Brian Flores – August 17, 2020
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Monday, August 17, 2020
Head Coach Brian Flores
(What do you expect to see from your quarterbacks today?) – “Obviously it’s the first day in pads. We’ve seen a good amount from these guys, I would say, over the last two practices, which where more O vs. D and team oriented. I want to see them get guys in and out of the huddle, good communication, good execution, good fundamentals at their specific position – just from a footwork, ball placement, accuracy, those types of things. We’re still in the early stages. Obviously it’s a new offense. We’re trying to execute at a good clip early on.”
(Do you expect QB Tua Tagovailoa to be 100 percent full participant in padded practices, and outside of scheduled off days, do you see him resting during some practices? Is it the plan for him to go full-go every single practice?) – “We’ll take it one day at a time. He’ll be out there today along with the rest of the quarterbacks and the majority of the players on the team. He’s looked healthy in the OTAs and walkthrough type practices. This will be the first one in pads. Yeah, he’s looked healthy. We’re taking this one day at a time with Tua, as we are with every player, and hoping that he improves on a daily basis. Like any rookie, he needs the snaps and he needs the reps to improve and get better and give himself a chance.”
(I wanted to ask you about something you’ve talked about a few times with playing the hand you’ve been dealt, as well as mentioning your personal activity when it comes to scouting what’s available out there. My question is, does this new season with expanded rosters and practice squad provide you with any sort of advantage to get more guys in to take a look at?) – “I don’t know if it provides us an opportunity to look at more guys. I would say, if anything, it’s harder to look at – to get workouts in. I mean there’s protocols in place to do them but it’s not as seamless and easy as hopping on a plane and getting here. There’s a process that players have to go through to work out now. We have limited time. As far as – we have gotten some guys in and we’ll continue to do that; but quite honestly, (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and (Vice President of Football Administration) Brandon (Shore) and (Assistant General Manager) Marvin (Allen) and those guys, they handle the lion’s share of those things. Obviously I play a role in that as well; but logistically, it’s not as easy to put together workouts as they were a year ago. From that standpoint, it’s a little bit more difficult. I think up to this point, we’ve made some roster moves and I think we’ll continue to do that. Like you said and like I’ve said, we’re going to play the hand that we’ve been dealt. We’re just trying to proceed on a day-to-day basis as best we can, given the circumstances.”
(Since the first couple of weeks of training camp and walkthroughs, how would you say the offensive line has progressed and what can we expect to see early on from that group?) – “Well, obviously we’ve got a young guys in that group with some veteran players sprinkled in like Ted Karras, like Ereck Flowers, who just got back, like Jesse Davis. (Michael) Deiter was here a year ago. We’ve got a few of the young guys as well. Look, there’s a lot of chemistry that has to be built there. I think that’s coming along. It could be better. We’re working on a few different combinations on the o-line; but you don’t really know what you have until you put the pads on. You’re literally fighting pressure with pressure and it’s another body, working a double-team, working the combinations in the run game, feeling the speed, the speed rush, power rush, bull rush, speed-to-power, converting to power and feeling those things. You don’t know what you have until you’re put into that setting, which starts today. From a walkthrough and a non-padded standpoint, I think they’re coming along. Obviously using those 14 padded practices will tell us a lot about that group and really the entire team.”
(With the shortened offseason, do you guys feel like you’re ready to put the pads on physically and mentally?) – “We have no choice but to be ready. We’re going out there today and if you’re not ready, then there’s going to be some problems; but I think we are (ready). I think the guys are raring to go. They’re excited. I think when you put the pads on, the one thing I try to stress to them is to focus on the technique and the fundamentals, because once you put pads on, the adrenaline gets going and in some instances, guys forget about those techniques and fundamentals that we’ve been trying to drill into them for the last – I don’t know how many days it’s been, let’s call it 20 days. That’s kind of the focus. That’s where I want them to put their focus. Let’s focus on the technique and the fundamentals. It’s the same techniques that we’ve been talking about except we’re in pads. They have more protection and we’re going to let them go a little bit more today.”
(I want to ask you about TE Mike Gesicki and some of the things he was able to do in the second half of last season, that you’re hoping he can build upon for this year?) – “My goal for Mike is to improve today. He’s looked good in this early part of training camp; but once we put the pads on, blocking, pass protection and obviously getting into his routes, route techniques, dealing with DBs who are trying to – we’re working his releases against DBs who are trying to get their hands on him. All of those things, when you haven’t done them for eight or nine months and you’re out of that practice, you need to get back into it. You don’t just jump back in the way you were a year ago. That doesn’t happen for any of us – coaches, players. We all need to get out there and practice. Like I’ve said to these guys, last year was last year and nobody is really worried about it. Let’s just focus on right now. To think you’re going to be right where you were at the end of last year, I think that’s just not the case, especially with this being the first day in pads. We’ve got work to get back to that point because it just happened overnight. We’ve got to work for it. That’s kind of been my message to him and all of the players, quite honestly.”
(I wanted to ask you, we’ve seen a little bit of the dynamic virtually between QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and QB Tua Tagovailoa. It seems like they’re being buddy-buddy a good bit. What do you think about that dynamic of your quarterback room and how it translates on the field when it comes to competition?) – “That dynamic, I’m seeing it across all positions. I think we’ve got a lot of good guys on this team and I can see some friendships and bonds building. That only helps on the field from a communication standpoint, even from an asking-for-help standpoint. There’s some instances where you can sit and the offense comes out in something and you’re uncertain about it and you can ask the guy next to you, ‘Hey, what do you think?’ And you help each other get lined up. It’s the same thing offensively, the same thing in the kicking game. I think Tua and ‘Fitz’ and (Josh) Rosen as well, I think those relationships that are building, it’s just one example of hopefully what we’re getting from the majority of the guys in the locker room.”
(I wanted to ask you about S Adrian Colbert. You guys gave him a half-million dollars guaranteed back in March. What’s changed since then that you decided to move on?) – “Those are tough decisions. Chris (Grier), myself, Marvin (Allen), Brandon (Shore), we’ve had long conversations about every player that we’ve released. They’re not easy; but at the end of the day, we always try to do what we feel is best for the team. Obviously those conversations are internal. I’m not going to go into specifics of this, that or the other thing; but at the end of the day, we just felt like it was the best move for us going forward.”
(I want to ask about LB Kyle Van Noy, in terms of your vision for him in this defense. I know he’s played for you and has extensive experience in this scheme, but how much does his knowledge of this scheme help in this process of you building this defense?) – “Kyle, obviously I coached him in New England. I think he’s very smart. He can play multiple positions. He’s got leadership ability. I think he’s going to help us in a variety of ways. To me, the one thing from a communication standpoint, from a leadership standpoint, I see him as similar to what (you guys) said about Tua and ‘Fitz.’ His relationship with Bobby (McCain) and (Davon) Godchaux and (Jerome) Baker, you can see that starting to grow. If we can get as much of that on the team as possible, that’s what we’re looking for. Obviously he and I have a good relationship – up and down at times, as he’ll tell you; but I think the world of Kyle. He’s got a great family. I’m looking forward to working with them this year.”
