Ted Larsen – May 25, 2017
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Thursday, May 25, 2017
C/G Ted Larsen
(When you signed here in the first week of free agency and visited, what did you guys talk about in regards of the chance you have to start, the likelihood of that and how much did that weigh into your decision?) – “They told me basically that I’m going to have a chance to come in and compete. I’m able to play all three inside positions, so basically come here and compete and see what shakes out.”
(How much work have you gotten at center so far in the first week of field work?) – “I’ve gotten a decent amount in all three positions, just trying to be ready. You know how the season goes. Sometimes you have to play multiple positions, so I try to stay ready at all three.”
(How difficult is it when you’re learning a new offense to be going back and forth, right to left?) – “It’s not super difficult. This is going to be Year 8. It’s a similar offense (to what) we ran in Chicago last year, so the transition has been pretty easy.”
(Starting, you obviously have done it some in your career. Is that something that’s important to you at this stage of your career?) – “Absolutely. Being able to play and play on a team that’s competitive.”
(What can be the most difficult part of moving from right to left on the interior of the line? Is it the footwork? What is it) – “Obviously, you’re flipping sides. So some of the calls you’re so used to hearing on the left side and it means something different on the right. Probably more than anything, it’s just working with a different guy. Left side, you’re working with (Laremy) Tunsil and the right side with Ju’Wuan (James), so you just have to adjust to who you’re working with and how you guys mesh together.”
(How difficult is this OTA process where you guys don’t have pads on, they can’t really hit you, you can’t really hit them? Do you focus mostly on technique?) – “You’re always working on technique and trying to learn the scheme and do everything right. There is some stuff that you can’t do without pads on, so you try to judge your game a little bit, but you still try to go out there and compete.”
(How unstoppable would you say DE Andre Branch is on a scale of 1-10 [as Branch looks on from the side of the room]?) – “No comment on that. (laughter) He’s a good player, but we’ve got a good d-line here.”
(What are your overall impressions on how the Miami Dolphins like to practice based on the first week?) – “It’s high intensity. It’s competing and it’s getting your work done and getting out of there. There’s no extra stuff that’s unnecessary, so it’s nice. It’s nice and refreshing to come here, get your work done and get out.”
(With your relationship, obviously you’re working at left guard primarily. How long will it take you to build a relationship with that left tackle, with Laremy Tunsil? What have you seen from him?) – “That relationship, that could take, it depends how deep you want to go. We work pretty well together. We’ve worked together Phase I, Phase II. I feel pretty comfortable with him and I think he feels the same with me. But yes, there’s always stuff you’re going to figure out. You get to a point where you don’t need to really say much, a word or two, and you guys are both on the same page. That’s just a work in progress forever.”
(What are your initial impressions of your group?) – “The o-line room is solid. A lot of young guys, but a lot of guys that have played a lot of football, and it’s a really good room.”
(What do you think of … I know you played in Tampa before and you’ve played in other places since, but how about the climate and the humidity and everything the last couple of days when you’re outside?) – “It’s a little steamy. It takes some getting used to but I was in Tampa for four years and Arizona for two, so I’m used to some heat.”
(Weren’t you born in Miami?) – “No, I grew up in Tampa. Maybe the bio is wrong.”
(Any impressions of G/T Laremy Tunsil, obviously transitioning in his first year to his natural positon of left tackle? Just any skills that stand out to you there?) – “Yes, he’s impressive. He’s super athletic, really strong and as far as his head, he knows the scheme inside and out. He’s been super impressive.”
Adam Gase – May 25, 2017
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Thursday, May 25, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(How would you summarize this first week of OTAs?) – “I felt the guys did a good job with the tempo of practice. Execution is always going to come the longer we go in the spring, but (there’s) a lot of carry over. The guys seem to remember a lot. They did a good job paying attention in the first two phases so when we got out there, it wasn’t a lot of mistakes. (There are) just little details we need to clean up.”
(What was your three day assessment of QB Ryan Tannehill?) – “I thought he looked the same as the last time I saw him playing. It was a good week for him. He looks good. The only thing that looks different is he’s wearing a knee brace where last year he wasn’t.”
(How would you assess the rookies? You had them for the minicamp in the classroom and your first look at them on the field?) – “It’s such a different ordeal for them to go through and just kind of getting used to the tempo and the structure of how we practice. For the most part, they adapted quickly. The veterans did a good job of showing these guys how we like to do things. They just followed right along and got thrown in there and got a lot of reps and a lot of guys made plays.”
(A few guys we didn’t see today. LB Koa Misi, DE William Hayes and T Ja’Wuan James not in team drills. Can you elaborate on them?) – “Yes. There are some guys in the spring you hold out. If a guy has a minor, some kind of minor injury or something, we’re not going to see how tough they are in May and June.”
(With the linebackers, what’s the thought process there with LB Mike Hull working on the inside in the top units and then the vision for LB Lawrence Timmons? Or is it just experimentation?) – “We’re just moving guys around.”
(What did you guys have C Mike Pouncey do this week?) – “He’s just working on the side. He’s doing a lot of … he’s been doing a lot of cardio. Doing more lifting. He has a lot more little steps that we’re taking each day.”
(What is your sense of QB Ryan Tannehill’s movements as he adjusts to the brace?) – “I can’t notice a difference. He looks the same to me.”
(I’m not joking … so LB Koa Misi, DE William Hayes and T Ja’Wuan James are nursing stuff?) – “Well, Koa’s going to … it’s going to be … I mean we’ve still got some time before we get him out there. We’re going through the proper medical procedures with him. We’re not going to rush a guy that had the type of injury he had. With Ja’Wuan and William, they had a couple things come up over the last two weeks that … William practiced for a couple of days and today we held him out. And Ja’Wuan has tried to do as much as he can. We’re trying to be smart with what we’re doing. We got four days before our next OTA and I don’t want to throw them out there just so we can say we throw them out there and he’s at 85 percent where in four days he might be 100 (percent).”
(Is it the same with G/T Jermon Bushrod? Have we seen he out there in team or no?) – “Yes, he’s doing the same. He’s doing the same thing where we’re just being cautious on little tiny things. The healthier we get some of these guys … working through some little tiny things. We pushed them pretty hard in the Phase II area with individual and running and we just want to make sure if a guy has … If he tightens up a little bit, we take him out. We don’t mess around with that trying to see how hard these guys can push through an OTA practice.”
(Did everyone that could be here was today? Is that correct?) – “Yes, I mean as far as I know.”
(One of the reliefs when QB Ryan Tannehill’s injury wasn’t as serious as it could have been was that he’d be here for stuff like this and this whole offseason. What’s the importance of this really I guess second offseason with you, but the first after he played a season?) – “Any time you can keep getting reps in the same system you’ve already been in, it’s valuable. Just constantly learning body language of receivers, all the things that go into communication with the offensive line, the running backs, the tight ends. That’s why spring, training camp, preseason games, regular season games, they’re all valuable because you learn something in every game.”
(Correct me if I’m wrong but it did not seem like you guys were going easy on him QB Ryan Tannehill, the defense with the rush. How important is that this early to see how he reacts to guys coming at him like that?) – “He doesn’t have any restrictions. I think we’re all in agreement that he’s probably fairly tough and I haven’t seen him shy away from many hits. He’s just doing what he always does.”
(When it comes to QB Ryan Tannehill, when you first got here, how different do you see you relationship with him and is it … I know guys are probably a little more tentative during the first time but what is that relationship like?) – “I think it’s the same with everybody. You start learning each other’s personalities. You kind of figure out what you need to ask, what you want to ask. You just find that balance of communication. Everybody always just early is trying to figure out where they really fit in. As a coach, you’re always trying to figure out what’s the best way to coach a guy because everybody’s not the same. Some guys like to be pushed hard. Some guys you’ve got to talk to more. That first year, that’s what all that was. And now it’s … Everybody’s got a good feel for each other. It’s fun to be out there because you have so many restrictions and when you can actually get out to practice and everybody’s communicating, trying to figure out the best way to do things, that’s when it gets fun.”
(You told us that you wanted these linebackers to cross-train and play in a lot of different places. We saw that today. It appears that LB Lawrence Timmons was both inside and out. How is he handling playing on the outside?) – “I haven’t noticed any issues. The guy is a veteran and he’s been doing it forever. You can put him wherever you want and he’s going to figure out a way to make plays.”
(The rule change of the cut down from 90 to 53 players. No 75-man cut down. How is that going to affect your outlook, your approach? Or will it have any affect?) – “It’s good for our young guys to be able to have another game of experience or guys that you are going to release to get another game. Whatever rules are made or whatever decisions are made in that area, we just go with the flow because that’s something that none of us can really control. We’ll find the right way to do what we want to do in that fourth preseason game.”
(Will that rule change affect any group of players like guys on the bubble? Will it allow you to rest veterans more? Can you foresee anything like that right now?) – “Whoever we need to play in that last game, we’re going to play. I don’t think we got too many guys that we’re going to say ‘You’re not going to play in the fourth preseason game.’ We like to go out there and it’s another game of experience. When you’re an eight-plus year veteran, sometimes we hold those guys out; but for the most part, we try to play as many guys as we can.”
(What were your thoughts on chopping five minutes off overtime?) – “Tell me how many 10-minute drives there are. I know I haven’t experienced too many and it’s kind of hard to do.”
(With the secondary, obviously OTAs are very pass-heavy. Do you think this is a good opportunity for you to evaluate some of these cornerbacks like CB Xavien Howard? And what have you seen from them in the first week?) – “Yes, this is one of those – for me – fun parts of the year because all of the skill guys are really getting a lot of action because you want to be smart with what you do up front in the run game, because you don’t want guys on the ground. By leaning a little more on the passing side, it gives you a lot of experiences with your corners and wide outs and safeties and tight ends and running backs to see who can cover, who can play fairly tight coverage and still stay up and play within the rules of what we have for OTAs. I think it’s just, once again, it’s repetition. Just seeing guys do it over and over and over again and see who can cover who.”
(So as an offensive play caller and you see pick-sixes like what happened today, your thought is what?) – “I like that you brought that up. (laughter) No, it’s good. I’m happy for Tony (Lippett) for about one second and then I’m mad at him because he figured out what we were doing and jumped the route, which is good. We’ll figure out a way to scheme up and get him on the next OTA.”
Andre Branch – May 25, 2017
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Thursday, May 25, 2017
Defensive End Andre Branch
(What’s different for you in terms of feel, in terms of mindset coming into your second season with the Dolphins?) – “I’m more comfortable than I was at this point last year. These are my brothers. I had to earn their respect. And now, it’s just … We’re rocking and rolling now. We’re just fine-tuning everything, going against our offensive line and just getting better each and every day.”
(When did you feel that you earned their respect?) – “Probably about after Game 1, I would say, when we played Seattle. I guess they … Because I came from Jacksonville so it was just like I’m going to come in, put my head down and work. After a while, you kind of feel things changing. And they just welcomed me with open arms.”
(Is there a different mindset? Last year at this time you were trying to prove yourself and now you’re basically a starter. Is there a different mindset that goes into that?) – “It’s always work. It’s going to be work regardless of if I’m the starter or backup. No matter what, I’m going to work my tail off. It’s showing the younger players we have in our room, how to work; and then for the older players, we just compete against each other.”
(What do you feel the potential of this year’s defense is? Obviously you guys struggled a little bit at the end of last year. What’s the potential this year for this defense?) – “Our mindset is just to get better each and every day. We added a few pieces – great players; but we also have to just keep getting better each and every day to make that brotherhood on that field and knowing that my brother is going to be in the spot when he needs to be. For us, it’s to start getting that camaraderie and getting things flowing again.”
(What are your first impressions of DE Charles Harris?) – “Explosive. Very explosive. And he’s willing to learn. He doesn’t think he’s bigger than the d-line or bigger than the team. He’s willing to learn.”
(What does this group have to do this year to better stop the run?) – “I think everybody just has to do their job. That’s the most important thing. When we look back on last year and we look back on things, people weren’t just doing their job. When you’re supposed to be in a position, they weren’t there.”
(Now that you have another year with that same defensive system, do you think there will be more reacting and much less thinking?) – “No question. We were a new group last year. We did pretty well. We had our times where we could’ve definitely been better; but it was our first year together. So now, we’re flowing more. It’s not as much teaching as it was last year. You either got it or you don’t; and if you don’t, then you’re not in there.”
(How do you tiptoe around the quarterback? QB Ryan Tannehill is just coming back…) – “We’ve got a fine line between saying, ‘we got the sack,’ and saying, ‘it’s not a sack.’ So we kind let him know, ‘this one was a sack but I won’t come back here this close again.’ But if we get close to the quarterback, (Head Coach Adam) Gase would definitely let us know.”
(What growth have you seen from G/T Laremy Tunsil’s game from his rookie season until now?) – “He’s playing tackle now. But athletically, I’d put him up against any left tackle that’s in this league. He’s willing to learn. Every time we get a rep together, he’s always asking questions. So he’s a student of the game. He’s played guard. He’s played tackle. So he knows exactly the ins and outs of everything. I don’t look at him as a second-year player. He’s a vet in my eyes. That’s how we treat each other.”
(You said when you signed a contract it was for your mother. What did you do for her?) – “I can’t tell you that yet.”
(It’s not done yet?) – “No. You will know when it’s done. (laughter) For sure.”
(Did you buy her a house in Jacksonville?)- “Don’t even put that in there because she has no clue. (laughter)”
(When you were talking about QB Ryan Tannehill out there on the field this week, what’s the actual instruction for you guys? What have they actually told you?) – “Stay as far away from Ryan Tannehill as possible. (laughter)”
(So you guys have imaginary sacks like ‘I would have gotten him?’) – “No, we know. We know. We didn’t pay that much attention to him when he said it, and then yesterday we kind of got too close. So we won’t be getting close any more.”
(QB Ryan Tannehill is radioactive?) – “We touched him a little bit. But it won’t happen again. (laughter)”
(What happened yesterday? What was the edict from above?) – “It was pass rush day. So we start rushing and we felt good and then we kind of got too close to the quarterback. But that’s our quarterback so we can’t get close.”
(We as in you?) – “We as in the defensive line.”
(But you?) – “I was there too. (laughter)”
(Did he go down to the ground?) – “No, no, no. He didn’t go to the ground.”
(How do you feel about the NFL relaxing their celebration penalties?) – “Best thing I’ve heard in years and there are team celebrations too. We can use props. We just can’t delay the game so there should be some good ones out there this year. We’ll be competing against everybody.”
(Impressions of the two veterans you added to boost your front seven? DE William Hayes and LB Lawrence Timmons as well.) – “Wisdom. Will was in the room with me, so I get to really hear his wisdom. He’s been playing for a long, long time. And it’s just the little things. You can never learn to have it all. So I listen to him just as much as I listen to Cam (Wake) and (Ndamukong) Suh. And Timmons is … He’s been in this league for a ton of years and he’s been playing at a very high level for a long time. So for me, it’s just to keep listening to those guys and keep becoming a better student.”
(What makes you certain that everybody will just do their job as opposed to what’s been happening the past couple of years where people break script and then you’ve got broken plays?) – “That’s not my job to make sure that they do their job. It’s just my job to make sure that I do mine. And I count on them just as much as they count on me. So once we get that camaraderie with each other, when you feel like you let your brother down, that hurts way more than the coach telling you that you didn’t do your job. So once that starts happening, that’s when we know we’ve got it. But at the end of the day, there’s going to be mistakes. No game is perfect; but we have to work towards that.”
(And what is your impression of Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke? I know you guys have been working with him going back to last year, but how confident are you that you’ll pick up where you left off with him as the defensive coordinator?) – “Great. I don’t feel like there’s even a new coach in there. We’ve run the same scheme and he knows this defense just as well as ‘V.J.’ (Vance Joseph) did. So for us, we’re listening to him, just like we did with ‘V.J.’”
Ryan Tannehill – May 25, 2017
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Thursday, May 25, 2017
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill
(How’s the knee?) – “Feel good. I’m feeling good. I’m feeling back to 100 percent. Everything feels totally normal and I’m excited to keep pushing to get better next year.”
(Is it good to wear the brace? Does it keep it stable? Is that something you’ll be wearing throughout the year?) – “The brace doesn’t really do anything for stability. It’s more just protection and getting used to it, getting comfortable. I am going to be wearing it during the season, so I just want to wear it now so that I’m comfortable throughout the year and it’s just second nature at that point.”
(Does the brace limit at all your mobility?) – “No.”
(So you feel you can move the same way with the brace as without?) – “Yes. That was one of the concerns when I first started wearing the brace back in January, just moving with it. I’d worn one previously in college, and I kind of thought that. So, that was kind of my hesitation: ‘Aw, man. This thing is going to really limit me a little bit.’ But it doesn’t at all. That’s one thing that I’m excited about. I guess the brace technology, the fitting is a little better. There’s an extra strap on there that I think that wasn’t on there on my previous brace and that kind of holds it in place and allows you to keep the mobility.”
(How close were you to having surgery? Was it ever a real consideration? Was it 50-50? Were you close to having it done?) – “It was always a possibility. There was a period there where we didn’t really know what was going to happen. It was kind of my body … Just seeing how my body responded and was healing and thankfully we didn’t have to go that route.”
(We thought we might see you in the playoffs. If the team advanced in the playoffs, do you think you might have had a chance to get back out there?) – “I don’t know. It’s tough to say sitting here. It doesn’t really matter at this point; but I’m glad to be healthy now.”
(Doctors can tell you that you’re well and 100 percent. Other people can say it. When did your body say “I’m 100 percent”and that you knew that you were 100 percent?) – “It started feeling good probably at the end of January. I was rehabbing it hard every day – a few hours every day. I really got comfortable with my rehab and kept pushing and pushing and pushing. It finally got to the point where I’m comfortable with it, I feel like I can make any cut, and I trust it. That’s the biggest thing is do you trust it? Are you able to move without thinking about, ‘Is something going to happen?’ Once it got to that point, I really felt great about it.”
(You obviously haven’t been hit there or anywhere really (since the injury). Is that something you want to happen at some point?) – “I never want to be hit. (laughter) I think that’s something in the game where it settles you down a little bit sometimes. The first hit of the year is always like … Because we don’t get hit. Everyone else gets hit during camp, so it’s usually that first or second preseason game when you finally do go to the ground, and it’s like, ‘Alright, everything is fine.’ But as far as the knee goes, that plays no factor into the knee. That’s just a normal process every year, to get that first hit under your belt.”
(Head Coach Adam Gase said you weren’t real happy, obviously, with how the season ended for you last year. Can you talk about how that’s carried over to now and your motivation for this season?) – “Yes, it’s obviously tough. You feel like you’re getting things going, you’re getting on the right track, you’re starting to play well and then you have things shut down for you. I was excited to see our team finish the season strong and get into the playoffs. Obviously, we didn’t finish the way we wanted to, but we made big strides last year. I think everyone in the building got a taste of that success and what we want to accomplish. Obviously, it’s not getting to the playoffs; it’s winning a Super Bowl. I feel like that taste makes everyone a little more hungry around this building. That little success that we tasted is something that’s going to push us. It’s been pushing us since January to go at it even harder and get back in the dance and hopefully win the whole thing.”
(How important was it for you to come into camp with that ‘no restrictions’ label and that you’re 100 percent and there are no restrictions in what you can do coming off the injury?) – “It’s big, because this is such a growth period for everyone – quarterbacks, everyone who steps foot on the field. This is a big period that you can work on the little things that go into playing the position. Year 2 in this offense, everyone on offense is really detailing things I think more than ever. Especially last year, grasping big concepts, understanding schemes and what we’re trying to do this time of the year. Since we have a year under our belt now, we’re able to understand the concepts as our foundation and now we’re fine-tuning things (and) getting details a lot more exact where maybe we missed a few plays a game last year because of details. Hopefully we can clean those up and make those (plays) this year.”
(But you personally do not have any restrictions on what you can and cannot do moving forward?) – “That kind of falls in line with exactly what I said – being able to use this time to improve and get better each and every day. It wasn’t ever really a question for me, like I said, back in January, whenever I felt good and knew I wasn’t going to have surgery. To be here is just kind of normal at this point.”
(TE Julius Thomas had his best two seasons in the NFL with Adam Gase as his coach. What kind of weapon can you utilize him as?) – “He’s a talented guy. I’m excited to have Julius on our team. Obviously, we’ve seen what he can do in his career so far. He’s such a talented guy. He’s big, he’s athletic, he’s strong. He can really create mismatch problems on the outside. We’re really just trying to build that relationship right now, build that comfort zone and be able to utilize him and create those mismatches that get talked about, and really be a weapon for us all over the field and especially the red zone.”
(Earlier this offseason, RB Jay Ajayi was talking about you and he made an interesting comment. He said “It feels like Tannehill has something to prove this offseason.” Do you agree with that statement? And what do you have to prove, if you do agree?) – “This is a ‘prove it’ league. You always have something to prove. It’s that hunger that’s always there. I don’t think anything has really changed. It’s just a constant desire to win and to do anything it takes to improve and put my team in a position to win.”
(DE Andre Branch said that they got a little too close in pass drills yesterday and that they were told, “Alright, back off.” With you coming back from this injury, was it natural having guys running at you? Or mentally where are you with guys coming at you like that?) – “I feel totally normal. Like I said, I felt good back in January, so my offseason has been pretty normal up until this point as far as throwing with the guys before we started up as a team and then going through the team activities before we started practicing against the defense. So, it has been pretty normal. I’ve been doing all of the drills and everything. It feels pretty standard as far as that stuff goes.”
(When you have guys coming at you like that, are you able to get past that … You’ve got bullets flying. You’ve got guys coming at you like that.) – “Yes. That’s playing the position. It’s second nature at this point. Like I said, I’m fully confident in the knee, and it’s not even in the back of my mind at all.”
(What have the doctors said about … because this would be a question I would ask, I would say, “Is this knee any more susceptible to injury than the knee I played with a year ago?” I’m assuming you asked that question. What did they say?) – “Everyone is confident in the knee and what it can do and that it’s ready to go. You wear the brace just to try to prevent another freak thing like I had happen the first time. I’ve been hit a lot in my career and never had anything like that where my cleats are in the ground and it just hit me at the right angle and I couldn’t get them out and just put that stress on the knee. That’s kind of the reason for the brace, just to prevent that type of thing from happening again. To answer your question, everything is good and strong, and I shouldn’t have any issues.”
(You consider that kind of a freak thing?) – “It’s rare. It happens occasionally to quarterbacks and that’s why you see a lot of quarterbacks wear the brace. I won’t be the only quarterback wearing a brace on my left leg. It’s never happened to me before. So yes, I would consider it a freak thing. Is it a hazard. I’ve seen it happen before, but it had never happened to me.”
(Does it help that it’s not your plant leg?) – “I don’t know. I’ve never really had a major injury before, so I don’t really have anything to compare it to. I don’t know.”
(You would just think that your plant leg is stronger and that you would have less problems going forward.) – “Right. That seems to make sense. It’s logical, but I don’t know.”
(If you started feeling better in January and now here we are in May, I assume you’re past whatever personal tests you need to make sure everything is good. Or do you still need to get back into a game and all of that stuff?) – “No. Like I said, I’m back in 100 percent and feel totally normal. There’s really no more checkpoints that I have to hit at this point. It’s, ‘Everything looks good and go play.’”
(You’re one of the more higher-profile athletes to do a stem cell transplant procedure. What made you go that route and what does it entail?) – “A lot of research and finding options that were available to me and specifically to my injury and what fit. I spent a lot of time researching, talking to people who are familiar with all of the different types of treatment, and that seemed to be the best fit for the injury I had.”
(Does it speed up the recovery? Or speed up the healing?) – “Yes, that’s the basic concept. Your blood stream is carrying stem cells to any injury you have all over your body. The ACL typically doesn’t heal because of a lack of blood flow. So they’re just artificially becoming the blood stream to carry the stem cells to the location.”
(So you feel like your ACL has healed?) – “Yes, it’s really strong and ready to go.”
(Can you share your thoughts on having the high school kids at practice this week and whatever interaction you’ve had with them?) – “It’s fun. I can put myself in those guys’ shoes of being a high school player. I never made it to an NFL game or around NFL players, but would go to the college … Texas Tech. I lived close to Texas Tech and my dad played there, so I would go to games there and just any interactions I would have with the guys, I can remember that being a pretty cool experience for me. So being able to take a little time and talk with those guys, sign a few autographs and wish them well for the upcoming year. Hopefully it goes a long way with those guys.”
(You recently came out at Texas A&M and spoke against animal testing. What is the thought process behind that and what motivated it?) – “Well, it was brought to me. Someone brought the video to me and kind of the background of what was going on there. Seeing those images just didn’t sit right with me or my wife. I just feel like we’re animal lovers – we’re dog lovers – and to see that going on was hard to see. I feel like there just has to be a better way there.”
Laremy Tunsil – May 25, 2017
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Thursday, May 25, 2017
Tackle Laremy Tunsil
(Lining up at your old spot, what does that feel like?) – “It feels good to be at the natural spot I was drafted here for. Playing left guard, I learned a lot. It was a different position, different everything. I’m glad I got the opportunity to play (guard) so I could learn the game inside and out.”
(Did playing there help you out at all now that you are back to left tackle?) – “Yes. I think the offensive line is the offensive line. Right tackle, left tackle, I think they are all the same. Playing left guard really helped me play left tackle. It helped me play any position on the line, just to know the offensive line in and out.”
(Have you talked to T Branden Albert since the trade?) – “I actually have. I’ve been keeping up with him. We’ve been (talking) back and forth, texting back and forth”
(T Branden Albert hasn’t shown up in Jacksonville yet.) – “I don’t know anything about that.”
(How did T Branden Albert handle the trade?) – “I think he handled it pretty good. That was somebody I looked up to. As soon as I came in, he took me in as a big brother. Seeing somebody gone like that is kind of sad, but it’s part of the business.”
(What kind of message did T Branden Albert leave you with as you moved to left tackle?) – “He really didn’t tell me a message. It’s the same thing as playing left guard. The only thing he told me is ‘Hey man, be yourself. Be you.”
(I know it’s early and no pads. What are your quick impressions of DE Charles Harris?) – “Nice, nice. He’s nice.”
(What’s the best aspect about DE Charles Harris’ game do you think?) – “I think he’s got an overall game. He knows how to turn his hips. He’s good with his hands and he’s quick off the ball. He’s a good pass rusher now. He’s nice.”
(Who was the person that called you with the news that you would be left tackle? Was it Head Coach Adam Gase? Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach Chris Foerster? And what was your first reaction knowing that T Brandon Albert wouldn’t be here, but knowing that you would be going to your natural positon?) – “When I first seen the trade, I was like ‘Oh man, what’s going to happen?’ Then I got a text from the offensive line coach, Coach Foerster, and he was like ‘Man, you’re the new left tackle.’ I was like, ‘Let’s get it man. Let’s do it.’”
(Playing left guard last year, how does that help you now with your communication being at left tackle with whoever may line up next to you this year?) – “I pretty much know what’s going on at left guard. Like I said, I know the whole offensive line inside out.”
(What kind of growth do you expect from yourself from Year 1, when you were just figuring it out, to now, that you have a little bit of experience?) – “I’m always getting better. That’s my main knowledge, always getting better (and) always finding something new about my game, something that I can always perfect.”
(Did you ever get rid of that lizard in your backyard?) – “I still have that lizard in my backyard. (laughter)”
(Head Coach Adam Gase said that there are no restrictions on Ryan Tannehill. Do you get a sense that Tannehill wants to show everyone that he is as good as he was or he’s good to go? What do you see out there?) – “I thought Ryan has been doing that. Ryan’s a good guy. A lot of people don’t know that. He’s a great leader. A lot of people don’t see that unless they’re inside of the locker room. Ryan’s a great leader and good to be around.”
(Physically, what he went through, when he’s out there now, he’s moving around?) – “I think he’s looked good. He didn’t lose a step.”
(Just before you came out here, DE Andre Branch said that the defensive line got scolded yesterday for getting after QB Ryan Tannehill a little bit. Do you guys take that personally?) – “Always. What is Branch talking about? (laughter)”
(He said that he was in the backfield yesterday.) – “Man, here we go. Here we go with this. (laughter)”
(Do you feel any added pressure to protect him coming off that injury?) – “I always kind of put pressure on myself to get better and always find something new to perfect. I put a lot of pressure on myself just to be that guy, just to help everybody. I want to help everybody. I want to have that knowledge just to help everybody and help the rookies out.”
(What would be one specific thing that T Branden Albert told you during last year that you would definitely keep in mind while playing left tackle this year?) – “The only thing I took from Branden was to be yourself. That was the main thing. Just be yourself, play your game and you will be fine.”
(This team hadn’t been in the playoffs for a while and your first year, you guys go to the playoffs.) – “I’m lucky.”
(Do you understand? Do the veterans say that this doesn’t happen all the time?) – “To go to the playoffs my rookie season was tremendous. That’s something I want to keep up – keep the tradition going and going and going.”
(Cleveland DE Myles Garrett said that…) – “I’ve seen that. That’s my guy.”
(You’ve played DE Myles Garrett many times. He said that he hopes to face you in the NFL. What do you think of all of that?) – “That would be nice. That would be a good battle right there.”
(Who got the best of those college battles with DE Myles Garrett?) – “I’m going to leave that alone until the next time we play.”
(You felt obviously very responsible for taking care of the guard position last year. You were professional. With that said, do you feel even more of a responsibility now that you’re this team’s left tackle?) – “I am playing the blind side, so it does mean a lot. I can’t let that get to me. I’m always hard on myself because I’m always trying to perfect every craft that I have.”
Byron Maxwell – May 24, 2017
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Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Cornerback Byron Maxwell
(The second offseason under Head Coach Adam Gase, some players have said things run a little bit more smoothly because you know what to expect. Have you found that to be the case? Are players getting from Point A to Point B more quickly?) – “Yes. Familiarity comes with just being familiar with everything (and it) helps with everything, even the defense. Everything helps. It helps everything runs smooth.”
(How happy were you on draft day when they emphasized on defense, brought in reinforcements and what was that like seeing all of the emphasis they put on the defensive side?) – “Definitely. That was … For my experience personally, I know when you have a deep d-line, that’s the stuff championships are made of. I was very happy. I was very pleased with the draft. We got depth. That’s the most important thing, keeping those guys fresh. If we keep rolling them in then I don’t have to cover too long.”
(What was your reaction when you saw they drafted a cornerback early and you guys already had four that are veteran starters?) – “He’s (Cordrea Tankersley) from Clemson so I was happy. (laughter) Like I said, you always need d-lineman and you always need corners to win in this league. First, rebuilding the defense. If you don’t have those positons, then you really don’t have a chance. So you need depth at those positions too. I was happy. I was happy with the draft. They did a great job.”
(How much did you know about CB Cordrea Tankersley?) – “I watched him a lot. I watched him a lot just watching the (Clemson) games. He showed up. He always popped. He has great ball skills. He always finds the ball. It was great. I watched him a lot, him being from my alma mater.”
(CB Cordrea Tankersley said when he showed you his championship ring, you acted like you had never seen a championship ring. Was he exaggerating?) – “No, he wasn’t exaggerating. I felt like I won when they won. That was one of the best times of my life. I was actually there. Like I said, I felt like I won, like I was part of it. I feel like I’m a part of it too.”
(Are you going to take CB Cordrea Tankersley under your wing and kind of make him a project of yours to show him the way?) – “Yes. Of course. I’ll do anything I can to help, whether it’s just bouncing ideas off of him like, ‘Maybe you should do it this way. Or maybe you should do some things off the field to get better.’ So I definitely will help him. I feel like it’s my job.”
(Is there one or two pieces of advice you gave him so far?) – “I have, but that’s between me and him.”
(When you look back at last season, what stands out as far as your performance goes? How much better do you think you can be in your second season?) – “Like I said, getting comfortable with the defense. That was probably the biggest thing, knowing where the weaknesses and the strengths are at. Just knowing where I fit in on the defense and what I need to do to help this team win. So yes definitely, obviously you get better. I’m just working on the little small things that I see as my weakness last year.”
(When you look at former Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph against Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke, what are the similarities? What are the differences?) – “Well, similarities, they’re going to be running the same defense. The differences, I couldn’t tell you right now. I think it’s going to come with play calling, to be honest with you. They’re varied just because they’re different. Different minds want to do different things.”
(Are you glad the defensive coordinator hire came from within? How much does that help? There’s that continuity there.) – “Yes. (Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke is) familiar with the defense. It’s his defense. He came in with Vance (Joseph) from Cincinnati. So he’s familiar with the defense. It’s his defense. So definitely that helped.”
(What’s Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke like as a person or coach?) – “Matt is very smooth. Very calm, I would say. He’s a very smart guy. Cerebral. Just basically, that’s him. Under those situations where you might panic, I’m expecting him to be very calm and get the calls to us so we can play ball.”
(What ended up changing for you where you played so well after the rough start? Was it a change in technique? What happened that made such a dramatic difference?) – “I think it was just a change in technique and a change in mindset basically. I just realized where I had to go at, what I had to do in order for this team to win or help this team win. That’s really what it was. I was just taking ownership and not looking at everybody else. It was on me.
(How was it not to play late in the year obviously with the injury, including the playoff game? How stressful or difficult was that?) – “Definitely. You put all this work into it and for it to end like that … I’m putting all this work into it. I’m looking forward to this year though, staying healthy and making my impact on this team.”
(Do you feel like that was the best you’ve been playing in your career before you got hurt last year? Was the way you were playing give you extra confidence coming into this year?) – “Yes, I definitely do. I feel like that was the best (I’ve played), playing at that time. The confidence, yes it definitely gives you confidence. You have to get back into the shape where I was at. It’s definitely giving me confidence to just go forward and get better and keep grinding.”
(Having said that, the offseason waiting for these couple of days and practices. How much were you looking forward to it differently from years past because of the way you played before you got hurt?) – “I’m just looking forward to the team, really; me also, but just the team, just getting started and what we can do and what we accomplished last year. It’s a new season but we have a lot of guys coming back. Like you said, a lot of continuity. So it’s just being able to put that into experience and everyone you got. The sky’s the limit. We obviously have to work hard. We’re going to that regardless. So the sky’s the limit, if we stay injury-free. We’ll see.”
Kenny Stills – May 24, 2017
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Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Wide Receiver Kenny Stills
(How does it feel to be back out there running around with 11-on-11. Is the offense better than you left it or in about the same place after that playoff game?) – “We’re trying to move on from last year and just build on what we did. I think we’re in a great place. We’re just going to continue to come to work every day and try to put good practices together.”
(We just talked to TE Julius Thomas. What is the first thing you noticed when he came out?) – “Just a veteran mindset we get from Julius (Thomas). Being that he’s been in this offense before, it’s not like we’re having to teach him anything. We know he can go out there and he’s kind of just catching things in stride.”
(The expectation was that in Year 2 of this offense, most of you guys would take that next step because of comfort and familiarity. Where do you see that translate the most?) – “Just being able to play fast. I think that’s one of the biggest things (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase stresses with us is going out there and flying around. The fact that we know our responsibility, we know our job (and) we’re more comfortable out there, we can fly around and play this game at a high speed, high tempo.”
(Was there one part of your game that you wanted to improve this past offseason?) – “I wouldn’t say there’s one thing. Obviously there’s always things we can improve on and so I’m just trying to continue to be a complete wide receiver and help this team any way I can.”
(How much does it personally mean to you, the financial commitment this organization has made to you?) – “I don’t know how to answer that.”
(Can you put into words how you embrace that?) – “Obviously I’m happy to be back here. This is where I wanted to be and this organization has done a good job of keeping all of our players here this offseason, for the most part. So that’s important to us and like I said, I wanted to be here and so I’m happy that we’ve moved on from that.”
(How does QB Ryan Tannehill look both in throwing sessions before OTAs and I guess these two practices?) – “He looks great. You guys saw the stuff he was doing last year before he got hurt. He’s one of the hardest-working guys on our team and so he continues to build on everything that he’s doing at the quarterback position and leading this offense and this team.”
(RB Jay Ajayi said with the running back group that they’re working on being more complete and being more complete without the football. Is that a point of emphasis with the wide receiver room as well?) – “Yes. You’ve seen the receiver group down the field blocking in those games where we weren’t really throwing the ball as much. (Wide Receivers) Coach (Shawn) Jefferson really stresses us being complete wide receivers and tells us all the time, ‘No block, no rock.’ That’s something we’re always focusing on and we’re trying to help this team any way we can.”
(Many of the combined numbers obviously for you and WR DeVante Parker and WR Jarvis Landry were very good last year. Can those numbers rise even more do you think as a group of three?) – “I’m not here to predict anything, but we’re here working and trying to build on what we had last year. If we can stay healthy, we know we can do something big.”
(When you made your public stance last season, did it impact your decision at all that the organization supported you from the top to do that? Or would you have done it either way?) – “It was a relief that we knew that (Owner) Mr. (Stephen) Ross was going to be standing behind us; but no, it was something that the decision that we made it was going to be something we were doing regardless. And that’s no disrespect to the organization or Mr. Ross, but it’s something that we felt strongly about and so we stood by that decision.”
(And where do you stand on that going forward now for the upcoming season?) – “I guess we’ll see when the time comes. I’m doing my best to continue to work and make an impact in the community, and I feel like that’s the most important part about what I’m doing right now.”
(Do you think things have gotten at all better in last 12 months?) – “As far as what?”
(Obviously the issue that is very important to you.) – “I think here locally we’ve done everything that we can and we’re going to continue to do that. The ride-along that we did last year with law enforcement is something that we’re going to try to do again this year and something that we’re trying to expand on throughout the league, and so I just try to focus on the positive things that we’ve done here and try and spread the message to other guys and other teams.”
(As long as we’re on this topic very briefly, I believe you protested a trip to Israel. Is that correct?) – “I just backed out of a trip to Israel.”
(Do you feel it’s important to make social statements or be socially aware or conscience? Or how do you view situations such as that?) – “I mean I try to do my best to just do the right thing in all situations and that’s how I handle it. I’ve gotten more involved this past year and that’s something that I just … I can’t hold back on because it’s something that is true to my heart and so that’s kind of how I handle every situation I come across.”
Julius Thomas – May 24, 2017
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Wednseday, May 24, 2017
Tight End Julius Thomas
(A lot of people talk about your football IQ. In fact, TE Anthony Fasano just mentioned it. QB Peyton Manning apparently talked about that with Offensive Coordinator Clyde Christensen. Where does that come from and how does that help you on the field?) – “It comes from getting to play with some great players and having some great influences on my career when I was younger, just really to instill that high-level IQ and how to make the game a little bit easier and do things at the right time. So I think it helps me a lot on the field. Mostly … Every play, there’s going to be something that you don’t expect. Early on in this league, I was taught when you get to the line (of scrimmage), prepare for the worst situation, and that’s probably helped me out more than anything else as far as pre-snap. I think that’s one of the most underrated parts of the game is seeing what’s happening before the snap. It’s great for quarterbacks but it’s great for every other position too. I just try to apply the things that I’m able to get from other people and pay attention the best I can in the meetings, and then try to go utilize that on the field.”
(How excited are you to be reunited with Head Coach Adam Gase?) – “It’s exciting. Not only is he a guy that I think is one of the best football minds – he’s really good at teaching and instructing – but he’s also somebody that I consider a friend and somebody that I trust in this game. To have that marriage is pretty good.”
(Do you expect to pick up where you and Head Coach Adam Gase left off your last two years in Denver?) – “Our offense is always going to have the same standard and that’s to go score points. If we’re coming out here to do anything else, we’re not doing our service to the team. How many points we score a game, how many yards, that’ll be determined; but it’s definitely going to be our goal to go out there and put points on the board.”
(Did you put a little extra work in today? It seems like you just came from the practice field.) – “Yes, I just came from the weight room. I was like, ‘I might as well handle this before I go get ready, eat, shower and everything.’”
(What’s going to be the best way for you to develop chemistry with QB Ryan Tannehill?) – “Time. There’s no other way. Sometimes we have some of the smartest football people in the world in the NFL, but there’s no way to get around hard work and time. It’s not going to happen this week. It’s not going to happen by the end of OTAs. It’s going to take rep after rep after rep and we’ll get there.”
(You’ve been around for a while but you are only 28 years old. Do you feel like you still have some prime years left in your body physically?) – “Yes. I think this is the best I’ve ever felt. When I was younger, somebody told me that the hardest part about playing when you get older is getting your body right and the game slows down. I’m kind of in that sweet spot where the body still feels good and the game is slowing down. So I’m really looking forward to this year – Year 7 – so that’s going to be an exciting time for me.”
(If you look at the roster that Head Coach Adam Gase has to work with now and the offensive weapons that are with you on the field. What’s your impressions of them thus far?) – “Looking at the guys and seeing a lot of the film from last year – seeing the explosiveness, the speed, the swagger that they play with – it’s really exciting. I see myself fitting in really well with the guys. Then, also, just trying to be a stable presence. We have a pretty young offense so even guys like Laremy (Tunsil) and Ja’Wuan (James), having somebody (like me) that can line up next to them, has seen a lot of stuff (and) looking to build that communication and help throughout the offense, not just the receivers.”
(Can you talk about your early impressions of QB Ryan Tannehill and also how you think RB Jay Ajayi and the running game will complement your play as well?) – “I think that Ryan is probably going to make his mark just by how smart he is. You can see from talking to him – working with him – that he’s very cerebral. He puts so much time in and he really wants to make this his offense and to own it. I’ve been extremely pleased and excited just to see his work ethic, outside of his physical ability. Just the quarterback that he’s becoming, I expect him to continue to grow as a player. Jay is a dynamic back and if we do what we need to do on offense, we’ll be able to keep teams off-balanced, mixing up the run, mixing up the pass (and) putting ourselves in the best position on each play. I think it will all complement well.”
(You’ve been away from it for three months now. How would you assess what happened in Jacksonville and maybe why you didn’t have production there when you thought you might?) – “Sometimes things just don’t work out. I don’t have any ill-will towards anybody in Jacksonville. I like everybody there. We all got along great. But not everything always fits. It just wasn’t a fit for me. It’s definitely appreciated, the opportunity they gave me, and the people that I met and the things that I learned in Jacksonville, and I’ll take that on to still become a better player every year.”
(I’m sure you went to Jacksonville with very high expectations and then the injuries and the way the team struggled, how much did that test you those few years?) – “I became a much better person the last two years. To have some struggles on the field really helped me grow as a person, mentally and in my own personal life. I’m not upset by the way things happened. Sometimes the best way to learn is when you’re going through things and I definitely took advantage of that in my own life.”
(How so exactly? How did that change you?) – “I think that sometimes you get the impression that your success on the field defines who you are as a person and how well you’re living your life. That’s really not the case. As you get older, you start to realize that when you’re 25, 26 (years old and) having amazing stats and you’re playing in Super Bowls and stuff, it’s really easy to just be focused on your game and not the kind of person you’re being (and) the relationships with your friends and family. It was a good opportunity. God showed me some things I needed in my life and I’m definitely going to continue that moving forward.”
(How much has the playbook and Head Coach Adam Gase’s game plan evolved since your first stint with him?) – “It’s definitely changed. (There are) certain things that I have to unlearn (and there are) certain things I have to now learn. I think the skeleton of it is pretty similar, but he’s grown as a coordinator. He’s grown as a coach and it reflects in the offense. I think that him having complete control over what we do offensively and really getting to have his vision and put it out there to attack a defense the way he’s known and learned, it’s been fun to make some adjustments.”
(When you were in Denver, how tough was it to go to a legend like QB Peyton Manning – I don’t know if you viewed him that way – and ask him how to watch video? Can you take us through one of those video sessions with him?) – “It’s not really tough to go to somebody that loves and enjoys getting better and asks them ‘Hey, can we watch some film?’ What more would he rather have you ask him than to sit down and say let’s get better? So that wasn’t the tough part. The tough part was trying to catch up to the way that he noticed and he recognized the game. There were a lot of times where I made some mistakes and he wasn’t exactly the happiest with me, but that’s part of growing. That’s part of getting better. I definitely took all of the things that I learned from him and keep on trying to apply them to the game and use it to make myself a better player.”
(You said it takes a long time but with QB Peyton Manning, you made some pretty nice catches for him. How long did it take you to get his trust?) – “I think catching is the easy part. I think getting there and understanding what the defense is doing and understanding how our scheme affects that was the toughest part. Trust is developed every day by being in the right place at the right time. That’s what we all have to have offensively. We’ve got to work together. We’ve got to be able to count on each other. That’s how the best offenses perform at a high level.”
(Can you recall the moment where you felt you really had gained QB Peyton Manning’s trust?) – “Even before I was playing … My second year, I had an injury. I was coming back and felt pretty healthy and I remember one time in the elevator – I wasn’t playing then, Joel Dreesen and Jacob Tamme had it – and (Manning) told me ‘Just keep working. Everybody sees the player you’re becoming, sees the things you’re doing. Just keep working and it’ll pay off.’ That’s probably the first time I really understood that he recognized my ability and then it was turning that into translating on the field.”
(When it was determined that you and Jacksonville would be parting ways, how much say did you and your agent have in where you ended up? Were there other teams that reached out to you with Jacksonville’s permission besides Miami?) – “All of that is between me and my agent. We’ll just leave that one alone.”
