Raheem Mostert – August 26, 2024
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Monday, August 26, 2024
RB Raheem Mostert
(I guess every year you’re optimistic. Is there any reason for you to be more optimistic this year than maybe last year or two years ago or any other season of your career?) – “Every year is a new year. New beginnings on a new team. We’re at the 90-man roster and unfortunately, we have to dwindle the roster down until we get our 53-man roster. So it’s a sad day, also a good day because we get to start the season off and get ready for Jacksonville and we’re just excited. We’re ready to go, but at the end of the day, I was once one of these guys that got released and it’s devastating because your hopes and dreams are right there in front of you and then when you get that phone call, it just seems like that’s a lasting memory. I remember when I was in Philly and got that phone call. Unfortunately I was the last guy in the building to receive that phone call and it changed my life, just the business side, the prospective side. And you’ve just got to grow and learn and become a better player when teams are making those decisions. So I was able to stick with it and to all the guys out there, I just hope the best for them especially on this team because we had a good roster of guys that came in, played their tails off and did everything they possible could to make a roster spot. But like I said, it’s the business aspect.”
(How long did it take you to pick yourself up off the floor and get motivated again?) – “I learned quickly. I’m a quick learner in that regard just because I know – coming in when I was a rookie, I knew that it was a business aspect, business mindset. That’s how I took it and I didn’t take it personal. I would tell people all the time that one thing that I truly was blessed about was that I didn’t burn bridges because those same bridges that you keep ahold of and keep them strong, they come around tenfold. And so that was the case for me when I went from Philly and then Chip Kelly was in San Francisco at the time the following year. And guess what? I made a mark in San Fran, so I could live to say that don’t burn those bridges and learn from it.”
(In this running back room there’s going to be some tough choices. We don’t know for sure RB Jeff Wilson Jr. – could you make the case for Jeff Wilson Jr. being on this team?) – “I’m always going to have Jeff’s back. I think that he’s one heck of a player; he does everything right. Unfortunately, he had some injuries and stuff like that, but I still think at least from what I’ve seen, he’s in good standing. But you never know in that regard. I’m not in the office helping out with the decisions, but film doesn’t lie and Jeff (Wilson Jr.) has a good resume.”
(What has impressed you about RB Jaylen Wright and what are your expectations for him?) – “Jaylen Wright, he’s coming in. At first, he was a little bit slower, because he’s a rookie, right? So the pace of the game and understanding the concepts, but he’s picking things up. This last preseason game, I thought he did a good job. He could do better, of course, but he did a good job in his resilience to overcome a few things and his mental aspect was definitely there so I’m looking forward to that, for sure.”
(I’ve been always meaning to ask you this. You guys have such a good running back room in terms of helping guys, mentoring guys even though there’s only one ball for you. How do you keep that room the way that it is?) – “I would say obviously it’s experience. I’ve been in this offense for quite some time and even when I was in this offense at the beginning, it was more so of a brotherhood. The NFL, whether people believe it or not, is a fraternity of brothers, and your position group, that’s the same thing. And that’s the mindset that you’ve kind of got to have in regards to your position because at the end of the day we’re all trying to feed our families. We’re all trying to do what’s right for each and we’re trying to do right for the team. You can’t have anybody that’s a ‘me player’ obviously, because those ‘me players’ get weeded out as you’ve seen in the past. So just having that mindset that it takes everybody in the group, that goes a long way. We’re all just, at the end of the day, brothers and it’s a brotherhood.”
(The team went from 31st in rushing attempts two years ago to 15th in team rushing attempts last year. Do you see Top 10 rushing attempts in the Dolphins’ future?) – “Yeah, we just keep climbing the ladder it seems like in this offense. So I can’t predict that right now, but it’d be nice to have that, get in the Top 10 in rush attempts and lead the cavalry in that regard. Just excited about this season.”
(There’s so much talk on the defensive side about being more physical and being bullies. When I think about being more physical and building bullies on offense, it means the run game. Do you guys sense that there is that similar commitment to being physical, aggressive, run-set-minded on offense?) – “Yeah, in this style offense, of course we’ve got playmakers all across the board, but we feel like to set the tone, it’s definitely the run game and that’s what gets the party started. And then of course, we’ve some unbelievable receivers out there and tight ends that can just take the top off at any moment, so as long as you have that understanding that we’re going to play smashmouth ball at the beginning and set our tone, then that’s what you’re able to dictate the outcome of the game. So that’s just our mindset for this offense.”
(Something FB Alec Ingold said a couple weeks ago that you guys were pushing the limits of what this offense can do and hearing from Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith – I think it was last week – about how Year 3 in a system, how you can start to expand a little bit. What does pushing the limits of an offense look like from a player’s perspective in this third year?) – “That’s a great question. I truly think that pushing the limits means in this offense; it means that you’re doing things that are unconventional, not only for a player, like for myself, but for the entire offense. If you look at what we’re doing, we’re doing these motions that have never been done before; we’re executing them at a high rate. We’re doing things that most defenses – like I was just talking to the Bucs defense and Lavonte David, right, last week when we had joint practice and we were able to conversate a little bit in between breaks, and one of the things that he brought up was our motions. That kind of just – it left a visual that it was hard for him to paint that picture of where everybody is going to be at because you’ve got guys going left and right and up and down and you just never know what it looks like from a defensive standpoint. And that’s our thing, is we want to make the defense – we want them getting out of their shell, being confused, not understanding this offense because if that happens, that means you’re doing it at a fast rate and that’s something that’s never been done. So just trying to be unconventional, trying to do something that’s unique and different and just trying to hold that title as being No. 1 offense in the league.”
(What’s new about QB Tua Tagovailoa this year?) – “I mean, other than his contract. (laughter) No, I’m just playing. I’m just super excited for him and his growth and his mindset. These past two years and going on to this third year, he’s settled down in this offense and he’s really picking things up at a high rate and he’s doing things that he feels comfortable at. And if you look at how he’s possessing the ball and he’s getting the throws out, there’s really not any quarterback that’s in the league that’s doing what he’s doing and it’s exciting to see. I’m just excited for him this year. We’re going to be hitting the ground running and high-flying and keep that mentality.”
Mike McDaniel – August 26, 2024
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Monday, August 26, 2024
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(Opening statement) – “The elephant in the room is that tomorrow, we are adjusting our roster size significantly, right? I’ll do my best to answer questions today that I’m able to, but there’s some stuff I won’t be able to. So if you just bear with me, we’ll do our best to all do our jobs, because you guys want me to do my job as the head coach by the organization and the players, right? You do, right? All right. So then I am going to do my best to do what you’re asking me for.”
(Is anybody going to stay on PUP or go to injured reserve that you can tell us right now?) – “Oh, OK. All right, I feel like roster Kris Kringle right here. There’s Isaiah Wynn, Cam Goode and Bradley Chubb will start on PUP. Boom, teammate.”
(So no WR Odell Beckham Jr. starting on PUP?) – “TBD. TBD, more information to acquire. Yeah, right? See we’re starting pretty good, right?”
(Regarding QB Skylar Thompson, I talked to him after the Washington game and he said among the things that he worked on in the offseason and training camp were accuracy, quick reads, getting the ball out of his hand quickly, which are things that QB Tua Tagovailoa excels in with this offense. So my question is, did that occur to QB Skylar Thompson organically? Or did you guys tell him? Or his private quarterback coach told him? How did he know to work on that and how did he do to that end?) – “He asked Jeeves. Does that age me? Does that still exist? Oh man, I just aged myself. (laughter) It’s a cool process with Skylar (Thompson) because I think it’s a lot easier to – well Tua’s development is put on display because he’s out there all the time and you can tangibly see how he improves. Much as the life of a No. 2 or a No. 3 quarterback is, Skylar has also progressed in that same fashion. It was a situation where he was able to get a little bit more reps this camp and all of the things that are mechanical, as well as he’s a very smart dude that sometimes as a young quarterback just in the system as a rookie, his mental speed is really fast and we were trying to catch his body up to it and I think that’s something he’s been working on diligently. And I think the proof is in the pudding, he came in day-in, day-out at practice and ultimately was able to win the job. So I think the same types of things in terms of growing at your position and growing in your game that Tua has experienced, there’s multiple things within Skylar’s game that he’s progressed that I see a better quarterback now than I did at the beginning of camp or last year or the year before.”
(I assume you’ll want a third arm now on this roster – this person serving in the QB3 behind QB Skylar Thompson as solidified QB2.) – “Yeah, I would imagine Chris Grier and the boys are – there’s a lot of things that go on in the next 24 hours in particular, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a third quarterback, whether what type of roster spot that is, that’s another TBD.”
(What are you looking for? I don’t know if I’ve ever asked you that.) – “I think for – ironically, that’s a question that I haven’t really answered, but I do have an answer for that. I think one thing that for quarterbacks that’s important to the way we play is their accuracy and ball placement, for sure. There’s a command of a huddle that your teammates have to believe that you’re the guy that can facilitate the offense and orchestrate it and make the decisions necessary for the team to be successful. And then one finer layer that I’m looking for is mechanically, is the quarterback able to do it? There’s a specific ability to be able to throw with a base and be able to throw in a phonebooth that is a skill that not everybody has, and you have to be adept to that in the National Football League because of the pass rush, as well as really hone in on quarterbacks that there’s a skill to throw a ball to someone. And then how accurate can you be? And then another level is can you look at defenders and see defenders and still throw to moving targets? Do you have to see only your offensive player to make a throw, or can you see the defense for reasons of throwing into windows, anticipation, as well as zone manipulation.”
(Do you prefer a veteran as the third or a young guy? Is it all individually based?) – “I understand the value in all quarterbacks. I think our two particular quarterbacks we have on the roster allow us to be open-minded and not stringent, just because I do think the maturation at the quarterback position, both those guys had to go through that in their own orchestration. Now Skylar (Thompson) having a lot less game experience – there’s always value in experience, but I don’t think in this particular room we have to stick to, ‘We have to have an experienced guy.’ If there’s some young player with talent that we feel good about, where his game is at now and see a high ceiling, we could go that direction as well. I think you do have to adjust your room to fit the needs of the room and the needs of the team. That’s case by case, and I think this particular quarterback room we can go with a young guy, old guy, just a good guy.”
(With LB Bradley Chubb and LB Cameron Goode out for a month, you’re going to have to rely on some of your young guys, rookies it seems like, at edge rusher. What do they, LB Chop Robinson and LB Mohamed Kamara in particular, show you that gives you the confidence that you’ve got enough?) – “Well I think where there is adversity, there’s an opportunity. I think we’ve had much talked about, I mean it’s been pretty obvious, the injuries that we’ve gone through at that particular position. So really at this stage, whether it’s a rookie or a young player at that position, I know a lot more than I usually would in terms of where they’re at with their game, and they’ve got to learn a lot of things that come with playing defense in the NFL and all the different layers that comes with that and how to learn the playbook. I think the biggest thing is that you want to see continued progression without halt because there’s so much ground to gain, and I’ve seen a ton of that. There’s been days that all of our young guys have, as they would say it, not a good day, and those are irrelevant to me if and only if things are improved upon. I’ve seen that consistent progression with the whole group, and that’s super important because that’s what you end up having to do during the season. During the season you’re going to do stuff well Week 1 and you’re going to do stuff poorly Week 1. And guess what? Week 2, in this case will happen in just a couple days, and then you’ll have to do that. The idea is that in the National Football League if you don’t do something well, teams will take advantage of it, especially if you put it on tape. So you have to get stuff fixed which has been so monumental for watching these guys get these reps is I’m not just saying I need to see progression. I need to because the second we are able to adjust something in your game, or identify something is lacking and needs improvement, you better fix it, otherwise the whole defense will feel – listen, if you’re not on the backside run chasing appropriately, you’ll turn the page and you’ll get three bootlegs on you. And then you play the next week, you got to show that you’ll stop the boot with that same guy or they’re going to keep running it and they’ll test you early. That’s just the nature of football. So all those guys, I’m happy with them because that’s what I’m evaluating, I already know what’s coming. Good and bad plays regardless, how are you able to adjust your game as the scheme necessitates each day, and that’s what I’m really pumped about with that group.”
(What went into your decision-making process in choosing QB Skylar Thompson over QB Mike White’s experience given kind of what we saw in camp of him playing in maybe adverse situations?) – “I think you just – for me, my stress comes in not allowing guys to compete on the field and to have unknowns. As a coaching staff, we really tried to create an environment that had a little more connectivity to the adversity that is natural to a backup quarterback. And in that, we got a ton of evaluation pieces that a lot of which were like how do you respond to adversity and how do you make a play when maybe one isn’t there. And doing that over the entirety of the camp, I thought what I saw in practice, I wasn’t surprised by what I saw in the game from Skylar (Thompson) – that was the culmination. But you find out a lot if you keep the competition open to the last game, there’s your last opportunity and Skylar regresses with his technique and fundamentals and decision-making. What I saw was a guy that came in during the second quarter and took absolutely full advantage of every opportunity, and I saw teammates respond to him. I saw teammates believe in him, and I saw teammates get off the bench during the drive and start getting close to the white. Those are all the things that for me, is what I’m evaluating because just going back to what is the actual job of your backup, and I thought it was a cool moment. Skylar got to play as a rookie; played in a playoff game, did pretty well in that playoff game. He made some plays during the season, and then played some preseason last year and hadn’t seen the field for a while. A lot of times that can be a player’s worst enemy. I think it says a lot about Skylar Thompson that his game continued to progress and in the final preseason game, he got to put it all together and kind of show who he is.”
Regarding your depth, I think it’s been pretty good the past two years. I think it’s helped you guys make the playoffs, not led you there but kept the train on the tracks. What have you thought about the role your depth has played in your success the last two years? What do you foresee about your depth this year?) – “I think it’s paramount. You want to talk about the 69-man roster, OK? Not 53, the 69-man roster has been crucial. You don’t necessarily know at what positions, but it’s kind of changed the way that I look at that number and what that squad is. Going into Year 3, I thought that Chris (Grier) and I have made sure that regardless of the decisions that are made between one player to the next, that 69-man roster would be one group moving in one direction and understood the finer details of what we’re trying to do. Because the one thing I do know – there is a stat out there, in football, there is a 100% injury rate. Just really think about that. Every player at one point in time gets hurt, every single player. Much of the entire league is doing your best to minimize what those injury rates are, but then also having plans of action in case whomever goes down. You try to tool yourself so that the ship can keep moving in one direction and minimize the effect of every lost player, fully understanding that there is a reason those players are starters. How do you minimize that, how do you have a stronger group that when those inevitable things occur, there is less turbulence. I think that has been steady on our minds the entire process.”
(What is your level of confident that OL Aaron Brewer is going to be available Week 1?) – “I’m a very confident person, however I’m also a very principled person and pretty much I exhaust everybody in my life, including you guys with my principles. So you say that – I’m a confident person and I’m very confident in (Aaron) Brewer in general, however, I do not want to make players worse. And if they think that I’m expecting them to be ready for anything, I run the risk of them wishing it into existence and then hindsight is 20/20 and something happens. Regardless of my level of confidence in Brewer, I literally am not worried about things if we worry about one day at a time. If that puts him ready for Week 1, awesome. If that’s Week 2, sweet. We do have a team for a reason. You have to adjust and have to learn the players strengths, and when people are out of the lineup, you adjust how you play. But that’s art of football teams and coaching and roster building and all that. So I’m very happy with where he’s at. Since my last update, I would be more happy because there’s been more individual days stacked with no regression and continued progression.”
(Do you have any kind of update on DT Brandon Pili and his injury?) – “He’s probably going to be working through a little discomfort today, but he should be fine and out there sweating right next to me.”
(With WR Odell Beckham Jr., obviously QB Tua Tagovailoa expressed concern that he had not thrown a route to him. WR Odell Beckham Jr. is a veteran, so he’s been in multiple offenses, one similar to yours. Where do you feel he would be inserted into the offense in Week 1 without ever practicing?) – “There’s not a scenario where he’s going to just jump out there with a cape on without practicing at all. I think for me, it’s like every other player; you make sure that they progress and you get them back on the field as fast as their body allows them to, and then you allow the comfort level of the player to dictate when he plays. So are we going to play football with Tua and Odell being uncomfortable with their connectivity in a real game? Absolutely not. So the measures that we’ll take, we’re trying to make sure that when he’s on the field, that he’s done absolutely everything to minimize how long it takes for him to be live action. So it’s just step by step, and you can rest assured there won’t be discomfort in Miami Gardens when we’re playing in the stadium at Hard Rock or anywhere else.”
(Beyond a confident person, you’re always an optimistic person, and now you’re about to set your roster. Coupled with the last couple of years, anything in particular you latch onto this season that says why you’re optimistic or more optimistic?) – “Well because every season, you just get tooled with an unbelievable amount of lessons if you’re willing to learn. I think from a leadership standpoint, the way I try to lead, the way Chris (Grier) tries to lead is through a lens of humility where you really open your eyes to any possible way you can get better. I think in Year 3, with the way that we’ve been able to make adjustments in the roster, where guys are at from a comfort level, understanding who they are and really leaning into the lessons of past years, I feel like this team, more than any team that I’ve been on since I’ve been here, is able to handle the things that come your way at the end of the season. And in both scenarios, I’m looking squarely at the two previous seasons and then on top of that, all the other seasons that I’ve been a part of in the National Football League, and with that where guys are at and what type of locker room can come out the gate. You want to start fast and then you want to build and maintain and peak, and you learn a lot in that process when that’s your motives. I couldn’t be – I’ve just never had so much return on whatever objective I’ve given the team, day-in, day-out. It’s a team that I try to earn trust day-in and day-out. I think this team really regards that and cherishes that, and so having the ability to move in one direction I think is absolutely of paramount importance in a high stakes game like we play. That’s why I’m so excited about all the pieces, is because I feel a stronger connection this day than then I did the two previous years, and I felt pretty good at those at those junctures.”
Jaylen Wright – August 23, 2024 (Postgame)
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Friday, Aug. 23, 2024
Postgame – Tampa Bay
RB Jaylen Wright (transcribed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
(On what he has learned so far in his rookie season) – “Everybody is good, (and) everybody knows football. I feel like me playing in the SEC has prepared me a lot, everybody flies around, so I mean I was really prepared for everything. Just learning the schemes on offense, the details and everything, so that’s what I’ve learned.”
(On where he thinks he is on learning the offensive scheme so far in his rookie season) – “I think I’m doing a good job learning it. Of course, I still have a lot of learning to do since I’m a rookie. I have a lot of growing to do. But, so far, I feel like I’ve got all of the important stuff down to where they trust me on the field in the regular season, so when my opportunity comes, I’m ready to take advantage of it.”
(On where he thinks he has improved so far since the beginning of training camp) – “Just understanding the blocking scheme, understanding the tracks, aiming points on runs and just understanding the game of football. Just being patient and controlling my speed through the line of scrimmage.”
Skylar Thompson – August 23, 2024 (Postgame)
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Friday, Aug. 23, 2024
Postgame – Tampa Bay
QB Skylar Thompson (transcribed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
(On how the game went for him) – “Man, I had a lot of fun tonight. Obviously, you want to come out on the other end of the scoreboard, but I had a lot of fun tonight. I thought it was a great rep for me, coming into the game and not starting, kind of getting a rep at that – getting into the flow of the game, getting into the rhythm of the game. I thought that was a great opportunity for me tonight. I don’t know, I had a lot of fun. That sums up everything, kind of, for me tonight, a little bit.”
(On the next two days before rosters are cut down) – “I’m going to spend time with my fiancée and chill, kind of relax. I’ve really been going at it hard these past couple of weeks. We get a little rest time here before we’ve got a week of practice, and then I’m getting ready for Week 1. I’m just going to relax. I feel like I’ve left everything on the table, and I have no regrets.”
(On how he feels he’s grown throughout this preseason) – “I think that’s the thing, when I said that I had a lot of fun tonight – there [were] a lot of plays tonight [where] I felt growth and I felt the reward of putting time into getting better. I think everyone can relate in every aspect of life, when you put time into something and feel the results and feel that pay off, it’s a pretty cool thing. This whole camp, my mindset has been the same, I’ve just been really focused on the right things and just trying to get better each and every day and just trusting that – even when it doesn’t feel like it, still trusting it and putting in the work to do so.”
(On if he’s worried about how the new roster rules allowing quarterbacks to be elevated every game affects his roster status) – “To be honest with you, I didn’t put any thought into anything. What good is that going to do for me, you know? Like I said, my mind has been in the right spot coming into this camp: it’s all been, ‘I’m going to make this roster.’ That wasn’t even a question for me. Like I said, I feel like I’ve put my best foot forward and left it all on the table. At the end of the day, you’ve got to control what you can control and everything else will take care of itself. When you do the right things and your mind is in the right spot, good things happen, regardless of whatever that is. That’s been my focus and my mindset.”
Jack Driscoll – August 23, 2024 (Postgame)
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Friday, Aug. 23, 2024
Postgame – Tampa Bay
OL Jack Driscoll (transcribed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
(On how he thinks he performed at center against DT Vita Vea) – “Obviously there’s stuff I have to get better on, he got me on that third-and-1. Good player – I’ve got to just get my feet down quicker. It’s good to go out there and play against the best though, you know what I mean? You have to test yourself against the best and you know that’s how it is. Sometimes you lose some reps, but you learn. [I’ll] go back and watch it with coach and see what I can do better. I did a few good things too, [but] obviously there’s a couple plays I wish I had back but that’s every game you ever play, so just some things to clean up. [It was a] good experience, you know. It’s awesome that [Tampa Bay] played the ones because, again, for us, those are the guys who are gonna be out there on Sundays. They test you, so yeah it was good.”
(On what he felt he showed the organization) – “You know, just being able to compete at different positions. Playing center – I never played center until I got here – guard, tonight I played tackle. I was able to play at multiple positions and compete. I think the versatility just coming in [and] learning a new offense and just showing teammates, ‘Hey, you know, I want to be here. I want to be part of this organization, this team and help this team win games.’”
(On how familiar this offense’s run scheme is compared to the run scheme in Philadelphia) – “You know, it’s different. There’s some carryover, some things that are different. [In] Philly, we were more inside zone, here is more outside zone running. Philly was more vertical, here is more get on your angled run, create movement that way and attack the line of scrimmage. Like anything there [are] some differences, some carryover so just kind of retooling my game a little bit to get my angles down and all that stuff.”
Mike McDaniel – August 23, 2024 (Postgame)
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Friday, Aug. 23, 2024
Postgame – Tampa Bay
Head Coach Mike McDaniel (transcribed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
(On if QB Skylar Thompson earned a spot) – “I think Skylar did a great job tonight. I think in terms of – we have a lot of information to take in. I’m not in any position to name [a] 53-man roster or backup quarterbacks or anything. I thought that he was competitive and made some plays and kind of got us going tonight.”
(On QB Skylar Thompson’s growth from the past couple of seasons) – “With Skylar, he got the opportunity to play early in his career and I thought, as a rookie, he demonstrated some aggressiveness and ability to make plays in this league. It’s been about, since then, training his craft and really owning the quarterback position within the offense and I thought this preseason, he’s exhibited growth and what that means. It means you are the leader of the unit, that you have to orchestrate play calls, decision making, all of those things, and I thought he took a good step forward tonight.”
(On what he took from WR Malik Washington’s play tonight) – “Oh aggressiveness. He played as though the game was slow to him, it slowed down, and was able to get into some space. I think we hadn’t gotten the chance to see something we saw in college from him that he put on display tonight, which is his balance and ability to break tackles, and get edges to defenders so, it was cool for him. It was definitely a big spark for us and I was happy to see him really own the moment. He’s a football player and I could tell pre-game, he was ready to go by him saying ‘it’s time.’”
(On the injuries the team has on both the offensive and defensive line) – “I think that’s something that I’ve been specifically, with this past joint practice, kind of counterbalancing the work that we did a year ago against Atlanta (Falcons) versus what we did this year. I’ve been very happy with their technical development. Really both groups have had a ton of development. There’s more depth than I think people really appreciate and there’s a lot of technical growth, which is huge in both phases or on both sides of the ball. For what we do, we ask guys to be technicians and commit to certain techniques that other players are depending on and trying to play off of. It’s been a really good training camp for both of those units, specifically interior.”
(On his confidence going into next Tuesday with the current roster) – “I’m very happy with this group. Those are things that (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and I will talk about across the board just because we’re always open minded to what makes the Dolphins the best. I’m way far away from even knowing what the 53(-man roster) will look like, in terms of you have to watch the tape and sit down with all your coaching staff, and Chris, and his department, and iron those things out because there’s a lot of tough competitions. We’ll be, like we are every year, trying to see if things make sense. Sometimes you have discussions that don’t go through, sometimes you have no discussions. It just depends on how the overall complexion and getting some of the health back from these guys that played tonight and assessing all of that.”
(On his assessment of QB Mike White) – “I think he faced some challenging situations. I thought he did a good job getting the team in and out of the huddle and played clean in that way. I think there [are] some opportunities – I have to look at the tape – that he was in there against their starters and competed and did some things that I was happy with, that we’ve been emphasizing. But before being able to say the extent to which both guys completely played, I’ll have to watch the tape first.”
(On the health status of WR Erik Euzkanma and S Patrick McMorris) – “I would say at this point that what I do know is it’s not longer than week to week. It could be more expeditious – they’re just a little recent.”
(On the outlook for S Jevón Holland) – “He had a really good workout today that he was excited about, so I would say it will be day to day at this point now.”
(On his confidence in C Aaron Brewer being ready for Week 1) –“Aaron Brewer – nothing has really changed with that, I feel pretty good about it, but I don’t know [anything] concrete. I think that’s why it was important tonight for us to feel really good about where Rob Jones and Lester Cotton had been at, and I tried to get them some game experience. Really, that was an earned opportunity to be in a jersey, and not pads by Liam (Eichenberg). It was more so a reaction to what he’s been doing, day in and day out. He’s probably had as good of a camp as anybody and has really put together some good practices.”
(On DT Benito Jones and if he could be healthy enough for the start of the regular season) – “It’s hard to forecast Week 1 for a lot of the guys, specifically because in the last couple of days such major focus goes to all these huge opportunities for a lot of guys. As of right now, I’m not nervous about it at all. I think I also need to sit down and wrap my head around some of those guys, including Benito because it’s just so important to me to really invest and be 100 percent present with the guys that are completing our roster. This is a really, really cool game for me, in terms of watching some of these guys compete and get a good amount of tape out there for us to really digest, and for the other 31 teams to digest. So, I’ll have information coming on those guys here soon.”
(On the status of DT Brandon Pili) – “Just talking to him on the field, he felt like it wasn’t serious. Him talking to me, he’s not a doctor, we have to get imaging and stuff, but he seemed like there was just no reason to stress a guy that just got a ding, so we will be evaluating that here shortly.”
(On LB Channing Tindall leading in tackles) – “What a cool game for Channing (Tindall), so much growth. This is his third year and third defensive system, so you’re always nervous about that when you sign up for it. I can’t say enough about the job Joe Barry and Anthony Weaver (have done) just in general, with the position – I feel it’s a position of strength. Case in point, I think Channing Tindall, I don’t know this to be facts, but I think that will be his high of pre-season tackles and that’s another example of the good stuff we got (have) going on that defensive side of the ball.”
(On if WR Odell Beckham Jr. will be able to practice before the season starts) – “Yeah. I’m hopeful about a lot of things, again I’m not nervous about it. You hope, but you have to listen to people’s bodies and be very communicative. I know he’s feeling very optimistic about how things are developing, but you just take it one day at a time. Like I said before, I’m not at a position of nervousness because of the way he’s been involved. He’s found a way to be a leader of sorts without playing, that’s tough to do but his mindset is right, so I feel good about that.”
(On if CB Jalen Ramsey will be able to practice before the season starts) – “Jalen Ramsey was able to get some reps this week, the practice before the joint practice. So, I feel very good about that. We didn’t practice him in the joint practice because coming off the injury I just know too much about my personnel. He’s already a competitor. Thankfully, he’s already a such a good teammate and such a good leader, you know, when he goes against our offense, he manages his competitiveness as much as one can. He himself knows that (if) another colored jersey goes against him, he might step out the comfort zone. So, getting him some reps, I feel pretty good about him and he’s done a good job, so no concerns about him.”
(On giving Assistant Head Coach Jon Embree the chance to serve as acting Head Coach in the second half tonight) – “I think it’s important to me to always try and get better at things. This is my third year, and we haven’t gone though that exercise. Bottom line is it’s still too soon for my memory from the COVID year, so you just want to be responsible to the organization. As far as (assistant head coach/tight end coach) Jon Embree the coach, it was also really cool to give him the opportunity that he’s overly deserving of. This is a guy that our team really responds to and he [received] an applause when I notified the team and has spoken to the team in serval instances since then and their response to him is all the reason that he’s deserving of the opportunity. He a great leader of men and does well in that position and has had that experience before at the University of Colorado. So, it was a good opportunity for our team and great opportunity for him.”
Terron Armstead – August 23, 2024 (Fourth Quarter)
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Friday, August 23, 2024
Fourth Quarter – Tampa Bay
T Terron Armstead on CBS Miami Broadcast (Fourth Quarter)
(We’re getting closer and closer here to the regular season. I know you’ve been ramping up with your process and getting to Week 1, so how are you feeling right now?) – “Feeling good. Feeling good, man. It’s a lot of excitement, a lot of anticipation, ready to get rolling.”
(This is the first time you guys have ever had three joint practices with three opponents in the preseason. How do you think that prepared you guys for the upcoming year?) – “It’s all about your intent, your mindset when you’re going into the joint practice. Never done more than two, I haven’t, but with us and the way that we try to approach every day – it’s put our best foot forward every day. We have a standard that we never want to let drop, so it really doesn’t matter if we’re going against each other or going against another team. That standard is the same, so the joint practices, doesn’t matter if it’s two or three. For us, we like to approach all of those practices with full intent.”
(I’m really curious what the next couple weeks look like for you. Obviously, you have a break before Week 1, is it more finetuning, more ramping up or do you guys turn the page and start to look toward the Jaguars and Week 1?) – “Yeah, once we’re able to close this chapter of the preseason, all eyes on the Jaguars for sure, for sure – game planning, all-in preparation, ramping up, I’ll be doing a lot more reps for sure in anticipation of Week 1. It’s going to be a big matchup, we got to start fast coming out this season.”
(I got to ask you about the sideline right now. I was over there on that side when you guys got the touchdown, Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends Coach Jon Embree is the head coach at the moment. What’s it been like watching the keys get turned over to him for the second half?) – “It’s been great. ‘Embo,’ (Jon Embree) he’s deserving. He’s been around for a very long time, been highly successful. He’s poured so much into his guys, into that position group and we all got so much love and care for and respect for Embo. So we want to go out here and win for him.”
Mike McDaniel – August 23, 2024 (Halftime)
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Friday, August 23, 2024
Halftime – Tampa Bay
Head Coach Mike McDaniel on CBS Miami Broadcast (Halftime)
(It seemed like every time WR Malik Washington touched the ball something really cool happened. We’ve heard all the superlatives about him this camp, how impressive was that first half from him?) – “It was really, really impressive. Just in how decisive he was. You could tell the speed of an NFL game doesn’t rattle him so it was encouraging. We’re looking forward to more to come in the future.”
(We know Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends Coach Jon Embree is going to take over head coaching duties here for the second half. How much will you be in his ear tonight?) – “I’m going to return favors. Really excited for him, the guys are pumped. He just spoke to the team; we were fired up. The adversity is an opportunity to see how a head coach operates down ten.”
