Liam Eichenberg – May 17, 2022
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Tuesday, May 17, 2022
T Liam Eichenberg
(We were talking to Head Coach Mike McDaniel earlier today and he made a big emphasis with the offensive line about – he said OTAs are built for you guys. That was interesting to begin with. But then he said with the offensive line, it’s important to wipe away what happened in the past. How have you been able to do that?) – “I mean it’s a completely different offense, as you guys can probably tell from watching San Fran’s film. It’s just different. New coaches, new style, new scheme. I’m kind of just focusing on now, focusing on the present and trying to improve every day, trying to learn the offense the best that I can.”
(Are you exclusively on one side? Obviously you’re working some tackle and some guard but are you exclusively on one side?) – “It’s more about understanding the offense right now. Guys are moving around. It just depends on the day. I’m just trying to understand everything from the whole scheme standpoint and just understand the playbook as best I can.”
(Your comfort level at left guard, if that happens to be where you end up?) – “I feel good. This offense does well for offensive linemen. My buddy (Mike) McGlinchey on San Fran loves it. I’m just happy with what’s happening here. We’ve got a lot of guys that showed up for OTAs and are working hard.”
(How do you feel your skillset meshes with the new scheme?) – “I think it’s good. I think it’s a lot about technique and I pride myself on that, so I think it’s good for us. A lot of guys are getting the hang of it and improving. Just one day at a time.”
(A quick follow-up on 49ers OL Mike McGlinchey. What kind of things might he have told you after the Dolphins hired Mike McDaniel?) – “You’ve just got to run off the ball is what he said. That was his biggest emphasis was running off the ball.”
(How much do you guys, as offensive linemen, like that attacking style?) – “It’s great. It’s not about guessing or hesitating. It’s just kind of run off the ball and then whatever happens, happens. You’ve just got to kind of deal with the outcome and make changes on the go.”
(General Manager Chris Grier said this new coaching staff liked a lot of the offensive linemen on your team coming out of the draft. Has Head Coach Mike McDaniel expressed that to you and G/T Austin Jackson and G/T Robert Hunt and the young guys that he liked you guys coming out of the draft or something like that?) – “All I know is he says he believes in us, and that’s all I can ask for. Him giving us an opportunity to compete and play and believing in us is the most important thing. It’s good having a coach that – he’s a good dude and he obviously believes in us, so it’s nice.”
(How dramatically different is the approach as far as technique that Offensive Line Coach Matt Applebaum is teaching compared to Lemuel Jeanpierre, who is obviously still here? Is it a major change beyond obviously a zone blocking scheme is different?) – “No, I don’t think it’s a big change in technique. I think it’s more about the scheme is different. Obviously we didn’t do a lot of wide zone last year. It was mainly inside zone. Lem is still there and still coaching hard. I’m happy he’s still here. He’s going to be a big part of this club going forward.”
(You’re so even-keeled. You dealt with switching positions a lot in your first year-plus in the league. Is that still easy for you not knowing necessarily where you’re going to play and getting practice snaps at a lot of different spots?) – “Yeah, I think it’s just about understanding the offense as a whole. It doesn’t matter where you’re at as long as you understand the Mike point, understand the scheme and what’s happening, you should be able to play any position. So wherever they need me.”
(One thing that Offensive Line Coach Matt Applebaum talked about when we had a chance to talk to him is that he goes back last year and looks at the individual offensive linemen, not the scheme necessarily. When you go back and watch, is there more benefit for you to watch the tape in that way or does it change at all?) – “I think it’s just kind of – I go back now and I watch San Fran because it’s just different. Obviously I know what I need to improve on from last year but as of right now, it’s more about seeing guys – guards, tackles – that have done well in this offense and understand the scheme and understand how to run it. I’m just looking at those guys for experience.”
Jerome Baker – May 17, 2022
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Tuesday, May 17, 2022
LB Jerome Baker
(I was asking Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer last week, ‘How often do you think about whether you come back with pretty much exactly what you did strategically last year, knowing at it’s best it worked over the final 10 games. Or how much do you add new stuff?” And he said he thinks about that every day. Without giving away anything, is your early impression that he wants to add some new things to keep teams off guard? So it’s the same personnel pretty much but it’s not the exact same defense?) – “I think he wants us to lock in on our fundamentals. That’s the simple things like breaks, angles on tackling the football. The little things are what you focus on right now so when you get to the season, everything changes. It’s playbook specific. So right now we’re working on our technique, our hand placement and things you don’t get as much time in the regular season (to work on). For me, the playbook is going to change. It’s going to be game day specific. I think that’s what I see that they’re harping on is let’s focus on little things and game plan specific (stuff) is going to come when it comes.”
(How surprised and happy are you that it’s pretty much the same defense with the addition of a couple of rookies? LB Melvin Ingram hasn’t been announced yet but it’s rare to see the same defense brought back. Are you surprised? Happy?) – “Yeah, I’m definitely happy. Just me personally, I always had different coaches, different linebacker coaches, different coordinators, going back all of the way to college. For me, it’s a good thing. It’s a chance to – you know what you expect. You have a little understanding before you walk into the building. Now it’s just time to build off that.”
(Seeing a Miami Dolphins offense with WR Tyreek Hill on it, your reaction as you witness that, seeing the speed and seeing him here is what?) – “I mean, the guy is fast. He’s a good player. He’s a great guy. I knew him a little bit before he got here, so I kind of knew what to expect. He’s definitely bringing that winning culture, just going hard every play of every practice. It’s definitely working out for us.”
(What are your thoughts on LB Melvin Ingram as a player? What has he shown you over the years?) – “He’s a playmaker. He goes hard every play. He has a high motor. I’m excited. He’s a veteran. He’s going to bring that to the young guys and we’re all going to learn from him.”
(This new-look backfield, what are your impressions from seeing them and going against them?) – “They’re fast. (laughter) Just on offense in general, they’re fast. They’re explosive. It’s definitely going to get us right during training camp and OTAs. It’s going to be exciting for us.”
(How tough is it going to be for teams to defend not only the receivers but also obviously RB Raheem Mostert, when he’s healthy, RB Chase Edmonds, etc.?) – “It just gives defenses more problems. When you give defenses more problems, it’s hard to really lock in on one thing. I’m excited. It’s going to be fun. I’m definitely excited in training camp to go against these guys.”
(I think LB Jaelan Phillips picked the playlist today. How would you grade his?) – “Terrible. (laughter) Nah, I think what happened was they kept skipping some parts, so we didn’t really see his whole playlist. The parts I heard, they were decent. But they were just decent. The first guy to have it, he’s supposed to come out with some fire. I’m going to work on it. (laughter)”
(What have you seen in LB Jaelan Phillips’ growth so far from last year to this year?) – “He’s always been a smart guy. He always went hard. I think now he’s starting to understand where he can make plays, what he can do and what he can’t do. He’s going to make plays for us just like he did last year. He did a great job last year and we’re expecting the same thing this year.”
(So I understand, the previous day’s practice player of the day gets to be the DJ the next day?) – “Correct.”
(What do you think of that as a motivational tool? What will you do once you get to be the DJ?) – “For me, it’s definitely a motivational thing. It just brings fun to practice and into the building. Me, when I get on there, you’re going to hear a lot of Drake. Probably, honestly, the whole playlist is going to be Drake. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to do it.”
(Early impression of LB Channing Tindall?) – “The guy, he’s going to be a great player. He’s just got to, just with any rookie, just try to soak in as much information as you can, and just remember you got to this point by playing football. It’s not that hard when you think about it. It’s still football like it was when we were younger. He’s got a lot of things to improve on but he definitely has potential.”
(Is the speed of LB Channing Tindall evident to you so far? I know it’s early) – “Definitely. He’s definitely got some speed, some explosiveness. He’s definitely going to be a great player in this league.”
(Last year in the second half of the season, you got to rotate inside and outside. Does the prospect of continuing to do that excite you?) – “Yeah. I think that’s my favorite part about this defense. I can pretty much line up anywhere and everywhere and I truly enjoy doing that.”
(You guys have an advantage in that you brought everybody back on the defense. On the other side though, offensive coordinators have seen all of you guys together playing on tape and in-person. Which way is there a bigger advantage, do you think?) – “I’m always leaning there’s a bigger advantage with us just because we know what we’re doing, we know how each other plays and how each other works. When you have that chemistry, things like that in this league are hard to build, and we already have a little foundation of it. Now it’s just time to build on that.”
(Plus you can add LB Channing Tindall and you can add LB Melvin Ingram.) – “Exactly.”
Christian Wilkins – May 4, 2022
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Wednesday, May 4, 2022
DT Christian Wilkins
(I was wondering if you could speak to the three years of developing that you’ve had here and the process of that development. Like from your own personal standpoint, working with coaches and trainer, etc. How have those years of work allowed you to become the player you are and one of the more consistent and productive defensive tackles in the game?) – “The biggest thing was just kind of early on, a lot was overwhelming. You come in with a lot of high expectations – first-round pick, new coach, new everything, everything is new, a lot of pressure – so you’re just trying to get your feet under you. You’re like ‘damn’ and you’re trying to figure out life. You’re trying to figure out everything else, not just ball. You’ve got a lot of different responsibilities and things like that, so there’s a lot of things that come with that. You’re trying to figure out the scheme and things like that, but pretty much for me, I just stuck with the process. I just kept working all the way through and I’m continuing to work, continuing to try and get better each and every day, and I just felt like year after year, I’ve gotten better at a lot of things I wanted to get better at coming into each season. So hopefully I just stick with that process and keep getting better and better each year.”
(So you were drafted in 2019 and the next two years, the Dolphins have a whole bunch of draft picks and tons of young players, younger than you. Do you communicate stuff like that with your younger teammates, kind of about trusting the process and how it worked for you and how it can work for them?) – “Absolutely. I feel like just from my experience, I’m able to be there for those guys, especially like you said, all the draft picks, all the guys who were drafted early who might feel like there was some pressure. There’s this, that and trying to figure things out. I always try to be a guy that they can lean on, come and talk to just about anything – about life, about ball, whatever it has to do, just adjusting to life in the NFL. I always try to be that for them. I can’t tell them everything before it happens, but just kind of be a mentor and a big brother as things do come up for them, help them through whatever it is they may be going through both good and bad.”
(Congrats on the team picking up your fifth year. I wanted to get your take on that move by the club.) – “Appreciate it. I think it’s great. It’s awesome. I’m glad I’m going to be able to be here for another year and I’m just blessed overall. Kind of what we talked about earlier with (the other) question, I’m just progressing each year and the team had to make a decision and they picked up my option. That’s great. I’m excited I’m going to be here for at least another year.”
(Do you think there is a chance that you might be able to do a long-term deal with the club?) – “The biggest thing is I’m just trying to focus on ball. Let whoever else, the powers that be handle all that stuff and talk about all that stuff. I just like to focus on ball, being a good teammate and just getting better every day and stay with the process and the rest will take care of itself.”
(This is a question for Christian Wilkins the NFLPA rep. From a business standpoint, with the new CBA deal, do you find it interesting that once you guys guaranteed that fifth-year option – fully, not guarantee it but then we can opt out of it before the new league year starts – is it interesting that so many teams aren’t picking up the fifth-year option?) – “That’s a good question. I just think it’s case-by-case. The biggest thing to understand is that the league is a business and it’s really a case-by-case situation, so it is definitely interesting. Every team has decisions they have to make and they have that control, they have that power.”
(What’s it like to be one of the only defensive linemen in the first round that gets the fifth year picked up? Is it like a feather in your cap, like “hey, I’m one of the best producers?”) – “No, you don’t think about it like that because again, it’s case-by-case. You don’t know what other teams have going on and like I said, I just try to focus on ball and just letting everything happen as it comes. I don’t try to think about it like that because as soon as you start thinking like that – you’ve got to keep a humble spirit and humble mindset – because as soon as you start thinking like that, a lot of other B.S. can get in the way and you’re not focused on the things you need to focus on.”
(I wanted to ask you about the F1 tour you guys did this week and everything going on at the stadium. I was wondering if you could put into words what it’s like to be on the track and kind of witness everything going on.) – “Yeah, that looks all right over there. It’s pretty cool. I ain’t going to lie to you. I was actually thinking about doing some other stuff this weekend before I got to go on the tour and see everything. I’m like ‘nah, I’m definitely going to be there for that.’ It’s the first time it’s here. This is like – I know there will be other years it’ll be going on, but this is like a once-in-a-lifetime, first-in-a-lifetime experience for me. And for someone like me who grew up the way I grew up where I grew up, you don’t get to see things like this or experience things like this, so I’m going to be there in attendance, having a good time enjoying it and have some fun with it all and just happy to be a part of it, happy it’s going to be here.”
(Since you’ve been drafted, the Dolphins have put tennis on the campus, there’s been Rolling Loud, so many different events. What can you say about everything that kind of happens in the stadium and the campus of the team you play for?) – “It’s awesome that as an organization we do those things and that obviously a lot of things go on here in Miami. We’ve got a great stadium, a great location, just a lot of good things – it makes sense why a lot of things want to be here and a lot of things are going on here and I like to try to go to as many things as possible, again, just because I think it’s always pretty cool. The Miami Open was great. I went to that. Just always cool to experience things, meet new people and it’s just cool to be a part of.”
(I was asking S Jevon Holland about who has a fast car. He said CB Byron Jones has got a nice…) – “Yeah… (laughter)”
(What about the front seven guys? If you had to pick someone’s car to put it on the track, the track right out there, who’s car are you putting out there?) – “From the front seven? Nah, I would definitely say Byron (Jones) is up there. Jaelan (Phillips) has got a nice little something-something. I mean, I don’t know. I ain’t going to put out guys’ business like that, but Jaelan do got a nice little something-something. (laughter) Maybe his car.”
(Do you like cars? Are you more of a sports car guy or truck guy?) – “I’m not a big car person like that. But after going to school in the south and living in the south, you’ve got to have you a truck. You know what I’m saying? (laughter) Ride down with the windows down, arm out, you know what I’m saying? (laughter) You know, just enjoy the ride and feeling big in the big body truck.”
(I wanted to ask you about S Jevon Holland. Just as a fellow, somebody who can kind of relate to being a high pick and kind of being thrust into a prominent role early on, what impressed you about Jevon’s rookie season and how have you kind of seen him approach this Year 2?) – “Jevon has a chance to be pretty good in this league. Just how he comes into work each and every day. That was the biggest thing that I learned. He even took a year off of ball before he got drafted and everything and still came in kind of ready to play and was able to do some really good things for us early on and it’s just impressive to watch. He’s athletic, he’s big, and something that surprised me more than anything is just how cerebral he is back there. Like making the calls, doing some of the things you have to do at the safety position in our defense was really impressive. He’s kind of a kid who just loves playing ball, too, so it’s fun to watch. He brings that nice young spirit, too. He’s a good teammate.”
(I just wanted to ask you what your reaction was when you found out that Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer and Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark were being retained by the new coach and are you sort of eager to see what wrinkles Josh will have just to keep teams off balance this year with largely the same personnel as he had a year ago?) – “Yeah, it’s always nice when you have some – like especially with the whole change, you know what I mean – it’s nice to have some familiarity. It’s nice to have d-coordinator, d-line coach, linebackers coach (return). It’s good to have a lot of the same things coming back – players and everything. There hasn’t been much turnover or anything like that from that standpoint, so I’m just excited that you look around the defense, you look around the locker room and you’ve got a lot of familiar faces and guys who have been in this system. So I’m just looking forward to it and just looking forward to continue to build and achieve connection with each other and do some good things.”
(When you came into the NFL, your reputation as being frugal preceded you. I’m curious whether that stayed the same way or have you allowed yourself to buy yourself some stuff here and there?) – “Hey, nah, (laughter) good question. I mean still – I was going to joke around and say I’m spending money like crazy, but no, I still have the same frugal mindset. That’s in me. You can’t help it sometimes. You do have to spend a little bit more money and it hurts me and it pains me any time I’ve got to spend a little bit of money, but I’m still as frugal as can be. I try to spend as little as possible, but also, here and there, treat myself to little things like that. But I still don’t like spending a lot of money.”
(Quick follow up, if I may. What’s the most flashy you’ve allowed yourself to pick up?) – “More just experiences. Like I’m an experience guy. I love to travel, so in the offseason, if I can enjoy some time, go somewhere, do some things like that, that’s something I love to do. So I love to see the world, I love to get out, love to just experience different things like that. So I like to travel.”
(See now you’ve got me interested. What’s the experience Christian Wilkins had the best time at and what’s the goal from the experience standpoint for this offseason before camp starts?) – “Good question, and you mean from like, just in my life in general?”
(Yeah.) – “Oh man, I don’t know. I’ve been able to do – I’m really blessed and I’m fortunate to be in the position I am in and do a lot of things I do. Like I really can’t pinpoint one specific experience. I don’t know – just from obviously accomplishments in football, winning championships at the college level, being drafted, being part of this brotherhood in the NFL, going to the White House, things like that. Even social circles you’re put in or people you get to meet socially that you’re like, ‘dang, I’m just this little kid from Springfield and I met such-and-such’ or I’m doing this or doing that. It’s all just humbling truly – traveling the world, seeing cool things, things I thought I’d never be able to do…”
(What’s the coolest thing you’ve seen?) – “Shoot, I don’t know. Just even like – let’s just say like even going to London. Stuff that like that. Playing in a foreign place and joking about a guy running onto the field before the game. Like all that stuff was fun. Playing in a different stadium, just taking a second, breathing it all in like, ‘This game is taking me all over the world. I’m here in London playing a game.’ And then I was able to go back this offseason and watch a soccer game in that same stadium and really enjoy that. That’s all just so cool to me and so humbling and it’s awesome to be able to do.”
(So what’s the pre-camp travel plans?) – “I don’t really have anything planned. I might just more so just kick it. Just get my mind right and regroup before I start the heavy training before training camp.”
Jevon Holland – May 4, 2022
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Wednesday, May 4, 2022
S Jevon Holland
(I saw that you were pretty enthusiastic about the Dolphins adding one of your former teammates. Give me the honest straight up scouting report on him.) – “I would but I feel like I’d be a little bit biased because he is one of my best friends. So I’m going to let you guys decide. (laughter) That’s why I’m not going to say anything. He’s going to rise to the top. I believe in him. He’s a hell of a player and an even better guy. He fits right in with the culture of the team.”
(I read the scouting reports and they talked about how he has good ball skills and the ability to track the ball in the air and that he’s competitive. Compliment him on one thing. What’s one thing you think he does well?) – “Like you said, he tracks the ball phenomenally. That was one of the main emphasis as a defense at Oregon and you kind of saw that in how we played in the 2019 year, in the 2020 year and then last year he led college football in interceptions and the Pac-12 also. It’s a testament to him for being that guy and getting those balls down. He’s a hell of a player.”
(I know you had a trip to Vegas to check out the Pro Bowl. You spent some time with CB Xavien Howard. What was that experience like and were there any other players you leaned on for advice and took under their wing?) – “It was great. It was a great experience. I felt super motivated. That was one of the best moments for me as a young player, as a competitor really. To see those guys out there, like this is the goal, this is where I want to get to. Having ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) there, ‘X’ is awesome. The whole time I was with him, tracking him, interviewing him or whatnot, he’s a better guy than he is a football player. Seeing people that have been good in the league for a long time when I was a kid – like I saw Joe Haden and it was cool because I was like ‘what’s up.’ And he was like ‘I know who you are. What’s good, Jevon?’ He knew my name. I’m Jevon Holland, but that’s Joe Haden. Do you know how many pairs of Jordan cleats he’s got? That alone blew my mind. I told my dad the same thing and my brother too. That was dope.”
(This time last year you, I’m sure you were getting here and getting to know your coaches and teammates and all of that stuff. I wanted to ask if you could reflect upon where you were at this time last year compared to now. You had to get to know the playbook, the building, the city, and now you come here, I’d imagine, with a much firmer grasp on all of those things that were so new to you a year ago.) – “Yeah, last year I was in an unknown environment. I was really nervous about everything. I had never been to Florida before. I went by the hotel we were staying at, there was a little lake. I went jogging by the lake and there was a frog. I’m thinking it’s an alligator because I’m from California so I thought there was an alligator everywhere. I started tripping, running back to my room. But now I’m cool. I’m comfortable. I like being here. I love Florida – the sun, the sky, all of that. I was definitely nervous being here. It’s the NFL. I was shaking in my boots, for lack of better terms. I feel way better now.”
(We saw nicknames going around a couple of weeks ago. I know you’re the snowman. S Brandon Jones talked about the clown emoji he used. Have you guys made progress on this nickname that is not going over too well with his teammates?) – “I talked to him about it. He said it’s the joker which I understand because of the clown face. But I’m like bro, you got to put more context into that. First of all, it wasn’t even explained before. No one calls him the joker. For him to just throw it out there, it looked like he was calling himself a clown. He’s not going to call himself that anymore. We’re going to find something else for him. (laughter)”
(There are some coaching staff changes, but Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer stays, and Safeties Coach Steve Gregory stays. How do you feel that might benefit you and the defense?) – “I think it’s very important. It’s carryover from the last year. It’s a familiar face. You’re going to have a similar scheme to how he likes it. The defense understands how he functions and we work well together. You all saw that at the end of last season. I think it’s going to be great for our team, for our defense also.”
(When we talked to you in January, you mentioned that one of the things you wanted to focus on in your second season was patience. I’m wondering, what is your plan, what is your approach to reach that specific goal?) – “It’s about repetition. You’ve got to do something over and over again to make it a habit. That’s been my approach to how I operate this entire offseason. It’s repetition, making sure I’m getting the proper reps in, on and off the field, in the weight room and things like that. I think my whole gameplan for the offseason and approaching OTAs and minicamp is having the right amount of reps and to go about it in a patient manner.”
(I have a similar question about Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer staying. When he spoke to us a couple of months ago, he said that there is going to be a lot of similarities to when Brian Flores was here. But he’s going to look at things more from the back-end down, so the secondary first. Do you have any impressions of what that means to you, because you were asked to do so much as a rookie?) – “I have no idea. I’m just going to do what the coaches tell me because they are cutting the checks, so I’m just going to do it. It is what it is. But seriously, I’m just going to play what they say. That’s literally all. I’m not even going to short change you. I’m just giving it to you straight.”
(What did your first year in the NFL teach you about the business end of the league?) – “That anybody could be anywhere at any time. Everybody is replaceable. That is definitely one of the main things. At the end of the day, it is a business and money talks. At the end of the day, you play and have fun because the NFL is not for long. At any point you could be out of there, so just make sure you take full advantage of your opportunity.”
(Speaking about big business, I’m sure you see everything that’s going on at your stadium campus. What was that tour like that you did checking out the F1 race, and what are your thoughts as a player on this team looking at everything going on, and seeing what Tom Garfinkel and Stephen Ross are doing?) – “I think it’s dope. I know it means a lot and there is a serious deal that’s going on with F1. I don’t know a lot about F1. I know it’s obviously racing and I think Cars did a spin off with Mater in Tokyo or something like that. It’s race cars. They go fast and seeing the track was cool and how they built everything. I thought the track had to be super long. It’s dope, all the exhibits and they’ve got yachts in there and a beach and all types of stuff. I think it’s dope. Shout out to the head guys.”
(We saw the offense make a bunch of moves bringing guys to the fold that have accomplished resumes. I’m curious how guys like WR Tyreek Hill, T Terron Armstead, RB Raheem Mostert, RB Chase Edmonds and all the guys that you brought in can help you guys get better on the defense throughout the course of the offseason in practice?) – “Tyreek Hill is like the fastest player in the NFL so having him on the team and going against him every day, you can’t really practice against a better model for facing a speed team. Chase and Raheem are the same way. They both are dynamic players. And Terron – especially when I come off the edge, playing an offensive tackle who knows tricks of the trade, it’s difficult for me to get to the quarterback. But yeah, just those experiences and challenges they are going to add to practice every day is going to be awesome for us. We’re going to be in tune and already have seen those types of looks when we play the games.”
(Who has the fastest car in the parking lot?) – “Probably Byron. (laughter)”
Michael Deiter – May 4, 2022
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Wednesday, May 4, 2022
C/G Michael Deiter
(I know it’s a day-to-day league and nothing is guaranteed but do you take any solace or encouragement by the fact that the Dolphins didn’t prioritize center during the offseason? There was no veteran center signed. Does that make you feel good even while knowing that you need to compete to win the starting job again?) – “I wouldn’t say it makes me feel any way, I guess. I’m excited that I have a chance to come out here and compete to play for the Dolphins another year. That’s really all I can focus on. Obviously it didn’t happen but it’s not something that I’m really worried about. I just need to get ready to compete again this year.”
(We’re excited about this new Mike McDaniel zone-rushing attack. Can you explain to us what the key responsibilities or unique responsibilities for the center are in this style of offense?) – “It’s the same in the respect that the center has to get everyone on the same page, got to get the IDs, get the whole o-line ready to just cut it loose and be right assignment-wise. But then the whole o-line, it’s a system where we can just play with confidence and cut it loose and really not worry – worry about winning and not worry about losing. It’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s going to be a ton of fun because we can play with confidence. It seems really exciting and it’s going to be exciting.”
(If you had to put your career – obviously it’s no different than what most veterans go through – if you had to put your career into your own words, what would you say it’s been like?) – “I don’t know. I would say it’s a blessing because I have a career in the NFL and that I’m happy with. Obviously you come in and you want to be this, that and the greatest thing ever, and you’re always working for that and every day, that’s all you can focus on. It’s been a blessing to still be here and competing to keep the career. A blessing.”
(What would you say the experiences last year – playing at center – taught you about the league?) – “The more you can do, the more valuable you are. If you can play multiple positions, no matter what you do best, there’s a chance for you to play and help a team out, whether it be practice squad, starter, backup, you name it. As long as you’re willing to work and try to help the team win, there’s always a chance.”
(I wanted to ask you about the new offensive line coach, Matt Applebaum, and kind of what you’ve recognized from him so far through the first phase of the offseason program here.) – “So far he’s been really cool. He’s a detailed guy, an intense guy, but we’re having a lot of fun. He’s doing a really good job of keeping everything fun. He’s been a great teacher so far. We’re learning a ton. It’s going to be a lot of fun working with him. So far it’s been a lot of fun. He’s definitely a cool dude. He’s fun to be around but intense and a heck of a teacher.”
(How would you describe the energy at practice? I know it’s a bit of a new coaching staff. QB Tua Tagovailoa talked about all of the vets that you guys have out there for the voluntary stuff. How would you describe the energy not just with your o-line room but the entire team?) – “The energy is high. It’s good. Everyone is excited to get better. We can see that if everyone is doing their job the way they’re supposed to, we can be explosive. We can have a lot of fun doing it. The way to be explosive is with confidence and everyone working together and getting ready to cut it loose. It’s been really exciting and high energy.”
(I was going to ask you about skills that you think are needed in a zone-running scheme. Do you feel it suits your skillset? Is there a guy or two on the team among the young linemen where you feel like – young linemen besides you – where you feel like their skillsets are really good for this particular system?) – “I mean every guy in the room is capable. Some guys are a little more athletic and it doesn’t matter. But everyone is capable of going out there and running outside zone effectively. One, you need to be confident in your assignment so you can just cut it loose with your technique. As long as you follow the techniques that are taught, I can do it and anyone in the room can do it. That’s kind of the beauty of it all.”
(It occurs to me that Mike McDaniel, Matt Applebaum and Frank Smith all have years of experience in successful rushing attacks. What kind of a sense do you get about the type of commitment to run that those three fellas maybe want to have?) – “You can just tell talking with them that running the ball is something that is important to all three of them and it’s cool. As an o-lineman, that’s always pretty refreshing to hear. The way I think they’re so successful is the detail, the way they break it down to make it almost simple and how you can be effective and how you can run the ball effectively. It’s cool to have three guys who are smart and care about the run and want to get it going no matter what. When they can break it down and simplify it for you, it gives you a lot of confidence.”
(How much better of a center do you feel that you are now than at this same time last year?) – “A lot better. I’m just taking a lot more reps (and have) a little more experience. Obviously I’m not where I need to be. I can be a lot better still. There’s a lot more growth to have. But I’m definitely more confident this offseason than I was a year ago. Not that it was my first time doing it but it had been a little while. It’s going good.”
Skylar Thompson – April 30, 2022
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Saturday, April 30, 2022
QB Skylar Thompson
(I know it’s probably a long wait for you to get this call and I was just curious as the final picks come down, what was that feeling like getting that call from Miami and did you think that this might be a team that would call your name?) – “It was an unbelievable feeling. Truly a dream come true. A moment that I’ve dreamed about and worked for my entire life and for it to happen with a great organization like Miami, I’m so excited. I’m so excited for the opportunity that they’ve given me and honestly I wasn’t expecting – it kind of caught me by surprise that this is where I ended up. I’ve talked to Coach (Darrell) Bevell at the Combine and talked to him at the beginning of the week a little bit this week, but I haven’t talked to him – they definitely weren’t the team that I talked to the most. I’m super excited for this opportunity and I think it’s a great fit, so I’m so excited.”
(My question to you is you had a quarterback coach Justin Hoover. He helped you prepare I think for the last six years. Could you explain what he’s meant to you in your development as a quarterback?) – ”Yeah, Coach Hoover has been a big part of my development. I met him at the Elite 11 out of high school and worked with him throughout college and he’s been a big part of my progression and my development over the years. Him being in Kansas City where I’m from, it’s only two hours away from K-State, so it’s been very easy access to get back and get to work with him. He was a big part of my pre-draft process and he just really developed me a ton. It’s not ever been re-inventing the wheel or doing a whole bunch of new stuff. It’s just really finetuning every little detail of being a quarterback and there’s really trying to make a very complicated position be very simple and he’s a been a big part of my progression as a player, as a person; and he means a lot to me so I appreciate him a lot.”
(So obviously in this draft process, teams reach out to you. Who did you think was feeling you the most?) – “Yeah, I had the most interest I thought from the Houston Texans and the Detroit Lions, the Patriots, 49ers. There were quite a few teams that I had talked to quite a bit and met with at the Combine and stuff. So yeah, Miami – I had no idea, honestly. It’s a great surprise. I’m very excited for this opportunity.”
(What do you think about your opportunity to come in here and compete for a roster spot? What’s the biggest challenge that you see for yourself?) – “Yeah, well first and foremost, I’ve got to get my foot in the door and start learning the playbook and just be a great teammate. That’s what I’m here – I’m here to win and whatever that may look like, whatever my role is on the team, I’m going to own my role and I’m going to do whatever it takes to help the Miami Dolphins win. That’s what I’m – I’m so excited. I’m so excited to get into the room, to get down in the building down in Miami and get to work. Ultimately I’m – like I said – I’m coming to win and whatever that may look like, that’s what I’m focused on. I’m focused on winning, being the best teammate and leader I possibly can be and making an impact on my teammates and making those around me better. That’s what I’m mainly focused on.”
(I’m wondering if you could sort of give us a self-scouting report on where your game is right now. What are you hearing from teams on what you do really well and what you need to work on?) – “Yeah, I feel like first and foremost, I’m a gamer. Just being able to make plays off-schedule, on-time, with my legs, with my arm. I feel like that’s a summarization of who I am as a player and I’m a guy that wants the ball in his hands when the team needs a big play, when they rely on me to make a play and whether if it’s on fourth down, going into the end zone, red zone, whatever the case may be, I want the ball in my hands in those situations. And on top of that being a servant leader. I feel like I make those around me better. I’m going to serve my teammates at all times and put my team before myself and ultimately that’s what leads to success because it leads to wins and that’s what drives me and my play every single day that I get the opportunity to play football. And as far as moving forward, as far as areas that I think I could get better at or improve is always – first and foremost is my footwork. I feel like I have good feet, but there’s always room for improvement and just being more consistent with my feet and really tightening up my stride on some throws, really getting my turn – my hips open to my left and throwing outbreaking routes. And then just my posture. Sometimes I stand up tall a little bit on my throws and kind of cause the ball to sail, but those are all things that I’ve been working on this offseason and feel really good about going into rookie minicamp here in a couple weeks.”
(You’re going to turn 25 in June which is a little bit older than your typical rookie. How do you look at that in terms of do you feel like maybe more of a sense of urgency for your career to develop because you’re 25? On the other hand, do you feel it helps you because maybe you’re more mature than prospects who come in at 21 or 22?) – “I definitely don’t feel any pressure as far as me being older that my career has to accelerate quicker or whatever the case may be. I think my age is a benefit to me. I’ve played in a lot of football games. I’ve experienced a lot of different situations in football. You name it, I’ve experienced it. And every type of adversity you can think of that a quarterback could experience, I’ve experienced it. I’ve fought through and I’ve overcome and I’m still standing strong. That’s the biggest asset for me. I think I bring a level of leadership that can’t be replicated at all spots just because I’ve been around so many locker rooms, I’ve had so many different encounters with players from all over the place and developed great relationships. I’ve been a four-year team captain. All of that is just tools in my toolbox. It’s given me experiences to bring a great perspective to a great organization and that’s what I hope to bring to the Miami Dolphins.”
(Do you have any prior connections to anybody on the Dolphins?) – “I do not. I do not.”
(I was curious to know if there are any quarterbacks that you might have admired or studied throughout your childhood or college that you looked up to and modeled your game after?) – “Yeah. I was always Drew Brees. I always loved the way that Drew played, the way that he leads first and foremost. Everybody has seen his pregame ‘hoo-rah’ speeches, and getting his team fired up and playing hard. He just makes plays. When the team needs him to make a play, Drew Brees is there and is very consistent with who he is as a person, as a player. On paper people would say he’s undersized, doesn’t have the strongest arm, whatever. Drew Brees always found a way to win, always found a way to prove the naysayers wrong, and I just always admired him about that. The way that he carried himself, the way that he led, the great teammate he was, and he’s a gamer. You can tell he’s just a football player and found ways to get his team on the winning side of the scoreboard, which I always admired about him and looked up to.”
Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel – April 30, 2022
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Saturday, April 30, 2022
General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Mike McDaniel
Mike McDaniel:
(What was it like for you? First draft as a Miami Dolphin.) – “It was fun. It was an exercise in patience but I think I think it was an exercise in patience and virtue. I’m pumped about the players that we added so that was fun.”
(Making the phone calls, did you enjoy that?) – “Yeah, I was the closer. (Chris Grier) had the hard work of the opener. But yeah, that was fun. It’s a special moment for a lot of people and you can hear it in the background especially. It’s a cool thing to be a part of.”
Chris Grier:
(Today you had three picks. You started off with getting WR Erik Ezukanma. Wide receiver probably wasn’t at the top of your needs but was that a case of best player available and what did you see with him and his fit here?) – “Yeah, I think with us, we always go down the board and always talk about the best players available. We got to that pick and he was a player we had talked about, we had visited with him, spent some time. Wes (Welker) worked him out, went there and he was on Mike (McDaniel) from day one about getting a Red Raider receiver in here. (laughter) We dealt with Wes all spring talking him up. We had a good workout with him. We had a private workout with him as well. He did a nice job for us. We got to know him and he was the kind of player that fit our profile for what we were looking for. Good kid. Tough. Catches the ball well. He blocks. Run after catch and things. When he was there and we looked at the board, we said we had to take him.”
(A few months ago, not long ago you said that you wanted to add competition at center with C/G Michael Deiter. Obviously, you didn’t come away with any offensive linemen. Was that just a matter of how the board kind of shook out? Did you try to trade up or trade back? Can you try to walk me through not coming away with an offensive lineman?) – “Yeah, we want competition at every position. We still, we do have some competition with the offensive line group. As we’ve gone through here in the spring and Mike (McDaniel) and the coaching staff have been very excited about the group and that’s been the fun part about working with these guys here is they’ve talked about it all spring and then getting on the field with them recently, they’re really excited about it. With us, all through the draft, yeah we try and look at every position but we follow our board. We don’t reach for people. We did try and move up a couple of times but we had limited resources in terms of being able to move around. As we said before, just because the draft is over doesn’t mean we are going to stop looking to improve the roster. We’ll keep working through that all spring and through the summer.”
(What is the plan now for backup center or is this a situation where you might try some other guys at that position?) – “Yeah, I think – every option.”
Mike McDaniel:
“It’s important for a team that you’re a combination of players working together. You give everyone an opportunity that you think fits. We have some good, young competition that we feel good about and you’re trying people at different avenues really just to put people in the best position they can be to be successful. You can’t force the market whether it’s the draft or free agency. You do what you’re most comfortable with for the team, that’s what we’ve continued to do and moving forward, if the opportunity presents itself, we’ll jump on it. Right now, we’re just a group of guys that are all in, trying to learn a new system and get better every day. That’s what we’re most concerned with moving forward.”
Chris Grier:
(Chris, you mentioned that the offensive line group in this draft class stood out to you. I’m just wondering if there was a point in this draft that you were trying to trade up for an offensive lineman or it just didn’t fall right or you didn’t have the resources to do so?) – “Yeah, we were looking but we are happy with the players we got. There were opportunities where we made calls and tried to get some deals done but sometimes the ball bounces that way. For us, Mike (McDaniel) was antsy a couple of times. We were on the phone and we were joking about how no one wanted to do business with us.”
Mike McDaniel:
“You really just want to make sure that – at the end of the day, you have four draft picks. You’re going into both days, or really all three days of the draft saying, ‘You know what – we want to make our team better as best we can.’ You want to feel good about the players that you add. There’s a lot of people that are on the field, a lot of positions to fill, but the bottom line is that we need some Miami Dolphins that our locker room can embrace and that can make the players that we have better and make the team better. That’s what we did and we feel great about that.”
Chris Grier:
(On QB Skylar Thompson, if you could each talk about what interested you in the quarterback and what you thought was appealing about him?) – “Yeah, I think going through the process here, we’ve all kind of seen him over the years. It seems like every year Kansas State pulls a big upset over someone and he has a game that people end up talking about. He’s a competitive kid that’s smart, tough. He’s got some athletic ability. I always appreciate how he played and how their coaches and people around him talked about the character and the person. It was always intriguing and then we got to the point here at the end where there is a guy that has some potential to develop as a quarterback and has some upside. We’re excited. The coaching staff and Mike (McDaniel), I’ll let him speak on that but they followed suit with their work.”
Mike McDaniel:
“You’re excited when you turn on the tape and you see a guy with passion play the position of quarterback. You could feel his command and his competitiveness and that’s something that the entire team benefits from because you’re touching the ball all the time and making decisions. We felt good about that opportunity. I just really like the way he played the game and how competitive he was. I think that everyone will be excited that we added another competitor to the team and move forward in that way. Skylar by far had the best audience, too, around him. (laughter) They were all great but I think he had like several people screaming in his ear and into the phone because it was that loud. A lot of people were excited about it.”
(What was your evaluation of WR Erik Ezukanma?) – “Well, I thought he would be a really good guy to draft. Chris (Grier) agreed, so we drafted him. The cool part about Erik is that he competes and he does it – we’ve talked about it at length. Wes (Welker) believes it and a lot of the receivers in the room are starting to understand it but you can really dictate the toughness and the physicality of the team with how guys go about their business. That’s the one unique thing I think we have is however fast they are, all of our receivers compete and play tough. That’s watching Erik do something similar in a completely different body type. It was exciting to watch him play and I think he fits the energy and the skill level that we’re looking for. We want guys to be fast and play fast and doing both with a decisiveness and a team-first passion that he bleeds. We’re excited to add him. That was the biggest thing, I saw a football player playing the receiver position.”
(The roster the day you were hired and the roster today are remarkably different. I was wondering if you could compare the two and maybe talk about how much better you feel about the players you have?) – “It’s exciting but you’re not sure. I’d like to think that Chris (Grier) thinks that I’m a pretty good coach but then he was aggressively adding a lot of really good players. He recognizes that a good coach needs help, he needs good players. It’s a collective. I’m not sure if it was a compliment or if he was saying, ‘Hey dude, you need some help.’ (laughter) But regardless, the end result I feel very good just about the whole team. It’s not just about the guys that we added. It’s about a collective group of people whether you’re in your first year or you’ve been a Miami Dolphin for two or three years. You want people to all agree on the front end to say, ‘Hey you know what, we’re ready to do something together and full commit to it.’ That’s what I’m most excited about because when I first got here, we didn’t have a team meeting. I was individually meeting people maybe two or three guys a day and then the rest were FaceTime and phone calls. Now, we have the energy of a full nucleus and I know one thing – we have a group of guys with these college guys now joining that are committed to trying to win football games and that’s the best part about the roster now.”
Chris Grier:
(General Manager Chris Grier, you were asked about center and I’m curious about the running back position. Obviously you have quality running backs on the roster but I’m curious if there was a running back or two that you and Head Coach Mike McDaniel and the other coaches liked in that third or fourth round range that would have been an option had it broken a little differently?) – “Yeah, there was one guy that we kind of targeted a little bit and Mike (McDaniel) fell out of his chair when he got picked by somebody.”
Mike McDaniel:
“I mean I was composed. (laughter) I was a professional. I was convinced that I was internalizing it all.”
(The 49ers got a back, right? Was he from Arizona State?) – “The 49ers drafted a running back? I don’t know. We were focused on our four picks.”
Chris Grier:
“Yeah, we were just focused on our guys. (laughter).”
Mike McDaniel:
(Did you guys have any HBCU targets that you guys wanted to bring in during free agency or after this draft as unsigned free agents?) – “There are plenty of good players in college football. They come from all different conferences. That’s competitive as well. It’s just like the draft. There are a lot of players that we feel good about that we would add on our team that we don’t have the opportunity to because of the competitive nature of the selection process and undrafted free agency. There are plenty of players we’ve evaluated, several of which we had high on our board.”
(How are you feeling now that the draft process is over as a head coach? How are you feeling, how was this process for you?) – “I feel like there has been a lot of work done, but nothing has been done if that makes sense. You’re right, you’re in the natural process of at least for a portion of the calendar of the year, you can be focused specifically on one thing and that’s practicing football and getting better at that. That’s relieving, but it’s just the transfer of focus. It’s a cool part of the process. It was fun. I imagine the first night would be a little more climatic in the near future. It was nice to get my feet wet by doing nothing. (laughter) But it was fun. I was very happy with our draft picks on our first day. I just got to watch them practice for the last couple of weeks with Tyreek (Hill). That was good. We felt good about that one. (laughter) I’m excited to move forward and I think a lot of people in the building are too.”
Chris Grier:
(I’m guessing you guys will have a large undrafted free agent class to get into now?) – “Yeah, we think so. We’re in the process of working through that here as the draft ends. We’ll be signing players as always and getting ready for rookie minicamp.”
(Does it benefit you that you don’t have that many draft picks with the undrafted rookie, or is that really a situation that comes down to money?) – “It’s a combination of both. It does help because some teams have had eight, nine, 10 players added at a position. With us it gives you a little more space for opportunities. Kids will look for opportunities with their agent. But at the end of the day, the good players that are left, it always gets competitive with the money.”
(This is you guy’s first time in this process working together in the draft and free agency. I’m curious if you guys learned anything from each other throughout the course of this process the first time around?) – “I learned that he likes sushi. He was crushing sushi on Thursday night.” (laughter)
Mike McDaniel:
“He’s a tough guy to compete with in Cherry Pepsi consumption. I tried to go bottle for bottle with him and I couldn’t keep up. (laughter) That was humbling I guess. No, but it’s been great. You’re excited to get involved in the process and it felt like we’ve worked together for a long time, to the point where I feel like Chris (Grier) looks at me and he’s like, ‘We’ve worked together for a long time, I’m kind of sick of you at this point,’ which I think is good for everyone. (laughter)”
Chris Grier:
“It’s been good, it’s been good. Even when we disagreed on players, we spent time on the players and talking through why and talking with the coaching staff and scouts. It’s been a good process. It has been fun. I think for everybody it has been enjoyable. The scouts, coaches – we’ve had a number of coaches that Mike has hired that have said they’ve enjoyed this process because it’s been different, the openness and communication just from other places they have been. It’s been fun and we feel good about the process but there is still work to be done.”
(Did you end up watching any WR Tyreek Hill highlights?) – “No, we didn’t. (laughter) Practice film, we actually did. Thursday at practice. (laughter)”
Cameron Goode – April 30, 2022
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Saturday, April 30, 2022
OLB Cameron Goode
(It was reported a couple of weeks ago that you had a pre-draft visit to the Dolphins. How did that visit go, and what did you learn about this defense during your time here?) – “The visit was great. It was honestly, definitely one of my favorites. I love Miami. I’ve always loved Florida. I’m excited to come out here. The coaches are great. I love the coaches. I met with Coach ‘Camp’ (Anthony Campanile) and Coach (Ty) McKenzie. I love the coaches. I felt like I built a good relationship with them and I’m ready to go out there.”
(What do you feel are the things you do best as an outside linebacker? Did you play mostly in a 4-3 or in a 3-4 at Cal?) – “I played in a 3-4. I feel like I’ve been able to get my pass rush better throughout the years. I feel like I’m physical. I’m always going to be physical, setting the edge and things like that. I’m ready to get with Coach McKenzie and rush the passer and get all of that squared away and ball out.”
(You mentioned at the start how much you enjoy Florida and Miami. Tell me about how much time you’ve spent here and what it is about the area that you enjoy?) – “I played baseball for 10 years so I’ve been in Florida for a good amount of times to play baseball tournaments out there. I’ve always loved it. I’ve always said I wanted to live in Florida. It’s really a dream come true. It was my first time in Miami on my visit and I honestly loved it. It’s really crazy it happened.”
(How did baseball lose out to football?) – “Baseball was a little too slow for me. Football was it for me. It was physical. It runs in the family. My dad and great uncle have been in the league. I’m just excited and ready to go. Baseball was fun, but it’s not football.”
(Where did your dad and your great uncle play?) – “My dad got drafted by the Falcons in the fifth round a long time ago and my uncle, I believe it was the Chargers who drafted him. He went first round a long time ago.”
(Going back to your dad, I’m wondering what kind of advice he’s given you for the NFL?) – “He’s always telling me about his experiences. I just know it’s a mental battle and you always got to be mentally strong. It’s a long process. It’s a fight. Everybody is good, so things like that. Stay mentally in it and keep going really and just keep working.”
(I’m wondering how a outside linebacker ended up with the number 19. How did that come about?) – “When I first got to Cal, they gave me No. 41. I wasn’t feeling that, so I asked to change my number and they gave me the options No. 19 or No. 29. I felt like No. 19 was the number. It stuck. I love it now – No. 19.”
