Minkah Fitzpatrick – June 5, 2018
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Tuesday, June 5, 2018
S Minkah Fitzpatrick
(Have you been counting your interceptions or your tipped passes or plays you’ve been making during practice?) – “Have I been counting them? Yes. I think every DB counts them. (laughter) I’ve got two picks and a couple of pass breakups. That’s it really. I’m just doing my job.”
(Is that typical, do you think? Or is that going to go…) – “That should keep going up. As more and more, I get comfortable, I’m going (to make) more and more plays. Sometimes I see too much or see too little during a play; but once I get more and more comfortable, it’s just going to keep going up and up.”
(What’s the process been like in terms of learning this defense? Do you feel like it’s slowing you down a little bit right now?) –“Obviously when you’re learning anything, you’re not going to be moving as fast as you want to be; but the coaches and the other players are doing a good job of just teaching me. I’m learning from my mistakes and learning from my good plays as well. But it’s just like learning anything. It’s not going to be as fast at first, but every single day I’m going to get faster and faster. I’ve been able to make more calls, see more things and make more plays. It’s just day-by-day. I’m getting better day-by-day. I’m moving faster and making more calls.”
(How many positions are they having you learn right now?) – “Strong safety, free safety and nickel.”
(How much do you think you’ve worked at each of them? Split pretty evenly) – “Yes, it’s split pretty evenly.”
(How’s it going do you think?) – “It’s been going pretty good. They trust me to do that and we’re just doing a good job of just making sure I’m learning on and off the field. (Defensive Backs) Coach (Tony) Oden is doing a good job. (Defensive Coordinator Matt) Burke is doing a real good job of just teaching me different things and different techniques. They’re not putting too much on me, but they’re definitely putting a lot on me at the same time. Every single day it’s something new. It’s new challenges and that’s it.”
(You’ve made one or two … How many White House visits have you made with Alabama?) – “Just one.”
(What was that experience like for you?) – “It was cool. (Barack) Obama was the president at the time. It was my freshman year. We flew up to the White House. I think it was in … I don’t remember what month it was in; but we flew up to the White House, we got a little tour of one of the wings of the White House. We sat in his library and checked it out; went through some books. Then Obama came into this one room. We shook hands with him. He talked with us for a little bit, took some pictures with him and then we had a little ceremony at the end. It was an overall great experience.”
(How often have you been on the field, after seven practices, with both S Reshad Jones and S T.J. McDonald, with three safeties? Have you done much of that yet?) – “No, we haven’t done anything with three safeties. We all rotate. So there will be … Reshad and T.J. go in and then I’ll take either one of them out and take a couple of reps with them. Then, it’ll be the other way, maybe a couple reps later.”
(Of the three spots you’ve been at, where are you most comfortable? Where are you best?) – “Either of the three. I’m comfortable just out there making plays and doing my job.”
(What, if anything, has been harder than you expected?) – “Nothing has really been harder than I expected. It’s all been hard, but it hasn’t been harder than I expected. I expected a real challenge. Everybody’s great on this level. Everybody’s trying to make plays on this level. Overall, competition is great. The playbook is going to be hard to learn, but I think I was prepared well at Alabama; so I’m stepping up to the challenge.”
(When you’re out there … This is going to sound weird but are you aware that you’re a first-round pick? Like do you put more pressure on yourself or do you think “I need to make impact today?”) – “No, I just tell myself I’ve just got to do my job, because once you start doing that, you start putting unnecessary burdens on yourself. You start trying to do things you’re not supposed to do. Every day, I’m just trying to do my job and learn what I’m doing. I have to tell myself I know I’m going to make mistakes. I made a mistake today. I’ve just got to learn from it, not let it happen again and that’s it. I just try to go out there every day and do my job and get better,“
(Does anybody make little “jokey jokes” with you about being a first-round pick?) – “I mean obviously everybody’s going to do that. We were making joke with Bobby (McCain) because he just got a contract extension, and so we just went through that. We were calling him “Big Money.” (laughter) Obviously, they’re going to say the same thing to me, but it’s all a part of the game.”
(What players have you leaned on thus far? It’s one thing getting instruction from coaches but as far as players helping out?) – “Just all the DBs. I’m just watching old game film, watching them play, doing it the right way, doing it the wrong way – whatever way. Obviously I’m asking questions on the sidelines and even when I come off the sidelines, they might see something that I didn’t see and they’ll talk to me. T.J. (McDonald) does it all the time. Bobby (McCain) does it some of the time. Reshad (Jones), Xavien (Howard), all of them. We just talk and communicate whatever we see and that’s it.”
(You knew obviously when you got drafted that this was coming; but what was it like when you signed that contract and see that amount of money coming to you?) – “It was good. It was a good feeling. Any time you see your hard work paying off, it’s a blessing. Me and my family, we worked real hard to be in this position; but you’ve just got to keep telling yourself ‘This is not the end goal’. It is a goal but it’s not the end goal. I said it earlier in the media, I didn’t come here just to be a first-round pick. I wanted to be a great player here and establish a great legacy here. So you’ve just got to keep on pushing it. Again, it’s an honor, it’s a blessing that we got that money and all of that stuff, but we’ve just got to keep on moving forward.”
(Did you celebrate with your family or anything?) – “No, not really. I just signed the contract and that was it.”
(You may have seen a couple of weeks ago there was a report, out of Boston actually, that when the Dolphins were on the clock, there was some discussion over whether to pick you. Maybe Owner Stephen Ross needed to be persuaded that you were the right guy to be picked at No. 11. Did you hear about that and does it add any extra motivation to prove that you were deserving of being picked where you were?) – “Yes, I heard about it. He’s a businessman, so he’s going to see the business side of everything. It’s a little extra motivation just to prove that I am the worthy pick, that I deserve to be here and that’s it really.”
Did you get a chance to chat with Owner Stephen Ross today?) – “No, sir.”
(Have you talked to Owner Stephen Ross since you were drafted?) – “No, sir.”
(Do you have plans for a big purchase after signing your contract?) – “No, nothing crazy. I mean, obviously, a house. I’m going to need somewhere to live; but besides that, no.”
(Do you feel Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban sufficiently prepared you to play at an NFL level? If so, how?) – “Yes, I’d definitely say … If you utilize all of your resources at Alabama, you’re definitely going to be prepared. Whether it’s the coaches, the physical training staff or just whatever. If you put 110 percent effort into it, you’re going to be prepared. Just the scheme, it’s almost the same exact thing. There’s small little differences that you’ve got to learn, but the scheme’s almost the same exact thing as Alabama. I’d just say the scheme and overall, I think we were prepared really well at Alabama.”
(Did you have an invitation to go to the White House most recently when Alabama went?) – “Yes, I did; but I was in San Francisco on a visit.”
(It was purely that or…) – “Yes, it was that. I was just on a visit. The schedules didn’t line up very well.”
(I know it’s only been 7 or 8 practices, but how does Head Coach Adam Gase’s personality and leadership style seem to compare to the last coach you had, Nick Saban?) –“They’re both very passionate coaches. They’re both really hands-on. The only difference is Coach Saban yells a little bit more. (laughter) But that’s about it. Coach Gase is a great coach. He’s a real energetic coach. All of the players love playing for him. I love playing for him and I’m happy that he’s my head coach.”
(Would you like to be stuck on a boat with Coach Saban when he ran out of gas?) –“(laughter) I didn’t see it but I heard about it though. I’m going to try to watch it sometime today, but it’d be pretty funny; a pretty fun experience.”
(Did you get anything back from Coach Gase on the interceptions?) – “He just said ‘Good job. Just keep doing what you’re doing.’ That’s it.”
Adam Gase – June 5, 2018
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Tuesday, June 6, 2018
Head Coach Adam Gase
(What did you think of your offense today?) – “It was probably not one of our better practices. We put a lot of new stuff in today. We’ve just got to be a little quicker absorbing it, getting out there executing it. A lot of the same concepts, just kind of move some things around. The defense did a good job today. They were moving well up front and they were playing tight coverage in the back end, so it made it tough on us on offense. It was good to see the defense really playing with a lot of energy and getting after it pretty good.”
(Eventually your depth chart suggests that there will be a lot of options for QB Ryan Tannehill, a lot of weapons for you guys to use. Would you say that’s true?) – “Yes. If we stay healthy, we should have a lot of guys that can make plays. We’ll just kind of see how everything sorts out. We’re so far away from anything being a finished product. We’ve just got to figure out what’s the best groups and really how we want to use everybody. That’s going to take time. We still have two weeks here and then training camp, and then four preseason games. So we’ve got a little bit of time.”
(Can you give us a little bit on QB David Fales’ progression over the offseason and where he’s at right now?) – “He just keeps getting better. He’s making a lot of plays in practice. I think he’s utilizing the guys he’s working with and I think getting to go with Albert (Wilson), Jakeem (Grant) and Isaiah (Ford) and Drew (Morgan), they’ve all been in this offense now – expect for Albert – for two or three years, so guys know what to do. He doesn’t have to worry about telling anybody what to do or dealing with any rookies at wide receiver. You’re able to just do you job. I think he’s doing a good job of finding the open guy and completing passes.”
(What are the points that you tried to push through with QB David Fales over all of the years you’ve worked with him? You worked with him back in Chicago, I believe.) – “Overthinking.”
(What are the things that held QB David Fales back that you were trying to get him past?) – “He can process a lot in his brain and just making sure that he just kind of sticks with what we’re doing and don’t go too far outside the box. Sometimes he’ll take a couple of extra steps that those other guys aren’t ready for. Sometimes he just (needs to) run the play and execute it. When the time comes and those guys are ready for that next step, you can take that at that point.”
(With S Minkah Fitzpatrick, what has been your takeaway so far regarding potential?) – “He’s done a good job. He’s got his hands on a lot of balls. He’s had a few interceptions. He seems to be all over the place. He has a great motor, a great work ethic. It’s great seeing him progress since that first day. You can tell he takes this very serious and this is what he does. He puts everything he has into this.”
(Is there anything about what S Minkah Fitzpatrick has done that maybe has surprised you so far?) – “No, not really. This is really the information we got. Any time Coach (Nick) Saban has the amount of praise that he had for him, that’s … You don’t hear him say a lot of the things that he said about him a lot.”
(When the quarterback is making the entire team better, not just the offense, but the defense and special teams, what is he doing or what does he … How does that affect and filter throughout the whole roster?) – “Getting first downs, converting on third down – however you do it – whether it’s completing the pass, getting in the right check, running it, whatever you have to do to move the chains. The less plays the defense has to be able to be on the field – finding a way to put the ball in the end zone, in the red area, creating a lead – if you do things like that, it puts the defense in good positon. That’s really how you affect the whole team where we can take advantage of the players we have, especially as pass rushers.”
(With DE Charles Harris – you guys obviously have a ton of defensive ends now and some pretty highly paid – how does he fit into what I guess that five-man rotation it looks like?) – “We’re going to be rolling those guys. I don’t know. You’ve watched us practice. They’re running to the ball. They’re exerting a lot of energy. You’re going to need a lot of guys with the way we’re looking to play.”
(Has DE Charles Harris done what he’s needed to do this spring?) – “Yes. He’s one of the guys I’m least worried about.”
(Does it feel commonplace now to have QB Ryan Tannehill out there on the practice field or do you still sometimes…?) – “It just feels normal. It just feels like we’re back to where the last couple of years … Last year, I had him in the spring, too, and then for 10 practices in training camp. It didn’t take us long to just get going again.”
(Have you seen the recognition you talked about, that you were expecting coming in?) – “Yes. You could tell (Ryan Tannehill) has a total grip of the offense. Everything just moves smoother. That’s just experience, whether it’s in this offense or just football in general. He’s been in the league for a little bit. When the defense throws something different at him, he has a way to solve the problem faster than probably what he did three or four years ago.”
(How important is it for CB Tony Lippett to get back to where he was or close?) – “I think he just needs to keep working on getting himself feeling as 100 percent as he possibly can for training camp. Right now, I’m not so much worried about if he gets beat or if something physically wasn’t perfect for him, because I want him to really try to stress himself and get the kinks out, because it’s been since last August or maybe even July since he’s really rolled out there. I think sometimes you kind of worry about putting out bad tape, but we know what he’s dealing with. We know what he’s recovering from and we just need him to stress himself as much as possible so when we hit training camp he feels as right as he can.”
(Is there a general time when guys kind of get over being a first-round pick? We are harder on WR DeVante Parker and DE Charles Harris. Are they harder on themselves? Is there three years into the league maybe you’re over that?) – “I don’t know. Sometimes I … I think guys, they don’t even pay attention to that first round, second round. I don’t think … Once you get here, nobody really cares anymore. At least we don’t. I know when you play a team, they don’t care what round you were drafted in. That’s not something that they’re sitting around talking about.”
(But meeting their own expectations, you just think you’re just in the league …?) – “He’s got high expectations for himself, because he wants to be a certain kind of player. He just needs to keep working and putting himself in the best position possible, which I think that he keeps trying to do every day.”
(We’ve started this ongoing debate about who’s the fastest Dolphins player. WR Kenny Stills said you can solve it for us with GPS trackers. He said you know exactly who is practicing the fastest.) – “I was looking at that today actually, because I saw that he said that. (laughter) I don’t know. We can line them up and let them decide. It depends what routes you’re running. If somebody is running the type of routes where they’re stopping a lot, then they’re not going to get the high miles per hour that they’re looking for. Jakeem, it seems like he’s running more go routes than everybody, so maybe it might add up after a while. The (GPS) thing goes off the average. Who knows what they’re looking at. (Wide Receivers Coach) Ben (Johnson) might be making up numbers for all I know.”
(So you think the best way to solve this is a an actual race?) – “I don’t want them to really do that. (laughter)”
(It’s carried over to them.) – “I don’t know. It would be interesting though, because there’s some legit speed with those guys. I know every one of them will say that they’re the fastest.”
(It’s pretty clear you’re not 100 percent pleased with how practice went today. What was it specifically that has you upset?) – “Well I’m being biased to one side. (laughter)”
(I’m glad you admit that.) – “The defense practiced well. They did a good job today. We didn’t practice … We didn’t execute and do a lot of the things that we’ve been kind of doing the last couple of weeks. That’s today.”
(Beyond S Minkah Fitzpatrick, is there anything from the rest of the rookies that stands out from an individual basis – be it RB Kalen Ballage, LB Jerome Baker, TE Mike Gesicki, TE Durham Smythe? Any particular one that’s flashed to you?) – “It’s hard for me to … You guys ask me about Minkah all the time and Gesicki every one on a while; but that whole group, I like the way those guys are working. I like the way that … I see them studying, especially here. It seems like they’re not quick to run over to the hotel. Guys are sticking around, whether it’s working out or staying in their meeting rooms and working on their own or working with somebody else or grabbing a veteran. I like the way this group is working and they’re trying to … Because they are playing a little bit of catch up. They’re lacking experience in this league, which it’s a lot of stuff. And I think these guys are really pushing themselves to try to make sure mentally, especially this offseason, to catch up as much as they possibly can before training camp.”
(I think TE Mike Gesicki threw a block or kind of tried to throw a block on the first play. Did you notice that?) – “The first play of what?”
(I don’t know. The first play of the day maybe? First 11-on-11?) – “He’s a tight end. It’s going to happen every once in a while.”
(I guess how enthusiastic and exuberant does TE Mike Gesicki seem about this whole thing, especially the blocking challenge?) – “I think for him, it’s … We’re not in pads. I think he’s trying to figure out the right way to practice. There is a little bit of technique where you see a lot of our offensive and defensive lineman, they know how to practice against each other, they know how to run some of the run game without guys falling on the ground for the most part. There’s a little bit of art form of using the right angles and staying up, moving your feet and using your hands. Sometimes it’s going to be a little bit of a learning process.”
(I saw CB Jordan Lucas in a boot. Can you give us an update on him and WR Leonte Carroo?) – “Carroo, we’re probably not going to have until training camp. He’ll be healthy way before training camp, but we decided to kind of take care of his deal now just to give him enough time to get ready for training camp. Jordan, it’s a day-to-day thing for him right now. We’ve got to see how he’s feeling tonight and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
(How big of an impact do you anticipate RB Frank Gore to have on the young running backs this year?) – “I think Frank has an impact on a lot of guys in that locker room. He’s been around for a number of years. He’s done it right. He is a real pro. He hasn’t changed. It was 10 years ago we were together and (he’s the) same guy. It’s the same work ethic. He just loves football, loves being around it. I think he does a good job. We’ve gone through most of these OTAs where we’re always like, ‘Alright, he’s not going to anything today,’ and next think I know I look up and he’s in there. I don’t know how he’s getting in there. So I’m thinking (Run Game Coordinator/Running Backs Coach) Eric (Studesville) is putting him in there. He just kind of rolls in there once in a while. It’s good to see him want to be out there, want to be a part of getting things going and even in the spring, when he hasn’t really done anything in the last five or six years. I think he’s doing a good job of learning the offense and knowing what to do and figuring the things that he’s not really sure about, figure those things out right now. So, he’s done a good job. He’s impactful to those guys. Those young guys look at him and they know who he is.”
Ryan Tannehill – June 5, 2018
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Tuesday, June 5, 2018
QB Ryan Tannehill
(Head Coach Adam Gase was saying that it wasn’t necessarily a good day today. He said you guys put in a lot of new stuff offensively. What did you think of how today went offensively?) – “I think we had our ups and downs. We had some plays and some series where I thought we moved quickly and we were in and out of the huddle and moved efficiently and moved the ball down the field. Then I feel like towards the end of practice maybe the heat caught up to us a little bit. We just have to be better with our conditioning and grinding through that, as a team to be at our best in the heat, because that’s one of our advantages of playing in South Florida. It’s being able to play in that heat and play at a high level where other teams are coming down from up north where they don’t get to prepare in these types of environments. It’s got to be used to our advantage and that’s why we have spring and that’s why we have training camp. It’s to prepare our bodies and get acclimated to that heat.”
(How big of an advantage has that been in your experience in September games? Do you visibly see the other team withering? How do you use that to your advantage?) – “Yes, I see it. Definitely. I don’t think it’s every week but you do see teams come down here and be affected by the heat. It’s just something that we’re going to have to deal with throughout the whole year and throughout training camp, so we have to prepare for it and be acclimated for it.”
(You guys have run the offense a lot – the passing offense a lot – with WR Jarvis Landry the last few years. Would you say now that there are a lot more options open to you, there’s just way more weapons for you to use?) – “We’ve had some of the same few guys throughout the past few years but I feel right now that we legitimately have two groups of receivers that can play at a high level for us. So if we want to sub somebody out and keep fresh legs in there, or if someone goes down – whatever the case may be – I don’t feel like there’s really going to be much of a drop off from production or ability with the group that we have. We have a really deep room right now. They work really hard. You see them every day out there grinding. Nobody’s complaining. They’re trying to get better each and every day and that’s what we want.”
(Does that make it at all any harder for you because now you have to know five or six guys and be on point with them instead of maybe one or two?) – “I wouldn’t say it makes it harder. I think the hard part is keeping everyone involved and in the game. We have, like I said, a good group of guys. They’re not complaining. They’re not griping about not getting the ball; but when you do have talented guys, you want to get them the football. I think it’s a balancing act from (Head Coach Adam) Gase to myself of trying to get guys involved, finding them rhythms in the game and help them be productive.”
(Has some of the drama worn off from you originally coming back to practice at the start of OTAs? Has it started to feel more like regular work days to you?) – “Yes. I don’t think it was anything crazy. I mean I’m still excited to be out here and appreciate, I think, a little more than I have in the past, being on the field, being able to prepare and practice with the guys; but not a lot has changed in the fact of what I’m trying to accomplish every day.”
(I saw a cool thing on social media where you were actually showing TE Mike Gesicki the way you wanted him to run a certain route. I was curious how often you’ve done that throughout your career and how having literally done that, run routes, has helped you.) – “I was nowhere near the route-runner that any of these guys are, so I can’t say that I can do it any better; but I have been in their shoes so to speak of feeling how a practice is, feeling how the heat affects you through a practice and can kind of relate a little bit. As far as coaching guys up on what I’m expecting in routes, I think when you get in the first year of an offense, it’s a little tougher because you’re learning the offense yourself. You’re trying to understand what the coach wants, how you see it and how that blends together. As you move to Year 2 and Year 3, you can really take ownership of it and say ‘Okay, this is what I want. I need you to be right here at this time.’”
(What have you picked up from TE Mike Gesicki so far?) – “He’s flashed a couple of times. I think it was last week, he made a great one-handed catch down the sideline on a deep pass. He’s young; he’s learning. He’s going to take his bumps along the way, but he works really hard. He’s locked in and trying to get better each and every day, and that’s what we want. He has all of the talent and the athletic ability and once he catches up to knowing what we’re doing, he’s going to be a big weapon for us.”
(When you were a first-round pick, how long does that designation stay with you either in your head or to teammates? Like your rookie year, I’m sure it probably stays with you but does it wear off after two or three years? Do guys remind you? How aware are you of it?) – “I don’t really think about it often. That’s a tough question. I don’t really know. I think it may be different for everybody. For me, I didn’t really think about it a lot. I think how I went about my business and how I still do really has no effect on where you’re taken. Now, you might get more opportunities when you’re a first-round pick, or whatever the case may be; but how you prepare day in and day out shouldn’t matter depending on where you’re drafted. You should go out there every day like you’re an undrafted free agent and try to get better and make an impact.”
(The pressure to perform, does that come from within? Does that come from us and fans? If you’re a first-round pick, you’re expected to contribute immediately. How do you deal with that and where does it come from?) – “I think it’s different to the guy. For me, it doesn’t really matter what the media or the fans say. My internal drive is what pushes me – my willingness to succeed, my drive to succeed. But there are some guys that maybe the other outside forces push them. I think whatever it is, you have to drive yourself each and every day to come to work and try to get better.”
(We hear that your family is growing?) – “Yes.”
(What’s your reaction and what can you tell us about it?) – “Yes, we’re expecting a baby girl. I’m excited. (I’m) a little nervous excited (about) it being a girl, so we have to change the dynamics and change the hormones in the household. (laughter) It’ll be interesting for us but I am excited.”
(Due date?) – “It’s in October.”
(When you get a new receiver, especially someone a little less experienced like more so WR Albert Wilson than WR Danny Amendola, what role do you take on with Albert Wilson as far as establishing a chemistry? What’s your approach to that?) – “I think just getting reps. We started throwing with Albert back in March. I’ll take guys off the site and off the location here and just throw, and just get to learn his body language and try to coach him up on what I’m expecting on certain routes. Over time, you develop that chemistry. You get comfortable (and) seeing his indicators. ‘When I see his hips lean this way then I can let it go to that spot.’ That just takes reps but right now, he’s getting more comfortable in the offense, knowing exactly where to line up. We do a lot of formations, moving guys around, and it’s tough on those guys. Those guys have a lot of pressure and a lot of things to learn. They’re doing a good job now, especially Albert, of moving around and being in the right spot.”
(Are you patient or do you get frustrated easily when that’s not where you want it yet?) – “(laughter) A little of both. I think I try to be patient. Sometimes I might be a little short-tempered on expecting guys to do what they’re supposed to do. I hold guys accountable and I think that’s the way we’re going to win here is by everyone being accountable, myself included. You can’t look past … If a guy makes a mistake once then you might let it go. If he makes it again, that’s when I have a problem because we’ve already made that mistake and it should be corrected.”
(Even though you didn’t play last year, how much more familiar are you with the offense? How much more comfortable are you just by watching from the sideline?) – “Yes, I learned a lot last year. I was in the meeting room – in this room – as we installed. I was still around the game. I was still hearing and still seeing the tape and learning. Like I said last week, it’s not like playing. It’s not quite the same; but you do learn. You do pick up things. We installed things last year and it’s not like it’s the first time I’m hearing it now. If it was new to me last year, I didn’t run it and I was never physically the quarterback running the play; but if we install it now, I already feel comfortable running it because I’ve seen it run on tape, I’ve heard how we installed it, how we’re teaching the guys and now we can go execute.”
(With the tight end position, this team hasn’t had a high level of productivity since TE Charles Clay. What’s it going to take to change that?) – “Guys are going to have to come in and play well. Like I said, accountability is huge – being in the right spot at the right time. We brought in some young guys who are really athletic. We have MarQueis Gray, who has done a good job for us. A.J. Derby is athletic on the outside. It’s really up in the air right now who’s going to come out of that group and really lead the group; but we have some veteran guys, we have some young guys. We’re expecting somebody to really step up and make big plays with us.”
(Speaking of first-round picks, what is your impression of this year’s top pick – S Minkah Fitzpatrick – so far?) – “He’s been good. He’s flying around at practice. You see his mentality and his aggression. He plays aggressive. He plays what he sees and he plays fast, and that’s what you want to see out of a DB. You might make a mistake here or there but if you’re out there playing fast, you’re going to make some big plays and really change games for us. I’m excited with what I see so far. I can’t really speak on details because I don’t know how he’s being coached or what positions he’s being put in, but from what I’m seeing, he’s playing fast and he’s working hard, so I like what I see.”
(Quarterbacks are expected to make the entire team better. How does a quarterback make the defense or the special teams better?) – “Special teams is going to be tough. (laughter) But defense, I think it’s day in and day out at practice. It’s pushing the offense to execute. If the defense isn’t at the right spot, making them pay and holding them accountable that way because if they’re not in the right spot, then I should have a throw or a check or a run. If the defense corrects it, now it shouldn’t happen again. It’s just a constant pressure being applied to them from the offense, and they do the same thing to us. They put the heat on us sometimes and we have to adjust and learn from it. I think both sides drive each other to be better. I think when you have a good offense executing at a high level, it’s going to help your defense be better and the same thing with the defense.”
(It looked like DE Charles Harris may have gotten around the end on you at one point today. Is that something that’s happened more than once? How has he looked in his second offseason?) – “He’s moving well. I think our rushers, we have some really good rushers. You see Rob Quinn coming around the edge and it’s incredible how he bends the corner and his hips are two feet off the ground, but he’s running full speed around the corner. You can point it out with Charles (Harris)’ speed. Cam (Wake) and his presence that he has out there on the outside. We have a deep group of rushers. Will Hayes is going to come in and play strong. I’m really excited about our d-line group and how they come off the ball, especially on the outside with the pass rush.”
(Is your sense that your mobility and escapability are exactly what it was two years ago and is there any data that Head Coach Adam Gase has that can measure that sort of thing by? Obviously 40-times aren’t a good reflection of what you’re doing in the pocket when you’re trying to escape pressure. Is there any data that you’ve looked at to see whether it’s exactly the same and what’s your instinct on that?) – “Yes, we do have data. We have the GPS monitors that we wear every day at practice, so we can go back and compare speeds, agility, quickness and movements. That’s something we can take a look at; but I feel good. I feel like I’m moving well. I’m able to escape; I’m able to get up-field when the window is there. It’s still going to be a weapon for me. I think when the defense presents an open spot then we can make them pay by getting through with my legs.”
(How would you anticipate this season to be different given that you have such a versatile group of running backs?) – “Yes, we do have a diverse group of running backs. You see (Kenyan) Drake who really came on for us last year. He’s a really talented guy. He’s fast; he’s explosive. You can split him out on the outside and use him in the pass game. He’s good out of the backfield. He’s tough in protections and he runs the ball extremely well. Then you add in Frank Gore. He’s a Hall of Fame lock. He’s done it all. He’s been so consistent over the past however many years. You see it, just how he works. He doesn’t get a lot of reps with us right now with the team; but just how he prepares in the weight room and in the meeting room. He’s constantly asking me, ‘Hey, give me something Ryan. Give me something. Give me something.’ And I’ll talk through a play or a protection with him. Just his mentality that he brings to the table, really leading that group and showing them how to work and how a pro works day in and day out. Then you add that with the young guys that we have that bring a little more explosive speed to the game. Yes, we have a diverse group that’s going to be big for us.”
Eric Studesville – May 31, 2018
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Thursday, May 31, 2018
Run Game Coordinator/Running Backs Coach Eric Studesville
(So what do you think of your room?) – “I think it’s a talented room. I don’t really know exactly what…”
RB Kenyan Drake
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt, but you’ve got 10 pushups right now. (laughter) I don’t care if you’re talking to the media. No, we need them pushups. (laughter).”
Eric Studesville
“I got them. They’re on the books. I got it. (laughter). I got to do them. We’re all one. It’s one group. I got 80 the other day. That hurt. I haven’t done 80 in a long time. It’s a good group. It’s a good, young group. I don’t really know … We’re working through each other. (I’m) learning them; they’re learning me; I’m learning them. But I like the group so far and where we’re going. We’ve got a long way to go, but it’s a good start.”
(What is your plan for RB Frank Gore? Obviously, he’s got 14 billion yards. Does he really need to work that hard in the offseason to prepare for a season?) – “Absolutely. I think everybody’s got to work hard. All of us have to work hard to get ready for the season. What that work is, it’s different for everybody. Frank has got a good body of work out there, obviously; but his preparation is still critical to him having continued success and to be able to help us. Everybody’s got to work. We’re all going to work in different ways to get ready.”
(As a running backs coach, how impressive is RB Frank Gore’s production at his age?) – “It’s amazing, really. You look at how many guys he’s outlasted in this league, to have that kind of production year after year; but you also see when you work with him every day what kind of pro he is, how important it is to him. He takes great pride in his craft. It’s fun to be around that.”
(Obviously you have a prior relationship with Head Coach Adam Gase. Can you talk about that and what was his role in him getting you here?) – “Our relationship is because we worked together in Denver and that was a plus, certainly. Hopefully he wanted me to come here because he felt like I was the best football coach to come help him coach the running backs. That’s what I hope. I came here not as his friend, but to help him win. That’s my commitment that I made to him. So, that’s number one on my list of things to do is just the relationship is what it was, but I want to come help him win.”
(I know it’s early, but what sort of role do you foresee for RB Frank Gore in this offense given that you have RB Kenyan Drake here as well?) – “We don’t know that yet. I think that’s going to play out over time. What we’re going to do is we’re going to get everybody ready. We’ve got to learn the offense. We’re still in the playbook. We’re still in the installations. We’ve got to get everybody up to speed to where they all know it, we’re all confident in our assignments and then let them go play, and they’re going to sort out what those roles are as we go. I don’t think we have that set right now. We just have to wait and see how it goes.”
(What impressed you about RB Kenyan Drake when you watched film of him from last season?) – “We watched film and then we saw him when I was in Denver. I was impressed with how physical he was running the ball inside, particularly in our game against Denver last year. I thought he ran the ball really well inside. Obviously, his speed, his ability to finish down the field and his speed, is something. He catches the ball really well. I think he’s overall, a really good football player.”
(You mentioned roles and I guess the expectation is that it’s RB Kenyan Drake’s starting job and then RB Frank Gore helps him out and so forth; but do you see it that way?) – “I don’t have that in my brain right now. I think what we’ve got to do is we’ve got to continue to work, learn our system, learn our craft, our assignments and then get everybody out there and let them compete. The guy that gives us the best chance to win, that gives the Miami Dolphins the best chance to win, that’s who’s got to be the guy who’s out there for us and helping us win football games.”
(Can you talk about RB Kalen Ballage and what do you see in him?) – “I think we’re just scratching the surface. I don’t really know. We’ve only had him for three weeks here, but he’s a talented young guy. He works hard. Physically he looks the part for sure, but there’s a lot more things that go into it. So we’re just at the beginning stages of really developing him; but I’m excited about the opportunity.”
(Can you talk about the hurry-up, no-huddle offense? Are you a big fan of it? Have you used it much in your coaching career?) – “Yes. We did that in Denver and I am a big fan of it. I think it changes … Anything you can do that keeps defenses off guard is a good thing. Whatever we’ve got to do to give ourselves a chance to win football games, I think is to our advantage.”
(Have you worked out or had any interaction at all with RB Kalen Ballage or RB Buddy Howell before the draft?) – “Kalen I just saw at the Combine. Buddy was here at the local workout and we really liked what he did at the local workout. That’s why we got him here as a free agent.”
(What’s RB Buddy Howell’s skillset that stands out?) – “Buddy is a solid, good, dependable back. He’s a smart guy. He picked up all the things that we did on the Miami day when we had a workout here, so we got a chance to spend time with him, got a chance to put him on the board and see what he knew about football. He’s a football guy, so I think that gives you a chance.”
(RB Buddy Howell and RB Kalen Ballage, I know they don’t figure in major right now, but does that allow you to do different things with them?) – “I don’t know how anybody figures in right now. That’s what we’re doing. We’re developing and we’re going to keep developing everybody and see. They’re going to determine their roles. They’re going to show what they can do and demonstrate what their roles will be. They’ll earn their role on this football team in time.”
(What’s one thing that’s surprised you about RB Frank Gore at age 35?) – “What surprises me about Frank at age 35? I think his passion for the game still. Frank is a student. He loves to watch tape. He loves to talk about football. He’s still into it. He’s not bored with meetings. That part of it I think, for a guy that’s been in as many meetings and done stuff as long as he has, to still have that love of the game is awesome.”
Bo Hardegree – May 31, 2018
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Thursday, May 31, 2018
Quarterbacks Coach Bo Hardegree
(I guess we have to start with QB Ryan Tannehill and his knee. Are there any limitations? Have you noticed any limitations?) – “I haven’t noticed anything. He’s looking great in practice. He was moving around today in 2-minute drill, which was our first day. We put in 2-minutes today. He was making some plays, unscheduled plays like we expect him to do, an athletic quarterback. He’s looking good.”
(How is QB Ryan Tannehill better? He’s talked about and Head Coach Adam Gase has talked about sitting and learning. How is that tangible out there?) – “It just helps you make quicker decisions. The big thing at the quarterback position is being able to play fast and think less, and just go out and react, and knowing the offense which, our quarterbacks … Being in his third year, he is handling all of the Mike points. He’s up there getting everybody lined up. We’re rolling, trying to play fast and he’s doing a really good job of that.”
(When you look to evaluate a backup quarterback, because that’s the competition this year, what do those guys have to do to win that job?) – “They have to be able to execute and also they have to be able to get all 10 other guys on the same page. That’s what you look for is communication. It’s a big part because we’re no huddle. How do they operate? How do they get in and out of plays? The big thing we talk about is we have to learn how to be able to not lose before we can win, and be able to save those plays and get us to a check down. Those are big things that I look for and we do as a staff.”
(From what you saw out of QB David Fales in that game last year, was it encouraging? Was it a step in the right direction?) – “It was definitely encouraging. He did some things that you don’t get to see in practice in the pocket with pocket presence. I wasn’t surprised at some things that he did, making some plays with his legs. He does a really good job of getting the ball out fast because he is a very smart person. He operates and it’s good for (Head Coach) Adam Gase to be able to call plays like that knowing, again, that he’s not going to put us in a losing situation. He’s going to get the ball out of his hands and we’re going to stay on schedule – first down, second down, first down, second down, that’s what we try to do.”
(As far as QB Brock Osweiler, what have you seen that you like from him?) – “I knew Brock at Denver when I was there. Obviously he’s been at a couple of different places since then. He’s a very good communicator. That’s what you talk about, a communicator. We’re doing some things mechanically with him to kind of make everything consistent, which he’s doing a really good job. I think he’s throwing the ball really well and he’s really fun to be around. It’s a good that we have right now, that we’re working with this offseason.”
(QB Brock Oswieler’s grasp of the offense, obviously his first year in the system.) – “He’s really strong with it. He understands what we’re looking for. He gets the ball out of his hands and he’s a good communicator as far as for a coach too. He’ll come right back to you and say I should’ve done this or what do you think about this. He wants to learn on every play and you love that as a coach.”
Shane Day – May 31, 2018
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Thursday, May 31, 2018
Tight Ends Coach Shane Day
(What did you think when you found out you were going to get not just one new tight end to work with but two in the draft?) – “Obviously we were really excited. It’s good to get two tight ends in the draft. We were really fortunate, especially with the guys that we got. We like them so we were really fortunate.”
(I know it’s early but what impresses you about TE Mike Gesicki?) – “Actually, both of the rookie guys (Gesicki and Durham Smythe), we’re really impressed with just how hard they work. They’re doing all of the right things and they’re doing what it takes to get better. It’s really early in the process, like you mentioned; but they’re doing all of the right things right now, so we’re happy with where they’re at.”
(Did you get a chance to work out or closely evaluate TE Mike Gesicki before the draft?) – “Yes. We went through the whole Combine process, where we interviewed him there; and then we brought him in on one of those visits. So I got to spend like two days with him and get to know him a little bit. He did a really good job.”
(Did you learn anything surprising about TE Mike Gesicki?) – “Not really; but when you spend two days with a guy, you get to really get a good feel for what kind of guy he is, how he learns and all of those types of things. I was really impressed with him. He did a nice job.”
(And TE Mike Gesicki is good at volleyball.) – “And he’s good at volleyball. (He has) multiple skills.”
(We’ve only seen a couple of practices. Have you seen TE Mike Gesicki jump really high?) – “Yes, he definitely … We’ve seen him jump really high. He’s definitely got the vertical leap, for sure.”
(With the veterans you have in here, what do those guys need to do to break through to win that starting job?) – “Well, I think all of our guys are doing the same thing they always do, which is just getting better. Each guy has different things they’re working on to improve on, and it’s the same thing whether you’re a veteran or a rookie. All of the guys are working hard together to get better.”
(What did TE A.J. Derby do last season when he got here to impress you guys?) – “I think the thing with A.J. is he was able to learn the offense within like two weeks and play in a game. That’s really hard to do, to come in and learn an entire offense and be game ready. He was able to do that, so that was very impressive.”
(Athletically, what does TE A.J. Derby bring to the table?) – “Athletically he’s a guy that you can put outside and kind of flex out and do a lot of those things that receivers do, and then he can also block. He’s kind of got a multiple skill set.”
(Getting back to TE Mike Gesicki, obviously one of the limitations that he had based on his film was the blocking – in-line blocking. How do you get a tight end to get better and improve in those skill sets?) – “I think at Penn State, he really wasn’t asked to do that role. They had other guys and he was more of a slot-type of receiver. Now that we’ve got him, we just take him through the same progression we take all the other guys through, and they learn how to block. We emphasize it in individual and then he also gets team reps. It’s just a matter of going through that process. It’s kind of nice because he doesn’t have any bad habits. He’s kind of new to blocking and he’s really willing to do it, so it’s been really good so far.”
(When you are trying to integrate the rookies, do you teach them the entire offense from A to Z? Or do you integrate them with maybe red zone and things you might use them for in first?) – “So our philosophy is we throw it all at them. We know that it’s not all going to stick; but if they have to learn 20 things and they learn 10 of them, it’s better than teaching them five things and they learn one of them. Then we just keep repeating the installs over and over again, and they get better each time. We work for proficiency first and then as we get going, we try to get to mastery. So proficiency first, which is kind of where they’re at, and now we’re just adding details as we go.”
(How much have they busted? Do they seem to get it? They seem like smart guys.) – “Yes. They have an occasional rookie bust like everybody else but for the most part, they’ve been on it with assignments. They study really hard and they’re working together to try to learn all of the plays. They’re doing a good job.”
(Especially from film, how would you describe TE Durham Smythe’s blocking style?) – “He’s a physical guy. He’s going to hit you. It’s the same stuff we saw at Notre Dame. He’s a real physical tight end and he’s got a good blocking style.”
(As you guys studied TE Durham Smythe – you and the guys in the scouting department – studied him as receiver, do you see upside there? What now is he able to do well as a receiver?) – “Yes. I think everything that we saw on the tape … He didn’t get targeted a lot at Notre Dame; but we saw the hands on tape. Everybody saw that and we felt like in our offense and with our situation, he’d have a chance to be a very productive player. He’s working to do everything that we ask and everything that we thought he’d do.”
(Do you ever get confused and think that TE Durham Smythe was TE Anthony Fasano in there? That’s his hero, you know.) – “I know, right? (laughter) We had a lot of conversations at the Combine about Fasano, actually. We actually Facetimed Fasano when we were in the train station and got him involved. Yes, it’s really good to have a role model like Fasano. It’s been a lot of fun.”
(Was TE Anthony Fasano consulted specifically on TE Durham Smythe or on several players?) – “No, (we were) just talking to him for a Notre Dame connection.”
(In terms of the tight end position, how have you seen it evolve in the last couple of years?) – “Well, I think in the NFL the tight end position hasn’t changed so much; but in college, they’re not asked to do a lot of blocking. They’re more slot-type receivers, 7-on-7 type of guys. So just getting them to learn how to play the NFL tight end position takes a little bit longer because they don’t have that skill set coming into the NFL. But I think we’re still asking those guys to do the same thing in the NFL as we always have.”
(With TE A.J. Derby, the things he does now really well and areas where there still has to be growth for him to become a regular NFL rotational tight end?) – “I think he’s just working on all of his skill set. I think he has a natural receiving skill set and he’s working on developing the blocking and pass-protection aspects. He’s moving in the right direction, for sure.”
(What stood out about TE Gavin Escobar when you all signed him?) – “He’s been a welcomed addition. He’s a veteran guy that has a lot of experience. He kind of fit right in and he’s working hard and doing a great job. He’s been a really welcomed addition.”
(What does TE Gavin Escobar do well?) – “He has that multiple skill set in that he can play all of the positions. He can be an in-line tight end or he can be a guy that you flex out. He kind of does all the things well, which is nice to have that kind of versatility.”
(One thing on TE Mike Gesicki’s blocking, specifically. At what point can you get a real feel as to how well equipped he is to be able to block? Is it not until July? Is it not until preseason games?) – “It’s not going to be until we get into pads. When we get into training camp and we get into pads, we’ll have a better feel for it; but he’s on the right track. He’s doing all of the right things, so we’ll know for sure then.”
(In this offense, and maybe it’s pretty much every offense, but when you have a guy at the tight end position with speed and athleticism, how can those attributes contribute to the production at the position?) – “Those things are key. That’s what we look for in tight ends. We want guys that can run and can catch and can make plays in the passing game. Then we can teach them how to block. That’s exactly what we’re looking for. Those guys can be productive in the passing game, score touchdowns and do all of those types of things.”
(How is QB Ryan Tannehill working closely … I know he works closely with everyone but especially the two rookie tight ends. What have you seen?) – “I don’t know that we’re really … We’re early on in the process, so they’re just working through that. Everybody is working to get a better feel for each other – the quarterbacks, tight ends, everybody is doing the same thing.”
Frank Gore – May 31, 2018
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Thursday, May 31, 2018
RB Frank Gore
(On his son being at practice today) – “Yes, I was happy to see him. As long as he keeps working and listening to me, he should be fine his next couple of years in high school.”
(Did you know today was going to be the day his team came to practice?) – “Yes, he told me. And also his coach told me.”
(Did you have a chance to talk to the team?) – “No. I talked to them at their spring game.”
(What did you say to them?) – “I just told them to keep working hard, believe in each other and you all can do whatever you want to do.”
(We had a chance to talk to your son and he said one of the coolest things to him … He’s gotten to see you play a lot but not the other way around.) – “Yes, I think two weeks ago was my first time seeing him play live since he was like five years old. I was surprised because when you hear people … When I was in San Francisco or when I was in Indianapolis, you hear coaches saying your son is good. Sometimes you think they’re just saying that because of you. Then I got a chance to really see him and he has a chance to do some great things this year.”
(What’s your scouting report on your son?) – “He has great vision. He can catch the ball. He can run routes. I just want him to continue to work hard and whatever he does this year, don’t let that get to his head and just stay grinding.”
(How much do you think carrying your name puts added weight on him?) – “He doesn’t think about it. I remember when he was in private school and I wanted him to get out because I didn’t like how they were favoring him because they knew what his name was, and he showed flashes as a freshman. So I transferred him to a public school in Coral Gables, around more talent, to see that you have to work hard. One of the reasons he didn’t want to go to Gables wasn’t because of the competition, it was because he wanted to stay because … Everything he does, it gets mentioned – my name. I told him if you’re doing great things, that’s a good thing. As long as he keeps working hard and has his grades, I think he has a chance.”
(Everybody on the team has roles and your role throughout your career has been the leading ball carrier – the guy that carries the rock. What do you see your role as? What do you want your role to be here?) – “Whatever my teammates want me (to do) and whatever my coaches want me to do. We have a great young back in ‘K.D.’ (Kenyan Drake), who I think has special talent. He can run and catch the ball. I’m just going to come in here every day, especially during training camp, and just try to be me and compete. Whatever my coaches want me to do, I’ll do.”
(But as a competitor, it’s there, right?) – “What’s there?”
(The starting job.) – “We’ll see. Like I said, we have a young back who’s very talented. Like is said, I’m going to come in every day and we’re going to try to get each other better in that room. Whatever coach wants us to do, we’ll do.”
(Seeing your son play seems like a cool thing. How many cool things have you done since you’ve signed with the Dolphins? You had the UM Hall of Fame, keys to the city…) – “It was big. When I first signed, those first two weeks, some big things happened me. I’m just happy to be home and I get an opportunity to play in front of my family who didn’t get a chance to go to San Francisco or Indianapolis. Now they get a chance to see me with the Dolphins. And also my friends, my childhood friends, my high school friends and even my college fans. For me, to come out here, train my behind off getting ready for training camp and help with whatever my coaches want me to do and have fun.”
(How many of those things have you done? Can you list them? You got the key to Miami right?) – “Yes. The UM Hall of Fame and the key to the city. Watching my son play. I was nervous before the game like I’m about to play. (laughter) It was my first time seeing him live since he was five years old. To see what he did, I was really happy about that.”
(We asked you about the added pressure that comes with having your name, being a 16-year-old kid playing football. How important was it to you, for him to play the game?) – “That’s on him. I’m not going to push on him to do nothing. Whatever he wants to do, he’s going to do it; not because I played ball, he has to play ball. Me seeing him when he was a little kid playing outside with his bigger cousins, I knew he was going to play football. But if he doesn’t want to play, as long as he gets his grades and does something positive with his life, I’m okay with it.”
(How much does he train with you now?) – “This is going to be his first year training because when he was younger, I let him be a kid. Now he has a couple more years. Now it’s time to go. He’s going to be with me this whole summer.”
(Head Coach Adam Gase said that you won’t be out there every day and every drill during OTAs. He said that’s been your pattern for a few years. Why is that?) – “I haven’t done OTAs in seven years. My second year with (49ers Head Coach Jim) Harbaugh. Once he understood who I was and who some of the vets who were on our team were, and what we bring to the table, as long as we come in here, work out, do individuals and help the young guys, he knew that we were going to be ready for training camp. I think that kind of helped me with my career – not doing flag football.”
(Do more vets do that? Is that more of a skill position thing?) – “It depends. I just knew it worked for me and I know it worked for Justin Smith. Ever since then, I felt good with it. My coach knows. My coaches know how I feel about the game and when training camp comes, I’ll be ready.”
(It seems to me that a lot of veterans, maybe once you’re in your 30s … I know there’s a need to be out there but…) – “I think my seventh year I was, what? 28? I think (Jim Harbaugh) knew what I brought to the table. He knew I was going to work and get ready for training camp, and that I was going to be ready for the season.”
(Do you think most guys that are 7, 8 or 10 years into the league need OTAs? Or do they just do it because?) – “I’m happy that I’m here listening to the plays and going in there just to be in the huddle with a different quarterback and different teammates. I think at times, you do (need it) because it’s new. The offense is new, so I hear it a little bit and when training camp comes, it won’t be so fresh for you.”
(Have you ever had any teammates in San Francisco or Indianapolis say, if Frank doesn’t do it, I don’t have to too?) – “No, because my teammates knew how hard I worked. They knew when Sundays came, I would play, and they respected it.”
(How many days a week do you train, not just OTAs but in the month before training camp?) – “The six weeks? I train … I don’t want to tell my secrets right now. (laughter) I’m still playing. I’ll let you know when I’m done. I’ll let the younger guys know what I did. I train … I’ve got a good regiment. I’ve got good stuff I do.”
(Since the last time we talked to you, I think you had a birthday. Is 35 like a wow for you?) – “I still feel good. I think about it sometimes. I think about how blessed I am to still be playing a game that I love since I was a kid. I always hear it every year: ‘When you turn this age, you can’t do it anymore.’ Especially with what it took me to get here, to play in this league, with the injuries that I had, and still to be blessed to play this game and have pretty good years, I think that’s a blessing.”
(You mentioned the fans. Since you’ve been back, have you had any interactions with Canes fans?) – “They’re happy that I’m home. Coming from Coral Gables and going to the University of Miami, it’s been good. Now I’ve got to make sure that I’m ready for the season and do some good things for the team.”
(When you train, does that … You’re used to the pressure but how does that motivate you?) – “I do. I do every day. Once I get started and get ready for training camp and the season, I think about that every time.”
(Was it your master plan to end your career here? Is that something that you ever gave any thought to before this offseason?) – “I remember when Bobby McCain, when he was in his rookie or second year, we trained together over the summer. I told him before the end, I’m going to be in the locker room with you. I remember when I signed, he said ‘Boy, you were right.’ I’m happy to be here. Now I just want to show everybody that I still can play.”
(The field in Indianapolis is turf right?) – “Yes.”
(Are you looking forward to playing on more grass?) – “I like grass. Turf is tough on your body and it’ll have you swollen. Playing on turf, I wouldn’t get my body back until that Friday. But when I’m playing on grass, I’m good after the game. I’m happy that I’m on grass.”
(Other athletes talk about other athletes. When you see LeBron James just finish his 15th season, led the league in minutes per game. In his 100th game the other day, he played in all 48 minutes. What do you see in a guy with what he’s doing and logging all of those minutes?) – “You can tell that he works hard and he loves the game. If you work hard and love the game … If you love the game and don’t work hard, he wouldn’t be playing. I think that’s the same with me, especially at my position getting hits. If I didn’t love it and I didn’t work hard, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
(I talked to WR Danny Amendola about the quarterbacks influence on the entire team, not just the offense. You’ve played with some good ones. How does a quarterback influence the whole team, the defense, the special teams?) – “The way he prepares, the way he stays up every day, how he mans the huddle and (the ability to) go out there and make plays. When things are going wrong, he has to be the one to stand up and say ‘We’re going to be alright. Let’s go play.”
(Who is the best at doing that, that you’ve played with?) – “I’d say the little bit of time I’ve played with Andrew Luck. The little bit of time being around him when he was healthy, he was special. He’s a special dude.”
(Have you stayed in touch with QB Colin Kaepernick?) – “I haven’t talked to Colin since I left San Francisco.”
(What do you think about what he’s been going through?) – “He believes in what he believes in. I feel that he should be on a team and that he can play. I feel like the quarterback position is probably the least talented position in the NFL. I think with me playing with Colin, I think that he should be in the NFL.”
(You trained a couple of seasons ago with RB Lamar Miller. What can you help RB Kenyan Drake with?) – “I’ve got to wait until I’m going and once we get in pads, to see the little things about what I do and what he does. Then I can tell; but so far, he can do everything. He can catch, run crazy routes like a receiver and he’s very fast. Once we get in pads and we’re competing and helping each other get better, then I can tell.”
Ben Johnson – May 31, 2018
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Thursday, May 31, 2018
Wide Receivers Coach Ben Johnson
(What you’ve seen from WR DeVante Parker, is there anything significantly different from past offseasons?) – “I know (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase has already mentioned his maturity level improving and I think that’s been evident from really the end of last season. I don’t know if there’s been many guys that’ve spent more time in the building than him, whether it’s getting his health right, in the training room, in the weight room, even watching film. To me, it’s been a different guy this offseason. He understands the urgency and how important this year is.”
(Is there any way that you guys teach him or work with him about playing through injuries?) – “Yes, no doubt. I think he turned the corner a little bit two years ago at Baltimore. That game he fought through … He was in a lot of pain that game and I think he understood, ‘Hey, that’s what it’s going to take to play in this league.’ It’s going to be game in and game out, but he has to perform. We’re going to get nicked up. That’s just the nature of the beast. For him, it’s just the understanding, ‘Hey, I’ve got to live with that and I still got to perform regardless.’”
(It really fell apart for him late last year. Not a lot of production, he lost a couple interceptions. What happened?) – “There were a lot of things that went on last year. I’ll be honest with you, we’re just looking forward. That chapter is past. We really didn’t watch a ton of cutups from last year. We’re pushing right ahead right now. We’re thinking about 2018 Dolphins right now.”
(But you had to examine some of those things to figure out how to move forward?) – “Yes, absolutely. We did as a coaching staff.”
(What was it that you want to drive forward with WR DeVante Parker?) – “With DeVante individually it’s just that whole understanding that, ‘I’ve got to fight through injuries.’ And the biggest thing for him is we were making these giant claims about him last year. For us right now, it’s one day at a time. It’s a one day at a time mentality. We’re just trying to improve from yesterday. That’s all it is. We’ll keep stacking good days on top of each other and that’s how we’re going to keep improving.”
(When you heard that WR Danny Amendola might be a possibility here, what was your first reaction?) – “I was fired up. You really can’t put enough value on what he brings from that whole mindset. I know you guys were here last week and you saw how he reacted to a few of those plays. In our minds, it’s not just practice, it’s not just through OTAs. It’s more than that, and that is a great example … We don’t want throwing helmets, no; but at the same time, that’s the passion, that’s what it takes for us to get to a championship level. If somebody is saying, ‘Hey, it’s just practice.’ No, no, no. I’m going to tell you, they’re not winning many championships like that. So, what he brought to the table last week, it’s already paying dividends for the rest of the guys.”
(Are there any limitations to what WR Danny Amendola can do at age 32 or do you see him as the same receiver as always?) – “Haven’t seen any difference right now. Nothing. Not a thing.”
(Has anything stuck out to you in the early time you’ve been with WR Albert Wilson?) – “When we looked at Albert on film, we were intrigued, obviously with the speed. We were intrigued with the run-after-catch ability. I think all of that has been there. It’s been impressive to me to see him come in, pick up this system and learn these fundamentals that he wasn’t really doing the same thing in Kansas City. He’s really done a nice job the past two weeks. It’s really triggered us to say he’s not limited in the slot, he’s not limited outside. He can line up in the backfield. He can do so many different things for us. His versatility is really, really showing up.”
(Regarding WR Kenny Stills, is he your best all-around receiver? I’m not asking if he’s the number 1, but I know WR Danny Amendola is here.) – “I think every one of those guys brings something a little bit different to the table. In regards to Kenny, he’s probably been our most explosive receiver over the past few years. He has certain strengths that the other guys don’t have, and the same thing, he’s got weaknesses that the other guys, it’s their strength. I think they play off and they complement each other really, really well.”
(How is WR Kenny Stills as an all-around receiver, all three levels and everything like that?) – “We’re addressing some of the things that he needs to work on. Obviously, I already talked about the explosive production is there; but at the same time, we addressed and we’ve already watched enough film on him from the past few years, that we know where he needs to improve. He knows where he needs to improve, and that’s a focus on him every day at practice is those areas, special highlights there.”
(WR Jakeem Grant, we saw some really good games from him last year. Anything you guys can extrapolate from those last few games that could be more a long-term, more permanent part?) – “I think he ended up having … We had some nice packages for him at the end of last year and it certainly helped us out offensively to get the ball moving and explosive plays. He’s the same guy. He’s just trying to get better every single day right now. I think we’ll continue to include him going into next season as well.”
