Byron Jones – June 17, 2021
Download PDF version
Thursday, June 17, 2021
CB Byron Jones
(I know obviously CB Xavien Howard’s business is his business. You guys are friends and you don’t want to get into that. But do you personally he returns just because we know how good you guys can be as a combo together and that obviously makes your defense much better?) – “I would love to have him, of course; but like you said, it’s none of my business. But we had fun last year. We balled out. Obviously what he did was completely special and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before and those skills are – we love those skills in our defense. So yes, we’d love to have him back, of course.”
(I was curious, at this stage in your career, you’ve been around the block and you’ve seen a lot of stuff around the league; but what are you working on now? What’s the step that you’ve kind of identified for your game to go to the next level and how are you working to achieve that?) – “The dope thing about football is you really have to start from (step) one every single year. You’ve got to start with the fundamentals – breaking 90 degrees, 45 degrees, downhill, tracking the ball. For me, I’d love to work on my technique more and just be more of a technician and not rely just solely on my athleticism; and I’d also like to be more of a playmaker and get my head around and take more chances at the ball. Instead of batting them down, take those boys back to the house like ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) did last year. Those are the things that I’m working on; but like I said, you really have to build from the ground up every single year. That’s the fun part really.”
(If I could follow up, at game day or practice, I always seemed to notice you’re off to the side getting extra work whether it’s pre-practice or between series. I’m just wondering is that kind of like a routine-based thing for you? Is it kind of like drilling in those fundamentals and stuff? What do you get out of that?) – “Any chance I get, I try to work on something that I am lacking. In the game, I’m really trying to stay warm and stay ready because that first play coming out of a series, they can come at you for a 40-yard fade ball, so you want to be ready. But in practice, I’m working on small things so oftentimes I work with ‘Chuck’ (Cornerbacks Coach Charles Burks) and we’re doing looking over the shoulder, catching the ball at the high point. We’ll just walk through some of the man coverages in terms of getting out of a break 45 degrees downhill, a 90-degree break. Just kind of slow things down, but allow yourself to work on the technique component of it.”
(You mentioned obviously about why you want to improve with ball hawking, playmaking. You were a good corner even before the interceptions, but did it feel good to get the two in December and I’d hate to use the term “monkey off your back,” but had you felt any pressure to get those first picks?) – “To be honest, no. I don’t know why. One thing I’ve prided myself on is just sticking to what I do best and trying to work on the things that I need help in. If it doesn’t come, great. Keep working. It’s just really that simple. Whether you get it or not, keep working. That’s always been my mindset in life; but yeah, it’s fun. You realize how important it is to the team and how important it is to the defense when you can give the ball back to the offense. I think each team maybe averages about 10 possessions a game. If you can take one or two of those away, that’s a big deal as we saw last year. So to be a part of that, yes, it’s exciting. It’s fun. Everyone’s slapping you on the head and on the butt, and you do your little dance on the sideline and whatnot; but yeah, it’s fun. I’ve just got to keep it moving.”
(I know it’s hard to gauge this just in OTAs, but with what the offense has added with WR Jaylen Waddle and WR Will Fuller V, you’re teammates with WR Albert Wilson for the first time since he opted out last year. The speed and elusiveness – how dangerous could that be from an offensive standpoint for you guys this year?) – “As I always tell my friends, they always ask ‘Hey, how’s it looking?’ I don’t know. On paper, everything looks great. It really takes an entire camp, those preseason games, guys who work together and guys who kind of gel and really carve out the position of the team and really make something happen to make something happen with the ball in their hands. You don’t really know what you’ve got until you’re out there battling against another team and we’re going to have plenty of opportunities this year. I think we’re practicing against a couple of teams and obviously we have the preseason games this year. We’ll some of our talent at that point. It’s really too early to say, really.”
(Early last season, we talked sometimes about being in a different scheme and trying to refine and perfect some different techniques than you would use previously. As the season moved along and in the latter parts of the season, what did you figure out in terms of how you could use this particular scheme and the techniques that are being asked of you to actually work to your advantage?) – “This team, obviously we play a lot of man and you’re going to have to play aggressively at the line of scrimmage. I think I learned that I can stay more square at the line of scrimmage and fight receivers a little bit longer than I’m used to. We want to make it hard for those guys because every team has an amazing receiver, a great quarterback and you’re going against some of the best in really the NFL when you’re going against the teams that we have. So we want to use that to our advantage. We’re long, we’re athletic corners, so that’s been a big lynchpin in our defense is being able to play effective man coverage and being aggressive at the line of scrimmage. So using the tools at my disposal and just being confident in it and just repping it over and over again so that when it comes to game day, it’s just second nature at that point.”
(And I have one unrelated question. How did OTAs and minicamp go from your perspective? Obviously there was a point in time where many teams and many players publicly stated that they weren’t planning to attend and then what changed and how did it go?) – “I think it went really well. I think the adjustments that ‘Coach Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) made in the offseason program were incredible. It speaks to the type of coach he is, but the type of man he is. Just the fact that he was willing to work with us and kind of describe out exactly what he wanted to get done and how he wanted to do it. He was very clear and transparent, and it was very valuable to have a coach like that to kind of break things down for us. But it was great to have the guys. I think most guys were kind of missing that interaction, just being together and being around each other and I think guys showed up. Guys were attentive. They took good notes. We had really good meetings, effective meetings and we’re out here working. We just got done with a conditioning test and it looked good out there.”
(Did you pass?) – “Of course, man. (laughter)”
(I wanted to ask you a question about kind of a theme the last week or so with Head Coach Brian Flores in his press conferences and he’s talked a little bit about the perspective that players can gain from playing multiple positions like a cornerback playing inside and having that benefit and also an offensive lineman. I’m wondering from your time in Dallas playing safety, how that has kind of helped you improve as a cornerback and just getting that multiple perspective on the defensive side of the ball?) – “Yeah, it’s very valuable. For example, Cover 2 – as a corner in Cover 2, I can be as aggressive as I want at the line of scrimmage because I do have an over-the-top safety; but there is a weak spot. It’s called the honey hole. And if you’ve never been a safety, you don’t really know how hard it is to get from the numbers all the way to the sideline when the quarterback throws that dart. So as a corner, I typically carry those honey hole shots a little bit longer than most corners because I just know what it feels like to be a safety, so just being a guy – I’ve been in this league for now seven years and I’ve played multiple positions – I try to help out my guys as much as I can. I try to take as much stress off the safeties and they try to do the same for me as a corner. I try to understand where my help is, so I play certain leverage – inside leverage, outside leverage – depending on where my help is, and you gain a better appreciation for the defense in its entirety when you actually understand and appreciate each position. It’s invaluable and that’s one thing that’s awesome about some of the young guys on our team because they’re so versatile and they’re playing different positions and learning those different perspectives, so that’s going to be valuable in the future and this year as well.”
(As the team’s highest-paid player there’s always obviously some expectations with performance and leadership that kind of comes with that title. How do you think you’ve done with that so far and how do you kind of deal with those expectations continuing to move forward?) – “I keep it very simple for myself. Whether I was a rookie, a second/third-year guy getting paid minimum or the guy who’s getting paid the most; you bring your A-game every single day. You really have to bring it and you really build from the ground up every single day, every single year. It doesn’t change. If I was the second-paid player, I’m not going to change the way I approach the game or how I prepare. As an older guy, I try to be the kind that the young guys come to for advice off the field, on the field. I try to be a leader for the young guys, that lynchpin in our defense and our offense just to be that communicator, that leader that we all need. For me, I keep it simple. I don’t overstress it, I don’t think much about it. I put a lot of work in this league and every day you kind of build from the ground up again whether you’re the highest, lowest, first-string, last-string; you build it from the ground up every single day.”
(How hard is it to have that mentality when money kind of plays a factor in the team aspect of everything? How hard is it to kind of have the mentality?) – “Honestly, that’s a good question. Obviously you saw (Jerome) Baker. He got a nice little contract. But nothing changes. It’s not like he changed today than he was last week. I think people on the outside looking in, they over-complicate it. We’re here playing football at the highest level, so we’re all trying to be the best versions of ourselves, whether the money is there or not. You try to stay healthy, you try to learn as much as you can; and it really doesn’t change once the money is involved. Just keep it simple for yourself. Let everyone else make it complicated.”
(Two questions ago, you referenced younger players. You yourself, you’re headed into Year 7 and you’ve seen a lot in the league. I wanted to ask you about CB Noah Igbinoghene. What’s it been like having him back here? Obviously his rookie season. Just having him back and have you noticed any strides he’s made? To us just seeing him at practice…) – “He’s an incredible talent. I think the way he’s approaching the game this year is going to be special. I think, to be honest as a rookie, he balled out in camp. I was really impressed with the way he performed and approached the game. He’s been consistent throughout the entire season in terms of the coaching. ‘Chuck’ (Cornerbacks Coach Charles Burks) is not easy on anybody. He’s certainly not easy on the guys he knows the expectations are very high for. I think Noah did an incredible job of just being there, being attentive every single day, and learning and trying to put fourth what ‘Coach Chuck’ was wanting out of him. He’s doing the same thing this year. He’s comfortable, he understands the defense, he understands what it’s like to be in the National Football League. Of course that’s a learning process for everybody. Everyone kind of learns at a different pace. But I love the way Noah is approaching the game so far.”
(One last follow up, Defensive Backs Coach Gerald Alexander’s presence in the group, it seems like every time we talk to him he’s very knowledgeable and no matter who he’s talking about, it sounds like he always knows his stuff. What has his impact on the group been?) – “He is awesome. He’s a really good teacher. That’s one thing that kind of undervalued. There are a lot of coaches that know their X’s and O’s, but he’s a really good teacher at breaking things down very simply for us to understand in a short amount of time. He’s a guy whose played at a high level, so you can relate to him. He’s a guy that can laugh and joke with the guys and he’s very funny and keeps things lighthearted; but he understands how important the game is and we feel that when he speaks to us. He’s very clear with his expectations of what he wants out of us as players. Having really this entire coaching staff – we have a lot of good coaches who are working their ass off to put us in the best position and he’s definitely one of those guys in there.”
(In the past, we’ve talked to you about your activism in terms of getting people out to vote and register to vote. It occurs to me that we’re kind of entering a dead period now where everybody has some time on their hands. What’s on your radar screen? Is there any special cause or concern you have off the field that might take up your time now?) – “This time is very football focused. In July, you’re trying to build the runway to glide into camp and really excel and build the season from there. I think one thing that’s great about the Miami Dolphins is the work that we do off the field continues throughout the year. We just had a social impact committee meeting three days ago, strategizing on what directions we want to take throughout the season and how much work we want to do throughout the season because our time is very valuable and we want to use our time very effectively. We meet about that stuff beforehand instead of waiting for the season gets here. We’re coming up with some really dope plans that we can do and get the guys involved and making it easier for everybody. The only thing on our plate is just executing. We have the ideas, we have what we talked about and we’re putting things in motion; but it’s the execution that’s the most important thing, especially when time is limited. We have a couple things on the way.”
(Do you want to drop any hints at what the main focal point might be?) – “I think for me, it’s just going into classrooms. Hopefully this year we can actually go into classrooms and talk to the kids and hopefully see my face and see that I’m more than just a football player and they understand that life is bigger than just the sports and entertainment world. There is an incredible lifestyle that you can live outside of those realms. I speak to kids often and they always talk about wanting to be a football player and a basketball player and that’s great; but they don’t know that at the Miami Dolphins, we have a front office. We have a communications directors, we have marketing and sponsorships. You can strive to be those positions and also be around the football and the game of ball; but not necessarily being a player itself. I just want to shed light on that. That’s what we’re looking for and that’s what I’m looking forward to most – just getting in front of the kids and kind of sharing with them and expanding their world view, really.”
(You described your play and you described your teammates. I know it’s only been OTAs and one minicamp, but heading into training camp, how would you describe this defense right now?) – “I have no clue. I have no clue. Like I said, it takes a while to kind of gel together as a team, to really figure out, ‘Ok, we’ve got some guys,’ or ‘We need some work here and there.’ But on paper, I think we have a special team. Really. But it comes down to the coaching, the systems, the players stepping up, the players studying and taking care of their body. That just take time. I would be BSing you if I gave you answer right now. I really don’t want to do that right now. Give it some time. We have a couple of weeks in camp. We’ll have some preseason games. We’ll see exactly what we look like very soon.”
Jesse Davis – June 17, 2021
Download PDF version
Thursday, June 17, 2021
G/T Jesse Davis
(Looking at your career, you came here as an undrafted guy and now you’re going into Year 5. People have come to know that you’re always going to be there and Mr. Dependable and all. How do you process your career so far? What sort of satisfaction do you get out of it?) – “Just being accountable and wherever they need me to be … I’m not going to tell them no. I like playing. I like being out there. I like mixing up with the guys. It’s been a challenge but it comes with the job.”
(A continuation of the last question, I know they ask many players on the team to be versatile in their abilities and their roles, but you’ve proven to be a guy that is a guard or tackle on either side. How much do you think that versatility helps with your personal situation, and also being able to share that information with other guys in the room?) – “Yeah, I’ve bounced around a lot in multiple years. But going into this camp – each year gets harder but with this, being able to have that experience and then passing it along to younger guys like what to expect, how do you play this guy, how do you set this. I like being a teacher for these guys because they’ve got to play too, and I look forward to watching them.”
(The veteran role, it seems like it’s something that you’re taking a lot of pride in. What gives you pride to kind of pass along that information to all of the young guys?) – “As a young player when I was growing up too, these vets would help me. They weren’t scared of competition at all. Going into this, I’m not really going, ‘I’m not going to help this guy because he’s going to take my job.’ I’m like ‘Good, I want you to make me better by pushing me and I’ll push you, and we’ll see where the chips lay at the end of the day.’ Helping these guys, it’s part of the role. If you want to be a leader, you’ve got to help your team out. And if you’re afraid of competition, it isn’t the place to be.”
(What have you seen from QB Tua Tagovailoa as far as his command of the offense and the huddle from Year 1 to Year 2? Has there been a big difference so far this offseason?) – “Yeah, I think each year you get a little more confidence. I think that’s what he’s showing. He’s showing great leadership. He’s taking control of the huddle and he knows what he’s doing. He’s letting us know that he’s here to play and I think he’s done a great job with it.”
(You’re so easygoing about wherever you’re asked to play. So when they asked you what your comfort level is at left guard and if you’re okay with playing there or anywhere, as long as you’re on the field ideally…) – “Yeah, it’s the same thing. Wherever I can be at, that’s where I want to go. But yeah, every spot is open right now. This is where I’m at. The left side I haven’t really gotten too many reps at but that’s how we get better is by doing it. Wherever this organization needs me, that’s where I’ll be.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores mentioned this morning that it’s kind of tough for offensive linemen to get a true evaluation during this time of year because you’re not hitting and you’re not wearing any pads or anything besides the helmet. I’m just wondering, when you’re out there, what are you specifically trying to work on to get better at during these unpadded practices?) – “It’s mostly passes. There’s not a lot of runs. It’s not like fitting up or anything. You kind of get in your sets and you get in your handwork. It’s more technique-based and more fundamentally with that. I’m just trying to get myself to quiet my feet down, keep my hands tight; and I think that everybody does that on the o-line too. We’re just trying to work the same thing. It’s not as easy as it sounds but that’s kind of the thing – you go into these camps trying to work.”
(Do you notice any kind of difference in terms of where you are this year compared to last year, having this on-field work?) – “It’s kind of hard bouncing around but I think I’ve got more confidence in myself with my sets, with my hand placement and just seeing our defense again and seeing the different looks. You’re kind of familiar with them. You’re not going out there kind of blind to it. So just understanding our offense and understanding what the defense is giving us.”
(I’ve been working on this feature on Tropical Breeze Auto Spa. What is it about Kevin and his services that you enjoy and trust to be a repetitive client of his? Again, what do you enjoy about his business?) – “Yeah, Kevin has been around for a while. He’s done the whole team at one point. He’s somebody you’re familiar with that you can trust. He’s gone through our organization and does good work.”
(What’s that feeling like when he hands you the car keys, whether it be after practice or at your house, and you see that sleek car?) – “Are you asking if I feel comfortable with him?”
(No. Like it’s got to be enjoyable to see…) – “Yeah, every time you get car washed and you don’t have to do it, I think it’s a good thing.”
(So if you could take the car of any teammate, whose car would you like to take?) – “Probably my own. (laughter) I’ve got a pickup and I don’t want anybody’s car I can’t fit into. I’m not big on these quick hot-rods or anything. I’ve got a pickup that serves me well.”
(Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre, Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey and Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Eric Studesville, you obviously know them all because they’ve been around; but they’re also in different roles. What’s different?) – “Just chain of command for one. Godsey and Studesville are co-OCs but they all have different things that they bring to the table. ‘Lem’ (Lemuel Jeanpierre) does the o-line stuff and Godsey it seems is more everything pass-oriented and Studesville is more run game. But they all bring good qualities to this team and they’ve gotten us better in the short time they’ve been here.”
(I know it’s only OTAs and minicamp but do you see a difference in QB Tua Tagovailoa as far as the leadership role coming into this season, knowing that he comes in as the starter? Because he had talked and emphasized that that’s more of what he wants to do – be a vocal leader of the offense.) – “Yeah, I think him coming in with that confidence and knowing – it’s kind of silly to say but knowing the building, knowing where you’re at, who is in the building and your teammates; having that behind you as well in Year 2, you feel more comfortable and can be yourself a little bit more. I think he’s showing his leadership skills on the field and in the huddle and outside the field. He’s been good at it.”
(I know the other day he had thrown several picks in minicamp and it was raining and Head Coach Brian Flores wanted him to throw the ball into the window; but that didn’t seem to rattle him. You were not surprised, I take it?) – “Yeah, sometimes that’s the way it goes. The only way to get better is by failure. It’s just one practice. It was raining. I didn’t even notice how many picks we were throwing. We were just trying to get better. I don’t think it bothered him at all.”
Brian Flores – June 17, 2021
Download PDF version
Thursday, June 17, 2021
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Do you feel like QB Tua Tagovailoa pretty much maximized what he could do over these last few months and do you feel or sense that he’s a better player or will only time tell with that?) – “He’s made some improvement over the course of the last two days and definitely over the course of the offseason. I think we talked a lot after the season about a variety of things that we felt like he could get better at from a training standpoint, from a command of the offense standpoint, from a reads and throwing mechanics standpoint. I think he’s really worked on all of them and made some improvements. I think he’s going to not rest on that and try to continue to improve, and he’ll be raring to go for training camp.”
(You’re acutely aware you didn’t have OTAs and minicamp and so forth last year. Do you feel like your team has taken advantage of those exercises this offseason and are you in a better place than you were this time last year as a team?) – “Every year is different. Obviously last year we didn’t have OTAs or really any offseason program like you mentioned. I think we’ve gotten a lot out of these OTAs and minicamp, just from a getting to know each other/camaraderie/team chemistry standpoint. I think on the field working the techniques, working the fundamentals – any time you can get on the field, work with our coaching staff or the players can work with our coaching staff and go through those techniques, fundamentals, get them corrected, go out there, do them again and get better at them; I think repetition is always a good thing. So we were able to get that accomplished. I’m happy with what we did this offseason and hopefully it helps us moving forward into training camp and preseason games and into the season.”
(Obviously we’re looking at some vacation time for some folks in the NFL. What’s your message to the players so that they can be ready come training camp?) – “My message is to go on vacation, to take this time to recharge, get some rest; spend time with their families – friends, families, loved ones. I think you need that balance in your life, so that was my message to these guys this morning; but at the same time, keep themselves in some type of condition, train. Obviously this is what they love to do and if they want to be at the top of their game come training camp, they’re going to have to train. But I think it’s a good time for them to get away and recharge and come back refreshed with a lot of energy and ready to go.”
(For the past two seasons, you’ve basically invested a lot into your rookie or young offensive linemen. Most of the time they’re thrown into the starting lineup right away. What is your mindset and philosophy of throwing the guys into the deep end at that position particularly? I know you say it’s the top five guys, but is there something to young players just gaining that experience at that position?) – “To answer first, we’re always going to play the best five guys and if that happens to be five rookies or five vets or two rookies and three vets; I think we’re always going to do what’s in the best interest of the team for a particular game to try to win that game. Specific to the young offensive linemen who have played, we have had some who have gone in there and played. (Michael) Deiter his rookie year. And Austin Jackson and Solomon (Kindley) played a lot last year and Robert Hunt played a lot last year. Those experiences for those guys, I feel like, can only help them. I think to play in an NFL game, to play against the defensive linemen in this league who – I’ve mentioned this before – are big, fast, strong, physical, mean. To play against guys like that, I think that experience is invaluable for any player, specifically a rookie coming from obviously the college ranks, and I think it only helps them. But at the end of the day, we’re going to play the top five guys. I think we’re excited about the young guys we have and look forward to continue working with them and we’ll continue to try to play the best five.”
(And if I could follow up, how has T Liam Eichenberg looked? I know there are no pads and it’s kind of hard to evaluate, but how has he done from a technique standpoint and a learning standpoint?) – “I think he learns well. I think the concepts he picks up quickly. You mentioned it, it’s hard. You can’t evaluate an offensive lineman in this setting. There’s no bull rushes, there’s no speed rushes, there’s no runs, there’s no contact, so it’s impossible to really get a good idea of what that is; but we can go off of his college film and we feel good about what we saw there. He’s got to – he’ll have plenty of opportunities during training camp to see what he can do physically, or from a physical standpoint, I should say.”
(At the beginning of last season, CB Byron Jones was talking about adjusting to a new scheme and adjusting to some new techniques. I’m wondering in looking back at his first year as a Dolphin how did the improvements go relative from the beginning to the end in those areas?) – “I think he made strides really throughout the season. He got dinged up early and missed a few games and came back and I thought he played well and got more comfortable. Last year was a very different year for a lot of different reasons. He was more comfortable towards the middle-end part of the season with the techniques, with the fundamentals, with the environment. I thought he played well and we’re looking forward to working with him again this year.”
(Was there something that you learned about him that was surprising?) – “No. I think I’ve known a lot about Byron (Jones). I remember watching him when he was in college, doing a lot of work on him coming out and knew he was smart, knew he was tough and knew he was talented and cared about the game and was competitive and was team-first. A lot of those things I had known from kind of the evaluation process when he was in college and obviously spent some time with him during the free agency process. Just spending more time with him, I think it just reinforced a lot of the things that I already kind of knew during the evaluation process, so we’ve been happy with him. Very happy.”
(I wanted to ask you about WR Jaylen Waddle. I know during camp it seemed at times he does have like a noticeable limp kind of going between plays and things like that and then there was the play towards the end of practice yesterday where he catches the ball from QB Tua Tagovailoa and he’s kind of off into the distance, the fastest guy on the field. Where is he at from a health standpoint and how do you think about how he improved during OTAs this month and last month?) – “I think he’s come in, he’s worked hard. He’s gotten to know his teammates. He’s learned the playbook. From a health standpoint – I think you saw him run yesterday – I’m looking at him run and it looks like he’s doing all right from that standpoint. I don’t know if he’s got a limp – I don’t know. Maybe he walks with a limp. It looks like he’s running pretty well to me though. You just said the same thing, so I don’t know. He looks fine to me physically and we’re excited to continue working with him. He’s done a lot of good things so far, but he’s still got a long way to go and a lot to learn. It was only a couple practices and he still has to see different coverages, different ways that he’s going to get played – inside leverage, outside leverage, off coverage, press coverage, double teams. Who knows? But we got a good two practices. You can only get a couple things. We’ll continue to give him different looks and he’ll practice his techniques and fundamentals and hopefully get better.”
(The next time we are gathering, it’s not going to be in Davie. So what are your impressions of the new practice facility and how do you think it will better prepare the team for games next season?) – “I think we’re all excited about the new practice facility. I’ve been down there several times. It is just a credit to Steve Ross and the investment he’s made in the team and really spared no expense to create a state-of-the-art facility for us. I know I’m very appreciative of that as well as everyone else here in the organization, so I’m excited about the place. I think it’s – when you guys see it, you’ll see for yourselves –it’s really a phenomenal building. We’re excited to get in there and get to work. We’re actually going to head down there today as a team and really take a tour of the place, so we’re all excited. I’m excited to see the reaction from the players when they walk in the place, but a credit to Steve (Ross) for sparing no expense for us.”
(First for record-keeping purposes, can you confirm that CB Xavien Howard is absent again today?) – “He’s not here, no.”
(Second thing, you mentioned C/G Michael Deiter earlier. How would you assess his progress over the last year from the time he started practicing at center, and where does he fit into the picture in terms of the starting center position?) – “I think ‘Deets’ (Michael Deiter) has really made a lot of improvements over the last two years. Obviously he played a lot his rookie year and didn’t play as much last year. He moved to center – has played guard, has played center, played some tackle for us his rookie year. He can play really across the offensive line. He’ll be in competition to get playing time this year. He’s excited about that opportunity. Look, he’s a guy who works extremely hard. He’s competitive, tough and has a lot of the qualities that we’re looking for. I’m excited to see what this looks like for him during training camp. I think when you get into Year 2, Year 3, there’s a sense of urgency – which he has, you can see that – to earn a role or a bigger role. He’s definitely working towards that; but he knows there will be competition there and the best man will win.”
(Do you look at it as any one of those three – Michael Deiter, Matt Skura and Cameron Tom – can win the starting center job? That it’s a wide-open job. Or did you sign Skura with the thinking he would be our starting center if he wins the job?) – “We sign players with the idea that they are going to create competition and earn a role. Nobody is going to be given anything. I think really at all positions, at any position, that’s always the plan. It’s to come in, compete, learn the playbook, communicate with your teammates and we’ll play the best people at whatever that position is.”
(Has C Cameron Tom made a case that he’ll be in that mix with C/G Michael Deiter and C Matt Skura come August?) – “Yeah. Cameron has come in and learned the playbook. Again, for offensive line, without the ability to – no run game, no contact, no bull-rushes, no double teams, you can’t really make a true evaluation; but based off the knowledge of the system, the ability to point Mike (linebackers), redirect the protections and know where to be, he’s done a good job.”
(I’ve been meaning to ask you this for three years now – what is the Brian Flores workout plan? You always seem so fit. I think it’s a great example to your team. I’ve always wondered how players look at coaches when they’re on them about their conditioning yet their conditioning is rarely ever good. How do you stay so fit?) – “Feel free to come workout with me. (laughter)”
(I would pay money for that by the way. What time?) – “(laughter) We can get that set up very easily. But I’m a 5 a.m. start guy, so feel free to come on over. (laughter) I think it’s important. Health and wellness is important. I try to stay fit for myself, for my own mental health. I think it’s important to be fit, not necessarily for the players. It’s just personally something that’s always been important to me.”
(Is it a lot of conditioning? Or is it still weightlifting? Because you’re getting up there in age now. I don’t know if you can still throw up the weights like you did in the college days.) – “(laughter) It’s running, it’s biking, it’s lifting, it’s boxing. Anything you can do to get a sweat. Sometime release some stress, hitting a bag, pretend it’s (someone). (laughter) Just try to stay fit.”
Allen Hurns – June 16, 2021
Download PDF version
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
WR Allen Hurns
(Tell me what a typical Dolphins Sunday was like for you last season. Did you watch the games at home? Did you watch it from the stadium? Were you nervous rooting for the Dolphins and was there ever a time where you said, “Gee, I wish I would have played this season?”) – “I watched it at home with my family. I just had my baby boy in October, so it was a great time. Just watching the game at home and seeing a different perspective. It’s kind of interesting watching it from a different perspective because there would be times where I could see a play, but I don’t know exactly what’s going on. I could say that, ‘Okay, he should’ve had this catch’ or ‘somebody should’ve made this,’ but at the end of the day, I don’t know. So that’s a good thing from watching it from a different perspective.”
(And was there ever a time where you said, “Gee I wish I would have played this year or was there never a time where you questioned that decision?) – “There was never a time. Spending that time with my baby boy, that meant everything to me. That was the reason I opted out, so I never second-guessed that.”
(I don’t have to tell you as a veteran that the NFL can be a business; so as such, how much consideration crossed your mind going into the decision to opt out that “Hey, are they going to hold this against me?” Was that ever a consideration for you?) – “No, not at all. I already knew what was at stake when I made that decision; but I when I came to making that decision I did what was best for me and my family. I weigh all my decision-making and I talked to my agent, talked to everybody I knew; but at the end of the day, I feel like I was making the best decision for me and my family.”
(And second, can you tell me a little bit more about your baby boy? It’s not every day that a football player has a child during the season and you get to watch him grow up, so what’s that like?) – “Man, it’s something that you can’t much explain. I had him October 21, but just being there, being able to help out; that has meant a lot. Just seeing my baby boy grow up. Those first couple months, it’s always tough with the no sleep thing; but with me not playing, I was able to help out. And just being there, building that chemistry, getting that bond, helping my girl out and things like that, it meant everything to me. So as far as being out for a whole season, it kind of flew by because having all the times with your baby boy and your family, it means a lot.”
(You opted out for health reasons for your family and I’m just curious with the vaccination now, where do you stand on what’s going on inside teams and everything like that as far as your vaccination?) – “I got vaccinated in March.”
(Is there any concern inside teams or because some players are and some players aren’t and you’re working with them and…?) – “As far as me, I did it to protect me and family. If there’s people who don’t want to get it, to each his own; but I felt much safer – me getting it and me being around the guys and things like that.”
(What is your son’s name, since we’ll probably all going to be writing about it?) – “Chase Hurns.”
(I wanted to ask you, obviously you got a lot of time and opportunity to spend with your son. What do you think it’s like for – I don’t know if this is your first child while you’re in the NFL – what do you think it’s like for other guys who have children and then really – you get to watch the baby be born then, “I got to go to work, I’m out?”) – “Man, I know it’s tough. I know it’s tough. Even me now – he’s seven months now going on eight and me leaving in the morning, it’s kind of like, ‘Dang, man, I’m leaving my baby boy.’ But I know it’s tough, especially I kind of think about if I did play last year those first couple months, when you’re not sleeping and waking up every two hours; as far as us athletes, we’ve got to get our sleep and things like that. So I can only imagine how it is; but as far as us athletes, we find a way to make it work. I know there’s times where you’re missing the family at home and those guys, but you’ve got to do what’s best for your family. Sometimes that is going to work each and every day; but me having the opportunity to opt out, I feel like I did what’s best for me and mine.”
(To follow up, what did you do to keep your body in shape and to pick up where you left off football-wise?) – “I continued to work out. I never stopped working out. That was one thing that I wanted to do because I knew if I were to take a whole year off, it would be so tough getting back in shape. But even then, with me working out, I wasn’t having practice and things like that so there was going to be some rust coming back, getting familiar with route concepts and things like that, picking up the playbook. But me being here each and every day, being around the guys, I got familiar quick and I’m just getting on the same page with them.”
(I wanted to ask you about the conditions out there the last couple of days and I know you’re a South Florida guy through and through. I‘m wondering if you have certain tips on how to deal with the rain and did you kind of pass that along to any of your teammates that maybe haven’t played in those kind of conditions before?) – “As far as receiver, you’ve just got to take your gloves off because the gloves will get slick. As far as any tips, I’m going to have the same struggles they are. You can never get used to pouring down rain. There’s nothing you can make easier. Just as far as footwork and receivers, be more patient and not trying to rush your routes because you could slip with the wet grass.”
(It’s been your first week formally working with QB Tua Tagovailoa and QB Jacoby Brissett. What are your observations on the two quarterbacks? QB Reid Sinnett there as well, but mostly on Tua and Jacoby?) – “Those guys are doing a good job. They both look really comfortable calling plays in the huddle, taking control of the offense. That’s the main thing I look for when I come in the huddle. Those guys are confident. They’re able to make all the throws and things like that; so us being out there, everybody getting on the same page, we’re just building that chemistry and taking it one day at a time.”
(And if I could just follow up really quick on that, what was it like to end practice today on a good note there to celebrate at the end?) – “It was great. Great feeling just being back in the end zone. It is a great feeling always, but me just getting back out there, being with the guys – it feels good. Like I said, I took a year off, but being back, seeing the guys, being out there with them, competing; that’s what it’s all about.”
(I have two quick ones for you. The first one is what was the feeling like when you did get back to the facility after that one year off? What were the emotions like? What was the feeling like?) – “I kind of felt like a rookie. Just coming in, trying to figure out like what we’re doing, what’s next and things like that. Not familiar with the schedule and things like that, so just filling in, following the older guys or the guys that have been here like ‘Vante’ (DeVante Parker), ‘Keem’ (Jakeem Grant) and things like that. Just getting in line with those guys; but it felt good just being back out there, competing with those guys. Us as a receiver group, we’re all together. There’s never any jealousy and things like that. We all compete with each other. We’re always with each other when it’s time to work out, whatever it is, so that’s what I love about us.”
(And also, can you tell us how you wound up with No. 8 after wearing No. 17 your first year here?) – “Yeah, that number was given to me. I didn’t pick it.”
(I just wanted to ask you a little bit about your time you got to spend with your child. What a blessing it is to have all that time, so I’m just curious of all the daddy duties that there are – bath time, story time – what was your favorite part of getting all that time at home with your child?) – “My favorite part probably was just putting him down for a nap in my arms. Just seeing him just sleep. Watching a baby sleep is like the most precious thing for me. Even when they’re crying and you can console them, that means everything especially with them being so young. That won’t happen forever. As time goes on, they won’t want the cuddles and things like that, but that moment means a lot to me just being there. Of course, not the changing Pampers and things like that. That wouldn’t be my favorite, (laughter) but anything for my baby boy.”
(One last thing on the game day experience for you last year. Was it at all like watching a Hurricanes game for you in terms of when something bad happened, would you get frustrated and ever curse? If something good happened, would you get really excited? How was that watching the Dolphins from home experience like?) – “For sure. For sure, like a Hurricanes game. You’ve got emotional ties to it because you feel like you’re a part of it. Just watching those guys with the highs and lows, the main thing is just keeping that faith, trusting my guys. It was a great season. They had highs and lows, but at the end of the day, I was riding with them no matter what.”
(Going back to your decision to opt out, there was so much uncertainty last spring when the pandemic was first breaking out. It seemed like nobody knew what they could do, should do and how contagious this thing was. Knowing how it turned out that the league was able to get through 256 games and there weren’t any games canceled or anything, if you had to make the decision all over again would you make the same decision do you think?) – “One-hundred percent.”
Nik Needham – June 16, 2021
Download PDF version
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
CB Nik Needham
(I wanted to ask you about a comment that QB Tua Tagavailoa may yesterday about being aggressive on offense and testing the waters in practice, and then Head Coach Brian Flores talked about it this morning with every position group doing that. I wanted to get your perspective on the defensive side of that in terms of how you gauge how aggressive to be in practice and the value of testing the waters at practice to see where you’ll be on game day?) – “Sometimes, like you said, coach gives us a lot of tools we can use. So in practice, that’s the perfect time to use them tools and just see how they work in different situations. Sometimes you try to test different things and it may not work, or it may work, it may not. So you see it on film, then you adjust, and that’s when you make the corrections.”
(Last year I know you had the competition of scooping up footballs and picks and batted passes, and stuff. Anything like that going on this year?) – “Oh, yeah. It’s going on again. We’ve already chosen the teams and everything. The hood versus the ‘burbs.”
(I’m assuming you’re still in the hood right Nik?) – “Oh, yeah. Still in the hood.”
(One thing that I admire about you is that you’ve earned everything that you’ve been given. What’s it like to see the team bring in two guys to possibly play the nickel spot, especially after having a productive year like you did last year?) – “Just stick by the same motto I said. I’m happy to have those guys here. ‘J Coleman’ (Justin Coleman) is a real cool dude. I’m trying to just focus on myself, put in time into my craft and then just whatever happens, happens. I’m just here to help the team. I’m not worried about playing any position or a certain position. I’m just here to help and do whatever they need me to do to win, for sure.”
(What is a trait you have, either physical or mental, that you think has allowed you to succeed at this level? Is there anything in particular you can point to?) – “I think just having an understanding of the game a lot – just growing up with my dad. He’s a big football guy, so just being around it at a young age. He’s a quarterbacks coach, so I just get in the mind of an offensive player and he’s always breaking down film with offensive guys, so I’d just always look at that. I think throughout the years, I’ve developed more and more and become more instinctive, I guess, you can say that.”
(I wanted to know, how is your dad a quarterback coach and you end up a cornerback?) – “(laughter) See, that’s the thing. We tried it out one time but you know how that goes sometimes. It just didn’t really work out. And I wasn’t tall. At quarterback, you kind of have to be a tall dude and have a good arm. I didn’t really have that. (laughter) He just switched me to receiver and he trained receivers too, so I started to do that. I think that’s what helped with my feet a little bit.”
(You had the interception yesterday. If you could walk us through that, and also you’re getting the opportunity because CB Xavien Howard is not around. Do you guys miss him? Do you talk about him? Is he on your minds at all?) – “X’ (Xavien Howard) is my dude, but I haven’t talked to him recently. I’m not sure. But just getting out there, trying to compete and make plays out there whenever the opportunity is present. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
(What did you learn or gain from that season finale against Buffalo?) – “I would say I gained from that mental toughness. I guess that’s the best word to use for that. Stick to the script, because when stuff gets hard, you have to keep pushing because the rest of the 10 guys.. – the whole team really, but the 10 guys on defense are relying on you. You’ve got to go out there and put your best game on every time.”
(I wanted to ask you about Charles Burks, who got the promotion this year to cornerbacks coach. I’m just curious how he’s benefited your game so far as a pro?) – “’Chuck’ (Charles Burks) has definitely helped me out a lot. I think we came in here at the same time. My rookie year was his first year here as well. We were always getting together extra time and putting in a little extra work. He’s always hard on me, but it’s helped improve my game. I’m really realizing it now, from my rookie year to Year 3, how much everything that he’s said has applied and how I’ve applied it and how it came out beneficial. ‘Chuck’ is a great coach and I love being around him. Great dude. Always brings that energy. He’s always going to be the loudest guy, so that’s a great guy to have around.”
Albert Wilson – June 16, 2021
Download PDF version
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
WR Albert Wilson
(I want to ask you what I asked WR Allen Hurns, which is what was the game-day experience like for you watching the Dolphins last year? Would you be rooting for them? Would you get nervous when the game was tight? Was there ever a time where you wish you had played last season?) – “Every game. It wasn’t too different from when I went out (with an injury) in 2018, when I had to sit home and kind of watch the games from there. I can say I kind of became more of a student of the game, and was able to kind of watch the overall game instead of just being the receiver, and just knowing what I have to do kind of set back in, overall watching football – offense and defense. So it was a good experience.”
(Was there ever a time you wish you had played at all?) – “Aw, man. Every single game.”
(I’ll ask the same thing I asked WR Allen Hurns as well. Knowing the NFL can be a business, when you made your decision to opt out, how much of that was in the back of your mind? Sort of, ‘Are they going to hold this against me down the road?’) – “None. I just feel like if I get the opportunity to go out on the field, I’m going to be ok. And that’s what I went with. I wasn’t too worried about anything else – just the safety of my family and myself.”
(Knowing that the league was able to get through the entire season – we all had concerns when the pandemic broke out, but we now know how it turned out. If you knew then what you know now about the level of how contagious it was and so forth, would you make the same decision over again, do you think?) – “I don’t think I ever thought I made a bad decision, even with what was going on and how successful the NFL was going last year. I stand by my decision.”
(I wanted to ask you what went into your thought process when you did make that decision? I know it’s all a personal individual decision that everybody had to make, but what were some of the factors that went into your mind?) – “Just mostly the uncertainty of what was going on and not having facts on what was going on in the world. It was kind of scary with what we had (going) on in my household. I totally based the decision off that.”
(Earlier in the offseason, there was some social media floating around that you were getting some reps in with QB Tua Tagovailoa? What did it mean to get off to a head start with him and what has it been like working out with him on the side and now in practice?) – “It was good. It’s all about having that chemistry and being on the same page, so the more time we have to do that, the better we’ll become. He did a great job of proposing and holding practices during the offseason and when guys were in town, and getting together to show up and get some stuff going early.”
(You opted out for health reasons like WR Allen Hurns did. Now that there’s a vaccine, do you feel that things are safer? Where do you feel as you come back to the locker room and the workplace right now?) – “Yeah, for sure. I think things are a lot safer with the vaccine and how things are playing out.”
(Did you get vaccinated?) – “Yes.”
(I can’t believe it was 2018 when you got hurt. That seems like so long ago – three years. Then of course, you did play in 2019. My question is how does your whole body feel now in comparison to how it felt at this point in 2019?) – “For sure, night and day. I feel great right now, just my whole body including the hip. I feel like there’s nothing I can’t do out there so it’s exciting just going into the season truly healthy and just knowing you can do anything you want.”
(One of the things you always did, whether it was with the Chiefs or the Dolphins, was gain a lot of yards after catch. And I think especially in 2018, you had high yards per reception and high yards after catch; but then in 2019 when you came back, it decreased a little bit. Why do you think it decreased a little bit and do you expect that it will increase, assuming you’re on the team this year?) – “Yeah, it was just some things. I just wasn’t pretty much comfortable with doing things that year, and then just getting myself back to where I was. The coaches do a great job. They were aware of what I was able to do and now that we’re fully healthy, going into camp and to see what we can make shape.”
(This morning, Head Coach Brian Flores talked about adding competition to the receivers room; and obviously plenty of guys in that room now have accomplished NFL resumes. I’m wondering what the mood in that room is like in terms of the competition and how that positively impacts your game?) – “I think just overall, the more people you get in to compete, the better your overall team is. I’m just speaking for myself but when you bring a ton of guys into the room that are veterans and know what they’re doing, you’re just going to get the best out of everybody. It isn’t going to do anything but help the team.”
(Obviously you weren’t here last year with Wide Receivers Coach Josh Grizzard in the receivers room. How has your relationship been with him and getting to know him and feeling him out so far?) – “He’s been around so he’s my guy. Everything has been going great. It doesn’t feel like I’ve missed a beat since I’ve been back.”
(WR Jaylen Waddle is kind of a similar style player to you. I wanted to get your early impressions of him and if you’ve thought of the idea of how much fun it might be for you and him to be on the field at the same time, and the possibilities that could bring to the offense?) – “Man, I’m excited to see the kid go to work. Like you said, I see myself in him; so anything I can do to help him get going right now, I’m here for him. And then to see somebody that can work the slot just as well as me on the other side of the ball, and we’re all just going at it; it will be a lot of fun.”
(What was your anticipation level to get things started for you in 2021 after sitting out last year?) – “I’m just trying to get in and be able to compete and go to work. I’m not too caught onto how things are going to play out. I’m just looking for that opportunity.”
Brian Flores – June 16, 2021
Download PDF version
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
Head Coach Brian Flores
(We get to talk to WR Allen Hurns and WR Albert Wilson today. Did it look to you like there’s been any rust at all with them or anything that would suggest that they sat out last season? Or did they pick up where they left off in 2019 basically?) – “First I want to say sorry, guys, for being a little late. But as far as Allen (Hurns) and Albert (Wilson), I think that they’re both in good shape. I think they both look good. I think they both – there’s always a little rust from any player after having some time off – but I think they look really good. They’re both in good shape. I think they’re both running well, moving well, picking up the offensive concepts well. Yeah, I’m pleased with both guys.”
(And one last quick thing about receivers in general. The fact that you kept so many, at least at this point, instead of maybe paring down the roster of what you have there, you could very well have eight to 10 NFL-quality receivers. What’s the thinking of you and General Manager Chris Grier to keep that many as opposed to maybe cutting one or two of them to clear out cap space?) – “I think we like the depth in the room and the competition in the room, and we’ll see how it all plays out. We always talk about creating a competitive environment for each position room and I think that’s the case in the receiver room. We’ll see how it shakes out through training camp and preseason games. The best five, six, seven guys will be on the team.”
(A somewhat relatable question with WR Albert Wilson and WR Allen Hurns, my question specifically is about scouting a guy that you guys drafted – S Jevon Holland – who also opted out last season, but you guys showed confidence to pick him pretty high. For guys who did opt out like those three mentioned, do you look at I guess individual training during that period? Is it more so like with Jevon, what he had put on tape previously? How much thought process in the scouting with Jevon went into his individual training during that period of last year?) – “As far as their individual training, we really don’t know what each of those guys – they’re not with us. Obviously Jevon wasn’t with us and neither were Albert and Allen, so we don’t know what they’ve done specifically. I think when you see them in person and watch them work with us, we know that they’ve been doing something and doing something that has kept all three guys in good shape. The ability to move the way they need to move to have success in this league, I think with Jevon specifically, he’s learning. Knowing the defense, the terminology, learning, getting to know his teammates – that’s part of his kind of learning curve. Not necessarily the case for Albert and Allen – older guys who know a lot of the guys on the team already; but I think we can assume. I don’t know exactly what they did from a training standpoint. I think we can assume they all were working – working hard and doing a good job from that standpoint. I know you mentioned kind of as far as how we evaluated Jevon without seeing him, we went off his ’19 tape and a lot of things we liked and we’re happy to have him. Really happy to have all three guys.”
(I wanted to ask you about the decision to stay outside when they elements got kind of rough yesterday. What was the thinking? Was there any thought of going inside and what did you accomplish by being in that weather?) – “We could end up playing in that type of weather. It’s really as simple as that. I think we need to be prepared to play in that type of weather. We live in South Florida. It rains pretty much every day and we could potentially play in that weather, that type of setting, and I think it’s good work for us. People may not want to stand out in the rain, but I think how you – your body mechanics need to change. You’ve got to keep your feet underneath you. You’ve got to be able to keep yourself under control so you can cut and make tackles and make people miss. I think oftentimes when you get into rain-type of situations, that’s the first thing that happens, is you just lose your footing and a tackle that would have been made means the guy was on the ground or a big play you don’t get because the receiver or running back is on the ground. I think you need to practice in those elements, so any time it rains and we have an opportunity to stay out there and there’s no lightning and we’re not forced to go in, I think it’s a good opportunity for guys to practice in those elements, so if they do show up in a game, we can still have success and not turn back and say, ‘Aw man, I wish we practiced in the rain one more time so guys would know what it feels like to make a tackle or make a cut and get vertical or make a break on a pass or get your plant foot down on a field goal.’ We’re not always going to have perfect weather conditions.”
(Quick follow-up if I may – were you pleased with how they responded to the elements yesterday?) – “Yeah, I think any time you get into any type of situation where you have experience, I would say, it helps you. So yeah, we were on the ground a little bit; but offensively, defensively, in the kicking game, they now know what it feels like to play in the rain and they can make some adjustments. And I think the flip side of that is if you’re not practicing in the rain, how do you make those adjustments? You end up making them in the game and hopefully we’ve prevented or maybe gotten one more play because we practiced in those elements versus not practicing in them and not having understood or felt what it’s like to slip, fall and know what those adjustments need to be.”
(I’m sure if it was October or November and your starting quarterback threw five interceptions, you’d be losing your mind. So in June in a minicamp, QB Tua Tagovailoa throws five interceptions and you think what?) – “I think practice is a time where not just at the quarterback position, but at every position you test the waters and see what works, what doesn’t work so that you can go back, learn from it, make adjustments and try to improve. I think that’s the same thing for us as coaches. There’s been many times where I say, ‘Hey, I want to see what this blitz looks like,’ or ‘I want to see what this coverage looks like,’ or ‘let’s see what this pass route looks like or what this punt fake looks like against a certain defense.’ And then we’ll come back and say, ‘We probably shouldn’t do it that way. We should do it this way.’ I think that’s the case for any position. If you’re a DB – hey, let me see if I can jump this route and make this play and let’s see if I can do it in practice versus a game where obviously if you jump and you don’t make it, that’s not what you’re looking for. Or if you never attempt a 60-yard field goal in practice, how do you know you can make it in a game? I think it’s the same thing at every position. I want to punt it inside the 5-yard line. If I never practice it or never try to attempt to do it, then what makes me think I can get it done in a game? I think it’s the same at the quarterback position. We’re going to see if we can fit some throws in and then there might be a minor adjustment that we need to make to make the play. How do you know that if you don’t make the attempt? But at the end of the day, you never want turnovers anywhere so we need to limit those. We always need to limit those. But at the same time – what, this is the first day of practice? We’re not looking for the finished product. Mistakes are going to happen. We’re going to correct them and continue just to improve and get better.”
(I wanted to ask you about G Solomon Kindley. Where is he, one from a conditioning standpoint; and two, what do you expect to see from his development in the second year? I know you’ve got so many of them grouped in, in terms of second year players; but specifically him, since he started most games last year?) – “You mentioned conditioning and I don’t think anyone is where they need to be from a conditioning standpoint. It’s hard to think anyone on our team is ready to go out there and play 70 to 75 plays in an NFL game right now. We haven’t had enough practice. We haven’t had any preseason games. So collectively across the board – look our guys are in shape, but it’s different type of shape to get into and get ready for an NFL game, which that includes putting pads on and practicing in pads play after play after play. I think Solomon, as well as really everyone on our team, is working to get into condition. We’ll continue to do that. As far as where he is as far as a player – I think you mentioned going into Year 2 – I think he’s a little more comfortable and understands the importance of communication along the offensive line, and how important his techniques and fundamentals are. I think he’s trying to take it one day at a time and improve and get better. I’ve been pleased with where he’s at and hopefully he continues to make strides to get everything – his techniques, his fundamentals, his conditioning, all of it – where it needs to be so we can have a good finish to this minicamp up, then hopefully that springboards us into training camp.”
(My question is similar to the earlier one in terms of how you calibrate aggressiveness in training camp. I’m wondering, when do you kind of pull that back and start to focus on “we have to be more detailed and more sharp in those areas, and not be so aggressive, and play more like a gameday week?”) – “Well, we always want to be detailed. We always want to be detailed. We always want to make the right play; but there is a little bit of – I think you have to practice. I don’t think that’s Day 1 of practice where it’s, ‘everything has to be – the ball has to be perfect, this has got to be –’ I think there is some leeway. I think we try to tell all the players practice is a place where you work your fundamentals and techniques and if there is a specific route technique you want to use to try to get open, let’s see if it works in practice. If there is a specific technique as a DB that you want to work a quick jam, or you want to work press, or you want to work off, or you want to blitz from depth, or you want to get up on the line of scrimmage and blitz them that way – there are a few different ways you can approach any play and I think you use practice as a way to figure out what’s the best thing for you individually. And we, as coaches, will say ‘this is what I think you should try.’ The players have input on that as well. I think that’s when you do it. When do you say – I think you need to try it first before we as a staff say you probably shouldn’t do that, you should do this. I think you just learn from those experiences. Whether it’s football, whether it’s anything – I’m sure it’s journalism, whether it’s any sport – I think you learn from experiences. That’s the case with all of our players. I know we’re talking specific to one position, but we’ve got guys that try different things really at all positions.”
(To follow up on that QB Tua Tagovailoa thing again, he mentioned the aggressiveness and you mentioned his aggressiveness. I think a lot of people who watched last season would know that’s something you guys want him to improve on. What do you say to him after that practice so that he doesn’t go back into a shell as far as aggressiveness?) – “I don’t think Tua is going into a shell. I think – look, I tell him to continue being aggressive. Really, the conversations are a lot of what we’ve already talked about here. It’s using this time to practice pushing the ball down field, then we’ll make the adjustments and the corrections. Then we’ll go at it again the next day. That’s the normal progression of how this goes. My conversations with him are, ‘we’ll look at it, we’ll make the corrections and we’ll get better and come out here and go tomorrow.”
(If I can ask about another second-year player, CB Noah Igbinoghene is obviously getting a lot more reps out there because of CB Xavien Howard’s situation. Where have you seen him going into Year 2? I know he maybe didn’t perform as well as he wanted to as a rookie, but have you seen elements of his game that have made an early jump at this point?) – “I think he’s worked hard this offseason. I’d say from a training standpoint but also just understanding conceptually the defense and all of the things that are going on in the back end. I think he’s made some improvements and I’m pleased with where he’s at. Hopefully he continues on his trajectory.”
(I wanted to ask you about CB Nik Needham’s rise and his improved play over the years. We saw him pick off WR DeVante Parker yesterday on the outside. It seems like he’s always been a consistent player who has practiced well and showed up in games for you. What can you say about his progression over the years?) – “He’s worked hard. He’s tough, he’s competitive, he’s a team-first guy. He’s made improvements really since he’s got here, and he’s continuing to get better. He’s aggressive. He wants to be out there, he wants to compete and normally guys who put all of those things together, they improve. And he’s definitely made a lot of improvement. He’s continuing to improve and I’m very happy with where he’s at. He does everything necessary to continue to make improvement.”
(Is there any news to report on CB Xavien Howard and do you expect him today?) – “I do not expect him today. Obviously we talked in length about him yesterday. There’s really nothing else to report.”
Solomon Kindley – June 15, 2021
Download PDF version
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
G Solomon Kindley
(Do you feel good about going back to left guard? Obviously that’s where your experience at Georgia came. Is that more natural for you than right guard?) – “Football is football. So yeah, I played left guard at Georgia. I’m just filling in wherever I can. Football is football. I’m just helping the team.”
(Is there any difference as far as comfort level or are you now equally comfortable with both?) – “Yeah, I’m pretty comfortable at both. That’s what you train for in the offseason and everything.”
(“Big Fish,” you were kind of in your element out there today, huh?) – “Yes, sir. A lot of rain. (laughter)”
(I wanted to ask you about the off-field stuff you are doing with the swimming camp and the seven-week program for kids in the community. What made you want to do that and how did the first week go out there so far?) – “First, what I’m doing in the community, it’s just a blessing with where I come from and the money I’m making and doing the things that I’m doing. My mom always taught me to give back, so that’s my biggest thing. I want to bless others. Somebody made an impact in my life and I want to do that for other kids. For your second question, it feels good to be back playing football. We’ve been away for a long time. We’re back in our element, like you said.”
(One of your teammates, LB Brennan Scarlett, has his own mastery in the swimming pool. I’m wondering if there’s been any trash talk back and forth between you guys yet.) – “The last person that said something to me about the pool on my team, I don’t think they talk swimming with me anymore because I blew them out of the water. (laughter) But yeah, Scarlett hasn’t said anything to me about the pool yet. I don’t really think he got the memo that I’m really a “big fish.”
(Then my football question for you, just kind of taking into account your second year now and looking back on where you were at this time last year – what’s different for you in terms of the experience and just how you feel going into practices here in Year 2 and the level of comfort you have now?) – “It’s just not making the same mistakes that I made as a rookie. It’s my second year. The coaches and everybody look forward to you doing better things than last year. You feel your game should elevate every year, so that’s just my thing. I’ve got to stay in the film room and just execute even better than I did last year.”
(If you were asked about it, I’m sorry; but I heard you talking about swimming. What was that like to be able to get some kids together for a good cause?) – “Like I said, it’s a blessing. Me and my brothers grew up – we always went to the pool. Mom used to be at work. She used to tell us not to go out of the house. We’d sneak out of the house and go to the community pool. So we always used to go there and we made fun of it because if we got caught at the pool by the time Mom gets back home, we were going to get in trouble. So we just went to the pool and had fun. That’s my biggest thing. I wanted to let kids come out and have fun because that changed my life. I met a lot of people during that time, so just being a blessing towards those kids.”
(The role that you’re kind of playing in OTAs so far, how has that kind of allowed you to kind of learn a little bit more and maybe perfect your craft a little bit better?) – “No doubt. It perfected my craft even better because if anybody goes down, no matter where it is, I can fill in. I can play football on either side, so just helping the team. Just being there for anybody on the team on the offensive line.”
(And what can you say about G/T Robert Hunt? He seems like he’s taken a big next step for himself once he started after last season and kind of how he’s doing so far in camp right now. What can you say about a guy you shared the right side with last season?) – “Robert Hunt is being Robert Hunt. He’s playing football. He’s just being himself. He’s good, so that’s what he’s doing.”
(From a body standpoint, are you where you want to be? Where do you think you’re best as far as weight?) – “Oh no doubt, I can always get better. That’s what camp is for, so I can always get better.”
(I saw you working with Coach Torrian this offseason. What has your work been like with him and how has he kind of helped you this offseason?) – “Coach Torrian is an amazing coach. I appreciate working with him in the offseason. He gave me different aspects of the game – pass pro, run blocking, also conditioning – so yeah, he’s a very good coach and I appreciate him.”
