Patrick Graham – May 9, 2019
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Thursday, May 9, 2019
Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham
(What were your impressions or your first thoughts when you heard DT Christian Wilkins’ name called at No. 13?) – “Excited. Just like any other draft, you’re really excited to get an opportunity to work with these guys and do your best to put them in the right spots to do well out there on the field for practice, rookie minicamp, OTAs and things of that nature. (He’s a) good kid and (I’m) just looking forward to working with him. I’m always happy when it’s a defensive pick. (laughter) I’m definitely looking forward to working with him.”
(Did you have any interaction with DT Christian Wilkins before the draft or was the first time you talked to him was afterwards?) – “We do our best to do research on all of the guys, whether it’s through the game tape, talking on the phone, the Combine or some of the trips and stuff. We get a good feel of the guys. I won’t get into any specifics per se, but we get a good feel of the guys whether it’s me specifically, the position coaches or the scouts.”
(Obviously DT Christian Wilkins has played just about every position on Clemson’s defensive line, which was a hybrid line. I guess that suits you guys well. Do you have a clear definition of what you envision him to be?) – “He was a good college football player. We’re excited about getting him here and teaching him how we want to play football and teaching him how to be a Miami Dolphin. The clear thing is I think he’s going to … Hopefully he does what we need him to do to help us win games. That’s all I can tell you on that. How that’s going to play out, we’ll see. Everybody has to earn their spot out there on that field, especially come Sundays. We’re going to try to maximize the opportunities in practice and the classroom to learn. Whatever spot he’s going to have out there on the field, it’s going to be to help us win games and he’s going to have earned it. That’s the best way I can answer that.”
(Is there a trait with DT Christian Wilkins that stands out the most that you think will help you guys win games?) – “Just like we talked about earlier in this process when you guys first met us, (we want a) selfless guy that’s going to put the team first. That’s one of the things that I’m looking for first. This level, there are a lot of good players and a lot of good athletes. (There are) a lot of guys that could be physical. (There are) a lot of guys that know how to play football. They’ve been playing it for somewhere between eight to 10 years of their life. And they get here and what’s the difference? The difference on the good teams that I’ve been on have been guys that are selfless and put the team first. That’s one of the traits that stuck out to me with them.”
(What about when you saw DT Christian Wilkins on film? What jumped out at you?) – “You can spot that on the film as well, guys that are willing to sacrifice whether it’s certain games in the pass rush, doing the dirty work to free up somebody else (or) playing double teams. Those are all of the things that as I’m watching the tape – before you meet the person and you get a chance to really truly interact with them – that’s what I’m looking for. Is this guy a selfless player that’s going to hold that double team when we need him to hold it? Is he penetrating on the game when he’s really the decoy and we’re trying to free somebody else up? You can see that on tape. He did a good job of all of that stuff. He’s a very versatile player for them. He’s a physical player. He had some good athletic traits that we look at and that we like. A lot of stuff stuck out on film. Again, we have to see how it transfers here to the league and he’ll have to earn everything on the field.”
(In this ‘look at me’ society, how tough is it to find selfless guys that are going to do jobs like that?) – “Are you implying that I’m part of this generation? (laughter) I’m not that young, but I do appreciate that. (laughter) I’m not sure. I don’t know. I’ve been coaching for 18 years now and (have worked with) different personalities. The thing that it comes down to is when they come into the classroom with us – from my experience – these guys all want to get coached, they all want to learn football and our job is to help them get better. I think it’s a privilege to be around these guys. They keep me young. I get to learn different slang and stuff like that. I’m always excited to be around them. The thing I do for them is the same thing my high school coach did for me. I’m honest with them, I give them corrections and then I let them know that I’m going to be on them all of the time until we get it right. I think those guys all cherish that at the end of the day, whether it’s this generation or the generations before. The kids are all the same still, to a certain degree.”
(The challenge of this roster, there’s not a lot of veterans. There are some but there aren’t a lot of seasoned veterans out there.) – “The production on the field is the thing we cherish the most. Whether you have 12 years in or … Nobody remembers last year anyway. Nobody cares. As long as you’re productive within the moment, that’s the stuff we cherish and that’s the stuff that gets rewarded.”
(I know you can’t address every need in the draft but from the outside, we were wondering where the pass rush was going to come from. Where is the pass rush going to come from?) – “The pass rush is going to come from us game-planning it. Just like anything we do on defense, we’re going to try to exploit the weaknesses of the offense. I think whether it’s the pass rush, whether it’s the run defense or the pass defense, those are things that we’ll do collectively, whoever is in that room. Then we’ll decide who we’re going to deploy in the different spots to work the pass rush. The beauty about the pass rush, and I’ve always said this, is it’s very fluid. Everything is very fluid. As you watch it and you try to get an understanding of it, you can take advantage of it in different ways, different shapes, different forms and different people. It doesn’t always have to be the cookie cutter idea that people have of a 6-foot-5, 250 pound whatever who runs a 4.5 (40-yard dash). That doesn’t necessarily mean that’s going to automatically guarantee you pass rush success. To me, pass rush success is us game-planning it, the players executing it and us trying our best to affect the quarterback. It doesn’t necessarily mean sacks. It means affecting the quarterback, throwing lanes, pressure, being around him (and) making him uncomfortable. All of those things go into an effective pass rush. Some of the best pass rush years I’ve coached, we didn’t have that many sacks but I know the quarterback did not feel comfortable back there when we played.”
(Do you feel like there’s enough here to get that done?) – “I always feel there’s enough. I don’t know what to tell you. I always feel like that. When me and my son go out there and we’re playing at the park, if someone wants to line up 11 against us, I feel like we’ve got enough. Let’s go! (laughter) I’m a coach. I feel like we have enough. I feel confident in our coaches to coach those guys to get things done how we want it executed and I feel confident in our players understanding the concepts, understanding what we’re trying to get done and getting 11 guys on the same page. So I always feel there’s enough.”
(Would you welcome more help though?) – “I always feel there’s enough. (laughter)”
(So you feel that DE Charles Harris is a defensive end in this scheme? Obviously you’re going to utilize him differently but he can set the edge in your opinion?) – “I never said that but I feel like Charles Harris is a versatile player in our scheme. When you watch him, there are a lot of traits that show up, whether it’s the speed, the physicality – the stuff we cherish at those positions – the edge, off the ball or inside. (There are) different ways we plan on using people. He has a lot of the traits that we cherish for defensive football players on the field.”
(There’s probably no lack of hunger on this team because guys are probably fighting for everything they’ve got. Do you sense that? How do you sense that?) – “The funny thing about the NFL is whether you are a player, coach, in personnel or whatever – I’m sure for you guys as reporters – because there’s only one football league, there’s 32 teams and they’re only in a certain number of cities, so it’s very competitive. Nobody cares what happened last year. I don’t know if it’s hunger per se, but I hope it’s a sense of urgency. You guys know. Wherever you started … I started at Wagner College and now I’m here but I could quickly be gone from here if I don’t get my job done. It’s the same thing for a beat reporter for the Miami Dolphins. It’s hard to get that job. It’s coveted because there are only 32 teams like this. I don’t know if it’s hunger but I hope it’s a sense of urgency, because I feel it every day. I love that. I love that about my job. I love the coaches holding me to that standard. I feel a sense of urgency from them. I feel a sense of urgency from my head coach. I feel a sense of urgency from my wife to get this thing done. (laughter) I like it.”
(What is it like working for a head coach that was in your position most of the time?) – “It’s been wonderful. (Head) Coach (Brian) Flores has been a dear friend. I cherish his friendship. I cherish our working relationship. He’s always been honest with me. That’s all I can tell you. He’s always been honest with me so whether I’m doing stuff good or bad or whatever, he’s been honest with me. He talks about it with the players in terms of his goal is to make them better versions of themselves. I think he does that with the people around him. I feel like a better man on and off the football field for having known him.”
(What about LB Andrew Van Ginkel, a guy you drafted later on? What have you learned about him since he’s arrived and how likely is it that we can see him contributing as a rookie, especially if you want to go with a 3-4?) – “Van Ginkel was a very successful football player at the college level. He did a lot of things on tape that we liked. What he ends up doing on the field here with the Miami Dolphins, that’s all going to be based on what he earns out there on the field. We’re going to put him in the best spots to take advantage of his physical tools and his mental capability. He’s a smart guy. We haven’t really gotten a chance to see those guys work out or anything yet. Everything starts tomorrow with rookie minicamp, but I’m looking forward to it. I don’t know where it’s going to lead to; but whatever it is, he’s going to earn it and if he’s out there on Sundays, it’s because he deserves too.”
(Let me ask you this question: You’ve got a lot of defensive tackles but no nose. You have a couple of hybrid linebackers but no real proven defensive ends unless you want to consider DE Jonathan Woodard. Where are you going to set the edge?) – “Setting the edge, there’s going to be a bunch of guys that learn to set the edge. There’s going to be a ton of guys to set the edge. You know how it is in the league. The edge comes down to this: you have to get a feel for it. The traditional edge that we grew up knowing of (the offense) lining up in two tight ends and they’re going to run outside, that doesn’t happen that often (anymore). Now they might pull outside, so that brings a whole (different) set of people over there. Setting the edge is really getting a feel for it in terms of being physical at the point (of attack and) proper angles with our bodies. We’re teaching a bunch of guys to learn how to do that. I can’t answer specifics. It could be a safety, it could be a defensive end, it could be an outside linebacker. We have plenty of guys that are learning that spot and learning how to set the edge. I think we’ll be fine. As long as they put in the work and as long as we keep guiding them in the right direction, I think we’ll be fine on that.”
(With your defensive line, you envision that you can have three 300-pounders on the front line and be able to get it done?) – “If the game plan calls for three 300-pounders, (sure). But I can’t say specifics on that. Are we going to have three 300-pounders? I don’t know. I promise you this, whoever we think is the best fit to be out there, we will have somebody responsible for setting the edge. I promise you that. Regardless of who is out on the field – 300-pounders or 200-pounders – we’ll have somebody out there to set the edge because if we don’t set the edge, it’s no different than on offense if the guy holding that ball loses that ball, it’s a problem. There’s no difference in the run game. If the guy setting the edge doesn’t set the edge, they can cut off the other guys on the defense and they can just run around the corner. Our goal is never to have that happen. I promise you that. Our goal is to never have that happen and we work diligently to get those guys to get that done. We’ll do it with whoever is there.”
(Obviously this is a different team than what we’ve seen in the past but that had been consistently the issue here, which is why they’ve had problems stopping the run for the last couple of years.) – “I can’t worry about last year. It’s this year and I know this, we’re working diligently to make sure that the edge is set. That’s just part of playing defensive football. I’m a firm believer in that in terms of defending the run game. Defending the pass game to a certain degree is still setting the edge on the quarterback. That’s something we work on every day.”
(What are your thoughts on pressure? Do you guys feel like twists and stunts are ideal as opposed to just a guy on the edge beating a man one-on-one?) – “I can’t say that. I didn’t say that. (laughter) I feel that we study … The beauty about the league is it’s about the people. We get a chance to study who this left tackle is, who this left guard and who this right guard (are). We get to study the people and then collectively how they play together. What we’re going to try to do is take advantage of their weaknesses. If they can’t handle us straight rushing, we’ll straight rush. If they can’t handle us twisting and all of that stuff, we’re going to twist. But it’s all based on who we’re going against. We do our best to teach both techniques in terms of straight rush and also with the twist game and stuff like that. It’s never a definitive. I don’t go into it (saying) this year we’re going to do this and this game we’re (going to do that). By (the time we) game plan, we will be more specific but we’re so far from that right now. I’m just trying to make sure we get in the huddle, then get in a stance, get ready and make sure that everybody knows the call. That’s what we’re working on right now.”
(How did you fall in love with football or coaching?) – “I would say this: I was flirting with football when I was 5-years old when my older brother was playing a game and they let me score. That was flirting. When did I truly fall in love with football? I would probably say after college – a year after college – when I went into football and decided to make that my career because I realized how much football had given me throughout my life. I think I cut it short. I didn’t give football enough when I was in college. I wasn’t a very good player. I don’t know how serious I was about the game but then I realized that football helped me mature when I was younger, helped me get into Yale and helped me become the man who I am today. I didn’t carry through my part of the bargain and I think every day I’m chasing that, to be honest with you, 18 years later. I think the love comes from the ups and downs from it. I don’t even know if it’s love. It’s more that I value the game, just like I’ve come to the realization that I value my wife (and) I value my mom and dad. It’s no different than a stock – up and down. I found the value in them and I think that’s a stronger word than love. That’s where I’m at now with the game. I value it so much because it’s given me so much.”
(I wanted to just ask you that a lot has been made of the 3-4 and 4-3 thing. Do you feel like it’s important for each player to have a home per se, whether it’s a three-technique player or…?) – “I don’t know about (it being) by position. I think it’s important that they know their role. They know their role and what we’ve done over the few weeks we’ve had these guys, we’ve worked on fundamentals. We’ve worked on technique. We’ve worked on the scheme. But we’ve also been like ‘based on what I’ve learned from you and what I’ve seen from you, here’s a role you can compete for. So understand your role. Now as soon as you start to get a mastery of that role, then you can start to add more valuable to yourself by understanding different roles.’ I think that’s the most important thing and that’s how I’m honest with the guys. ‘Here’s the role I see you in. Compete for that and then once you gain a mastery of that, maybe you expand your role and now you add more value to the team and then you go from there.’”
(Are those roles named roles or do you compare it to players?) – “It could be.”
(I’m not talking specifics, certainly, but would you say “Okay, you can play the LB Kyle Van Noy role or you could play this role?”) – “Well I wasn’t (in New England) with Kyle Van Noy. The roles, I’m sure they have names but I don’t know. (laughter)”
Josh Rosen – April 29, 2019
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Monday, April 29, 2019
QB Josh Rosen
(How would you describe your last three or four months leading up to the trade?) – “I mean probably my last two or three days were pretty hectic, moving and coming over here. But at least for the first three months of this year, (they were) pretty normal. I had a fun offseason and went back to school. I went back to Arizona (to) work out and (I’m) just trying to be the best player I can be. Business stuff happened, so I ended up in Miami. I couldn’t be more excited to be here. Hopefully (I will) hit the ground running.”
(When the Cardinals took QB Kyler Murray, were you surprised, disappointed? What were your emotions?) – “I got a call a couple of minutes before it happened. I don’t know. (I had) a bunch of different emotions. I think you could almost just say all of the above. It’s just kind of another opportunity. Very rarely do you get a second chance to make a first impression. I’m trying to get off to the right foot with all of these guys here and meet all of my teammates. I’m trying to break down this playbook as quickly as I can. Like I said, (I’m just trying) to get off on the right foot.”
(When you saw the tweet from Arizona that ‘Josh is our man,’ you were thinking what? That it was all settled or that things could change in two seconds notice? How did you take that tweet?) – “I don’t know. It’s kind of irrelevant. It wasn’t going to change what I did every day. I think for the most part, (I was just) on the phone with my agent – who I’m really close with – every couple of days and just kind of going back and forth, keep grinding and keep playing, and whatever happens, happens. I was pretty prepared for both scenarios. This one happened so I’m ready for it.”
(What have the Dolphins communicated to you about the quarterback depth chart and do you expect to be under center Week 1?) – “They just wanted me to come in and compete. I’m excited and ready for it. At the end of the day, I just want to come in and play football and compete and have fun. The timing on when I play or not – or if – that’s not up to me. It’s kind of similar to the situation the last couple of days. I just control what I can control and take each day by day.”
(Can you talk about where you were watching the draft and were there similarities in back-to-back years? Were you kind of wondering where you were going to go like last year before you were drafted? Can you just talk about that emotion and not knowing where you were going to end up and where you watched the draft?) – “Actually, it felt like I got drafted twice. They actually called me from their draft room, so I talked to the GM, head coach and coordinator, just like if I was actually normally drafted. I was just back at my place in Arizona. I had some buddies (there). I was hanging out. Yeah, (it was) just normal. It happens.”
(Do you think that there’s at all a misperception about you as a person and if so, what can you tell people about the person and the player or teammate that you are?) – “I mean I think I’m a really good teammate. I think that’s not really up to me to judge. I think I was a little bit … I had a little bit of a bad perception at first; but what I’ve tried to do is not really say or do anything extra and just kind of be me and continue on and keep my head down, and eventually the story will straighten out. I think it has, for the most part. Like I said, that’s another thing that’s out of my control. What is in my control is just what I can do every day, basically to try and be consistent and be the same guy, and have the same kind of energy every time I step into the locker room and the facility so that all of my teammates kind of know what guy they’re getting. I think time and consistency is the best medicine to cure the narrative.”
(Where do you think that narrative came from?) – “I don’t know. I was thrown into the spotlight pretty quickly at UCLA. I was pretty young, so I didn’t really have all of my answers as perfectly crafted as I do now. I just kind of said some things kind of off the cuff about all different kinds of things and people misconstrued them in certain different ways. I think the core root of it probably came from when I said I don’t need football, but that was in the frame of reference of I walked in on a couple of my teammates sleeping in the players’ lounge, and that kind of struck me. Just kind of getting to know these guys and the backgrounds that they come from, it was in the reference that if football is taken away from me, I don’t need to go to the streets and start dealing drugs. I have a good support system. That ‘I don’t need football’ kind of got misconstrued a little bit and I think some people saw that as maybe being entitled or whatever. But I think, like I said, that over the test of time, just being consistent and trying to be a really good teammate every day, I think the narrative has started to straighten out a little bit.”
(What have you learned or how have you changed at all over the last few weeks, maybe a month or so, when this whole draft scenario possibility has been going on and now the actual trade happening?) – “Can you repeat that? In what sense?”
(In the sense of, obviously this has been some adversity. This has been uncomfortable, I assume. Have you learned anything from that?) – “Yeah. I think I’m in the process of learning it. I landed last night at six, seven o’clock, so my head is still spinning. It’s just sort of another hurdle you have to step over. I think you can’t really look too far ahead or look in the past. I think you have to kind of keep your head down and like I keep saying over and over, day by day. Then after you string a couple days together, you can look up and it’s been a couple of successful weeks, months, and hopefully years.”
(We watched you from afar last year. Obviously, it didn’t go as well as you hoped it’d be. What did you learn from last year and why are you confident that you’re a much better player than what we saw on the field last year?) – “I think a lot of the little things. I think I got a lot better at a lot of the little things that have to do with football. Even small stuff like scheduling, like knowing how much time you need to allot yourself for pre-practice warmup, how much you need for post-practice, your recovery routine, how you ration out your studying Monday though Sunday. I think a lot of those little things, saving minutes here and there and just being more efficient with my time. That’s not even including all of the stuff on the field with the X’s and O’s. That’s a whole other conversation.”
(You said on draft night last year ‘Nine mistakes were made ahead of me.’ I remember you amended that later to say three for the teams that picked quarterbacks. Now that the entire league has not given up a first-round pick for you and the Cardinals gave you up for pennies on the dollar, what’s your overall mindset?) – “I would like to give you the quote that you want, but for the most part I’m going day-by-day. (laughter)”
(A year ago you came into the league as a franchise quarterback of the future. Do you think you could still be that franchise-type quarterback?) – “Yes.”
(And why is that?) – “Because I think I am a good quarterback and I think I’m a good leader.”
(General Manager Chris Grier said he though you would have a chip on your shoulder given everything that was said about you and how this last year went. Should we expect a newly motivated Josh?) – “I don’t think my chip has got to grow anymore. I might tip over. (laughter)”
(This is a team that has a lot of assets going into next year’s draft. We know you’re going to go out there to compete every day, but considering this season going in, do you feel like this is a one-year tryout for the starting quarterback positon and maybe to be that franchise quarterback?) – “Yeah. I think regardless of (the) situation, I think you have to have the mentality that you’re trying (to do that) every single day. I think you hear quotes from the G.O.A.Ts like Tom (Brady) and Peyton (Manning) and all of them, and they’re saying that every year someone is trying to come in (and) replace them. Even if they’re not, they try to act like they are. Every single day they try to earn the respect of their teammates, which they already have. Every single day they try to earn the praise of their coaches, which they already have. I think whether that’s true or not, I’m going to have that kind of mindset like it’s my job every day, every hour and every minute to prove that I’m the guy.”
(Did WR Larry Fitzgerald say anything to you after that charity softball game about you coming here?) – “Yeah, (he) said a lot of things. (laughter) He’s a really good mentor, big brother, uncle. We all call him Uncle Larry. I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for him. He’s been great.”
(The Dolphins have been looking for a franchise quarterback since Dan Marino left 20 years ago. Are you aware of that Dolphins’ history and how long it has been since they’ve had a face of the franchise?) – “I think I heard I was going to get that question. (laughter) But yeah, I’m aware of the situation. Hopefully I can follow in some semblance of his massive footsteps.”
(Do you remember meeting Offensive Coordinator Chad O’Shea last year during your draft lead up?) – “No. Adam Gase was the main guy that was drilling me.”
(With the Patriots. Do you remember meeting with them?) – “I didn’t meet with the Patriots.”
(What do you think some stability at the offensive coordinator position will do for you after your career in college and last season?) – “It’s not stable yet. I’ve got to play this year before I can earn for next year. I think this is four coordinators in a year. I think it encourages some mental gymnastics and the more you train it and the more you work it, I think the better you get at it. Multiple offenses give you different kinds of understandings of what guys are trying to attack. We’ve got a big QB room. We’ve got four QBs in there. We’ve got (Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks) Coach (Jim) Caldwell, (Assistant Quarterbacks) Coach Jerry Schuplinski working on it and Mr. Marino. We’ve got a lot of great minds in there from a lot of different backgrounds. I think we’ve got a really good room. Hopefully it’s going to be an indicator of a lot of success.”
(How do you plan to approach the dynamic with a veteran like QB Ryan Fitzpatrick?) – “Like I did last year with Sam (Bradford). I think (you have) got to handle what you can handle. I think it’s not going to change anything football-wise what I do. I’m going to try to complete every ball and do every play really well and do what the coaches ask of me. Obviously, you have to be a little bit conscious of the leadership aspect. You can’t be breaking down team huddles as a backup. There’s definitely a sense of awareness that you’ve got to understand where you position is on the team. But I’ll always, regardless of that, try to sort of inspire and motivate and push everyone in a positive direction.”
(You said backup. Do you feel like you’re the backup at this exact moment?) – “I don’t know. I think on paper I am, but Coach Flores said we don’t really have any starters right now. I think that’s healthy to have good competition everywhere. Whether I was the first or seventh string, I wouldn’t change what I did every day.”
Brian Flores and Chris Grier – April 27, 2019
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Saturday, April 27, 2019
General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Brian Flores
Brian Flores:
(General Manager Chris Grier deferred to you on this, is QB Josh Rosen the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins?) – “We’re excited to have Josh. We’re excited to have acquired some players this weekend. Look, if you step into this building, you have to be ready to compete. When Josh gets here, he has to compete for any kind of role that he has here. That’s really the case for everyone that enters the building. So, players, coaches, trainers, equipment, journalists … To me, if you step into this building, it’s about competition. Josh will come in and compete. There are no starters. The guys who produce on the practice field and do all of the things that will help this team win, those are the guys who are going to play.”
(What did you see from QB Josh Rosen going through his rookie season that attracted you?) – “He’s a talented player. During his rookie season, I would say there were some up’s, there were some down’s. I think that’s the case for all rookies. But this guy has a lot of arm talent. He has some leadership qualities. We just felt like he was a good addition to our team.”
Chris Grier:
(How would you describe where the organization is situated now compared to three days ago and the progress you’ve made?) – “We’ve made some progress. We feel good about the players we’ve added, the guys we added today. They’ll come in and compete. Like I said, we feel better but there’s still work to do. We still have time to add people post-draft here and free agents as we get going throughout the spring and summer. We’re not where we want to be but we’re happy where we are.”
(What do you like about what you guys were able to accomplish during this draft?) – “I think when Brian (Flores) and I got together with the personnel department and the coaching staff, we wanted to make sure we’re adding guys that had toughness, competitiveness, guys that love football, are very intelligent and (have a) history of production in college, as well. We’ve kind of done that. We feel good. We’ve addressed some holes in the roster maybe that we may have; but again, a lot of work to be done still.”
(Is it fair to include QB Josh Rosen as sort of part of this year’s draft class?) – “If you want to, yeah. That’s fine.”
(Could you give us a little more detail on how that trade for QB Josh Rosen came about? We obviously heard reports elsewhere that it was going on. Were there discussions at pick 48? Did you have to trade back from 48 to make that trade happen in your mind, to make the numbers add up?) – “No. The Cardinals were steadfast in what they wanted for it and they were pretty up front with all of the teams. We hadn’t really talked to them until right at the start of the draft, and I think that’s when they started contacting everyone that might be involved. As we went through, we had talked throughout the day a little bit here and there and we finally got to a point where we were comfortable in making a pick. In terms of picking up, for us, it was huge to get the second-round pick in 2020, with the Saints when we made that trade. Regardless of what was there, we were going to make that trade to get the second-round pick. We went into the draft trying to find either another first or second-round pick in 2020.”
(About how many people, would you estimate, in your organization that you spoke with, who know QB Josh Rosen, and what did you learn about personality and leadership style?) – “I don’t know how many people. We had some, but we really didn’t start doing full talking to people until this became a possibility of happening. Once that happened, we talked a little bit after the first round here. For us, we had done work before. Brian (Flores)’s coaching staff, (Offensive Coordinator) Chad (O’Shea) at New England had done work on him. So we had known some things; but once they were calling around and offering him, that’s when we probably really started digging in and making our phone calls.”
(You guys weren’t super active at the front end of free agency. I assume some of it had to do with the compensatory formula. After May 9, can we assume you guys might ramp it back up at – right tackle, defensive end – positions where we think there might be holes, you might get after?) – “Yeah. We’re going to be aggressive to fill the roster as we feel fit. Brian (Flores) and I have talked about that and we have all those – June 1st, after June 1st cuts – and then we’ll look at all trade options throughout the spring and summer.”
(Is QB Josh Rosen your franchise quarterback, so to speak, for the foreseeable future, or is there still an idea that maybe you need to use a first-round pick next year to get a quarterback?) – “I would say for us, we looked at it as an opportunity to add a good, young football player that has a lot of potential in this league. We didn’t go out saying he has to be a franchise quarterback for us. For us, it was he’s a very talented young player, still has a lot of upside in the league and the terms for us, the value and taking on the contract and etc. For us, the value was tremendous that we couldn’t afford to pass up.”
Brian Flores:
(What were some things that Offensive Coordinator Chad O’Shea had in his evaluation of QB Josh Rosen that made you comfortable with the decision?) – “First, I just kind of want to piggyback on what Chris (Grier) just said. I think you have to earn the right to get that kind of (franchise quarterback) label. You have to do it in the meeting, on the practice field. To label a kid like that right off the bat, I feel like that’s unfair in a lot of ways; but I think that’s just kind of what happens. You have to earn it. We’ll give him the opportunity. We’ll give everyone the opportunity to go out there and reach their potential and try to have some success on the field. That starts obviously in the classroom, in the walkthroughs, in the meetings, and then you have to produce on the practice field and then obviously when we start playing games.”
Chris Grier:
(You picked up a lot of picks in 2020. I think it’s up to 12 if you factor in compensatory picks. How much of that was the game plan coming into this draft to build up the next draft?) – “We’ve talked about our strategy, us going forward, we always want to have the opportunity to move up or down in any draft. For us, adding picks for next year, as we started going through it – like you said the compensatory part – we’re building here together. We’re getting our staff, the personnel, coaches (together). So for us, going forward, the plan was to get as many picks as we can going forward to build this thing right and then after that, we’ll just see where it goes.”
Brian Flores:
(It’s important to you, I’m guessing, to build your culture here the right way. What will you ask of QB Josh Rosen to help implement that at that position?) – “I’m going to ask him the same thing I ask all our players: come in, work hard, put the team first, be attentive, be honest, understand it’s a privilege to sit in these seats and go out here and practice and play in this league. Those are the things I’m going to ask him. I ask that of anyone who walks into the building. That’s just how I handle our players and really anyone who steps into this building.”
(With DT Christian Wilkins, what was it that sold you guys on him? Is there a player that he reminds you of? What impressed you during the pre-draft process?) – “I think he’s full of energy. First off, he’s a great person. He comes from a great family. We really liked that about him. He has got humility about him. And he’s a good football player. (He is) athletic, (has) good strength, does a lot of good things well, a lot of things well on the football field. Again, in order to reach his optimum level, he’s going to have to come in here and do things right, which we expect him to do. If he does those things, he’s got a chance to do some good things.”
(You know more about the players that you’re picking and trading for than we do. QB Josh Rosen consistently has had a cloud about his personality or leadership. I don’t know what it is, but a lot of people don’t like that guy. Are you saying that there’s none of that?) – “First, you said we know. Sometimes I feel like you might know a little bit more. (laughter) You never get to really know a person until you’re sitting with them every day, which we’ll get that opportunity. We’ve done a lot of work on Josh. I think he’s smart, he works hard and football is important to him. I think he’s got an opportunity, just like all the other players we have here, to come in here and help this team win games. That’s really what it boils down to.”
Chris Grier:
“Again, it’s (the) same. Looking at the work we’ve done, we’ve talked to a lot of people that we both know and (they) signed off. Coaches unsolicited have called us that know him, that have worked with him, and say a lot of the stuff is B.S. For us, we don’t know him, because we don’t have our hands on him; but we’re going with the people we trust and know and the coaches and scouts in the building that have called and people have said this is really a good kid that’s smart. Maybe he has some other interests like following the stock market or something; but he’s really smart, he loves football, he studies it and it’s very important to him and he has a chip on his shoulder now.”
(Who were some of the people you said?) – “Just various people we’ve talked to.”
Myles Gaskin – April 27, 2019
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Saturday, April 27, 2019
RB Myles Gaskin
(Did you have any contact with the Dolphins prior to the draft?) – “Not much more than kind of just checking in that my number was right and everything like that for draft day. But, not much”
(How would you describe draft day overall for you? Obviously it’s been a lifetime dream, but did you expect to go in the seventh round?) – “No, I did not to be honest. There was a lot leading up to it, a lot of emotions; but I’m very thankful for even being considered to be in the draft and stuff like that. To have this opportunity, I’m very, very happy that I am where I am. I know it’s on the other side of the country, but I’m very happy. I’m very excited, my family is very excited, everybody is very excited. I’m very thankful. I just want to thank God and my family.”
(How would you describe your running style?) – “I think I’m a patient back. I think I have good hands out the backfield. I think when I see daylight, I think I can separate from a lot of people. (I’m) just a hungry dude. (I’m) just a hungry dude trying to get better each and every day. I think that has a lot to do with my running style in the sense of how I like to practice and how I like to go about things.”
(When you say you’re a hungry dude, what does that mean?) – “That means I’m trying to do anything to win. I can’t wait to get in that culture – get in that Miami Dolphins culture – learn how my new running backs coach can coach me, and be able to adjust to that. I’m just really hungry to get my feet wet, in the sense of just getting out there and getting to Miami, getting ready to win some games, getting ready to be on a new team – just everything. I’m real hungry, just ready to do it all when it comes to practicing and everything. I’m ready to go full speed, 110 percent as much as I can, and get better each and every day.”
Chandler Cox – April 27, 2019
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Saturday, April 27, 2019
RB Chandler Cox
(What is it like to have a lifetime dream of being drafted happen for you?) – “It’s incredible. I’ve been out here on the boat with my family all day just trying to wait for a phone call. I was hoping for Miami the whole time because I took a few visits and I came down to Miami and that was by far the best one. It’s just an organization that I would love to be a part of and it’s a dream come true to get drafted. I’m so excited. I’m from Apopka, Florida, so it’s about three hours north. So I’m coming home.”
(Where were you? On a boat? Where?) – “Yes, sir. I’m out in St. George, Utah with my mom and my stepdad, and my little brother and sister, and my oldest brother, my girlfriend and his girlfriend. We’re out here on one of the lakes in St. George.”
(Fullback seems to be a dying breed of a position. What made you play it?) – “It’s just being physical. I love the position. I know it’s a dying breed but I want to be one of those guys to bring it back because it’s one of those things that teams need a guy that can be physical and do a lot of things and just help the energy of the team. That’s why I love playing it so much.”
(You said you’re from Apopka?) – “Yes, sir. I went to Apopka High School.”
(Did you come close at all or were you close to going to any of the schools in Florida?) – “I was, yeah. I almost went to the University of Florida but I took more visits and I ended up at Auburn just because I fell in love with it. But I was always a Gator growing up.”
(Do you have a special teams background?) – “Yes, sir. I do. I played all special teams at Auburn. I started on kickoff return all four years and I was a backup on all of the rest. I was also a wing on the field goal team.”
(What do you feel like is your best trait?) – “Just my versatility. I can play different positions. In high school, I was a quarterback, too. So I had to transition to play fullback at Auburn. I played a little bit of Wildcat quarterback there and I split out to receiver and played some tight end. I did a bunch of different things for them, so that was something that I think is my best trait that I can help the team.”
(Did you get very much with the Dolphins into talking about your role? Because they don’t use a traditional fullback. Did you talk about how they could use you?) – “We did, yes. They told me little things but I’m just trying to help them any way I can. Whatever they ask me to do – whether it’s just special teams or whether it’s just fullback – whatever it may be, I’m willing to do it. I’m going to do it to the best of my ability and try to just help the team win.”
Isaiah Prince – April 27, 2019
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Saturday, April 27, 2019
T Isaiah Prince
(Are you better suited for the right side or the left side, do you think?) – “I played my whole career on the right side. I definitely feel more comfortable on the right side but I’m willing to play any position that the coaches allow me to play.”
(Can you talk about your pass protection skills? What do you think you do well in that area of the game?) – “I think I’m really strong with my hands and I have really good leverage with my long arms. I definitely use that to my advantage.”
(What has this draft process been like for you, going from when you finished and started training for the draft to draft day? Did you go around when you expected?) – “Yeah, I’ve only been on three visits. The process was long but I’ve enjoyed it the best that I can. I’ve been grateful for the opportunities.”
(You said you went on three visits. Was one of them here?) – “Yeah. Miami was one of the visits.”
(Who did you meet with? How did that meeting go?) – “I met with everybody, the whole staff (and) everybody in the program. I thought it went really well. I enjoyed the people there and I really enjoyed my visit.”
(How much did you go against DE Nick Bosa in practice and how did you generally do against him?) – “I went against Bosa every day in practice. It was very competitive every day. I enjoyed it. I think we definitely made each other better.”
(How would you describe your playing style?) – “I’m physical. I like to get after people, take shots and just wear the defense down. (That’s) something an offensive lineman is supposed to do.”
(What other competition have you gone up against in your collegiate career?) – “I played against Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa, Jalyn Holmes, Sam Hubbard, Tyquan Lewis. I’ve played against some really good players – Dre’Mont Jones.”
(It’s the third straight year now the Dolphins have taken an Ohio State player – LB Jerome Baker and LB Raekwon McMillan. Have you heard from them?) – “Yeah, I’ve been talking to Jerome a lot. Especially Jerome because we came in together in college, the same class. So he’s somebody I was close with.”
(What’s it like to know that you’ve finally achieved a dream and you’re in the NFL?) – “I’m definitely grateful for the opportunity and I really love the opportunity that they’ve blessed me with. But now it’s just part of the process and it’s time to get to work and work hard again.”
(What aspect of your game do you want to improve on the most?) – “Definitely my pass protection. I struggled a little bit in college with that and I think that’s something that I can improve on and showcase at the next level.”
Andrew Van Ginkel – April 27, 2019
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Saturday, April 27, 2019
LB Andrew Van Ginkel
(Did you have any idea that you were on the Dolphins’ radar?) – “They talked to me a couple of times and I met with them at my Pro Day. I didn’t know exactly but I had a good idea that they were interested in me.”
(Could you describe your game as far as against the run and against the pass? What do you consider your strengths?) – “I feel like I can get after the (passer). I’ve been working on it ever since I got to college. I’ve always tried to develop my game and I’ve really anchored down on the ground to be able to stop the run. I’ve really worked on that my whole career. I feel like it’s something I continue to work on and something that I can improve on.”
(What linebacker position did you play for Wisconsin?) – “I played outside linebacker there.”
(Did you have strong or weak side, or was it interchangeable?) – “We were interchangeable, so I played both sides.”
(Do you have any special teams experience?) – “Yeah, I played all four special teams. I was a core-four guy my junior year, so I got a lot of experience there.”
(Were you kind of surprised you were reunited with OL Michael Deiter down here?) – “Yeah, I’m excited. He was a great teammate. He has a knack for football and he’s so knowledgeable about the game. He’s a good friend of mine and I’m excited to be able to be a teammate of his again.”
(What led to you going to junior college? Why didn’t you go to a four-year university initially?) – “I did go to a four-year university at the University of South Dakota. I played well my redshirt freshman year, so I wanted to see where my talents could take me. I ended up choosing Iowa Western so I could get recruited and end up going to a bigger D-I school. I ultimately chose Wisconsin.”
(You transferred after two years to Wisconsin?) – “So I spent a year and a-half at South Dakota and then a year at my junior college, and then spent two years at Wisconsin.”
Michael Deiter – April 26, 2019
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Friday, April 26, 2019
OL Michael Deiter
(What’s your reaction to being selected by the Dolphins?) – “Super excited. I can’t wait to get started.”
(Did you have an idea that you were on their radar?) – “Yeah. I knew that they needed o-linemen; but at the end of the day, you have no idea. I knew they needed o-linemen. I figured I could be a guy that could come in and help. I’m just excited to get picked and I just can’t wait to get to work.”
(How many positions do you play on the offensive line among left guard, right guard, left tackle, right tackle, center?) – “I’ve played left tackle, left guard and center.”
(Where do you feel the most at home?) – “Honestly, anywhere in the middle three – center, left guard and then right guard. At the end of the day, I think I could still play tackle if need be.”
(What was it that made the coaches decide to play you at so many positions do you think?) – “I think it just means that it’s the easiest way to get the best five o-linemen on the field. As long as you can handle it mentally and physically – and I’ve been able to do that – it just makes the team better. If you can play something that might be a little bit unnatural but you get the best five o-linemen on the field, that’s always going to make the team better in the end. I think it really speaks to coaches having confidence in you to be able to handle it mentally. I think the first thing you always think of is can he handle it mentally, will he be able to not miss assignments, be on the right guys and stuff like that. Then physically, it’s still offensive line no matter where you’re playing, just each spot kind of has its little intricacies.”
(Is it a coincidence that all the work you’ve done is on the left side, or is that just the side you’re the most comfortable with?) – “That’s just where they put me and that’s just where I kind of hung out. That’s where I’m most comfortable right now, but I’ve played right guard in camps before and the left side is just where they needed me, so that’s where I was always put.”
(What goes into playing 54 straight games. What was the biggest lesson you learned after that?) – “The biggest lesson is you have to know when you’re injured and when you’re hurt. There’s going to be times where you’ve got something bothering you, but it has to be a decision on whether or not you want to not be out there with your guys or you want to be out there with your guys. To me, I’ve done all of this stuff in the offseason, all of this work for only 12 guaranteed opportunities, and the last thing I’m going to do is miss any of them for something that might be minor. You see it a lot and people might call it smart or dumb or whatever, but I just never wanted to be someone who was missing opportunities to play with my guys. I just did everything in my power to make sure I was out there and at the end of the day, I just got lucky. I never had to deal with any crazy injuries or anything like that. I was super blessed in that regard. You have to know when you’re injured and when you’re just hurt.”
(What’s the worst thing you’ve played through?) – “I had a high-ankle sprain when I got in the BYU game in 2017. It was kind of a grind to finish that game and play the next couple of weeks, but it’s not like I was hurting the team. Obviously you have to make that decision if your injury is affecting your play to the point where you’re not helping the team. Then you’ve got to make that decision and get out of there. I felt like I was still good enough to help the team win, so I stayed out there.”
(I know we’ve asked you about the offensive line and different positions. If Miami wanted you to play right tackle, they kind of have a need there. Would you feel comfortable there?) – “Yep.”
(How much experience do you have there as far as practice and games and everything like that?) – “I don’t have a ton taking team reps during practice or team reps during camp; but I would need a week and I would feel comfortable enough to go out there and compete at that position and to be for sure serviceable. If I had four or five days to get ready to play a position, I’d be good.”
(What are your first thoughts about moving to Miami?) – “It’s a big city. I’m not used to being in a big city like that. I’ve been down there for the Orange Bowl. It’s super nice and kind of fancy. It’s a little bit warm, but it’s no big deal.”
(How would you describe your playing style?) – “I would say I’m a mauler first and foremost. Playing at Wisconsin our ‘M.O.’ was obviously run the football first. That was always the bread and butter. You’ve got to be able to move people. You’ve got to be able to finish blocks and then in pass protection, you have to be able to obviously protect. You have to be serviceable and you have to be able to throw your hands fast, get your hands on guys fast. I think my playing style is definitely physical, hard-nosed and then I’m going to try to finish people and get after people and at the end of the day, that should put you right where you want to be.”
