Kalen Ballage – July 28, 2018
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Saturday, July 28, 2018
RB Kalen Ballage
(On carrying shoulder pads.) – “Yes, regular rookie stuff.”
(Is that the extent you guys have had so far or did you guys have some other stuff you guys had to do?) – “No, just getting the older guys snacks and stuff like that for the meeting room. Other than that, nothing too crazy.”
(How has training camp been going for you, the first training camp in the NFL?) – “It’s been really good. I’m just getting used to it – the schedule and everything. You’re up from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at night. You try to get home and go right to bed and do it all over again. I’m just getting down the routine.”
(You’ve had a couple of nice runs out here. How seriously do you take those? Do you kind of pat yourself on the back just a little bit or do you not even acknowledge them?) – “No. I mean I’ve been playing football since I was in the third grade. I try to break a long run, give our team an opportunity to move the ball down the field. I just move about it in that manner and just try to get better every day.”
(A sense of pride or no?) – “No.”
(Just totally business like?) – “Yes.”
(What kind of feedback have you gotten from both your assistant coach and your head coach?) – “Pretty good feedback. I’m learning the playbook right now fast. I think that’s the most important thing. You have to be able to know what you’re doing in the first place. I think that’s the most important part.”
(Do you think you’ve been able to process everything quickly?) – “Yes. Yes, sir.”
(What have you learned from RB Frank Gore so far? The guy has been in the league and is a potential future Hall of Famer.) – “He doesn’t say much; but he moves by example with his actions and the things that he does and the way he takes care of his body. I kind of just sit back and watch him and look at the things that he’s doing.”
(Has anything in camp so far struck you as being really different form college?) – “Not really, just more attention to detail at every position. I think that’s the thing that’s the big gap.”
(It’s coming fast, these games. You’re going to have a scrimmage coming up one week from today and then the preseason is here. How would you describe your personal goals during the preseason?) – “I just want to win games. It doesn’t matter if it’s preseason, regular season, scrimmages. I want to beat the defense. That’s just my mindset. I’m just moving about it like that.”
(Do you have any good RB Frank Gore stories?) – “Yes. Some that will stay in the locker room that’s for sure. (laughter)”
(Any that will leave the locker room?) – “No.”
(What’s one thing that you feel that you did well in the spring that you will like to continue up until the regular season?) – “Really, just learning the playbook, like I said. The coaches understand it’s big, it’s extensive, it’s detailed. You’re going to make little mistakes here and there. I’m just trying to limit those mistakes as much as possible.”
(How is the number of plays or the thickness? They don’t really give out playbooks anymore do they?) – “A little bit.”
(How does it compare to Arizona State?) – “Well, at Arizona State, we had a no-huddle offense so everything was quick. A lot of signals and stuff like that. It’s just a little bit different from the way we do it here.”
Adam Gase – July 28, 2018
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Saturday, July 28, 2018
Head Coach Adam Gase
(We saw today CB Torry McTyer on the field when you started team drills. What about his skill set has you guys intrigued?) – “I think he’s had a good start to camp. For the way that we’ve operated over the last previous training camps and going into this one, I’ve told the defensive staff ‘let’s not wait around. If we feel like a guy is playing well, give him opportunities, especially with the first group.’ They feel like he’s played well enough to be put into that spot and compete with that first group.”
(Today was the first day in uppers. How did your offensive line look?) – “We have work to do, obviously. I think the challenge of going against our d-line probably magnifies it more, than maybe in the past. I feel like the way that they’re coming off the ball and the way that they’re rushing, it’s going to be a challenge for us all of training camp, which is a good thing for our team. I do think that as we go along, we’ll get better up front. I do like that these guys are getting some good continuity going to where they’re getting used to playing with each other. With today being the first day in uppers and being able to actually squeeze out some of these holes, I thought we did a good job of picking up pressures. It wasn’t perfect as far as being able to be firm, but we weren’t cutting guys free. We were doing a lot of good things. We’ve just got to clean a few things up.”
(Can you explain how it is that you guys came to the strategy of keeping those guys together, especially the starters?) – “Well, when we ended last season, we really thought that Jesse (Davis) played well enough to where he was going to be a starter. When we signed Josh (Sitton), that’s really kind of what bumped Ted (Larsen) out of his spot. We just kept talking about if we could get one group out there to where we weren’t always rotating, that would be ideal. We knew when we signed Sitton that we weren’t going to be able to practice him (all the time). If we were doing six-play period, we figured he was probably going to do four. With an older guy that’s played a lot of games in his career, we wanted to make sure that we did the right thing. We wanted him and (Laremy) Tunsil to work together but at the same time, we want to make sure that we’re not overusing him too early. Ted is still getting work with that first group, just not as many reps. It really helps Jesse. The more reps he gets with that first group, the better.”
(Who among the defensive tackles has really popped for you?) – “Well, if you take any of those four guys that are rotating in with that first group, it’s hard to pick just one. I think each day it seems like a different guy is the guy that’s penetrating and causing problems in the run game and then breaking through the line when it comes to any kind of pass and pass protection. It’s hard to single one guy out. I think you have different body types and you have different skill sets by all four guys; but the one thing that they’ve all four done very consistently is the way they’re getting off the ball, the way that they’re using their hands and the way that they’re striking the offensive lineman. It’s been impressive to watch but at the same time, it’s really been tough for an offensive lineman because these guys are getting shot out of a cannon. This is great work for us on the offensive side to really go against guys that are playing defense the right way.”
(When you put the pads on, does the evaluation process begin sort of for the linebackers and tight ends in terms of their physicality?) – “I would say that’s true. I would say you’re probably right with that. When we get the pads on, you really have a better sense because even though we’re not tackling to the ground, we’re thudding guys up. Who’s going to wrap up? You saw a couple of guys drop a shoulder and really reject the receiver or the tight end and our point of emphasis is we need you to wrap up because we’ve seen that enough over the last few years where a guy drops his shoulder and then the next thing you know, that guy doesn’t go to the ground. So we’re making a big point of emphasis of it’s not only making sure that you hit the offensive player correctly but that we’re wrapping up and we’re putting ourselves in position so when we do go live tackling, we’re actually getting guys down.”
(S Maurice Smith seems to be a guy who flashes every now and then at safety. What have you seen from him this camp?) – “He’s been a guy that’s improved since he’s been here. I think he had a really good camp last year. I don’t know if I want to use the word surprised but you normally don’t see a guy that is undrafted who really makes a move and then finds a way onto the roster and gets better throughout the year. I think his confidence level is extremely high right now. He understands the defense. It’s allowing him to play faster. He’s in unbelievable shape. He’s probably one of our best conditioned athletes that we have in the building. He’s really put himself in position to compete for a spot. He’s in one of those unusual positions as far as it’s a deep group and it’s really going to be ‘yes, you can play safety but can you contribute on special teams?’ Because that’s really where he’s at in his career right now where we need him to be able to do multiple things and we need him to be able to contribute on special teams.”
(A second interception today for LB Chase Allen. I know he’s working as an inside linebacker but at what point, if any, will he get an opportunity to push for that third starting spot?) – “Right now we’re trying not to move guys around too much. We want to get going a little bit before we completely make a change at that position, just because we want to kind of see how that group plays out, because you have to play a little more as a group at linebacker with the defensive line. I think it’s a little different in the secondary where those guys are kind of one-on-one so much that it becomes almost an individual game when you’re playing man-to-man coverage or any kind of middle of the field closed zone. I think at linebacker, we kind of want to see how it goes with the guys that we have out there right now. If he keeps doing what he’s really done since he got here – which is he keeps getting better, he keeps finding a way to be around the ball, he gets his hands on a lot of balls – you’re going to have to give him a strong look and really get him with that first group to see where he’s at. Last year he did a lot of good stuff. We’ll just kind of play it out. It’s so early that I think we’re going to have time to see how that group ends up panning out.”
(With RB Kalen Ballage, I think he had a long run today. How has his camp been and has the way he’s played made you rethink anything at all at running back?) – “It’s kind of like when I talk about the tight ends, we’re trying to get him as many reps as we can so he can see as many things as possible. We want to get him to the point where he can play as fast as possible. We don’t want him overthinking things. We want to be able to use his skill set to the team’s advantage and put him in great position. It really starts with his knowledge of the offense because at that position, there are a lot of moving parts. There are a lot of different spots you have to be at. There’s a lot of different things you have to do because you’re involved in all three phases of the offensive game. I think he is handling that pretty good. Every once in a while we’ll have a slight misstep here and there where his brain freezes up. That’s what happens with rookies sometimes; but we’ll keep pushing him along. We want him to be a guy that can contribute on special teams and be ready to go as a guy that we can stick in there on offense.”
(The other day you mentioned that QB Ryan Tannehill has got to learn … I think you said learn how to slide. I don’t know if it’s how to slide or when to slide but will you ever take him physically out there to work on sliding, like a baseball player? Or is it just watch film and it’s situational?) – “Well, he’s used to sliding on the leg his knee brace is on. I don’t know if you guys have ever seen a guy slide with a knee brace on and go with the knee brace first. I’ve witnessed it first hand and it’s not a pretty sight. You can get it stuck in the turf. It’s unusual to go the other way for some guys. We’ll get to a point where we’ll have to figure out how we’re going to do it; but I’m sure between (Offensive Coordinator) Dowell (Loggains) and (Quarterbacks Coach) Bo (Hardegree), one of us will think of something creative just to get him comfortable and try to make it natural.”
Adam Gase – July 27, 2018
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Friday, July 27, 2018
Head Coach Adam Gase
(How much do you feel you know about LB Raekwon McMillan and how much do you still need to find out?) – “Really, we’re just waiting to see the last element that we really haven’t experienced yet, which is a real game. I mean he’s played one snap of a preseason game. Everything else tells us that he’s exactly what we drafted him to be. Now it’s just going to be when we get to Sunday and preseason games, do what he’s been training to do.”
(What were the things you particularly liked last year about LB Raekwon McMillan?) – “I think as a rookie, you saw leadership qualities. You saw how smart he was and how fast he picked everything up. Really, for him, it’s almost … We’re trying to minimize how much he’s thinking about because he processes a lot. Really, when he sees something once, he can recall it and he knows how to adjust our defense very quickly. Really, it’s us trying to be like, ‘This is important. Don’t worry about these other three things.’ He’s heading in the right direction, I know that. It’s good to see him back out there.”
(It’s been a little inconsistent in terms of what we’ve seen out of DT Jordan Phillips over the last few years. Which version of him do you feel like you have now?) – “So far, through two days, he’s done a good job. I know when you’re a bigger guy like he is, the way that we’re running the football, it’s one thing to do it in the spring. Now that the temperature is slightly up, when you’re a big guy like that and you’re running as much as he is, it’s fatiguing; but he’s doing a good job of embracing it because it’s going to help him get in really good shape. Athletically, he does some things that you just don’t see many people be able to do. For a guy that size, the way he moves, the way that … His athleticism is really off the charts.”
(It’s not an ideal situation to have injuries to both QB Ryan Tannehill and LB Raekwon McMillan last year but how beneficial was it for those two working together during rehab?) – “I think they did a good job of pushing each other. They were always competing. You hate to say … It was good that they both had each other to go through that with. It hurt us last year but it was good for those two guys to have that other guy to really make sure you stay focused on what you’re doing. Plus, players in the NFL, they’re competitors. So having somebody to compete with day in and day out, that helped those guys.”
(As a playcaller, what’s the challenges when you go up against a defense that has three safeties on the field as opposed to maybe three corners and two safeties?) – “What are you hinting at? (laughter)”
(I’m just curious.) – “I mean we face a team that does it twice a year. It’s the same defense just a different guy, different body and different strength. They’re better tacklers historically. I think we’re lucky in the case with Bobby (McCain) where he’s a little more aggressive. He’s not afraid to throw his body in there and go make a play, no matter what size the running back is. A lot of teams don’t have that luxury. That’s why having a third safety that can almost play that nickel position is valuable because they can go in there and they can help in the run game.”
(How has S Minkah Fitzpatrick handled what you’ve seen so far?) – “I mean I haven’t had any complaints. He’s done a good job. He’s a guy that picks things up fast and he’s always around. He’s always making sure that he’s not the weak link of the group out there.”
(Regarding DE Charles Harris, he was telling us that he turned to the Lord and did a lot of prayer in the offseason. Have you seen changes in him, whether it’s physical or emotional? Any kind of a different Charles Harris? Or did you need to see a different Charles Harris even?) – “That’s hard to evaluate because he’s quiet. He seems to be, at least in my experience, it’s more of one-on-one conversation. He hasn’t really been someone that’s going to say too much when a bunch of people are around. Last year there was a lot of good he did. I know when you’re a rookie d-end, everybody thinks sacks and hurry up and get those numbers up; but we really focused on how much are you disrupting the passer? How are you doing against the run? We weren’t so much worried about how many sacks he had. I think that was just a constant battle of just keep reminding him of what we’re expecting from (him) and I think that’s always tough for a rookie. I think this year, he understands ‘I’m just going to keep doing what I’m supposed to do as far as my job, being disruptive and those types of numbers will come,’ that he’s looking for. The way that he works, it’s hard to believe that he won’t have success. He’s one of those guys that’s always trying to be on the practice field. Everything he does, it’s full speed.”
(How would you measure success with DE Charles Harris? In Year 2 is it the same? Is it apply pressure or does it need to turn into sacks or more playing time?) – “A lot of times, sacks are great because it’s a negative play; but just the amount of times that you are touching the quarterback or causing him to throw the ball early. We’re doing a great job of setting the edge in the run game. Cam (Wake) is a great example to kind of watch. When you run to his side, and this is three years going against him, he’s a way better run defender than anybody gives him credit for. He does a great job of setting the edge, bringing the ball back inside and giving linebackers an opportunity to make plays. Really, that’s what you want to be, because when you’re a really good pass rusher, some guys just end up doing that and don’t really care about the running game. I feel like Charles is very aware of, ‘I want to be a good player both in the run and pass game.’”
(So by all accounts, you weren’t the least bit disappointed with DE Charles Harris last year but you went out and got a really good defensive end in DE Robert Quinn. So what do you see Harris’ role being this year?) – “We just knew how we were going to play this year, especially with adding (Defensive Line Coach) Kris Kocurek. We knew that it wouldn’t be as many plays for our defensive linemen because we’re not going to have a guy that’s going to play 75-plus snaps or 65 snaps. The way that we’re running to the football, the way that we’re going to pursue every game, it’s going to be less snaps and we’re going to have more of a rotation. I think everybody is going to get their shots. I think it’s going to be a battle to get on that third-down rush unit, which is a good thing because now all of those guys are pushing each other and it’s going to be one of those things where if you’re on that group, that means that you’re doing the right stuff and you’re working well with that group. Really, that’s what we want. We want to create that type of competition where guys are hungry to get out there on that third down.”
(What have you noticed about WR Albert Wilson?) – “I think he’s done a good job of coming in. He took the spring very serious. He did a good job of studying. He did a good job in the meetings. He made some mistakes in the spring but he didn’t make the same mistake again. He brings a professionalism. You can tell he’s been in the league for a minute. I think he has a lot of tools, not only as a receiver but as a ball carrier, that we can take advantage of. He’s the type of guy that you just want to get the ball in his hands and really turn things into a punt return or try to get him to where at least he has a little space to where he can make an explosive play.”
(You’re in the upper pads tomorrow, is that right?) – “Yes.”
(How much can you dial it up when you’re not in full pads?) – “It’s basically the same thing. The only difference is you’re not going to go live to the ground. The majority of my career, that’s what I’ve known. I think it was just starting under (Nick) Saban at an early age. That was a big thing with him was you should be able to keep your feet and not go to the ground. It was a good way to make sure that guys were doing the right thing. Sometimes when you’re in full pads, even when you’re not live, guys have a tendency to take guys to the ground and that’s not really what we’re doing. You can get all of the same work as you would in full pads.”
(With QB David Fales, you’ve been with him for three years. Did you ever think there would be a point where he would be competing for the No. 2 spot?) – “That’s a tough one. I don’t know if I ever thought about it in the previous years. I think last year when he came back and we watched him keep improving … I think when we left training camp we thought he would be our three, but we weren’t keeping three. So when he came back and we kept seeing how he was improving and his arm strength, I noticed the longer we went, the better his arm strength got. It seemed like he really started doing a good job in the weight room where his core got a lot stronger. I think that helped his velocity on some of his throws. He has a very good presence about him, whether it be in the pocket or moving around. He can kind of see things that some quarterbacks can’t see. I think that’s something that’s caught our eye, and then allowing him to play in that last game, I think he earned the right to compete for that No. 2 spot.”
(Is that the biggest difference in QB David Fales now? Not just the pocket presence but the arm strength?) – “I think with his anticipation and the improvement with his arm strength – because I do think it’s better than what it’s been – I think that’s something that’s really caught our eye more than anything.”
(What’s your process for evaluating QB David Fales against QB Brock Osweiler for the No. 2 spot? Do you need to see all four preseason games?) – “I think it’ll probably be a little bit of a feel. As we go through the training camp practices and then when we get into the preseason, it’ll be interesting to see if somebody separates one from the other. That’s why we’re trying to give both of them equal amount of reps with different groups so we can get a clean evaluation. It’s going to be one of those things where does it feel like this guy is really accelerated? Are good things happening when one is in and it’s okay with the other? Sometimes that stuff kind of cleans up for you, especially when you get into the preseason games.”
(Wouldn’t you have thought you’d be there by now somewhat?) – “It changes. When you get into games … Practice is different. Sometimes when you’re doing a third-down period and the defense knows you are just going compared to the flow of a game when you’re in first and second down and then a third down shows up every once in a while. It’s a completely different feel in a game compared to practice.”
(What do you want TE Mike Gesicki to keep in mind throughout this training camp and through the season?) – “I think he just has to keep getting better, keep working on his knowledge of the game because a lot of times we’re running a route, he may have run the same route four different times and he’s seen four different coverages. I think the more that he keeps taking in and learning from, that’s going to be beneficial to him. Yesterday I think he lost his legs a little bit. We were kind of giving him a hard time about that but I think those are good that some of our younger guys are going through that right now and realizing ‘Okay, it’s not going to change.’ It’s about recovery, it’s about getting sleep, it’s about hydrating, all those things to put yourself in position to where when you go out there, you can make plays. Once we really start picking it up with some of the third-down stuff and the red area, I think you’ll see him kind of really start to be more involved.”
(What does QB Ryan Tannehill – it’s pretty well established that you think he’s performing at a high level – what particularly is he doing well that maybe in years past it took a little longer for him to get?) – “That’s tough one to really say exactly what it is. I think we were all trying to learn the offense and I’m trying to learn them, so I mean that was the early stages of the offense. Really, once we hit the spring last year, he was just trying to fine-tune more throws – the accuracy, the pinpoint accuracy – instead of missing throws a little bit. He was trying to put it exactly where he wanted it. This year, I think it’s even the next step. He’s trying to see things and get us out of plays and making sure that everybody’s on the same page. I just think it’s slowed down for him mentally as far as being able to communicate with guys. If a guy has a question, that’s not going to mess him up from what else he has to do. When you first get in an offense, sometimes you can get your mind all jumbled up and the next thing you know, you’re not paying attention to the coverage or you make a mistake and don’t see a guy kind of dropping in there at the safety position. I don’t think that stuff really gets him anymore. I think he’s able to kind of fix something and just keep the focus.”
(You mentioned with the backups that it’s obviously different in a game. We haven’t seen QB Ryan Tannehill in a game since December of 2016. What do you need to see to say ‘Okay, this is legit. What we see in practice is going to translate?’) – “I mean, he’s done the same … At least in my experience, what I’ve seen in practice, usually what I’ve seen is almost a better version (in games) because when you throw in tackling, and his ability … Because sometimes in practice you watch and you’re like, ‘Yes, we wouldn’t have got that throw off.’ Then when we get in a game, he stands in there and takes a good hit, but he doesn’t shy away from stepping into the throw and completes the ball. So some of the things that you think aren’t going to be real end up being real and he ends up making throws that you don’t expect him to make, and at the same time, I do think that his size and his ability to move, that’s beneficial to us because he gets us out of a lot of trouble and he helps the run game as well.
(RB Frank Gore had a nice run today. Do you scratch your head when you turn on the tape, the age of this guy?) – “I’m not paying attention to his age anymore because, I mean, he doesn’t look different. I was with him 10 years ago and he looks the same. He does a phenomenal job. He’s been preparing. All spring all I heard about was ‘Wait until training camp, wait until training camp.’ I’m like ‘I’ve got you. I believe you, trust me.’ He is the last person I will ever doubt. Just seeing what he’s done through his career, starting in college, he’s proven every person wrong that ever doubted him.”
Charles Harris – July 27, 2018
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Friday, July 27, 2018
DE Charles Harris
(What is your goal to come out of this training camp with?) – “My goal to come out of training camp is to be the best player that I can. Just take one day at a time. I feel like last year as a rookie, you look at the whole schedule; but just take it one day at a time and come out here and work hard for it.”
(How much of a difference can it make for you the fact that now you know what to expect, this is not your first training camp anymore?) – “It makes it a whole lot different. It’s the awareness of knowing how much time you’ve got throughout the day, know how to manage your time. Being a year in, it’s like you know more about recovery, you know more about how to get your mental right, how to get your spirit right and everything like that, physically and emotionally, all of that stuff. It’s a lot better.”
(Does it feel more comfortable and a lot less like you’re scrambling trying to catch up like last year?) – “Yes, not comfortable; but like I said, every day is a challenge. I don’t know. It’s less of a burden, for real. I don’t know. It’s just free. Just playing free.”
(Is the objective to add to your pass rush moves, maybe add something else or to polish the ones you already have?) – “Just really polishing what I’ve already got. Get me two or three moves that I can do consistently and perfect them. I feel like as a young defensive end, especially myself, I can do almost everything in the book. Sometimes we have too many moves. So, we’re just simplifying it and going with my go-tos.”
(They added DE Robert Quinn in the offseason. How much does that extra veteran presence helping you?) – “It’s helping a lot. Quinn, he’s a great guy. He doesn’t speak that much, but when you ask him anything, he’s right there for you. Also, it’s a different form of pass rush. Him and Cam (Wake), they’ve got two different varieties. I’ve got a power rushers and I’ve got a finesse rusher at the same time, so it’s great. I feel like I can combine both of them and be one of the greatest.”
(At any point did you think that they’re adding this guy, DE Robert Quinn’s had a season where he’s had 19.5 sacks, this affects me a little bit?) – “What do you mean?”
(As far as playing time?) – “Affect me?”
(Yes.) – “No, it doesn’t affect me. It doesn’t affect me at all. It adds to the team. We’ve got one goal in mind, that’s to get to the ‘ship, so it helps everybody.”
(How was your offseason as far as changing your body? You’re working on pass rushing moves, what did you do football-wise?) – “Football, I did a lot football-wise, working out-wise, all of that kind of stuff. I feel like I just got better mentally, spiritually and things like that. Being able to take care of my family, get stuff done off the field and understanding grace and stuff like that. I’m better mentally. Mentally is going to transition everything else.”
(Anything change as far as measurables – put on weight or put on muscle, add more speed or change your diet?) – “Change in diet. But like I said, everything I did mentally helped me out physically.”
(When you say mentally, what does that mean?) – “I’m talking about understanding … Like I said, understanding grace, understanding what it actually means worship instead of just work. A lover will always outwork a worker. At first last year, I was just checking boxes every day. I came in, I punched in, I punched out. This year it’s like I love it. I love it because I understand what it means to work. This is my work and use it as my worship.”
(How did you make that step? How did you put it together? Was it you? Did Defensive Line Coach Kris Kocurek help or DE Cam Wake?) – “No, I just prayed on it. That’s all that happened.”
(Do you still feel like you’re getting a big opportunity here?) – “Light is always going to shine. I feel like you can’t contain nobody. You can’t keep anybody off the field. It’s the coaches that make sure everybody is out there, makes sure the best players are out there. That’s something they handle, who plays and all of that kind of stuff. Like I said, I’m going to take it every single day and work as hard as I can and we’ll see on game day.”
(You’ve been working a lot with DE Andre Branch. Branch was hurt most of the year. Does he look like he’s back? Does he look good to you?) – “He’s always good. To me, I didn’t know Branch was hurt. Branch is Branch. Everybody is 100 percent. Everybody is good.”
(When you prayed on things in the past how has that been? Did you pray on being a first-round pick or in college, how has that worked for you in the past?) – “It’s the same thing, you don’t know which seed it’s going to be that you plant. I feel like I’ve always throwing seeds, always sending prayers up. Like I said, you don’t know which ones are actually going to reach heaven or which ones are actually going to come to fruition. This offseason I just prayed a lot, prayed about my lifestyle, prayed about things off the field. Before you know it, just like Revelation, I asked God for Solomon-like wisdom and he blessed me with it. Since then, I’ve been in my word and waking up with grace every day, taking it one day at a time and responding to life better. No matter what happens, everything is good.”
(How do you grade the season you had last year?) – “I don’t know how to do that. I’m not a grader. (laughter)”
(Are you satisfied with how you played?) – “Yes, for sure. I feel like every time I go out there … I feel like the best game I look at is the Kansas City game. People don’t understand what happened before that game. Only the coaches and everybody here knows what happened before that game. Everything that happened before that game, what happened in that game and at the end of the game with me getting hurt at the end of that game, it was just a wake-up. I feel like that’s the one game I look at and I feel like I reflect back on all the time.”
(How can you take that momentum that you had last year into this season?) – “I’ve got to take it into camp. That’s what I’ve been doing here lately is just working as hard as I can during camp. I know it’s all going to pay off. Like I said, I’m sowing seeds. I’m just waiting on the harvest.”
(It’s hard for us because we get limited interaction with you; but do you seem a little bit more up-beat than you were last year? Is that accurate?) – “Yes, that’s 100 percent. I was in a dark place last year, for sure. As a rookie, I was in a dark place. Now I’m cool. Like I said, I understand grace. I understand that everything that happened the way it was, it was for the better of me and my family and everything like that. I understand that everything I do on the field and off the field affects everybody around me. I’ve got me a community down here being in Florida, being away from how, and that was a big thing. Now I have a community, I’ve got friends, I have everything I need to get to the top.”
(When you say dark place, does that mean just because you were in a new place, a new environment?) – “Yes, a new environment and adjusting to having wealth. All of that kind of stuff, not knowing how to deal with it. Now, I have an understanding. There was a lot of confusion. I felt like I was confused last year a lot; but now I understand why everything has happened the way it did and I’m blessed for it, and I understand it.”
(Is your faith the thing that removed that confusion?) – “Yes, like I said, I just sowed seeds. I just prayed about it, prayed about all of it. The thing about us is that we always want things to happen on our time. When we pray for something, we want it to happen instantly. You can’t push it. Sometimes prayers cancel out. I can pray to not be an angry person and then someone makes me mad, I can cancel that prayer right there; so I’ve got to keep praying and before you know it, like I said, I don’t know which prayer it was, all I know is I asked God for Solomon-like wisdom and before you know it, every time I read the word, I learn something new. Every time I’m in the community and people are talking about faith, I learn something new. It’s something that I’m hungry for, so I’ve been feeding spirit lately.”
(Briefly, the Kansas City week, what was going on there?) – “That’s the same thing. That was my opportunity just to give back. I feel like I was a dead seed last year, not being able to give back while I was in season. I was too busy. That’s the big thing about me, I can’t take in too much. I can’t take in too much without giving back. That was my opportunity to give back to my city, give back to my community. I just wanted to do that. That’s what I’m looking forward to this next offseason, just giving back and giving to the kids and using my platform to benefit him.”
(That was a big turning point for you?) – “Yes, the whole summer. I went to KAA, which is Kids Across America. I went out there and stayed with them. I went back to Mizzou and talked to my AIA director Nathan Buxman and all of those guys. I did a lot this offseason. I went down to Texas to a charity event, gave back to Lincoln (Lincoln College Preparatory Academy). There was a lot of stuff I did. A lot of stuff.”
(A lot of giving?) – “Yes; but it’s like me using what I’ve already been given. I’m using my talents and not burying them. I feel like last season I buried them. I kind of stayed closed off and cut a lot of friends off; but that’s not what I was meant to be. I’m supposed to give back.”
Daniel Kilgore – July 27, 2018
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Friday, July 27, 2018
C Daniel Kilgore
(How do you feel that things – and I know it’s the second day – but how do you feel things are coming together here?) – “It’s good. We’ve got a really good group of guys – guys that want to come in and work every day. For me, as a newcomer, it’s been a fresh start. It’s been a great start. I’m enjoying everybody here and just getting used to this heat, so that’s the only difference. It’s been really good though.”
(How important is it that this line has been together all throughout OTAs and minicamp, and does it help you going into this year?) – “Absolutely. I think the starting point this offseason was a big stepping stone for us. (There were) a lot of new guys, younger guys, coming in, and guys like myself that have playing experience and building that chemistry – not just the line but the whole offense – it’s huge. We’ll keep building on that every day, and again, it’s a whole group of guys that really want to come out and work and are really dedicated to their craft, so it’s been great.”
(What’s the key or formula for a cohesive unit?) – “Just taking it one day at a time, work together, communicate, and really just look at what you’re doing. Don’t get defensive, learn from one another and just build each and every day.”
(Can you sort of give us some insight into one specific football thing that’s different with the Dolphins’ offense that you’ve learned versus what you were doing last year?) – “Different from last year, we’re a little bit more up-tempo, which I had a little bit of that with Chip Kelly. Just more up-tempo I guess, and you’ve got guys all around that can make plays. There’s guys out there that could, but it just seems like you’ve got six or seven backs that don’t drop balls, so it’s been great.”
(Coming into this role, obviously C Mike Pouncey, you’ve got some big shoes to fill, and just the way you’re assimilating to your role with this team?) – “Yes. I won’t say that I’m Mike Pouncey or I’m trying to emulate him or not trying to. I’m Dan Kilgore and I’ll be my own guy. But (I have) nothing but respect for Mike for what he did here for seven years. He’s doing his thing now. I’m not trying to fulfill his role. I’m trying to be better from what this team was last year and just build with this team and this group of guys.”
(Can you get an idea of the kind of talent you have around you right now?) – “Oh, yes. You look around and you’ve got guys flying around catching balls, making plays on both sides of the ball. You’ve got a lot of guys that like turtles. (laughter) Just all around, you’ve got the talent. You’ve just got to go out here and win ball games. You’ve got to keep building every day, take it one day at a time like I said, and just trust the system. It’s going to be long – early mornings, a long training camp – but we’re looking forward to it.”
(What does an offensive line have to do to get RB Frank Gore going?) – “Nothing. Frank Gore runs on his own motor. He always has for however many years he’s been playing. He’s 35 years old and he looks like he’s 21. Pretty good for a guy that had two bum knees out of college.”
(You’ve got your coach out, Offensive Line Coach Jeremiah Washburn, in a boot with a broken leg. How does that affect your guys’ practicing and what does that say about your coach being out here being injured?) – “He sets the tone. ‘Wash’ is the man. He actually called me when it happened I guess, or a few days after. I wouldn’t expect anything less of him. I knew he’d be out here. This is how these NFL coaches are – dialed in. It’s how they’re programmed. They’re not going to miss anything. That sets the tone for us as an offensive line, and it’s nothing but respect for that.”
(Was it jet-skiing or something?) – “I don’t think it was jet-skiing. I think (Jeremiah Washburn) got in a little traffic accident where somebody hit him.”
(Are you a little jealous? Offensive Line Coach Jeremiah Washburn gets to ride around in a golf cart.) – “I mean it would be nice when the sun’s out and there’s no clouds; but he’s enjoying it. Plus his son is able to ride around and hear all of the cuss words that his dad says, so it was pretty close. It’s a good thing for him.”
(Is there sort of a phrase or a motto or a theme that Offensive Line Coach Jeremiah Washburn just constantly says, constantly talks about with the group?) – “As far as a theme, our team theme is ‘forge’ right now. ‘Wash’ is not a big ‘grind’ guy. He doesn’t like the word grind, so don’t say it to him. He’s more like ‘come in, do your (expletive), get your job done and get out, take care of yourself.’ ‘Wash,’ I mean, I don’t know. There’s not a thing with him.”
(What does forge mean?) – “Forge.”
(What does it mean?) – “I guess another word for grind. (laughter)”
(Is there anything you guys did for more cohesion during the summer time?) – “As far as cohesion in the offseason, I mean we group text. I mean there’s guys all around the states. There’s a few guys that stayed here and worked together, trained a little bit together. For me personally, I went back to Tennessee with my wife. We’re expecting, so I had father duties to take care of. We did a lot this offseason, whether getting dinner together or going to Top Golf or spending time, we did a lot this offseason. I’m sure we’ll get into more of that this season.”
(Did you get anything for your quarterback for his 30th birthday?) – “So, Kenny (Stills) told me today that his birthday is today. I think he turns 30. I don’t know. We might have to throw him in the cold tub or something, I don’t know. I didn’t get him anything.”
(When’s your baby due?) – “Baby is due September 11th, so it’s two days after our first game. Hopefully it’ll come before it.”
(Is it your first?) – “First. (We’re) not finding out what the sex is either, so it’s a total surprise.”
(When you look at RB Frank Gore, do you see any difference from the time you were together in San Francisco?) – “No, not really. I mean, he’s honestly … What is it, three years, four years we spent away from each other? Frank’s still the same person. He’s always going to be the same. It’s just cool to see him now, and what they do, bringing the high schools here, and his son comes to practice with him. That’s pretty cool. Just knowing him for so long and knowing his work ethic, he’s not lost a step. It’s unbelievable what he does before practice, after practice, staying here until nine at night, doing whatever he’s got to do to get himself ready for the next day and he’s been doing it for so long. He’s a Hall of Famer. He was when he was out west, he was with the Colts and he will be here. It’s pretty special for him, and pretty cool if you know Frank, to come back and be with him and watch him be able to play for his home team is pretty special.”
(So how are you going to handle the birth of the baby? Is your wife down here?) – “She’s here. Yes, we’ll have the baby here. We’ve got a great support with our family, so we’ll have plenty of support.”
(What if it comes September 9th?) – “I’ll be at the game. I’ll be at the hospital after. I mean, what more can I do? When a baby comes out, you’re just holding it, right? So, I’ll go do my job, and then I’ll see the baby afterwards.”
Raekwon McMillan – July 27, 2018
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Friday, July 27, 2018
LB Raekwon McMillan
(It’s got to be asked, how is the knee?) – “It’s alright … In OTAs, I was still thinking about it. I was still worrying about whether it was strong enough or if it was ready yet to take every snap. But I’m out here at camp, had the whole offseason to train with my trainer and had more time to work on my quad muscle and hamstring and all of the muscles around my knee. I finally feel like I’m back to where I was and feeling a little better than I was when I went to camp last year.”
(So the last two days, how much have you been thinking about it out there?) – “Not at all. Just scheduled maintenance right after practice, going in and getting stretched, cold tub, hot tub and all of that regular stuff everybody else does. When it comes to being on the field, I don’t really think about it much at all.”
(Was a brace an option?) – “For me, honestly no. I felt like if I needed a brace then I needed more time to rehab and do stuff like that. My whole rehab I did without a brace, thanks to the training staff here. They did a good job of keeping me focused on working without it and making sure I had stabilization without it, so I feel more safe without it.”
(How did last year help you any way at all?) – “I’m ready for the heat. (laughter) Last year I learned a lot. I had enough confidence and I was named the starter last year, so I had confidence in myself that I could come out and do the same thing this year. Nothing is given in this league. I had to come out here and earn it again. Me coming out here and earning it again after coming off of that injury was very fulfilling for me.”
(QB Ryan Tannehill talked about mentally he was in a better spot watching on the sidelines coming back. For you, not being in the defense last year, mentally do you feel like you’re in a better spot by sitting back and learning, now coming back and learning on the field?) – “Yes. Last year I felt like going into it, I didn’t know all of the nuances. I didn’t know everything about the defense. This year, you’ve got to sit back and really see what the defense needed, where they need me to be and what my role would be on the defense. (I’m) coming in and fulfilling that role for them and doing everything I can to make this team better.”
(Have you been able to use that even in the first couple of days of practice?) – “Yes, for sure. Knowing more and being able to teach the guys behind me – like Jerome (Baker), ‘Q’ (Quentin Poling), a young guy in Frank (Ginda and) we’ve got Cayson (Colling) in there. Those guys are coming up and when I came to the sidelines last year, I was the one asking questions. I was the one that needed all of the answers. This year, I’m more of a teacher and I know a little bit more.”
(Typically a middle linebacker, a lot of middle linebackers, come out on passing downs. Do you feel like your ability to cover will make the decision hard for whether you’re playing on passing downs or not?) – “Yes. That was my whole objective and goal for the offseason is being able to come in and dropping a little bit of weight so I can stay on the field the whole time. That’s every middle linebacker’s dream – being able to stay on the field. We’re in a game now where on third down, you see most middle linebackers come out, like you said. For me, to stay in the game, it’s all about me being in shape and knowing what I’ve got to do and where I need to be and being a positive role on the field. If I’m out there and I’m a weak link, they are going to take me off the field.”
(Have they told you if you’re one of the two best guys and that you’re going to play?) – “It all depends on what happens at camp. We’ve got a lot of good guys in our room and anything can happen.”
(You and QB Ryan Tannehill were kind of in the same boat last year. Obviously you were at very different points in your career but how much communication did you have with him? How much did you guys pair up going through the whole rehab experience?) – “We’ve talked about it before. Throughout the whole rehab process, Ryan kind of walked me through what I was going to feel, how I was going to feel and some of the pains I was going to have and how to get through them. With some of the pains, it’s all about fighting through it. It’s not all about what you’re feeling, it’s about how you’re going to get through it.”
(The physical pain you’re talking about?) – “Yes, the physical pain. Ryan (Tannehill), he’s been through it two years in a row so he knows what’s going on.”
(What about the mental part of it, because that’s tough too?) – “(Tannehill) is a vet, so he kind of walked me through that too as well. For me being a rookie, this was my first injury I’ve had ever – college, high school, little league. My first game in the NFL, I got hurt so it kind of (affected me) mentally.”
(Are you still mad about it a year later, a why me kind of thing, which is natural?) – “No. I never got to the point where I got mad at myself or got down on myself. I was a little disappointed that I wasn’t able to provide for this organization; but this is my year right here, so I’ve got to give them everything I’ve got.”
(How much are you looking forward to contact? It’s been a while.) – “Yes, that’s what middle linebackers live for, so I’m ready for all of that.”
(You’ve had a lot of time obviously the last year. Any middle linebackers that you’ve studied in the NFL that you’ve sort of seen similarities to with your game?) – “Yes, I try to study all of the three-down linebackers. Deion Jones, Luke Kuechly, Bobby Wagner and some of those guys. The guy from the Cowboys (Sean Lee) – those are all pretty good linebackers and I just study the game and how they play.”
(When did you start thinking of yourself as perhaps a middle linebacker in the NFL?) – “When I got to college and (Ohio State Head Coach Urban) Meyer and (former Ohio State Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach) Luke Fickell sat me to the side and told me that was going to be the best position for me, for my future and for my family. So, I took that and ran with it.”
DeVante Parker – July 27, 2018
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Friday, July 27, 2018
WR DeVante Parker
(Is your family here? Do they come out every day?) – “No, just my girl and a couple of my friends come out here to see me for a little bit.”
(What’s it like having them all being able to be here on the sidelines?) – “It’s good having someone here supporting you. While my family is back in Kentucky, it’s good to have other people here to visit and see you and watch you practice.”
(Is that something that you maybe didn’t have down here the first couple years?) – “No, I did. They were always supporting me wherever I went. They came down every camp. I appreciate them for that.”
(How would you describe your mindset at the start of training camp?) – “My mindset for the start of training camp is to come out and dominate everything I do, get better every day and work getting better with my teammates.”
(Have you set number goals for yourself – receptions, touchdowns, yards?) – “No, I haven’t. I’m going into the season going out there and playing. Whatever happens, happens.”
(Why don’t you set those type of goals?) – “I just don’t do that.”
(You’ve never done that?) – “No.”
(As far as this receiving corps, does there need to be a No. 1 receiver? Do you believe in a No. 1 receiver?) – “Whoever is feeling hot that game – whoever, anybody. It doesn’t have to be a No. 1, just whoever is feeling hot that game just getting open, throw them the ball.”
(Do you feel like there might be more opportunities this year, because last year I think WR Jarvis Landry got like 10 balls a game average? That’s not going to happen this year.) – “Like I said, whoever gets open, they’ll see the ball more. You never know.”
(How much more dangerous can a team be when you have that kind of situation where so many guys … You guys are pretty stacked at the wide receiver position.) – “It’s good for all of us. Multiple weapons across the field. If you bring in anybody, they come out and play and they do whatever they need to do to get the job done.”
(Who’s been most impressive to you in that wide receiver room so far?) – “(I am) most impressed probably (by) Albert Wilson. He’s stepped up big time making plays out here. It’s what we need.”
(Did you know much about WR Albert Wilson before he signed?) – “No, I didn’t; but I know about him now. (laughter)”
(What do you know?) – “He’s fast. (He) works hard every time he comes out here, no matter what.”
(Do you think that there’s enough balls to go around this offense? You’ve got so many guys. WR Jakeem Grant is there. You mentioned WR Albert Wilson, WR Danny Amendola.) – “It’s going to be alright. We’ve just got to split it up. Different packages, people coming in.”
(How did you spend your offseason? Any fun trips or anything like that?) – “I went to the Dominican Republic for a weekend and then came back and started training. Well, I went back to Kentucky to visit my family and then started training again.”
(How was the D.R.? Lay out on the beach, cliff diving, anything crazy?) – “No, there was seaweed out there, so it stunk up the whole place. (laughter) It wasn’t no good.”
(Can you talk about what it means to have QB Ryan Tannehill back?) – “It means a lot. We did a lot of things with him last year and we missed out on certain things with him. (Head) Coach (Adam Gase) changed some things with him and we weren’t able to have that coming into the season.”
(Were you part of that crew that went to Nebraska?) – “Yes, I was.”
(What was that like?) – “It was fun bonding with other players. I felt like we’re brothers. Everybody bonding together, it went well. We all got along. It was a good time.”
(WR Kenny Stills was kind of the ringleader right?) – “Yes, he was. He set everything up.”
(Did WR Kenny Stills pick up the tab, too?) – “Sometimes. (laughter)”
(What do you say to people who say there’s not a lot of expectations from the outside for this team? What do you say to those type of people?) – “We just try to ignore any negativity, come out and play and let the game do the talking.”
(Was there one highlight from that trip to Nebraska?) – “One highlight? Me and Kenny wrestling.”
(You were wrestling?) – “Yes, wrestling. (We were) having fun.”
(Who all was there?) – “It was me, Kenny, (Leonte) Carroo, Drew Morgan.”
(Did WR Jakeem Grant make the trip??) – “No, he didn’t make it. He had a family situation.”
(What’s one thing about Kenny – he obviously is out there and outspoken – that we don’t know about WR Kenny Stills?) – “He’s a leader. He does whatever he needs to do to get his body right. Like I said, he’s a leader of the group – him and Danny (Amendola). He looks out for me to make sure I keep my body right, telling me to eat my greens and stuff.”
Minkah Fitzpatrick – July 27, 2018
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Friday, July 27, 2018
S Minkah Fitzpatrick
(How much more real does this feel as opposed to OTAs or minicamps or rookie camps or any of that stuff?) – “All of that felt real. I was wearing a Dolphins uniform, living in Miami, so it all felt real. I’m just enjoying every single thing, every single day, day to day; but like I said, it’s been real since my name was called at the draft.”
(I see Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke coming over and talking to you a lot. How much are the coaches in your ear here to make sure you’ve got things right, just mentally, as opposed to also physical?) – “They’ve got me moving around a little bit so they know it could be kind of hard. So they’re trying their best just to make sure I understand all of the concepts because the more I understand the concepts, the more I can move around. So they’re just trying to make sure that I understand the game, the concept and what we’re trying to do. So they’ve helped me out a whole lot.”
(What’s it like coming in as a first-round pick and having veterans around you and having to mix in with them at the same time?) – “It’s not new. It’s almost the same thing like in college. It’s just a little bit different. It’s not that much different but you just come in and you’re a rookie and you don’t say much. Somebody said a rookie isn’t supposed to be heard, he’s just supposed to be seen. That’s it and that’s kind of how I approach it. I go in there, I sit in my locker, listen to everybody talk, observe, see what they’re doing and I just follow and lead where I can lead.”
(Do you feel like you’re being seen?) – “Yes. I think I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. The older guys see me working. They see me doing what I’m supposed to do. Like I said, I’m just not trying to be extremely vocal right now. I’m just trying to observe and learn from everybody else (like) the older guys – Reshad (Jones), T.J. (McDonald), ‘X’ (Xavien Howard), Bobby (McCain) and all of thos guys – and keep me pushing.”
(Where specifically have you progressed since you got here?) – “I would just say understanding the game. I had an understanding of the college football game. In the pros, it’s a little bit different. So I just have to understand the game, break down different games from last year, watch film with the coaches and just learning. I’m learning every single day. I think that’s the main difference in me. I’m an athlete, so not too much is going to change there; but just understanding the small things about this concept, this scheme, this defense and the NFL game overall.”
(When they’re playing you guys with three safeties, does that take some adjusting to get you set? Or is that pretty natural?) – “It’s pretty natural. We haven’t really played too many three safety looks. We play like two safeties and a nickel or two safeties and an extra corner or something like that. We haven’t done too much three safety stuff.”
(You haven’t been on the field with S Reshad Jones and S T.J. McDonald at the same time up to this point?) – “No.”
(Is starting important to you as a rookie?) – “It is, just because I’m used to playing. I’m going to go out there and work my hardest to earn that starting spot. It is important to me.”
