Connor Williams – August 10, 2022
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Wednesday, August 10, 2022
OL Connor Williams
(Earlier this offseason, we heard Head Coach Mike McDaniel talk about snapping the football, coming off the ball and making plays that way. I’m curious how DT Vita Vea accelerates that challenge for you in that position?) – “We’ve been only able to go against our defense and obviously we have a great defense. Being able to go against a new face and a good player like Vita that plays different techniques and a little different game than ours, it’s good to see that and it’s good to be able to work on that, just to perfect a craft at a new position.”
(What do you think the offensive line did well as a unit today?) – “I think we responded. We came into a new area and I think we all kind of came together and responded well throughout all of the groups.”
(What is DT Vita Vea like to go against?) – “He’s an islander so he’s a big ole hunker down man. (laughter) He’s down to the earth, so you’ve just got to go low on him and get under his pads. He’s a well-respected player and he’s a great player. I love being able to go against him just to fine-tune yourself.”
(What’s the different intensity in these joint practices as opposed to a real game. I would assume it’s pretty close.) – “It’s obviously pretty close. We’re all super competitors. Just to be able to go against somebody you don’t know, there are always those nerves and always that level of competition. This is the highest level, so obviously you want to compete at the highest level. It was good work today.”
(What’s your level of confidence at center this point. What are you doing to work on the snaps?) – “I’d say I’m fully confident. Over the past work we’ve been able to do, I think moving into the season,, I’m fully confident as I’ve been at any position prior to the season.”
(The snapping situation, obviously they are not errand snaps, but they are not ideal snaps from a target standpoint. How do you get that corrected?) – “That’s kind of harsh. (laughter) Obviously it’s just perfecting your craft. It’s day in and day out, just trying to hit the (strike zone). We get reps whenever we can, however we can. It’s just being able to get it in the box every time. Even in those stressed out situations where you know you you’ve got to move wide really quick right at the snap of the ball, being able to snap it and then get out, and being able to perfect that.”
(How has Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith helped you transition to center? Head Coach Mike McDaniel told us the other day that he was Ben Roethlisberger’s center in college. Did you get the sense of that or have you felt that former center mentality?) – “He’s been a great resource. He’s been a great coach and definitely knows the o-line game very well. The biggest thing he’s said to me was like Avatar, like that connection to riding that horse. That’s what me and Tua (Tagoavailoa) have to have. That’s what we’ve been forming and filling that. He’s a great coach, a great resource. You can go tell him whatever you need and he’s there for you.”
(How much has that connection grown in just the 10 days of camp?) – “Tremendously. Being able to know the guy you’re playing with, and definitely when you’re under center, you’ve got to have that connection so you know where to put the laces and everything. I think we’re getting that and growing that.”
(Is it nice to have OL Michael Deiter back and how did he look?) – “He looks good. I think he was really excited to be able to get back on the field and we’ve obviously missed him. He’s a great person and he’s a great contribution to the o-line, and we needed him out there. I think he did very well.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel mentioned before practice that the Bucs defensive front has a high penetration rate. What did you notice coming into these practices and what did you notice today relative to how they try to attack and how the offensive line can counter that?) – “Obviously every defense has their pros and cons and their focuses. They are really focused on good get off and then being able to read. With that, you’ve just got to be able to get your first steps in the ground and work in unison, get the play calls down and being able to take that initial surge and being able to extend the play.”
Mike McDaniel – August 10, 2022
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Wednesday, August 10, 2022
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(How much can a young quarterback learn from just having Tom Brady on the other side?) – “I think it’s more about learning stuff from going against an opponent and an opponent as qualified and that has as much esteem as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – winning the Super Bowl two years ago, being in the divisional playoffs. Contrary to popular belief, Tua (Tagovailoa) doesn’t play one snap against Tom Brady. (laughter) They’ll be on separate fields, but it’s more about the quality of this organization and the type of football they play is a tremendous opportunity for really all the guys when we’re trying to play football at a high level.”
(Will QB Tua Tagovailoa be watching Tom Brady at all?) – “Again, I would actually be very disappointed if he did. He’d probably be taking a sack if he was watching him because it would be simultaneous plays. (laughter) I think again, it’s more about going against a different defense, not just schematically but how they play football with different techniques that they emphasize. Those things are a big part of the NFL game. You’re adjusting every week, so those subtle differences are huge differences. That’s what I want really, and really what I’m focused on them taking in.”
(On going against another team) – “The first part of it is a big deal. You’re going against another team so you want that rep. Guys are sick of going against each other generally 10 days into camp everywhere you’re at, so it kind of revitalizes football to a degree from the practice perspective. We’ve been practicing against each other for a long time. But then outside of that, it’s all about how we really – I’m not even that concerned about the actual outcome of anything. It’s more whether it’s a successful play or if it’s a negative play and it’s about how we respond because you know that this game, that’s all that it’s full of. You’re never just – any time you’re content or any time you’re satisfied with the last play, that’s when you get hit in the face and hit in the mouth moving forward.”
(These are only practices and I get that, but over the next couple of days, does it give you a measure of where your team is at and how far you’ve come?) – “No, every time you’re on the football field, something I really try to instill in the guys – every time you’re on the football field is telling you where you’re at. Everything else is fake. It’s all made up, so you’re exactly right. It’s something that you’re excited to see where your team is at that day and then whatever that is, can they best handle that for the next? Do you use whatever’s happening – successful or failure – you use that for the next day. To me, that’s the trick because whatever records are in the first quarter of the season, for instance, nothing is decided by that. There’s countless number of teams that are 4-0 that don’t make the playoffs. There’s teams that start behind the 8-ball. I think I was on a team last year that was 3-5 and we were in the NFC Championship game, so it is all about that day and it tells you a lot, but then even more so, you get an opportunity to figure out what they’re going to use with whatever the result was for the next day which is why we’re all so pumped to be here.”
(You mentioned that you’re going to make sure that everyone knew the rules of engagement going into today, so what are the rules regarding tackling, blitzing, fisticuffs and shenanigans?) – “The shenanigans, that’s a subjective thing. A lot of things that you guys perceive as shenanigans by me are not shenanigans. (laughter) Really, we’re approaching it like it’s exactly like we approach our own practices where it’s important to me for guys not to fight with their teammates. Sometimes it happens, but you make sure that players understand why anything outside of the whistle is only hurting the team and there’s a lot more implications in whatever you’re doing than just yourself. So we’re handling in terms of tackling those things the same way that we’ve done in practice where if you have a direct shot on someone, we’re thudding up. If you’re on the side of someone, you’re protecting the team because there can be unintended consequences about drilling somebody on the side. And then we’re taking tracking angles and tagging off down the field in space. So it should, and the way that I addressed it, was the same way that we’ve been in Miami Gardens. That this is to get you better. Anything outside of getting people better, we don’t really have time or patience for that.”
(What are your thoughts so far of Todd Bowles and the opportunity he has in Tampa?) – “I’ve been familiar with Todd for a while and I have nothing but the utmost respect for his defense. His coaching ability as a head coach, he commands respect but is himself. I really respect that. The bottom line is his teams play hard. They always have whether he’s been a position coach, coordinator or head coach. Whatever his elixir is, he inspires his players to play very inspired football which is why it’s a great challenge for us to bring our energy and our commitment to each other out here against this whole opponent who’s extremely formidable and should be outstanding work for all of us.”
(Just given what happened with the organization last week, is there any awkwardness…?) – “For me, nothing happened. Everyone else is the one making it awkward. IT doesn’t occupy a single iota of space with anybody. It’s hard enough to be good in this league. As the Miami Dolphins, all of our energy is very coordinated and only has to do with us getting better and everything else would be an opportunity cost that we’re not willing to expend.”
(You guys traded TE Adam Shaheen yesterday. Do you guys feel good about your tight end depth?) – “Everything in NFL training camps, I’ve always thought it was kind of funny. Like, general managers are working day in and day out while the rosters stay the same, so different opportunities come across your board and Chris (Grier) is outstanding about communicating and talking with a bunch of general managers about everything and the bottom line was to Adam Shaheen’s credit – he’s a well-thought-of NFL player as he should be – and to our tight end room’s credit, we thought that we could afford investing in the future draft capital because we felt pretty good about the position as well. So the nature of trades, both sides end up having an advantageous situation. This is why they agree upon the. So we were happy for Adam, we were happy for the Dolphins that we could do that.”
(How do you balance getting plays that you want to see … versus maybe showing too much of your hand in the preseason period against the Bucs?) – “No, it’s always – you’re always thinking about it. There’s a million different types of decisions that you have to make as a result. But the main focus, it was a little easier for me and our coaching staff with this joint practice because we just really want our players to go out and compete with a winning organization and put our best foot forward. I think there’s some of that chess match, but at the same time, there’s a lot of overlapping plays in the National Football League. So putting too much into ‘We can’t do X, Y or Z,’ isn’t the best thing as well. It’s kind of a fine balance.”
(As a first-year head coach, what do you hope to kind of get out of this experience, just observing how another organization operates?) – “You know, whether it’s fortunate or unfortunate, I’ve been – this is my seventh different franchise. I feel like the biggest thing is I just want the players to go through the emotions of what a joint practice is, especially against a good team. When you’re fortunate enough to practice against a good team, guys want to do well. And in that process, one of two things is going to happen. They’re either going to do well, or they’re not – either way, it’s our job to make sure that they understand that how do you use whatever happens to benefit you moving forward. So I just want to see a group of guys that are committed to this practice, which I think we all see that, and then I want to just play the hand that’s dealt after the fact and after we watch the film.”
(What have you learned about how your team responds to adversity in your few months here?) – “That’s such a big deal to me. That’s one of the pillars that we talk about a ton. Adversity is relative, and I think that we’re had our own set and our own share of adversity internally with little things that don’t go the way you want them to go. In that thus far, that’s one of the reasons I love the guys and love the team, because they’ve responded exactly the way that they’ve been called upon at each and every turn, so in the game of football, like the game of life, now we’re moving forward and steadily awaiting whatever piece of adversity falls our way in the near future because it’s not if but when. And when that happens, I’ve gained a lot of confidence in how they’re going to respond.”
(Once games begin to be played, are you willing to put WR Tyreek Hill or WR Jaylen Waddle on punt returns or RB Raheem Mostert on kick returns?) – “I’m willing to do anything at any given time at any moment. (laughter)”
(This is the only time you’ll be on the road before the Week 2 game in Baltimore. What’s the value of having the guys together on the road?) – “Tremendous value. We traveled down here on Monday before a player’s day off purposely, because this is where you get a lot of camaraderie. Guys have so many things going on in their lives, you spend a week together and there’s no where to go but hang out with each other, and I think that over the course of my career, I’ve found that to be extremely beneficial. You end up looking back at these type of days when you’re reflecting upon the entire season, and a lot of times, this is where the bonds solidify which is why it’s one of the cool experiences that we’re fortunate to do.”
(What do you hope to see from the offensive line group over the next two days?) – “That’s a great question, because there’s – like any NFL defense, the offensive line play is a game of inches, but every NFL defense has a different way that they play football. It’s not just Xs and Os on paper like structure; it’s how do they defend blocks. This group is awesome at coming off the ball. Amongst the entire league, they’re one of the top teams in defensive line penetration. They really launch off that, and that’s an adjustment for our guys, which is – I’m not necessarily concerned with the first play or the first period. In the game of NFL football, you’re mastering the week-by-week adjustments, so I want to see a progression of tailored techniques to what they’re seeing. It’s going to feel different. You watch tape, you know that it’s different, but you don’t get the true feel until it’s live bullets, and I want to see guys progress as we go and adjust their techniques to fit who they’re going against, which will be the name of the game in the regular season.”
(How would you describe the offense and what has stood out to you so far?) – “The Miami Dolphins offense? Offensive. (laughter) I think it’s a hungry group of individuals that are really getting into playing 11-on-11 football. What I mean by that is we’ve really started to see in the last week or two, every play you guys watch, you see 11 guys working together unselfishly for the sake of the offense. I’ve seen – we have some speed on our offense, everybody knows, but what I’ve seen is coordinated efforts to establish techniques. As far as defining it, hopefully, the idea is that we’re a good offense, but for anything like anything in life that’s worth anything, that’s hard to do. It doesn’t really matter if we’re executing on the Sunday the last time we practiced against each other or we’re executing against Tampa, we’re building all of it. We should be building toward Week 1, and then after Week 1, we should be building to Week 2. In that process, the players and the play of the players will define it. It’s something that I don’t have a cool, catchy phrase to really define, I guess, but it’s hopefully good. (laughter)”
(Is there an open competition at the returner spots?) – “There’s an open competition everywhere. Shame on me if I’m anointing for no reason. There’s – we have a lot of people that have the ability to return the ball in the punt and kickoff game. During the season, we plan to utilize everyone that makes the most sense for the team. Remember, special teams yards are yards – same as defensive years given up, same as offensive yards gained. So we’ll use our players to best move the ball down the field to score touchdowns or stop other people from moving it.”
Emmanuel Ogbah – August 10, 2022
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Wednesday, August 10, 2022
DE Emmanuel Ogbah
(Do you get fined for criticizing refs at joint practices? – ”(laughter) No. I try to stay away from the refs because we’re going to see them during the season too.”
(They didn’t even give you that sack.) – “It’s all good. That’s what practice is for. We’ve just got to keep getting better even though they don’t count.”
(Is there a sense of a little more anticipation to go up against the Bucs’ offense given how things were in the regular season last year?) – “Oh, yeah. We’ve been waiting on this day. We feel like we got embarrassed last year. We’ve got to go out there and do better this year. It was a good practice against them and we’re looking forward to tomorrow.”
(You got you hand up on a batted ball. Almost midseason form with that timing. How did that feel to get that?) – “We had a game on. Zach (Sieler) had the guard and just pulled him. I came through clean and batted the ball. I got in front of the quarterback and put my hands up because he was getting the ball out quick.”
(What was the chirping going on at the end? Was that a part of the action?) – “With who? There was a bunch of chirping going on. I don’t know which one you’re talking about. We’re just competing against each other and getting each other better.”
(Is that the cool thing about this? That’s what gets you guys going?) – “It’s fun going against another team. You get tired of hitting your same offense over and over. It’s fun going against another opponent.”
(After you knock down a pass like you did, will you say anything to QB Tom Brady? Will you chirp at him?) – “No. It’s next play. The down’s not over. It’s the next play.”
(How did you guys feel going against someone else?) – “I would say this – we started off slow. We got to pick it up. Good thing we have tomorrow. Tomorrow is a new day. We’ve got to pick it up fast and start fast.”
(How much juice does S Brandon Jones bring? It seems like he was mixing it up himself.) – “I love B-Jones. He comes down to hit somebody. He brings the energy to the team and we want him to keep getting better as a young player. Just keep getting better every day.”
(How much pressure do you think this group is going to get on the quarterback during the season?) – “As good as we can. We’ve just got to go out there and be dominant and help our offense get going. We all work together.”
(How do you feel about the pressure the group applied today in today’s practice?) – “Like I said, we started off slow. We picked it up a little bit at the end, but we’ve got to start faster. We can’t start that slow no more.”
(Do you know how much the first team defense is going to play Saturday? Have they told you?) – “I have no idea. I couldn’t tell you that.”
(I know it’s hard to tell from a practice. But do you feel like you’ve made up some ground on that team? That you are their equal?) – “I wouldn’t say that. We’ve still got to go watch film. Like I said, we started off slow so we’ve got to go back and watch film to see what we struggled at and what we did good at and just build on that.”
Xavien Howard – August 10, 2022
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Wednesday, August 10, 2022
CB Xavien Howard
(How did it feel to finally go up against somebody wearing a different color jersey?) – “It feels great. I feel like we’ve got to start fast and finish strong. I feel like we have to have a sense of urgency around the ball and on the defensive side, that’s what I’ve seen mostly. It feels good though, to see a different jersey.”
(Last year’s regular season game was tough day for you guys against Tampa. Did that provide any sort of inspiration, any sort of energy for you guys?) – “Yes, the – when we were back at home, I already knew about it. That was on my mind 24/7. It still is. So I feel like that brings a little bit of fire to it. I feel like if you want to get motivated, you can watch that game, the people that were there last year, and they see what they did to us.”
(I know you still have CB Byron Jones on the team coming back from PUP, but right now, it’s you as a veteran and a lot of young guys in that position room. What has that been like, just kind of working with them, kind of mentoring them and really overall, your transition from a young guy to a real vet on this team?) – “I feel like it starts with me. I feel like I have to set the tone for the guys. The guys are getting better – I feel like everybody is getting better each week. I feel like we just have to keep striving. I have to take that leadership role in the cornerback room and set the tone.”
(When you set the tone, what do you tell them? What are some of the main principles that you want them to hear?) – “Make plays. Make plays, that’s what I do. So setting the tone by making plays out there.”
(What’s the most beneficial about these joint practices?) – “Man, really just to see somebody different. Especially – you get to compete against the best, especially Tom Brady. What can you ask for more? The guys (like) Julio (Jones), some of the guys are injured so we didn’t face them, but just competing with the best.”
(How do you think the defense did overall today?) – “I feel like we definitely can get better. I feel like we’ve seen a lot of stuff on film, but we just have to go watch film and see what we can get better at. I know there are a couple things we can get correct.”
Hunter Long – August 7, 2022
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Sunday, August 7, 2022
TE Hunter Long
(Every time we talk to Head Coach Mike McDaniel, I feel like I learn something. Some of the stuff I’ve never heard put in that way. Today he talked about how a lot of guys on the offense, especially linemen and tight ends are unlearning techniques they’ve used their entire life because they’re participating in a scheme where they’re coached not to get beat but to attack. Can you kind of add to that?) – “Yeah, I can. Every coach and scheme is a little different. They coach a little different. This scheme, I mean they emphasize playing fast and I think that’s what we’re all trying to pick up on and some schemes, I mean, it’s more front a guy up. This scheme, you’re just supposed to run off the ball and we’re getting there. Everyone has tendencies from what they’ve learned in the past, what you learned in college or what you learned from different coaching staffs. This coaching staff likes it one way and we’re definitely on our way to getting there.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel explained that even on the run, a player has to attack a person or an area and every time you block it’s like you’re running a route. What advantage do you think that might potentially create for offensive players?) – “Yeah, it puts a lot of stress on the defense. Everyone knows that in offense, the run game helps the pass game and the pass game helps the run game. So the better we fly off the ball in the run game and the more we run the ball, the more targets we’ll have in the pass game and vice versa. So it all works together and this offense is coming together and it’s a lot of fun to play in.”
(Is it encouraging to know the amount of success that tight ends have had in this scheme?) – “Yeah, obviously. I mean ‘Coach Embo’ (Jon Embree) is a great coach. He’s an awesome dude. He’s definitely getting us better and everyone sees the history of this offense and what the tight end does in it and obviously we love that.”
(Do you think your experience at Boston College with the multiple different offenses you had there – you had the pro-style offense and the more spread-style offense – do you think that’s kind of helped you pick up faster here?) – “Definitely. My offense my last season there was pretty similar in terms of scheme, but just the more offenses you can learn, the faster you pick up on things. The ways you learn yourself and techniques you use to learn an offense fast, I think that’s probably what helped the most.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel explained that when he was in San Francisco, you were actually on the club’s radar. I don’t know if you knew that. Do you recall any – you meet with every team, of course – but did you meet with them?) – “Yeah, I met with them, talked with them.”
(…blackboard stuff?) – “I couldn’t tell you. We meet with every team a million times, so it’s a blur.”
(I guess the concept is you fit into the scheme…) – “I mean the scheme just requires an all-around tight end and we’ve got a bunch of those guys and I like to see myself in that category and I just try to come in every day and give this offense my all. Where they put me, they put me; and I’m going to try to exceed at that.”
(On his outlook for his second NFL season) – “I think I’ve grown a lot. Obviously rookie year, you have a lot of stuff coming at you, moving to a new place, trying to get your life set up along with trying to perform on the field. I feel a lot more at peace this year off the field, so it’s allowed me to focus a lot more on the field and just process things faster and play faster, so it’s been really good.”
(I remember last year you were in a boot at the joint practices in Chicago. How much more fun is it going to be to participate in joint practices on the field?) – “It’s going to be a lot of fun. Obviously it’s more fun to hit guys in different-colored jerseys than your own jersey, so it’ll be fun to compete against them and continue to progress as an offense and just get better.”
(The vibe that I get is positivity, and I’m sure that there’s some moments where coaching points are stressed. How does that vibe with your approach and mindset – the positivity that’s around here?) – “Yeah, it just motivates everyone. The body follows the mind and obviously we’re in the dog days of camp and that can get to you, but they say the body follows the mind so if we stay positive and keep moving and keep attacking every day, then we’ll move a lot further along than if we came in dragging and just trying to get through it.”
(You touched on it a little bit. Your rookie year, was there something in particular you learned that you could only possibly pick up by going through it one time?) – “Yeah, I’m not sure if I can pick out one particular thing, but definitely. The more reps you get at anything, you’re going to improve and pick up things whether you know it or not. Just the all-around game, the game at this level compared to the college level is night and day and just the more reps you get, the more you see defenses, the more you see these players; you pick up on things as you go so it gets you better.”
Sam Eguavoen – August 7, 2022
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Sunday, August 7, 2022
LB Sam Eguavoen
(Is anything different than anything you’ve learned or done the last three years?) – “I mean, just fronts are always changing. Depending on the guys we have up in the front, (Defensive Coordinator Josh) Boyer knows how to utilize everybody’s talents and things like that. It’s kind of been the same, kind of in the same realm. But bouncing back from outside to inside, I feel like inside is where I feel most comfortable.
(After all this team, all these years, inside is now again where you feel the most comfortable?) – “Yes.”
(Why?) – “Just because I like playing – I like coming downhill. I like thumping more than setting the edge. I’ll do it, but I just feel like I like coming downhill more.
(Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer mentioned that he foresees some tweaks to the defense and maybe even some wholesale changes, which is a word that caught my attention. I was like, “Wow.” So, what’s kind of your sense about if some things might actually be different – scheme, play-calling, philosophy?) – “I don’t know if it’s like huge tweaks. I think it’s just everybody is starting to understand the defense a little more so we can do more. At first, it’s just, ‘OK, this is my job. I’m going to do my job.’ Now it’s like, ‘OK, this is my job. I know what he’s doing, so I can play off of him.’ I think it’s more of like a trust thing – everybody is starting to trust all 11 on the field.”
(What percentage of the plays on the iPad would you guess y’all actually never used last year?) – “Plays now – there’s a lot of new plays now. You can go back and look (at) it from last year, but now, the defense is kind of different from last year just the way we’re rotating and things like that. It’s kind of different. “
(I guess I was wondering is a quarter of the playbook just stuff you never actually get to in an NFL season?) – “It depends on the game. It depends on the team we’re playing, the gameplan. But yes, you’re not going into a game running every single call or expecting to run every 112 plays in a playbook. That’s crazy.”
(Overall, just where do you feel most comfortable in your growth in this defense? We saw you last year in the preseason game have four sacks, come back and it seems like there’s still a lot of competition in the linebacker room. But where do you feel you’ve grown the most?) – “Always competition. That’s just how I grew up. I was competing with my brother, and now I’m competing with my brothers in here. I embrace competition. I hype up the guys in front of me, I hype up the guys behind me, but I’m always comfortable. I’m always comfortable with my back against the wall. I get nervous when it isn’t against the wall. Just like you’re going to a bar, you always get to the back wall so you can see everything. So, I’m comfortable and I embrace competition.”
(Obviously you’ve moved around a lot, but overall in this defense, do you think there’s a particular area where you’ve really grown and really improved the most?) – “At inside linebacker. Now I’m finally just getting to play that right now (and) still getting some pass rushing in there. But inside linebacker and just learning the game more from there instead of just bouncing around all the time.”
(You mentioned your back against the wall. Do you feel that even more so this year after the Dolphins drafted LB Channing Tindall and re-signed RB Elandon Roberts at your position?) – “I mean, it’s always the same thing. That’s just the NFL. It’s a mindset thing, whether– even if I’m (Channing) Tindall and I’m (drafted in the) third round or I got drafted first round. You have to have the mindset of my back is against the wall. I don’t care if I may be favored or anything like that because the goal is to stay in the league for a long time, and if you don’t have that mindset of ‘(competition (means) somebody is coming for your job,’ you’re not going to last. So I don’t look at the draft (and say), ‘Oh dang, they drafted a linebacker.’ At the end of the day, I have to do my best. I have to put my best foot forward and whatever happens, happens, and I’m OK with that.”
(I know it’s on the other side of the ball, but QB Tua Tagovailoa hitting some of those deep passes, even QB Teddy Bridgewater hitting those deep passes to WR Tyreek Hill, and just hearing the fans, how jazzed they get. As a team, how does that affect y’all in practice?) – “I mean, we’re mad. (laughter) Right now, Tua (Tagovailoa) ain’t my – I’m not friends with Tua. I’m not friends with Tyreek (Hill). We’ll play ping pong in the locker room, but the more they score in practice, the more we’re getting chewed out in the film room. So right now, we’re kind of divided. I’m happy for him, but we’re divided until we get to Tampa and we can beat up on somebody else.”
(Does a part of you kind of like seeing them handle all the pressure packages you guys throw at them? Like you’re saying, if they can handle this, they probably can handle other stuff around the league?) – “Yes. Yes, I do. I do. Let’s just do it in a game. Even with our pressures and things like that, let’s do it in a game. I won’t get too high, and you can’t get too low. You just have to stay the course of football, man.”
(CB Xavien Howard had some of the Afrobeats and Burna Boy. Did you peep that in the playlist?) – “Oh, yeah. You know he had to play it for Nigeria – me, (Emmanuel) Ogbah, Noah (Igbinoghene), lil Kader (Kohou).”
(You’re now in Year Four at linebacker. Was there a player that you modeled your game after? A linebacker particularly that you looked up to before you came to the league?) – “Yes, my favorite linebacker was Jon Beason, just watching him work out and things like that, his drive, his passion for the game, his physicality. Jon Beason, that’s probably one of my favorite linebackers. Patrick Willis, too.”
(I saw Zach Thomas out here at practice today. Did you get a chance to talk to him?) – “Yes, I got a chance to talk to him in the weight room before we went out for walkthroughs. Good dude.”
(You said the weight room. He was lifting weights with y’all?) – “(laughter) No, no. He wasn’t lifting weights. He was just stretching and stuff like that.
(We’re about to be playing preseason games pretty soon. Anything you can do to top a 4-sack game like you had last year?) – “(laughter) I need six this year. That back wall. (laughter)”
John Jenkins – August 7, 2022
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Sunday, August 7, 2022
DT John Jenkins
(I watch defensive linemen and offensive linemen one-on-ones. I’ve noticed you have the tendency of driving your man backwards consistently. Is there tricks to the trade to be that dominant in a one-on-one drill?) – “Me personally, I would love to give you a good answer on that, but I’m just bigger than a lot of those guys. (laughter) I just get the good lean and then it’s over with afterwards. I try to work on things I’m not good at. You can only push a guy for so long so many times in a full game. I try to work on things I may be able to use in a game, like catch them off guard with a swipe move or a dominant rip of some sort, and then try to do a little something on top of that. If I get that good lean, that good push, it’s over with afterwards.”
(DT Christian Wilkins singled you out as a guy who has had a tremendous start to camp and we’ve seen you dominate 11-on-11s and one-on-ones. Did anything change this offseason? Obviously you’re a vet, but how are you feeling overall at this point in your career and entering another year?) – “I like to say this thing in a group always. There are two things I always say. I always say ‘be yourself.’ When somebody says something, let your comments be yourself. The other thing I always say is enjoy the process. I think to last this long in the league, if you’re not enjoying the process, then there is no reason for you to be here. I think that’s really motivating me to be relevant. And the guy. Like everybody is here from last year. I was with Christian in 2019 and with Zach Sieler in 2019. And I’ve had the opportunity to be with DT ‘Rae’ (Raekwon Davis) and Benito (Jones) and build a relationship with those two guys, so we’re still here. It’s a good thing to have the same room that you were with last year. I enjoy that process and trying to get better. We’ve got a brotherhood with ‘Og’ (Emmanuel Ogbah). So that’s one of the things. And I appreciate Christian. It’s a lot for one of your teammates to recognize you and give you that type of appreciation.”
(Some of the fellas trimmed weight. Did you stay stable or did you try to trim a little too?) – “I trimmed. I trimmed. It may not look like it, but I trimmed. (laughter) It’s tough. I’ve been somewhat of a journeyman – let’s be real with each other. Some teams, they want me a little heavy. Some teams want me light. And then when I get to a team that wants me light, I’ve got to work. I’m just a workaholic. Regardless of what my role or situation is, whatever they need me to do, I’m going to get it done. That’s how I try to go about it. I’m working on my six pack. It’s not there yet but it will be. You all will be impressed. (laughter)”
(How do you balance mentorship with relating to guys that may be seven, eight, nine years younger than you?) – “Listening. Listening. I was fortunate enough to have some good vets when I first came into the league. ‘T Armstead’ (Terron Armstead) is here. (Thomas) Morstead. Those two guys I was with in New Orleans. When me and Armstead got into the league, I had Jonathan Vilma, Kenyon Coleman, Jabari Greer and all of those guys. Rest in Peace Will Smith. I had all of those guys who were champions and led by example. One thing they did – even though they made us do a lot of stuff – they listened to us. I think having a young group that wants to be better, that wants to do good, you can see with their work ethic. So now for us old heads, we have to listen to how they go about things and how they react to things and how they approach a lot of things. Then once we understand their angle, we can guide them on the right path. As you see when you are here, you see these guys actually busting their behinds and it’s competitive both back and forth. It’s an up and down flow – offense, defense, offense, defense. I enjoy that. I like that. I think that’s one of the things being a vet is being able to listen to the locker room, being able to listen to the guys individually, and being able to help them find a solution to get better, and want to do good and stay on a positive direction.”
(When you have a practice like today where QB Tua Tagovailoa easily moves the team down the field during a scrimmage-like situation, but then gets back in there for the final situation and has to score and throws an interception to S Jevon Holland in a play where it seems like he had to scored. Do you as a defensive play look at that as we win or we lost?) – “We won. Look at it like this, at the end of the day, we’re a team – offense and defense. For us as a defense, being able to stop adversity in that sense is a good thing. For the offense to get going like that, then we go back to the film and we look at what could we have done better. To make us fight the way we were fighting is a great thing. I understand your question, but I look at it as a defense and as a team, we won. Because to see Tua be able to do his thing like he was doing at practice, we have good days and we have bad days. We’ve just got to be more consecutive with our good days than our bad days. I think now that we’ve got that out of the way, everybody is going to go back to the film, break it down and make something happen different next time.”
(I asked LB Sam Eguavoen earlier, when you hear the fans cheering for QB Tua Tagovailoa making those deep passes to WR Tyreek Hill, he said that ‘it causes beef.’ I wanted to know your perspective on that.) – (laughter) “I enjoy it. Ever since I’ve been in the league, it’s always been that type of competitive nature. You talk junk to one another but you’re brothers at the end of the day. When you see that at practice, and everybody can shake hands and have love for one another and respect for one another after the fact, it’s a great practice. Because at the end of the day, it’s an entertainment business. The fans and you all are entertained. You’ve got a smile on your face asking the question because it was good entertainment, right? (laughter)”
(From your years of experience in the league, how is the wide zone scheme that Mike McDaniel is installing with his offense and the offensive line, how is that challenging for defensive linemen?) – (laughter) “It’s different. It’s different. I’m used to the old San Fran with Frank Gore and the I-backs when they are coming downhill. And then it was gap scheme. The league is very trendy. A lot of things change every year. It’s a good thing because of the fact that we have to be more cognizant that we can’t just let our feet be in quicksand. We’ve got to be able to react because you never know what we’re going to get. Going against that everyday will allow us to be prepared for whatever team is out there and whatever scheme they have because now we’ll be able to adjust.”
(Does it force you to move more?) – “Oh, yeah. It forces us to move. For me personally, I have to be more of a student of the game. It was real simple for me personally, but now the way Mike (McDaniel) orchestrates the offense, and Frank (Smith) – I was with Frank in New Orleans – the way they go about things is different. I’ve got to really hone-in on my technique. If I don’t do something, even though I’m the oldest in the room (Defensive Line Coach Austin) Clark will be on my ass. ‘Jenks! Jenks! Jenks!’ It’s good. I enjoy that and it allows us to be better players at the end of the day.”
(You mentioned the weight loss. Was it last year the coaching staff wanted you heavier and this year lighter? Was that the motivation?) – “Man listen, when you’re a nose tackle, there is always going to be some form of ‘Hey, you need to get down or you need to do this.’ It’s the game. We’re moving more now than we were last year. It is what it is. I’m a nose tackle. There is nothing pretty about my job. I’ve got two guys on me all the time. I’ve got to free the linebackers. It is what it is.”
(Is it a challenge fluctuating weight at your position? Do you feel the difference?) – “No. I just work. I’m zoned in. I just move. Because at the end of the day, when everything is said and done, I’m going to get the six-pack and then we’re not going to be talking about this weight. (laughter) It really doesn’t bother me. I just like to get the job done.”
(You brought up your career journey. What are the pros and cons of going from one team to another? It was like four teams in four years.) – “I’ll make the comparison like that. I was a JUCO player being from Connecticut. So when you’re a JUCO player, you only have like a year to be relevant to get big-time offers. That’s how I look at it because when you go to a new team, nobody knows who you are. They may have heard of you, but they don’t know you. I have to do something or try to show up some way somehow, for the team and the organization to trust me. That’s how I take it. Being a journeyman, you have to do something. You have to standout. Coming from Connecticut to Mississippi Gulf Coast – shoutout to Mississippi Gulf Coast – you have to be relevant within a short amount of time in order to have an opportunity. That’s how I look at it.”
(You were with the Dolphins two years ago so obviously you did something that they liked for them to bring you back. Can you speak on that?) – “I’m a worker. I’m quiet. You don’t hear anything about me off the field unless I’m trying to do something positive or I’m cycling on A1A. (laughter) Then outside of that, I like to come here and try to be a mentor to the younger guys. I can remember Christian (Wilkins), his first year when I came here in 2019 and we played Baltimore (in Week 1) and so on and so forth. I remember a lot of these guys. I remember Zach (Sieler) when he first came in. We were calling him Sack Sieler, but when he first came in, he didn’t even know – I’m telling Zach, ‘Hey, shoot this gap!’ I think the organization knows who I am and understands me as a person and as a player where they can trust me and feel comfortable enough with me like, ‘Hey, I know John is going to be a good role model or have some type of positive influence in the locker room and on the field no matter what the scenario is.’”
(Would you like to coach in the NFL or college ranks when your career is done?) – “Right now, it’s too early to say. It’s too early to say right now. If the opportunity presented itself and is with somebody who I know, then maybe. But I’d like to take a… When it’s said and done, I’m going to need the (exhales). I’m going to need that. (laughter) But I enjoy – I can see why a lot of these coaches coach. Helping kids come in the league and helping them understand their opportunity and being able to help them take full advantage of their opportunity and change their dynamics and their generational dynamics.”
(Would you be a good coach?) – “I think so. I think so.”
(I see you have the current logo and the throwback logo. I just was curious as far as which one do you prefer?) – “(laughter) I like them both. I like them both. I’m a supporter of the brand, total – the whole brand. I’m an old guy. I’m older than (Defensive Line Coach Austin) Clark, so the throwback is – I like the 90s.”
(Would you be opposed of the team wearing that in a complete season? Are you open to whatever the jersey schedule is for the year?) – “I’m going to be honest with you, I’m a nose tackle. There’s not a lot of swag where we’re at, bro. (laughter) On the field, there’s not a lot of swag. So I couldn’t even give you a dope answer on that one, because I’m a nose tackle – the swag is not with us right now.”
(You mentioned DT Zach Sieler and DT Christian Wilkins a few times and that 2019 season, their first year here with the Dolphins. What stands out to you the most about their growth from then to now?) – “Their bond. I look at it like – have y’all ever seen the movie like the – I haven’t seen the old one, but the new one, Miami Vice with Jamie (Foxx) and they have like a bond. They beef sometimes. You’d catch them and they’re beefing, but they know how to work and feed off of each other to get the job done. I see them taking charge. I actually see that. I see Zach (Sieler) calling and orchestrating the defense and pointing out little things here and there. Christian is – he doesn’t talk. He just zones out and then shoot the gap or do what he needs to do and Zach feeds off of it. I think that’s one thing I saw when I came back is the chemistry that they have and that they built while I was gone.”
(I was just saying that some of the d-tackles have the arm sleeves, so you might have to get that on.) – “Yes, I’m going to work on that. I’m going to work on that.”
(I’m talking about for the drip with the jersey, they have the arm sleeves.) – “Oh, right, right. I’ll work on it, man. See, I play with no gloves, it’s like my hands – I’m just old school. (laughter)”
Salvon Ahmed – August 7, 2022
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Sunday, August 7, 2022
RB Salvon Ahmed
(Obviously, this is a different camp for you because there are so many new backs in the action. What’s that room like when you’re talking about RB Sony Michel and RB Raheem Mostert and RB Chase Edmonds?) – “Yes, just a lot of experience. I think that’s something that you want as a player like me. It’s my third year. We have a lot of guys with experience, so I’m just learning as much as a I can from those guys and going out there and competing.”
(You had, I guess, a short stint with San Francisco when Head Coach Mike McDaniel was still with the 49ers. What were your impressions of him back then? Did you ever get a sense that, “Hey, this is a guy who, in a couple years, could be leading a team?”) – “Yes, I was there for camp, but he was really smart. He was one of my favorite guys when I was over there, so it’s awesome to have him as a head coach. I was really, really excited. (I’m) really excited to see what he does. He was one of my favorites when I was over there, so it’s been dope.”
(Why was Mike McDaniel one of your favorite coaches?) – “He just had a lot of energy. Obviously, he’s super smart. A super smart coach. But he had a lot of energy and he just brought it. He brings it every single day. I’m sure if you ask anyone here, he knows how to show up to work every single day. He’s our leader so I’m excited about it.”
(Your brief experience in the 49ers offense, do you think that kind of gave you maybe a little bit of a leg up in learning this scheme here this year?) – “Yes, I was able to remember some of it, for sure. There’s differences and that comes with different offenses that you have to learn over the years. But for sure, I remembered some of it.”
(What’s one thing that a running back always has to keep in mind, just like always telling yourself, as it relates specifically to the outside zone plays?) – “I mean – I don’t know if there’s one thing you’re telling yourself, but just coaching points. Whatever the coaches are telling you, they know best. We’ll go out there and we’ll play football, but just coaching points – remember your coaching points. I think that’s the one thing that you have to remember going out there playing any position, not just running back.”
(What’s the perfect time to cut it upfield in this offense? How do you know the moment to cut?) – “I think that’s the special thing about being a running back. It’s all about feel. There’s no perfect moment. There’s no perfect blocking. Nothing is really perfect. It’s the NFL. So I think that’s the special part about being a running back and just reacting.”
(On the new running backs, what was your reaction when you saw so many guys brought in that play the same position as you, especially veteran guys?) – “Obviously, it’s going to be competitive, but everyone in that room is super cool. I’m blessed to be with those guys. It’s been awesome. It’s been awesome getting to learn as much as I can from those guys – Sony (Michel), Chase (Edmonds), even Myles (Gaskin) – this is Year Four for him and I’m still learning from him even though we went to college together – (and) Raheem (Mostert). So it’s been awesome just learning from those guys. Obviously, like I said, it’s competitive, but just taking as much as I can from them.”
(You mentioned competition, what has the competitive vibe been like in that room?) – “We all want each other to succeed. So it’s no – you go out there, be competitive, you make the most out of your opportunities, but no one is wishing down on nobody. Everybody wants everybody to go out there and be successful. I think it’s already a really close group, so we help each other whenever we can.”
(How important do you think the joint practices and preseason games are for you?) – “It’s just cool to go against some different competition and see where everything is at. Just kind of see where we’re at as a team, as well. I’m excited about it. We get to go out there and practice against some really good competition, as we all know, and go out there and see what we can do on Saturday.”
(What kind of a rapport were you able to build with RB Raheem Mostert in your short time at the 49ers?) – “He was really – Like I said, he’s really smart. He’s a guy that really wanted to help out. Obviously, he went through his whole process. I was a guy that’s undrafted looking to make the team and he’s been through his own stuff. So I went to him about a lot of stuff and he looked out for me. So it’s nice to have him here as well.”
