Raheem Mostert – May 2, 2023
Tuesday, May 2, 2023
RB Raheem Mostert
(What went into your decision to return to the Dolphins and how do you feel about it?) – “Yeah, a great question. One of the biggest things for me is my family, so I planted my roots here, as you may know, but also I just want to be back in with the team. As far as we’ve gone along last year, I’m itching and ready, especially the pieces that we’ve added during the offseason as well as in the draft. It’s a great time to be a Dolphin, and I’m excited to help as much as I possibly can to get to where we need to get to.”
(There’s never any guarantees in life, but you did sign a two-year contract. Did that please you that the organization went the two years as opposed to just one?) – “Yeah, it definitely pleased me. The fact that you’re able to get two more years in an organization that really is taking a chance on you. It’s unbelievable, but being in this league, there’s so many years now, you’re starting to see guys, especially in my area that are doing one-year deals or anything like that. It’s a good moment right now and I can’t be thankful enough.”
(I wanted to get your reaction on the Dolphins selected RB Devon Achane in the third round and adding even more speed to this offense?) – “Yeah, it’s just exciting to get a young guy in there, be able to help him out and stuff like that in this offense and just teach them the ways of what it takes to be a pro. That’s the most important thing and also try to help utilize (him) and try to help us win games. That’s the ultimate goal, right? You want a player that comes in and understands his value, and hopefully he’s able to contribute in the way that he feels suits him best, but there’s a lot of work to be done and I know that he’s going to be excited when especially coming in the room with a bunch of guys that are well-established in this offense.”
(What kind of possibilities do you see for this offense with the amount of the insane speed with his addition along with you, WR Jaylen Waddle and WR Tyreek Hill?) – “Yeah, I mean, we pretty much have a 4×100 team in just those four guys and it’s going to bring a whole different dynamic to this offense. You get guys that can go out there and run routes, you get guys that can separate themselves and in the pass game, and then ultimately in the run game it’s very dynamic. And for you to be able to, like I said, go out there and do those things, it’s going to be a mismatch all across the board.”
(On the flip side of the drafting a running back, how nice is it to be back with RB Jeff Wilson Jr. and get the whole running back unit from the end of last season returning?) – “Man, honestly that’s the most exciting thing. I was having talks with ‘Studes’ (Eric Studesville) about the before free agency, and I was like, ‘Hey, man, you know what would be nice, is if we’re able to get everybody back in this building, in this room,’ because the chemistry is just unmatched in any other place that I’ve been a part of. There’s a lot of guys in this room that really, really want to be great. There’s a lot of guys that want to go out there and put their best foot forward. And that just makes you – and I’m speaking in regards to me – makes me want to go out there and play my best and put my best foot forward. So to be able to have Jeff (Wilson), Salvon (Ahmed), Myles (Gaskin), John Lovett and Alec (Ingold); we’re all in this thing together. It’s definitely exciting and I just can’t wait.”
(You know Head Coach Mike McDaniel as well as anyone. So I want to know, now that you’re a bit removed from last season, what changes if any, did you see from him going from a coordinator to head coach and early on this offseason do you see any changes or growth going into a second year for him leading a team?) – “Yeah, I know last year being his first time giving the play calls, also being his first time being a head coach; and there’s some things that I noticed in regards to Mike (McDaniel) and his personality with the whole scheme of football, but as of now, he’s totally locked in. He got his feet wet. That’s how every coach approaches it. You know, being a first-time (head) coach, you’re just testing the waters a little bit, but now that he’s settled down I believe that he’s going to start making some moves in a way that’s going to shock the world. It’s not going to be shocking for me because I know what he can do. That’s why I’m along this journey with him, but yeah, it’s going to be it’s going to be a lot. A lot of people are going to be shocked about what he does.”
(I have a couple of follow up questions to the previous questions that were asked here. So the first one was you mentioned kind of taking a mentor role with RB Devon Achane. What’s the one thing you would tell him to do or a way to act to get on Associate Head Coach/Running Backs Eric Studesville’s good side?) – “I mean, the easiest way to get on ‘Studes’’ (Eric Studesville) good side is just be present. When he asks you questions, make sure that you understand the question thoroughly and then give a good response. That’s what you want to do in regards to getting on ‘Studes’’ good side. But it’s all about patience and time. You got time and patience right now to understand this offense and that’s what he needs right now, is a little bit of time to get used to everything, get acclimated on being a pro and everything like that.”
(My other question was, I know you played in a similar offense prior to coming here with the 49ers and under Coach McDaniel, obviously. But you still have to develop those new relationships in terms of blocking angles and all the stuff that goes into a new offensive line. How do you think a second year together can help you and all the backs that are coming back operate even smoother here in Year 2?) – “Yeah, you know, that’s a great question. The fact that we have this o-line, that they started hitting their stride towards the end of the year, and then moving into the offseason, getting the second year under them. Prime example, I look at Connor Williams. Take a guy like him. He moved from being a left guard out in Dallas, to moving to center for the first time in his career and then having to learn his offense, making the right calls. And now I just feel like he’s going to take himself up to another notch just simply because he understands offense a lot better. So if you got that chemistry right there, everything starts up front. If that those guys are front can make it happen, then we’re going to be in good hands and as of as of right now, they’re all locked in, especially with Frank (Smith) being there to help him and then we also got Butch (Barry) as well. So I know Butch. Very familiar with Butch out in San Fran so he’s going to have them boys over there, he’s going to get them right.”
(I asked a couple other guys about the mood around the team and so I’ll ask you. Is everybody like super hype? Is it more business? And does it matter what the attitude is at this point?) – “Yeah, I mean, right now, it’s still early on, especially when we get the new guys coming in, the draftees and undrafted guys. It’s still early on, but I think that the biggest thing as far as our level of where we’re at, I think everybody’s on a copacetic level. Everybody’s on a smooth level right now, just because we all want to work and we all want to just hang out. I’ve been able to hang out with a couple guys already. The new tight end we signed from Denver and stuff like that. We’ve all been hanging out. I’ve been hanging out with Jason (Sanders). We all go to hockey games, so it’s been fun, man. But right now, I think that we’re all just on a level head right now and we’re just trying to work and put in that work and we know what it takes to move forward. I mean, Mike McDaniel, he’s been able to have us in a commitment phase in these different phases. Right now we’re on commitment number two, which is to lock in on phase two. Everybody’s bought in, everybody’s really trying to do the best they possibly can.”
(I want to ask you more about the atmosphere around the team because last year, Head Coach Mike McDaniel, we saw him switch up the locker room and it wasn’t offensive linemen with offensive linemen. How much does this stuff – the camaraderie, going to hockey games, sitting next to another guy and getting to know an offensive lineman instead of another running back – how much does that help and how does that help you win games?) – “Yeah, I mean, that helps tremendous amounts simply because, you know, we were and when I say we I’m also alluding to Jeff Wilson, when we were headed to the Super Bowl down here at Hard Rock in 2019, the camaraderie on that team was unmatched. It was something that was very special because everybody was hanging out with everybody. So that’s what Mike (McDaniel) is trying to do with this team now, just trying to make sure that everybody’s on the same page. Try to get to know your teammates, because you’re going to need them at some point during the season. So what better way than to start that early on and that’s what we’re able to do right now.”
(Regarding RB Devon Achane and yourself, the 40 time, you know Achane’s 4.32 certainly gets your attention in a hurry. And I’m wondering at the running back position, you’ve got so many different qualities that you can lean on whether its elusiveness, power, quickness, and speed. Can you describe how important speed is in that, where does it rank for you?) – “Speed for me is definitely a given obviously because who I am. I bring a lot of speed to the offense. But I would say that when you’re dealing with speed in the league, guys are big all the time. There’s going to be guys that are big that can run, too. But when you’re dealing with a guy that’s very fast and can separate themselves, that’s the ultimate thing. You can’t teach speed. I know you’ve heard that saying multiple times. That’s something that is just from within a certain guy. It’s going to be fun getting to have him alongside a lot of guys that are fast in this offense. When you talk about us it’s definitely going to be more about speed. We are really a track team out there, but it has to be the right situation and I think it’s going to be beneficial for everybody.”
(Panthers vs Bruins was pretty insane. Now they play the Maple Leafs. Who you got?) – “I’ve got to go with the Panthers of course. I’m picking up on hockey and I know a little bit about the sport a little bit more now. But I know that the Maple Leafs were struggling to get into the playoffs and they finally ended up winning the first round. The Panthers are just hot right now so I’ve got to go with the Panthers.”
(I was looking at the stats from last year. You averaged 4.9 which is good. RB Jeff (Wilson Jr.) averaged 4.7 which is good. Coach McDaniel told us at the owners meetings, and you’ll like this, he said, ‘we didn’t run enough.’ Has he told you guys that and do you think that you all really are going to run more this year?) – “I had a talk with him during the exit interviews at the end of the season. One thing that he was very apologetic about was the fact that we didn’t run enough and that he was going to do his best to change that for the upcoming year. When he talks like that it just gets me fired up even more like hey, I know I’m getting the ball a little bit more. The running back room is going to get the ball a little bit more in regards to touches. It’s a thriller, man. I’m excited and I truly can’t wait for that opportunity when he calls out when we’re getting the ball.”
(Because the thumb injury kept you out of the playoff game last year, how badly would you like to play in a playoff game for the Dolphins this year?) – “Oh man, so bad. I was trying my best to try to get out there. I had talked to like, five different doctors. All of them pretty much said the same thing, that my season was over with for the year. It was tough trying to swallow that pill. But ultimately as a player that’s something that you definitely don’t want to hear. But all is well now. I’m ready to rock.”
(I realize this might just be unique to the quarterback position, but sometimes you’ll hear stories about coaches telling their starting quarterback before a draft, ‘don’t be surprised if we draft a quarterback.’ Did that happen with Head Coach Mike (McDaniel) with you or with RB Jeff Wilson Jr.? Did he tell you at all before the draft, ‘hey, we might draft a running back don’t be surprised,’ or has he said anything about it after the draft?) – “No, he didn’t mention anything about drafting a running back. Honestly, I look at the draft as a way for the future which is awesome. That‘s what you want in an organization. I’m an undrafted guy so I really don’t pay attention all that much to it. I just see when we get the picks or whatever. It’s exciting though because like I said, you always want to see a young guy make it and do his best and stuff like that. He needs some guidance at some point, especially early on and I’m willing and able to do those things for him.”
(You have such a mentoring spirit for a lot of these young players and it’s about teamwork and camaraderie which is a unique approach. Where does that come from? Does it come from your background trying to get your footing in the league?) – “Yeah, honestly, I was fortunate and blessed enough when I came out undrafted with the Eagles, I didn’t really have much guidance in college. I didn’t have a role model that I could look up to. But with the Eagles I did have Darren Sproles. He was one of the biggest influential people in my life in regard to football. I’ll never forget we had a – you know how like right now when the rookies come in, they’ll have their rookie meetings after all the other activities. We also had workshops where we had to focus on the mental capacity and how to handle adversity. They brought in a mental coach from Australia, Paddy, who I’m still cool with to this day. We did an exercise and they were like, ’name something that people always say about you and I want you to name something in regards to your reaction and what you would say to them.’ And Darren Sproles, me and him were partnered up, and he stood up and was like, ‘hey look, this is what people say about me.’ He was like, ‘people say I’m too small to play in the league and they say I’m too short, I’m too this I’m too that.’ Of course the coach was like, ‘well what’s your reaction?’ He was like, ‘I don’t care what they say because I know who I am as a person. I know who I am as a player.’ Then at that moment I was just like, man this guy really just, he’s the smallest guy on the field. That’s a given fact. He’s always going to be the smallest guy. But at the end of the day he doesn’t care because he has that lion heart in him. That really struck with me to have somebody that was like a mentor. So that’s why I try to do my best to bring that mentorship to not only football but in life in general because everybody goes through different phases of life and everybody has their ups and downs. But if you have somebody that can at least speak to you or guide you or talk to you in a way that you can relate, and it’s all about relatability, then I think that’s the most important thing.”
(You mentioned Darren Sproles, he’s a legend by the way, but that experiment I think is interesting. If someone asked you the same, what would you say in your own game about what people say about you and your reaction?) – “I would tell them, people would say, one thing that’s a prime example, ‘oh he’s not built for the league,’ right? I could react and counter-react that with, ‘well I’m going into Year 9,’ so there’s not too many guys that can say they’re going into Year 9 playing in this league whether they’re dealing with injury or bouncing back from a major injury like I have and my age as well. I would tell them it doesn’t matter what other people say about you. As long as you go out there and put in the work and be true to yourself and look yourself in the mirror that’s all that really matters. That’s something that I’ve always taken the approach of every year. If I’m able to go out there and be injury-free, be successful in my own way, try to rush for 1000 yards, try to catch for 500 yards, then that’s ultimately who I am as a person. That’s what I want to become. I want to end my career with the mindset that I left it out there but at the same time I want to be a gold jacket member. So whatever I’ve got to do to get that done – I know it’s a long shot – but it’s still not going to stop me from me being me.”
(There have been a couple conversations in this chat about the speed that you guys have on offense. I want to ask you to maybe take me into your shoes, what does that speed do to defenses when you’re on the field this past year and as you look forward to 2023?) – “Speed separates a lot. If you get those man-to-man matchups, which you will, and you’re able to separate, that’s going to wreak havoc across the whole NFL, especially with a few guys. I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be awesome.”
Jerome Baker – May 2, 2023
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Tuesday, May 2, 2023
LB Jerome Baker
(I wanted to get your thoughts on Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio in two ways. How has he introduced himself as a person? And how was he introduced his system? And what have you learned about each in the time you guys have spent together?) – “I mean, I’m still learning who he is as a person. So far he just shoots you straight and he’s not going to sugarcoat it. He likes things the way he likes it. And so far it’s working out. As far as his ability with the playbook and everything, I’m still learning. I’m still trying to figure out his style and the things he likes to do, but that’s why we have this offseason to really learn each other.”
(What excites you about the X’s and O’s that you’ve learned so far?) – “It gives me some freedom to just go out there and just play ball. Sometimes I ask ‘what’s the rule on this?’ And he kind of gives me like, ‘it’s not really a rule, it’s kind of a go play ball.’ So things like that for a player, just to have that freedom, I’ve been playing ball for a long time. So it’s one of those things of, I know what I’m doing. It’s kind of he gives me the freedom to make a play and I’m excited for that.”
(If I could get you to expand a little bit on that freedom to just go out and play ball, do you have like an example on a certain running play or something where maybe you didn’t have that freedom last year? And this year, how is that going to allow you to adjust and maybe be that much more effective?) – “A quick example is just simple things like alignment. Some instances it’s not just an exact thing; it’s kind of however you feel you can get your job done. That’s like a quick example. Little things like that, for a player, it gives you the freedom of you don’t have somebody looking over your back or trying to make sure everything is correctly right. Some guys play a different way and just that little freedom definitely helps.”
(And the second question I have for you real quick, and you probably knew this was coming, but the Tweet you sent yesterday?) – “I always wanted to be a cop. That’s what I went to school for – criminology. I was going to be a cop and I find myself watching movies that are detective movies. Cops, where they just how they pull everybody over and just record all that. And it was just like a random thought of like, ‘I wonder like, could I ever get away?’ I’ll probably never try it. But it was like a random thought. And I knew it was going to stir the pot a little bit, so that’s why I did it.(laughter)”
(Could you get away?) – “Drew (Brooks) said I wouldn’t. (laughter)”
(I know every team their goal for the season is to win the Super Bowl. But I’m wondering what is the spoken goal around there? Do you guys openly talk about winning the Super Bowl? And does that talk start now? Does it start in training camp? What’s going on along those lines?) – “Yeah, I think Mike (McDaniel) does a great job of just keeping us focused on what we’re on right now. And that’s the offseason and just getting back to football and how we do things. But of course you look around the room, you can tell we have a talented group. We had a talented group last year, but we just added more guys, guys got more experience. So I don’t think we said it out loud what our expectations are, but you can just feel the energy of our expectations are high. And that’s why everybody’s here and we’re already working. We’re all locked in.”
(Been here for a while and you’ve seen especially over the last two years or so a lot of new big personalities come into this locker room. I’m curious to hear from your perspective, how you’ve seen those guys integrate themselves into the team because the belief from the outside is too many egos, too many personalities. It’s hard to fit. So from somebody who’s inside there, how have you seen these big name, big personality stars integrate themselves into your locker room?) – “I always said this. I never told them this, but Mr. (Chris) Grier and Mike (McDaniel), they do a great job of just getting guys that are just like, they’re a great teammate outside of great players. They’re just great people. I had my initial thoughts of like, ‘Oh, we’re getting a ‘superstar’ – how’s he going to fit in the locker room where we all push each other no matter who you are, we all push each other?’ Man, it’s no complaints at all, like even like going back to last year when Tyreek (Hill) came. He pushed us to hang out with each other more. Having a Halloween party, those little things of just getting the team together, he pushed it and he was all for it. He was the first one to say let’s play ping pong. Guys like that, they come into the locker room, they really help us. The same thing with (Bradley) Chubb, those guys come in, and they just really want to be a part of the team. They really want to win and it truly just helps the locker room as a whole.”
(And you mentioned something that I think the world probably wants to know. Is the ping pong table back in the locker room?) – “No, it isn’t there. (laughter)”
(I want to get your take on… because you played for so many different defensive coordinators. Can you name them all number one, and what did they all help you bring to your game?) – “No. I can’t name them all because I truly am one of those guys, once I’m on this year, everything before it’s kind of out the window. No, I can’t name them all. I don’t even want to try. (laughter)”
(How many different defenses has this been for you?) – “Three or four, maybe three or four? I mean, two of them were kind of similar. Yeah, three or four.”
(Earlier you had mentioned the freedom to kind of just go play ball, and I’m curious to hear from your perspective, the role that the guys up front play for you to do that, DT Christian Wilkins, DT Zach Sieler, and DT Raekwon Davis. How do they help you I guess, stay clean, stay free like that?) – “I mean, those guys, they’re tough. They’re team players and they have the ability to make plays on their own. Playing behind those guys for a few years now, you kind of know what each player’s strengths are. What some things that they don’t really do. When I play behind Raekwon (Davis), it’s a lot different than when I play behind Christian (Wilkins), and when I play behind Christian it’s a lot different than (Zach) Sieler. Those guys are kind of different in their own way. Just like with any sport, being around a guy and playing with the guy for so long, you kind of figure out what they like and what they like to do. I know sometimes Christian is just going to shoot the gap and make the play. Raekwon is going to clog it up. Like all these guys have different roles and different ways they play the game and it’s my job as a linebacker to make them right and definitely getting a great feel for that and this defense, it allows me to do other things now so definitely excited.”
(You got another name the linebacker room this year, LB David Long. What’s your impressions of him so far?) – “Man, he fits right in. His personality, everything he does, he just fits right. I’m excited. He came in and he just strictly just wanted to work and just get each other better. And man, he’s been doing that. Communication has been on point. So I’m excited. Right now it’s easy. There’s nobody playing against us so for now it’s definitely working out and I’m excited. He’s one of those guys that it’s not this or that it’s kind of let’s just talk through and figure it out and it’s definitely working out.”
(Like obviously you’ve been in a few different defenses, but I think this is the first time since your rookie year you haven’t been like in a ‘Patriot-style’ defense. I’m curious like when you have a Vic Fangio scheme, more zone, what that may do for you and you guys as a defense?) – “I think the main thing is it gives us a chance to really disguise and kind of make plays. I’m not going to say our last defense I’d been on that we couldn’t make plays, but it was a lot of rules like, this is what you have to do. This is what it has to be. This matchup has to be this matchup. There’s no switching with the guy or talking to somebody. It’s more ‘this is what it is and this is what we’re going to do.’ In this defense it’s kind of players figure it out. There are no set rules on how far your drops are. This guy’s got to cover this guy. It’s really know the defense and apply the defense with what the offense is doing. So it’s a lot more freedom. Definitely a lot more freedom. But it looks like it’s definitely going to work out for us.”
(I wanted to ask based on what you have heard or seen on film, how do you think LB David Long skill set complements your skill sets since you’ll be working together?) – “Yeah, I’m one of them guys. I don’t like asking about guys or asking around about guys, because I want to get the impression that they gave me. Some guys, they’ve been on a team and their circumstance wasn’t as great and they come here and they’ve got something to prove. And the way they do things might have been different. And I mean, so far, man, we kind of just feed off each other. He’s a fast, physical guy. I think of myself as fast, physical guy. He communicates. I like to communicate. Right now, we’re kind of just feeling each other out. We’re both learning at the same pace. We’re both new for both of us. So we’re still just learning how to feel each other out and so far, so good. There are no complaints or anything like that. Just the subtle difference. I mean, he’s very similar to me as far as like his body type and how he plays the game so I’m excited. I’m definitely excited.”
(I think that both of you guys are officially listed as inside linebackers, but not traditional like big guys who are lumbering thumper. You guys are athletic, you can run, you can theoretically play outside linebacker, you’ve even played the edge. I guess where I’m going with this is does anything change in regard to how we should describe your position? Or is it just inside linebacker? Is that correct?) – “Honestly, I’ve always tried to describe my position to a lot of people and I had a hard time doing it. I would just tell people, I just go wherever they need me. I pride myself on that. I will always pride myself on that. And this defense, we haven’t put in too much yet, but it looks of it, you never know where I could be so I’m just preparing for whatever and I’m happy to get another year in this league and I’m excited.”
