Lynn Bowden Jr. – August 7, 2021
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Saturday, August 7, 2021
WR Lynn Bowden Jr.
(How do you feel camp has gone for you so far? Are you happy with what you’ve put on tape through the nine practices?) – “Definitely. There’s always room for improvement. We’re out here working in this 100-degree weather every day just looking for things to critique and get better at. On my end, I probably have to step up a little bit and be that playmaker that everybody thinks I am, that I know I am; but other than that, I think I’m doing a good job.”
(There’s an awful lot of depth and talent at the wide receiver position. Where do you see yourself fitting into that group?) – “It’s a deep group and everybody is competing right now. We’re all competitors in there and I feel like I can get up there with the best of them. We’ve just got to let it show out here.”
(The Dolphins added a few guys who have speed and shiftiness such as WR Jaylen Waddle and WR Will Fuller. What do you think you can offer the Dolphins that is unique?) – “Everything. Just like you said, the shiftiness, speed and just my IQ on the field in general from playing multiple positions and doing it at the highest level. I feel like my IQ can get me there.”
(How much of a difference does it feel to actually have a training camp here and be in the offense that you already somewhat know compared to last year?) – “It’s way better. When I got traded, I had a couple days to try to learn the whole playbook; but just being out here from Day 1 to whenever it’s over, it’s just way easier for me and for the coaches to see what I can put on film and do in the offense that we’ve got.”
(Thirteen receivers in the room – of the 13, obviously before WR Isaiah Ford came here. There are only six running backs. I know obviously you’re best suited for receiver than a running back. You could’ve done it, but you’re probably better at receiver. But because of the numbers, did the thought ever occur to you this offseason, “Should I inquire about maybe asking for some snaps at running back as well?” Or is your thinking, “I am receiver. This is what I want to do?”) – “I’d play center if I got to. (laughter) So if that answers your question – I’ll play whatever they need me to play, whatever they ask me to play.”
(Is it something that you brought up though to them? Did you and Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Eric Studesville and Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey have any discussion saying, “Can I take running backs snaps, too?”) – “Can’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. (laughter)”
(Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey and Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Eric Studesville, some other folks – they all kind of brainstormed to put together an offense that would fit the skillsets of QB Tua Tagovailoa and the skill players. What do you like about what they came up with?) – “To me, I think the offense is magnificent. The coaches – they took their time with it and they made it for us and it’s going to show out there when we come out in Game 1.”
(What stands out about you is your instincts in the open field. It’s almost like you have a sixth sense in where guys are coming from. Where does that come from?) – “That’s from God. I’ve had that in me since I was a young guy just running around. I played a lot of backyard football growing up and I still do at home with my son. And I got a lot of dogs. They like to chase me around the yard so I work on that stuff at home. (laughter)”
(It’s like Rocky. It’s like Rocky chasing…) – “Oh yeah, definitely. (laughter)”
(With the RPO offense, obviously you have a background with it from your college days. What is the biggest challenge in terms of making it work?) – “Everybody’s just got to be on the same page, committed and dedicated. I think that’s where our group is right now from the ones to the threes to the fives. I think we’re all committed, dedicated to everything the coaches want us to do and I think that’s what’s going to get it done.”
(How difficult is it as a playmaker to just accept the role that they carved out for you in?) – “It’s the name of the game. It’s the name of the game. You know what you sign up for. Some player’s role might be bigger. Some player’s (role) might be lower. It all goes hand-in-hand.”
(What’s one specific thing that you want to make sure that the coaches see from you before the final cut-down day?) – “That I’m dedicated. I’m reliable and I’m here to have fun and win some championships.”
(Some of your teammates and some people have decided they don’t want to be vaccinated. What is your level of support for their decision?) – “That’s their personal decision. I’m not going to say I’m against. I’m not going to say I’m with it. I’m obviously vaccinated. I did it for my kids. I didn’t want to bring anything home, even though you still can get sick. I’m not against it; I’m not with it. I did it out of my personal choice. I guess I could just tell them to read up on it and make a decision; but we’re playing in the NFL so they got the last say of what’s going to go on and like I said, it’s a personal decision.”
(What are your thoughts on your Madden 22 rating?) – “What is it?”
(68, but your acceleration and catching is like 87.) – “87? Acceleration? I think I got one of the best stop herky jerky NFL. (laughter) I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t get into stuff like that. I still see people tagging me in 95-yard bombs down the field so if 68 is bad when I get on there, whenever I do, I’ll turn it up to 99. (laughter)”
(How do you avoid looking at the numbers during training camp – how many guys are there? How many guys will stick? How do you avoid that?) – “Sometimes you’ve just got to worry about yourself. You can’t worry about the next person is doing. If I’m trying to get better – like I was saying, you can’t worry about what someone else is getting better at because that’s the chance that you give them to get on top of you. You know what I mean? So for me, I’m just worrying – like I watch the film, I see everybody and what they do. You learn from mistakes. If I make a mistake, I go in there and watch it and make sure I don’t make the same mistake over and over. And at the end of the day, it’s about the team. You want to better everybody around you, so I know if I’m going hard, they’re going to go hard and if they’re going hard, I’m going to go hard. It goes hand-in-hand.”
(This may be a weird question, but you seem a lot more comfortable and enjoying the conversation with the media than you did last year. Is it strictly because you’re in-person and not on Zoom?) – “We’re in person. Listen, I’m going to come and shake y’all’s hands when I get done. (laughter) I’ll come shake y’all’s hands. I feel good. I’m not just staring at a screen; I felt like I was incarcerated.”
