are you to be on your one-year deal here in Miami?) – “I’m super excited to be here in Miami. I feel like I wanted to take a one-year (deal) just to prove my worth in the league. I’ve had my fair share of injuries and I’ve been working really hard. I just want to prove to the NFL, and to the Dolphins for taking a chance on me, that I’m a player that they would love to have long term.”
(The Dolphins were looking for somebody who could stretch the field. Tell me in what ways you think you can do that for them.) – “I think my tape speaks for itself. I’m a vertical threat. I can also do more things underneath. I think I bring an element to the Dolphins offense that can help other guys out and help this team continue to get better and help them to win. Whatever I can do to help this team win, whatever they ask of me, I’m going to do. So I’m excited to be here.”
(The PED suspension, did you have to assure the Dolphins at all that it was just a one-time thing? What’s your view on that situation going into this year?) – “Yeah. I’ve talked to the coaching staff about that. That’s something personal between me and them that we’ve talked about. I definitely had to shore some things up with them. For me, it was a one-time thing (that was) completely accidental and that’s never going to happen again. I’m excited to put that in my past and just come to Miami and put my head down and work.”
(What do you know about QB Tua Tagovailoa skillset and how do you plan to make sure that you guys develop the best connection?) – “I’m out here in Houston finishing up my offseason program and doing my workout stuff here. I’m almost done, so I’m looking forward to getting off to Miami as soon as possible and contact with him. I’ve already spoken with him on the phone and texted with him. We’re setting things up to go over there in Miami and throw, so I’m excited about that as well in the near future coming up soon.”
(Despite your arrival there is still speculation with the Dolphins holding two first-round picks that they might even go after a wide receiver – WR Ja’Marr Chase, WR Devonta Smith, for example. Would you welcome that just to spread the wealth?) – “Oh yeah, of course. The more talent we’ve got, the easier it will be for all of us. Whatever they are going to do in the draft, I have no idea. That’s above my head. I’m just here to do my job; but I’d love another receiver in the room. Just keep bringing talent and we’ll keep making plays.”
(They’ve taken all of my football Dolphins questions so I wanted to ask you about what Houston QB Deshaun Watson is going through. Have you talked to him? Where do you think his mind is and what’s next for him?) – “Yeah, I fully support Deshaun. I don’t know any of the specifics about what’s going on with him, but I fully support him. I’ve been talking to him. To me, it seems like his head is on completely straight. I’m just looking forward to seeing where everything goes. Hopefully he’s okay.”
(Why Miami? Why this program right now with this quarterback?) – “I signed a one-year deal looking to help this team win. I’m just excited to be here. I’m excited for a fresh start. Miami took a chance on me and I’m just excited to be here and excited to put my head down and work. Tua (Tagovailoa), he’s an electric player. I watched him all through college. I didn’t get much time to watch him in the NFL because I was with Houston, but I’m super excited to play with Tua and can’t wait to work with him.”
(With your experience in Houston, what was that like last year in 2020? It seems like it was a whirlwind and stuff happening from Bill O’Brien coming in and getting fired, and then towards the end of the year after the offseason, QB Deshaun Watson making clear he wanted out. What sort of was it like being on that team with everything going on?) – “It was a little different season for me, but I don’t even want to talk about Houston. I played there five years and I’m happy they drafted me. I had a great time there but I’m just looking forward to the next chapter of my career and starting fresh with Miami. Like I keep saying, I’m just super excited to get to work and finally meet the guys and go to training camp and put in that work.”
(You talked about how you consider yourself more of a complete receiver as opposed to just a one-trick pony, a guy who just gets the deep ball. But fans kind of have this fascination, this romanticism, with the deep ball, the deep catch, the deep touchdown. Why do you think that is? Why do you think people love that 70-yard touchdown pass play?) – “Who doesn’t love those long touchdown plays. That’s a simple question. It’s a quick-scoring, exciting play. Who doesn’t like those fast, quick touchdowns that put points on the board fast? I feel like, like I said, I have the underneath skillset too; but that’s what makes things a lot easier for me is just having the ability to score on any given play. That opens up a lot of things underneath for me, so I use that to my advantage.”
(What are some of the things that you’re doing now to maybe keep yourself healthy and hopefully play 16 games this year?) – “I’m wearing this shirt and this guy is helping me a lot – Benjamin Fairchild. Just specific training for my body and not doing what everyone else is doing as far as linemen and quarterbacks. Just doing something specific for my body because everyone is different. I started working out with him last year and I just took it to a new level this year, adding some things here and there. This is probably the best I’ve felt in my career, so I’m excited to play 16 games this season.”
(I’ll end it light with you. What’s it like for a Philly kid coming down to Miami and playing in this heat? What do you think it’ll be like?) – “Luckily I’ve played in Houston before I came to Miami because it gets pretty hot in Houston. But I’m preparing for it. I’m out here running a lot and I’m conditioning. I think I’ll handle the heat well. That’s been something I’ve never had a problem with is my conditioning. I think I’ll do pretty well over there. I’m excited for that, as well.”
Duke Riley – March 22, 2021
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Monday, March 22, 2021
LB Duke Riley
(What was something that intrigued you about joining the Dolphins and what are you most excited about here?) – “I’m just excited about everything. It’s a fresh start for me. I’m excited about the coaching staff, playing with the guys, guys getting to know me and the great weather, the great city, the great organization. I’m just excited to be here just in general. I’m just excited for a new opportunity, just excited for an opportunity to have a job again. It’s a blessing, regardless.”
(What would you say is the biggest thing you will bring to this Dolphins team?) – “Just positive energy. That’s the only thing I can say. I’m going to bring energy and just be consistent. Other than that, I could sit here and say I’m going to do this and I’m going to do that, but the film and the eye in the sky will never lie.”
(How well did you know Head Coach Brian Flores before this week and what do you know about the work he does with linebackers?) – “I know he’s going to put us in the best position to make plays and be instinctual and play fast. I met with him during the recruiting process back in 2017 coming out in the draft, so we’ve sat and talked before. I’m just excited to play for a guy like him. He’s going to bring the best out of everyone and we’re going to be competing like no other, so I’m just excited for that.”
(What kind of player are you? What are the Dolphins and Dolphins fans going to see when you hit the field?) – “Energy. That’s all I can say. Just energy and being the same guy and just a guy who’s going to bring his teammates along, a guy who’s going to lead by example, a guy who’s going to – I’m not going to be perfect. No one in this league is. It’s hard to be perfect in anything you do; but that’s the main thing, just energy and consistent.”
(I wanted to ask you, what did it take do you think for your defensive snaps to go up dramatically from Atlanta to Philly? I know your first year in Philly, not a lot of defensive snaps. Last year, it went up a lot. What do you think you showed that warranted those snaps? Where did you improve that you became more of a defensive factor?) – “It really became from my special teams play. I knew that I would have to make an impact on special teams to be noticed. I wanted to play defense and a lot of people I guess, sometimes they get in moods when they’re not on defense and they think special teams is not part of – I don’t know how people look at it, but I look at it like it’s everything. I look at any time I’m on the field that any opportunity I’ve got is everything. So that’s why I was able to get on defense because I was able to make plays on special teams and be noticed, and I guess they figured if I could do it there and make plays in space on (special) teams, then they would put me on defense. It seemed to worked out. I helped myself a lot by just staying committed and staying dedicated and believing in myself, even though I wasn’t getting that many snaps at first. I never let it get to me. I kind of just stayed down and stayed digging like I always am. I’m still digging right now. (laughter)”
(How many different ways did the Eagles use you on defense? I apologize I haven’t been able to watch your tape yet.) – “In many different ways. Third-down situations, first-down situations; I’m an every-down guy. I pretty much can play in any situation, but there were a lot of situations that the Eagles used me and then I became an every-down guy for them. At first, I was just a third-down and situational guy, and then I started making plays in those situations and they wanted to see more and then I became an every-down guy.”
(I wanted to ask you if you think you can play both inside and outside in a 3-4. Would you be as comfortable in as out in that scheme?) – “I’ll just be comfortable – to be honest with you – wherever the coaches really want to put me at. I think they’re going to put me in the best position for the team and for me to be successful, and that’s what it’s all about. They’re going to put me in a position for the team to be successful, so that’s all I want them to do and that’s what I’m ready for.”
(What do you think this defense and this team could aspire to be next season?) – “I don’t want to make any predictions. We’re in the offseason right now. I just want to get with the guys and meet them, show them what I’m capable of and what I can bring to the table and where we can grow from there. We don’t even know what this team is going to look like, so it’s kind of hard to make any predictions on what’s going to happen, so I just want to be where my feet are right now. I’m thankful that I signed with Dolphins today and I’m excited to be with my new teammates. Then we can work together towards futures and future goals, but we’ve got to start day-by-day. That’s the only way you can do it. You can’t ever look ahead in life. That’s how you miss what’s right in front of you.”
(Duke Riley is a great name for a football player. Is that a family name, Duke?) – “No, I’m the only Duke Riley. My dad’s name is Duke. I got my name from my dad and I have my mom’s maiden name, Riley. So I’m one of one. (laughter)”
Brennan Scarlett – March 22, 2021
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Monday, March 22, 2021
LB Brennan Scarlett
(What was your free agency process like and what led you to wanting to join the Dolphins?) – “I appreciate the welcome and I’m happy to be here. Free agency, it was my first time going through it. It was an interesting process, not truly knowing where I was going to land and dealing with the stresses that go along with that process; but I really just took it all in. I leaned on my agent and my support group to help me stay in the right direction. At the end of the day, Miami is a great historic franchise. There is a huge opportunity here as it pertains to winning football games. The coaching staff – talking with ‘Coach Flo’ (Brian Flores), I really respect what they are doing. So at the end of the day, that’s what led me here to Miami.”
(I’m curious, when you have those conversations with Head Coach Brian Flores and General Manager Chris Grier, was your role in 2021 discussed and how did they envision using you this year?) – “We didn’t get into particulars about the role. Just knowing that whatever it was going to be, it’s a role that’s going to have to be earned, which I respect and I look forward to. At the end of the day, the coaches have a job and all I can go out there and do is compete, show my stuff and let them kind of plug me in as they see fit. So I’m looking forward to that.”
(I wanted to get your thoughts on being united with LB Benardrick McKinney and what kind of player are the Dolphins getting both in you and McKinney?) – “Yeah, I appreciate it. ‘B-Mack’ that’s a great guy, a good friend of mine and a great teammate to have out on the football field. The biggest thing about ‘B-Mack’ is that he loves the game of football. He’s passionate to be out there on the field and I think that’s one of the most important pieces to playing with somebody is somebody who wants to be out there and loves to be out there. That’s really what I’m looking forward to. I would say that I share those same values. I look forward to competing every day and at the end of the day, I look forward to winning football games because that’s really what we’re out here to do. I would say that’s what they got here in the two of us is two guys that love to compete and love to play the game of football.”
(Can you take us through how 2020 was for you? I know you were a little banged up and might not have been what you were hoping for. Do you think that the player that was there in 2019 is going to be there for us in 2021?) – “Yeah, I’ll play to the best of my abilities for sure. A lot of stuff obviously happened in 2020, but I’m excited to look forward to 2021 and being here as a part of the Miami Dolphins organization and everything that we’ve got coming down the road. I’m really excited about where it’s headed and I’m looking forward to 2021.”
(I want to ask you a little bit about your college career. The Cal/Stanford thing doesn’t normally go together but you made it happen. If you could describe what that was like; and also I read that you had some interesting choice in major with engineering. What did you have in mind to do with that as maybe a post-football career?) – “Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I did the Cal/Stanford thing. It doesn’t really happen like that; but for me, it was just the best path. Cal was a great university, a great football program; but after I graduated – like you said with a business degree after four years there – it was time to move on. Stanford was an opportunity there. I had to go about 45 minutes south and was lucky enough to pursue my masters degree, as you said, in engineering there; and really play a physical brand of football and be a part of a winning culture at that time. We won a Rose Bowl, which I’m proud of. Yeah, concerning the degrees, just education is important to me. I love to challenge myself in every area of life and Stanford did that for sure. (laughter) But I got through it.”
(Correct me if I’m wrong, but you played at Cal with Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark. I wanted to ask you what kind of player was he and how weird is it that he’s now one of your coaches on the defensive staff?) – “You talk about a player with some grit – ‘AC’ (Austin Clark). ‘AC’ had some grit. Just again, another guy that loves to play the game. I could tell back then how passionate he was about the ins and outs of the game, the fundamentals and the intangible things that it takes to be a great football player. ‘AC’ had all of those things. I’m not surprised he’s sitting in the seat that he’s sitting in now. I’m really excited to work with him again and really pursue this thing together once again. ‘AC,’ he was the Honey Badger. That’s what we called him back then. There was Tyrann Mathieu and then there was Austin Clark. (laughter)”
(I don’t want to bring up old stuff, but a couple of you guys from the Texans joined the Dolphins here. It seems like everybody is happy to leave that situation for a new one. Can you just speak to that, I guess what this new opportunity holds for you guys after having some frustrating years in Houston?) – “Yeah, for sure. The Miami Dolphins organization has a great history, a history of winning, a historic organization that’s been around for a lot of years. It’s one that I’ve always respected growing up and always looked to. I’m really excited to be a part of that story, looking forward to the 2021 season and everything that that could possibly be. I’m excited to be a part of it and get out there and compete, win some football games and have some fun. I think for me, that’s really what I’m excited about being here.”
Matt Skura – March 19, 2021
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Friday, March 19, 2021
C Matt Skura
(What was the process like and how many other suitors and why was the Miami the team that won?) – “This is the first time I’ve been through the free agency process, so it was definitely interesting. (I was) kind of trying to stay patient, but kind of anxiously wanting things to move pretty quickly. I had a few different offers. It kind of dwindles down as you get closer and closer to making a decision, and I think the thing with me making my decision to come to Miami was just seeing Coach Flores’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) passion for the game and how much he truly cares about his players and really wanting to improve the culture of this team. I think that was a big thing for me. I wanted to go to a team that’s going to have a great culture, great locker room and also they want to win. That’s the biggest thing at the end of the day, so that was ultimately the biggest thing for me.”
(I’d like to ask you to talk about two things: your return from injury – do you feel better from a health perspective and did the injury impact you at all last year? And the second part – I heard that you had some trouble at some point with snapping. What went on there and what have you and will you do to address that?) – “Coming off the knee injury and then also having to deal with the pandemic last year, and also going into this year, was definitely an interesting situation. Basically, having to create a home gym, finding ways to rehab and get back as strong as possible. And so going into the season, I felt really good and throughout the season felt good as well. The knee held up great. I didn’t really have any problems with it and the things with the snaps; it was the Patriots game where we were having a little bit of a torrential downpour, but I’m someone who really doesn’t like to make excuses. I don’t care if it’s a blizzard, a hailstorm or whatever it is. That’s something that I have to take responsibility for, so that’s been one of the main things in this offseason literally every day – snapping – whether it’s getting 10 snaps in or 30 snaps in. Whenever I can that time basically permits for myself, I’m doing snaps, doing o-line drills, doing everything I can to make myself feel prepared.”
(I heard you mentioned earlier about having to create a home gym and I’ve heard some stories about athletes who had to get extremely creative in doing so. Did you have to kind of go out of bounds and do something crazy in order to create a gym or was it just standard equipment?) – “I didn’t have anything to do – I only had one kettlebell and like, one strength band, and so that was kind of it at first and basically I was like, ‘I need way more than this,’ so I just had to go online and buy a whole bunch of stuff. With the pandemic and everything really starting to ramp up, shipping kind of took forever, so I would get like, half of my equipment in a month and then I would get the other half like two months later. So it was basically like creating a home gym, working out and building one all at the same time. Yeah, you definitely find creative ways to – in your backyard – to do workouts or going to a local park, trying to find ways to run, do sprints, whatever you can. So you definitely get creative.”
(You obviously worked with Ravens QB Lamar Jackson during your time with Baltimore. What does a center need to do for a young quarterback like QB Tua Tagovailoa and a center like yourself? What does a center need to do to help those quarterbacks kind of along?) – “Yeah, I think one of the biggest things is communication – him communicating to me on the line, me communicating any kind of protection, changes that we want to make and also just understanding how he sees the game. Everyone’s different, everyone has different perspectives, so understanding how he sees certain blitzes, how he sees defenses or how he wants to offensive line to protect him are all things that go into it. I think for me, too, just building a relationship off the field definitely helps that as well. Lamar and I have a great relationship off the field, so I think that definitely helped us on the field. So that’s something that has always been big for me, is just building those relationships and when it comes time to play in those games, things become easy and communication becomes that much easier.”
Adam Butler – March 18, 2021
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Thursday, March 18, 2021
DL Adam Butler
(How much did your familiarity with Head Coach Brian Flores and Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer play into your decision to sign with the Dolphins?) – “It had a pretty good amount. I love ‘Coach Flo.’ He’s a great guy. And (Josh) Boyer the same. I love what they do. I know that my skillset can be an asset to them. To answer your question, it had a pretty decent amount.”
(One advantage of your game is that you can play many different spots on the line and be productive. Did Head Coach Brian Flores tell you his vision for you in terms of sharing snaps with DT Raekwon Davis, DT Zach Sieler and DT Christian Wilkins? Was there any defined role given to you, just so you would know that you will have enough snaps to fit your skill level to what you warrant?) – “I’m not going to speak on behalf of ‘Coach Flo,’ but I will tell you that I am the kind of guy that will play wherever I’m told. I’m here to help this team win. I came here to contribute and fit in where I fit in, and give this team the best shot to win.”
(I have an idea – what about you and DT Davon Gochaux, you can trade apartments or maybe you can sell him your house because he took your spot and you’ve taken his spot right?) – “I mean I can ask him. (laughter)”
(One of the things you’ve done is create a lot of pressure and get a lot of sacks. What are the ways in which you are best able to get to the quarterback? How are you able to do that?) – Look, I can’t spill my secret sauce, come on now. (laughter) What I can tell you is that I do take pride in my first step off the line. I don’t think that’s a secret. I think that other people around the league respect me, so that’s what I’m going to bring to this team.”
(When you looked at this Dolphins roster and you make the decision, how much does that factor in how close this team might be to competing at a high level?) – “I think that this is a great team. I think we have a decent amount of potential; but this is a new year. Regardless, we’ve got to work together, come together and establish that chemistry. I didn’t really focus on the roster as much as I did focusing on what I could bring to the table and how I could help this team.”
(You talked earlier about your ability to put pressure on the quarterback. Where do you see yourself in terms of run-stopping ability at this point in your career?) – “I see myself just getting better. That’s my goal every year is to be better than I was the previous year in every aspect. I’m in the process of training and working on my run technique and trying to get more power and more strength to move guys off the line.”
(I just wanted to get your thoughts. There has been so many Patriots go to the Dolphins, Dolphins go to the Patriots and you play each other twice a year. Is this rivalry kind of evolving a little bit more than it has been for years?) – “I don’t know. Both of these teams have been here a lot longer than I have. I’m just glad to be here and I’m ready.”
Jacoby Brissett – March 18, 2021
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Thursday, March 18, 2021
QB Jacoby Brissett
(How difficult of a call was this for you? Was there a team that was close to Miami or was it pretty clear cut? And what did Head Coach Brian Flores tell you?) – “’Flo’ just told me that I get the opportunity to come play football again, so I was excited about that. I’m excited for this opportunity to go out there and compete, be a good teammate and go from there.”
(Quarterback is a unique role in free agency because there is only one guy who is on the field at a time. How much did the Dolphins tell you about what your role will be? Obviously QB Tua Tagovailoa is here. And how was the conversation in general?) – “I think with being a free agent and with being on a team, the role is the same. You go out there and compete, you go to get better and you become a good teammate. Obviously being on a new team, learning new teammates, new players, new coaches, a new system; but it’s all the same. Go out there, be a good teammate, go out there and compete and be a professional.”
(Where do you see yourself in your career at this point? Do you feel like you are a number one guy and should be wherever you are?) – “I’m still getting better and still learning and still growing. I’m excited for this new opportunity to go out there and do that.”
(What are some of the positives of returning to South Florida?) – “I get to wear shorts in March and see the sun for more than three months out of the season. (laughter) I’m excited. It’s an extremely great opportunity to be back home and be a part of a great organization that’s headed in the right direction.”
(How much time to you spend in West Palm Beach – up until the signing anyway? How do you look back on your time at Dwyer High?) – “Dwyer made me who I am today, and obviously I’m here full time because I grew up right up the street, not too far. I’m excited to be back and be a part of something special.”
(I’m curious, where do you feel like you are in the development as a quarterback at this point in your career? What have you gotten better at? What do you need to improve at?) – “I think with anything, it’s the constant of getting better. I’m in a new system with new players, so you have to get better at those things; but the position of quarterback is never figured out. I think that as a competitor and as a young quarterback still, you find those things and you continue to pick at your game to get better. That’s the stage I’m in now and that’s what’s so exciting, because I feel like I am doing that.”
(What are your thoughts of reuniting with Head Coach Brian Flores again? I want to ask you another question too about what you think of how good of a teammate you’ll be to QB Tua Tagovaoloa here in this process?) – “To answer that question, I’ll be the best teammate I can be. I can’t be like anybody else. I can only be myself. I’m excited to see how we mesh together. I’m sure it will all work out fine after everything I’ve heard about him. To answer the first question, I’m excited to be with ‘Flo.’ Obviously having a history with him in New England, he was a great guy in New England and I don’t see that changing. From the other players that I know that have had history with him here and in New England, they have said the same thing, that he’s the same guy. I’m excited for that.”
(What was your impression of Head Coach Brian Flores when you were together with the Patriots and what’s your impression of what he’s doing with the Dolphins?) – “Honestly, there is no surprise. He was a great leader. A guy that spoke well, that players could easily talk to and mesh with. I see that as the same thing that he’s doing here. You see the success he’s having and the direction that he’s taking this team and this organization, and it’s no surprise.”
(Have you ever met QB Tua Tagovaoloa before?) – “No, not yet.”
(What do you know about QB Tua Tagovailoa aside from what we all see on TV?) – “I’ve seen him play obviously being a fan of the NFL and being a fan of football and quarterbacks. That’s pretty much honestly all that I’ve seen.”
(You’re still a young guy, but you’re been the youngest guy seemingly in every room you’ve been in and now you’re the veteran. How is that transition and how do you anticipate taking on that vet role?) – “(laughter) Yeah, now the roles have reversed. I’m excited for it. Like I said, I can only be myself and hopefully that’s what pans out and works well. I’m still young, so it’s not like it’s a huge gap. I’m excited to get in the room and get around the guys and being able to go to work.”
(I’ve heard that Bill Parcells has been a positive – that you’ve had a positive relationship with him. I’m curious with him having been with the Dolphins, this time around being a free agent, did he have any thoughts about the Dolphins as a franchise? Any thoughts about the things you might want to consider this time around as a free agent?) – “No, just to find the right spot for me. We kind of keep some of those things personal, so I’ll refrain from giving those conversations. But he’s always been a guy I can lean on and talk to and he’s still that in my life. I’m thankful for him and excited for this opportunity.”
(In Indy, you played a lot of that short yardage role where you’d come in and get a touchdown when you need it. What are your thoughts about that role and would you be open to doing that again if Head Coach Brian Flores asked you to?) – “I’m a team player first and I’ll do whatever the team needs me to do. When I was in Indy, that’s what the team needed me to do; so like I said, I’m here to be a good teammate and get myself better, and go out there and compete.”
(I know you did a lot of your own negotiating. How did you take on that role? How did that start? And how much did you put General Manager Chris Grier through the ringer when you negotiated with him?) “(laughter) I took it easy. But no, I’m honest with myself. I’m honest with people and hopefully that creates a relationship for us to have an honest conversation. That’s where it all started when I was first coming out of college. It’s suited me well throughout my career. It’s something that I like doing, I guess.”
