Mike White – August 8, 2023
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Tuesday, August 8, 2023
QB Mike White
(How does it ratchet up when you get to see another team here?) – “It’s nice. It’s a nice change of pace. It’s a team that although you haven’t seen them, and it’s not like in the season where you watch film and know what exactly you’re getting – it makes it a little challenging in that part – but it’s nice to face someone different who doesn’t know what you do. It’s cool. It heightens it and brings the competitive juices out cause you’re competing against another team, so it’s fun. It’s a nice change of pace.”
(So how did it go?) – “We had some good. We had some bad. I mean that’s going to be any practice. Nothing’s ever as good as it looks and nothing’s ever as bad as it looks but there’ll be some good stuff to learn off of the tape, I think, from all sides or all groups or whatever you want to call it. So yeah, just got to get in there, get better from it and build on it tomorrow.”
(You’ve been around this league a little bit now, I asked Head Coach Mike McDaniel have certain guys flashed. When you see some guys that have flashed that maybe you didn’t know about, what’s that like?) – “I think what we do a good job of here is a lot of guys get rotated in with different groups, which is nice so it’s not like I’m throwing to the same guys over and over and Tua (Tagovailoa) is throwing to the same guys and Skylar (Thompson) is throwing to the same guys. So we get we get to look at a bunch of different guys. I wouldn’t say anyone necessarily flashes because a lot of these guys have been doing it for a long time. I mean River (Cracraft) had a great play today on a what we call a YAC, the yards after catch angle, on a third down. Braxton (Berrios) had a bunch of third-down conversions. Tyreek (Hill) had a nice play-action up the seam. There’s a lot of guys who made a lot of good plays. There’s some good runs that might not look good to the untrained eye, but there was some really good stuff that our backs did. I think our front did a good job of handling different looks that, like I said we aren’t really watching game film all week of them like we would in a game. So I think a lot of guys handled that challenge well. Now it wasn’t all perfect by any means, so I’m not trying to try to say that we were lights out, but there was some good stuff I thought.”
(For our bookkeeping purposes, how far did you grow up from here?) – “Pembroke Pines. I live right now about five minutes from my house. It takes me 18 minutes, so 20 minutes from here – 20-21 minutes.”
(How often did you go to Hard Rock Stadium as a kid?) – “I went to the stadium a lot whether it was for the Dolphins or the Marlins. I was telling (Steve Goldstein) back when I went, it was Pro Player (Stadium). And then it went to Land Shark (Stadium) at one point and it just it’s been through a bunch of name changes. But I remember my very first memory was back when it was Pro Player. I remember going to games. Shoot, I remember going to Game 4 of the World Series when the Marlins were in it when Alex Gonzalez hit that home run. I remember going to, I can’t remember what week it was, but it was the winless year and we caught that one slant and broke it to the house vs. the Ravens to win our first game. I remember that game. I remember a ton of stuff. The Wildcat days with Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. I remember it all.”
(On training camp here) – “It’s awesome. A nice change of pace.”
(As far as trash talkers, is there anyone who comes to mind as someone who…?) – “Christian Wilkins, and it’s nice he’s on my team now. I have to deal with it for about two to three more weeks till training camp is over, then I get to watch everybody else deal with it.”
(What was it like dealing with him when you were with the Jets?) – “So I didn’t play against him but I did hear him from the sideline, if that tells you how much of a trash talker he is. But he backs it up. So it’s not like one of those guys that loves to trash talk but kind of doesn’t show up. Christian shows up every game. You can’t really get annoyed with it because you got to respect it. He’s a hell of a player and we’ve seen it and that was probably a nice change of pace today is not going up against him seeing different d-linemen. But yeah, I would definitely say Christian Wilkins.”
(Is there a specific style he has?) – “I think that’s what makes him so great is he can change it up. He knows what works, what doesn’t work. I mean some days he can be like really, really nice and it kind of confuses you. Other days he can be all up on you and just trash talking and saying God knows what. But like I said, he backs it up and you got to respect it.”
(You mentioned WR Braxton Berrios. What is it about his game that makes him so tough to defend on third downs?) – “I mean the short-area quickness is so good by him and I think he does such a good job of making those one-step cuts and you can feel his body language and know when he’s leaning into someone, when he’s getting ready to break out and he has a really good feel for the zone looks as well. Man to man, he’s fast and he’s crafty so he’s going to beat you just off of pure speed a lot of the time, but it’s the zone looks that he knows when he needs to throttle down, when he needs to kind of lean into something. If it’s an out-breaker but it’s versus a cloud, he knows, ‘All right, I can break out but I don’t need to break out as fast. I can kind of throttle in that dead zone.’ There’s little stuff like that that makes him really, really fun to throw to.”
(Does he spend time with you and the quarterbacks alone because it sounds like the trust is there.) – “There is a lot of trust. You can just tell when you’re talking to him after a route, he understands. He thinks – he’ll even sometimes come up to us and say, ‘Hey, this is what I was thinking’. And nine times out of 10, it’s the right thing. So it’s a lot fun to play with him. Luckily, I’m going on year five watching him get some (opportunities).”
(Two things I was told about RB De’Von Achane today. One, he’s good in pass protection. I saw him pick up a linebacker. Two, he can run between the tackles despite his size. What have you observed?) – “Yeah, I think he’s very talented. I think you can see that from day one when he got here after rookie mini-camp. He’s athletically very gifted. And I think he’s starting to really learn the nuances of the program, like you said the pass pro, and running between the tackles. He’s not just a gadget-y speed guy. He can pick up a pro(tection), and that fires you up because that makes you want to get him the ball more as a quarterback. It’s a very selfless job picking up a linebacker full steam. So it’s a lot of fun to play with him. It’s a lot of fun to watch them grow. Now, he’s got a long way to go as we all do. I’m not trying to give him his flowers yet, but the progression that you’ve seen from him is really cool.”
(Does this offense have the same foundation as the Jets? Are there any similarities or differences?) – “The base stuff is very similar. There’s some differences formation motion wise. I think we push the ball downfield a lot more than my time in New York. And I think a lot of it, like I said before, has to do with personnel. I mean, we got obviously Tyreek (Hill), Jalen (Waddle) (Robbie) Chosen now, Braxton (Berrios) is pushing it downfield, Braylon (Sanders), ‘E’ (Erik Ezukanma). Like everybody can go. I think we’re lucky enough to have that so we can push the ball downfield more here.”
(Going back to you watching games here as a kid, have you played here?) – “I have not played. I’ve backed up Joe (Flacco) a couple of times. Last year I was hurt the last game of the year, so I didn’t play. But I have not taken a meaningful snap in the stadium yet.”
(Does that create any feelings for you?) – “Oh, 100 percent. I mean the stadium looks completely different though, so it won’t feel the same. There’s not a bunch of orange seats everywhere and there’s a nice little cover and there’s not a baseball field at the 30-yard line. But it’s still the same building. And it’s going to be a lot of fun. I mean, I’m sure I’m going to have tons of friends and family out there. I mean, too many to count but it’s going to be a lot a lot of fun.”
Mike McDaniel – August 8, 2023
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Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(I’m just curious what the thinking is with OL Isaiah Wynn. I know he’s told us that he’s playing some guard, he’s listed on the depth chart as the No. 2 left guard. Obviously he has been a tackle for the last four years, has played guard at Georgia. The fact he hasn’t played it in six or seven years, what made you, Offensive Line Coach Butch Barry, etc. want to experiment with him at guard as opposed tackle?) – “So depth charts, okay, preseason depth charts – which there’s nothing wrong with them in theory, but for what we do here, and you guys hear me talk about it all the time, like every day, we’re evaluating. Every day is important and I am of principle that players decide where they’re at on the field. In doing that, preseason depth charts are like my nemesis because I just make sure that they have every player on the team, but to sit here and say, ‘this person is…’ We are rotating guys, giving guys – I put a precedent on giving guys the opportunity and having them decide where they stand. So if someone’s listed as a guard, that doesn’t mean they’re not getting tackle work or vice versa. You have to put something on paper in general, but realistically, there should be about 15 starters on each side of the ball because you’re talking about different personnel groups. Can you do that? Do I just release the day’s depth chart? All those things, it’s very malleable. I understand why it feels like it’s anointing something. It’s really, really not. He’s listed there because he does play that position, but there’s like three other positions that he’s playing. Unlike years past, I think in my history and definitely from last year, we have more competition at a lot of spots. So you might see somebody starting that’s listed in the third team. I really don’t care about it. But only because our mantra, like I can’t speak out of both sides of my mouth, so I’m just like, ’Ah, okay, there’s a lot of names here. Oh, there’s five. There’s seven. Okay, we got them all. Sweet.’ And that’s about the end of it. Thanks for the rant. I knew you’d help me.”
(I don’t have an injury question. I’ve got an injury recovery question. CB Jalen Ramsey on Friday was out there with no crutches and no leg brace, just a sleeve on his left leg. Is he ahead of schedule? Has his return date changed?) – “There’s been a slew of crutches thievery in Miami Gardens. (laughter) Again, it’s a beautiful balance because I love where Jalen is at. He is attacking everything. I love that I can depend on our training staff to know that leaves someone vulnerable to over-exerting at this stage. So that balance has been doing excellent right now. In terms of ahead, I think if I say ‘ahead of schedule’ to our head trainer, he might open-hand slap me because he doesn’t believe in that. He believes in he’s doing well at this juncture, but you have to go through steps and plateaus. He was already resisting the crutches when he had the crutches. I pointed out to him that his triceps could use the work, but he didn’t agree. (laughter) His spirits are great and it speaks to him. Like how many other guys do you see with a timetable such as his having ownership of the team and his guys more than Jalen Ramsey? I think it speaks to the type of individual, the type of leader that we have on the team and the fact that you guys have a visual aid of his recovery and that he’s not on crutches speaks to who he is and what this team and this locker room is about.”
(What’s the plan in ramping up S Brandon Jones this training camp? He’s been in that red jersey and limited to few team reps.) – “It’s more than last week, not as much as the next week. Very individualized. Brandon (Jones) specifically falls into the category of the Jalen Ramseys of the world. Brandon will do anything and everything to expedite his return. It means so much to him, so he was probably ready for a little bit more than we gave him last week, but that’s intentional because we don’t want to put him in a precarious situation to have a setback. There were no setbacks from last week, very encouraged by it. Hoping to take another step forward this week.”
(You mentioned DT Christian Wilkins and how he embodies what you expect from this team the last time we talked to you. Can you talk about when you first realized that and is there some type of harnessing you have to do for his energy level? Does it get out of hand ever?) – “So it’s one of the reasons – it gives me little goosebumps when I – I just got them, see? Literal. (laughter) Because the progression of players in their journey is just why you get into coaching. And yeah, when I first got here – he’s always been so coachable so he would be – his antics were less directed towards they team as they are now. When he has enthusiasm, he’s bringing his teammates along. He is letting them know that he’s the tone setter. He’s the standard. And it’s not just him, it’s all of his 10 other teammates on the field at the time with him. At the beginning, it was more let’s just say, it was concerted ‘s-talk.’ (laughter) I did that myself. I bleeped myself. And it was just more about being intense. He goes to a place when he plays football that is one of the reasons why he’s such a good player is because he sees red. And now he’s learned how to channel it and it’s been awesome to see because where he was starting maybe some fights my first week here, now he’s setting energy. And how awesome is that? How did I coach him – I’d coach him in team meetings in front of his peers and be like, ‘Listen, you can utilize this energy better.’ And he did. And now when he makes a play, it makes other people better offensively and defensively on our team. So it’s a really cool progression to watch and I love him for it.”
(Are there any key players who – someone on the top three teams – who you know are probably not going to participate in the team activity portion even if it’s just for precautionary reason?) – “Yeah, there are some individuals on our progression back that I anticipate that the first person that comes to mind that will probably be tomorrow the first time you see (Terron) Armstead against these guys. Outside of that – there’s so many people – but like I’ve said the whole time, it’s very individualized because that’s what they deserve. It’s not a set rule. It’s where they’re at, what we need to see and what we need to see from Armstead is the healthiest version of himself and no setbacks. So knowing that it’s the first day of joint practice, we’re just continuing our progression with him. I’m sure there’s other people that I am not thinking of, but the good news is we planned for this. I have a press conference tomorrow and the guys I’m forgetting, I know you guys will remind me.”
(Speaking of energy, there’s a lot more energy obviously when another team comes in here, but do questions get answered today? Do you see certain things today when guys go against other teams? Guys that maybe you’re still figuring out?) – “It’s a different benchmark in the progression of the coaching. You do see things. It’s like many things; whatever you see, it’s even more important the next day. How do they address that? It’s not just going against the other team that brings the energy. It’s that we’ve been practicing football for however long against the same people. So that’s the excitement. That’s the energy. And with that, you can see what people do with it. There’s always good way to harness energy and bad ways. We’re going to see both today. What are they going to do with it? The next day is you end up – it’s very important that they just put their best foot forward so we can identify what those things are and then we have an opportunity the next day to see what they do with that. So it is unique information, how are they going to channel the energy and we’ll see if the guys that do it correctly and appropriately, if they can maintain that for two days. And we’ll see if the guys that do it incorrectly or inappropriately, if they can adjust the following day.”
(The National Weather Service has an excessive heat warning today in South Florida. Heat index will be up to 115 degrees, they said. Did you think of moving practice up even earlier in the day to try to avoid that? And the second question is will you be in long sleeves throughout practice?) – “Well, I’m very aware of all of that. I have like a minor in meteorology at this point. And yeah, you’re always going over the whys between the schedule for our team and what we like to do. I like to get in front of the team before and kind of set the tone for what our objective is for the day. If the variance was that severe, which it isn’t from half an hour’s time; if it is, then I’ll cancel meetings and push it up. But I’m very aware of what the heat index is today, which is why you’ll you see in practice, while I’m sweating in my long sleeves, which I will be wearing today that multiple people coming up to me continually during practice because we’re monitoring that stuff all the time. You have to communicate. You want the training. You don’t want it to be excessive that it is harmful or dangerous to people. So I am monitoring that all the time and doing our best to stay in front of anything like that. But yeah, we’ve been pumping our guys with hydration. They’re aware and we’ll do our best to keep everybody safe and get some good work in today.”
(Have you decided to rest the starters or play Friday’s preseason game?) – “Have not, and the reason is because I don’t like to get ahead of myself. To me, when you decide that stuff – and I’m very principled by this – when you decide that stuff before you have two practices, you’re essentially saying that these practices don’t matter in my opinion. Like where are the guys at and what do they need? I’m sure in the future, future Mike will decide that there’ll definitely be some starters that don’t play. There will probably be some starters that do. And that’s not a punishment. That’s more of like where they’re at in their game and doing right by them so that Week 1, you don’t spend a quarter or half a game getting the bugs or the rust off. That’s not fair to anybody. When the games count, they count, so I will reserve even considering those types of decisions until you know at least the completion of the second day of the joint practices.”
(Have you expressed I guess any specific expectations you’ve outlined guiding the players’ like behavioral conduct during this joint practice session?) – ”Yes. And I spent the morning meeting today making sure that it’s very clear that in football, especially this version of it, where you have pads and you’re replicating it, but you’re not tackling, there can be some emotions elicited from that. And I don’t tolerate any things that get you 15-yard penalties. And if I can live-speed discern that someone is doing something that would get him kicked out of the game, he’ll get kicked out of practice. I think that’s important that we go there. That’s one great thing about joint practices is it gets your emotion level closer to the point that a game is, and in a game, we can’t hurt the team because of our personal – I guess how would I say it? I had to censor myself again. (laughter) Because our personal wars that we’re going through. You have to put the team first. So those are other good things about joint practices, but we got in front of it because it is something people can lose their cool and we’re trying to avoid that.”
(Is there anything you’re looking forward to the next couple of days other than you mentioned how they react to the energy of playing somebody else? Anything in your big picture looking at about the team?) – “There’s so many – people can get enamored with, like, the starters, were three for five. And yes, we are assessing how the starting players are playing, but in these practices, you get a great lens into your roster. And you have a ton of really tough, tough decisions, really difficult decisions that are coming a couple of weeks away. And this is a great aspect of the whole preseason process where you get little heightened information on who’s going to be a part of your team. We are – don’t get it twisted – on our journey and we’re deciding, really, the players are deciding on the field, what the locker room is going to look like. And the younger guys that maybe don’t get as many opportunities in team periods generally get a little bit more opportunities in joint practices for that reason. The one-on-ones are heightened because it is more mano a mano. Less, ‘Well, you did this yesterday, I got a plan for you today.’ Those deciding what your roster is going to become is a hard, hard thing that Chris (Grier) and I and the coaching staff and personnel (staff) have to come up with. And these joint practices serve as a very helpful tool in that along with everything else that we evaluate.”
(Was there anything from the scrimmage carrying over to today that you’d like to see cleaned up or re-emphasize? Whether it’s operational or specific…?) – “Yeah, everything that you guys noticed that was bad, I’m hoping is good. (laughter) Because I was there, too. Everything that we’re doing, what you’re hitting on is a microcosm of what the NFL season is. It’s about today and then tomorrow, it’s about tomorrow and what did you use from the day before to make yourself the best version of the present. So that is an easier said than done thing that we have to accomplish in the regular season. It’s as simple as like, so you beat a team by 25 points. Do you let your foot off the gas and then get pummeled that next week, or do you lose a game by 25 points, and not make the decision that, hey, we’re not going to lose again? These types of things, that emotional roller coaster of taking what you’ve done before and pressing forward to be the best version yourself, that’s what, across the board, I look at each and every day. So the scrimmage was an opportunity. We had some explosive plays given up that I don’t want to see given up. We had procedural penalties with certain groups, some operational stuff with a snap or two. And we had some decisions from the quarterback and some routes, and angles by blockers. I mean, the list goes on and on. But what I can tell you is that’s what’s cool about looking at it that way is the second that on this practice field, I guarantee today I’m going to see somebody do something that will be a positive result as a result of something that they didn’t do well in a scrimmage. You’re trying to stack those things and make sure that is how we operate and training people with muscle memory on like, ‘hey, alright, I’m going to take yesterday, but it’s about today.’ And so there’ll be much of that in the midst of the heat index and the various jersey colors.”
Mike McDaniel – August 5, 2023
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Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(I think at the end, we saw QB Tua Tagovailoa have a talk with the offense. So what were your thoughts on the offensive execution today?) – “I mean, I thought it was absolutely perfect. No, see, here’s the thing in the journey of like, especially when you’re trying to be a good team, offense has its days, defense has its days. What you want is a team that takes advantage of any inch that the other side gives you. We’ve had those ebbs and flows on both sides of the ball. Today, it seemed, without watching the tape, it was clearly advantage defense. But that’s not really how we look at like, ‘okay, they won.’ No, it’s what and why and how we can progress. I felt that was one of the cool things. I was pretty locked in with Tua during the day, and I could feel that he could feel that guys were a little too geeked up. Sometimes you can get over-competitive and then you jump offsides. Then then you start pressing and stop thinking about your technique and you end up focusing on trying to make a play. Then the inverse happens. So, I know he could feel it. There were some guys that weren’t their normal selves. That happens at practice every day. I think the journey is just beginning for the team and that’s the way both sides of the ball have to look at it. There will be plays too that the defense will learn from, but overall, it’s a very productive day when people really put themselves out there and are able to learn from it. Sometimes those are hard lessons.”
(You guys got pulled off the field for lightning there for a little bit. I know you’re big on opportunities, and adversity is an opportunity. How’d you kind of take that moment to get the guys off the field and bring them back on. Just what was that like?) – “Reps. Apparently, you guys would know more than I would, but that happens from time to time here. Last year was an exception to the rule, I believe. We even have a coach on staff that it’s happened to in a Super Bowl, where you have to go inside and then restart. So the biggest fear that I had, I didn’t want the defense, was starting to feel some momentum, and I didn’t want them to all of a sudden have a lull. That’s what I was looking for. And then I wanted the offense to kind of get their stuff together and try to sustain some stuff. It happened a little bit and then self-inflicted wounds. So these are all things, the lightning is no exception – you’re just happy to get stuff out of the way because you don’t want these lessons to be learned when the score is final and the box score is real.”
(What would you say DT Christian Wilkins means to this team. We saw him with the orange jersey. Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio had high praise for him. In your eyes, what does he mean to his team?) – “Christian is, since I’ve been here, he’s been one way. I truly believe in that way, he embodies what I expect for our team, each individual to be, on a day-to-day basis for you to have success. So how do you categorize that? That’s an important part of the team. I promise you this. If Christian Wilkins came out to practice and was like, ehh (shrugs shoulders), we’d have problems. So as teammates, you end up depending on each other for certain things that you know you can count on. Energy, strain, relentlessness, these are all things that if you’re trying to be a good team, you want to embody.”
(How do you take Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio’s comments and how you read his personality? Yesterday, he was saying that we got to one safety, but we’re looking for two and three and we need more defensive line depth. I mean, when I look at the safeties on the defensive line, I see something a little different. But with Fangio, is he overly harsh or brutally honest?) – “No these are all things – when we were fortunate enough to hire Vic, I didn’t enter into the marriage, like, ‘oh, there’s another guy exactly like me.’ These are things that I think help the football team and when Vic is saying that, he’s not saying anything negative. He’s being bottom line, that you have to earn jobs, which I agree with. He’s been in the NFL for a long time. And guys respect each and everything he’s done. I mean, his track record is proven and guys understand that it’s a bottom line business. He’ll say what is fact to him, that no one’s won it yet. And that’s okay. That means that there’s competition. A lot of teams need depth and he’s stating the fact. How do I feel about it? I feel like he’s Vic Fangio, exactly who I’d hoped he’d be. I was hoping he wouldn’t come here trying to impersonate me because that’d be terrible. We want Vic Fangio, not older, wiser, Mike McDaniel.”
(Coach, are there any past experiences or lessons that you’ve learned from previous joint practice sessions that you intend to use for this upcoming week?) – “Absolutely. It’s something that is very, very beneficial. It’s very finite. You have generally two opportunities. Last year against Philly we only had one, but you generally have two opportunities, and guys are sick of going against each other. What you don’t want to do is show up without an edge. Both sides of the ball will have their wins. Invariably, the Dolphins defense versus Atlanta’s offense and the Dolphins offense versus Atlanta’s defense. One side’s going to feel the first day that they won the day. And generally the second day, things even out because you watch the tape, and you’re like, ‘oh, no, not again.’ It’s one of those things. So I think all those lessons, I’ll try to pass it along. But the main part is that we’re there to work together, to orchestrate a high-octane football practice. And it’s a great chance for a lot of guys to compete against people that have different skill sets, sizes, and statures. As well, as some young guys, you get to play in front of another organization. So, we have 90, we have 53-plus 16. There’s math there and you don’t know who it’s going to be, you don’t know what, but those opportunities are premier really for a guy’s career. I know in my career, I’ll share with them that there’s been several times that we’ve ended up signing players that we’ve gone against in joint practices. Those types of things are invaluable.”
(The format, is there anything out of the ordinary you planned for those two days?) – “No, there’s typically you’re working with another coaching staff, so you have be mindful of their progression, how they approach things and how manyreps they do, and you just have a working relationship. (Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Arthur) Smith is a great guy who kind of tai lors his practices similar to ours. So besides the back handspring competition, no there’s nothing different.”
(CB Cam Smith slipped on the concrete beyond the end zone yesterday. We saw a little bit of him out there today. Safe to say he’s ok?) – “I was aware of the slip on the concrete. That didn’t have a factor – he’s just going through what rookie a lot of rookies go through. Really, when you think about it, it’s very unique to their experience, especially if you’re a first, second, or third-round draft pick. You spend an entire offseason training to run sprints and test times. None of that is playing football. And then you go someplace where everyone else has been training accordingly, you’re trying to learn all this stuff, you have a different lifestyle change, and all the things that come with that. So it’s very typical for guys to be working through stuff as they’re really modifying the body and mind to what the NFL life is.”
(With RB De’Von Achane, is it the same thing?) – “Yeah, he’s a day-to-day situation that we don’t have any concerns for a lot of time, which is good because as a rookie running back, you have to run the ball, you have to run routes and you have to know protections. And that’s a lot. So fortunately, he shouldn’t be out for too long.”
(You mentioned earlier about you hiring Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio, and how understood how he has a different personality than you. What’s been the value, as you put your first staff together and retooled it, of maybe not adding like-minded guys, or people that see the game differently than you?) – “It’s been huge. You kind of find out in trial by fire certain things that can be advantageous. You can project as much as you want, but you don’t know how things are going to exactly play out until you’re in it. I think having the opportunity to get some well-seasoned, experienced (coaches) and guys that really have a true passion for coaching – that’s the one thing I did identify, that I knew that we had a large amount of young talent that had never been there before. So those types of things were monumental for me, and just knowing my own strengths and weaknesses, how to balance myself out so that each Dolphins’ player can get what I think they truly deserve.”
(The young defensive tackles seemed to make some plays today. Did you see some reserve options emerging?) – “Yeah, I think it’s funny how some guys progress. That’s why I have such a hard time, and you guys get so frustrated with (me), like where is this guy at? It’s because I’ve seen too many things play out with different timing. So, you have an opportunity, and maybe a certain thing clicks. All of a sudden you find a niche in your game – ok, I’m a three technique for instance, and wow. When I shoot the gap and get skinny, guys really struggle, and it could just be one play. And what happens after that play? Is that a part of you game, or is that a flash in the pan? All of these things are super interesting, and you can’t figure them truly out until you have a competitive situation that you try to create. Practice is the first step, a scrimmage is the next step, you got to go against other players, and then you’re in a preseason game. These are human beings that are affected by minor things, and they are putting their best foot forward. You really have to wait and judge the full complexity of the situation to look at all of the opportunities. Otherwise, you’re pretty vulnerable to being flat out wrong. I try my best not to do that, the best I can.”
(WR Erik Ezukanma has missed some time and he’s a guy who needs some reps, when talking to Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker. Do you have to caution him against coming back too soon? How do you handle that situation?) – “We’re extremely fortunate to have a training staff like (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle Johnson and all the support staff, (Head Strength and Conditioning Coach) Dave Puloka and these guys. I think the No. 1 formula when dealing with professional athletes is you have to have a relationship with them and you have to know who you’re dealing with and you have to know where their head is at. Erik is hungry. We all know that, so I’m very confident that our training staff will protect him against himself. He knows that he needs to be out there and he’s been chomping at the bit for a long time, but great things typically don’t happen fast. So he really, really wants to be a contributor on this football team in a great way. That’s ok. It can be frustrating. It’s just important that he maximizes his opportunities once he is able to get back on the field.”
(With CB Noah Igbinoghene, do you see him finally coming along? And if I could get a two-for-one, how about CB Eli Apple?) – “Oh, vet move! (laughter) Again, that’s why – don’t underestimate the journey that is going from system to system in a defense. Specifically, you guys all know that we played a ton of man coverage and now we play a ton of really everything. So that process and being able to identify eligibles – this defense does require a good understanding of what everyone is doing to be great. He’s continued to progress and make more plays. He had one of my favorite cloud reps that he’s had all camp and really since he’s been here. He got his hands on a turnover. These are things that you like to see and you like to watch what players do with it. How does that confidence materialize moving forward? Is he thirsty enough to say, ‘I want more,’ or do you get comfortable? That’s why I like the preseason, I like the players’ journey and I like to watch them develop, trying to really fulfill their dreams.”
Christian Wilkins – August 5, 2023
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Saturday, August 5, 2023
DT Christian Wilkins
(Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio told us yesterday that he believes you’re one of the best players in the league. Bottle of wine for a comment like that? What do you think?) – “I didn’t know he said that, but that’s definitely a lot of high praise because Coach (Vic) Fangio is not just throwing out compliments like that so that just speaks to the high standard he holds for me and I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure I meet that high standard each and every day I take this field, take the meeting room, drive on the way to work. It doesn’t matter. Off the field. I’m going to try to hold that high standard I hold for myself and the high standard he holds for me because I know he doesn’t just throw out comments like that. I didn’t know that (he said that), but I got a lot of respect for Vic just being around him for the few months we’ve been working together and got a lot of respect and a lot of praise for him.”
(Do you think the playlist has something to do with the defense’s performance?) – “I can’t take all credit for that, but yeah. (laughter) I think it had a little something-something to do with it. But no, guys just came out today, just locked in. We just want to keep growing and improving as a defense every time we take the field and I feel like we’ve been able to do that this camp so far, but now we’ll have a chance to do that against another team here in a couple days.”
(How much do you put it on yourself to set the tone for defense every day?) – “I put a lot of pressure on myself when it comes to this game and I kind of like it that way because I just feel like who is it going to be if it’s not me? And my teammates are counting on that, and that’s what this organization is counting on. So I try to just bring the energy every day, set the tone, kind of just be that spark, be that light for the guys in this building.”
(I remember last year you said that getting into a routine had a really big impact. Where is that rooted in or was that something you always had or something switched with that?) – “Yeah, I’ve kind of always been like that, but it’s constant work. It’s a constant grind just to kind of improve that routine and improve your process and looking for little things that always give you that edge and that advantage, but it helps me to stay locked in and focused. I know what time I’m waking up, I know what time I’m eating breakfast, I know what time I’m getting to the facility, I know what time I’m doing everything at the facility. It’s like clockwork. Just trying to stay within that and not stray too far, it allows me to just be locked in and stay focused and have a good routine and hopefully it leads to more success.”
(I just want to piggyback off of what was just asked, how do you balance wanting to be that leader of the defense with your own routine? I know you take care of your body a lot of time in that respect.) – “I don’t know, just being around some good leaders in my time here, just being around good leaders throughout my life. Just kind of finding that, just kind of taking a little bit from everybody, but also a big way for me to lead is by example, first and foremost, so guys kind of see what I do and follow along and it just allows me to – it puts me in a good position to continue to lead and be a vocal leader and just have guys’ backs and do all that for them.”
(It looks like DT Jaylen Twyman had a pretty good day today. How have you seen him come along in camp so far?) – “’Baby T’ man. It’s been good to see the things he’s been doing. He’s like your annoying little baby brother. Just asks every single question about football non-stop. Like every single – he’s just non-stop full of questions and I love that because he challenges me. Now he’s got me thinking like – he’ll hit me with something sometimes and I’m like, ‘dang,’ now I’ve got to find an answer for him. But I just love the strides he’s made and you like to see that in a young guy who struggled a little bit early in his career here and still trying to find his way and navigate because I was once in a similar situation where I was struggling early trying to find my way, trying to navigate and that’s all he’s trying to do and all the young guys in our room – (Josiah) Bronson – just trying to motivate them and keep them on the right path.”
(You set career highs for tackles for loss each year. I’m wondering how, after having some time now with this scheme, you think it may be conducive to continuing a trend of tackles for loss as well as potentially setting a career-high for sacks?) – “The biggest thing is I just try to come in every day with a daily focus of getting better. Stats will come, all that will come; but the biggest thing is – I don’t know – I don’t make goals or specific stats or anything I want. I just kind of have general goals that if I lock in on those general goals every day, it’ll lead to everything I want personally, for this team and for this organization, I feel. So not something too specific, but more just general goals that I know if I’m reaching those and being the best in those areas, then everything hopefully that I want will come.”
(Is contract totally out of your mind and if so, how do you accomplish that because it seems very significant?) – “The biggest thing with that, all that stuff, I just try to focus as much on ball as possible and leave all that other stuff up to the organization and my representation and just control what I can control with my guys and with this team. I definitely feel like I’ve done enough and done a lot to earn a new deal and a new contract; but again, I’m just focusing on ball and improving every day and just giving my all to this organization and hopefully they’ll give their all back to me.”
(Is that something you’d like to have a deadline or timeline on, start of the season or something, where hey, I’d love to at least have an answer – yes or no – by a certain time?) – “Again, I’m just trying to focus on the everyday, first and foremost and be the best teammate I can be for my guys, be there for them and just stay in my lane there. Again, like I said, if I continue to be humble and do right by this game, I’m really big on respecting the game and doing right by the game and if you do that, the football gods will always bless you. So that’s kind of my approach and that’s how I approach each and every day.”
(Have you had encouraging signs, talks in those negotiations?) – “Again, like I said, I’ll keep all that between the organization and my representation. I just try to be the best that I can be every day, however I see fit.”
(Speaking broadly though, it’s got to feel great that defensive tackles are now being paid like quarterbacks – $20-25 million a year. What is your reaction when you see those kinds of deals?) – “No, absolutely. I just love it for the evolution of the game and how far we’ve come as a position. Again, like I said, I’m big on respecting the game so it’s my job to carry that torch for those Warren Sapps, those Vince Wilforks – all those guys that I grew up watching and learning from. I have a responsibility so I love what we’ve been able to do as a position for the game and hopefully we’ll continue to do that.”
(The defense seemed to have a nice day today. What are your thoughts on how the defense performed today?) – “Yeah, I think we just came out strong and we stuck together and we were just able to compete. That starts at the top with the leadership on this team, on this defense and just were able to have a little fun out there and even when other guys were going in, other guys were rotating, we just tried to make sure that we supported those young guys that were out there – the subs, the rotation – and just be there for them and support them however we saw fit. It was good. We were just able to have a lot of energy on the sideline and just able to compete and have a good day.”
(The energy that you have in the backfield. Do you know who you’re yelling at? Do you remember what you’re yelling? Is everybody getting it?) – “Nah, I mean it’s just – I don’t know. I’m a sick twisted individual. (laughter) I don’t know. Again, that’s just passion. That’s just love because there’s nothing like making a big play because they’re so hard to come by and I don’t know. I just love this game a lot and when you think about just all the work you put in, that’s a great reward.”
(Is there any different feeling to coming back to the stadium from the fans and everything?) _ “That was great. It definitely just changes your mindset. It was nice that we were able to do this during camp because you’re in the monotony of camp. You’re just coming in every day driving to the facility, so this was a nice changeup. It just was a little bit of different energy and I told the guys before practice – the d-line – I was like, don’t take this for granted. Any time you come into this stadium, it’s a time to compete and put on. Don’t disrespect this game. Don’t disrespect this organization. Put on every time you come to the stadium. So that was a lot of fun. It added a little more juice. It was nice to have the fans around. I had my playlist popping. I mean, it was cool. Someone messed it up. I want to talk to the person who messed up my playlist. They played it all out of order. They had one job to do, but it’s all good. (laughter) It worked out. It’s all good. It worked out. It was straight. I saw some head bobs from people who were hating before. So it was cool. I think I won the people over.”
(What did they mess up?) – “No, they just played it out of order. I had a specific order of how I wanted my songs played, just the timing. But it ended up – I guess I know how to choose them because the songs worked out well anyway, so that was cool. But yeah, just different energy today and I loved it and it was just a good break in camp.”
(We heard you got hell. Don’t act like you didn’t get hell.) – “No, stop playing. I am very diverse. I know it all, so I’m good when it comes to my music.”
Robert Jones – August 5, 2023
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Saturday, August 5, 2023
OL Robert Jones
(It looked like QB Tua Tagovailoa gave you guys an animated talk after today’s scrimmage. What was that like?) – “It was just him being a leader, like he is every day. He just told us that we just have to keep working on the little things, keep being competitive no matter when adversity hits, keep grinding (and) keep going. That was basically all.”
(How have you seen QB Tua Tagovailoa grow as a leader this year compared to previous years?) – “Last year, he was a great leader. This year, you can just see the confidence keep growing, keep growing. He’s just taking control of the whole offense, of the whole team. He’s making sure guys respect him, as we’ve been respecting him, and just follow as we go.”
(It seemed to me that last year you played a lot more left guard and this year you’re playing both. Is that accurate? And if so, how has right guard been for you?) – “Last year, I played both sides. Unfortunately, Liam (Eichenberg) got hurt last year and I had to go out there as a swing guard and play left guard. But this year, I’m playing a little bit of both, playing everywhere. Everyone is playing everywhere, because it’s competitive, it’s training camp. It’s the same thing as it was last year, just have to keep battling.”
(It seemed to me DT Jaylen Twyman had a good day and it seems that yesterday was a good day for him, also. I’m not saying that he’s beating you, but what have you noticed about DT Jaylen Twyman?) – “Jaylen is a good pass rusher. He’s been getting better each day. Ever since he came in last year, he’s helped us get better as an offense on pass downs and run downs. This year, you can just see him growing and just being more confident in his abilities. He’s giving us a good look and getting us ready for the season.”
(Getting an opportunity with Offensive Line Coach Butch Barry now, to compete to start, was that important to you? Do you feel like you’re getting that opportunity, you and several others?) – “I’m not really focused on that going into this camp. I’m just trying to get better each and every day, be the best player I can be. Whenever that opportunity comes, I’m going to be grateful for it. But having Butch, we just go out there and we all compete. He’s giving everyone an opportunity everywhere to play and get better, because you never know where you’ll end up.”
(In facing DT Christian Wilkins not only this summer but in previous years, what sticks out about him?) – “Christian is a hard worker. He talks a lot, but he’s earned that right. He makes everyone better every down. He’s a great leader, great teammate and he just works hard no matter what and never takes a play off.”
(What are some key benefits that you see going into the joint practices next week that you can use for team success?) – “Just focusing on all the little details, just going out there and just being competitive, trusting in our techniques, the things we’ve been focusing on this whole offseason, just going in there and just having fun.”
(What were your thoughts on DT Christian Wilkins’ playlist?) – “No comment. (laughter)”
(It’s better than it has been!) – “Yeah, it’s better than it has been. I think he had a little help from the defense or offense. (laughter)”
(The rain break today, was that a welcome change? Or did it kind of interrupt the – I guess it cooled things off, but did it interrupt the flow? How do you look at that?) – “I just look at it as just another opportunity to get better. Adversity hit and we just have got to overcome it. We just go out there and play ball, because in a regular season game if that happens, we just have to go out there and act like nothing ever happened and just keep playing.”
(What’s the benefit for an offensive lineman coming back into the same system for the second year?) – “You just feel more comfortable in everything. You feel more comfortable in the scheme, understanding your techniques better and really just knowing what’s really going on. For everyone to be on the same page in the offense other than just one guy on the offensive line, the center, just calling the plays, everyone knows where they’re going. So it’s really no communication, you just go out there and play fast.”
(It wasn’t a full house or anything, but to see all those fans out there, what was that like?) – “Man, it was exciting. It’s been a long time with us having fans (at the stadium). Being back in Hard Rock Stadium is just amazing and it’s a blessing. It was great.”
Isaiah Wynn – August 5, 2023
Saturday, August 5, 2023
T Isaiah Wynn
(We know you can play tackle. You did it well for four years. We know you haven’t played guard since college until now. What’s the adjustment been like? Are you surprised they have you playing some guard?) – “No. As always, I’m wherever they need me to be. It’s a lot like tackle. Stuff just happens quicker but as I said, I am wherever the need me to be. It’s been good.”
(Have you felt any rust from not playing guard for a number of years?) – “Nah, but I can always get better, for sure.”
(What’s the toughest part of the transition?) – “From guard to tackle? Probably everything happens quicker. Tackle you have more space. Guard everything happens quicker. It’s been all good.”
(You’ve been matched up against DT Christian Wilkins for the past two weeks. What stands out about him?) – “Man, he’s a dominant player. He’s quick off the ball. He’s intuitive. He has good hands. He’s a dynamic rusher and run (stopper) too.”
(Starting is something you’ve done a lot in your career. Is that important to you? Did you come here aiming to win a starting job?) – “I came here to help. Whatever way I can help to achieve that goal that everybody is out here to reach.”
(Next week are joint practices. Is there anything specific you guys can improve as a unit?) – “I just think our overall technique. I can’t speak for the team, but at least myself, I’m not where I feel I need to be. Just keep working on the little things and trusting the technique. It’ll be good.”
(How much do you think the PUP stint, or the injury that you were battling, set you back?) – “Oh, it’s all good. I forgot that even happened. (laughter) We right here.”
Noah Igbinoghene – August 5, 2023
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Saturday, August 5, 2023
CB Noah Igbinoghene
(Can you take us through the interception you made today?) – “It was good, man. I was just running down the sideline, saw the ball in the air and went up and got it. I need to work on my return skills though. I think I went the opposite way. (laughter) I will work on that next time I get one.”
(Last time we spoke, you talked about a difference in your mentality, your approach. Do you feel that paying off for you right now?) – “Yeah, I think it is. I’m just coming in every single day and working on my craft and getting better. I’m just focused on that and getting better each and every single day. I think I’ll be happy by the end of training camp with where I’m at with my development.”
(What did you see on the route that led to your pick?) – “I was just playing my responsibility and when you do that, and when you focus on your technique, balls start coming your way, and that’s what happened. The ball was in the air, I went up and got it. I work on everything in indy (individual) with (Cornerbacks/Pass Game Specialist) Sam Madison and our DB coaches. It just worked out for me today.”
(You really tried to go back all 60 yards?) – “Yeah, I did. I went the opposite way though. On my sideline, when I got the pick, I think there was some room. But I was just happy so I was just running to whatever space was open.”
(Who gave you the most crap for that going the wrong way?) – “A linebacker came up to me. He said he they were all blocking for me but again, I went the opposite way. It’s unfortunate. When we get in the game, I’ll get a pick-six next time.”
(How have you handled constructive criticism from teammates and coaches during the offseason?) – “I’ve been handling it very well. You just have to take coaching to get better. That’s the only way to get better. You have to take constructive criticism. I’ve been really accepting with it and not taking nothing personal, and just really making sure this is just a business and accepting my teammates and my coaches. Anything they tell me, all my criticism and stuff like that. Again, I have to take that with a grain of salt and just get better each and every single day.”
(From the outside, it appears the defense had a good day today. What’s your assessment of how the defense did today?) – “We did really well. We’ve got to keep working every single day. No day is perfect. That includes today. We’ll come out here, the next practices we have are against Atlanta. We’re looking forward to that as well and getting better as we face them next week.”
Jeff Wilson Jr. – August 4, 2023
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Friday, August 4, 2023
RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
(Obviously you were sidelined for a couple of practices. Was that just a precautionary soft tissue thing?) – “Yeah, it was just a precaution thing. Just being on top of eveyrhting, make sure everything is good. Everything is fine though.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel has said that he wants to run the ball more this season. Have you seen such a commitment? Does that have to wait until preseason games? How is that going?) – “Oh, yes sir. It is going right as planned. Obviously, that comes with us putting in the work and making him feel comfortable every day that we go out there. So I feel like the o-line has been doing a tremendous job. We all still have room to improve and room to grow, so I just can’t wait to see it all finally come together, and we get this thing rolling.”
(From what you know of Head Coach Mike McDaniel, and you know him well, does he prioritize and value the run game?) – “Oh yeah, no doubt. I remember back when he was the run game coordinator where I used to be, so obviously that never leaves. That’s a love of his and he knows that’s a love of ours. So with us and the o-line, it’s our job, like I said, to make him feel comfortable every day when we go out there working and make him be willing to call the plays.”
(So knowing that, at any point last season, did it surprise you that the team ran the ball so little, the second lowest in rushing attempts?) – “No, not at all. I mean, shoot, you’ve got to think, we’ve got electric people on the outside as well with a tremendous quarterback. It’s hard not to utilize those guys at times, but like I said, mainly it goes back to us of doing our jobs and making it hard to go away from us. So we just have to keep working that way, so we could be just as good as everybody else on the field.”
(Last year, the last five games of the season, you guys rushed for 125 yards per game which was about 40 more than the rest of the season. Do you feel that there was kind of continuity building that got you to that to where the running game took off more late in the year?) – “It was just more of a mindset thing. You got to think, people hear the chatter just like everybody else does, so it comes to a point where you have to stand up as a man and as a player and say that we’re not a one-dimensional team. Just like those guys like to pass block, they like to run block as well. And just like we like to pass block, we definitely love to run the ball, so it goes hand in hand. Like I said, it just reverts back to us going out there every day and doing what we need to do that way when they do call, we’ll be ready to execute every time.”
(How do you think that continuity carries over from pretty much the same running back room, obviously you added a couple rookies and a lot of the same offensive line coming back. How do you think that benefits the run game and just the relationship y’all have working together for so long now?) – “Like you said, that’s the main thing – relationships, the last part of that question. We’re all together. We all know each other. We all know each other’s goal, so that being said, we’re going to try to put each and every player in the best position. So just like they have to make the right block, we have to make sure we make the right cuts to make sure they have the right block and right reads. So it all plays hand in hand, and like I said, it’s not our first year together (where) we didn’t train together in the offseason, and we didn’t have our camaraderie. So now it’s just time to get on the field and put it to work.”
(What do you make of the RB Dalvin Cook chatter? He’s made it no secret he’d like to be here.) – “Shoot, he’s a great player. If he comes, we’d love to have him. It’d just makes our room that much more competitive, and it makes everybody step up to another level, even though we’re already at another level. Still, competition always breeds greatness in players, so to have him come and be the tremendous player that he is, that’s just another addition to a Super Bowl run.”
(When you and RB Raheem Mostert have ever been around General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Mike McDaniel, do you ever get curious, have you ever asked, “Hey, what’s going on with Dalvin,” just because it impacts your position? Or is that nothing you guys would ever ask Chris Grier jokingly or good naturedly?) – “Me personally, I wouldn’t. Our job is to work here. Their job is to make decisions on that aspect. So I feel like … that’s almost disrespectful if our job is to come out here work and do everything we can to be the best that we can be. Whatever happens before or after that, that’s what happens. That’s the decision upstairs. We’re players and we’re here to play the game.”
(From a running back’s perspective, I’d like to know about the defense. To us, DT Christian Wilkins has been unstoppable, the front seven has been really good. What have you seen from the front seven?) – “Oh, definitely that. He’s a pain, man. And he’ll let you know he’s a pain. So that makes him even (more), you know what I’m saying? But no, they’re tremendous and I love our front seven. They’re making our o-line great. So you have to understand those guys are some of the best in the league, so if you’re going against that every day, like I told them, you aren’t going to see too much harder than that when you go on Sundays. So if those guys keep on honing in and doing what they’re doing and they’re getting better every day competing with those guys, it’s going to be a beautiful sight at the end of camp and when we get rolling in the regular season, because it’s not going to be too much of nothing they haven’t really seen.”
(Where does DT Christian Wilkins rank in smack talk?) – “(laughter) Yeah, he’s top tier. He’s definitely top tier.”
(On the team or in the league?) – “I would say in the league. This is my sixth year and I’ve been around and have heard some guys talk, but I don’t know. Christian, it’s just like he’s got the aggravating trash talk. It’s like, ‘Ah, I want to kick your,’ you know what I’m saying? (laughter) But it all comes from a good place and a good spot in his heart, so it just makes everybody come out and play that much better, so I love it.”
(Who are some other guys around the league that are in your top 10?) – “In what, trash talk?”
(Yeah.) – “Oh, that’s tough. I’d have to really think about that one, because I’ve seen a lot. I already know, there’s some out there for sure, I’ll tell you that.”
(When it’s not live and they’re tagging off, is there a pretty healthy debate about whether or not I would have broken that tackle or no, I would’ve gotten you down? Do you guys kind of go back and forth about that?) – “Oh yeah, most definitely. It’s an ego thing. Defense is always going to think they make a tackle, even if they put a fingernail on you. So that competitiveness, that’s another edge that keeps us driving. That’s why when we get in pads, it’s just that much more fun and that much more competitive, because we already know those guys think that they’re the beast on the field and they’re unstoppable. But shoot, we’re unstoppable, too, so it’s a pretty thing.”
(What have you seen from RB De’Von Achane and what has communication been like between you and him with you as a veteran?) – “Oh yeah, he’s going to be great. He’s going to be great. He already knows anything he ever needs, he can call on me and he can ask me. It’s not a thing where I won’t give him every tool that he needs to be great. Even though we’re in competition, that’s not the state here, because at the same time, I remember when I was a rookie and I had a guy, Jerick McKinnon, Raheem (Mostert), Matt Breida, those guys did the same thing for me. So I feel like it’s only right for me to do the same thing for anybody else that comes in, for him and Chris (Brooks). So he’s going to be a great player. He’s learning the game fast and he’s already fast. It’s going to be a great sight. It’s going to be a great sight for him. I can’t wait to see his future.”
(I didn’t notice T Terron Armstead out there much, I only noticed him out there for one snap. But was there any tangible difference, a boost or anything from having him out? Or is it too soon to tell?) – “He’s a vet. Anytime you see him come around, every time he’s around, you feel his presence. So it’s like even when he’s not there, he’s there. He’s always talking. He’s always giving advice and he’s another guy that if you need something and you ask him, he’s going to tell you and he’s going to be completely honest. He’s going to give you every tool that you need to be great because he’s a great player. He’s an awesome player. I love having him around. I love feeling his presence. I just can’t wait to play with him again.”
(Did you get the scooter out much in the offseason?) – “Oh yeah, I took it to the house. I got tired of people stealing it from me, riding around, wasting my battery then I’ve got to come back and charge it up. (laughter) But I take it through the neighborhood now, so it’s all good. (laughter).”
