Anthony Weaver – August 20, 2024
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Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver
(In watching LB Jordyn Brooks and LB David Long Jr. play together for the first time in game action, I can’t help but think about the fast, physical, elite technique principle. I’m curious how you view those guys through that vein?) – “Those guys exemplify all of those terms. I think you saw that they not only were out there communicating and trying to command the defense, but they were hitting everything moving and whenever you have that at the inside linebacker position, that’s intimidating and ultimately, that’s what we’re looking for.”
(I wanted to ask you about corner, obviously with CB Cam Smith out some time, do you feel like you have enough behind CB Jalen Ramsey, CB Kendall Fuller and CB Kader Kohou? Obviously with CB Ethan Bonner, CB Siran Neal, the three rookies and CB Nik Needham – what gives you confidence that you do believe you have enough after No. 3?) – “I have the utmost confidence in all of those guys who aren’t as heralded let’s say because their approach to work is the same each and every day. Even the guys that have been in this system and been around the league for a while, they still approach each day with the mindset of getting better. And when you have that it doesn’t matter where you are slotted in the depth chart, you’re going to improve and you’re going to make strides, and ultimately, you saw that in the second half of the game for us. Those are guys who aren’t necessarily pegged as starters, but they go out there and they play very well. So I have the utmost confidence because of that.”
(With LB Jaelan Phillips, how much do you think early on you can count on him? Obviously, how his body responds is a big part of it, but are you planning, “Hey, we can get 50 snaps out of this guy Week 1,” or is it going to be something that goes along?) – “I think we’re going to have to listen to his body, right? Ultimately, I don’t think you want to put a number count on that kid, but we know we have to be smart in how we approach this so he can maintain and last throughout the entire season. But I’m certainly not counting that kid out of anything. You saw how fast he’s gotten back from the Achilles, and he looks like a manchild out there when he has gone.”
(Yeah, I was going to ask you how he’s performed in practice so far.) – “He’s looked great. He’s great. He looks like the Jaelan Phillips we all expect to see.”
(What have you seen from the edge rushers as a group? We know LB Emmanuel Ogbah is the veteran, LB Quinton Bell has maybe cooled off in the joint practices and preseason games, LB Chop Robinson and LB Mohamed Kamara are youngsters, LB Jaelen Phillips might be limited – but as a group, what are you seeing from these edge rushers?) – “Man, I love that group. Going into the season I think there was probably a question mark there, just because of the injuries that have occurred toward the end of last season, but each and every guy has showed promise and showed that they can do something positively for this defense. So I’m incredibly excited about the young bucks. You’re talking about Mohamed (Kamara) – you saw glimpses of them in the last preseason game of what they’re capable of, so I think we have all the talent in the world in that room and just like the cornerback position. I think (Outside Linebackers Coach) Ryan Crow does an incredible job with those guys. They just approach each and every day with purpose and intent to go out there and try to get better at their craft. And as long as we approach each day that way, I don’t care who’s out there for us, they’re going to do something positive for the group.”
(How would you assess LB Channing Tindall’s training camp/preseason?) – “Oh man, I’m so proud of that kid. Just because I know nobody puts more pressure on themselves than he does because of where he was drafted and what he wants to be in this league. He’s just come out every day and gotten better. Coach Barry (Linebackers/Run Game Coordinator Joe Barry), Coach O’Donnell (Defensive Assistant Matt O’Donnell), they’ve invested in him and he’s soaking it all in, and now you see the results of that on the field. Incredibly proud of that kid and the strides he’s made, and I think he’s still on the ascending, still on the climb, so just really excited for him.”
(When you talked about CB Cam Smith a couple of weeks back you mentioned confidence being an issue for him and being a key to his development. Would that apply to LB Channing Tindall as well?) – “Of course, of course. Whenever you don’t have early success in this league, that could lead to doubt. And you certainly don’t want that as an NFL player, you don’t want that on any level of playing any sport. So the only way to eliminate that doubt is through preparation. When you go out there and work every day, ultimately, you’ll have results and hopefully we can build confidence that way.”
(DT Isaiah Mack and DT Jonathan Harris are two guys that I think I’ve seen flash at different times. What do you want to see from them today, Wednesday and Friday?) – “Just like these other guys, I just want to see a consistent approach to work. The results will take care of themselves, but as long as you go each and every day – when we’re on that field, if you take advantage of that time, because we’re not on that field long, you can’t be here in South Florida. So as long as we maximize our time when we’re on that field, when we’re in the meeting room and we’re just trying to go out there and be the best versions of ourselves, the rest will shake itself out. But those guys, I’ll tell you what, you talk about guys that compete and care and get ball and want to be a part, a contributing member of this team, that’s each and every one of those guys.”
(I wanted to ask you about two of the rookie corners. With CB Storm Duck what skill has stood out and what’s intrigued you about CB Isaiah Johnson’s skill set?) – “They’re very different, in terms of skill set. I think Isaiah (Johnson) is big, tall and long. Storm (Duck) is a little shorter but he’s quick, has great long speed, but all those young guys – you could throw Jason Maitre, Patrick McMorris, that young defensive back group, I’ll tell you what; they’re here early every morning, they’re doing everything they can to try to digest as much information as possible, and typically when that happens, there is a little bit of paralysis through analysis, but these guys have been able to take that information and then have it translate onto the field fairly quickly. So man, I’ll tell you what, I’m not counting any of those kids out to potentially help us this season. We’ll see how the roster shakes out and things like that, but however it shakes out, those kids should have zero regrets about the work they’ve put in thus far.”
(We talked to a few guys about you and your style, and they all kind of talked about your passion, your teaching. What stood out is they were all talking about how personable you were with them individually. I’m curious how you developed that style as you were going along your coaching career?) – “I’m just trying to be authentic and be myself, right? I’m not trying to be anything else. I believe coaching is service work, so in order to get the best out of people, you got to get to know them. You can’t just be on this mountain top and be a dictator and just bark down orders at people, people don’t respond to that. So ultimately, I know where I stand. I know where the chain of command is, but we all are coworkers ultimately. And I’m trying to make sure that I can be a force multiplier in whatever capacity I can, not just for the defensive guys, but the offensive guys, the coaches on staff, offense and defense. I’m trying to help this team win a Super Bowl, so anything I can do to help, I’m going to do that.”
(I got a weather question for you. I asked S Jordan Poyer about this, have you noticed an advantage with the heat and humidity? Did you notice it against Atlanta? Against Washington? Can it be a factor against Jacksonville and Buffalo?) – “Yeah, it’s different, right? It’s certainly different. You would think it would be an advantage versus Buffalo, just what they’re doing up in – I don’t know if they still go to Rochester, but it’s certainly not what we’re going through here. Jacksonville you would think they’re in Florida, they should be OK. It should certainly be an advantage, particularly early in the season. If you’re not acclimated to it, it’s certainly going to hit you in the face early. Now ultimately, it’s football. If you’re getting three-and-outs, it’s not going to affect you that much. So we got to keep them on the field offensively and defensively we got to get them off quick.”
(What was your final record in coaching staff basketball?) – “(laughter) It certainly wasn’t a losing one, let’s say that. (laughter) We did mix the teams from time to time, but yeah, let’s just say I’m glad the season ended when it did, because tempers were starting to flare a little bit. You’ve got a lot of competitive juices flowing out there.”
(Are you a power forward?) – “I’d like to consider myself like a slash player. Sometimes I go do work underneath the rim, sometimes I go out and shoot threes. I’m an athlete. Let’s not peg me into just a big rebounder or something. (laughter)”
(Who’s the most intense out there?) – “Joe Barry – no, no. I take that back, it’s probably Austin Clark. It’s definitely Austin Clark. He doesn’t know what a hard foul is, let’s just say that. (laughter)”
(DT Benito Jones being out for a little over a week now, you’ve gotten a lot of snaps out of DT Brandon Pili. What’s your attitude about him? Is there an NFL body and skill set there do you think?) – “Yeah, (Brandon) Pili has all of the attributes to go out there and be a productive NFL interior lineman. He’s still learning the finer things of playing the position, but he has all the skill in the world and just like all of these other guys I’ve talked about, he comes to work bright-eyed ready to go. As long as you do that and then you take the coaching and try to apply it on the field, you’ll get the results. I’m certainly pleased at where he’s trending so far in his early career.”
(How did LB Chop Robinson and LB Mohamed Kamara respond not only when the lights came on Saturday, but also when they’re facing somebody at joint practice, and doesn’t have the same jersey at them?) – “Let me go back to the Atlanta game; I’ve never seen two people so disappointed that they weren’t able to take the field. They were genuinely distraught. Now when they got under the lights, nothing changed for them. They just went out and continued to do what they’ve done at practice which is try to apply the coaching and let your technique and fundamentals allow you to make plays. Now I joked with ‘Mo’ (Mohamed Kamara) because Chop (Robinson) has his TFL, and then maybe a few plays later Mohamed makes his play. I was like, ‘Oh, you felt like you had to catch up, right? You felt like you were behind.’ They have a little bit of healthy competition between each other. They love each other, they work together, but you need that. You’re always chasing something. Just that little internal rivalry between the two of them is pretty cool.”
(Regarding your secondary, I don’t know how much time the five of them have been out there together. How much time do they need together before they get out there and face QB Trevor Lawrence and QB Josh Allen in Weeks 1 and 2?) – “We certainly have to get the defense as a whole out there together. There’s a couple of guys that are battling through some small injuries, but I have the upmost faith in all of those guys, because they’ve played so much football. The collective football IQ is so high that I don’t think it will take long for us to get on the same page and gel together. Even though they’re not necessarily out there taking full speed reps all the time in practice, they are getting a ton of jog through reps. They’re always talking, communicating in meetings. You try to steal reps that way.”
(Tell me how you see S Marcus Maye role as a Dolphin in 2024?) – “Did you see him in the game? The guy was flying around hitting everything. I love Marcus (Maye). I love his professionalism, I love his toughness, he is a guy that’s incredible. He started for seven years in this league, yet he approaches practice like he’s a rookie and he’s learning and he has something to prove. I think that says everything about him. If you’re a young player and you don’t look to Marcus Maye as an example of what it is to be a pro, then you’re doing yourself a disservice.”
(Have you identified maybe one, two, three guys that are going to be your leaders on defense? Your coaches on the field this season?) – “It’s tough for me to identify just three, but I think leadership is plural. At any particular moment, you could be called on to be a leader. Do we have guys that are going to be at the forefront of that? For sure, absolutely. But I certainly don’t want to pigeonhole anybody, any one player into that role. Because if you’re one of those 11 guys on that field and the ball is coming your way, lead. Lead and do your job. To say there is a few, I guess you can anoint people, but ultimately, shoot – I want everybody that’s on this defense to be a leader.”
(How is LB Bradley Chubb doing in his rehab, and what’s his mindset?) – “I’ll tell you what – you talk about a guy that is just attacking his rehab with a fierce intensity but still has an incredible effect on all of the guys in the locker room. That is like the ultimate sign of a leader and a pro. Because I’ve been in his shoes, and when you’re not out on the field, sometimes you feel like it’s hard to step into that leadership role. But I just think is shows the amount of influence and the regard his teammates have for him that he is able to lead in an incredible capacity when he’s not out there. I love him and appreciate his work. I see it every day and can’t wait for him to get back out on the field.”
(What has stood out to you from S Jevón Holland this year and maybe his development?) – “Jevón (Holland) wants to be great. There are examples where I showed the defensive guys where literally he’d be on say the 10-yard line and run to the opposite pylon in pursuit just trying to make a play. When you’re constantly preaching uncommon effort, and your players and your leaders, like Jevón, are showing you visually this is what it is, how easy is that for me as a coach to now hold everybody else to that same standard. Dealing with some things right now, but when he’s out there you can see the impact that he is going to have on this defense. The safety position is incredibly important. I think if you look back at the Baltimore tape and the history of the Ravens, you know how valued that position is. So there is certainly excitement for what he can do when he gets out there.”
