De’Von Achane – May 12, 2023
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Friday, May 12, 2023
RB De’Von Achane
(First I wanted to ask what the past week or two have been like? After you got the call, you were coming to Miami, when did you get down here, what have you been up to?) – “After the call, the first couple days after were pretty emotional. Just soaking everything in and me actually having the opportunity that I have. So it kind of hit me hard and I’m just thinking about all the hard work that I put in to be in this position. I got here May 11, so it’s my second day here.”
(Have you been able to meet some of the other teammates, some of the other players, stuff like that?) – “Yeah, if they came across in the locker room. It’s pretty much rookie minicamp so I just met everybody who’s here.”
(How’d you settle on No. 20? I know CB Cam Smith said it was really the only number available. He said he wanted to do No. 30, but how about you?) – “Yeah, pretty much the same, man. I’m cool with No. 28. I’m not the type of person (that says) ‘oh, I want that number.’ They asked me, ‘do you want this, this, this or this?’ And I just chose a number out of the group.”
(What are you most looking forward to? I know obviously we don’t get to talk to you after the camp, after practice, but what are you most looking forward to the next two days?) – “Just basically learning that offense. That’s something that I just pride myself on. I’m trying to learn so everything can be so smooth when I’m at practice. So that’s just something. I’m trying to learn the schemes, learn what the defense is doing, learn just the play calls and the terminology because it’s different in college. That’s basically it.”
(I know it’s just two days, but early thoughts on Miami, the city, the atmosphere?) – “Like you said, it’s Miami … It’s going to be hot, but I’d rather it be hot than cold. (laughter) So I feel good here and I’m glad that I am here.”
(How much did your size get brought up throughout your career even from college to now in the NFL?) – “It gets brought up a lot. Like you said, everybody’s got their opinion on me. I don’t be worrying about what everybody’s got to say because I know what I can do and I know what I’m capable of, so my size to me doesn’t matter but it does get brought up.”
(How much do you think it benefits you in terms of hiding behind the offensive line?) – “It benefits me a lot. I’m a much smaller back than usual. I’m shorter. O-line is big, so it’s kind of hard for them to see and like you said, it’s hard for them to tackle me as well because big guys, it’s kind of hard to tackle small guys.”
(Can I ask you a couple of really basic questions regarding your name? First your last name is pronounced “AY-chain,” correct?) – “Yes, sir.”
(Second, I saw on social media your first name with an apostrophe in the middle. Is that how you do it?) – “Yeah, it’s D-E-apostrophe, capital V-o-n.”
(What happened where it seems like everyone has been writing it without the apostrophe? What happened there?) – “I mean, they’re doing that, so they almost likely call me ‘Devin’ and then I tell them it’s ‘De’Von.’ And then they be like ‘oh…’ And then I tell them how you spell it. And then they be like, ‘okay, I get it now.’”
(Kind of bouncing off a previous question, one of the things I had seen was that maybe you would be able to put on more weight or maybe you kept your weight a little bit down because you were also running track at Texas A&M. Do you think that you plan on putting on more weight in the NFL or do you think you’re good with where you’re at right now?) – “I’m actually the heaviest I’ve been right now. I was like 192 when I weighed in this morning. I always knew that I could gain weight. I just didn’t have the full offseason to gain weight because obviously I was doing track. This is my first year not doing track so I actually had the whole offseason to work out and be in football shape. So it kind of helped me with that.”
(Have you been able to elude tacklers going way back to when you first picked up a football, would you say?) – “I mean, that was a long, long time ago. I probably don’t remember some of it, but it was kind of my – he probably kind of gave me the ‘okay, do you want to play football?’ When I first got on the football field, I kind of didn’t know what I was doing, but it was fun to me and it made me want to learn it. When I got to learn it, I found out I was good at it, so it’s something that I love and I enjoy doing.”
(Do you still love track, too? I know you’re not a track man now, but…?) – “Yeah, track will always be there. That’s something that I was good at that as well, so I love track as well, but I knew what my profession – I knew that football was my favorite sport. That’s something I’ve been playing since I was three years old. I only started running track since I got to high school. So football kind of outweighed that.”
(The adaptability from college to the pros, how has your schedule been adjusting to that?) – “Kind of like you said, you’ve got to make sacrifices. Like you said, these three days that we have rookie minicamp, it’s going to be hard. You’re getting up early. You’ve got to go to sleep. You’ve got to eat. So basically just getting my body right and my mind right. And just basically trying to just learn the scheme and learn the plays as fast as I can.”
(Are there restless nights where you’re trying to understand the playbook and just the different schematics that your coaches are informing you of?) – “I wouldn’t say it’s restless nights because like I said, we spend a long time in meetings so they make sure that we’ve got as much information as we can. If you want some add-ons that you spend like 10, 15 minutes at the hotel. But no, they give us enough time to get to sleep, eat.”
(I know a lot of people have mentioned speed and things like that, but what are some other things that you think set you apart coming into this group?) – “I feel like I can play – I’m great on special teams, I can catch the ball out of the backfield, I have very good hands, I can line up at receiver. So I can do more than just play running back. So I feel like that’s what makes me different.”
(And as a young guy, how do you balance coming in, trying to make a name for yourself, making a good impression and not letting the moment be too big and emotions overcome?) – “You’ve just got to be humble. Like you said, don’t let – you know what you came here to do. Always keep the main thing the main thing and I’m just trying to get here and focus and make sure that I learn the scheme so when I am at practice, I’m just trying to make it to where I make as little mistakes as possible.”
(Coach Jimbo Fisher mentioned when you coming back for the LSU game after the injury said a lot about your character. I’m curious why you decided to play that last game there at A&M?) – “So at that time, LSU was a top-five team. They were trying to win so they could get in the top four and make the playoffs. They were a great team. I knew it was going to be a very competitive game and I’m a very competitive person and so much of that – I told my teammates I was going to miss the two weeks before that because my foot was hurt, but I told them that I’m going to make sure I get it good enough so I can play with y’all because some of the seniors, it might’ve been their last time playing on Kyle Field. So I just wanted to be there to share that moment with them so I made sure I was on that field with them at that time.”
(Since you were drafted, I guess you’ve had a few more interactions with Head Coach Mike McDaniel. What’s your impression of him as you’ve gotten to know him?) – “He’s a very funny guy. He’s always got jokes, but at the end of the day, he’s serious and he’s a great coach and I plan on learning from him and I feel like I’m in a great position to do so.”
(You talked about learning the scheme, but what are some key things you have to know now going into this?) – “Basically just know the plays. Like you said, I could be used at different things like receiver and special teams, so I have to come in with my head on my shoulders and make sure that I’m grasping the most information as I can.”
(When people talk about you, we often hear of Darren Sproles and I’m wondering if you know who he is and if that’s a fair comparison?) – “Yeah, I know who he is. He was one of the shorter backs like I am. Great running back. Like you said, all great running backs don’t have to be big, 6’3”, 6’4”. I feel like he’s a great example of that. So I feel like, like I said, everybody talks about my size, but I know what I’m capable of and I’m good at the size that I am right now.”
(Have you had much contact with guys like RB Raheem Mostert and RB Jeff Wilson Jr.? Have they given you any advice yet?) – “I just talked to (Jeff) Wilson. I’d seen him in the locker room, so he was telling me it’s going to be a grind. I came prepared for that. Mostert, he’s not here. If I saw him in the locker room, I’m pretty sure he’d have great advice for me.”
Ryan Hayes – May 12, 2023
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Friday, May 12, 2023
T Ryan Hayes
(Have you gotten more sense from Offensive Line Coach Butch Barry or Head Coach Mike McDaniel if they want you to work at tackle? I know there was some talk about guard amongst draft evaluators. Do you think you’ll be a tackle here initially?) – “I’m not sure yet. I’m going to start learning the playbook, every position, and do what the coaches tell me day-to-day and keep working that way.”
(I know you originally told us that you don’t know too much about wide zone. Have you studied it? What have you learned?) – “I definitely know the concept. We ran it at Michigan at practice all the time. We didn’t run it much, but I do have a good concept of outside zone, and this last day I’ve learned a lot already.”
(What are the key differences that you’ll need to adjust to?) – “Just different aiming points, different foot work. Just little stuff.”
(What did you think of the team bringing in a Michigan State tackle undrafted?) – “I was talking to him, messing around with each other. He’s a good guy. We’re all the same here.”
(What has the past week been like since you got the call that you were going to be drafted? When did you get to Miami and what have you been up to?) – “I’ve been super excited. I just got the call and kept working out at home with family. Spent that time and got ready to come down. Got down here yesterday, and just got right into it. Did all my testing, got into meetings and it’s a good feeling. There is a lot going on, just getting my footing and figuring everything out.”
(I know a lot of the rookies are down here, but have you been able to run into any of the vets?) – “Not too many. A couple have been around but we haven’t really had time to talk to anyone. It’s mostly been the other rookies.”
(What are you most looking forward to the next two days of rookie minicamp?) – “Soaking everything up from the coaches, getting NFL coaching and learning the scheme and soaking it all in.”
(Have you gotten a playbook?) – “Yes, we got a little bit of the install, but obviously not the whole playbook. We’re working a little bit into it.”
(What’s your impressions of the offensive line coach, Butch Barry?) – “He seems awesome. He really says things that are well thought out. He has a lot of good information, a lot of techniques. Just soaking everything up. Obviously he’s coached a long time in this league, so everything he says is valuable.”
(We asked you when you first got drafted if you had any sense whether you might go from tackle to guard. Do you have any impression of the plan there?) – “Not really. I’ve been here a day. I’m just going to do what coaches tell me day-to-day, and we will figure it out from there.”
(If you do get asked to take some snaps, what do you think may be the biggest transition point, or the biggest thing for you making that transition or that switch?) – “Everything is a little different with the footwork. Everything is a little tighter, a little closer. Just little things to adjust to. A little footwork. Got great coaches here. I’ll be in great hands.”
(What are your impressions of Miami? Have you been to Miami before?) – “I’ve been a few times. We played a game here a couple of years ago in the playoffs. I vacationed here like once. But yeah, it’s beautiful down here. I definitely got to get used to the heat, but it’s really exciting.”
(The NFL schedule came out. Did you take a look at it? See a lot of primetime games? What was your thought?) – “Yes, absolutely it’s exciting. I saw the Germany game. That looks awesome. A lot of primetime games. I’m excited to get going.”
Cam Smith – May 12, 2023
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Friday, May 12, 2023
CB Cam Smith
(We don’t know your schedule, is that the first time you’ve worn a Dolphin’s jersey?) – “Definitely. It’s the first time I’ve put it on.”
(What was it like to put it on for the first time?) – “It felt kind of surreal. I had to send my mother a little first day at work picture. It was kind of surreal being in the moment, seeing myself for the first time with an NFL team logo on. It’s just kind of surreal.”
(How did you decide on No. 24?) – “It really was the only option left. I wasn’t going to be in 30 or nothing like that. I had to make sure I got me a little good number.”
(What have you been doing since you’ve gotten here?) – “The last week really has been hectic. I’ve been down here most of the time. I got a little Airbnb down here before camp started, so I’ve been staying there. I left like two days after I got drafted. I was ready to go so I came down here and started working out with Gold Feet (Global) to make sure I stayed in shape, making sure I stayed good with everything else.”
(Have you had a chance to meet some of the other cornerbacks on the team?) – “I met Xavien (Howard) when I was on a top 30 visit and then I saw him in the training room yesterday and chopped it up with him. I haven’t talked to (Jalen) Ramsey yet. But I probably will be in a little bit.”
(Did CB Xavien Howard give you any advice?) – “Not right now. He didn’t really say too much. We just wrapped it up about regular stuff.”
(I talked to Clayton White at South Carolina. He said that one of the first things you’re going to notice about Cam is his smile and how he loves to play football. Tell me about that, your personality, your love for the game, your competitiveness.) – “I feel like this is really the only time I really do smile a lot is when I’m talking about football or when I’m on the football field and stuff like that. Just being out there showing my personality, showing what I know, showing what I can do and just kind of being me.”
(He also said that you’re aggressive and sometimes you have to control that. Tell me about that. He said you’re going to make plays, you’re going to jump routes but sometimes you can be aggressive, it’s just got to be controlled. Tell me about that aspect of your game.) – “I try to stronghold people a lot and assert my dominance on people. Sometimes that gets me into trouble. But just playing controlled, playing within myself, and not really trying to do too much and just try to make a play.”
(How much of a luxury do you think it will be coming into a team with guys like CB Xavien Howard and CB Jalen Ramsey?) – “I’ve heard a lot of people say it. I know it. I’ve come into the right position. Being under two All-Pro corners, dudes that are the highest paid at their position, dudes that have done stuff the right way. Just being underneath them and picking their brains everyday is going to be big.”
(Do you know if you will get a spot on the beach or downtown? Are you a beach guy?) – “I’ll mess with the beach. I probably won’t mess with that price but the beach would be nice. Probably just a little pool or something in the back so I could look at the water and stuff like that.”
(Today is about as cool as it’s going to get. Have you been warned?) – “Like I said, I’ve been working with Gold Feet (Global), so I’ve been out in the sun the whole time trying to get acclimated to it. I’m blessed to have this day right here.”
(When you go into camp, how do you balance making a name for yourself, impressing coaches and not doing too much?) – “Just staying in the moment. Not really thinking about what’s next. Know what my assignment is, knowing what my technique is for that play, and doing that play, and staying on the same trail. Because if I start looking at too much, that’s when the emotions start flowing in.”
Elijah Higgins – May 12, 2023
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Friday, May 12, 2023
TE Elijah Higgins
(Has Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends Jon Embree given you any homework assignments?) – “Yeah, I got the playbook a couple of days ago, so I’ve been digging into that. Obviously learning a few different roles I’m not quite used to. But it has been fun so far and I’m excited for this first practice.”
(Are you studying tape of any particular tight ends that Jon Embree has recommended or that you’ve thought of on your own?) – “Yeah, we’ve been watching a lot of (George) Kittle tape. Obviously he was there with the 49ers. Then I’m going to watch the guys here, in the system that we run, seeing how they do it and emulating that.”
(Have you had to juggle Stanford exams or work while doing this the last two weeks?) – “No, I’m off from school right now. I’m off duty.”
(With this transition, when did it first get brought up to you as a possibility for your NFL career?) – “My senior year of high school.”
(So everybody wanted to convert you to tight end?) – “It was a talk for sure. A lot of teams were recruiting me, I guess, as a receiver. But obviously it became more real these past few months.”
(What were the talks like at Stanford regarding that?) – “I ended up playing a big slot role, so it was essentially very similar to a flexed-out F tight end minus all of the blocking assignments. That will carry over for sure but obviously we’re going to have to learn how to block on the interior.”
(What sticks out to you about the wide zone scheme, specifically the role of the tight end?) – “I’m excited, to be honest. I still don’t know too much. The practice plays that we are running right now are pretty minute and pretty straight-forward, so we’ll see how it feels today.”
(If you’ve had any questions the past two weeks, have you texted either Jon Embree or TE Durham Smythe or anyone? Or have you just been saving them?) – “A little bit of both. I’ve been in contact with Coach Embree and asking him questions here and there, just trying to earn my respect here on the field and do my best job.”
(The teams you visited, how many planned to move you to tight end?) – “I would say like 28 out of 32. A rough estimate.”
(So the first time you heard the words tight end from someone’s mouth, going back to high school, you thought what?) – “In high school, I wanted to play receiver. In college, I knew that was – seeing how my body transitioned through the years, I definitely got excited for it because I think it definitely fits my skill set pretty well.”
(So how close are you to being TE George Kittle right now?) – “(laughter) Far from it. I haven’t even had my first practice yet. So far from it.”
(Do you feel like you have to put on some pounds?) – “Not necessarily. I’m definitely going to try to get upwards of 240-245 going into training camp and try to maintain that. We’ll just see how my body feels. If I’m able to do things that I’m doing right now at 238, I’m cool with that. If not – obviously you’ve got professionals in here, so listening to them to see what they say about it as well.”
(There’s some overlap obviously playing in the slot and tight end, but is this the first time in your life you will officially be a tight end?) – “Yes, sir.”
(How close are you to getting your degree and what is your degree in?) – “My degree is in psychology and I’m about two-and-a-half classes away from getting it.”
(So when do you plan to finish?) – “Offseason.”
Chosen Anderson – May 9, 2023
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Tuesday, May 9, 2023
WR Chosen Anderson
(I know you’re from the area. I just wanted to ask you about your first Dolphins childhood memory, if you have a specific game that you went to or just how you remember the Dolphins as a fan growing up?) – “I remember back to the Zach Thomas, Jason Taylor, Ricky Williams days and then I remember when they won games, the Miami Dolphins’ song playing across the radio. Even back when it was like Joe Robbie Stadium, back in those days, I grew up in that era. I really remember too also when they came out with the Wildcat offense with Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown and struck everybody by surprise. I remember like back in those days and Chris Chambers and all that.”
(General Manager Chris Grier mentioned, I think it was last week or a couple weeks ago, that the process of bringing you down here, he mentioned that you spoke with Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker for quite a while. I was curious about how that conversation went and just your first impression of Coach Welker?) – “I’m thankful to be coached by somebody that played at such a high level. Just all ears and just listening to everything. I’m just very thankful for that.”
(I wanted to ask you about the name change, how it came about, why you did it and what it took to do?) – “I don’t really want to touch on that right now. I want to keep it intimate. But it was a positive, positive thing. I’ll touch on it at a different time. It was a little process, legal things from such of that aspect. But it’s a positive meaning behind it. It’s something I’m very grateful for and it’s something I feel strongly about.”
(Do you think that this is your name for the rest of your life, that this is what you’re going to roll with?) – “Yeah, this is my new era and direction and just kind of like a foundational thing for moving forward for my generation.”
(I wanted to touch on last season for you. How difficult was it and what did you learn and take from that experience?) – “The difficult part of last year was just honestly seeing things before it kind of happened in Carolina but trying to stay positive in the situation. The trade, I feel like it was difficult, but I feel like that’s what brings out the best in you is hard times and I grew a lot from the situation. I was surrounded with a great coach in Shawn Jefferson, an OG, who coached me in New York. So I was being coached by a good coach. But I feel like it brought out the best in me. Being in Arizona was a very peaceful time for me. I found a lot of peace being out there. I wouldn’t really say – more so the word difficult and maybe more so a little disappointed in a sense. But it is what it is and I grew from it, and that’s what’s molded me to be where I am today.”
(I had a few questions for you. First is more so about your philanthropic efforts within the community. Knowing that you are typically down here during the summer months and do a lot of community give-backs, what does it mean to you finally be on the Dolphins and being able to have a more intimate give-back with the community?) – “It’s definitely a dream come true to be a Dolphin. Growing up watching the Dolphins, even like always being here driving past the stadium, being fascinated by the stadium. So it’s truly like really a dream come true opportunity I truly cherish. That’s like the cherry on top of that. I feel like my purpose is giving back to the community and trying to pay it forward and things like that. I just feel like being a Dolphin and being able to come home and being able to stay intact with that year-round is just truly a blessing.”
(You join a highly talented wide receiver room. What is it like being with WR Tyreek Hill, WR Jaylen Waddle, WR Braxton Berrios and the other guys too as well?) – “I love it. I’m a firm believer in you are the company you keep. Last year they were the two best receivers in the NFL. So I’m only learning and you are a product of your environment.”
(Chris Grier, the general manager, when we asked him about bringing you in he said, ‘we told him what the role would be and he was excited and all in on it.’ So what is your understanding of the role?) – “I don’t want to disclose that or give out no scouting reports. But like I told Chris and Coach (McDaniel), I want to contribute to winning and that’s it. Just pour into the guys around me and what I’ve learned and the leader I’ve grown into and just contribute towards winning and what the ultimate goal is.”
(Obviously, you have a lot of speed. So tell me about the role that you feel speed still plays in your game, and your confidence level in the ability to get deep and track the deep ball and make deep ball plays?) – “That’s one of my gifts. All players have their strong point and strongest attribute, and speed is one of mine. It’s an advantage of mine and like me and Coach (McDaniel) discussed, he coaches, I’m the player. I do what they say, and we keep it simple like that.”
(So on the night you agreed to terms, we saw this scene on Instagram where you pulled out the QB Tua Tagovailoa jersey to reveal that you were agreeing to terms with the Dolphins. I wonder if you can set the scene for us. Was the party specifically for you to announce to your family and friends who you were joining? Was there another occasion that became part of that? I wonder if you can share some details there.) – “Me and my family we were already going to the movies and then going to go bowling after. We had plans set for the weekend. My agent let me know that they had came to terms with everything like that Friday. I wanted to announce it to my family before it was announced to the world because past times, I’ve let it come out publicly first instead of sharing that moment with them. So I just kind of reached out to some other friends and invited them, let them know I was making my announcement for my decision and that was it. I knew what time they were going to announce it or were planning on announcing it publicly, so I went ahead and did it a little bit prior too so we could share that before it came out to the world.”
(Can you tell us why it was a QB Tua Tagovailoa jersey that you pulled on and not say WR Tyreek Hill or CB Jalen Ramsey or CB Xavien Howard or somebody else like that?) – “I just figured because he’s the head in charge. “The only other one I considered was Dan Marino but when I went to the store, I didn’t see it in there.”
(You’ve followed QB Tua Tagovailoa for a while. What’s it like to finally be working with them? Also, can you talk about the caliber and quality of quarterbacks that you’ve had to work with over the years?) – “I have a lot of respect for Tua. He’s a very, very cool dude, very down-to-earth. I’m familiar with his culture and they’re very loving, caring family-oriented individuals. You feel that presence and you feel that being around him. I have a lot of respect for him and seeing what he’s gone through in his career, where he is now and where he’s working towards. I wish the best for him and I’m here to offer my best to make him be his best.”
(I’m sure you’ve heard about how much of a player’s coach he has but I’m just curious to hear about that first impression when you met Coach McDaniel?) – “Honestly, it was a conversation that was very, honestly, fulfilling for me because I felt that over the years, a lot of things that he’s noticed about my game, what I’ve gone through, what I’ve been working towards, he’s noticed that and made that very evident. It felt good to finally hear that from a coach, a great coach too, a coach that’s had a lot of success and knows what it takes to be successful. Our conversation, we really connected. We had instant chemistry and pretty much was on the same page about everything. I pretty much told them before I left that my decision was made. They told me to still assess things but my heart led me to being here. I took my time with making this decision and made sure it was aligned with my purpose in life and what truly matters and my ultimate goals of what I’m here to accomplish and playing football.”
Jevon Holland – May 9, 2023
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Tuesday, May 9, 2023
S Jevon Holland
(I wanted to ask you, you lost S Brandon Jones about halfway through the season last year. How excited does it make you to see him back working again, getting back to healthy?) – “Feels great. I’m very excited for him. Brandon is a big piece of our defense, a close friend of mine. I’m happy he’s healthy and in good spirits and working hard.”
(The way you guys play, it’s pretty clear that preparation is a big part of your game. So I was wondering from an individual and team perspective, how do you guys maximize the limited amount of time you have on the grass with your teammates in the offseason, to really try to be as efficient as possible picking up a new system?) – “I would say just like focusing on what we got going on, on the field. That’s basically it. And then take advantage of meeting times, locking in in meetings. There’s like nothing else to it. You just got to focus up when it’s time to focus, don’t play around and waste reps.”
(I just had to ask about the addition in the secondary with CB Jalen Ramsey. What’s your initial thoughts about him? And how do you see yourself elevating this year?) – “Ramsey’s a hell of a player clearly. He’s just got so much knowledge that’s put me in a position to be able to develop more. He’s a great guy. A funny dude. He’s very nice for the locker room.”
(I wanted to ask about the addition of Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator. And when you think about what he’s been able to do with safeties like Justin Simmons and others, and you kind of kind of look ahead to what your role may be, what excites you about that?) – “It’s exciting to just learn from him. He’s been in the league longer than I’ve been alive. So it’s nice to hear him speak about football, and hear his perspective about defense and philosophy and scheme. I’m learning a lot from him. Just from the simplest thing to the most complex thing, he explains the game in a very knowledgeable manner. So I’m excited to learn and grow underneath him.”
(I know last year I talked to you and S Verone McKinley about how the chemistry back from your college days are really helped when Verone started to get more snaps, but now you also have S Brandon Jones and now you have S Deshon Elliot who played together as well. How do you see all of that familiarity helping you guys kind of move around in the secondary?) – “Everybody’s just vibing. We all know each other. We’re all good friends. So Verone and DeShon have known each other since like elementary school or something like that. So being able to just function together on the field, moving around, moving different positions should be like seamless. Guys just understanding that they can be interchangeable and everybody’s willing and able to move around when they need to be.”
(I want to ask you about the new additions that Miami has made to the receiving corps in WR Chosen Anderson and WR Braxton Berrios. What do you see from back there that you believe can help this team?) – “They’re hella fast and good receivers. They’re elite receivers. Braxton, he’s like in special teams and stuff – he’s an elite returner too. So that’s going to be great for us. He’s like a spark that we need. Same with Chosen. They’re both electric players. That’s about all I got. I haven’t really seen them on the field for real. We’re doing different stuff right now. But they’re electric in where they’ve been before and they’ve had success, so I’m excited to have them on the team.”
(With six of Vic Fangio’s safeties having made the Pro Bowl, and this is something that was referred to a few minutes ago, in what ways are you getting the feeling that his scheme is safety friendly?) – “Vic, his scheme is the scheme. I’m just enjoying it. It’s fun. It’s exciting. And yeah, that’s about it.”
(One of the things that a few players have referenced is that they feel freedom that they aren’t necessarily locked into rigid assignments. What have you heard about that? Or what are your feelings on that, if in fact, it’s true?) – “I feel freedom. We are moving around. There’s a lot of moving parts. But yeah, Vic’s defense is fun. I get to just see more. I really enjoy it.”
(I’m doing some on the secondary. And I’m wondering why the secondary works so well together. You guys are, for the most part, have all been drafted. And so it’s been a draft and develop plan there. Why do you guys work so well together?) – “I think we got a lot of easygoing personalities. I think everybody in the room enjoys each other’s presence, so we’re willing and able to maneuver around any kind of difficulty that we have together. We come to a common ground and are able to work through it. And I think we have a mixture between guys who are extremely talented, guys who are extremely smart, guys who are both, people who are vocal, people who are quiet, everybody kind of knows each other’s personalities so that we can kind of balance off and basically be successful.”
(We know the draft. You’ve gotten good draft picks. But you just talked about how you guys played well. What else goes into the development part of it? I mean, socializing, the hard work in the classroom, does making plays on the field encourage other guys to make plays? What else goes into the development?) – “I mean, you basically named it all. You took the words right out my mouth. I mean, on the field, off the field success, guys want to see each other win. Nobody has really a jealous personality. Everybody just wants to see each other be successful. That’s pretty much the main thing and like the fire that pushes everybody forward. Everybody has an equal and even opportunity to make plays and have success. So I think everybody just kind of takes advantage of that. And when other people have success, we celebrate because that good karma is going to come back at you. So that’s basically it.”
(With the arrival of Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator, and the addition of CB Jalen Ramsey and LB Bradley Chubb being there from the start, the expectations for this defense on the outside, as I’m pretty sure you are aware, are very, very high. So my question to you is, how do you guys feel about those very high expectations? Is that something you welcome? Would you rather lower expectations rather than everybody expecting so much from you guys? How do you feel about those?) – “It is what it is. It is what it is. I mean, it’s not going to change what we do on the field. Your expectation is your expectation. You’re not in the building. So I mean, it doesn’t have anything to do with us. We’re just got to keep doing what we’re doing and play.”
(As a follow up then, what are your expectations for how good this defense could be? – “I think this defense is very talented and I think we all have a have a like-minded expectation for us to be successful, s every high-level competitor should be.”
(What were you most proud of in 2022 from a personal development standpoint, and what do you still need to work on to take that next step?) – “That’s a great question. Tackling out of the post is always a difficult feat for free safeties, safeties in general. I feel like I improved on that as the season progressed. I was put in a lot of different positions during the season last year and I was able to handle those, so I was proud of myself for that. But also wanting to continue to build and capitalize on the opportunities that are in front of me. Not leaving money on the field. Things like that. It’s a new defense, so there’s a lot of moving parts, getting to know the defense better, just understanding more. So baby steps right now. But I’m not really goal based. When you’re goal-based and you don’t succeed or get to your goal, you kind of fall into a depressive state or a negative state. I’m enjoying myself and enjoying the process throughout my whole time here, so I’m happy either way. I’m just enjoying playing the game and living the good life, so I can’t even trip.”
(I’m sure every player would love to be selected the Pro Bowl, to the All-Pro, but if that’s something that motivates you or is that just something that if it happens, it happens?) – “Absolutely. People have north stars. I don’t think it’s negative or It’s a bad thing to have a north star but, I don’t focus on that day in and day out. I focus on pushing myself, pushing past my limits day in and day out, because I know that I’m getting better progressively. So if I’m getting better progressively from the point of when we started to now and so forth, I mean, I just know that I’ll be better next season because I’m continuing to get to get better. So that’s basically my process.”
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