Chris Grier – August 28, 2024
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Wednesday, August 28, 2024
General Manager Chris Grier
(Nose tackle and guard. Did you make any attempt in recent days or are there any ongoing intents to add a quality starter at either spot? Do you trade, do you waiver wire? And if not, what gives you confidence in both of those positions?) – “It’s always interesting because Mike (McDaniel) and I were talking about this the other day with the offensive line how every year, you guys are like, ‘not good enough, not good enough’ but then, offensively we’re a pretty good offense the last two years, and a number of you guys have talked about how the guys have improved. Those guys on the offensive line have worked their tails off. We feel confident in them, the coaching staff believes in them and Butch (Barry) and Mike (McDaniel) and Frank (Smith) have done a great job and ‘Lem’ (Lemuel Jeanpierre) in helping those guys develop and work. I think the important thing is they all work together. It’s a really cohesive unit and just watching them work together is great every day. They hang out together so it’s a very close-knit unit. That said, we’ll add someone to the practice squad like we always do. Just for your information, we released Jack Driscoll recently because we claimed Grant DuBose, wide receiver. And so that was the roster move for him. Jack is a good kid, worked his tail off. Just unfortunately a numbers crunch for us. But we’re confident in the offensive line, so again, it’s just one of those that Mike and I always kind of chuckle. I know you guys made a joke about me saying you guys are more worried about it than we are, but internally that’s how we feel about our group here as a team. The defensive side, we’ve added a guy on the practice squad that we feel really good about. We think he’s got a lot of potential and upside, but we feel good about our group again. We think (Brandon) Pili has done a nice job, improving every day. (Da’Shawn) Hand has been really good for us. We’ve been really happy with him from last year coming in and continuing working, and then obviously with Zach (Sieler), and Calais (Campbell) has been an outstanding addition for us. We’ve been really, really happy with him so we feel good about the group, but obviously we’re always looking for depth. If we tell you this is just a snapshot in time for us and you guys have known since you’ve known me and been around me, we’ve always worked to working the roster and making additions. We’re not afraid to add something at some point if the opportunity arises.”
(What are traits that interested you guys in WR Grant DuBose?) – “He’s got size, he’s tough. Really good route runner. He’s got good hands and it was the physical and how physical he is in his play. Obviously, Mike (McDaniel) knows a lot of people up there in Green Bay with the relationship as well as I do, and they’re all very high on him and said it was a very hard decision for them to move on from him. So it was an opportunity we were excited for and just working for where we are right now.”
(As you reflect on your journey from an intern to a GM, what has been some of the most challenging aspects of that transition and has your perspective at all changed on team building?) – “Obviously when I started – just dating myself, it was mid 90s (laughter) – coming in with Coach Parcells. Different time, different era of how you did it. It was, at that time, a lot of manual work in terms of like nowadays you can go on PFF, click on a guy and watch him in 15 minutes, where back then, you had to go pull the tape out, fast forward all the way through and go through and search. So the evolution to where it’s got to is cool, and I think even for player safety to where it’s gotten to now for the players. But it was a different era. Back then, coaches were I would say a lot sterner and the rules and how the players were in – we had three-a-days when I was back in New England with (Bill) Parcells. You’d go 7 a.m., then we’d have three o’clock and then we’d have another one, walkthrough at seven o’clock at night. Then we had staff meetings at 10:30, 11 o’clock at night so we were always going from seven in the morning until midnight, one o’clock. It’s like anything; change is good, but it’s been a fun road. I’ve enjoyed it and I wouldn’t change anything about it.”
(Are you planning on having OL Isaiah Wynn play for you guys at some point this year?) – “Yeah, we’ll see. Like I said, he’s worked his tail off. He’s done a great job of rehabbing. He’s here every day working so yeah, that’s the plan, but we’ll see.”
(There’s a report that when WR Odell Beckham Jr. came here, signed and you guys knew or suspected he might not be able to start the year because of a procedure. Is that right?) – “Yes.”
(Can you say what the injury is?) – “I appreciate the question, but I don’t like to talk about people’s medical history.”
(Do you think he’ll be ready? I mean when you signed him where did you expect him to be ready?) – “Yeah, we were very hopeful that it would be around Week 1 here, and to be honest with you guys, we put him down. He did not want to go down. He feels – and he is very close. You guys have seen glimpses of him running around outside doing stuff. He’s very close, but for us it was the long play. We didn’t want him to rush back feeling that he had to rush back and then something happen and sets us back. So this was more Mike (McDaniel) and I sitting down, talking with Kyle (Johnston), the trainers and then we just felt what’s best for him long haul to help us here win games is to put him down for a little bit right now.”
(Chairman of the Board/Managing General Partner Stephen Ross said on the local broadcast during the preseason that if healthy, he views this as a Super Bowl contender. How does this roster align with Super Bowl contention?) – “Each year we’re always judged by wins and losses at the end of the day. So you last year people were saying our roster was one of the best in football and we had injuries and fell short in Kansas City in the Wild Card. So I think each year is a different year. I think we feel very good about our roster, where we are, and again, this is just a moment in time. Like if guys remember in March, everyone was worried about salary cap, ‘we can’t do anything.’ So it’s always little pockets of time when you do your roster and stuff, but we feel good about it like everyone. Health and luck all contribute to it and team chemistry, and it’s a very close-knit team already. It’s been exciting to watch these guys all together. So yeah, we feel if we’re healthy and ready to go, that we have a chance to compete, which is what we always want – that chance.”
(How do you define a successful season for this year? Does it require you to end the 24-year drought?) – “Yeah, I don’t think we shy away from it. Mike (McDaniel) has talked about it, yeah. For us, it’s always – again, every team wants to win the Super Bowl and we’re no different. And at the end of the day, one team wins, and to me, if you don’t win it, every team is not a successful season. So that’s the way I’ve always looked at it.”
(We haven’t spoken to since the QB Tua Tagovailoa contract. How relieved were you to get that done and take us through your perspective of those negotiations?) – “I think my wife was glad it was done, just because all the phone calls and back and forth, but Tua (Tagovailoa) and his representation were great, Ryan Williams. These things take time. Look at all the deals trying to get done around league that are happening slowly, but for us, it was just working through to find a place where both sides felt really good and so that it doesn’t affect us where we can’t keep building and adding players and doing what we need to do in the future. So we’re very excited to get it done. It was a long process but well worth it, and we’re excited for Tua.”
(You previously mentioned DT Calais Campbell earlier. He’s a happy guy. He’s always motivated. Do you get a sense that in the latter stages of his career, not only does he have a lot left but he wants to prove it here?) – “Yes, most definitely. The guys love him. As you know him, he’s always around like, (pounds a fist on his chest), so everyone walks around and goes, ‘Hmm.’ (pounds a fist on his chest) (laughter) So he’s a really good dude. Just watching how he prepares and keeps himself in shape for his age and what he does, so all the guys are taking note. He’s a mentor to people, but even watching him like in the joint practices, I think you guys saw some of the stuff. He can still play and it’s amazing what he does and just how physical and strong and tough he is. So adding him to us I think will pay big dividends and I think it’s a great – he is a great measure for all our players to learn for being able to sustain a high level of play for a long time and take care of everybody and being a true pro.”
(Have you had any conversations with Mulugheta about S Jevón Holland’s contract and if so or if not, either way, is it priority by the end of the year to get something done with him?) – “Like everything, unless a player’s representation tells me to speak publicly, OK, I will. So I will keep any conversations we’ve had private, but with like with Jevón and any other player, there’s always a lot of stuff behind the scenes that we’re working through. He’s an important player for us, so we’ll just leave it at that for right now.”
(At the moment, two of the top backup cornerbacks are undrafted rookies. Actually I don’t know if CB Ethan Bonner counts as a rookie – Bonner from Stanford, CB Storm Duck from Louisville. How ready do you feel these guys are to contribute if needed?) – “Very confident. Ethan (Bonner) played a little bit for us last year and the thing we love about him is he is a smart player, he’s very competitive. We’ve had a number of teams try to trade for him in the offseason, even last year, and so very excited for his opportunity and he’s taken advantage of whatever time he’s had. Storm (Duck) has come in and just worked right from the beginning, so he’s been a pleasant surprise. We thought he had a lot of ability but you never know till you get here, and he’s worked his tail off and he’s earned it. So I’m very excited for him and his future because he’s got a great work ethic. So I think the one thing that (Cornerbacks Coach Mathieu) Araujo has done a great job developing and working with those guys and they have a great belief in him and the system from Coach (Anthony) Weaver so if they have to play, no one will bat an eye. We’ll just ‘back to work.’”
(What about the other undrafted rookie to make this active roster – OL Andrew Meyer – what did you like about him?) – “I’ll tell you; he looks like a truck driver. So you’re sitting there the first time and I’m like ‘Uh…’ (laughter) But I’ll tell you what – he’s got personality, he’s tough, he’s smart. He loves ball, he’s a grinder. And every day he just got better and better and it got to a point where it’s hard that you even see in talking with the coaches and (Offensive Line Coach) Butch (Barry) and Mike (McDaniel) that we see that there’s a lot of potential in his future so he still has a lot of work to do to improve, but this was a player we just felt like we didn’t want to lose because he’s got something we’d like to see what it looks like at the end.”
(As you self-scouted yourself this offseason, what did you do and what were the ideas to improve against playoff teams? You were 1-6 against playoff teams last year. What do you say, “We got to do this and this is where we improved?” How do you get better at that against those teams?) – “It’s always something we go through and try and figure out the whys after the season when you do it. For us, working through some of the stuff offensively, there were some of those games just off the top of my head, Philly where we had a dropped touchdown pass at one point. A borderline pass interference call on one, so we’re like – that one and then the Kansas City game in Germany. We had a couple of miscues at the end where we didn’t function the way we should. So at the end of the day, looking through it, it’s just talking, looking through situations, really spending time on talking to our players, going through situational football basically. That’s just my opinion. But also, I think we have the players to win, and I’m very confident in them. For us, it’s just finding that way to get over the hump like you said. We feel confident in what we are doing, and (head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) and the staff have done a great job and the scouts in working through it. So I’m very excited to see what happens this year.”
(Is there a feeling that injuries have been the biggest obstacles the previous two years? As opposed to not being good against the better teams or gameplan, strategy, philosophy? Is it mostly injuries do you think?) – “Injuries happen; I don’t want to use that as just the excuse. That would be trying to take the easy way out to just use that. Again, there’s 11 players on the field at a time. It could be one person messing up to cause it and the other 10 are doing their assignment right. It’s just again, executing – find a way to execute in moments with everyone on the field at the same time. So (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) and the staff have been working very hard on that, and that’s been a focus of ours. Because if we play well consistently and not just halves and stuff, we feel that we can compete with any team in the league.”
(You had six draft picks make the 53-man roster, and make it seven if WR Tahj Washington hadn’t gotten hurt. How would you evaluate that group so far? LB Chop Robinson in particular, seems like he may have to play a role. How much confidence do you have in him early on?) – “The group has done a great job coming in. It’s a very mature group. They’re all very – as you guys have talked to some of them, they’re all very focused on ball and really love football. We’re very happy with all of them. Chop (Robinson) has come in from Day 1 and just has been a sponge. It’s cool. He talks to (Terron) Armstead about different rushes against different people, and then (Bradley) Chubb spends time with him. It’s just cool. They’re all just like, ‘The kid wants to learn and his work ethic.’ He’s got the talent and everything. He’s a tough kid, he loves ball. Watching all of those guys from – Patrick Paul has done a great job for us. He’s played a ton of snaps in the preseason learning a whole new technique of how to block, so I’m very happy with him. (Jaylen) Wright has done a good job running the ball for us, and Mohamed (Kamara) and (Patrick) McMorris, all of those guys. We are very happy with the group because at the end of the day, they all love football and it’s important to them. They have talent, so we’ll see how this plays out, but very excited for them.”
(You mentioned the feedback from the Packers with WR Grant DuBose. Is that a common practice in terms of waiver wire claims is getting that feedback from teams?) – “Yeah, I mean you’re always reaching out to different people you know because you want to make sure that – they don’t have to tell you what kind of player you’re getting, it’s just the person really. Because when you’re adding someone into a building, you just want to be careful who you’re adding into it. Yes, you always talk to people, because obviously if they let him go, you try and find out why here and there. But you watch the film at the end of the day, that makes the ultimate decision when you’re putting a claim on someone.”
(Do you have a practice squad quarterback lined up?) – “Yes, we do. Tim Boyle.”
(What did the staff like about him?) – “(Head Coach) Mike McDaniel liked him. Mike and ‘Bev’ (Quarterbacks/Pass Game Coordinator Darrell Bevell) spent a lot of time here the last couple of days watching a lot of the quarterbacks, and he caught their eye. Obviously, he was in Houston, little similar scheme, and obviously with the Jets, we saw him before. He’s got some background in our offense, but just watching him, Mike and ‘Bev’ felt really good about adding him to the practice squad for his skill set and what he can do. A veteran guy that’s been around and has a good reputation, good locker room guy, smart, so we’re excited to add him.”
(Any concerns over state secrets that QB Mike White can give Buffalo?) – “(laughter) I used to be that way, but so many players go back and forth between – I’m sure Buffalo is not losing too much sleep about (Jordan) Poyer being here. It’s just one of those, it happens. The ones that I always laugh at are Week 1 – when Week 1 teams play each other and then they start claiming guys from each other’s team, I think that’s funny.”
(I’ve seen tweets where agents are telling reporters that they’re adding players to the practice squad with a promise to elevate them for Week 1. Is this kind of a new thing you’re hearing this year?) – “To me, I think it’s hard to promise someone to come up, especially if you’ve never worked with a person and seen them. So I would never want to put our players that may have earned a spot to play just to satisfy and trick someone – I’m not saying that team or person is doing it, but that’s just not something that I would believe in doing. But yeah, that’s – you do hear it every once in a while, but that’s just not the practice that we believe in.”
(A question about your interior offensive line theory, philosophy. I think OL Robert Jones and OL Lester Cotton are the only true guards, that your centers have been converted guards with Connor Williams and OL Aaron Brewer, your guards are converted tackles with Robert Hunt and Liam Eichenberg. What is the thinking there that you’d rather focus on the tackles? I know that OL Aaron Brewer is a quality player and he’s out with an injury, but there haven’t been any high-profile free agent signings or trades or draft picks the last couple of years. What is the thinking on the interior offensive line?) – “Patrick (Paul) was a guy, so for that, tackles are always of value, but the guys that have the ability like Robert (Jones) and Liam (Eichenberg) to go inside and play, position flexibility always for your roster and spots. With those guys, you look for guys that are tough and competitive. They have to be smart, obviously, but in this scheme as you guys have seen, athletes are kind of the priority. You want guys who are athletic, who have twitch and can come off the ball. I think the way (Offensive Line Coach) Butch (Barry) teaches and I think what all our players appreciate and all the players that have been here and left that you guys have talked to, is to allow the teaching style of how Butch and (Assistant Offensive Line Coach) ‘Lem’ (Lemuel Jeanpierre) work with them. Just philosophy wise, guard – tackles that can play guard as well are always of value, but then centers are very important. Like with (Andrew) Meyer, those guys – you like a guy that’s not a one-hole player, but at the end of the day, the ability to communicate, see what’s going on, get everyone calmed down, lined up and the quarterback trusts is a huge thing.”
(How did you balance LB Jaelan Phillips’ desire to play full versus keeping him long term?) – “We’ll be very smart with Jaelan (Phillips), just because he’s even back earlier than some people thought in just my opinion. I think with him – yeah, you’ve got to put a governor on him because he wants to go 100 miles an hour, and it’s like, ‘Dude, you just came back from a serious injury faster because you’re a freak healer, but let’s be smart about this.’ I just think Kyle (Johnston) and his staff do a great job of getting our guys prepared and healthy, so we’ll take the approach – because it is about long term; it’s not just about right now.”
(You mentioned a young defensive tackle that you’re encouraged about on the practice squad. Could you share his name? The promising defensive tackle you said you were signing?) – “Yeah, Naquan Jones, came over from Arizona. A big, big body nose tackle. As you’ve kind of seen (Defensive Coordinator Anthony) Weaver’s defense, it’s a little different type of d-tackles now that we’re looking for, but very excited. Coach is – Coach Weaver, (Defensive Line Coach) Austin Clark, everyone is very excited. Our video guys that had to stay here at night and get the video going for him were very excited to do that at 10 o’clock last night. (laughter)”
Zach Sieler – August 26, 2024
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Monday, August 26, 2024
DT Zach Sieler
(I don’t think you took a day off during training camp, am I missing something?) – “Not to my knowledge, no. That’s – the one thing my mom and dad always raised me to (do), work as hard as you can. There’s guys that need those days, and I’m blessed enough I haven’t needed that yet in my career. So the point where I’m at, I wanted to make sure that I was out there taking the reps, taking charge, making sure I’m always right up front, working with those guys and building that camaraderie in the d-line room. It’s been great, it’s been a blessing this camp to be able to get through healthy. I’ll be excited to see what the season has in store.”
(What have you learned about this defense in the last month?) – “It’s exciting. I love the multiplicity of it. I love how we can work off of each other very well. It’s awesome seeing guys fly around, working together, seeing how we’re just intertwined as a front seven and backend and making sure we’re combining the rush and coverage of the defense.”
(Have you talked to some of the younger players that could be cut today? You were once that guy on the backend of a roster and the team tried to sneak you on the practice squad, and you got poached. What do you say to a guy today?) – “It’s obviously a tough day. The worst time of year in football; everyone knows it. Wednesday is one of the hardest days because you see the defense in the team. You know who’s here and who’s not here. You congratulate the ones who are here, and I always try to make sure I reach out and give support to those who aren’t here. I tell them that there is a plan. You can put your head down and keep working and work through it. There’s a lot of guys on this team that have gone through that and they have made it in the NFL – Raheem Mostert, Jordan Poyer, myself. There’s guys that get cut left and right, and it take three, four, five, six times before you find a home and find where you fit in a defense or with a coach that you figure it out with him. I just tell the guys to keep their head up and just keep working. There is nothing to mope about. The fact of the matter is you got to the NFL – period. You were in a whole camp, you were in an NFL jersey, you did preseason games, that alone is hard enough. I think the stat is like .02% of all high school football players make it to the NFL or even get a shot at the NFL. So that in itself is a huge accomplishment, and that’s why you make sure those guys know that.”
(What was your breakthrough?) – “I think the biggest thing for me was after getting cut the second time up in Baltimore and coming down here was just put it all on the line. Coming down here, there was three weeks left in the season. I didn’t know the defense; I didn’t know what was going on. I just said, ‘You know what? Let’s just go out there and play. Don’t overthink, just go play ball.’ In those few games, I was able to play and make enough plays that they wanted to keep me for another year. Then that offseason they brought down (Defensive Line Coach) Austin Clark, and I was able to work with him and Marion Hobby, the two d-line coaches here, to help get my technique right and learn how to mesh in this defense that we had prior. Just slowly learned from there and I think it (helped) me grow as a player on the field, my technique and my knowledge to be able to work off any defense. Obviously, we’ve got a couple in here, and I’m really excited for this season.”
(Now that you’ve been through a whole training camp with Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver’s system, what’s one thing you’ve learned that really excites you?) – “What’s really exciting about it is how we can be multiple in all of our different packages and options, and how we can change what we are doing to affect offenses and set the tempo how we want to set it and make them adjust to us.”
(What’s it been like to have DT Calais Campbell around for a camp now?) – “It’s awesome. To have that kind of experience, it’s such a blessing to be able to bounce off of him. ‘Hey, what are you seeing? How’d you play this? What are you doing here?’ I don’t think there is anyone on the defensive side of the football in the NFL period that has seen more defense than he has. I think it’s an accomplishment to him and a testament to his training and keeping his body right to have played this long, as well as it’s just his straight up grit. It’s awesome. It’s been awesome to play off of him and help me learn as a play on and off the field. He’s taught me a lot. We sit down and talk a lot about leadership and how to affect the young guys off the field. He knows where he’s at, and he knows where I’m at. He’s like, ‘Look, it’s your time to work.’ I’m trying to make sure I do that and make sure to be more vocal and help the guys make the adjustments and learn on the field, whether it’s here or not here. These next 24 to 48 hours, a lot can happen and a lot of things can shake up. It’s exciting to work with him.”
(I’m doing something on your depth. It’s obviously been a key for you guys the last couple of years, helping you get to the playoffs. You know all the injuries you guys have had. As a reserve, tell me about the mindset that you have to have because you usually come in in a stressful situation, the starter is out. Maybe other guys are in the huddle are like, “Can he do it?? What’s that mentality like?) – “I think the biggest part of that is – and it’s tough – stressing those game-like scenarios at practice. It’s putting yourself in the hardest situations, hardest looks during practice so the game is easy. Then making sure not to slouch in your technique or whatever, because it is very easy for a guy that’s a reserve or whatever to just kind of go through the motions. Give looks to the offense and do your job, ‘OK, good job,’ and then move on to the next week. I think the biggest part is staying ready and studying the tape. It’s tough to sit there and watch the tape and study the guys knowing, ‘Hey look, I might only get five or six plays, or no plays,’ but making sure you’re ready. That first year I came down here after those three games. That first game I was like, ‘Hey you’ll probably going to be down this week. You’re not going to be dressed.’ Saturday morning, it’s like, ‘Hey look. Someone went down, you’re going to be up. Here you go.’ I got five plays. It was goal line situations. It’s make or break it; it’s a seven-point play right there. It’s being ready in those situations, and then from there it’s like five, ten, fifteen plays each week kind of built up. That’s the biggest thing I tell guys, is to be ready and stay ready no matter what.”
(With LB Bradley Chubb and LB Cameron Goode starting the season on PUP, Head Coach Mike McDaniel told us today, young guys like LB Chop Robinson and LB Mohamed Kamara, what opportunity does this present them?) – “It’s great. Those guys, it’s been awesome to work with them all camp. Usually rookies coming in, they kind of rotate here and there, but those guys have been in every play. So it’s been awesome to work with them and play off of them and learn how to take their game to the next level. It will be really exciting to work with them this season and these weeks coming up while (Bradley) Chubb is down to get them right, to stay right and to get ready to play in those big games.”
(We’ve asked you a couple of times this offseason about those guys filling in for DT Christian Wilkins. I’m curious have you found the energy that Christian brought?) – “Obviously Christian is a huge energy on a field and in everything he does. We’ve talked about it as a d-line; Look, people are gone, new people are here, some people are still here from last year. I think as a unit, the goal was we need to step up and bring that energy as a unit. Not one guy to bring the energy, but all of us bring it every day, and I think we did a great job of doing that this camp.”
(What growth have you seen from DT Da’Shawn Hand?) – “It’s been awesome. He’s just worked on his craft, worked on his technique all offseason, all last year and then all camp. Man, he’s been super impressive. I don’t know if there’s a stronger guy out there. Seeing some of the plays he makes, that man is – he’s a load. He’s done a great job at learning how to work off each other, play off each other and kind of play freely, as in making the defense work for you and learning how to make those plays that would to come to you and not to stress – not that he was doing this, but not stress plays that weren’t coming your way. That’s an issue sometimes with guys is trying to work or force a play when there doesn’t need to be. The calls will dictate what time is your time and what time is not. It’s been great to see guys grow and especially Da’Shawn (Hand) growing his game.”
(How much have you taken it upon yourself to be an energy guy like Christian Wilkins was previously?) – “Obviously I was always a quieter, put my head down guy, but as the years have gone on, I’ve tried to be more vocal. When you’ve got a guy like Christian (Wilkins), you don’t really need to be. (laughter) But learning from that and learning from other guys and talking with Calais (Campbell) and just, like I said, the whole room trying to be more vocal and outspoken so we can be more dominant unit upfront.”
(With DT Benito Jones being sort of sidelined by injury, are you able or capable of filling that nose position? I’ve seen DT Calais Campbell in there for a little bit and I’m like, he’s kind of big for a nose.) – “Double question – I definitely think Calais can play nose. He’s got all the size for it, all the strength for it. I’ve played down there. Truthfully, a guy like (Brandon) Pili who has worked his way through the ranks the last two years, he’s done an amazing job this camp growing his game and bringing it to the next level. So has Da’Shawn Hand – like I said, he’s one of the strongest guys I’ve seen. Both of those guys I think can do a great job filling in for Benito (Jones) while he’s down, taking those reps and working off of each other. It’s part of this defense, too, is just being able to be multiple where anyone can play anywhere. I played a ton of nose last year as well. So I think we’ve got depth there to make that work. Obviously, Benito is a great player and it’s hard to fill those shoes, but we can make it work.”
(QB Tua Tagovailoa made some headlines last week when he made comments about his relationship with Brian Flores. Was that a topic in the locker room? Did anybody say anything, “I’m glad you spoke up,” or anything like that?) – “I haven’t heard it. I think everyone has their own feelings, and that was his feelings. Everyone is completely right in whatever feelings they have. That’s your feelings, you own your feelings and that’s how you are. I didn’t read the article; you see headlines, I don’t know exactly what was said. I think everyone has moved on; everyone is on their own way. Hopefully everyone can become a better person from good or bad experiences in their life, and I think that’s the way to take any experience you have.”
Tua Tagovailoa – August 26, 2024
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Monday, August 26, 2024
QB Tua Tagovailoa
(QB Skylar Thompson is being retained and QB Mike White is being let go. Can you talk about both ends of that; Skylar winning the job and Mike being let go?) – “I have tremendous respect for both of those guys, for Mike White and for Skylar (Thompson). I just look at the growth of Skylar – it’s hard for everyone to look at the backup quarterbacks and the competition that they’re going through when I’m getting the most reps out there. I’m in the room those guys; we go over the film and to see his growth from his rookie year to this point has been something really, really cool, I think. Just learning this offense, keeping his head down – ‘Skylar you’re going with the twos. Hey Skylar, you’re going with the threes. Hey Skylar, you’re not getting reps today,’ and just seeing his mindset that he’s had throughout the years and also throughout the practices, I really commend him for sticking it through and being able to do what he has done. In those situations, it’s tough because someone has to win; someone has to lose. Me and Skylar texted Mike – I think Skylar talked to Mike on the phone, but just the relationship that we’ve had in that room had been something really, really cool. But at the end of the day, that’s part of the business. That’s part of the job, and Mike knows where I stand with him. I appreciate the things that he’s done to help us last year and then also this year as well.”
(With those quarterbacks, what do they do to help you particularly? I know I’ve heard other rooms, guys would ask guys to, ‘Hey, cut up these third downs.’) – “Yeah, and that’s exactly it. That’s exactly it. If it’s not the third downs, then it’s ‘Hey, your job is just to watch two-minute, and then on Friday you share with me two-minute plus-50, two-minute minus-50. OK, what happens when it’s a stopped clock? Do they pressure? Do they not? Or is that only on the opposing side once we cross the 50?’ So all of those, we got that, and then we’ve also got a lot of other things, too, because of motions and what not. So looking at the wristband, sometimes the play calls get super long, so another guy’s job is for all of those long ones, see what you can shorten up and we’ll talk about it. We’ll see, ‘No, that doesn’t make sense to me, because this or that.’ So then we’ll find another way to do it, and that’s sort of the ways that they can help me prepare for a game week.”
(So when do you assign those jobs?) – “That’ll be coming up soon. That’ll be coming up soon. We’ll see who we end up grabbing if we don’t get Mike (White) back when cuts are done and whatnot leading into next week.”
(How happy are you that the preseason is over?) – “It’s a bittersweet deal just because the relationships you build with some of the rookies and then a lot of the guys who have been vets but who have been going from team to team. It’s bittersweet just because of the relationships you have with those guys, but they also understand it’s a business. They understand how this thing works, and we wish them the best. It’s the whole reason as to why we have preseason, so guys can put their film on tape and hopefully another team can pick them up and they can go ball for that team.”
(You obviously had limited work in the preseason. I was curious with that second game, the first play Head Coach Mike McDaniel called was the same one you through an interception on. Was that your idea to call that play? And is that something that sticks with you?) – “Not my idea. That was not my idea, that was Mike’s (McDaniel) idea, but I kind of had an understanding that that’s the reason as to why he called it again. So I brought it up, and he had mentioned I was on to him. (laughter) It’s just with Mike, I guess it’s all something you can learn from. Whether it’s two years ago, three years ago, yesterday, and that’s what kind of came to mind. So I asked him and he told me I was on to him.”
(I don’t think anyone thought we’d be relitigating 2021 and 2022 this summer; have you heard from Brian Flores in the last week?) – “I haven’t heard from him.”
(Did you see his comments publicly?) – “I haven’t seen his comments publicly.”
(Is there anything more you’d like to add in the conversation to that?) – “There’s nothing more I’d like to add to that.”
(You mentioned in your comments to Dan Le Batard how he was highly critical of you through that process, and yet I think there was somewhat of a surprise that he made the change when he did. Why do you think that change, to bench QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and insert you, happened if he was so down on you?) – “That’s a great question. I’m not going to answer that, truthfully, right now. But I think I know why, but I won’t speculate or give anyone any speculations on that. Whatever you want to create to think, think that, but other than that, I think that’ll just stay here with the organization.”
(Do you think it’s more important for quarterback to have support of his head coach than maybe possibly any other position?) – “Yeah, 100 percent. This is a quarterback driven league; I 100 percent think that. Without a good team, without a good quarterback, I don’t think you can do much in this league. Sure, you can have a good defense, but there’s really good offenses in this league. You got to put up points and you got to find ways to do that. So I definitely believe that, for sure.”
(How does this week change for you from the perspective of going from training camp to getting ready for an opponent?) – “I don’t think it changes in any way. We’re continuing to go against the ones, and then when it’s time to work on our craft, we’ll go against the twos and really hone in on our communication, hone in on the details of what we need to do to accomplish what we want to accomplish. And when it is time for next week, then we’ll start to prepare.”
(I’m doing something on your depth, which I think has been very instrumental in you guys making the playoffs. Who’s been injured more than Miami? What can you say about the role that the depth has played on this team in the last couple of years?) – “Well, it’s been really cool because no matter who we’ve put in there, we were able to find ways to make it work at whatever position it was – center, guard, tackle, running back, receivers. We were able to find ways to maneuver through those, and I think Mike (McDaniel), Frank (Smith), I think those guys did a really good job with the personnel groupings as well for guys that are injured. OK, we’re going to probably go 21 (personnel) a little more than we would 12 (personnel) if our tight ends are down. Or we can’t go 11 (personnel) because of our receivers. All right, we’ll go 12 (personnel) more than anything else.’ So I think they do a really good job in grouping it with personnels and whatnot and how we want to maneuver the game that way.”
(Speaking of receivers, I’ve been here 16 years; I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a receiver unit so decimated by injuries as this year. How concerning is that for you? And WR Odell Beckham Jr., Head Coach Mike McDaniel said there’s a possibility he might not begin the year on the PUP and might be getting on the active roster. How important is you and Odell developing chemistry?) – “That’s very important. For me, it’s very important. Off the field, I’ve been able to hang out with him a good amount of times – cool dude, 100 percent. But does our relationship translate on the field? I couldn’t tell you, because I haven’t gotten reps with him and that’s just the honest truth. Now if ‘O’ (Odell Beckham Jr.) isn’t on the PUP list, he clears everything and we’re able to get out there, that’s one of the first thing I want to do – routes on air, want to make sure I get as many reps with him. ‘OK, he’s going to go in for this rep.’ Let’s make sure that this guy is going to get the ball, make sure the coverage isn’t whatever. I want to make sure that the timing is good, just want to make sure that that’s all good and whatnot. Speaking to your question prior to that, that’s just part of the game. Guys get injured and whatnot, and whoever we’re dealt with to go and play with out there, that’s who we’re dealt with to play with. I’ve had as good of receivers and as fun of receivers to have with Tyreek (Hill) and (Jaylen) Waddle, and I’ve also had guys who didn’t have speed like that, playing my first two years in the league. So we’ve got to go out there and we just got to find a way to make that work.”
(The roster is about to be set for this year obviously. What do you see from training camp and the roster that says, “OK, we’re ready to take the next step with this team?”) – “I’m going to go back to say, this is tough. It’s a tough day. It’s a tough week. The next two days are going to be tough for a lot of guys. Some guys’ lives are going to change for the better, and some guys not so good. But I can tell you one thing, I’m really excited for the next couple days after that to see the kind of team and the kind of guys that we’re going to be playing with in this 2024 season.”
(What has impressed you about RB Jaylen Wright and what are your expectations for him during his rookie season?) – “He fits right into that running back room. Fast. (laughter) He’s fast. He’s a rookie and might be seeing some (De’Von) Achane-kind of deals going on for him coming up this first week. So we’ll see. He’s learning, learning from a really good group of backs and I think he’ll do good for us.”
(In training camp it doesn’t seem – the starters don’t get a whole lot of work. You get your work in joint practices. The first few weeks of the season, how much of a feeling out process is that? This works. This doesn’t work. Tell me about that.) – “That’s exactly what it is. Everything is off of feel. If I like a play but the receiver kind of feels like he runs this better, we’ve got to adjust, because regardless of the coverage, regardless of any of that, if we feel like we can make it work, we’re going to find a way to make it work. And so I think that’s exactly what it is. If we feel like we can make this work regardless, it’s going to happen regardless of what the coverage says and what they put on they put on paper, we’re going to find a way to make it work.”
(What’s your confidence level in the offensive line in front of you? Specifically the interior of the line blocking for you?) – “Well, brother, I get the ball out fast, so I am confident with anybody we’ve got up there. (laughter) I’ll tell you that. I’m confident with anybody we get out there.”
(I keep hearing from players about how this offense is pushing the limits of what it can do especially now in Year 3. As the quarterback of that offense, what does that look like from your perspective?) – “Well I wouldn’t say we’re trying to reinvent football, but we’re just trying to turn the wheels a little different, if you will, with a lot of the things that we’ve tried to add on with motions and whatnot and different schemes – schematically in the run game and then what we can do off of those runs with pass or play-action. So really, we’re just finetuning all those and trying to find ways to make that work for this new year in 2024.”
(Even dating back to high school, is this the first time you’ve ever been in the same system three years in a row?) – “Yeah. Three years in a row? Yeah, I think so.”
(I was about to say, just kind of rare air for you then?) – “Yeah. (laughter) Yeah, it is really rare for sure.”
(We’ve seen improvements from a lot of guys on offense – TE Julian Hill, WR River Cracraft before he got hurt. Who comes to your mind first if I ask you most improved players offensively on this team?) – “Most improved players offensively? I would say from my first year with Mike (McDaniel), I would say River (Cracraft). Just the amount of things he’s had to go through throughout his football career and him scoring that touchdown two weeks ago or last week, that was – I don’t know. It’s almost bittersweet, but it’s almost like he can’t catch a break. Every time it starts to get really good for my man, it just gets tough. I would say he’s probably been the most improved in my opinion in camp this year until he got hurt.”
(How about defense?) – “Defense? Most improved? I’m going to say Chop (Robinson). I think Chop has grown a lot from the first time he’s gotten here. Earlier throughout OTAs – although I was only here for a certain amount of time in OTAs, but I think he’s done really good, and he’s earned a lot of respect from the guys in the locker room from a lot of veterans. So I’ll be curious to see what he does to help us to win some games this year.”
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.”
