Josh Boyer – February 15, 2019
Download PDF version
Friday, February 15, 2019
Defensive Pass Game Coordinator/Cornerbacks Josh Boyer
(I know that you’re just in the process of beginning to evaluate players. One issue that is out there is S Minkah Fitzpatrick. He can obviously do a lot of things well. He said late in the season that he would love for the Dolphins to be able to tell him by late January or early February where he would be playing – cornerback or safety – simply so he’d know how much weight to put on or lose. Have you guys made that decision yet?) – “I’d say we’re still early in the process of evaluating our current roster. We’re also in the process of evaluating how we want to approach and how we want to attack things from that standpoint. I’d say we’re in the infancy stages of figuring that stuff out.”
(So no decision on that particular thing yet?) – “No.”
(Have you talked to any of your players – CB Xavien Howard, S Minkah Fitzpatrick, S Reshad Jones or anyone from the group?) – “I have met Reshad and I met T.J. (McDonald) briefly. I just introduced myself. That was kind of just a brief introduction. They’re going through some of their offseason stuff. I haven’t had any … It was just ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ And that’s kind of it.”
(Early impressions on the talent you have back there? You have a great cornerback in CB Xavien Howard. You have veteran safeties and S Minkah Fitzpatrick is a fine, young player. What are your impressions?) – “I think our impressions are to look at it from a holistic approach in what we can have, what we have and how to best utilize it and what ways you can enhance that, if that makes any sense. That’s the process that we’re in right now. That’s going to be the same for all of our players. We’re going to try to put them in the best spots to succeed and we’ll work very hard and very diligent at that. I’d say (Defensive Coordinator) Patrick (Graham) has done a great job of organizing stuff for us. We’ve got a good staff that’s putting in a lot of hours right now trying to figure all of that stuff out.”
(How good is CB Xavien Howard? You’ve obviously seen him in games even though you were focusing on the other side of the ball.) – “Yeah. It was more of a crossover. I think obviously he had some success a year ago. For us, it’s a matter of how he’ll fit into the system and what ways we can best utilize his skills. It’s exciting to get to work with all of the players. Not just Xavien, but I would say everybody. We’re excited to – when we’re able to – work with those guys and put them in the best position to succeed.”
(What did you think of S Minkah Fitzpatrick just watching him in the draft process and anything you’ve observed so far on tape?) – “Again, I would have to keep a lot of it in generalities because like I said, we’re still … We come in and say we’ll watch these players and watch these draft players. There’s a lot of things going on and there’s a lot of balls on the court right now, for example. And part (of it) is this is our system, this is how we’re going to do it. So there are a lot of variable parts there. I would say for me, personally, it doesn’t matter. I’m excited to work with all of the players.”
(I know. I was just hoping to get maybe a little something on a couple of specific guys that maybe you would have seen in the draft process. Like one would be did you look at CB Jalen Davis in the draft process?) – “Out of Utah State? Yeah. So we looked at him in the draft process and then usually what happens is during the season, you get focused on your group and what your group is doing. So there is not much. And if you don’t see him on crossover games, and even then, more of our focus would be on the offense and not so much what the defense is doing, if that makes sense.”
(Do you remember anything specifically on CB Jalen Davis or CB Cornell Armstrong as you looked at draft corners with the Patriots last year? Do you recall anything that when you came here, you thought to yourself, ‘Okay, this could be something to work with.’) – “Honestly, coming here, I took it as a blank slate. Whatever 2018 was for those guys and whatever it was for me, it makes no difference (because) 2019 is going to be what 2019 is. Like I said, we’re still at the beginning stages of all of that. I’m very excited to be here. I’m very excited to work with those guys when we get the opportunity.”
(How does the dynamic work, working in tandem with Safeties Coach Tony Oden since you are kind of splitting up the DBs?) – “I would say we’re all trying to work for the common goal, so I think at different times, both of us will do different things with the big picture in mind that we are all trying to get it right on the same page. I’ve primarily worked with cornerbacks, but I would say there’s going to be versatility, hopefully, with some of our guys who can do different things. Both of us will be coaching the same thing, the same terminology. I’m excited to work with him. It should be a good experience for both of us.”
(What were your impressions of S Minkah Fitzpatrick’s rookie season from afar from as much as you observed?) – “I would have to go back to generalities. I would say we’re in the infancy stage of evaluating our current roster and we’re in the infancy stage of putting in our defensive game plan of what we want to be and how we want to be. Related to our roster, the key to us will be putting our players in positions to succeed and how we can do that most frequently is kind of what we’re working towards. To me, it doesn’t matter what happened in 2018. In 2019, all of the players – Minkah included – would have a blank slate. I kind of approach it that way.”
(How do you value defensive positions? Is there a position on the defensive side of the ball that you would say is the cornerstone of the defense, whether it’s a pass rusher or a lockdown corner?) – “I think it’s holistic approach. I think you need all 11 guys who are out there on the same page. Obviously there are times where you have really good coverage in the back end and it allows a little extra time for the defensive guys up front to get there, or the defensive guys can get there so quick, they can allow opportunities for you on the back end to make plays on the ball. I think it’s trying to coordinate the whole group together, all 11 guys working on the same page, and I think that’s what we are going to strive to do: putting those guys in the best position to do that based on their abilities.
(I know it’s early in your evaluation stage of this roster but you played against CB Xavien Howard a little bit and he had a little bit of success on the other side of the ball. What do you see from the other side when you were out there about that type of playmaker and a guy who can get his hands on the ball like that?) – “Xavien had a good amount of production last year. Obviously you like a lot of things you see on film. I would say for me, I was more focused on the offensive side of the ball. There is a little bit of crossover but even when you are watching the crossover tape, you are still primarily focused on what the offense is doing. It goes back to being in the infancy stages of evaluating everybody on the roster and putting them in the best position to succeed.”
(How would you characterize your relationship with Brian Flores? Obviously you have been up the ranks together for a while.) – “I’m very happy for Coach Flores getting the opportunity. We’ve worked together for 13 years. He’s a great communicator. He’s very intelligent. I’m very excited to work with him. I’m very excited to be around him. I feel truly blessed that we are able to continue our friendship and continue our professional growth together. I think that’s an awesome thing.”
(Was Brian Flores the main reason or a big reason why you felt this was an opportunity for you to come to Miami?) – “Yeah. He obviously had a lot to do with it. I was very excited about the opportunity in general. Knowing and understanding him, I feel very fortunate with the guys he’s built this staff with. I feel like he’s done a phenomenal job of putting a staff together. Whether they are guys I knew from the past or new guys I’m just meeting, I think we’re all working hard to be on the same page.
(There is a lot of history about the ‘Patriot Way’ and when you come to another area, what happens and whatnot. How much have you and Brian Flores talked or thought about that, creating a new thing here in Miami?) – “First and foremost, I wouldn’t want to speak for Coach Flores on that. You’d have to ask him. But I would say for me, whether it’s at New England or some of the colleges I’ve coached at, you take experiences from everywhere that you’re at. Whether it’s good, bad or indifferent, you try to implement the good things and the things you didn’t like, you try to stay away from. Ultimately, knowing him for as long as I did, I know what he’s thinking before he says it. It’s one of those things. Whatever happened in the past is in the past. To me, I’m fired up and excited for the 2019 season.”
