Ryan Fitzpatrick – May 14, 2019
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Tuesday, May 14, 2019
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
(Last time we talked to you, there was not a quarterback competition and now there is one. How did you take the news that they were brining QB Josh Rosen in?) – “I’ve always had to earn every opportunity that I’ve received, so I love it. I love the competition. I love being out here and every day, whether it’s a competition with myself or somebody else, (I am) trying to be the best me that I can be. We’re two days into OTAs, but the mentality of the group right now and the way we’re working, we’re heading in the right direction.”
(Do you use it as part of your job or something you want to do to help QB Josh Rosen along? Is that part of your job description?) – “I think the way that I’ve done it throughout my career, whether I’m the guy or not the guy, is I try to prepare the best way I can prepare and do the things that have gotten me to where I am in my career. If guys choose to do that as an example and follow it, they can. If they don’t, they can do whatever they want. But I’m a guy that’s going to work hard and try to lead by example. If people want to follow, they can.”
(This seems like a continual situation for you battling for a starting job. What do you carry with you through this whole process and is there something that you take with you being the underdog going into these situations?) – “Not really. I’m here because this was an opportunity that I would have a chance to play, to compete. It was a job that was open. I know that nothing is ever going to be handed to me. I enjoy it. I enjoy being out here. I enjoy days like this. I try to get better every single day. Throughout my career, I think every year I’ve done that and hopefully can continue to do that.”
(What’s your impression of QB Josh Rosen?) – “He’s been great so far. We’ve got lockers right next to each other. (I am) just getting to know him a little bit. I’m from Arizona, so we’ve got some chatter about some local Arizona hotspots. Things have changed a little bit in the last 20 years for me. We spend a lot of time together in the quarterback room and outside, in the locker room. So far, so good.”
(Can you talk about QB Josh Rosen’s level of intelligence compared to other quarterbacks you’ve been around? Is he pretty impressive intelligenly?) – “We’re so early into it. Some of the stuff he talks about reminds me of some classmates I had in college a little bit, some of those topics. Sometimes not necessarily things I want to be talking about. (laughter) He’s definitely an interesting guy.”
(Do you have an example?) – “He can probably tell you about his cleats and the plastic on his cleats, but there’s plenty of examples.”
(You mentioned earlier on about how when you were looking for a team you considered this position open and you came here. Had QB Josh Rosen been on the Dolphins in advance, how would that have affected your decision at all?) – “It’s hard to say, because that’s not how it was. All I can say is I’m very excited to be here and excited for the opportunity.”
(What do you think you need to do to win this job?) – “Again, I’m going to try to be the best version of myself every single day and try to get better every day. I have a formula of things I do, which is put your head down, work hard. That has worked for me throughout my career. That’s all I can do and all I can ask of myself.”
(Do you have confidence that it’ll be a fair competition and there are not going to be preconceived notions in any way?) – “Again, I’m going to do my best to show them the best version of me and see how it shakes out.”
(Does QB Josh Rosen being here make you better?) – “I think competition always makes you better, whether it be with yourself, with another guy, with another team. Competition, especially for guys out here that are playing at this high of a level, tends to push you and make you even better.”
(What’s your comfort level with the system, the playbook, the coaching staff, all of that?) – “We’ve got a very small amount in right now, but so far so good. We’re taking our time with it. The guys that came over with this offense, with (Offensive Coordinator Chad) O’Shea and the crew that he had, they’ve been in it for a long time. It’s been baby steps so far. I’ve really enjoyed the early stages of it. I think I’m well suited for this type of offense.”
(Is this more or less like the New England offense that they’ve been running for years?) – “I think the New England offense is very multiple. The best thing about it (is), ‘Is this the base? Yeah, the base is that,’ but then you work off your personnel and talent that you have and you go from there. I think one thing they’ve been able to be successful at is really emphasizing certain talents of certain guys. We’ve got a bunch of different guys and a bunch of different skillsets on our team and we’ll do a good job of incorporating them, the system to them and playing to their strengths.”
Josh Rosen – May 14, 2019
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Tuesday, May 14, 2019
QB Josh Rosen
(We saw some fumbles early on. Accuracy, you threw the deep ball a few times?) – “Yeah. Just working at everything. We’re repping with one’s, two’s and three’s, so you have different centers in there. I think we’re getting better step by step. I’m trying to break down this offense so I can focus more on playing football than playing against myself. I think we’re getting better.”
(What kind of first impression do you think you made out here today?) – “I don’t know. I’m just trying to make a good one. Nothing in particular.”
(Where are you in the installation? How well do you know the playbook?) – “Pretty well. I think I have plenty of room to go, but I think pretty well overall.”
(How has this transition been?) – “It’s been good. You kind of underestimate, from the outside looking in, all of the logistical issues from literally having to move and uproot your place. I’m walking into the receiver room thinking it’s the bathroom. (laughter) There’s a lot of kind of little things that go into it, but when you step on the field, you have to kind of let all that go and just play football.”
(Is your mind working ultra-fast, kind of like being a rookie again going into your first camp, when you’re back there and you’re not able to play freely at this point?) – “Yeah. My head is spinning, but I think a lot of that is just trying to weather the storm as much as you can and it will get better a little bit each day. It’s just about making progress. No matter how big, how small, it’s just about making some progress each day so that a couple weeks or months down the road, you can look up and turn around and realize you’ve come a pretty far way.”
(It’s been two orthree weeks now since it all went down. Has there been anyone that’s reached out to you that you hold dear to you that they gave you some words of advice?) – “Larry (Fitzgerald) has been really awesome with me. I really appreciate Larry Fitzgerald for everything he’s helped me with this last month, last year. He’s been sort of an uncle – I call him Uncle Larry – so he’s definitely, hopefully, a friend I’ll keep for the rest of my life.”
(How did the heat affect you today?) – “It affects you, but I don’t think too significantly. I’m not going to say you get used to it, but I’ve been here for two or three weeks now and coach loves conditioning, so I think it’s getting a little easier day by day. I hesitate to use the word ‘easy,’ but it’s getting a little more palatable day by day.”
(QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is a guy with a lot of experience and wisdom that you obviously can tap into and yet you’re in competition clearly. What sort of relationship do you think you’re going to have with him?) – “I think we’re going to have a really good relationship. So far, our quarterback room has been a lot of fun. He likes to goof around but he works really hard. I think he’s been in this league for a really long time and if I can take at least even a couple of lessons from him, I think they’ll do me very well in the long run.”
(QB Ryan Fitzpatrick said to ask about your cleats.) – “Yeah, my cleats. (I’m) still wearing the same cleats I did last year made from the Adidas Parley project. (It is) recycled ocean plastic. It’s what’s kind of important to me here about keeping the bigger picture in mind. We’re getting to play this game and have a blast, but we’re also in a city that is at severe risk for global warming and climate change.”
(Do you think you could convince QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to switch up?) – “Maybe. We’re working on it. We’ll see.”
(What was that Daytona Beach cleanup project like?) – “It was a lot of fun. I’m not starting a nonprofit or anything like that right now. I really just kind of want to experience a bunch of different organizations and just kind of see what interests me and see what I enjoy to do. I reached out to the 4Ocean company, who I really admired and looked up to. I thought they were doing some good work. I wanted to host and join a beach cleanup with them. They had one out here in Daytona Beach and I really had a blast, so hopefully (there will be) much more of those in the future.”
(As a quarterback, is there almost an added boost of confidence when you see the Dolphins go out and get T Jordan Mills, an experienced guy that they want to plug in right away?) – “Yeah, absolutely. He’s a dynamic player. I think a lot of people look at a football field and it’s building a puzzle of a team, but a lot of times you want ballers and he’s definitely one of them.”
(Coaches said they were encouraging you to ask why. I know that had been sort of a question before. What did that mean to you that they want that?) – “I appreciate it. Our meeting room, like I said, has been really productive, really good. We’ve been learning good stuff every day and (Assistant Quarterbacks) Coach (Jerry) Schuplinski and (Assistant Head Coach/Quarterback) Coach (Jim) Caldwell are really teaching me very well from top to bottom. Everything from footwork to Day 1 stuff to day whatever we are – I missed a couple of weeks – but like I said, I think it’s all about progress. I just want to keep taking steps forward and I think they’re helping me do that. Our quarterback room (is) very supportive. All three of us – Jake (Rudock), Ryan (Fitzpatrick) and me – we’re all supporting each other. Whoever is taking the reps right there, we’re all clapping, supporting and cheering each other on.”
Xavien Howard – May 14, 2019
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Tuesday, May 14, 2019
CB Xavien Howard
(How pleased are you that it worked out in terms of the long-term deal getting concluded?) – “I’m happy the deal got done. I’m here today to get better.”
(Was it important to you to be the highest-paid cornerback contract in the NFL, which is how it turned out?) – “My agent took care of business and I’m here today. I’m just here to better. That’s it.”
(What made you want to be here long-term as opposed to testing free agency?) – “It happened, like I said. My agent did his thing and I’m here today.”
(Thinking back to when you were like 13-, 14-years-old. If I had told you that you one day be signing a piece of paper that says $76 million on it, what would you have said to me?) – “Man, it’s just a blessing to be in the situation I am right now. Right now, I’m just focused on getting better, improving each year. I’m happy to be here.”
(After one of the games last season, you said you were the best cornerback in the league. Now you’ve got the money to match it, do you feel kind of validated here in the NFL?) – “(laughter) I’m going to say the same thing. I’m just here to get better. That’s it.”
(As good as you are, Head Coach Brian Flores was saying last week you can get better. Do you like having that coach who will push you, and where specifically can you get better?) – “Yes, most definitely I can get better. There’s a lot of stuff out there that I can work on to help my game and become the top corner in the league.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores specifically said that he considers a leader on the team. How do you plan be the best leader you can be?) – “I want to communicate with the new guys coming in. I’m really a guy that doesn’t talk a lot, but I want to lead by example and I’m also going to communicate more and help my guys out, help my team win.”
(What did it mean to you that the team identified you as one of the guys they wanted to have here for a long time?) – “It means a lot to me. I’m here. There’s a lot of stuff out there that we can do. I’m just happy to be in the situation I am and continue the five years here that I’ve got.”
(Have you had a chance to talk to Managing General Partner/Chairman of the Board Steve Ross at all late in the process?) – “Yeah, I did. I did. He congratulated me and stuff like that. He said he was happy to have me here.”
(And your line to Managing General Partner/Chairman of the Board Steve Ross was what? Thank you?) – “(laughter) I just told him this feels unreal right now. It hasn’t hit me yet. But every day I’m waking up every morning to come here and do my job.”
(We saw a lot of players running to this wall, this TNT wall. What does that mean to you guys?) –“It’s discipline that Coach (Flores) is teaching. He says it takes not talent. Any time we mess up or do anything wrong, we’ve got to run to the wall.”
(Last year we talked about how hurtful losing is to you and how important winning is to you. When you think about the fact that you’re going to be here in all likelihood six more years, what do you hope for the team to accomplish during that period of time?) – “It’s competitive sports. Everybody wants to win. I just want to do the best thing for my team and just help it. Hopefully have a good season.”
(How important is it for you to remain humble now that you have this deal?) – “That’s my attitude. That’s the type of guy I am. You don’t see me out here just bragging about doing anything. I’m just here. I’m the same player.”
(Are you going to buy yourself something nice?) – “No, I’m going to save it.”
(A watch? A car?) – “No, I’m going to save it.”
(I’d brag a little bit if I were you.) – “Why?”
(Please talk about what you’ve learned about the type of defense that Head Coach Brian Flores wants to have and how does it suit your skills?) – “From what he’s been doing and what I’ve been seeing, what he did in the Super Bowl and a lot of stuff that he did, that’s what he wants his team to be and that’s how he’s going to build it – discipline, good conditioning, running to the ball and (you’ll) be a good team.”
Eric Rowe – May 14, 2019
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Tuesday, May 14, 2019
CB Eric Rowe
(I see you out here. You guys are still out here after practice working on stuff. What’s that all about?) – “There’s always something to work on. For me, I like to get some releases in at the end of the day, just to keep up my technique just in case I don’t get too much in practice man-wise or press-wise. So yeah, after practice, I like to get a little bit in. Just a little bit every day, it will stack up.”
(Working with a guy like WR Kenny Stills, he seems receptive to helping you out after practice.) – “Yeah. I can already tell, I haven’t been here too long, but I can already tell he’s one of the guys who likes to get some work in after. So usually I just try to grab him. He’s probably one of the best at it. It’s the only way to get better.”
(How much of that comes from your years in New England and learning how to do things correctly? Everybody is talking about Head Coach Brian Flores having his things from New England, but as a player, it has to stick right?) – “Yeah, it stuck to me. I was there for three years. Just kind of being with the guys up there, their work habits, I just catch on and now it’s kind of ingrained in me. It’s almost like second nature.”
(How nice does it feel that a guy like that wants to bring you around? Head Coach Brian Flores wanted to bring you in specifically.) – “It feels great. It always feels great to be wanted. Obviously, they see potential in me. Just as a player, it just gets your confidence up and you want to work even harder.”
(Did anybody impress you? I know S Minkah Fitzpatrick said he was all over the place today and he likes that. He likes not knowing where he’s at.) – “Yeah. From last year, I saw him bouncing around just kind of on film and now being here, they’re asking him to do a lot and he’s a smart guy. Just being around him in the locker room, he’s a smart player so I know he can do it.”
(From a defensive standpoint, is this very much similar to the Patriots’ approach from what you’ve seen so far schematically, how the practice is run defensively, etc.?) – “Yeah. The way practice is run, the way we’re working, how hard we work – it’s all similar to being up there. To me, it’s not new except the heat. I know it’s not bad right now but I have to adjust to that.”
(It seemed like you got much of the first-team corner snaps today opposite CB Xavien Howard, correct?) – “Mhm.”
(Is it important to you to be a starting NFL corner again? You’ve obviously been that at different times in your career in Philadelphia and New England.) – “Yeah. It’s just important to me to stay healthy. Right now, I know he has me running with the ones, but for me it’s just trying to improve each day because it’s not just competing – obviously against young corners here that are really good – but it’s competing with guys on all 32 teams and all of the receivers out there. Kind of through my years in New England, I learned that you’re not just competing with the guys – you have to compete with yourself because there’s receivers on the Falcons, the Seahawks or whoever we play that are really good, so you have to get ready for them.”
(When you signed here, did either Head Coach Brian Flores or General Manager Chris Grier tell you what they like about you?) – “Yeah.”
(And that was what?) – “Just that even though ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores) and (Defensive Pass Game Coordiantor/Cornerbacks Coach) Josh (Boyer) know I’ve been hurt, they see that I still have potential. When I was healthy, I was playing good. They know that I’m all healthy now and cleaned up, so I should get back to the level I was at.”
(Not just you, but this team has a pretty big chip on their shoulder just from the outside noise.) – “Yeah. I don’t really know what’s going on on the outside noise. I learned not to pay attention to that. But just kind of from the grapevine, everybody has a chip on their shoulder. Everybody wants to be great.”
(What you mentioned about things being similar structurally to New England, how comfortable does that make you feel as you transition over here?) – “It’s almost like second nature to me. It takes the learning curve out of it. I know the defense, I know what the coaches want, I know how much they expect, what they demand. All of that, that learning curve is out. Now it’s just me just getting better as a player.”
(You’re lining up opposite the highest paid corner in NFL history. What do you admire about CB Xavien Howard from having watched him from afar and now his teammate?) – “From afar, I heard he was getting a lot of picks. He’s a great player and even working with him, I see how hard he works off the field, on the field, kind of his behavior. That’s the key to being a great player.”
(What can you tell us about this ‘TNT’ wall?) – “He (Brian Flores) put that wall up. It means ‘Takes No Talent.’ It’s basically just saying that mistakes that we make – offsides, false starts – little stuff that really doesn’t take any talent to get good at. If we mess up – I think we had 10 guys on the field or something – and he’ll just send us to the wall until we get those bad habits out of us.”
(What’d you see from your quarterbacks today?) – “Honestly, I don’t even know. I mean yeah, I’m watching them, but I’m watching the guys in front of me on defense. I saw some good balls being thrown – over routes and some good balls. I saw a really great deep ball to DeVante (Parker). It was a really nice play.”
(You got to watch the GOAT – Tom Brady – for a few years there. Obviously, you don’t compare people, but when you need to have a quarterback on the other side that can get you somewhere, how important is that? I know you’re a defensive guy, but the big story here is who is going to be the quarterback of this team.) – “That’s not my decision to make or to even judge. That’s not my job. Whoever they pick, obviously they’ll make a great choice. Whoever it is, they’ll lead this team, they’ll lead this offense. It’s just OTA’s right now. They’re learning a new offense. The receivers are learning routes. They’ll get the timing down, but whoever they pick, I trust in the coaches.”
(You won the starting job obviously in training camp last year. The Jacksonville game was a tough game for everyone early in the season. How did you react emotionally to losing the starting job quickly? Obviously a change was made after that game.) – “The reason I did bad in Jacksonville was because, I should not have played, but I was playing injured. I was playing with a like a sports hernia in the groin so I couldn’t really run. Obviously, me being prideful, I was like ‘I can do it,’ but obviously I couldn’t hold my speed. After that game, I just knew that I just needed to take some time off. The coaches knew. You heal up because you can’t play with an injured guy. You can’t play injured. Obviously, it hurts and affects the whole team. After that game, I just had to kind of get back into my zone.”
(How similar is what you’re doing here to what you’ve done in the past in New England on defense?) – “Everything is really similar. The way that Coach (Josh) Boyer, how he wants the corners to be played, how ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores) wants the defense to be ran, kind of what everybody expects, what the coaches expect. Everything is really similar so it’s nothing new to me.”
(Does that give you an advantage?) – “I wouldn’t say an advantage. It would give me an advantage personally, so I can improve my techniques and not focus on learning new calls, new terms, maybe like to some other players that have to put that in their mind. For me, it’s just like I already know the terms. Now I can get better myself.”
(When the defense had to run and touch the wall, that was because 10 players were on the field, or was that another day?) – “I think it was 10. It was either 10 or 12 players. We couldn’t get the right amount of people in there or something and that’s just a mistake that obviously in the game, that would be a penalty. Or if it’s 10, that would just hurt you on defense. Mistakes that we just can’t make.”
(What does running cross-field and touching it do for you physically from a physical standpoint?) – “It hurts. Even though it’s a slight jog, from running way over there, it’s tiring. You don’t want to make mistakes like that. I think it’s just more, not a physical thing, but it’s more of a mental thing. We can’t have a fumble, a ball-security issue, or a false start, or if the QB fumbles the center exchange – stuff that really doesn’t take much effort to get right.”
(The fact that you have the most experience with Head Coach Brian Flores, what should we expect? What should the team expect from Coach Flores?) – “They will expect competition. There’s a lot of good guys defensively. I don’t even know much about offense but defensive-wise, a lot of guys in each position and everyone is competing. That’s what everybody expects from him, to kind of get everybody to improve each day because if you’re complacent because there’s no one pushing you, you won’t get better. I know and I think the team should know that he’s going to have competition at each position to make everybody better.”
Jordan Mills – May 14, 2019
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Tuesday, May 14, 2019
T Jordan Mills
(What are your thought on this opportunity with the Dolphins?) – “It’s a great opportunity. It’s a great team, great young team (and a) new coaching staff. (We’re) coming out here to build a championship, playoff caliber type team and get an opportunity to play for this great organization with a great history. It’s a true blessing and I’m glad to be here.”
(You played your last six years in Chicago and Buffalo. How is your readjustment to the weather?) – “I’m from Louisiana, man. (There isn’t) much of an adjustment. Even though I’ve been in the Chicago weather, I still go home in the offseason. The weather is no different. It gets hot. I’m not saying that I can push through – well, I can push through but I’m not saying that I’m the guy that can deal with it all the time – the heat is the heat. Even you all are standing outside in the bleachers and you still feel it. I’m a Louisiana guy and I’ve been dealing with it my whole life.”
(To play the number of games you have, do you walk into a room and see all the eyes focus on you like you have the most experience?) – “I (don’t) have a lot (more) experience than some of these guys do like ‘LT’ (Laremy Tunsil), and (Daniel) Kilgore and the rest of these guys. I’m just coming in to add my savvy, my experience and just come out here and compete and work hard every day. That’s the task at hand right now, to come in and help this team get better each day.”
(You have experience playing against this team. What stands out to you about the Dolphins the past couple of years, just going up against them?) – “They are a tough team. They bring it every time. When they are playing in Hard Rock Stadium or when they come up to Buffalo, they bring it every time. They never give up. They have a toughness about themselves that nobody has. Not everybody practices in this heat. Not many teams can say that. The way we grind and the way we push, we are pushing towards something great, but we’ve got to take it one day at a time.”
(When did the Dolphins first show interest in you, when did you first get that feeling?) – “I was just, honestly, the time until I got here, I was just working out and training hard. I just left that up to my agent. Whenever they wanted to make that move, they made that move and now I’m here. I wasn’t really paying attention to that. I knew I was going to end up on another team sooner or later. I just had to keep continuing doing what I’ve been doing for the past six years, seven years and I landed here. I’m going to make the best of it.”
(What were some of the options you were considering if it wasn’t Miami?) – “There were a few other teams but it doesn’t matter now. I’m a Miami Dolphin and I’m glad to be a Dolphin. Respect to the other teams, but I’m glad to be here in Miami.”
(Your first impressions of watching QB Josh Rosen and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick today?) – “They’re great. They are hard workers. They are some of the first people in this building and the last ones to leave. All of our quarterbacks, they command the huddle, they bring great leadership to our team and they are great players.”
(We know you’re new here, but is there anything you can share with us about the TNT wall and what that means and what that is for this team right now?) – “The TNT wall is just nothing but hard work, dedication and just holding ourselves to a higher standard and to focus on the fundamentals and the little things each day. It’s not always much, always focusing on the big things. (It’s) the little things that make a team great. Fundamentals, technique and things like that, being ready for practice and focusing on individual and team periods. That’s what it’s all about.”
(It’s early, but kind of with QB Josh Rosen and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick as leaders in the locker room. what have you taken away from that? What have you seen from them?) – “When they need to talk, even when they don’t need to talk, you hear their voices. When we’re on offense and the defense is on their side, they’re commanding the offense and talking to make sure that everybody is at where they need to be. (They) make sure, Ryan and Josh, communicate to the o-line what they wants to do and things of that sort. Them being vocal and not also vocal, but showing it in their technique and their pass routes, their readings and stuff like that, they don’t always have to be vocal to show their leadership. The way they work, the way they train, the way the study shows a lot.”
(Is there one thing between the two of them is kind of similar in that aspect?) – “They work hand and hand. Obviously, Ryan Fitzpatrick is a veteran. He’s been around for a long time and Josh is young. Josh acts like he’s been here, like he’s been a 10-year vet and Ryan helps him along. They have a lot of similarities, like I said. They are the first ones in the building and the last ones to leave. You see them working out together and studying together. It’s a great dual – not dual but trio because you got No. 5 (Jake Rudock) back there slinging the ball. They’ve got a great relationship.”
Brian Flores – May 14, 2019
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Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Are you expecting S Reshad Jones today?) – “Reshad won’t be here. We’ve had a few conversations but I’m going to keep those conversations between he and I. Obviously this is all voluntary so (I have) no issues. We’re kind of worried about the guys that are here. We’re going to coach those guys and that’s really where we’re at there.”
(Do you expect S Reshad Jones at the mandatory minicamp in June?) – “Yeah, I expect him at the mandatory minicamp. Yes.”
(To what degree, if at all, do you expect QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to possibly serve as a mentor for QB Josh Rosen?) – “I expect Ryan to compete for the starting position. I expect him to lead from the quarterback room but really the entire offense. Obviously he has a wealth of knowledge and a lot of experience. Again, there is competition but at the same time, we’re trying to build a team. We’re all trying to help each other become the best versions of ourselves on the field. I expect him to be the leader that he is, which he’s done a good job of that so far.”
(Is WR Albert Wilson out there practicing or is he cleared to practice?) – “Albert is working. He’s been very diligent. He’s working hard to get back. He won’t be out there today but he’s definitely doing a good job as far as a rehab standpoint.”
(WR Jakeem Grant?) – “Jakeem, he’s working. He’s doing well. He’s been out there a little bit. We’ll see. We’ll see what that looks like today. But all of those guys who are dealing with stuff, everybody is really working to get out on the field as soon as they can.”
(What will you be looking for from the quarterbacks?) – “We’re looking for leadership. We’re looking for accuracy. We’re looking for an understanding of what we’re trying to do offensively from a protection standpoint, from an alignment standpoint. We’re looking for guys who can consistently move the ball down the field.”
(I know you’re going to play defensive backs in different roles. As the roster is constructed now, it would seem as though there would be a greater need for S Minkah Fitzpatrick at cornerback than safety. Would you agree with that?) – “I think you kind of answered it yourself. We’re going to play guys in a lot of different roles. Minkah is obviously a very versatile player; but we have a lot of versatile players in the back end. We’ll move guys around and kind of try to get the best four or five guys on the field that we can.”
(The group of cornerbacks that you have at this point opposite CB Xavien Howard, you have a lot of young, intriguing guys. CB Eric Rowe obviously and others. Do you like what you have as far as other cornerbacks beyond CB Xavien Howard on the roster. What skills do you see there?) – “Yeah, we like what we have; but it’s so early. It’s OTA No. 2. There is a lot of time here for guys to improve, get better (and) learn the system. We’ve yet to play a game. We’ve yet to put on pads. We’re so early in the process that to kind of make an evaluation, you’re just kind of speaking into the air. We’re not there yet to make true evaluations.”
(To be clear and follow up, Fitzpatrick will get some reps at cornerback? Is that accurate?) – “I thought you were talking about Ryan Fitzpatrick. I was like, ‘No. Ryan Fitzpatrick will not get any reps at cornerback.’ (laughter) Minkah, again, we’re going to move guys around. We’re going to move guys around. It may look like he’s playing cornerback, he’s playing safety, he could be playing linebacker. It depends. I’ll know what he’s doing. You guys probably won’t. (laughter)”
(I want to ask you about CB Eric Rowe. What was it that you saw from him in New England that said he would be a good fit here, bringing him along in your system?) – “Eric is smart. He’s tough. He plays, he has a lot of athletic ability. He’s tall, long, (has) good speed (and) tackles (well). There are a lot of things we like about him. Again, he’s another guy who is working really hard and is doing everything he can to improve on a day-to-day basis from a fundamentals and technique standpoint. I think we’ve just got to continue to do that. We’ll see the chips, wherever they fall, that’s where they fall.”
(What went into signing RB Mark Walton and what gives you confidence that the issues the last few months won’t be an issue going forward?) – “Well, you know, (General Manager) Chris (Grier), (Vice President of Football Administration) Brandon (Shore) and myself, we brought him in for a tryout. We thought he did well in the tryout. We had multiple conversations with him and we felt comfortable signing him to the team. We felt like he could help us.”
(You and much of your coaching staff have links to New England. Is what we’re going to see out there today basically a New England-like offense and a New England-like defense? Are you running that system?) – “I mean obviously you’re right (in) a lot of the staff has roots in New England. I would say there’s going to be, from a format standpoint, maybe a little bit of that. But each team is different. We don’t have the players – we have different types of players, I would say. To go out there and, let’s call it copy and paste, that may not fit. It may fit; it may not. We’re going to do what we feel is best for the team – offensively, defensively and in the kicking game. If some of those things align with some things we did in New England, then so be it; but that’s not necessarily the case.”
(Did you guys change the language, the so-called verbiage of the thing? Or is it the same?) – “Yeah, we changed the language. (laughter)”
(You had to think about it there.) – “No, we changed the language. I didn’t really have to think about it. It was whether or not I wanted to give that to you. (laughter)”
(What’s been your take on RB Kalen Ballage since you arrived here?) – “I’ve been very impressed with him. He’s smart, he’s talented; but he has a humility and a work ethic that I really like. He’s doing everything he can to really try to improve on a day-to-day basis and you see the improvement. You’ve seen it from when we started on April 1st through yesterday’s practice, and he’s continued to improve every day. I’m looking forward to working with him. (He’s a) good, young player.”
(I know it’s just one day but QB Josh Rosen, what did you and your staff notice about how the ball comes out of his hands yesterday?) – “I mean obviously he’s a talented play. (He has a) big arm; but like everyone else, he’s got a long way to go (with the) fundamentals, technique (and the) playbook. It’s so early. We’re not going to cut the roster today. It’s so early. There’s an evaluation process here that’s ongoing and until we get into the nitty gritty of OTAs to veteran minicamp to training camp to preseason games – everyone kind of knows the schedule here – we’re not cutting rosters today.”
(Do you anticipate doing a week-by-week or month-by-month evaluation of the quarterbacks, so to speak?) – “(It’s) day-to-day. Everybody is getting evaluated in this building every day, period. That’s just what it is.”
(Is there a point where you’ll have a leader in the clubhouse so to speak, at least internally?) – “If I had a crystal ball and I could predict the future, I wish I could tell you that; but we don’t. I think from a leadership standpoint, somebody is going to have to stand out to be the leader of the clubhouse, but I don’t know. I can’t tell you who that’s going to be.”
(I have a general question about leadership. The quarterback always needs to be a leader. Among other positions, are there certain guys – veterans or if they’ve been to a Pro Bowl – that you think must be leaders or do you kind of leave it up to the players to decide whoever makes the plays or whoever they choose to follow, that’s the leader?) – “That’s a good question. I think, to me – and this is my general opinion on leadership – if you work hard and put the team first, you’re a leader. Now, some people may think you have to be a ‘rah-rah’ emotional, get everybody hyped up (guy) to be a leader, and that’s just simply not the case. If you work hard and put the team first, you’re a leader. I want to have 53 leaders on our team. I want 90 on our team right now. That’s something that you can develop. That’s something that you can talk about. If you work hard and you put the team first, you’re showing leadership. Pro Bowls, I mean you can be a Pro Bowler and be lazy. That happens. If that’s the case, you’re not really a leader. You’re just an elite talent. Hopefully that answers your question.”
(Is not showing up to OTAs and the offseason conditioning leadership?) – “I would say look, everything is a case-by-case situation. It really is. Again, it’s voluntary. We’ve got players all over the league who have shown a lot of leadership over a long period of time who haven’t shown up to the voluntary camps. No, I wouldn’t say that. I would say every situation is a little bit different. Yeah, I would say every situation is different.”
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