Xavien Howard – July 27, 2019
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Saturday, July 27, 2019
CB Xavien Howard
(Just getting the shells on and cracking some heads today.) – “Yeah, (it’s the) first day of pads. Everybody is excited like we’re feeling like a kid again, just out here for the first time putting pads on. We’re enjoying that and we’re just working on getting better each and every day.”
(What’s the biggest takeaway you take away from Head Coach Brian Flores implementing his system and how much you appreciate it and like it?) – “I appreciate it a lot. He came from a winning situation and you want to bring that over here. You want to bring that coach over here and he wants to have a new mindset for the Miami Dolphins. Whatever it takes, he’s been there, he’s been in the situation. He’s putting us through everything we have to do to get better.”
(We saw LB Tre’ Watson make a couple of nice goal-line plays. Is that what you’ve seen from him? He’s a thumper?) – “Yeah, he’s definitely a thumper. He’s a good guy – a rookie. He’s improving himself every day and proving to people why he’s out here.”
Brian Flores – July 26, 2019
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Friday, July 26, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(We saw the WR Allen Hurns news. The decision to bring him in was based on what?) – “Well, I would say we’re still in the final stages of that, finalizing that. But yeah, we expect him to be at practice today. Really, the decision there was to bring in competition, bring in what we feel like is a good player, somebody who embodies a lot of the characteristics we’re looking for, is tough (and) is competitive. He’s been reliable over the course of his career. But I’d say this – I talked to Allen and told him this specifically – if he’s not ready to compete for a position, then this isn’t the place for him. He understands that. That’s the conversation we had. Really, anybody that comes into this building, that’s going to be the conversation I’m going to have with them. Allen understands that. There’s no solidified or locked in spots here. You’ve got to earn them.”
(Is the WR Allen Hurns signing based on anything you saw that you needed at that position or was it just for depth?) – “Nope. We saw a player who we thought was a good player, could add value to our roster and that’s how we’ll do business moving forward. If there’s a good player out there that we feel like adds value to our team, then we’ll try to add that player. Those are the conversations that (General Manager) Chris (Grier), (Vice President of Football Administration) Brandon (Shore) and myself have really on a daily basis. That was the case here.”
(What role did RB Kalen Ballage’s spring and run up to training camp – what he did and what you saw and the coaches saw – what role did that play in him being out there first yesterday?) – “Well, he had a good spring. I know he was out there first but I don’t really look at it that way. We’ve got a lot of good (running) backs. We’ve got a lot of good players at a lot of positions, so guys will be moving. That could have been based on what happened in the previous drill. (Running Backs Coach) Eric (Studesville) and the offensive coaching staff kind of handles that. We’re just trying to get guys the amount of reps they need to evaluate them. So first team, second team, who goes first, who goes second, right now it’s about their improvement, getting better with their fundamentals and technique and really getting them enough reps so that we can evaluate it. That’s kind of my take on the first team, second team, etc. He’s done a great job, I’ll tell you that. But so have all of the backs. (Kenyan) Drake has worked hard. The two rookies – (Chandler Cox and Myles Gaskin) – they’ve worked hard. Kenneth Farrow has worked hard. Obviously Mark (Walton) has worked hard. So I feel good about that entire group and we’ve just got to get those guys as many reps as possible to see how guys fit and how they can help this team.”
(New England’s used mainly package-based scheme stuff for how they use their rotations with backs and things of that nature. Is that what we can expect from this team?) – “You can expect us to put guys into positions to do things that they do well. If we’ve got a guy who can do everything well, you may see that guy on every down. If we’ve got guys that are better in one role and not as good in another, then we’ll try to put those guys in those positions. At times, guys get tired. So some guys are going to do things that you would normally think such and such would be in that role but another guy has to step in and we need backups and we need depth and we need all of our guys to be versatile. So that’s going to be our philosophy. (We will) try to put guys in the best position to do what they do well and at the same time, we need to build depth and our guys have to be versatile.”
(What have you seen from DT Adolphus Washington and how could you use him in both a 4-3 and a 3-4?) – “Adolphus obviously is someone who is experienced in the league and played a good amount. I wouldn’t say a significant amount but he has some experience in this league and has played in multiple defenses. Right now, for me with him, it’s about his fundamentals, his technique. Looking into the future about what role he is going to play and how he’s going to fit in this scheme or that scheme, I think right now the focus for him is: ‘Let’s get better with our run technique; let’s get better with our pass rush technique; let’s get better with our alignments, our execution, our communication, and then we’ll see how they fit moving forward.’”
(What characteristics do you look for in a prototypical cornerback?) – “Tough, smart, disciplined, puts the team first. Athletic, obviously. Can tackle. Put that at the top of the list. I really should have said that first. I think that goes into the tough and smart. Can tackle. And ball skills are important to me. I think taking advantage of opportunities to create big plays on offense and then defending those plays defensively, those are big plays in football games. Those are big field position swings. We need to be able to defend them. We need to be able to capitalize on them offensively. So playing the ball in the air is important to me. Obviously playing penalty-free, there are a lot of let’s call them pass penalties that you have to be aware of in those positions. Look, you’re playing against the best and most talented players and most talented people in the world – the receivers in this league. That’s what you’re up against on a daily basis. It takes a special player to play that position down after down after down in this league. You’ve got to work hard at your techniques, your fundamentals, your conditioning, your ball skills. You’ve got to work a lot of areas to be successful in this league.”
(Two of your fastest, shiftiest receivers were hurt last year in WR Albert Wilson and WR Jakeem Grant. Do you keep up with how they were training together or rehabbing together and getting back onto the field?) – “Both guys worked extremely hard over the offseason and really into the summer to get themselves in position to where they could come out, practice, learn, compete and get back and help this team. Obviously, like you said, they both have skillsets. They’re both fast, both explosive and both have made plays in the past. Again, the past doesn’t really matter to me very much. I’m worried about today and I’m worried about guys getting out on the field, practicing, working hard in the meeting room, taking it to the practice field and then being productive on the field.”
(WR Jakeem Grant told us that one of his favorite plays was the game where he elevated and caught a pass against New England a couple of years ago.) – “I remember that one. (laughter)”
(What do you remember from that play and think about WR Jakeem Grant after seeing him make a play like that?) – “Yeah, I remember that play vividly. He’s a very talented player. He’s got speed, he’s got athleticism, he’s got quickness. He’s a tough cup. That’s just the reality of it. I think my memories of that play are not so good, but they’re good now if we can duplicate those and do that on a consistent basis. That’s something that I talked to the entire team about – consistency. Again, offensively, defensively, in the kicking game and in meetings and walkthroughs, you guys have heard me say this over and over again, I think that’s very important. Each individual player – Jakeem is part of that, Albert (Wilson is part of that, defensively and all of our guys are part of that – everyone has a skillset. We talk about that play and we need to see more of those plays out of Jakeem. If you make one play in this league, everyone has talent in this league. You can see a play here or there from a multitude of players but being able to do that and do those things consistently, that’s the mark of a good player.”
(What’s the next step for LB Raekwon McMillan in his development? His play last year was kind of a second chance at a rookie season. What do you hope to see from him in Year 3?) – “I think Raekwon’s done a really good job for us thus far. We had a little snag in the spring, and he’s back. He’s worked extremely hard over the summer. He came in in great shape. He’s on top of everything in the meetings. I think he’s done a really good job. What I’d like to see from him is like I said about a lot of the players: consistent play, consistent communication, consistently knowing where to be. Obviously, at the linebacker position, the game is – you don’t really see the game until the pads come on. So you add in the run game, you add in a physical playstyle that we need to play with, I think that kind of plays into some of his strengths, hopefully; but again, what’s happened in the past doesn’t matter. Obviously, we put pads on tomorrow – not that I’m focused on tomorrow – I’m locked in on today, but obviously that’s upcoming, and I think the roles that we’re talking about with offensive and defensive line, linebackers, fullbacks, receivers blocking in the run game, the kicking game, blocking on return units and defeating blocks on the coverage unit – all of those things count. They’re not really things you can see right now, but we’ll see them when that time comes. Today is about our execution, our communication, and we’re working towards that. To get back to Raekwon, I’m happy with where he’s at; but again, that’s one day. We need to build on one day and continue to improve and in those areas where you have strengths, you have to take advantage of those situations.”
(How has LB Sam Eguavoen gotten to the point where he is now, and how did you identify him from up in Canada?) – “(General Manager) Chris Grier and his staff, obviously they do a great job. Those guys are looking at everyone who’s got a pulse that’s available to play some football. They do a great job. They saw Sam and saw speed, saw athleticism, saw a tough kid, brought him in, met him, talked to him, and that was all even before I got here. They did a really good job bringing in a good, young, talented guy who has some developmental characteristics. He’s done a good job. We give him something, he does a good job with it and we’ll give him more. That’s kind of what I told the team. ‘Look, if you do a good job, then we’ll try to give you a couple more things to do,’ and I think that’s what training camp’s about. We talk about Day 1 and who’s with the first team and who’s doing this and who’s doing that. First-day installs, everybody’s got it, but when you put the Day 2install and then run some plays from Day 1, and then Day 4 comes, and you’ve got installs one, two, three and four, and then we got back to Day 1, then we’ll see who’s got it, who can play, who can think and understand what we’re doing offensively, defensively and in the kicking game when the volume starts to increase. I don’t take too much stock in Day 1. I thought it was a good day. I thought the guys, they worked hard. I thought there was good energy, good effort. I thought there was good communication. It wasn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I thought for all intents and purposes, it was a good day. But we’ve got to string good days together, and that’s really what it boils down to. So it’s Day 2install. We’ll sneak a Day 1 play in there or Day 1 defense or Day 1 kicking game call, and we’ll see if they remember those.”
(You mentioned yesterday that the lightbulb comes on later for some players. When you’re determining starting spots or even roster spots, how do you determine between a high ceiling player with lower performance and a low-ceiling player with higher performance?) – “It’s part of the job. It’s what we get paid to do. As coaches, as personnel guys, that’s part of our job description. I think there are guys with – some developmental players – if we feel like there’s a ceiling for them and they’ve got to play to reach the ceiling, that’s always the case – can they develop in practice? Do we stick them in for a play here, a play there in a game? That’s part of the process. It just is. I think every team’s going through that exact same process. It’s not something that’s new to evaluating and football, and it’s different. It’s case-by-case, to be frank, to be honest. Player X may need to play in some games to get to that ceiling. Player Z may just need to get those reps in practice and then gets his opportunity in a game, and he’s got to take advantage of it or not take advantage of it. It’s case-by-case. That’s part of the process, and we’ve got to do a good job of making those evaluations of who has a ceiling and who doesn’t.”
(The number of minority head coaches in the NFL is down this year, the most since the adoption of the Rooney Rule, and you were the only one hired this offseason. Can you just talk about what the opportunities are like right now in the NFL for minority head coaches?) – “I’d say there’s a great number of smart, talented leaders across the league – minority and not minority, for lack of a better term. I know of many. We’ve got some on this staff. Minority coaches who have leadership abilities, who are smart, hard-working, have all the qualities I feel are what you need to be a leader, a head coach, a coordinator, etc. That’s my opinion on it. As someone who’s gone through the interview process and been in this role even for a short time, I know there’s guys out there that I’ve been around that could do what I’m doing. Hopefully those guys get that opportunity. I think it’s coming, to be honest.”
(T Laremy Tunsil told us yesterday he did the conditioning test pretty frequently during the offseason. He said, ‘you see how this man runs us.’ When you look at the retention, I know you say you don’t put a lot…) – “Is that what he said? ‘You see how this man runs us?’” (laughter)
(I think he said, ‘you see how much he runs us.’ I don’t know if he said ‘this man.’) – “Okay, just checking. I’m going to go check on that here in a second. (laughter)”
(When you consider conditioning and tempo of practice, and I know you said you don’t put much into Day 1, but how much retention was there yesterday? How much did that part of your message get through?) – “I think the guys came in in fairly good condition, maybe because this guy told them that they better be in good condition. (laughter) I thought they were in good condition. I thought there was fairly good retention from what we went through in the spring. Like I said earlier, I thought they were ready to go. Again, Day 1 was Day 1. We’ll see how much retention they have on Day 2. My focus is on today, and again, you guys have heard it: you’re only as good as your last performance. That’s where we’re at right now. I think these guys are working though. I think they understand that. They understand they’ve got to string them together. If they don’t do that or we don’t do that as a team, then what happened yesterday doesn’t matter. Then the conditioning and all of the things they did over the summer to get to this point, they can be gone in a couple of bad practices, and then now we’re behind. Now we’ve got to review some stuff and not move on to the next install because we’ve got to go back. That becomes a spiral. So we’ve just got to string the days together. I think they understand that, and if they don’t, then this man will be telling them about it.”
Kenyan Drake – July 26, 2019
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Friday, July 26, 2019
RB Kenyan Drake
(Coach always talks about players being selfless. You were selfless last season. You didn’t get as many carries as you probably wanted. How difficult is it to get a lot of guys on that same page as a NFL player?) – “I can’t speak for everybody else. I know who I am and what I can control. It’s all about controlling the controllables. There is only one ball. I try to go out there and put myself in the best position to help this team win games. That’s all I can do.”
(What do you have to do to solidify that number one job?) – “That’s not something I’m really necessarily focused on. I’m focused on getting better every day. Today is the second day of camp. Tomorrow we put the pads on and get to bang a little bit. That’s football. I’m happy to be here, happy to go out there and improve every day and let the chips fall where they may.”
(Why do you think this will be your best year yet?) – “I got a great routine. I’m taking everything one day at a time because I wake up every day excited to be here. Every day is not promised and I feel like it’s important to make sure that as you’re taking in your routine, you’re improving. Of course you’re going to make mistakes, but try not to make the same mistakes twice, and become a better individual and player every day.”
(Did you change up your offseason at all this year or has it been the same as years past?) – “I actually cut five pounds in fat coming into this training camp. I wanted to be more lean and have a lot more conditioning so I can be available on the field as much as possible in terms of not (being) winded. The best ability is availability.”
(We hear so much about multiple defenses, what you guys are doing on defense, but how multiple can you guys be on offense where you guys have different roles for different guys at different times.) – “That’s for (Head) Coach (Brian) Flores to decide. My main goal is to understand what I’ve got to control, what I can do and help the guys in my room for sure, because with me being in my fourth season and the longest tenured running back on this team, I’m looked at to be a leader and every day that’s what I’m trying to accomplish.”
(How did you lose the five pounds?) – “Just my diet and being strict on myself having a better routine. (I’ve been) cutting out the fast foods, having fish, eating lean chicken, eating a lot of vegetables, alternatives to pork and red meat like turkey bacon, turkey meats, salmon patties. I guess we’re sponsored by Publix – Publix has great salmon patties if you don’t know about it. (laughter) I always go there and cook my own salmon patties in my skillet every night. Obviously it’s a little different now that we’re in camp, but they have great food here too.”
(Is that something you decided on your own or did someone recommend you do it?) – “It’s a lifestyle. I’m getting older. I’m obviously still young, but it’s never too early to start changing your life for the better in terms of how you approach every day. I looked at Frank (Gore) last year and he gave me a lot of wisdom in terms of his ability to be in a very grinding positon at running back and still be able to go out there and be able to do the things he does every day – how he eats and treats his body, the things he does on and off the field. That’s something that I wanted to implement into my career.”
(Are you starting to feel the difference?) – “For sure. I feel like I have a lot of energy waking up in the morning, throughout the day, sustainability with my energy conditioning-wise. Also, I might be leaner but muscle weighs more than fat. So when you shed that fat weight and build the muscle back up, you keep the strength.”
(What food or drink have you missed the most?) – “I’m a big sweets person, but when you have a goal in mind, it’s not too hard to cut stuff off that is going to hinder your ability. It’s not anything specific that I miss. Cookies and cream ice cream, I love ice cream (so I would choose that) if I had to name one.”
(You’ve had much success as a kickoff returner in your career. How much would you like to be a punt returner?) – “Any time I can get the ball in my hands, I feel like I can be dynamic for this team. My versatility is something that I cherish. Punt returning is not natural to me because I haven’t done it in a game. I always try to do it in practice. The more you do it, the more comfortable you get. If called upon, I’ll go out there and try to do my job.”
(Can you get used to running behind a fullback?) – ‘Yeah. I always tell (Chandler Cox) ‘Roll Tide’ every day. (laughter) I love having him on the team because he’s hardnosed and he’s a great player. I look forward to continue to see what he can bring to this team.”
(You don’t want to say that too much because he might let one go.) – “No, he keeps trying to tell me that he wants me to say ‘War Eagle.’ That will never happen ever. (laughter) It’s all fun and games out here, we’re on the same team now, so it’s no hard feelings.”
(It’s no secret that Year 4 is an important year for an NFL player. How are you approaching this year knowing that a big part of your future could be determined in the next few months?) – “I’d obviously be lying if I said it wasn’t on my mind, but the things that I’m focusing on is that I’m not looking too far ahead. How I control the future is how I control the present. Every day I’m here, I’m in my playbook. I try to lead by example by coming here and doing the things I need to do from a routine standpoint – eating right, taking thing we learned in the film room to the practice field, correcting mistakes things of that sort. It’s still early out here. It is what it is. I’m excited for the opportunity to come out here and help this team win a lot more games.”
(Being a dynamic player as you mentioned, a lot of you guys play Madden, that game is about to come out. Did you feel slighted by the 79 that you got scored? You being a dynamic player.) – “I couldn’t care less.”
(Why do guys care about that so much, where guys are protesting the game and guys telling fans to…) – “Whatever makes you happy, go out there and shout it from the mountain tops. I’m not really too concerned about a video game. I’m more concerned about me going out here and helping this team win games.”
(What do you think about what RB Melvin Gordon and RB Ezekiel Elliott are doing with their contract situation and how that affects backs and how they are appreciated in this league?) – “I feel like what they are doing is definitely monumental because how they are trying to maneuver with the things they are trying to accomplish, I feel like it’s a great thing for them personally. With how you affect the future, like I said, is what you do right now. They’re trying to change the narrative with how running backs get paid, how they’re seen, the versatility that we have. We pass block, we catch the ball out the backfield, we run the ball, some even throw the ball. I feel we’re the most versatile, not saying we’re the most important position – it’s a team sport – but we do a lot of things, I feel like running backs should get compensated for such.”
(Why do you think that position has been undervalued and what do you guys have to do to get back to the importance that it once was?) – “They say that running back is a dime a dozen type of position, but how the athletes are now coming out, these guys are – their versatility speaks for itself. Speaking of those guys that you names, ‘Zeke’ (Ezekiel Elliott) and Melvin (Gordon), they’ve done it year in and year out. I feel like they should get compensated for the things that they’ve accomplished, but that’s up for their team to decide and however they kind of maneuver. Whatever they’re trying to accomplish, I’m happy for them and I wish them nothing but the best. From that point, I’m going to focus on what I got to do and hopefully when I get the leverage to do what I need to do, hopefully I get the same respect.”
(If you have a son one day that wants to play football, would you put him at running back or maybe wide receiver, quarterback or defensive back?) – “I might just put him in soccer. I love soccer. (laughter) Football is a great sport. It’s the greatest team sport. At the end of the day, I’d want him to go out there and have fun and learn the things that the game has taught me. It’s taken me to places I could never imagine, being involved with this game. It doesn’t matter specifically the positon or anything like that, I would just want him to go out there be happy, be healthy and enjoy the game and take from it what it’s going to give to him.”
(Obviously Offensive Coordinator Chad O’Shea has a lot of Patriots ties. Do you look at RB Sony Michel, RB James White or someone on the Patriots and say I can look at that and say that’s going to be somewhat of my role?) – “No. How they do the things in New England, obviously we have the same type of – the coaching staff down here. But we have different players. I’d love to look at the different things that they do, but also have to realize that I have to go out here and play my game. I can’t literally go out there and say he had success at this, I’m going to go out here and try to emulate that. I wish them the best of luck at the things they will continue to accomplish, but I have to make sure I go out there and do the things I need to do from a small aspect and continue to improve from there.”
T.J. McDonald – July 26, 2019
Friday, July 26, 2019
S T.J. McDonald
(How are you feeling just to be back out here?) – “It feels good, man. It feels good to be back out here just playing football, being back out here with the guys. This time of year, you get to itching to get back out there.”
(Offseason, what kind of preparation, or how ready are you for kind of the new regime, new everything starting?) – “I think that everybody – I mean this started a long time ago as soon as they walked through the building. Everybody’s buying in, trying to just get better every day, try to improve and buy into the process. It’s a grind. We embrace it, and we’re going to grind every day.”
(Talking to S Reshad Jones and S Minkah Fitzpatrick and some of the other guys, they say how much more you have to learn now. How much more challenging, how much more study is involved?) – “It’s a lot. You’re going to get what you put into it. You’ll get out what you put into it. You’ve got to know multiple spots. You’ve got to be able to wear multiple hats like Coach (Brian Flores) says and be able to know spots, know positions and understand the defense fully, not just your position. It takes time, but we put the time in.”
(What kind of confidence do you have in Head Coach Brian Flores?) – “We have a lot of confidence. He’s our head coach. He’s our leader. We’re going to go with how he goes in the direction that he takes us. We’re going to buy in, work hard, and that’s what we’re doing right now.”
(Is that excitement about the opportunity to play multiple spots on defense?) – “Yeah, it’s a different challenge. It’s a different challenge than something we’ve had in the past, but I’m in my seventh year and it’s something that I’m embracing. I’m just going to come out and try to help the team.”
(What’s it like to have a defensive coach as the head coach?) – “It’s a lot of fun. He doesn’t try to play favorites or nothing like that. He’s definitely a well-rounded guy. He puts an emphasis on both sides of the ball. For us, we just focus on what we’ve got to do as a team collectively, as a defense, as a unit – secondary – all the way down to the position group just to get better every day.”
(How do you like Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham? He’s not afraid to chirp at you guys a little bit.) – “He chirps a lot. That’s what you want. You want a high standard. The standard is set high every day. Every day he’s going to expect a lot out of you, and that’s the way you want it.”
Minkah Fitzpatrick – July 26, 2019
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Friday, July 26, 2019
S Minkah Fitzpatrick
(It takes a lot of selfless guys to be in different groups and moving around different positions. How long did it take to get a roster full of those guys? Do you feel like you have one here?) – “Yeah, I mean it takes time. We had it at ‘Bama’ (University of Alabama). It’s the same exact thing. We had a lot of guys that moved around, and it took time because one: people have got to learn the system. People have got to get comfortable with it. Then like you said, you’ve got to have guys who are willing to bend and do different things and have different roles. And I think everybody here is more than willing because most of the guys that are doing it have done it already. We did it a lot last year, guys in different roles when people went down. So I think we’ve got it now, and we’re doing a good job.”
(You’re good at a lot of things. Last year, what the numbers show is you were exceptional in the slot. Do you like that? You’re obviously still doing that a lot.) – “Yeah, I like it. Like you said, I did it a lot in college. I did it a lot last year. I’m comfortable there. I have a lot of experience there. I think that’s what gives me a good edge, just going out there and competing. I just love doing that. You’re going against some of the best guys in the slot, some of the fastest, quickest guys in the slot, and you get to do multiple things. You get to play the run, you get to cover, you get to rush, so I love it out there.”
(Do you have any sense how much you’re going to play on the boundary this year at corner?) – “No, sir.”
(Unsure at this point?) – “Yeah. I mean nobody knows where we’ll be playing right now. It’s the second day of training camp.”
(Is being on the field all the time important to you because obviously this team is deep in defensive backs, safeties and corners to an extent?) – “It is. I think anybody that plays this game is going to want to be out there all of the time, especially when you put as much time as I do in, and I think it’s important to be out there. It’s important to have the best players out there, and that’s what camp is for – to decide who the best players are.”
(What’s the most important skill you need to have to play the slot?) – “To play the slot? I don’t think there’s one thing. There’s a lot. You’ve got to be able to cover well. You’ve got to know the scheme of the defense. You can’t just know the slot. You’ve got to know what’s going on inside of you, outside of you, behind you. It’s a lot of different things. You can’t just have one thing in the slot.”
(Is there more thinking involved in the slot than outside?) – “Yeah, (there is) in ways because like I said, at corner, all you really need to know is – in certain coverages – you need to know who is behind you. In certain coverages you need to know who is inside of you; but in the slot, you’ve got to know what the linebacker is doing, the d-end’s run fit, the corner outside and the safety behind you. So it’s a little bit more thinking I would say. So yeah, I’ll agree to that.”
(Are you doing anything at safety so far?) – “Yeah. I’m all over the place. I’ve been doing different looks at safety, whether it be up on the line, a linebacker back in the half, covering the half, covering receivers in the slot, so a lot of different things.”
(You saw WR Jakeem Grant last year when he was healthy and playing well. What made him tough to defend?) – “What do you think?” (laughter)
(I would think quickness. Is it more quickness or more speed?) – “That’s it, man. It’s everything. He’s quick, he’s fast – like quick in and out of breaks. He’s low. That’s one thing that really helps him because he’s already low, and he plays low, so when you try to get hands on him, he’s ducking under you, he’s doing different things. He’s in and out of breaks really fast, and if he wants to run straight line, he’s got the speed to beat you straight line. So I’ll say it’s a combination of his quickness and his long speed.”
(How are WR Jakeem Grant’s hands? Would you say improving? Really good?) – “He has really good hands. We have him back there at punt returner for a reason: he can catch the ball in tough situations. I haven’t seen too many dropped balls out of him since I’ve been here, so he has great hands.”
(In what one area do you want to make improvement?) – “I would say just I like to play fast, but some of the coaches have been telling me playing fast isn’t always the best thing, especially when you’re moving around a lot. It’s more of being able to process everything, relax and be able to play off your instincts. When you’re playing fast, you speed things up, you think too much, and you start tripping over your own feet. When you slow things down, break things down, know the defense, are comfortable, you honestly play faster than if you’re trying to fly all over the place. So I think just knowing the scheme, getting comfortable with the scheme and being able to play calm and react.”
(How confusing can this defense be for opponents and how confusing can it be for you guys moving around so much?) – “It can be really confusing. We throw a lot of different looks. I can’t really say too much, but we throw a lot of different looks at offenses and the quarterbacks – they’re asking us questions after practice, like ‘what was this, what was that, what was this, what was that?’ And we break it down to them and tell them, and they’re like, ‘oh, man, that’s crazy.’ But at the same time, like you said, it’s tough on us because we are moving around a lot, playing different roles, switching up roles every day, so it’s tough mentally, but it’s worth it in the long run.”
(For you, does being so versatile sometimes have its downfalls in some ways where you’re not able to get so many things you’re looking at and you may want to hone in on one thing and get really, really good at it?) – “I think just playing defensive back, you have to know everything that’s going on around you. I think if you want to be a great safety, and just a great safety, you’ve got to know what everybody’s doing around you. If you want to be a great corner, you’ve got to know what everybody’s doing around you, so even if you want to hone in on one position, you have to know what everybody else is doing around you. If you’re trying to be great at being a football player – a playmaker – know what everybody’s doing, and you’ll be able to play fast, play comfortable, and that’s it, really.”
(Early in this conversation, you kind of expressed an interest or a preference to play nickel instead of boundary, but what could you provide at the boundary position if you do play more there?) – “I never said I preferred (nickel). I was just saying this is what I played a lot. I had a lot of experience in there. I’m a cover guy. I was one of the top slot cover guys in the league last year. I had a lot of experience outside in the boundary last year when some people went down, and I think I could provide a lot out there.”
(You had that pick, too. A pick-six, right?) – “I was at slot. I was at nickel.”
(So there’s no preference? Do you have a preference?) – “I like being on the field, making plays, doing my job. That’s it.”
Christian Wilkins – July 26, 2019
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Friday, July 26, 2019
DT Christian Wilkins
(How are your first couple of days?) – “The first couple of days, I’ve got a long way to go before (I am) where I want to be. But it’s definitely good to get out here and compete with these guys, because I really feel like we’ve got a good group of guys who work hard every day, compete (and are) smart players. It’s good to get out there and compete with them, listen to them, talk to them, listen to what they think I can do better, how I can improve my game, listen to what they’re doing to how they attack and things like that just to improve my overall craft. I am just excited about that.”
(This heat is fun, no?) – “Oh, yeah. You have a different definition of fun than me. (laughter) It’s good. It builds a lot of character. I think it’ll definitely put us where we want to be as far as conditioning and going against all different types of elements and everything. It’s hot. It’s hot out here. I don’t really feel it until the end of practice. That’s when I’m just like (sighs). It’s all good.”
(How does having a defense that’s so multiple help you guys up front?) – “We’ve just got a lot of different guys who play a lot of different positions and contribute in a lot of ways. I feel like that poses a challenge for other offenses. I like what we do. The coaches do a great job with putting guys in the right positions to make plays and to help the defense as best as possible. I feel like they’re going to continue to do that all year. I’m just looking forward to everything.”
(How different has it been when you turn around and there’s a safety right behind you?) – “Not super different, because I feel like we did a lot of that stuff too a little bit back in college. It’s just great to know the type of guys I’ve got around me everywhere. (There are) so many guys who can do so many different things and make a lot of plays. It’s fun to know that.”
(You’re carrying the helmets now so you’re the low man on the totem pole?) – “I am. I’m just a funky, ole’ rookie. These guys, they love me and they respect me, but they make sure they make me realize that every day. I’m happy to do it, because those guys are my teammates and I’ve just got to respect the chain of command right now. I’m just a funky rookie, got to carry helmets, got to bring the snacks. In the spring I spent about $100 or something on snacks. I never did that before. I’ve got to get the snacks today, too. Just doing those little rookie duty things, I’m happy to do it for my guys.”
(What kind of snacks are you getting?) – “We wrote a list of things. They made a list. Some of it serious, some of it foolish. I think I’m going to go a little different. I’ll get them some healthy snacks. I don’t want my guys getting fat. I’ve got to look out for my guys too, so I’ve got to get all the healthy snacks.”
(What’s the most foolish thing?) – “Just guys being funny when they wrote down the list. They wrote things that aren’t even, I don’t know. ‘Make sure you get the pack of Essential Waters,’ or something. I don’t know. Just things that they are obviously joking (about). Seedless watermelon. Something funny. They’re just messing around.”
(That must’ve been tough to pull $100 out of your pocket? Did you go couponing?) – “Yeah, you all know I’m cheap. I’m thrifty as it is, so that kind of hurt my soul a little bit to buy $100 something dollars worth of snacks. No coupon, but Costco. I love Costco. That’s always a good route to go. A little cheaper and buying in bulk, so the next time the guys need snacks, you’ve got plenty of them. That’s a good way to go. Shout out to Costco.”
(Are you pleased with how you did in May, June and obviously two days so far?) – “No, I’m not because I hold myself to a high standard and I’m never satisfied. That’s just the approach I take to this game. No matter how good I get, no matter how well I do, I’ll never be satisfied. Also, because I know being out here, I’ve got a long way to go before I’m where I want to be. Going against these guys, until I completely dominate everything, I’m never going to be satisfied. Even then, I probably won’t be satisfied. There’s always room to improve, always areas and ways for you to get better. That’s my mindset and that’s the mindset our team should have as well.”
(What’s your ideal playing weight?) – “As long as I look good. I always look good. (laughter) I feel most comfortable between 310 and 315, where I still feel strong but athletic, slim thick, where I look good. (laughter)”
(You look slim.) – “Thank you. I know. I had a good summer out here. I told you, my beach body is going to be year-round around here. It’s always beach season. I appreciate that, thank you.”
(You’re what weight now?) – “I came in at 311. That was my report weight. I’ll try to stay around there.”
(Is it fun or challenging for you also to get an opportunity to play potentially some end when you’re in a 3-4?) – “Really, it’s just going to be fun to be out there and compete every day. Whatever the coaches need me to do, I’m going to be happy to do it for this team, because that’s what’s most important is this team. If there’s an opportunity for me to play end, linebacker, safety, quarterback, running back, if it’s what’s best for the team…”
(Don’t forget fullback.) – “All that. All of the above. Tight end. Don’t matter. If that’s what the coaches feel is the best opportunity for me and this team to win and be successful, I’m going to be happy to do that always.”
(Are you looking forward to throwing the pads on?) – “Yeah. It’s one thing (being) out here competing without pads on, but once you get the pads on, it’s a little different. You really get to see where you’re at, see what kind of shape you’re in, see if you’re physically ready to play this game, because that’s a whole other component. When you’re learning the techniques and things like that, that’s one thing. But when you come out here and put the pads on, it adds an extra element and that’s real football, now. I’m looking forward to that.”
(Do you think the offensive line has had a false perception of what you guys can do defensively because of no pads?) – “I feel like we’ve both been working on both sides. We’ve been competing, getting after it. It is just different. You kind of get a little bit of it on both sides. You can’t really get a feel because the game is not played in shorts and just jerseys. It’s played in pads. We get the real feel when we put on the pads.”
(A lot of guys in college, they play video games. A lot of NFL guys care about their Madden rating. Yours came out at 75. You’re a rookie, they may not know what you can do. Your thoughts on the whole Madden rating thing?) – “I didn’t think about it too much. I think it’s just cool that I’m in the game. That’s pretty cool. When I was a little, fat, chubby kid I dreamed of being in Madden one day and playing in the NFL. Now being 23-years old, I’m like, ‘Dang, I’m really in the Madden game.’ I think that’s just pretty cool, first and foremost. I’ll have time. Hopefully I’ll have a long career where that rating will come up a little bit. It doesn’t really matter what it is as long as I’m doing my job for my team. I don’t care whatever anyone else thinks.”
(Why do other guys care so much about their Madden rating?) – “I feel like definitely sometimes guys need to be respected a little bit more. Almost like, ’Dang, that’s what you think of me?’ Especially guys who’ve had long, great careers who are doing well and improving every year, but their Madden rating is not – I feel like guys around the league, if you know who you are, you should be comfortable with who you are. Don’t let the Madden ratings tell you otherwise. If guys around the league respect you, I don’t think you should worry so much about the Madden ratings.”
(We’ve seen you a lot with the first team, which isn’t really a surprise. Is that meaningful to you? Does being thrown in with the starters right away does it challenge you even more?) – “Honestly, I’ve just got to earn it. I feel like whether I get first-team reps or not, whether I get third-team reps, I’ve got to earn it each and every day. It doesn’t really matter to me. I just know when I’m out there whenever my number is called, that I got to produce and got to be productive and play to the best of my abilities. That’s the biggest thing I’m focused on, what I’m worried about.”
(Is being a starter this year a goal?) – “I don’t make too specific goals like that. I make more broad goals. My goal is not to be the starter. My goal is to be the best that I can be. If being a starter is a result of being the best I can be, then so be it. That’s how I make my goals and how I view things and how I attack things. I don’t make them too specific like that. Again, I’m trying to work every day to compete and be the best that I can be.”
(We know how smart you are with money. Anything you’re doing so far in your first couple months here to save or maybe you’re doing something differently than some other first-round draft picks?) – “Definitely I put everything up under lock and key, nowhere where I can really see it, making sure that I don’t want to touch it, I don’t want to think about it. I’m trying to live off a specific number (of) money this year. I’m still penny-pushing, doing those things, being as smart as I can with my money. I still don’t have a car yet, nothing crazy like that. I’m trying to be smart.”
(So most of the money from the guaranteed you put in the bank?) – “Yeah, that’s locked up.”
(You don’t have a car? How are you getting around?) – “I’m borrowing a car right now, so that’s how I’m getting around.”
(How?) – “I’m borrowing a car.”
(From a teammate?) – “No, my girlfriend’s car, actually. A nice little Jeep Patriot 2015. I’m pushing that thing. I’m borrowing that right now until I figure out my car situation, but I think it’ll be a little while.”
Jakeem Grant – July 26, 2019
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Friday, July 26, 2019
WR Jakeem Grant
(QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is running around with your little ones, what is that like to see and experience?) – “It’s amazing just to see him running around playing with my kids and that just shows how our relationship is. It’s bigger than football. We like to have fun with each other and get out there and enjoy it. Besides football, just the fact that he has kids and I have kids. His kids are probably a lot older than mine are. It just really meant something to me when he came over to play with my kids. It meant a lot.”
(What are you most proud of in your career because we saw you go from punt returner who didn’t always have success with the hands and now you’ve accomplished that. Slot receiver, we saw you on the outside last year and you accomplished that. You’ve got a lot to be proud of. What makes you most proud?) – “I would just say getting better and being able to be more consistent. I feel that in this game, you definitely need that. I feel like each and every year I have gotten better and better at something or just better in my game all around, and that’s what I’m trying to do. Even if I feel like I’m doing great at punt returns and catching punts, I am still out there working on it like I’m not even good at it and the same goes for receiver. I always try to work to perfect anything. I know nobody’s perfect but I am a perfectionist and I like to go out there and try to perfect my craft and separate myself from the other guys. ”
(Where do you get work ethic that from?) – “I don’t know. Honestly, I just don’t want to be average. I look at all the greats like Deion Sanders and all of those guys and think what did they do to separate themselves? I just don’t want to be a regular guy. When they look back after I’m done, (I don’t want them to say) ‘Oh, Jakeem he had a good career.’ I want to go back when they’re playing my clips and (have them say), ‘Oh, Jakeem had a great career.’ A wise man told me there are only two thing that are sure in life is that you live and you die. Therefore, I am trying to maximize my opportunity so that little space between when you are born and when you die, I just want to leave a legacy.”
(Your teammates, what do they bring to the mix?) – “He brings a lot. Everybody brings in different special talents and that’s what is great about this team: everybody is special in a unique way. Everybody can do mostly everything. Whether it is catching the deep ball or taking the short route the distance, I am trying to teach every guy – all the receivers – how to make people miss and take it the distance. Basically, we pick off each other’s plate and ask help me with this, how do you do this and how do you do that? We just come together and work as a unit.”
(Is there a common ground there with WR Albert Wilson where you both had some pretty bad injuries last season?) – “Definitely. We both were injured together, working together. We both got in the training room and worked hard together we even competed against each other with bounce drills and everything, making sure we both got back and we were healthy. We also wanted to take our time and not rush into things and have that setback. With that being said, that shows that the bond is there and we truly love each other and want to see each other do great.”
(What’s no speed limit?) – “I was trying to push that message, no speed limit. I remember when ‘Rizz’ (former Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi) was here, I used to ask him is there a speed limit on the field and he used to say no. That is where I got the phrase ‘no speed limit’ from. I feel like there is no speed limit on the field, as you can see, and I am going to continue to push that message. There is no speed limit. You’re not clocking me at no speed and so I am going to continue to go out there and be the fastest man on the field each and every game.”
(Is it tough for you to be patient because you started off to a great season last year, you got your injury and now you are rehabbing, I’m sure you want to be out here at 100 percent. Is patience tough in this situation?) – “It’s definitely tough. Just going out there, I tell Coach (Flores) even when I feel like I am ready, and Coach (Flores) is still like ‘Jakeem, you’ve got to be smart. We are thinking about the long term,’ and so I am like Coach (Flores), ‘let’s go, let’s go.’ He keeps telling me, ‘Jakeem, you have to chill.’ I know he is looking out for me and he wants me to be patient and not have any setbacks and I am cool with that. But as a competitor, I want to be out there more and I want to compete.”
(This is your first time being in this situation?) – “Yeah, (the) first time. So at the beginning, it really sucked; but right now, being back there with them is a joy.”
(S Minkah Fitzpatrick was talking up your speed. What’s it like for him to be out there challenging you?) – “It’s great. He is a smart player. He can play any role and he can run. I can’t just use my speed and run past him because he is a smart player. I actually have to give him some moves. I can make him get off balance and run past him, but he’s a hell of a player and he’s going to go out there and make plays. He’s not going to bite off of just one move. You’ve got to give him two or three moves just to get him off balance. He can read very well and he can play anything.”
(Does S Minkah Fitzpatrick have a speed limit?) – “No, actually he doesn’t. To be honest, he really doesn’t.”
(What has made you a complete receiver? Because we know you have the speed, the quickness and again you added the outside to your game. What makes you a complete receiver and why do you think you are a complete receiver?) – “I would say I focus on my route-running and I play outside and inside, so I got a dose of everything. Playing against corners, playing against nickels, going against safeties, everything. I just feel like – I am not perfect, I am not completely there yet but I will continue to work each and every day. I feel like I have proven and shown that I can go out there and be a receiver and make a big impact in the offensive game and I am going to continue to come out here and work on my hands, my routes, just like if I didn’t have a chance at receiving. So I am going to continue to go out each practice and work on that.”
(When will you be at 100 percent?) – “I am just working to get better each and every day.”
(Like in the preseason or do you think it is more Week 1?) – “I am just being smart, taking it day-by-day and just trying to get stronger and better each and every day.”
Allen Hurns – July 26, 2019
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Friday, July 26, 2019
WR Allen Hurns
(How happy are you to be home playing for the hometown team? You went to high school here, college and now you get to play for the Miami Dolphins.) – “It’s always good being back home. It’s a blessing being able to come back. I played here for college, so playing here as a professional, I’ll love to see how that goes.”
(Why is WR Brice Butler your biggest fan here?) – “We were in Dallas, so we spent some time (together). Once you’re in the room with a guy, it’s kind of like he’s your brother. It’s bigger than ball. Once I saw him, we reunited. It was good.”
(What are your expectations signing with the Dolphins?) – “Coming off of an injury, my main thing is to come in here, learn the playbook and put my head down and go to work. My main thing once I got released was finding a good opportunity. I felt like it was a good opportunity here, so my main thing is to put my head down and go to work.”
(How has the last week and a half been for you?) – “It wasn’t bad at all. Once I found out that we wanted to go separate ways, my main thing was to find my next destination. I wasn’t stressed or anything. As far as how I am mentally, I’m good. I don’t let too many things bring me down. I was just excited for the next move.”
(Did you grow up a Dolphins’ fan or did you ever think one day you’d like to play for this team?) – “No, actually not.”
(What team did you follow?) – “The Atlanta Falcons. I liked Michael Vick. (laughter)”
(Does it feel kind of right being in Miami on a practice after you University of Miami Days?) – “Yeah, it feels good. It’s my first day so I didn’t practice (much) but I did a little bit of the individual drills. It felt real good, just being back in this heat. You’ve always got to get acclimated with that. But, I trained down here for a couple of weeks at Bommaritos, so it feels good just being back home.”
(What kind of healthy competitions will it be here with WR Kenny Stills and WR Jakeem Grant?) – “It will be a lot of good competition. There are a lot of guys that do a lot of good things. Me coming in, my main thing is I’ve got to learn the playbook. But as far as being on the field, we’ve got a lot of guys. I feel like competition brings out the best in guys so coming in each and every day, going against those guys and working with those guys, I feel like we’ll bring out the best in each other.”
(How many opportunities do you think you had after you left the Cowboys and how ideal was the situation to basically come home?) – “I feel like it was very ideal to come back. There were still opportunities of me going back there. My main thing was just the best opportunity of being on the field and just being able to make plays. I just wanted a fresh start, to just come in and learn the playbook, come out here and make plays. I’m excited to see how that goes once I’m able to go against the defense. It feels good to be back home, for real.”
(The Hurricanes kick off their training camp today. What are your thoughts on Head Coach Manny Diaz and this year?) – “I love him. I feel like he fits the culture. He’s a guy that’s about business, but he’s also going to let guys have fun. I think that’s the Miami culture. When you think about guys from South Florida from high school or little league, it’s guys that play with swagger and are just comfortable being them. I feel like he fits the culture. Guys in the past were great coaches but some of them were uptight and that doesn’t always fit the Miami culture. I feel like Manny Diaz will fit that.”
(Have you and WR Brice Butler had that conversation about that 17 jersey?) – “No, we didn’t. (laughter)”
(How do you feel physically? Where are you in your rehab?) – “I’m full go. I worked out earlier, ran routes and everything – jumping, cutting, everything. I feel good.”
(Take me back to the injury, not to bring up too bad of a memory for you. What did you think when it first happened? Some guys just never want to see that play on tape.) – “It was one of those things where it was disgusting to see. It will make you cringe. As far as me and my faith, I knew I’d be able to get through it. My main thing was just seeing my foot facing the other way, that kind of freaked me out. I saw it in college with one of my other teammates that was here, Malcolm Lewis. I knew it was going to be a lot of work to get back. I’m blessed to be back. It’s crazy how the body heals. It was a long process. Once you stay dedicated and stay good mentally, you’ll be able to overcome anything.”
(At what point were you cleared?) – “I got cleared in minicamp.”
(Were you kind of surprised that Dallas waited this long to move on? It seems like this is something that could’ve been done earlier in the offseason.) – “Of course. Ideally, it could’ve happened earlier for me; but at the end of the day, I’m just glad it happened. It got to a point where it was a mutual thing on both sides. It was good for me to get a new opportunity and things like that. The timing of it wasn’t ideal; but at the end of the day, I’m just glad to be here.”
(You’re 100 percent at this point?) – “Yes.”
(Do you think you’ll be jumping in on team stuff soon, as soon as you start to get the playbook down?) – “Yes. As far as me, I’m ready to do whatever. I’ll leave it up to the coaches however they want to go about it each day.”
(But physically you’re ready?) – “Yes, I’m ready to go.”
