Malcolm Brown – March 18, 2021
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Thursday, March 18, 2021
RB Malcolm Brown
(You’ve always been a productive player, but you’ve made only two career starts. Is starting at some point in your career something that’s important to you and did Head Coach Brian Flores or Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Eric Studesville give you any indication of whether you’ll be in the mix to compete to start here?) – “No, nothing right now. I’m just really excited to be a part of the team. Once we get close to the season, obviously we’ll probably speak on what role; or obviously once we start here in training camp, whatever competition there is, just going out there and competing and doing what I can for the team, contributing in any type of way that I can.”
(How would you describe your skillset, your game, to somebody who hasn’t watched you play before?) – “I’m a hard-nosed runner. Somebody that can really do everything. This past year – obviously with a different team – I got a chance to be more of a third-down type of guy and be able to catch passes out of the backfield a little bit more. But it’s something – those guys up there – I was able to do everything. A guy that can – first, second down, third down – I’ve had my experience on special teams as well, but somebody that’s just tough, disciplined and just a team guy.”
(I know you played against the Dolphins here last season. What are your impressions of what Head Coach Brian Flores and the Dolphins are doing here in Miami?) – “It seems like a great thing and I’m glad to be a part of it. It seems like it’s definitely a championship-caliber team and I’m definitely just happy to be able to contribute and make that run. It’s always the No. 1 goal, to win games and make it to that big game. So whatever I need to do, whatever these coaches ask of me, whatever role I may play; I’m definitely just excited to come in here and work with these guys and get things rolling.”
(Going back to that game against the Dolphins last year, what stood out to you about the Dolphins defense?) – “They were just intense. They were all over the place flying around. Like I said, I’m definitely excited to be a part of a team like this. But that defense, they had a lot of great players on all levels – d-line, linebackers, corners, safeties – everybody was flying around. (There was) a whole lot of excitement on that side of the ball and a team that feels like chemistry – it seemed like they liked to play with each other. Everything. The defense, they got on us. Obviously we lost that game, but definitely like I said – I’ll probably say it even more – I’m just excited to be a part of this team and be able to contribute.”
(How much do you know about QB Tua Tagovailoa and what do you think about his game?) – “It seems like a kid that’s going to be a great quarterback in this league. I’m definitely excited to work with him as well. I obviously haven’t watched a ton of him – just being on different teams and stuff, obviously; but yeah, it seems like a great talent. Mobile – that’s what it seems like. A lot of QBs are starting to be a whole lot more mobile. I’m excited to work with him. I think he’s a great player. I think he’s going to get even better throughout this year. He’s still young, obviously, so I’m excited for him and definitely excited to be able to work with him and see how this thing gets rolling on this offense.”
Benardrick McKinney – March 18, 2021
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Thursday, March 18, 2021
LB Benardrick McKinney
(I just wanted to ask your reaction when you heard about the trade. Were you happy? And I guess there is a report that they’re trying to restructure your contract. Is that accurate and have you agreed to that?) – “I haven’t heard anything about restructuring my contract, but I am happy that the Dolphins organization has given me an opportunity to be here; and yes, I was shocked when that happened but that’s the nature of the game.”
(I don’t know how much you’ve watched the Dolphins, but where do you see your fit in this defense? How different is it from Houston and how do you think you can fit here?) – “I haven’t really watched the Dolphins defense, but I do trust that the coaches will put me in the best spot to be able to make plays. Wherever they put me at on the field, I’m just going to be Benardrick McKinney and be physical.”
(How would you describe the approach that you try to take to the game?) – “Just film study. I love to install the game, I love to learn defenses. I just love playing defense and my style of the game, everybody knows that I’m just a big (line)backer. I’m a downhill (line)backer. I love to play physical.”
(Do you have experience – I haven’t watched all of your film, I apologize – playing on the edge if they were to ask you to do that? Or are you solely an interior guy?) – “Like I was just saying, wherever the coach wants to put me – even if it’s inside linebacker, on the outside, edge – wherever the coaches put me, I have faith that they will put me there because it’s in the best interest of the Dolphins and they have faith in whatever position they put me in. I can do it at the best of my ability.”
(How much more comfortable are you in a 3-4 scheme then you would be in a 4-3?) – “I’m a linebacker. I’ve been playing football all of my life. I’ve played 4-3 before, played 3-4 before. Like I said, the coaches and the d-coordinator is going to do what’s best for the defense. If we play 3-4, 4-3, diamond, whatever front, and he puts me in a position, I’m just going to play my style of the game and do my job.”
(I don’t have to tell you that there is an awful lot of talk these days about your former quarterback Deshaun Watson. I’m not necessarily going to ask you to predict how that plays out; but if you could just describe what you see in him as a football player and what was it like going against him in practice every day?) – “Deshaun is definitely a great leader of the team and the organization. (He’s) very athletic, takes it one day at a time, pushes guys to the best of their ability. Just a great guy all around. He’s a great friend. I loved playing against him. It’s hard playing against him at practice because of the things he can do. Just watching him play on Sundays or whenever we play, it’s unbelievable how he competes and how he takes every day.”
(Coming off the shoulder injury last year, I wanted to ask where your health is and when you got to a position where you felt you could play again?) – “It took a while. I did my rehab. I’m feeling great now. I’m back to the old myself, feeling comfortable with my shoulder and comfortable playing. I’m just ready to get back to it.”
(I wanted to ask you a follow up about QB Deshaun Watson. Do you have any thoughts on how that might play out for him and would you encourage him to join you here in Miami if he asked?) – “I can’t really speak on D4 (Deshaun Watson). He is a grown man. He’s going to make his own decisions. To be honest, I haven’t heard anything about him getting traded really. I’ve been focused on myself and my family and the trade that just happened with me.”
(One of your teammates here, LB Jerome Baker, I was wondering if you know much about him. I know you mentioned that you guys are going to be playing alongside each other. Have you been able to hit him up yet? You all where the same jersey so who is going to have to switch it up?) – “No, I haven’t talked to him. I’ve heard a lot of great things about him. I haven’t been able to watch him play; but I’ve heard a lot of great things about him. Some of my best friends were telling me about him and his style of play and they were able to watch him.”
(You played for a coach from the New England coaching tree in the past and now you’re going to a new one here. What do you know about Head Coach Brian Flores and why do you think you’ll be a good fit for this team?) – “I do know one thing, I know that if you came from New England, we’re not settling for anything less. He’s going to push his players and I’m ready to get out there with him and play for him and he’ll help me be one of the better linebackers.”
Robert Foster – March 18, 2021
Thursday, March 18, 2021
WR Robert Foster
(I was wondering if you talked to Head Coach Brian Flores before signing here or General Manager Chris Grier and what did they tell you they expected your role to be?) – “Just coming on, trying to make the best of every opportunity that’s given and just continue to contribute as best as I can.”
(Have they mentioned special teams? Obviously besides your speed as a receiver, you have value with special teams as a gunner?) – “They just told me to just try to make the best of every opportunity that’s given to me in all three phases of the game.”
(I wanted to ask you about your recollections of playing with QB Tua Tagovailoa at Alabama and also your thoughts about being reunited with him in Miami?) – “It was great, great experience. I’m really just excited to reestablish and come back and get back on that road and get back to working with him and contributing with all the quarterbacks.”
(Have you kept in touch with QB Tua Tagovailoa or have you known him throughout the process?) – “Honestly I haven’t gotten ahold of Tua yet, but I’m planning on getting ahold of him pretty soon.”
(Have you been asked about your decision to join the Dolphins? What went into it and if you had other offers?) – “I have not been asked. I just – Miami was willing to give me an opportunity and they just want me to contribute and make the best of what (opportunity) has been given. I’m glad to be here and I’m ready to just contribute as best as I can within all phases of the game.”
(How would you say in your own words how your NFL career has gone so far? What would you like to see improve or you can get better at so far?) – “Honestly, just growing in all phases throughout the game. Just trying to continue to get better and grow basically.”
(I saw someone nicknamed you “Road Runner” once. Is that a nickname you like and how would you describe your speed?) – “I think I got that nickname in college from one game, but I like the nickname. I love it. I love to be called ‘Road Runner.’ Obviously I’m known for my speed and trying to make the best of like getting past people, so I love the nickname.”
(What’s it going to be like for you being on the other side of a Bills-Dolphins rivalry?) – “It’s the same for every team. It’s not about no rivalries; it’s making the best of it and making plays and playing football.”
(What were your first thoughts of QB Tua Tagovailoa when you saw him as a freshman and the growth that he’s made in his game over the years? Have you kept attention to it from afar?) – “I thought Tua did well. Like I said, we’ve all got room for improvement and I believe that we’re all going to grow and do better and try to make the best of being a Miami Dolphin.”
(One of the things we in the media like to do is try to set up 40-yard dash competitions. They rarely actually happen unless we’re not around. Are you familiar with WR Jakeem Grant’s speed at all and would you be willing to take him on?) – “I am very familiar with Jakeem (Grant), but I’d rather just take what I have to do for right now. I’ll leave it in the park for right now. (laughter)”
(Can’t let you go without asking you if you’re a Road Runner fan.) – “(laughter) No, I’m not a Road Runner fan.”
Justin Coleman – March 18, 2021
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Thursday, March 18, 2021
CB Justin Coleman
(What led you to sign with Miami? Can you take us through the process a little bit?) – “The main thing is that I know (Defensive Coordinator Josh) Boyer and ‘Coach Flo’ (Brian Flores). They were actually part of the New England program, and that kind of convinced me to lean towards this way. Not to mention I kind of looked at the defense, looked at the offense, looked at the team and I checked them out. The potential, the ability is extraordinary. I like these guys, I like the team, I like this organization. And also location. This is a great location to be at. (laughter)”
(Tell us about your strengths as a player? What are some things that you think you do well?) – “Honestly, when I think of my strengths, I think of a couple of words – relentless, smart, determined. And when I think of relentless, (I think of) whatever it takes to get the job done. I feel like I’m going to do whatever it takes and I’m going to give it my all. I feel like as long as I pay close attention to details and learn from my teammates and learn from the coaches, I can better myself as a player and as a person as well.”
(You talked about potential. You’re joining a team that led the NFL in interceptions last year. What do you think about your group specifically there with CB Xavien Howard, CB Byron Jones, CB Nik Needham and some of those guys there in that cornerback room?) – “I think that’s an extremely talented group and I’m definitely going to raise the competition. I’m willing to compete for whatever position it turns out to be and those guys are definitely going to create competition. I’m looking forward to playing next to these guys and I’m looking forward to learning from them as well.”
(What was 2020 like for you? I know you dealt with COVID-19 for a bit, and you had the injury. It couldn’t have been what you expected. Are you eager to get back out there?) – “I don’t really want to talk about what happened in 2020 because I’m looking forward to 2021. I can say that I’m going to learn from everything that happened in 2020 and the injury was unfortunate; but I’m just working to become a better player this year.”
(What was your impression of Head Coach Brian Flores in New England and what’s your impression of the job he’s doing in Miami?) – “He’s always been someone who I thought was an aggressive coach who feels very confident in what he’s doing. If he’s confident, I’m right along with him. I’m confident with him. What he has going on here, I’m confident that he’ll get things done.”
(Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer was your cornerbacks coach when you first got into the NFL. Now he’s going to be your defensive coordinator. What stands out most when you look back at your time working with him?) – “The fact that he understands discipline, he understands football, he understands that no matter how many different schemes people can come up with, football never changes. He can put a lot of players in a relaxed state and what I mean by that is he makes me feel comfortable when it comes to a certain situation because he just lets you know that football doesn’t change and he simplifies it as much as he needs to in order to get the player to understand what they need to do.”
(I know you don’t want to talk about previous years, but I guess watching you in previous years, you seem like you were effective most when you were in the slot. Did you talk to them about whether that slot role was the role you wanted to compete for? Or what their vision is for you in this defense?) – “Honestly, I came in here with the mindset that I’m going to compete for whatever role it is. Wherever they put me at, I feel like I’m going to give it my all and compete.”
Brian Flores – March 11, 2021
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Thursday, March 11, 2021
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Opening statement) – “It’s good to see everyone. I hope you and your families are doing well, safe, healthy. Just kind of want to start with a little kind of, let’s call it ‘state of the union’ since we didn’t speak at the Combine this year. A couple quick updates the last couple months – the last time we talked, I want to say at the Senior Bowl and really at the end of the season, I talked about us kind of doing a full evaluation of our team and really, the entire operation – the 2020 season. We did a deep dive on a self-scout from that perspective really across the board – offense, defense, special teams, our operation, scouting. Any and everything that we felt like we could improve on, we kind of talked about. Our goal is to improve at every position – coaches, players, strength and conditioning, nutrition, training. So that’s kind of been what we’ve done the last couple months. (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and our scouting staff – they’ve been great. They’ve been phenomenal. We just actually just got done with our draft meetings last week. With no Combine and quite a few limitations this year due to COVID-19 and the pandemic, really they’ve kind of handled that without any complaint. No issues. They did a really nice job as far as getting background and we had some really good dialogue and a lot of great meetings over the last couple weeks. And that is specific to the draft, but also free agency. Our pro (personnel) department also did a nice job there, so it’s been a busy time, I would say, and we’re going to try to always do everything – any and everything possible to improve our team and have success in the fall. I wanted to give you guys a couple updates just related to our coaching staff. First, we’re going to name Danny Crossman the assistant head coach and special teams (coordinator). Danny – as you guys know – has been instrumental in the development of this team, our coaching staff and I’m just grateful to have someone of his skillset to bounce ideas off of. He’s just been an invaluable asset. We named George (Godsey) and Eric (Studesville) co-coordinators on offense. They’ve both done an outstanding job at their respective positions. Have a lot of respect for both guys – very knowledgeable, very good teachers and I think they both bring a different – they both have different perspectives and we’ve had a lot of great dialogue, really I would say, these last couple months with those two as well as our entire offensive staff. Other offensive coaching staff changes – and you guys will get a press release on this later on today. Mike Judge is going to go from quality control to assistant tight ends and Shawn Flaherty who was also a quality control coach will go to assistant o-line. Defensively, a couple changes there. Charles Burks – he’ll be the cornerbacks coach. Obviously he worked with the corners for the last couple years. He’s done a nice job, so he’s officially the cornerbacks coach. Austin Clark is going to coach defensive line and Robbie Leonard is going to move to outside linebackers. Lastly, I know there’s probably going to be some free agency and trade questions today. I’m happy to take those, but I think you’ve got to understand that per league rules, I can only comment on players who are currently on our team until the new league year begins. With that in mind, fire away.”
(I wanted to get some clarity on the Isaiah Wilson move. I know he’s not – well, you can’t talk about him because he’s not on your team, correct? Yes? No?) – “Can’t talk about him. Correct.”
(Then I’ll shift my question. In terms of play calling on game day with coordinators, how will that be handled? Will one be in the booth? One upstairs? Will it be collaborative effort from the co-coordinators?) – “Definitely collaborative. That’s something we’ve talked about and those are kind of ongoing discussions, so we have, I wouldn’t say, ‘cemented’ a way of how we’re going to do it, but I think – and I’ve always thought this just from a play-calling standpoint – a lot of that, the legwork, is done during the week. I know George (Godsey) and Eric (Studesville), George has called plays in the past. Eric was – with COVID, we had the situation where we had to have a backup at every position, so Eric was preparing to call the game if something happened to Chan (Gailey) the entire year. I think both guys are equipped to do it and we have not cemented a ‘hey, we’re going to do it like this,’ but I think we’ll figure out a way that’s collaborative, but at the end of the day puts our team in the best position to have success offensively.”
(I wanted to ask you a little bit about the quarterback situation. Where do things stand regarding QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and if he’s not going to be your backup, what sort of backup are you looking for whether it be a veteran, a young guy, a mentor to QB Tua Tagovailoa and so forth? What are you looking for?) – “Specific to ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick), obviously we have a lot of respect and admiration for him. He’s tough, he’s smart, he’s competitive. He loves to play. He really embodies all the characteristics we’re looking for here. Honestly, we’d love to have him back; but I think this is a very unique year from a cap standpoint. Obviously we just had the cap number set yesterday, so those conversations are fluid; but yeah, we’re looking for somebody with those characteristics in the backup quarterback position. Someone who is smart, someone who we feel like – hopefully this doesn’t happen, but if he had to go in, we could still win a ball game. There’s a few guys out there that we’ve taken a look at them all and we’re still kind of putting that plan in place honestly, with just kind of setting the number yesterday. Those meetings are kind of ongoing and couple that with a number of releases that are happening really on a day-to-day basis, we’re almost re-ranking on a daily basis. I wish I had more for you there, but those characteristics are what we’re looking for – tough, smart, competitive, obviously accurate and all the things from a talent standpoint that you need at the quarterback position (such as) decision-making and command of the offense. Hopefully we’ll get that sorted out in some form or fashion, but yeah, that’s what we’re looking for.”
(You’ve talked to us a couple months ago when the season ended about the quarterback situation and QB Tua Tagovailoa. There has been a lot of speculation since then about whether it be QB Deshaun Watson, whether it be the draft and all things regarding that. Has the time since the season strengthened, changed or impacted your view at all about Tua being your guy heading into this season?) – “I’m excited about Tua and this upcoming season. I think that when you think about his situation last year coming off the hip (injury), we kind of through him in the fire there in Week 7 or Week 8 – I’m not sure exactly what week it was. He started nine games. I thought he made a lot of improvement throughout the course of the season. He had some ups, had some downs, like all of the rookies and like any rookie. I’m really excited about this – that Year 1 to Year 2 jump and being more comfortable, even down here in South Florida. He’s got a place. That rookie year, you’ve got a lot going on. You’ve got to get a house, you’ve got to get a car, you’ve got to move to a whole new city. There are so many things that are going on. I thought he handled it well last year, but I’m really excited about this upcoming year. Especially, again he had no OTAs, a different training camp. You guys know me – I’m all about the development of players and helping them develop and helping them get better. I think this time, or an offseason, is really going to be helpful to him and really all of the rookies. I’m really excited about working with him this offseason.”
(When you see this endless speculation, not just here but around the country, about the Dolphins trading for a veteran quarterback to replace QB Tua Tagovailoa. What is your reaction when you hear and see that speculation? And what should Tua’s reaction be?) – “My reaction is I’m excited to work with Tua. I think I just mentioned that after the last question. That’s where my interests are, that’s where my excitement is. I think he’s – again like I said, I think he’s a talented player. I think we here believe in developing players at all positions. I think with an offseason, with OTAs, with more reps, more repetitions; like any player, I think they develop and get better. I think he feels the same way. Tua and I had lunch yesterday. We talked about his family and I think a lot of that is – that development is about building a relationship. He’s doing well. He’s confident. I’m confident in him. I’m looking forward to this offseason.”
(At the top, you talked about a full analyzation of the roster on offense and defense. When it comes to the offense and skilled positions, could you speak on the aggressiveness in regards to wanting to surround not just QB Tua Tagovailoa, but the entire offense with more talent and more playmakers and your approach on coming into next week?) – “You always want the most talent you can get, the most playmakers offensively, defensively and in the kicking game. But at the end of the day, you want – you don’t need 11 stars. You need 11 guys, 11 teammates who will work together and have one goal in mind, and that’s really what we are looking for. Yeah, we want talented players; but we want a good cohesive unit and guys who fit well together. That’s not always 11 stars. It’s almost never that way. So we’ve scoured free agency, the draft and I think we have a pretty good feel for the types of guys we are looking for from a skillset standpoint; but also from a locker room standpoint as people as well. I think that’s important. That’s an important factor that can’t be overlooked. All of those things play a role, but we want to improve really in as many areas as possible, on all three sides of the ball. I think that now is the time for that – free agency and the draft.”
(Twelve months ago, you were about to embark on a pretty expensive spending spree in free agency. This year you don’t have quite as much cap space. I was curious if the organization’s philosophy has changed at all or if you think you have the resources you need to get any player that you might want in free agency.) – “This is a very unique year, a very unique year. We do have some money form a cap standpoint that we can spend; but again, it’s an interesting year. I think I’m going to be playing the song ‘you can’t always get what you want,’ on Day 1 in free agency, to be honest with you, because we may get priced out on some guys we’re looking at that we’d like to have. They may just want to go elsewhere. So I think we’re going to try to do the best we can. We’ve had multiple meeting about this; and again, I would say just getting the cap number yesterday kind of sets the stage for us to at least say ‘we’re going to have this; we can do this, this, this and this,’ and kind of forecast and predict said player, we expect him to get this, which I’d say wipes out this amount or whatever percentage of cash we have to spend. I don’t know if that answers your question. You can’t always get what you want. I try to tell my kids that too. (laughter)”
(You guys have a lot of options you can explore with the No. 3 pick, whether it’s to pick one of the best players available or trade down to get more assets. What do you guys think of the value of that pick overall and what you can do with it?) – “Any time you pick third overall, there’s a number of players and a number of ways you can go. Again, our scouting staff, like I said earlier, I think they’ve done a really great job as far as narrowing down who the top players are in this draft. We have a pretty good idea of who those are. I think everyone – or most people who are kind of analyzing it know who those players are. We’ll have an opportunity to grab one of them at least in let’s call it the top 10; but obviously having that type of pick, there’s a lot of other avenues we could go. I think we’ll explore those also. We’re fortunate that way and hopefully we can take advantage.”
(What are some of the advantages for QB Tua Tagovailoa and other offensive players to have the promotion from within on the coordinators in terms of will you be able to build off of some of the same plays, some of the same language, the familiarity? The second step to that is can you talk about how you plan to blend some of Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Eric Studesville’s running elements and Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey’s passing elements, and their experiences from Miami, Houston, Denver, Quarterbacks Coach Charlie Frye’s experiences from an Alabama-based offense. Those two things, the advantages and the blending.) – “I think continuity was a big thing as far as for me and making that decision. I think I wanted that for Tua and really a lot of the young offensive linemen and the young players we have offensively. I felt like we had that as well as the acumen and the experience with George (Godsey) and Eric (Studesville), and kind of taking on that role. As far as blending the two thought processes or philosophies, I would say – you mention Eric in the run game and George in the pass game. I think both of these guys are strong just offensively and defensively, honestly. It doesn’t surprise me or really anyone on our staff; but it may surprise you guys when (I say) Eric is skilled or knowledgeable in the pass game, the protection game and the drop-back game and George is equally as skilled in the run game, the protection game. So those conversations are very good. There’s a lot of great dialogue that goes on and has gone on here in the last, let’s call it two months – I’m not exactly sure how long it’s been since we announced that or have gone in this direction. But both guys, as far as blending and all of that, that happens through conversation, which we’ve had a lot of conversations. Again, this is really kind of what terminology are we going to keep the same versus not keep the same? And a lot of it is tied into what we feel is best for the players and Tua specifically, and our overall offensive philosophy and how that works in conjunction with obviously our defense and our special teams.”
(Kind of a personal question – this is the one year anniversary of the NBA getting shut down and then everything kind of followed right after that. Do you remember where you were when that news broke and kind of your reaction to it at the time, and everything that’s happened since?) – “I want to say I was in bed watching that NBA game. I forget which one it was.”
(The Heat were playing so maybe you were watching the Heat.) – “Probably. I was probably watching the Heat. Look, this has been a very different year for a lot of reasons. But I think you – I try to look at the bright side of this past year. I think as a league, as individuals, as teams, a lot of sacrifices were made to play an entire football season, to play basketball as they’re playing now, to even send kids to school. I think it’s showed us that even as crazy as things can get and as scary as things can get, we can kind of push through those things and do the things we love to do. Again, I love coaching. If that means I’ve got to wear a mask on the field and take a test every day, whatever I’ve got to do then that’s what we’ll do to do what we love to do. I think things are changing. I think we’re moving in the right direction. That’s good. My kids are in a flag (football) league. I saw (one of you guys) at a game a couple of weeks ago. It’s just good to watch them get out there and run around. You’ve got parents yelling and screaming. I’m not one of them. Well, maybe I am. (laughter) But it’s good to kind of get back to a little bit of normalcy. Hopefully we just keep moving in that direction. I didn’t realize – I guess it is the one-year anniversary. It’s great to see everyone. I’ll see you in training camp. (laughter)”
Brian Flores – January 30, 2021
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Saturday, January 30, 2021
Head Coach Brian Flores
(This might seem a little repetitive, but with the NFL Combine not allowing in-person stuff this year, how essential was it to come down and meet with these players and kind of coach some of these players up?) – “It was great. We had a really nice good week with these young players. They really worked hard. A lot of them made really good impressions not only on our staff, but there were teams obviously from across the league. But we got to spend the most time with them. We saw them in meetings, saw them take things from the meetings to the walkthrough to the practice. I thought they all did well for themselves and then came out and competed today, so it was a good week.”
(Going off that last question, were there any players that you really gravitated towards and any players that really stuck out to you this week?) – “Yeah, there were quite a few guys who we felt like could possibly help our team. We’re not going to dive into names of who those guys are, but there was a lot of talented players. I thought Jim Nagy and the Senior Bowl staff, they did a great job of getting talented players in here for us to coach and a lot of them, they did well.”
(RB Michael Carter had a 27-yard run and 60 yards rushing. What did you see from him today? What did you like from him today?) – “First off, he’s a great kid. He’s a hard-working kid. He’s smart, he’s tough and he was productive today and really productive throughout the entire week. He played well. This is a guy who had a nice career for UNC and he’s a good back.”
(WR Dez Fitzpatrick – 11 targets, six catches, 90 yards – was that by design having him get that much volume today?) – “We were a little bit low on receivers, so that entire receiver group, they took a lot of snaps today and guys went out – a couple guys went out – so again, we tell them, their availability is key in this league and he was available today and was able to capitalize on his opportunities and I thought he played well.”
(I think you guys scored 27 points today. My question is who called the offensive plays for you all and should we read into any of that as far as when you’re deciding your offensive coordinator?) – “We split – so (Running Backs Coach) Eric (Studesville) called half the game and (Tight Ends Coach) George (Godsey) called half the game. I thought both guys did a nice job and I’m confident in all the guys on our staff. I thought they did a great job. As I said the other day, we’re still working through those – the coordinator situation.”
(How do you get a Reese’s bath and not pick one up and stick a couple in your pocket as you walk off the field after the win?) – “You know, when you’re at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, there’s – by the end of the week, you’ve probably had enough. (laughter) There’s bags in your room, there’s Reese’s Pieces on your door handle, it’s everywhere. I just felt like I had enough. It’s been a long week – a lot of meetings, a lot of walkthroughs, a lot of practice, a lot of meetings with players. I’ve probably gained few pounds, so I’m trying to head in the right direction starting today. (laughter)”
Brian Flores – January 26, 2021
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Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Head Coach Brian Flores
(In general, what does the opportunity of coaching in the Senior Bowl do for you as opposed to meeting with guys at the Combine? How much of an advantage is it?) – “I think getting face time with these guys – in a practice setting, in a meeting setting – along with the individual meetings that we do in the evening, I think all of it’s advantageous for us, especially the practice time and the meeting time to see how guys learn and really get to know them as people. That’s kind of been – or going to be – the focus of our week. We’re excited about it. Just being out on the field today, it’s exciting. We all love to coach. I love to be out there helping guys get better, so it’s another opportunity to do that. It’s a good first day and hopefully a good week.”
(I wanted to ask you about not just the offensive coordinator position and the opening that you have but how are you going about these practices without a designated offensive coordinator? I noticed that Quarterbacks Coach Charlie Frye was kind of calling plays during 7-on-7. Is he working the passing game? How does this work?) – “We’re going through our process with the coordinator position. Look, we’ve got very capable guys in (Running Backs Coach) Eric (Studesville) and (Tight Ends Coach) George (Godsey) and a good young staff. Putting together a plan is really not much of an issue. Those guys are doing a good job and we’ll go through the process. But really the focus is on the players here at the Senior Bowl, the evaluations of the players here at the Senior Bowl, and hopefully we’ll get as much information to help us make good decisions come draft time.”
(Just along the lines, you said that you get to obviously go into meetings with these players and stuff. What kind of sort of intangibles might make the difference for you, with everything else being equal?) – “You mean equal meaning athletically? We’re looking for guys who are tough, who are smart, who are competitive, who love to play, love to practice, who are looking to get better, want to improve and guys who are team-first. Those are sort of the intangibles we’re looking for and if a guy has that and is talented, then I imagine he’ll do the things and make the sacrifices necessary to make himself the best player he can possibly be. If a guy is more talented and doesn’t have those qualities, then I guess – well, I don’t guess but I believe that that player will get passed up because some other players will do all of the things necessary and make the sacrifices necessary to get better and improve. I think that player with lesser intangibles, I think he’ll pass him up. Now when you get a good player with good intangibles, that’s really what you’re looking for. Those are just my thoughts and my opinions.”
(A lot of people like to really emphasize the talent in the locker room. How important is the culture in the locker room besides actual talent in the locker room?) – “It’s a team game, so I think you need guys to be in unison, you need guys to play together, you need guys to pick each other up. There’s ups and downs and ebbs and flows in every game, so you want a team that supports each other and a team that’s talented also. Talent wins in this league, but talent and let’s call it unity, I think that’s really what you’re looking for. You want guys who when it gets tough and tight in fourth quarters of games, that guy’s got your back. Those are the kind of guys we’re looking for.”
(With obviously WR Devonta Smith on your roster, he’s not doing much this week, but there’s going to be a lot of questions about his production versus his size. How do you view maybe that dynamic of a guy, maybe a lack of size in his case and how that influences whether or not you draft a player like that?) – “I mean look, this guy’s a very, very good player. What was the question about his size?”
(How much is that a hindrance compared maybe to his production on the field and how do you view that dynamic?) – “If you’re a good player – I mean, you can nitpick all you want about a guy’s size – good players are good players are good players. I think we all can see that, and this guy’s a very good player. He made a lot of plays in college, he made a lot of plays in the big games – biggest games of the year. You can nitpick all day about things on people but he’s a very good player. It’s been good getting to know him, too. He’s a good kid, too.”
(You’re a defensive guy but when it comes to scouting and finding the right people for your defense, do you look more for in terms of the talent that they already have or do you look more towards people that fit your scheme more?) – “I think you’re looking for guys obviously with talent. You’re looking for different fits within the things that you do offensively, defensively or in the kicking game. You’re looking for the right person and the right people to bring into the locker room. It’s not one thing, it’s not an exact science; and I think it’s a little bit different for every team every year based on what you already have and what pieces you feel you need to make your team as good as it can be. Again, that probably doesn’t answer the question, but for me it’s year-to-year. The things that we’re evaluating are different each year positionally, scheme-wise. The game evolves over time as well. I would say in just the game of football, things change, so you could have been one way last year and you may need to shift some depth in another direction the next year. So you’ve got to be ready to evolve with the game.”
(When you go from individual drills, to one-on-ones to the team drills in practice, are there different things you’re looking for in those different elements of these practices – whether it’s traits on guys, how they play in a group setting? Do those things differ as far as how you evaluate them?) – “We give them all information – let’s call it a schematic, X’s and O’s standpoint. We spend a lot of time on the fundamentals. Each position has it’s set of fundamentals – footwork, hand placement, ball security, running, accuracy, every position is a little bit different. The idea is to take those fundamental drills from the individual period and then apply them in the one-on-one period and then apply them in a group setting, and then finally apply them in a team setting. That’s kind of the process. We’re looking for them to apply the things that they’ve learned from an individual, to a one-on-one, to a group period to a team period; and then, ‘ok, I worked that drill here, and this is where it applies.’ Here it applies in a one-on-one setting, here it applies in a group setting, maybe four 4-on-4 or 7-on-7 or 9-on-7, and then you go into the team period. That’s really the process. And we’re looking for guys to apply the things we teach them over and over and over again, and improve and get better.”
(In what ways will the offseason evaluation process be different this year because of the pandemic and what does that mean for this week?) – “In my opinion, I think it will be similar to last year. Maybe even a little bit more different in that there won’t be a Combine. There have already been restrictions on the Pro Days and the private workouts and things of that nature. I think we’ve gone through it a little bit. I think we’ve done the Zoom meetings and players have worked out on their own and sent video. We’ve kind of done it that way. We did it that way last year so this isn’t the first time we’ve done it. But right now, I think this is a great opportunity for us to see the players live and up close, meet with them, talk to them, get some face time with them – not on the iPhone, but actual face time – and get to know them as people, as players, the things that make them tick. We get to coach also, which that’s always fun. We’re excited about this week and I think we’ll get a lot out of it.”
Chris Grier and Brian Flores – January 5, 2021
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Tuesday, January 5, 2021
General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Brian Flores
Chris Grier:
(Question for General Manager Chris Grier: how confident are you that QB Tua Tagovailoa is your long-term franchise quarterback and can you rule out taking a quarterback in the first round this year?) – “Tua, we’re very happy with. He’s our starting quarterback. He did a nice job this year coming in as a rookie with no offseason and the challenges of dealing with all that. Very happy with him and looking forward to watching him progress here over the next – with an offseason here – going into next year. And for us, we’re not really talking about draft strategy or anything right now. The season just ended and we’re just going through our process like we do all the time and we’ll deal with that here in the future.”
(After drafting QB Tua Tagovailoa, the convo turned to his recovery, getting him to a year after the injury and getting some experience this season. How do you think that process worked out with him and how important do you think it is that he came out of this season healthy as well?) – “I think Tua (Tagovailoa) and our training staff – both groups that work very hard in terms of getting themselves ready and prepared – as you talked about the challenges of last offseason. So I thought Tua did a great job with getting himself working through the whole process and then (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle (Johnston), the training staff, (Head Strength & Conditioning) Dave Puloka, and even Brian (Flores) dealing with the laying out a plan for bringing him along and when he was ready, he was ready to go and he did a nice job of working himself throughout the season.”
(Do you feel a need to add a dynamic playmaking receiver?) – “We always talk about – Brian (Flores) and I, (Vice President of Football Administration) Brandon (Shore) and the scouts and coaches – competition makes everyone better, and we always talk about upgrading the roster in all areas. There’s places that we want to upgrade at all parts of the roster and obviously having playmakers on offense and defense is what the great teams have and we’ll keep doing that here in trying to address issues on both sides of the ball.”
(Piggybacking on that question, if your desire is to add competition and upgrade at all positions, is quarterback part of that calculus?) – “Yeah, it’s every position. Like I said, it makes everyone great. History has shown it doesn’t matter who it is; you’re always looking to bring in guys that fit your system and that will push people and make them better, and so competition at every position. We talked about that last year when we were going through it. It’s competition at every position, so yeah. But I also want to be clear that Tua is our starter and we’re very happy with his development so far.”
Brian Flores:
(This is for Head Coach Brian Flores, and maybe for General Manager Chris Grier as well. Do you guys plan on having all of your assistants returning in 2021 and your coordinator positions?) – “Yeah, we expect everyone back. Hopefully you’re not jinxing me now. Last time I said that, we lost Karl Dorrell, we lost Pat Graham, so thanks. (laughter) Hopefully not, though. We expect everyone back.”
Chris Grier:
(I wanted to ask about DE Emmanuel Ogbah specifically and how satisfied you were with his production. Also a two-parter, if you will: how does his emergence and a guy like LB Andrew Van Ginkel on the edges, how does that development approach how you might with a guy like LB Vince Biegel, who’s in a contract year who ended up missing? How do you fit those pieces together heading into the offseason?) – “First of all, Emmanuel (Ogbah) did a good job for us this year. He’s the right kind of person as well. He came in right away, worked hard. I think Brian and the coaching staff did a great job once they got to be around him, not having the offseason with him to figure out what he does well and the strengths in the scheme, and he just kind of took off from there once everyone got a feel for what he did best. So I was very happy and pleased with him. In terms of Van Ginkel and guys – I would say Brian and the coaching staff deserve a tremendous amount of credit for what we did this year in terms of the roster and having so many new players and young players with only one player over 30 on the roster, and their development plan and how they brought along a lot of these young players, I don’t think gets enough credit. In terms of Vince Biegel and stuff, again, the season just ended. We’re going through our process – our own self-scout evaluation of the team and stuff and then we’ll work our way through that here over the next couple weeks.”
Brian Flores:
(I wanted to get the assessment of the offensive line. A lot was made in terms of resources used, and free agent money used to improve the unit that struggled last year. Did you feel you got the desired outcome?) – “I think that group made a lot of improvement. Obviously we played a lot of young guys there, along with the two guys that we signed as free agents. I thought we made some improvements; but these next four, five, six weeks for us as a staff, to include Chris (Grier), we’re going to evaluate everything. We’re going to evaluate the o-line, the d-line, the offense, the defense, the special teams, first down, second down, third down, red zone, two-minute, schedules, anything that we can do to try to figure out what we can do to try to improve this team. We’ll take a look at the roster. Honestly this process coupled with the draft, coupled with free agency, we just try to create a vision of what we would like the 2021 team to look like. That’s what this process is. I think I’ll probably have a better answer of that a couple weeks from now, to be honest with you, after looking at it again; but my snapshot postseason is that it was an improved group. I thought that they improved over the course of the season. I saw development from the young players. That’s always what we’re looking for. I saw development from the veteran players. I thought the group came together. It wasn’t perfect but I thought they were solid. But at the end of the day, we’re not satisfied with where it ended up and we need to get better.”
(What is the likelihood that QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will be back? What has he indicated to you about what he’s thinking and do the Dolphins want him back?) – “Again, we’ve got to go through a full process, a full evaluation. Like I just said, we’ll evaluate offense, defense, special teams and then we’ll create a vision of what we want our team to look like in 2021. You don’t do that one day or two days after the season. Chris and I both, we talk about this extensively, we don’t think that’s the best way to make decisions. We’re not going to rush anything. We’re going to take our time with it. Obviously, ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick), along with all of the free agents, are going to be a part of the conversation because we know them. Those decisions or even – we’re not going to sit here and say ‘hey, we might want to do this, that or the other.’ We’ve got to go through it and be as thorough as possible and try to make the best decisions for this organization.”
(Offensively, when you look at how QB Tua Tagovailoa progressed in Offense Coordinator Chan Gailey’s offense, where are the areas you think – they’ve both been very complimentary working with each other – where are the areas that you look at and say communication-wise, progress-wise, do you want things to improve with Tua and his comfort in this offense?) – “I think the communication improves just through – over time. I think that’s the case at any position – offense, defense, special teams. I think people are more comfortable as they gain experience. It’s like any relationship, it improves with time. That’s the vision right now.”
Chris Grier:
(Last year, I asked you about the value of possessing the [fifth] pick. Can you talk about the options that are presented to you with having both the third and the 18th picks?) – “We’re not really going to sit here and talk draft strategy or anything right now. The season just ended and right now we’re focused the next few weeks on getting through our evaluations of the team here and really self-scouting our team and seeing – as Brian just said – what we want 2021 looks like. We’ll start dealing with that here shortly, once the Senior Bowl comes around here in a couple of weeks and we’re down in Mobile, (Alabama) and we’re going through that process. We’re excited to have the picks we have. There are some good players; but again, most of the players haven’t even declared yet still. We’re not going to speculate on anything, but we’re excited about the future here and what we can do for 2021.”
(Consideration for GM of the Year, I think you guys put together a great team. You guys obviously won this season. What are your thoughts on any consideration for yourself as GM of the Year from outsiders?) – “To me, at the end of the day, it’s about building the thing right and winning games. To me, the one thing I think – Brian will hate me saying it; but to me, I don’t think there’s any question that Brian is the Coach of the Year. Brian does not like any of that stuff. He hates when I say it. But for what he did with this roster and team, to go through this with the pandemic, the young players, how young we were with no offseason and a completely new roster, to win 10 games with what we have and a rookie quarterback, eight rookie players on offense playing, Brian and his staff did an unbelievable job. I’d also like to thank Brandon Shore and Kyle Johnston for keeping us updated on protocols through everything and updating the COVID procedures, and Brian enforcing it with the team and reminding them every day that he loves the guys and don’t be embarrassed if you get COVID (because) it’s not anyone’s fault. I think it created a sense right from the start that the team knew that Brian had their backs, believed in them and the team believed in him. And it showed this year on the field. I don’t really listen to any outside stuff, but I think the important thing is what Brian did what this team and I think that’s what people should really be talking about.”
Brian Flores:
(I think a lot of what 2021 might come down to is what you all can do to maximize QB Tua Tagovailoa’s skillset to make him most comfortable in the offense. When you think about those considerations, what comes to mind? Is the system, for example, the right system for Tua?) – “I think you’re way down the road right now. I think we’re just kind of going to take this one day at a time and again, go through our evaluation. Everything is going to get evaluated. I mean we’re thinking about basically the end of 2021 right now – the end of the 2021 season, that’s essentially what that question was. I think right now we’re going to focus on evaluating the team, evaluating the roster and create a vision for what we want 2021 to look like. That’s a one day at a time process and that’s kind of the early part of the offseason. I understand the question. I do. But I think the answers to that will come as we go through these evaluations. We’ll probably have better answers then and that will obviously be included in our vision for the team.”
(Thank you for a winning season. I think everybody’s appreciative of that. What’s the next step? What is the goal for the Miami Dolphins as far as accomplishment for this year?) – “The goal is to get better every day and try to develop the people, the players, the coaches, the people within the organization, develop ourselves and let the results take care of themselves. That’s what we talk to the players about. Let’s do a good job with our process, with our preparation; and that was our message to them about the offseason. Your process, your preparation throughout the offseason. We’ll do the same thing as far as our process and our preparation as far as our vision for what we want the team to look like. We’ll take it one day at a time and we’ll try to get better every day and we won’t leave any stone unturned. We’ll do everything possible to bring results to the fanbase, to the people in our organization, and that’s important to us. That’s something we talk about on a daily basis.”
Chris Grier:
“Brian said it all. We’ve said it before: it’s a process and we’re just getting better every day. We’ve never set a timetable for anything. It was just about getting better each day. That’s all it is.”
