Anthony Walker Jr. – July 26, 2024
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Friday, July 26, 2024
LB Anthony Walker Jr.
(What was the review on the playlist?) – “Oh it was a little bit of everything, trying to make sure everybody felt like they were home. I told them I was going to take them to practice and bring them out of practice, so I hope I did my job.”
(Tell us about the orange jersey performance yesterday and how you feel you’re fitting in and blending in overall?) – “Obviously, I think a lot of guys deserve it. I think we’ve been practicing really hard as a team. Defensively, offensively, special teams wise, a lot of guys getting better every day. Obviously, it’s only, what, Day 3? It feels like 23 – that sun adds a couple. (laughter) I’m thankful. I’m thankful for the opportunity. Last year I thought it would be almost the end for me towards the end of the season with the injury and everything, so to be out here, I’m grateful for the opportunity. I can’t overstate that enough just knowing that the game was almost taken from me. So just thankful for that and ready to keep working.”
(Tell me about the mental approach of coming back from an injury. How much of it is mental and how much of it is physical?) – “The game of football is all mental, for real, for me. Obviously, the physical part that’s just what it is when you play football, but as you get to this age and you get to the backend of your career, it becomes more and more mental. Just the daily grind – the day I stop loving the daily grind is the day you guys won’t see me out here anymore. I love coming out here with my teammates competing and getting better. Like I said, just opportunity – the opportunity to win as a team and opportunity to use the gifts that God has given me.”
(What did you think of QB Tua Tagovailoa out there today in 11-on-11s? He’s always the focal point, he didn’t practice yesterday.) – “He made a throw today, I was like, ‘Dude.’ It’s a play that the Mike linebacker – I’m just happy that I wasn’t in. (laughter) But the Mike linebacker should be there, but he threw the ball before I think Tyreek (Hill) was even out of his break. You see what he brings to the table, you see what he means to this team, how he pumps up the offense. They know when he’s out there, it’s just a different feeling. They love everybody, we love all the quarterbacks, but it’s a different feeling when (No.) 1 is in there, and I think the guys feel that.”
(Kind of piggy backing off of that on how this offense can stretch you vertically and create that space on the second level, how have you taken from that for your three days of practice, just how much space you have to defend against this offense?) – “I think I had to run 40 or 50 yards yesterday to defend a play, but I told (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel), the middle of the field is closed down while I’m in there. I take pride in that, and that’s what he prides himself on. He broke that down to us in OTAs. This is how the Mike linebacker plays, showed clips of Fred Warner just owning the middle, and I take pride in that. That’s my job, and us as linebackers, we take that challenge. Obviously, when you’ve got the speedsters out there, the ‘DBs’ are already stressed enough, so we don’t want them to have worry about covering the shallows as well. As long as we can take away the middle of the field and let those guys stay on top, we are doing our job.”
(The tipped interception, I think it fell through your hands. What are you kind of feeling after that?) – “Yeah, got to make the play. We’ve got to make those. The ball is so precious in this league. The more turnovers you can get, the more opportunity to set your team up for success. Any time we’re able to get hands on the ball, we got to come down with it. Obviously, I missed an opportunity today.”
(You’ve been with him for a few months now, Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver, how would you describe his coaching style?) – “I think you can tell he played the game. He played the game at a high level, and he understands and respect the grind that we go through as players, but also takes the approach of that he’s the coach and this is his show. I think from Day 1, I felt that from him, that confidence that he has as a coach, but also the understanding that there are going to be mistakes as players and that we’re going to keep learning and keep getting better. It’s a new scheme, but we’re all getting better from it. I think that he takes that approach every day. You love playing for a coach like that.”
(You’re coming from a really good defense in Cleveland where Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz is there. How would you describe the difference in styles of scheme? You both probably do a lot of blitzing but in different ways.) – “We always said that the Ravens were very exotic – they had a lot of looks for us when we were playing in Cleveland and playing those guys two times a year. Now being in it, I see why. You want to show a lot, but it’s the same for us. You want the offense to look like it’s 1,000 looks, but defensively, it’s very simple for us. I think that helps us. (Jim) Schwartz was a great coach, he has a great scheme as well. Obviously 3-4 and 4-3 is a little different, but at the end of the day, they are all about the same thing – stop the other team from scoring. It’s defense.”
(The front office made a big push to improve the linebacker position with the collection of players you have here. Does this compare to anything you’ve had before or is this the best collection of linebackers you’ve been around?) – “Oh, don’t get me doing that. (laughter) No, this is a great group. I think I put this 1A-1B with – I had a group in Indianapolis with me, Shaquille Leonard, EJ Speed, Zaire Franklin, Bobby Okereke, guys that are all starts and all captains for their team. I think that was a special room as well, and I think we’ve got a similar type of a group of guys as far as the leadership and all guys being able to play, step in and play big role for this team.”
(I saw you guys going against TE Jonnu Smith in one-on-ones today. What has he brought to this team?) – “I’ve known Jonnu (Smith) for a very long time. I played against him twice a year for four years when I was with Indy. He’s very special talent and explosive with the ball in his hands, and that’s any way you can get it to him. I saw him get a jet sweep today, I was like, ‘Alright, we’re just installing stuff now. We’re getting bored on Day 3.’ (laughter) But again, he’s a very unique talent at that tight end position, pretty much can run like a running back, catch like a receiver and then get down and block like an o-linemen. So a very special talent.”
(He was telling me about how he finishes his runs in the end zone when he catches a ball. Do you like talk to him like, “You were down, I got you down right there?”) – “Always. He’s always down, don’t let him tell you… He’s just running for cardio at that point. (laughter)”
(What’s it like to be back in South Florida?) – “It’s hot. (laughter) My dad was at practice today. He hasn’t seen me practice in the NFL before. He was like, ‘Hey man, how is it?’ And I’m like, ‘It’s hot.’ I haven’t practiced here in 12 years – since my last senior year of high school practice. Getting back used to that, obviously global warming is a real thing I’m assuming because it’s hotter. (laughter) But definitely just happy to be out here, be home. Like I said, my dad’s first time seeing me practice in the NFL is very special. Being able to have family come out every day is very special, so I’m thankful for that.”
Kendall Fuller – July 26, 2024
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Friday, July 26, 2024
CB Kendall Fuller
(What’s it been like working here in a new setting?) – “It’s been fun. I mean football is always football. Just learning new people, being around the building, new coaches, new players. Any guys that I’m around I always like to learn from, always like to compete with. So at the end of the day, football is always football, but anytime you get to get around a new group of guys, a good group of guys, it’s always fun.”
(We like to keep our eye on QB Tua Tagovailoa, how was he spinning it today? What did you think in 11-on-11, 7-on-7, everything?) – “Yeah, I mean he’s impressive. He’s always looking impressive on Sundays, but it’s different once you get to see somebody on a day-to-day basis, just their mental, how they process information, how he processes defenses. You can just tell his intent with every snap that he takes. So it’s been fun to see him, learn from him and watch him compete.”
(Three days against this offense in practice for you, how does this offense and what they do schematically challenge you as a defender?) – “You got to cover them vertically, horizontally. You got to be able to make one-on-one tackles in the open field with a lot of athletic and fast guys. It’s funny because playing Miami last year, I kind of know a little bit about the offense, but being able to go against every day and just see how much they attack you vertically, horizontally in space. So, you got to be prepared at each level.”
(Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver seems to give a lot of defensive backs a lot of freedom – talking about CB Jalen Ramsey as a chess piece and S Jevón Holland wants to play all over the place. How do you feel it’s been? Do you feel that freedom in the backend?) – “Yeah, it’s been fun, man. We all move around. Jalen (Ramsey) is all over the field. Sometimes we’re playing right, sometimes you’re on the left side. Even just within the defense, corners can be asked to do different things that a nickel would do, that a linebacker would do. So that’s what makes the game fun, just being able to have a lot of different responsibilities, a lot of different techniques that you got to do – it makes the game fun. So we’ve been enjoying it man. ‘Weave’ (Anthony Weaver) has been good, energetic, fun, so definitely a guy that a lot of guys enjoy playing for.”
(In the past, have you been moved around all over in your other years?) – “Yeah, I mean, I started out playing nickel, nickel corner. I played a little bit of nickel safety, played a little bit of corner safety. I’ve pretty much lined up everywhere, so I’m comfortable just about lining up anywhere on the field.”
(At this stage you still would play nickel? You still feel comfortable inside?) – “Yeah, I mean genuinely – especially with the systems that I played in, you’ve been asked to do so much, so genuinely I feel comfortable anywhere on the field.”
(Can you talk a little bit about the mentality that it takes in there as compared to out on the perimeter and maybe how some of your past experiences have kind of set you up for all of the versatility in this system?) – “I mean, nickel was just – to me, nickel was a more challenging position, just because it’s so much more green grass. A lot more responsibility, specifically mentally, physically, it’s the NFL anywhere. Any position out on the field is going to ask a lot of you, but just from the mental standpoint of all the grass that you’ve got to cover, just even playbook wise having to remember, ‘Alright, do I run on this motion? Do I not run on this motion? Do I align here? Align there?’ Corner, you pretty much know what you got to do, but nickel to me is a very, very challenging position. I’m glad that now they’re starting to get a lot more respect, All-Pro, Pro Bowls and stuff like that, because it’s a challenging position.”
(Does the way this defense kind of meld together in those two roles as far as being able to do multiple things – does it make communication easier on the backend for y’all?) – “Yeah, I think you just have a lot of guys that – my biggest thing, no matter what position you play, is learning where everybody because once you know where – it’s all about knowing where your help is, knowing where your teammates are going to be, knowing their responsibility. They make a mistake, if you know what they’re doing, you might be able to cover up for him. So it brings everybody together, everybody is just working on being a better football player, understanding the game of football more, not just learning what you can do and that’s it. So I think even from that, you’re able to have – all of us are always having constant communications and things like that, because all of us have played all over the field.”
(What’s it like covering WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle and maybe, soon WR Odell Beckham Jr., in practice?) – “Yeah, it’s been fun man. Just like I said, the speed that they have, the talent that they have. People can focus so much on the talent, but just the competition, you know what I mean? All of us are big little kids out there on the field. So just being able to go out there and play the game that you love and enjoy and just have fun working against one another and learning from one another. It’s been real fun to get out there with them.”
(You have a unique perspective with WR Tyreek Hill because you’ve been his teammate a couple times now, right? Can you talk about how he’s kind of evolved, especially while guarding him? And has he made you a better player over the years of your career, him specifically?) – “Yeah, I mean 100%. I think any guy that you line up across on a daily basis is going to get you better, because every man that’s made it to this level can do something at a high level, you know what I mean? Other guys may do one thing at a high level, another guy may do another thing at a high level, so what he can do, his speed, and probably what separates him from a lot of guys that are fast, how he can stop at a dime, his routes and things like that. So it’s been fun. The biggest thing that I can still see from him, and I appreciate, is just the joy being out down the practice field. He still always has that same work ethic, but you always want guys to make the most of this opportunity, have fun being out here. We’re blessed to be able to come out here and play football for a living. It’s been like four years since I played with him, so to still see that joy is always good to see.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel his leadership has kind of evolved. Have you noticed that? Any difference between the WR Tyreek Hill back then and the Tyreek now?) – “That will be hard for me to tell just because me being on defense and him being on offense. But I mean even just being on the opposite sideline, seeing him going in there and work – a guy at his level still taking all the reps that he can, still trying to work and perfect everything, everybody sees that. So it’s not all about what somebody says, but what they do that speaks loudly.”
(Now that you’ve been around him for a couple of months, how would you describe Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver’s coaching style?) – “Fun. Just fun, energetic. I mean, he definitely is going to demand a lot out of everybody, but he’s there with you every step of the way, pushing, pushing you. You make a mistake, he’s going to come to you, talk about what you could have did better, talk about what you need to do going forward. I think the biggest thing, he’s always willing to listen. And that’s something that you appreciate being a player, having a coach that’s just – he wants to hear what you see. He wants to hear what we think, and I think that says a lot. I used to have a coach that said – he always talked about how you always got to be green. You always got to be willing to learn, willing to grow. So to see him as our defensive coordinator still having that mindset of like wanting to learn, wanting to grow and wanting to hear from us, that trickles down throughout the whole staff, whole team.”
(I guess on the scheme side of things, obviously, you were with Jack Del Rio over last few years. I guess what has been the biggest adjustment for you going into this scheme in what you’re asked to do?) – “I mean not a lot, honestly. I had Jack (Del Rio) for the last four years, but I would say my first four years in the league, I probably had a different defensive coordinator each year. So I think I probably played in every system, almost, under the sun. So it’s not too much. Terminologies are a little bit different, but at the end of the day football is football. You might do a couple of things, more coverages that you may run per snap percentage versus in Washington, but end of the day, it’s all football.”
Mike McDaniel – July 26, 2024
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Friday, July 26, 2024
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(QB Tua Tagovailoa – we didn’t observe him do anything yesterday. Was that veteran day of rest or was that part of his hold-in and what do you expect today?) – “Nothing has changed really from that standpoint and how we’re collectively approaching practice. As far as today, I do think you’ll observe him playing football in a multitude of fashions.”
(Do you guys talk every day about the plan for the day or is there a plan for the week? How do you do that?) – “Every day. I think it’s important to assess all variables, take into consideration everyone involved as the head coach so you’d love to get in front of it, but there’s a lot of days that if you’re trying to extrapolate that, a lot of days that you can’t account for different way the wind blows. So every day assessing exactly what we’re doing because we’re trying to do good jobs here.”
(How do you I guess loop the team in on that? Is that something where you say, “Hey, this is a me and Tua thing” or do you try to keep them abreast of…?) – “As professional athletes, people pretty much know and understand and are very considerate of business dealings. I think our team specifically has found opportunity in the situation really because I haven’t even been fielding questions, concern – people have enough on their plate and their focus in situations like that, you could have some people that were exposed to not be focused. Fortunately for us, the deliberate intent and focus from each and every player has been on maximizing the opportunity on the field and getting their job done because collectively we’re trying to achieve things as a team.”
(Yesterday I asked FB Alec Ingold about QB Tua Tagovailoa not being there and he said, “Don’t allow it to be a distraction. There are going to be games where we don’t have our star player. Use this as preparation.” Is that kind of your attitude or have you talked to the team like collectively overall about how they should approach this?) – “No, I think that’s outstanding. It’s exactly how I feel about it and in a lot of ways I’m very hopeful that everyone sees it the same way. We’re a bunch of grown men working together day after day. You start to learn each other so that fires me up. I can’t wait to give him a fist pound because that’s exactly what you do. You use the opportunity for any sort of advantage.”
(With the TE Jonnu Smith and – it was a laundry list of guys yesterday – DT Calais Campbell and – nice extensive list, I’m sure you know the list. Was it more veteran rest day or are these nicks that we need to just monitor and address?) – “The former. What you try to do is you have your group of players that you’re going to establish on the forefront – who do you want to manage before you get to managing and find more people to manage? And in that, you’re trying to disperse veterans so that no one position is put out of sorts or left vulnerable by lack of legs, thereby making their position group and players more vulnerable to injury. So it’s all very strategic. Trust me, it’s not just me involved in those plannings. That takes a whole team that when they bring the best ideas and the good ideas, I cosign those and make them my own.”
(I wanted to ask kind of a related question. We saw yesterday, I think WR Tyreek Hill caught two balls from QB Gavin Hardison. That doesn’t seem likely to happen in the regular season. What’s the benefit in July of having those reps – well, maybe I’m wrong…) – “So you think.”
(So I think, I’ll stand corrected if that happens, but what is the thinking broadly about having your franchise wide receiver catching passes from an undrafted rookie?) – “You feel comfortable doing that when you’re trying to work on your entire game. That’s happened since we’ve got here, it’s kind of something that I’ve always believed in. If a receiver needs to run a route versus man, instead of forcing the defense to cater to your needs, why not have – wait for a rep that goes against man, maybe that’s in the second or third group? That’s kind of erroneous. And so our skill positions really rotate that way so they can get opportunities at point of attack stuff. Generally – I’m kind of hesitant because this might give our defense a competitive advantage against our offense – but generally if Tyreek (Hill) is in with said quarterback, the ball is probably going to him. (laughter) So there’s a lot of things at play. The quarterback-receiver connection, but it is one of many things that are important and there’s a lot of work to be done in between.”
(LB Emmanuel Ogbah said that he came back here because of unfinished business and it sure looked like he’s playing great these last two days. He’s already got the orange jersey. Assess what you see in LB Emmanuel Ogbah this time around.) – “I just got little goosebumps there because it was cool to see the timing of things. You just know when a player is a free agent for any amount of time, there’s uncertainty so you’re thinking through all the different scenarios and he gets here and then it was not just like a – it wasn’t charity to give him that orange jersey. It was one of, if not, the best practice that I’ve seen from him since I’ve been here and there was a level of focus, a level of concrete certainty of his assignment and he came out hungry. And whatever he’s drinking in the morning – might be a little fountain of youth in there – it was exciting. But you know the coolest thing about situations like that, is you learn a lot about people just by observing the reaction of teammates. And when I tell you everyone, when they found out that he was the orange jersey, was juiced. And then all he did with that, is he was the – I think he ran 19 miles an hour yesterday at practice wearing that orange jersey.”
(You were talking about WR Tyreek Hill earlier. I was curious, does he still surprise you athletically and is there anything he’s done that really stands out for you where he really shocked you with something maybe we haven’t seen in practice or anything over the last couple years?) – “Yes. Tyreek is a guy that is supremely competitive and within that, in practice, he gets game reps. And so being able to put him in different situations, for him to try different things, is a really cool process, because he has a skill set unique to his own. And I think he – every month that I’ve been, every year with him, he’s really grown more and more into the leadership role and the responsibility of being one of, if not the best player in the league and what does he want the Miami Dolphins to look like? Instead of having to carefully and deliberately coach players and tell them, he can just show them how he wants his teammates to practice and play by his effort, strain and not just the pass game, the run game as well.”
(A few guys have mentioned that Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver has a nice package of full-out pressures and simulated pressures. Can you kind of tell me what kind of advantage that can create and what you sense might be coming as this Anthony Weaver pressure package develops?) – “That’s a very good question that is layered in ways of like, a pressure in it of itself, everybody has that. It’s about the how you are able to package that with like looks that can keep an offense off balance, as well as have multiplicity where the pressure is going to come from. I think as teachers, our scheme here are, ‘Weave’ (Anthony Weaver) and his staff really do a great job of finding concepts that players can understand and from one player understanding all 11, so that you can put different pieces in different places. So that balance of keeping an opposing offense off-balance, while being sound and multiple, yeah, everyone would like to do it. We’re confident that we’re headed in the appropriate direction in that way because we’re trying to be as challenging that we can each and every Sunday. And I think it’s playing that way, being able to do simulated pressures specifically, you can have blitzes and coverage that overlap. You can have technique that overlaps, which means you can be better at what you do while being more multiple. So I think with that focus, the coaches have communicated the whole vision to the players in a very good manner, because I can see by how they execute their jobs that they understand it and really how they strain shows me they believe in it.”
(WR Tyreek Hill said the other day that he and some of his offensive teammates without the coaches, they want to get more 10-12 player drives this year rather than the two-strike 75-yard bomb I guess in an effort to tire out the opposing defenses and they really want to focus on that this year. What’s your take on that?) – “I think he’s in his own way, what he’s describing right there, is our players on offense here are immersed enough in the system to understand areas where if you improve, can make everything improve. So what he’s saying, he is confident in our ability to score explosively in short drives. Well, we’ve lived experienced the last two years, that defenses don’t want you to do that. So they give you up space initially close to the line of scrimmage to make sure they can keep a roof over the offense and their eligibles. It’s all about taking advantage of overplay. So if you’re overplaying deep, how can you get most efficient yardage? Through execution on shorter things – run game. As a leader and a football student, Tyreek understands that unless you want to see very deep coverage with everyone 30 yards down the field, you better make people pay, otherwise they’re going to keep doing it. So that’s something I think our locker room does a great job of, is as players identifying consistencies of what’s happening to us. And then our coaches, we try to come up with a plan on how to counter people’s counter.”
(Obviously, there’s a lot of anticipation to see WR Odell Beckham Jr. at some point. Obviously, he’s on PUP now. Is this something that he’s had coming into the season or is it something that popped up more recently as far as his injury?) – “It wasn’t recent. It’s something he’s working through and we’re trying to – like we do with all the guys that are coming off something – we don’t want setbacks because really, and I don’t really explain this ever, but setbacks in this time of year are pretty problematic most of the time for guys for the whole season, because this time is for you to be able to be game-ready for football. And then if after that, you happen to get dinged or injured, it’s a lot easier to reassimilate. You go in, you start playing football after with the last football that you’ve played is last season like everybody and then you have a quick exit from participation, especially in Year 1 of a system, that’s problematic. So we signed Odell to be Odell, and we’re – between the Miami Dolphins and him – we’re making sure that we get him back on the field the right way and hit the ground running. So for him all, it’s just that much more important that he’s on it in the classroom and he’s been as attentive of a veteran, basically stalking Wes Welker, as one could hope.”
(I wanted to ask a follow-up if I could. WR Odell Beckham Jr. had the ACLs. When it’s a recurring thing like that, how do you manage it to make sure God forbid something doesn’t happen again to the same knee?) – “It’s science. Don’t ask me any more than that. I think every individual is unique to their own, that people respond differently. Our buddy Frank Gore, I think tore an ACL every year of his adolescence or something and then played 30 years. So you just have to be – and players need to know that you can’t just take things at surface value. For him, you see how the body responds and you don’t go into it assuming anything, but if the body loves it, you just let him roll. If there’s some swelling, you chill out and then you kind of go that way.”
(As far as some of the early returns you’ve seen on RB De’Von Achane in his second year utilizing a full offseason for the first time as a pro?) – “I’m seeing a pro that – not to say that he wasn’t a pro last year – he was a rookie that really impressed his teammates with his ability to digest and execute. And he really impressed guys about how the game – you hear this a bunch – the game is not too big for him. Right. Well, that’s cool for De’Von (Achane), if that’s where he wants his ceiling. Thankfully, for the Miami Dolphins, that’s not. So he’s expanded roles expanded, different ways that he can get the ball, but he’s become a guy that pretty much every person on the offense counts on to know his responsibility and that helps everyone. So he’s become a pro, diet, strength – it’s really cool to see. He had a taste of success and fortunately for us, he’s not satisfied with that.”
(With QB Tua Tagovailoa while he wasn’t throwing, was his level of attention to practice where you want it to be as far as mental reps, communication with you? I think he was listening to play calls.) – “Absolutely. And you know what, everybody involved has been super professional because if he’s not going to be taking a rep, he’s not going to have that rep lost on him. And in Year 3 of the offense, that’s a lot more impactful than if that would be the case in Year 1. You have the muscle memory on a lot of things so every rep can be – whether you’re doing it or not – can be something that you can use to your advantage because that muscle memory, it’s not what he really needs to train. It’s the visual scene, this particular picture. Our defense presents so many unique pictures, and he’s been – basically all those simulated pressures, keep your awareness and locked in focus.”
Jevón Holland – July 25, 2024
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Thursday, July 25, 2024
S Jevón Holland
(What were you experiencing? What were you feeling in that…?) – “Just like a thigh contusion kind of thing. It was like a bruise. It goes away, but it was crazy. One minute, I was like, alright, I’m running up. Next minute, I’m like why are my feet above my head? So it was all right. I’m alright.”
(Are you auditioning for the Olympics?) – “Not trying to. That was in involuntary, but that would be cool.”
(Talking to FB Alec Ingold and LB Emmanuel Ogbah just now, the defensive energy that this team has felt since Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver has gotten here, is that something that has been translating to the field these first few days of practice?) – “Yeah, definitely. It’s a blast out there. I don’t know if you guys got to see, but I’m having a bunch of fun. He’s a fun coach to play under. He really established an exciting culture and allows us a lot of room to just grow within it, so I’m enjoying myself a lot.”
(I guess what about the culture? What makes it so fun?) – “It’s both, like he knows what he wants, but he also allows us to be players, because he was once a player. He understands at some point you kind of just go out there and ball, and so I feel like that’s the main thing for us. We’re just allowed to go out there and make plays.”
(What is his communication style?) – “Just straightforward. It feels like he’s just talking to us like he was if he was a player and that’s kind of how – you know what I mean? I don’t really know how to explain it, but it’s real healthy. I can say that, it’s real healthy.”
(He’s not yelling.) – “No, I mean he’ll yell if he needs to, but it’s never unwarranted.”
(A lot of people talk about CB Jalen Ramsey being the guy who’s been able to do a lot of different things. You have that kind of same skill set. In this defense is Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver going to allow you to do a lot more than what you’ve done the last few years?) – “If he wants to. He is the defensive coordinator so it’s kind of like whatever he wants, but I’ll be down to do it. I played nickel in college and corner in high school and whatnot, but yeah, I’m down. I’m sure he’s open to it. He loves our input and seeing what we see, so for sure.”
(That input, that’s coming from you?) – “Me saying I play other positions? I mean, he knows it. I’ve told him, if you want me to move around – I mean in indy drills, I’ll go to nickel and try stuff.”
(We saw DB Elijah Campbell make some plays today. How have you seen his game grow since you’ve been here with him?) – “He’s just gotten the reps honestly. Like in years past, he’s kind of been focused on gunner and whatnot. He’s kind of been in, not really been in; but this past new regime, he’s gotten the reps and he’s instilled the confidence and now he’s really starting to pick up. So I love playing with him, definitely.”
(What do you think of the addition of S Marcus Maye?) – “It’s dope. Marcus is a super cool dude. He’s been around the league, real knowledgeable so I’m really enjoying myself. Just being able to ask questions from him as another vet in the room. So he’s a dope dude.”
(I see you S Jordan Poyer working out a lot in individual before. Can you maybe describe what the chemistry of those kind of reps can do to try to build?) – “It’s just insight into what I’m thinking, what he’s thinking. Kind of knowing your partner without having to ask him, things like that, you know what I mean? I kind of know what he’s thinking, what he wants to do, and that adds to the on-field like when things are flying around, fast bullets. It adds to that chemistry so those little one-on-ones, the yellow cones and whatnot; that stuff helps a lot just kind of to get to know the person next to you.”
(Are you seeing a fired-up LB Emmanuel Ogbah out there since he left and came back?) – “Yeah man, hell yeah. You see him with the orange jersey like Day 1, he’s back with the orange jersey. That’s my dawg. I’m so happy for him. He gets to just get to the quarterback. Like my rookie year he had like 14 PBUs (pass breakups) so I’m excited for him. I love the success, for sure.”
(What was your reaction when you heard he was coming back? Were you surprised?) – “I was excited. I wasn’t necessarily surprised – I was excited. Like he should be here. He’s a hell of a player, so I’m just glad he’s back.”
(How about the early returns on the additions of LB Jordyn Brooks and LB Anthony Walker Jr.?) – “It’s great. Both of them, great. They’re generals in the middle, and we really need them. They help a lot of the young guys at backer really come along, Channing (Tindall), Zeke (Vandenburgh). So I’m really excited for him.”
(Is your stance still that you’ll wait for QB Tua Tagovailoa? You’ll wait your turn?) – “It’s not like I’m dictating time on my contract because if I was dictating the time, I would’ve got paid my rookie year, no… (laughter) But when it comes, it comes. I can’t control none of that. Whenever they want to, I’ll pick up the phone, but I’m out here every day just trying to get better.”
(You mentioned LB Jordyn Brooks. I wanted to ask you about him. What’s he like with the guys either – I don’t know how much you’ve huddled up with him but just talking to other players?) – “Him as a person, he’s quiet off the field, real reserved. But on the field, he’s making calls, making checks, making sure we’re all on the same page. So it’s really everything you look for in a linebacker, all four of those guys. Like every one of them has a thing that they’re really good at and they help each other grow as a group so I’m loving it. They’re great. Their coach is great. I love the way that they’re approaching this defense, it’s really making it easy for me.”
(Going back to the energy on defense, we can see and we can see how fired up y’all get, but what is it like being on the field when that lightbulb is seemingly turning on at the same time for everybody?) – “It’s great. It’s great. It feels great knowing that you have a hold on the offense and right now we’re going against each other so obviously offense-defense, but the opponent, I should say. But yeah, it’s great. I love it. I really do. Playing with energy like that, it just makes the game fun. That’s why I like playing defense.”
Emmanuel Ogbah – July 25, 2024
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Thursday, July 25, 2024
LB Emmanuel Ogbah
(What does it mean to you to be back one day and already get the orange jersey?) – “I came in with a mindset, I want to be better. I want to improve this team, so that’s the mindset coming into training camp.”
(You had to have taken a certain approach during the offseason even though you weren’t with a team to be so prepared. Can you kind of take us through that and your preparations?) – “I mean, I had all the time in the world to get ready, mentally prepare, physically prepare, just to get ready for this season. I didn’t know where I was going to be, but I’m just happy to be here.”
(How did it develop to come back here?) – “It came down to two teams, and I picked Miami because I feel like unfinished business here, so that’s why I’m excited to be back.”
(We heard FB Alec Ingold talking about the defense that from the other side of the ball, the energy is so infectious. Everybody is flying to the ball, everybody playing with each other. Is that something that you felt, even in the two days since you’ve been back here?) – “Oh, most definitely. Just having the conversation with Coach ‘Weav’ (Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver), the energy is different, the team morale is different. It’s just guys want to play for each other, guys are having fun again going out there.”
(Was it tough waiting by the phone for that call?) – “I mean, shoot – I had all the time in the world, like I said, to get ready, so whatever call I got, I knew I was going to be ready.”
(The state – do you live here still?) – “Yeah, so I live and I was training down here, too. So I wasn’t far.”
(What town? Pembroke Pines, Davie?) – “Davie.”
(We saw last year how there were times that you weren’t as active as maybe you would’ve preferred. If I had told you at the end of last season on clean out day, “You’re going to be right back here,” would you have been stunned? What would your reaction be?) – “I honestly wouldn’t have believed it, but I always knew I was going to be back here eventually. Like I said, I have unfinished business here, so that’s what I’m ready to take care of here.”
(What is that business?) – “Unfinished business – we’ll see.”
(In terms of where you fit and how you fit into Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver’s scheme, how much is it different than what you previously played last year?) – “It’s still early and I’m still learning the system, so they’ve got me everywhere. So I’m just learning, taking it day by day and just getting better.”
(Today you were switching sides. Is that something that you hope to do on a consistent basis?) – “Like I said, I don’t have a specific spot, so I’m everywhere on the d-line or OLB, so I’m just ready to play whatever that need is.”
(What’s been your impression of LB Chop Robinson so far?) – “Speed, fast. He’s a good rookie. He’s learning. He doesn’t say much, but he’s always wanting to learn, asking for advice and stuff, so I’m just here to help him out, too.”
(You feel comfortable both with your hand in the ground and standing up?) – “(laughter) I like my hand in the dirt, but I’m ready to do both. So I’m familiar with both.”
Jalen Ramsey – July 24, 2024
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Wednesday, July 24, 2024
CB Jalen Ramsey
(I know this isn’t your first camp, obviously you’ve been through this ride before. But what’s it like for a player like you as you get to camp and just know what’s ahead with Day 1 and moving forward?) – “Just getting back in the swing of things, back in the routine, back with the team. That’s all it is. Yeah, sorry I don’t have anything else for you.”
(What’s your early impressions of working in this Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver defense?) – “It’s been cool. I’ve only practiced in it, what, three days now. It’s cool. It’s different than the defenses I’ve played in the past years which is a good thing, can be a really good thing. We’ve got to grow into it a little more to really give you a good answer.”
(What makes it Anthony Weaver’s defensive system different so far?) – “Well, the scheme is completely different. The scheme is different, the way he wants to call plays is going to be very different. Just some other things that we talk about, but like I just told him, we’ve got to kind of let it unfold before I can really give you an accurate answer.”
(Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver used the words “ultimate chess piece” in talking about you this offseason. What does that make you think, feel? Does that excite you that your defensive coordinator wants to use you in that way?) – “Yeah, of course. That’s exciting. I’ve heard that a few times in my career though, and that’s only really happened a couple times. So like I said, I’ll let everything unfold, and whatever is best for the defense at the end of the day, I’m sure – I hope is what position I’ll be in.”
(Being in that role, when you are in that role and they actually execute it, what does that allow you to do? What do you enjoy about that?) – “It allows me to showcase all of my skill set, all of my abilities. It allows teams to not always be able to dictate where I am. It allows me to be more involved in the game and the gameplan and not get bored out there on the field. Yeah, I think it opens up a lot of opportunities and plays for other people as well when I get to be versatile and do different things.”
(You don’t get bored, do you?) – “Do I ever get bored? (laughter)”
(You know what it’s like to be in a drawn-out contract situation. We saw your Instagram post with QB Tua Tagovailoa…) – “What Instagram post?”
(Or Twitter, I don’t know what it was. ‘Pay Tua,’ I think you had it on your scorecard. What kind of message do you have to him and how can you counsel him through this?) – “Man that’s his business, I don’t really want to get into another man’s business and his pockets. He’s got to handle that however he sees fit, however him and his agent sees fit. Obviously, I love having Tua (Tagovailoa) as a teammate. I love having him as the leader of this team, the quarterback of this team. So selfishly for me and I feel like the team, we all want it to get done. Whether it’s going to bother him or not, I don’t think so. But it could clear his conscience a little bit more and secure some generational wealth for him and his family. So I hope he gets every penny that he’s wanting, and yeah, it is what it is.”
(Are you feeling fully healthy now? And how long did it take when you came back last year to sort of get to 100% and feel that way?) – “Anytime I step on the field, I feel like then I’m fully healthy, otherwise, I just wouldn’t step on the field. Playing the game of football, you’re never at 100% when the season starts. So that’s like not a realistic thing to even say, but I like a 75% Jalen over 90% of the guys in the league. So I’ll take whatever I can get, but yeah, at this moment I feel pretty good.”
(Yesterday, S Jordan Poyer said that from the outside looking in, from an opposing player’s point of view, there was a feeling that if you got on top of the Dolphins, they would fold. That was the word he used, fold. What’s your reaction to that and does this team need to toughen up even more in 2024?) – “I don’t really have a reaction to it. I only played him one time when I was on the Dolphins and he was on another team, so, it doesn’t really do anything for me or move me in any type of way. Also last year’s team is different than last year’s team in a lot of different ways, including having him on the team now. I don’t even think you can really compare it in that way. I guess on paper, which y’all do, you could, but I don’t really look at it that way. We got to – this is Day 1, so we’ve got to build our identity. We got to go through of a lot of things during this camp, a lot of growing pains, hopefully some adversity, maybe even a couple of fights and good things like that to bring us closer. So we’ll see where it leads us.”
(How good can this team be and what are your expectations this season?) – “We’ll see. I mean through the grind, we’ll see how really good, or great, or whatever the case may be, will be. But obviously our expectations going into every season – I think if you asked anybody across the league, they’re going to expect to go out there, put a good product on the field and let that carry over to a lot of wins.”
(When it comes to toughness, either mental or physical, do coaches set the tone for that or do players set the tone for that?) – “I think it’s like an individual thing really. I mean for me personally, I can’t really speak for everybody, but for me personally, there is nothing that a coach can tell me that will make me want to play harder or not play harder. It’s just kind of who I am, in my DNA, that’s my identity when I step on the field. So I feel like I’m surrounded by a good amount of those guys, and the guys who we may be unsure of, or y’all may be unsure of, will hopefully get them to express that during this camp and build on it.”
(From the outside looking it, it seems like you and CB Kendall Fuller have similar strengths in terms of your anticipation and instincts. How is having two guys with those traits on the perimeter really help the defense?) – “I think we both have a lot of more strengths than just that to be honest with you. And again, I don’t even want to compare myself to anybody because I feel like I’m very unique in my own ways, but he is as well. So I guess – I mean we’re both going into Year 9, you can just say that. You can say we are vets and we’ve had some success, but we’re still learning though and we’re still trying to grow as well. These young guys, we’ve got to also keep up with them and do our thing.”
(You guys both jumped a couple of plays, I thought it was pretty impressive earlier out here today. I wanted to ask if that’s something that comes from seeing so many snaps in your nine years in the NFL?) – “Yeah, there were some young guys who were having good plays, too, out there though, but yeah, I would say so. The more you play, the more comfortable you get with the game, the more comfortable you get with concepts and knowing what you want to accomplish within the defensive schemes. So yeah, it comes with it.”
(From your vantage point of the play where S Jevon Holland got flipped over a little, does it look like he’s alright?) – “Yeah, he’ll be cool. I’m sure he’ll take care of himself. He’s a true professional himself, he’ll take care of himself. It’s football, things happen. He’ll be good.”
(You mentioned Year 9, you’ve done a lot in the league. Do you still have any individual goals or things you want to show?) – “Yeah, for sure. Usually I keep all that stuff for myself though, to be honest with you. That’s no disrespect to you, but I just keep that to myself, let that be my internal motivation. And then out here, it’s just really all about the team, like whatever I can do to help the team. But I like to feel like if I’m in the right positions and I do what I’m supposed to do and all that internal stuff and personal stuff I have going on, it’ll benefit the team if I’m doing it at an elite level like I know I can.”
Calais Campbell – July 24, 2024
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Wednesday, July 24, 2024
DT Calais Campbell
(When you get to a team like this and you’ve been in the league so long, how different is it to insert yourself as a veteran and as a leader knowing that you’ve got to work your way through different personalities and things that go on?) – “I think that the first thing you want to do is get to know everybody. I’m not trying to come in and just start trying to give speeches and motivate guys. You got to come in and learn people. We’ve got a great group of guys, a lot of different dynamic personalities. Right now, it’s just build relationships. That’s kind of what camp is for anyways – fine tuning your technique but kind of becoming a team, and that is building those relationships. All the other stuff is going to come organically when it comes.”
(You’ve been in this Baltimore defense, some version of it in the past. A lot of these guys are starting from scratch. What would be the most difficult part to get down in your experience?) – “I don’t really think it’s that difficult. I think it’s really just understanding the terminology and understanding all the different things we can do and getting to a place where we can play free. I think they did a really good job in the spring of really getting guys prepared. I can tell, especially in the d-line room, there is a clear understanding of what we want to do and what we can do. A guy like (Zach) Sieler, he’s a very cerebral guy and understands at a high level. We’re already talking about things we can do when we’re out there together. It’s kind of cool to see another brilliant mind that understands the game at a high level. This defense is a very interesting defense. It’s hard for offensive coordinators because we can just do so much. We can do some things that look so different but it’s kind of similar. You can throw a lot of wrenches in the gameplan just by small adjustments. Really cool defense. I think Coach ‘Weav’ (Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver) is another guy who just – he gets it, understands at a high level how to take advantage of it. I’m excited to go out there and compete for him.”
(What would you say the identity of this style of defense is? Obviously, you guys will establish your own, but what has it been in your experience?) – “The style of defense is really built off of being able to blitz in different ways – a lot of stimulated pressures and full out pressures. Making it look like you’re blitzing but you’re really not, you’re only rushing four. But from an offensive mindset, it’s a blitz because you’ve got a lot of guys dropping, a lot of d-linemen drop. I’ve almost caught a couple picks in this defense, I’ve dropped a few, but batted balls, I’ll take a PBU. (laughter) This defense is unique in a since that anybody can do anything at any given time.”
(How much do you feel you’ve got left to prove that you can still play?) – “I think that every time you come on this field, you better prove it. I think if you go off of your history, you should retire. I think that every time I step on the field, I’ve got to prove it to my teammates, I’ve got to prove it to myself, I’ve got to prove it to everybody that I can go out there and still be a force to be reconned with. Today is the first day of camp. I’m not expecting to just go out there and be the best player on the field by any means, especially the way I prepare and the way I go through things. But within a few weeks, I feel like it definitely should show. Today was a good first day just to get back out there. I don’t care who you are, there is a little doubt that comes in like, ‘Can I still do it at a high level? Can I still be that guy?’ And I know I can be.”
(Do you think you’re still a 600-snap plus player?) – “I think the team probably doesn’t want me to be on a high level like that, but I think so. I think we have to kind of talk through what the actual full plan is right now. I think right now is just kind of figuring out, kind of going through everything again and seeing where we’re at. But I can definitely play 600 plays, in my opinion, and go out there and give you quality ball for pretty much all of them.”
(Getting reintroduced a little bit to the Miami humidity that you haven’t been here since college. Today wasn’t that bad.) – “Today was a nice day, this was a good first day. (laughter) That cloud coverage was – woo, very much appreciated. I’ll say though, the way I take care of my body, I can handle anything. I’ve just got to keep hydrating, stay on my routine and I’ll be fine.”
(Next week is the induction to the Hall of Fame. I don’t know if that’s something you’ve given much thought to. What do you think a Super Bowl Championship will do for your resume?) – “Huge. I’m a big football fan first and foremost before I’m a player. Next week, I’ve got a couple of friends that are getting in – Andre Johnson and Dwight Freeney. These guys are guys I have great respect for and a great relationship with. It would be cool to be there and watch them get inducted. But I do have those aspirations and I know that winning a Super Bowl would be monumental for that. I believe this team has the capabilities of winning a Super Bowl. Obviously, it’s going to be tough – the AFC is a gauntlet. A lot of talented teams, teams that want it just as bad as we do. I think we’ve got to have that mindset that we got to go take it from them. It’s not going to be an easy route, but we’ve got a great group of guys that are capable of doing the job, just got to do it when the time counts. Right now we’re kind of building that foundation, but today is the worst we’re going to be all year. That’s the mindset we’ve got to have, is every day if we’re working to get better, then this is the worst we’ll be all season.”
(We heard TE Jonnu Smith say to us a couple of minutes ago that you can’t put a price on the amount of money you invest in your body in the offseason. We’ve heard WR Tyreek Hill say yesterday that he’s even done stem cell treatment. Over the course of your career, how have you seen that develop, the league and players develop, in terms of how you take care of your body in the offseason?) – “Guys are a lot smart with that in terms of how to take care of your body. When I first got to the league, it was a whole different mindset. It’s crazy to think about the changes. It’s 16 or 17 years, I don’t think that information was just available back then. A lot of guys, their mindset – even the amount of plays you played was different. We’re playing so many plays a game now with the way they’re throwing the ball so much more often, so the game has changed a lot. I will say though the last 10 years, really the last five years for sure, the information has really traveled all throughout the locker rooms. I’ve had so many guys ask me my routine, my plan and the things I’ve tried. I’m always an open book, I always share my knowledge. I spend a lot of time, effort and resources in my body – that’s a big reason I’ve been able to play well late in my career. I think you’ll see a lot more of that, guys starting to play better as they get older because of the way just science is and how to take care of your body. I think you’ll see a lot of guys start playing dominate football post-30 (years old), which is a big difference to how it used to be.”
(What do you think was the most dramatic change you had to make in your career in terms of self-preservation? Something that you did or do that when you started your career probably would’ve taken you by surprise?) – “Man, I’ve done so many different things. I can’t give you one thing, because I don’t know really which one was the big main one. I think just understanding how the body works, the anatomy, with food and hydration and the different supplements you can take and then all the different machinery that’s out there to help you recover faster. Just the information. I feel like I became a biologist in terms of understanding the body a lot better. That’s became a big part of what I do, and it’s worked so far. Hopefully it works one more year. (laughter)”
(DT Zach Sieler said he felt small next to you. He’s 6’6”, 300lbs. Have you ever been around somebody that’s actually made you feel small?) – “Oh yeah, of course. I’ve got some friends in the NBA. I remember my first time around Tyson Chandler who is like 7’2”, I was just like, ‘This is how guys must feel.’ I get it all the time. I’m like, ‘Man, sit over there. I’m not used to being…’ then I stood next to him, and I was like ‘Wow,’ that’s the feeling I had. (laughter)”
Mike McDaniel – July 24, 2024
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Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(Is QB Tua Tagovailoa going to practice all periods, or have you guys worked something out where he’ll do some but not all? What’s the plan?) – “The plan is something that I think there are two parts to it. I think it’s important to acknowledge that Tua (Tagovailoa) is in the midst of a contract negotiation, that’s important to him and the football team. That being said, we communicate very well and it’s very fluid. We are taking it day-by-day today. I expect it to be kind of like OTAs and we’ll move on from there.”
(Not knowing the timeline of the way these things go, how much is it a factor as far as you’re starting camp, this is kind of there, as far as how long that lingers, how you handle it – the idea of a distraction, things like that – for the team and for QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “Well, I think I’m very proud of the team this offseason. There has been a lot of things that we’ve matured in how we go about our business, and one thing about being in the National Football League is there’s stuff that goes on that you can’t control. I think from the start people try not to make a distraction and emphasize their work. It’s just an opportunity that, in a different way, is the same challenge you are presented with through during the entire course of the year. I’m not going to forecast how long anything looks a certain way or whatever. We’ll adjust however we see fit to make sure we are appropriately positioning our players for success. And all of those things are a distraction if you allow them to be. Myself, I have open conversations about that stuff to the team and to understand that we’re all not robots. You have to consciously make sure that you are worried about the right stuff, I think our team is. Our team is really excited about practicing against each other and making today matter and having something to build on for tomorrow. I have no concerns about distractions, and we together make sure that we do whatever we can to put our best foot forward really.”
(Were you at all surprised or blindsided by the LB Shaquil Barrett retirement decision?) – “Well, I guess surprised in that I wasn’t forecasting it. But you know you talk to him, and you understand completely and support a teammate that way. I think professional athletes put a lot on the line and I think it’s important to recognize that. I’m happy when people make decisions to play or not play when it’s their own decision that they are satisfied with. I’m happy that he’s at a place where he can move on for reason of spending time with his family. I’m proud of him that he took the regard of his teammates to really put himself there and he didn’t want to represent himself in any other way than Shaq Barrett. I know his family is happy to have him around and I know he’s got a lot of teammates that really support him and love him.”
(With LB Jaelan Phillips and LB Bradley Chubb, do you still operate with no timeline on them? Do you think they might get some meaningful practice reps sometime during camp?) – “Yeah, I’m a stickler for the no timelines not just to annoy you guys. (laughter) That was a little too aggressive of a laugh there. Because the only thing that I can offer someone in the physical rehabilitation standpoint is to not make them worse and chase an arbitrary expectation and to actually listen to their bodies so we can proactively prevent reoccurring injuries. So that really is where I’m at with it. I hold my cards to my vest, to those individual – like I make sure they don’t think I’m assuming they’re going to be around for anything. You can’t do that, because I have too much regard for their process. Fortunately it’s a little easier process with guys like we have that are going through our training department, because we know they want to be on the field as soon as possible. We know that. We know they want to be as fast as possible, so our training staff does a great job of making sure people aren’t shortchanging their opportunities on this team to prematurely get back on the field.”
(WR Tyreek Hill mentioned the word selfish yesterday when he was talking about his quest for 2k last year. Is that something he’s expressed to you? And is there any change in his approach coming into this year?) – “He hasn’t. If he were to express that to me, I’d probably be like, ‘What? Dude, you’re just a competitor trying to…’ In his mind, in my opinion, we win a lot of games when he reaches whatever numbers is the way he looked at it. Now as he evolves as a man, it’s cool to hear that that’s his viewpoint on it. I know that he’s a supreme competitor and uses a lot of different motivation tools. It’s a win for the Dolphins that people are finding different ways to try in their own mind to improve themselves as human beings, and as a leader, that’s a powerful statement regardless of whether – I promise you, his teammates aren’t worried about that, but that’s a cool thing to come from leader.”
(Yesterday S Jordan Poyer made a comment from a Buffalo perspective that the thinking was, if we got on top of the Dolphins, they would “fold.” Do you think there’s any validity to that from the way the team performed last year? How concerning is it? And is it a thing that’s more on the coaches or the players? Or how do you solve something like that if it is an issue?) – “No, I think things like that, Jordan Poyer is here because of the player he is and the leader he is, and I think he recognizes the leadership opportunity that he has here. I’m very open and upfront and aggressive with, to me, when I see realities. Realities are the past doesn’t predict the future. But for Jordan Poyer to talk to his teammates, whether that’s directly and saying the same thing that he’s told all of them in the media, I think it’s important to understand where things come from. To understand that when you don’t win football games down the stretch, when you don’t win playoff games, when you don’t win Super Bowls, those things; I don’t know what it will look like, but it will be said. OK, much like, let’s say we won the Super Bowl last year. And you guys were saying Jordan Poyer was saying we’re the toughest team in America. The challenge is understanding what it is and actually doing something about it today. So to me, it doesn’t surprise me. I think we’re in a business where it’s very cut and dry there. You’re either finding reasons for success or reason for failure, and there’s nothing in between. The main focus, I talk about all that because it’s really not a big deal. What is a big deal today? Anything under that umbrella that you have a problem with, solve it today, and then do it the next day and do it the next day. So we have that opportunity to finish and finish practice today. If we want to finish the season right, let’s step out on that field and finish today. And then you do that and you build on that the next day.”
(On WR Odell Beckham Jr., any level of disappointment that he’s not ready?) – “No, I think he’s working his way back. It’s so important that him coming to this team in this offense, that he’s able to focus on the timing and execution of how he plays the position. If he’s compromised in any regard to do that, then the challenge becomes cerebral. To me – he won’t be practicing today. When is he going to practice? I don’t know. The longer that is, it just means how much more you have to be detailed and you can’t – how much more you have to be on it, the shorter that time gets. But the key is to understand yeah, OK – I can promise you I’m in a better place with it than he is, you know? He’s a competitor. He wants to be out there, and we also have to have long vision, get your body right, while mastering what we do being a part of the team so that you can hit the ground running when you’re out there. And that’s all I’m concerned about, is he takes advantage of an opportunity that you do have if you aren’t playing. Everything is an opportunity cost, he has more time to study.”
(There will be some in the media that say the lack of a QB Tua Tagovailoa contract suggests an organizational hedging on him. It doesn’t matter what we say. It does matter what he thinks, though. What would you say to QB Tua Tagovailoa if he does come to you and say, “Hey, I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me, where’s my contract?”) – “I think it’s important for me as the head coach and my connection with the players and what my bottom-line job is, to maximize the abilities, that I know where my place is in my relationship with him. I’m not involved in those things. My job is to focus on him getting better solely. I think in terms of hedging, I know as an organization we’ve prioritized it by entering in negotiations a long time ago, whenever that started. By doing that –I think it speaks to kind of how important it is to both sides that they’re relentlessly working on it. Great things take time. The one thing that’s come about this whole process is I am very, very confident in my relationship with Tua and he can separate the business entity from – ultimately he knows any way you cut it, our focus has to be on what it looks like when he’s playing football. And so I wouldn’t hedge a bet that he would come to me with that conversation, but I’ll play out your scenario. That’s good.”
(Going back to the WR Odell Beckham Jr. answer, but not having LB David Long Jr. out there as well for the defense along with LB Bradley Chubb and LB Jaelan Phillips, putting in a new defense, how do you continue about that process not having three starters out there?) – “I get concerned with things like that when we’re supremely down in numbers because I’m not settling roster battles in a basement with magnets. So the opportunity in each position group when someone is not practicing, that’s what I’m focused on. Now, when the numbers get dwindled – but there are especially at the stack backer position, there’s some great competition. If you want to tell me the final depth chart of that position, let me know because I have no clue. So guys being able to be out on the field, as long as we have enough guys that we can fully give dudes good opportunities to set where they’re at on the depth chart, then I’m good to go.”
(Regarding QB Tua Tagovailoa, if he’s not fully participating by the joint practice with Atlanta and you know how much of a team guy he is, how heavily do you think that would weigh on him?) – “I feel like you’re asking me to predict the weather here. I think it’s so important for all the things that need to be focused for my position for Tua (Tagovailoa) to do his – like we will cross that bridge. I can’t put forth a ton of time thinking about a scenario like that, because I don’t know if that’s plausible or not. Like honestly, we’re trying to do our best to adjust with different parameters on a daily basis. I will say that we’ll continually adjust depending on different variables so in any scenario, there will be adjustment that best compensates as we can.”
(So will we see a lot of 7-on-7s for the next couple days?) – “I wouldn’t be willing to say that for fear of being wrong. I know today, I’m expecting what we did in the spring. All those things, we’ll work through to do the best thing for him and us and you can’t forecast tomorrow. That doesn’t even exist. What’s tomorrow?”
(I imagine this is kind of a delicate middle ground with you with this contract deal because you’re obviously the coach. At any point do you talk to General Manager Chris Grier and say, “Hey, for us to have the best success for the season, I need my quarterback fully in in everything”?) – “No, I don’t talk to Chris. (laughter) Yeah, everybody knows that. It’s an important situation for both the organization and Tua (Tagovailoa) and his family. And everybody is aware of the importance to everyone, so I don’t need to remind anybody about that. I think when you’re working in a healthy organization, there’s enough empathy that I know that he wants the contract done and he knows that there’s different things that evolve if there’s not. That’s a known – there’s no secret to that – so everybody is trying their best to get a deal done so we have to rely on that and hope.”
(How do you ensure that you’re playing your best football in December and January? Is there anything you can do in July – you can’t predict injuries, but to make sure you’re going into the playoffs with a little more momentum than the last couple years?) – “Absolutely. Absolutely today is the answer. It’s the only thing that’s real. Everything else – you can talk all you want – it’s talk. Today we have an opportunity to set the standard with which we do a whole litany of things and that’s what I try to really – I see my job as connecting those dots. Connecting so we have these realities. So X, Y and Z is saying this, what do we do moving forward? That’s all I’m focused on and today you set your standard. If that standard is appropriate, it matters. You make today matter because you can build on that for the next day. I’m not talking about good, bad, whatever. Let’s make it actually real. And I promise you, what do you look like in the middle of September; what have you built on? So then what are you looking in October? It all relates, so I think that’s kind of the beauty. I think anybody that’s ever done anything elite; you look at elite athletes like Steph Curry or Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, I think they understand that. Well, my job as a coach is to try to get everyone to understand that as well, that today is the day you something. That’s why I’m pretty fired up for July 24.”
(What is the T Terron Armstead plan for training camp?) – “The plan is to make sure that we have a good relationship with him because he wants to play football really bad. And to make sure that he’s involved to the point that he feels outstanding while also trying to do right for him and keep him out of his own way because when he goes, he likes to go. So for him where he’s at, he can’t stand not playing football all the time. We’ll be battling him on that. There will be days of full participation, day of partial and days that make sense for a couple young guys to get opps. It will be very, very fluid, but he’s in a great place. Healthy as ever. Really spry, I feel like he thinks he’s 23 years old right now. So he’s feeling himself and we want to make sure that that doesn’t end up in a negative situation.”
(How excited are you for the team’s success this year, opening day of camp…?) – “I’m really excited for the opportunity that this team has, because I really believe in the individuals. And they’re geeked about working today and the thing – everybody yearns for that steadiness, so to speak, and consistency of routine and challenges. Well, they are geeked for today and that’s exciting because you can do something with that. You can get better from that. You can work towards a goal from that. So Day 1, let’s go. Get your eye black ready.”
