Kenny Stills – May 31, 2018
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Thursday, May 31, 2018
WR Kenny Stills
(We’ve got to ask … You, WR Jakeem Grant and WR Albert Wilson – who wins in a race?) – “We keep seeing that. You guys (should) ask the head coach because we have these little things that are on our shoulder pads that track the speed for practice. You guys have to ask coach about that.”
(Will we ever see a race?) – “I don’t know; but like I said, we have the trackers on at practice. So we know and the coaches know.”
(So you are saying who practices the fastest is technically the fastest man?) – “Well, I mean they get top speed at practice.”
(How have those results been?) – “I think Malcolm Lewis has the top speed right now out of the receivers. Obviously we don’t all run the same routes. We don’t all get to go downfield. And a race is different too; but it’s all good fun. We’re all on the same team. We know we have a lot of speed and hopefully that puts some fear into some of the defenses we’ll play.”
(How would you assess this receiving corps? A couple of new guys in WR Albert Wilson and WR Danny Amendola. It’s early obviously.) – “Our group has a chance to be special. We come in and work hard. Guys are having a good time. We’re having fun. They’re dedicating themselves to learning the playbook. It’s the offseason so you never really know. We hope that everybody can stay healthy and just continue to come with the right attitude and the right work ethic and then we’ll see what we put on the field.”
(How much of a fan are you of the no-huddle? Apparently you guys are going to run it a lot this year. Do you see all of the ingredients there to make it work here?) – “Yes. I love whatever coach is going to call. I trust and respect in his game plan and everything that the coaches do here, so if they want us to be on the ball then it’s up to us to make sure we get in good shape this offseason and get things going that way. Like I said, I trust in everything that he’s doing and we’ve got the players to go out there and make the plays.”
(Your thoughts on the league’s anthem policy?) – “I mean I feel like you guys know how I feel about the anthem policy. I just want to continue to focus on the work that I’m doing (and) the work that the rest of these guys are doing in our communities to try to make change. I really don’t want to get involved in some back and forth and more divisiveness than we already have going.”
(Did you have a chance to talk to Owner Stephen Ross before the vote or since?) – “I have not. I haven’t had any communication with Mr. Ross about it; but I understand his thoughts on it. We’ve talked plenty of times, obviously, throughout the last couple of years. I know where his stance is on it.”
(Do you have an opinion on the process by which that policy came to be?) – “As far as the voting and players not being involved?”
(Yes.) – “Yes. I mean a couple of the things that I’ve read, basically it just seems like we don’t really know. It’s not very clear what’s happening. So not really.”
(So have you decided personally what you’re going to do?) – “No. We have plenty of time. I think I’m going to continue, like I said, to do the work that I’ve been doing as far as being in the community and trying to lead and do things the right way and try to make change. When the time comes when I have to make a decision, then I’ll make a decision.”
(Do you feel silenced?) – “Do I feel silenced? No. I’m right here talking to you guys right now. Whenever I have a message to get out, I seem to find a way to get my message out. I think all of the people that know me and talk to me and work with me understand what I’m trying to do and what a lot of guys are trying to do. At some point, I think that’s what the policy is trying to do; but at the end of the day, we’re going to continue to get out, get the word done and try to make change like we have been.”
(On this topic, how would you feel about being a free agent right now?) – “(laughter) That’s a good question. Look at what’s happened to the guys that have protested that are free agents. That’s my answer to the question.”
(You said last year that you felt like the mission was being lost based on how people have hijacked what the protest was about and then you reversed course when President Trump came out and said what he said. Do you understand where the owners are coming from in terms of what’s being intended is not being achieved?) – “Yes. I do understand that the message has been changed; but I also understand that with the NFL being the most-watched sport in the United States and one of the most-watched sports in the world, they have an opportunity to kind of set the bar, set the standard to change the narrative and write the narrative however they want it to. I just feel like from the beginning, if the narrative would have been set one way and the league would have had our backs and really put the message out there the right way and tried to educate people on the work that we’re doing and why we’re doing it, we might be in a different place than we are right now.”
(How do you feel about the impact you’ve made beyond the protest? The other parts of this movement that some of the stuff you mentioned and some of the stuff we know you’ve been involved in locally the last couple of years.) – “Honestly, I always feel like I can do more; but this past offseason and this past season, it was a great feeling for me. It was an honor to be recognized and be put out there for Walter Payton Man of the Year. Then the work that I’ve been doing and the road-trip that I went on, I’m just really encouraged, honestly, by all of the work that I’ve seen other people doing across the country. It inspires me to continue to want to do more.”
(How many miles did you put on the VW Bus?) – “So I didn’t end up taking the bus. I took an R.V. with one of my buddies that we rented from a place around the corner from here. I don’t know how many miles it was but we hit a bunch of states here throughout the South and we were able to connect with a lot of young groups and grassroots organizations that are doing some amazing work.”
(Do you think you’re going to continue to do that going forward?) – “The road-trip? Yes, I would love to continue to do the road-trip and get other guys involved. It was kind of done on a last-minute thing this year. I put a message up on Instagram for guys that were interested in getting involved and I had some people hit me up. It would be cool to do something yearly where we get out there, get in an R.V., go out and do some mentoring, do some football camps and really just spread the love and let people know that we’re here for them and that it’s not just the protest that we’re involved in. We’re actually trying to get out there and make some change.”
(Any highlights of the trip?) – “Highlights of the trip … It’s hard to pick one but being able to go to the different museums and learn more about the civil rights movement, that’s probably the thing that I feel the most …”
(Can you name a few of the states you went to?) – “Yes. So we went from here to … We were in Atlanta. We were in South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana. I flew out to California to speak at a conference. I put it all up on my Twitter. Everything is on there.”
(You did the March to Selma right?) – “Yes.”
(What was that experience like for you?) – “Honestly, I’m a pretty emotional person. Just thinking going over the bridge and picturing and visualizing some of the pictures that I’ve actually seen, it just … Like I said, I’m an emotional person so I got there and it was almost like I was there. I continue to read up and freshen up on my history and learn more about the civil rights movement. It’s something that I’m just very appreciative of all of the people that have sacrificed their lives to try and make the world a better place and try to make this country a better place. I feel like that’s all I’m trying to do.”
(You’re still hopeful you have many years to go in this game but once your playing career is over, can you envision yourself doing some sort of work along what you just described in the community?) – “Yes. I think that’s exactly what I want to do. I had people jokingly talk to me about getting into politics but I don’t think that’s something I’d want to be involved in. But yes, just working with nonprofits, mentoring and trying to speak some positivity into young adults’ lives, it’s been great. The way that (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase is bringing in all of these high school teams … High school teams get to come to practice and I get to talk to them on the sideline and just let them know that there are adults in your lives and these coaches in your lives, these teachers, that are trying to lead you in the right direction. So I know you might not like what they’re telling you or you might not really agree with it, but these people have years on you. They have experience. They’re just trying to give you some of that wisdom and knowledge so you don’t make the same mistakes that they’ve made. When I get out there and talk to these kids most of the time, it’s about setting goals and surrounding yourself with the right people and making the right decisions. Sometimes people just need to hear that because you don’t have other people in your life trying to lead you in the right direction. That’s a long answer to your question; but yes, it’s something that I want to do. I feel like you have to get your hands dirty to really make some type of change.”
(You know an awful lot of people say “I’m not going to run. I’m not going to run.” And they wind up running.) – “(laughter) No, I don’t really think it’s for me. I feel like … I don’t really want to get into it but I don’t think it’s for me.”
(What do you think about … I’m not exactly sure how to phrase this but you’ve been celebrated for some of the things that you’ve done. The team has given you the community service award. Like you said, you were the nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. But you’re also like one of the faces of this thing that the league is trying to snuff out.) – “So what’s the question?”
(How do you reconcile that contradiction?) – “All I can do is continue to do the work that I’ve been doing. Like I said, the people here that work for the Miami Dolphins organization see and recognize the work that I’m doing, and know really who I am as a person. That’s all I can really stand and focus on. I understand that they put this policy in place and at the end of the day, it is what it is.”
(A football question for you … I was asking WR Danny Amendola and RB Frank Gore about quarterbacks and how their influence can run all throughout a team, even though they don’t play defense or special teams. You played with a probable Hall of Famer but in general, how does a quarterback’s influence filter all throughout the team? Is it just making plays or do you have to go pat guys on the defense on the helmet? How does a quarterback do that?) – “It differs by guy but I think Ryan (Tannehill) does a great job of not only relating to the guys on the offense – talking to the guys on the offense – but getting over and talking a little trash to the guys on defense. (He’s) not feeling like he’s uncomfortable to go over there and talk some trash and get things going if we need that spark in practice. It differs. It differs by quarterback.”
(You’ve been here with QB Ryan Tannehill for four years. What is the difference you’re seeing in him, if any?) – “Players are always going to grow and get better over time. He’s been the same guy since I’ve shown up here as far as work ethic, attitude and how he carries himself when he comes to work. But at the same time, I think he’s just getting more comfortable with who he is and the player that he is and knowing how hard he works and the fact that we all respect him. You see that. I think when he got hurt a couple of years ago, he was playing the best football that he’s ever played. We’re just hoping that we continue to work together so that we can get back to where he was and get back to where we were as a team.”
(Did it make you gain a greater appreciation for him, the year you spent without him?) – “I already appreciated him a bunch but … He’s our guy. You miss not having him out there. You miss the chemistry that we had. But we have him back now.”
(With the changes in the receiving corps, how excited are you at the possibility of getting more opportunities in the passing game?) – “Obviously I think any receiver would love the opportunity to get more balls but I think the more success we have as a team, the ball is spread around. With the guys we brought in and the guys that we already have, we all have to get out there and start making plays. That way the defense doesn’t know what we’re doing. I’m just excited for us to get out there, have our quarterback back, and get some of these new guys out there and start making plays.”
Jeremiah Washburn – May 31, 2018
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Thursday, May 31, 2018
Offensive Line Coach Jeremiah Washburn
(So you have one advantage in that your group already – obviously as Head Coach Adam Gase said it is in pencil, not in pen – but you have five guys to work with. Does that give you an advantage in terms of having the same first group and not rotating constantly guys in and out, in terms of building cohesiveness?) – “Yes. That’s the buzzword, right? With offensive line, it’s continuity. It does and we do feel like we have some depth, as well. Not just five (players) but we have a good group in terms of guys that we could roll in there; but yes, having that does help. Absolutely.”
(What went into your decision to come back here? Obviously I know you started here. How much does being here really help you in terms of an evaluation?) – “Well, I didn’t have a job when Coach (John) Fox was let go (in Chicago) (laughter). I’ll say this: I have a strong belief in (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase and (Executive Vice President of Football Operations) Mike (Tannenbaum) and (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and the vision that’s here. I missed it when I was gone, to be honest with you, and my family loves South Florida, so it was an easy sell. It was like the fastest transition in NFL history. We were fired on a Monday and three weeks later my kids are at school at Calvary Christian Academy. It was pretty easy to come back here.”
(How much does the evaluation, the fact that you’ve already been with some of these guys, help you?) – “A good deal. Yes, absolutely. Being with (Laremy) Tunsil as a rookie and (Ja’Wuan) and ‘Sitt’ (Josh Sitton) and Sam (Young) and Jake (Brendel) and Jesse (Davis) – yes, a lot. There was some familiarity already when we got here.”
(As you watch tape of T Laremy Tunsil from last year, what are the first couple of things that came to mind in terms of what he needs to do, what specifically?) – “Another buzzword, just consistency week to week. I watched him every week. He’s a guy that I loved working with. It was kind of my Friday afternoon joy-watching. He just kept getting better, so just keep trending the way that he did.”
(You’re obviously familiar with G Josh Sitton because you had been together in Chicago. What is it about him that you think he can bring?) – “He’s just a really good guard. He’s really productive in what he does. I was in Detroit for seven years so we watched him non-stop. He was kind of our guy in that room, as well, as just a guy that was really good in the zone game. He’s a natural pass blocker and he’s just a smart football player and a good guy to have in your room. All of those qualities made it pretty easy for us.”
(How would you describe G Josh Sitton’s on-field demeanor?) – “I don’t know. (laughter) He’s very competitive, a very competitive guy. In Chicago last year, we had a punt-pass-kick (contest) during Phase II of OTAs. It was his idea to have it and then I figured out why, because he just obliterated everybody else. He’s just a natural athlete. He’s very competitive but he’s got a really calm demeanor, which is great for an offensive lineman, particularly an interior lineman.”
(T Laremy Tunsil and T Ja’Wuan James would give him a run. Those two can throw it. Have you seen them throw it?) – “Yes. I have seen them throw it and I’m just going to tell you right now, I’ve got video evidence that they both lost to (Josh Sitton), so absolutely. They have to work on their field-goal kicking in the offseason. (laughter)”
(Just your thoughts on C Daniel Kilgore, what he brings and his skills.) – “The time spent on the job at center is such a big deal. He fits what we want to do at the center spot. I know (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) and (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and (Executive Vice President of Football Operations) Mike (Tannenbaum) have already talked about how he came to us, but guys like him fit what we do pretty well. At the center spot, we’ve had it before here, just a guy that’s a glue guy for the rest of the group is a big deal and he does that.”
Danny Amendola – May 31, 2018
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Thursday, May 31, 2018
WR Danny Amendola
(How would you describe the first few practices?) – “It’s going well. Working hard. Just trying to get better.”
(When we were out there one day, we saw you get really mad. How often does that happen and how is that a part of your process?) – “(I) just try to bring intensity to practice in every drill and practice at a high level. I feel like if you practice at a high level in OTAs, in camp, in the offseason and bring that to the season, it all correlates to how you play on the field on Sundays.”
(When did that start for you? When did you have that kind of day in, day out fire?) – “I’ve always been that kid, really.”
(I imagine you’re a fan of the no-huddle, hurry up offense. Tell us a little bit about what you think that brings to the table and if you see the personnel here that can run that effectively.) – “You’ve got to be in shape to do it. It really wears down the defense. It can trap the defensive players on the field if they get tired or they … (It) limits them to substitutions and stuff like that. It’s a huge weapon for us. We’re excited to get out there and work it.”
(So, expand on something you just said: How do offseason practices – stuff in May – translate to success in the fall?) – “Just the mentality you bring to the field every day. You want to create an atmosphere that’s conducive to winning and practice at a championship level. Whether that’s an individual drill to open up the practice, you want to be perfect. You want to practice with great fundamentals and continue to sharpen up and that’s what it’s about.”
(Have you seen some of the young guys looking at you, asking questions, trying to emulate what you’re doing right now?) – “Of course. I’ve known some of the young guys in this room for a while now. Kenny (Stills) and Jakeem (Grant), both Big 12 guys, guys that I’ve been watching play football for a long time. Whatever I can do to help – whether it be on the field, off the field – I’m always willing to help out my teammates.”
(To follow up on the no-huddle for a second, do you see in QB Ryan Tannehill the traits you need to see in a quarterback to run that effectively?) – “I think he’s a good quarterback. We’ve only been working together for a short time so I’m trying to get better. I’m trying to get on the same page as him, trying to listen to him, what he likes, what he wants and be there for him.”
(When you talk about no-huddle offense, what are some of the keys – two or three keys – whether it’s communication or knowledge to make that thing really hum?) – “It’s all reps, really, in practice. Just knowing the plays in and out, knowing what the defense is going to play defensively, what coverages they’re going to play, what coverages they’re going to disguise and what coverages they’re going to get to, and if they can do that on the run. It’s kind of like a fast break in transition, I guess, in basketball, if you will. And that’s it.”
(What’s your favorite route to run?) – “I like them all.”
(Is there one that you’re best at you think?) – “No. I like them all.”
(CB Bobby McCain said that you were his second most hated player in the league, which I think is a compliment. But he said now you’re not so bad, you’re okay. Did you guys have a beer summit? How did you guys…) – “(laughter) I have a lot of respect for Bobby. He’s a great player. He and I are cut from the same cloth. We’re some dogs out there. We like to compete. It brings the best out of both of us out there in practice. He’s getting me better. I’m competing my tail off against him and I know he’s a great player.”
(Did you hate CB Bobby McCain as well? Where is he on your list?) – “I have a lot of respect for Bobby.”
(Did you guys talk about it at all?) – “We’re teammates, so…”
(There was nothing like…) – “No. It’s nothing personal.”
(CB Bobby McCain didn’t send you a bill for his fine?) – “No.”
(Handshake, nothing?) – “No. We’re good. We’re good. We’re brothers.”
(You, WR Kenny Stills, WR DeVante Parker, WR Albert Wilson, WR Jakeem Grant – those five collectively can be what? Obviously, others as well who are competing – how good can that group be? What skills do you like about that group?) – “We have a lot to prove. We come out every day with a chip on our shoulder and try to get better. That’s the mentality that we bring to practice every day. That’s what we’re going to bring every day and try to improve every day. That’s what we’re going to focus on, not really listen to what our expectations are, but just get out there and practice hard one day at a time.”
(You have a reputation as a QB-friendly wide receiver. What defines a QB-friendly wide receiver?) – “That’s a good question. I don’t know. I try to get open on every play, be there for my teammates whether it’s a blocking play, whether I have a route or a hot read or whatever it is. (I) just try to do my job.”
(I’m wondering how much a quarterback can do for an entire team. I know he doesn’t play defense, he doesn’t play special teams, but you played with one of the best, a guy whose influence went all around. How does that work for one guy to be able to do that? I’m sure it’s not like LeBron James in basketball.) – “Your quarterback is a natural leader. He’s the one vocalizing the play calls on the field. There’s one quarterback. I feel like we have a great quarterback in Ryan (Tannehill) and he’s doing a great job.”
(WR Albert Wilson, RB Kenyan Drake and WR Jakeem Grant all clam to be the fastest dude on offense. Your thoughts?) – “They are fast. They are fast.”
(You actually ran a pretty good 40 in college.) – “That was a long time ago.”
(You’re not that far away from them.) – “I’m faster now than I was in college. I’ll put it that way.”
(So who are you putting your money on if they race?) – “Whoever crosses the line first. (laughter)”
(That’s a very political answer. You wouldn’t even take your Texas Tech brethren WR Jakeem Grant?) – “Jakeem (Grant) is fast dude. Yes, for sure. He can fly. We have a bunch of great athletes on this team. Let’s go. Let’s line it up.”
(It’s not New England. You can answer.) – “I’m not giving you all much. (laughter)”
(Is there some truth to the concept that there’s a difference between 40-yard dash Combine speed and game-day speed?) – “No question. Yes, absolutely. You’ve got to know how to play football. Football is not track. You see guys that necessarily aren’t the fastest guys on paper, but (are) good football players. That’s it”
(How much does adrenaline and competition have to do with that game day speed versus Combine speed?) – “Every guy is different. Preparation goes into your routes and knowing where to go and when to go on your steps and depending on the coverage and how smart you are and where to be at the right time. A lot goes into being a good football player and that can make up for lack of speed or track speed or whatever.”
Renaldo Hill – May 30, 2018
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Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Assistant Defensive Backs Coach Renaldo Hill
(What’s this journey been like for you, to get to the level where you are an assistant coach in the NFL?) – “I think the biggest thing is you come across so many people and they always talk about having a plan. When we’re done with football, we’re still going to be young. My thing is I always wanted to be connected to the game still. Regardless of where I went, everybody assumed I’d be a coach. At that point, I didn’t want to run from what people expected and what I probably expected myself was to be. I started getting closer to the coaches, sitting in staff meetings with those guys, just trying to pick their brain – whether it was offensively or defensively, just to try to stay close to the game and learn a little bit more, not even from my position as a player, but learn how to transition as a coach. I was already making those steps probably in Year 7, going into my later years of trying to figure out how to make that transition.”
(When did you first sit into a coach’s meeting?) – “I would always come up here on Tuesdays with Coach Bowles (Todd Bowles) when we were here back in (2008). He would give me a quick brief of the game plan and I’d go take it off on my own and then try to re-convene with him later just to try to see what he’s picked up and what I’ve picked up and see if I was on the right path. Maybe he had a few notes of what to identify and I’d just try to take it from there; but I was always up here on my off days, whether that was loading my computer on Mondays, so I’d already have my film ready for Tuesday. I was preparing myself just to make that transition.”
(What did it mean to have a former player as a coach when you were playing? Because for players, that’s what they say. “It’s great to have a former player because they know where we’ve been.”) –“Definitely. (Coaches who have played) understand and have been in those shoes. They know as far as coverage, where you need to be, what can you disguise a little bit and where you can get into trouble. Taking all of those things into account, it definitely helped me as a player. Those are just things I want to be able to pass along to these guys and let them know to continue to use the resources around them, which is the players they are around with. I talked to Reshad (Jones) today just about ‘How many other safeties do you communicate with, even in the offseason?’ Because we’re seeing a lot of the same things. They may have a different view of it; but it’s just giving you a different outlook. When you have that coach who has already been in those shoes, it definitely makes that transition a lot easier. I want him to continue to explore and grow. We always talk about there’s more meat on the bone and that’s just another way of getting with other people around you who know the game.”
Kiko Alonso – May 30, 2018
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Wednesday, May 30, 2018
LB Kiko Alonso
(What’s it like working with a rookie – LB Raekwon McMillan – that’s really not a rookie in the middle?) – “It’s great. It’s good to have ‘Kwon’ (Raekwon McMillan) back. It’s been good out there.”
(What does LB Raekwon McMillan add to this defense?) – “He’s a playmaker. He flies around. (He’s a) high-energy guy. I look forward to working with him.”
(The defensive line, obviously, without DT Ndamukong Suh, how do you figure they get better? Is this a numbers game or do two or three guys have to fill that void? How do you look at it?) – “We added some guys. Obviously, we’ve got the two rooks from last year (Davon Godchaux and Vincent Taylor) and Jordan (Phillips). We’ve got some guys in there that are going to make me and ‘Kwon’ (Raekwon McMillan) and the other linebacker’s job a lot easier.”
(After you’ve had some time away from the season now, how would you evaluate how the year went for you last year?) – “I’m not really worried about that right now. Right now I’m just focused on this year.”
(Why do you think this year will be better for you?) – “Why do you think it’ll be better?”
(Yes.) – “Because I’m working.”
(You had a little bit of interaction with some of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas football players. How much do you think they really enjoyed it? Going back to your high school days, to be able to meet a football player like yourself, an NFL player.) – “It looks like they were enjoying it a lot. I never got to opportunity to do something like that, but I know that it’s probably a great experience for them. We loved having them out there. I think it’s awesome having them out there.”
(What are your early thoughts about LB Jerome Baker?) – “My early thoughts? He’s athletic. He flies around and looks good.”
(LB Jerome Baker says he’s always heard people saying that he’s too small. Does he seem like he can handle that?) – “I think that nowadays it’s not really … Nowadays it’s all about, ‘Can you run?’ So, I really don’t think … You see what (the) linebacker position is nowadays. It’s getting smaller and smaller.”
(How much has it changed from when you started in the league in terms of the evolution of the position?) – “Even then it was still kind of like … But it’s still, like you said it’s … Even more now, it’s about running. Going back when I was back in the offseason talking to high school kids, you’ll see some big, big high school kids; but it doesn’t really matter how big you are. It’s just all about running.”
(Do you think now it’s more important for a linebacker to back-peddle as opposed to going and filling the gap?) – “No. I think you’ve got to be able to do everything. You’ve got to be able to fill the gap just as well as you can play coverage because if a team thinks you can’t play the run, then obviously they’re going to take advantage of that.”
(The coaches have said they’ve made it a point, particularly in the draft, to get faster on defense. Did lack of team speed hurt you guys a little bit last year and have you seen a faster group now?) – “It’s always good to have speed on defense, because obviously offenses are getting a lot more pass oriented. You gain a lot more threats coming out of the backfield at the tight end positon, so you’ve got to have a lot of speed to be able to match all the speed that the offense is bringing.”
(How much of a headache do you think your offense is going to be with a guy like WR Albert Wilson and RB Kenyan Drake coming out of the backfield, a guy like WR Danny Amendola, who’s so crafty? How much of a handful have they been so far?) – “They are a handful. Between those guys, DeVante (Parker) Kenny (Stills) and then you’ve got Ryan (Tannehill) that can run as well. It’s definitely going to be a handful as a defense. It’s going to make us, going up against them every day, better.”
(How about covering TE Mike Gesicki, the rookie tight end? You guys didn’t really have a body like that at tight end last year. What’s that been like so far?) – “He’s an athletic guy and a playmaker.”
(What is it going to be like now with LB Raekwon McMillan back, a little bit of the burden or making those calls are off your plate. Is that going to free you up to do other things?) – “No. At the end of the day, it’s good to have ‘Kwon’ (Raekwon McMillan) back. He’s a hell of a player. We’re just going to go out there and play some ball.”
(What do you want out of yourself this year? Do you have personal goals, anything that you want to shoot for?) – “I’m just trying to … Every time I go out there, I just give it everything I’ve got.”
(Is there any Pro Bowl, number of tackles, interceptions, anything like that, that you have?) – “I just want to give it everything I’ve got.”
(Has it been LB Stephone Anthony mostly with you and LB Raekwon McMillan in base? And what’s his biggest strength do you think?) – “Stephone is another guy that he can do it all. He can drop into coverage, play the run. (He’s a) high-energy guy. He’s another guy that (is) a playmaker.”
(It seemed like you guys got good push against the offensive line today on the defensive side, the defensive line. What have you liked about the defensive line unit so far?) – “They’re attacking. They’re attacking downhill. They’re holding on to those double teams, which is freeing up the linebackers.”
(I saw recently that you went back to Puerto Rico to contribute to the hurricane efforts. What is it like down there and is it getting better?) – “It’s getting a little better. It’s really just … There’s still a lot of people still without water and light and that’s since Maria, which was before Irma, right? Yes. So they haven’t had it since like September. It’s really a lot of people in the rural areas like up in the mountains and stuff; but they’re still working. It’s going to be a long process. It’s not anything that’s going to get done in the course of a couple weeks. Obviously, it’s coming up on a year here.”
(What can Americans do to improve the situation?) – “I think right now, water and light is important. A lot of people lost their houses. A lot of people don’t have roofs. If you fly over there, you can see it flying in. There’s a lot of blue tarps all … You see blue tarps everywhere. I think just supplies, food, water and light is important. At the same time, a lot of people lost their homes. They lost everything.”
(Do you think more needs to be done? Do you think it’s been slower than you would have expected in terms of recovery or about the same speed as you expected?) – “It’s hard to see. When you see people out there that haven’t had water and light for seven or eight months, yes you would like to see more get done. We’ve just got to keep doing all we can to help out.”
Davon Godchaux – May 30, 2018
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Wednesday, May 30, 2018
DT Davon Godchaux
(Do you feel like a vet coming into this OTAs?) – “No, sir. I’ve got to start all over and earn my way again. Back to square one.”
(How do you feel about the challenge of not only doing that but also with DT Ndamukong Suh leaving? That leaves a role that they expect you to take on.) – “Just an opportunity for each and everybody – me, Gabe (Wright), (Akeem) Spence, Jordan Phillips, Vincent Taylor. It’s an opportunity for everybody to get better. We have to accept that role and get better with it.”
(What’s your take on your new defensive line coach, Kris Kocurek? Quiet guy?) – “(laughter) No, not a quiet guy. I love him though. I love him. He’s going to push us to get better. He’s going to take us to reach our limits. As players, we want to stop at a certain peak and Coach Kris, he’s going to take us beyond that by pushing us each and every day.”
(How would you explain the difference between your first OTA last year and this one?) – “This one is intense. We have (Defensive Line) Coach Kris (Kocurek). He’s getting after us each and every day, whether that’s in the film room, on the field, running to the ball, drills, individuals. It’s very intense but we all love it, because we all know it’s going to get us better as a defensive line.”
(Give me an example of Defensive Line Coach Kris Kocurek’s intensity. We kind of see him out there getting excited, but is there anything you can tell us that he says or does?) – “Just effort. He’s big on effort and he’s big on attacking. Last year we weren’t attacking as much. He’s big on attacking. You want to get off the ball and attack scheme. We want to get out there and run after the ball. He wants us to make plays down the field too.”
(What is it going to take to take your game up to the next level?) – “Consistency, focus and film study each and every day. Going in there and learning from guys like, Robert Quinn, Cam Wake – older guys – Jordan Phillips, Akeem Spence and guys like that. Each and every day … Will Hayes. Going in there each and every day and learning from those guys, taking positive criticism.”
(Have you heard from DT Ndamukong Suh sense he left?) – “I talked to him actually when (that happened). I reached out to him and told him best of luck and things like that. He sent me a message, ‘If you keep working hard, the sky is the limit for you.’ I’ll try to stay in touch with him.”
(Was DT Ndamukong Suh surprised by the move?) – “I have no idea. That’s up to the coaches. I’m just here to do my part and do my job and play football for the Miami Dolphins.”
(What was the experience like, playing with DT Ndamukong Suh for a year?) – “It was fun. You see that guy each and every year at The Opening, teaching guys, high school guys. And you finally get to be on the same side with him and play with him and see how nasty he really is in a game and how physical he really is. It’s a major part for me. I’m glad I got to play with him.”
(Was DT Ndamukong Suh good to you?) – “Great guy.”
(Why do you come away with such a great impression of DT Ndamukong Suh as a teammate and being somewhat his understudy?) – “(He’s a) great mentor. I think after practice everybody saw me and Suh getting together and working on pass-rush moves, run fits, things he learned from (Defensive Line) Coach Kris (Kocurek) in Detroit and things he learned from ‘Coach T’ (former Defensive Line Coach Terrell Williams) last year here. (There’s) just a lot of things he taught me off the field, whether that’s eating right – I’m trying to eat right, but things like that – eating healthy meals and things like that.”
(DE Andre Branch said that there is more of a sense of urgency, he feels, in these OTAs. Why is that?) – “High energy. We rotate like eight to 10 guys. It’s like how Philly does it, how Jacksonville does it. We rotate eight to 10 guys and all of us can play at a high level. That’s why we feel so confident coming into the season.”
(It’s always a competition, but especially if you’re rotating guys, you don’t want to come out, do you?) – “I feel like when you look at teams like Philly and Jacksonville, it really didn’t matter who was in the game. All of those guys made plays, made major plays. It’s about the guys that (Defensive Line) Coach Kris (Kocurek) trusts in the game at that moment.”
(You had the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Hs kids here and we had a chance to speak to them. They said it was very therapeutic to come out here on the field after such a difficult year. What’s your take on that?) – “We were actually doing individual (drills) and (Defensive Line) Coach Kris (Kocurek) told us to go over there and give those guys a high five and wish them well and things like that after the tragedy happened at their school. We just wanted to go give those guys our prayers and condolences and tell those guys that we are with them.”
(What’s different about you this year? More serious, more informed, any of those things?) – “We expect to make a major leap – me, as myself, and as a player. You always want to set high standards for yourself, whether that’s personal goals for me. I’m not going to tell them, but there’s personal goals for me. I want to reach those goals. If I don’t reach them this year, then I’ll come back next year next year and try to reach those goals too. I think I set goals for myself and I want to reach those goals.”
(Were you tired at any point last year when you first started being a rookie? Now can you play more than you could last year?) – “Whoever is out there, we’re going to get after it. I trust, I truly believe in and trust (Defensive Line) Coach Kris (Kocurek), his scheme and what we’re going to do – attack the line of scrimmage. We’re really going to get after it. I trust that. I feel like as long as you trust that and as long as you have consistency, the sky is the limit in our defense, because we’re an attack defense.”
(What does it feel like to be one of the young players that they are pushing forward to be a future star, future leader of this team?) – “You have to take that into consideration. You have to take that and run with it. Each and every day, you have to come out and get better. Like I said, I want to restart my mindset each and every year. I don’t want to come in like last year and I’ve got the first six games and now I’m big time now. No, you don’t want to take that approach. That’s when you get complacent and guys pass you up each and every day. You want to have a new mindset each and every practice. It’s hard. It’s hard coming out there each and every day and try to reset your mindset and try to refocus and try to do the same thing over and over; but you have to do it in order to stay in this league.”
Tony Oden – May 30, 2018
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Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Defensive Backs Coach Tony Oden
(Do you like it here so far? Everything working out well?) – “I love it here so far.”
(How has the transition been for you?) – “It’s been good. The family is down here now, so that part is good. The guys are doing a good job getting me used to everything going on around here, so it has been good.”
(Your first impressions of S Minkah Fitzpatrick – the first eight days around him on the field?) – “He’s a rookie. That’s what it is. He’s a rookie. He’s doing a good job. He’s smart. He’s all of the things that we thought he would be. We’ve just got to bring him along, just like he’s a rookie, and give him what he can handle. We’re not going to slow his progress up one way or the other. We’re just going to take it day by day.”
(We were told a lot when you drafted S Minkah Fitzpatrick about him being very mature for his age. Even though you just said he’s a rookie, are there some things you see that make him look ready for this? That he looks pro ready?) – “Oh, yes.”
(As far as what?) – “I always start off with saying he’s a rookie. He’s definitely that; but you can tell he’s played in a lot of football games. He’s a very good communicator. He works hard. He wants extra study. So those things are kind of mature, or mature-r than most. He’s fallen in line with exactly what we thought he would be.”
(With the talent that you have back here in this group, you return a lot of starters and some guys who have started, such as CB Tony Lippett. What are your expectations for this group?) – “Compete and get better. Every day, all of these guys, we talk about every day is an interview. We can get better tomorrow or today, and keep the arrow pointing up. That’s on each person to keep working hard and let the chips fall where they may.”
(Can you expect this group to be a game-changing unit or a game-influencing unit? Could you describe it along those lines?) – “You want that to be the case. The things we talk about are if you line up behind people doesn’t mean we have to be behind them. We can lead them by our actions and it all starts in the meeting room, being accountable, knowing what we need to do on defense, communicating how we need to communicate, anticipating how we need to anticipate and if we do those things, everything else will fall in line.”
(What do you see of CB Cordrea Tankersley in his rookie year? And the mission for him as far as his specific area to improve, would be what?) – “Well, we all have areas to improve. I told those guys that about myself. I try to improve every day and be a better coach. We want to improve one percent every day and add that up. So specific things, I don’t want to get into specifics on what he needs to improve on; but there’s always a little bit of meat on the bones for improvement, whether it be eye discipline or anything. He’s improving. He knows it. He works hard. Anything I’ve ever asked him to do or any of the other guys to do so far, they’ve been right on it. I’ve got zero complaints about the group, about the effort or energy level they bring every day.”
(And how does CB Tony Lippett look coming back from injury, but a serious one for a cornerback?) – “Sure, it’s serious; but he’s been working hard. Our training staff has done a phenomenal job with him and just as equally, he’s done a phenomenal job. He’s in here every day. Even when I first got here, he was here every day. He’s done his part and the training staff is doing it’s part. I just have to do my part as a coach to get him in there and get him used to being in there. He’s on track to do good things.”
(How do you see that battle opposite CB Xavien Howard shaking out, because you have a bunch of guys amongst that crew that have a shot at it?) – “All of those guys, including ‘X’ (Xavien Howard), are trying to earn the right to come out here the next day and compete. I have no idea how it’s going to turn out; but I know it’s going to turn out with good competition and it’s going to turn out well. I’m excited about it.”
(What are some of the things that you can do because you have three safeties – such as S T.J. McDonald, S Reshad Jones and S Minkah Fitzpatrick – coverage-wise, looks or scheme? What are some of the things you can do?) – “You know just as well as I do that it could be a whole bunch of things or it could be not a lot at all. It just depends on how these guys gel together and how these guys react and respond when the bullets start flying. Right now, it’s all easy. Right now we’re just running around here in shorts and t-shirts and it’s all good. The sky could be the limit or we could be limited to that much [points to a small amount], but we’ll see. I think we’ve got the right group of guys, so I don’t anticipate being limited in a lot of things; but who knows. That’s why we practice and that’s why we play.”
(Why was taking this job appealing to you?) – “Palm trees and sunshine. (laughter) Besides that? That was number one. (laughter) No, I’m just joking. That’s not number one. (Defensive Line) Coach (Kris) Kocurek came down here, who I was with and coached with for four years up in Detroit. I know his style of coaching and I think we complement each other very well. I know (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase and his history coming up through the game. I like his offensive perspective and how he attacked us when we went against him in past years, so that part was exciting. I knew of (Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Matt) Burke. I know what kind of man and person he was based off of other people. When I look at the roster, this roster is close, and it was close. We don’t need to change a lot. We just want to enhance what’s already here, because those guys have won some games and have done some good things in the past. We just want to fine-tune a little bit, based on what we’ve done, and go from there.”
(Over several games, we saw elite play from CB Xavien Howard – the Denver game, the Monday Night Patriots game. Does that make you think its imminent to be like that all of the time? Not obviously two picks a game, but …) – “I like that – two picks a game. (laughter)”
(Is that too much to expect to be in an elite corner? Obviously you’re challenging him to be that. Is it in him to be that over a season?) – “We’ll see. He has the athletic ability to do it. We have to put him in a position to make those plays. Once he’s in position to make those plays, he has to do it. I don’t want to pigeonhole him one way or the other and say he has to be this or that. He just has to be the best ‘X’ he can be. Hopefully that’s good. I think he’s going to be a good one. We’ll see. I’m excited to see him play.”
(When you preface with S Minkah Fitzpatrick that he’s a rookie, what are the typical hurdles of the rookie learning curve at that position?) – “Just learning the speed of the game, learning how fast things are, how many moving parts that go on. (He can) learn that he doesn’t have to do everyone else’s job. He just has to do his job to the best of his ability. Those are the biggest things.”
(Your first impression of CB Jalen Davis?) – “I like him. He’s spirited. He has good transition. I don’t think it’s too big for him at all. I’m excited to see him go out there and compete.”
(We’ve seen obviously CB Bobby McCain mostly in the slot here, but we’ve seen him some in the boundary. Do you like what you see of him as a boundary corner?) – “Well we haven’t restricted him to boundary or field. All of these guys are going to have to play corner at some point. I look at all of these guys as corners, not necessarily pigeonholed as a nickel at all. I need him outside and I’m going to need him inside. If he’s in the game, it’s going to happen. If we don’t practice that, I can’t expect him to compete and excel at an elite level if we haven’t practiced it. So all of these guys will rotate through – right, left. There’s no boundary or field. Just go get it.”
(I know there’s no depth chart but any logical person would say S Reshad Jones is going to be a starter in your defensive backfield. Is there anyone else you would include in that group where you can say with confidence this guy should be starting for me in the opener?) – “No. I definitely can’t say that. We don’t have a depth chart; we have a rep chart. A rep chart is how are we getting reps for that day. We rotate through that thing and we have way more snaps to be taken before any of that stuff is decided, and that’s a good thing. We’ve got good guys out here that are working hard and doing everything we ask them to do. I couldn’t ask for a better group right now, to be honest.”
(Has anything stood out to you about S Minkah Fitzpatrick?) – “Just that he’s got good ball skills. He’s smart. He’s a competitor. He’s all of the things that we thought he would be. He’s still learning but he’s eager to learn. The game isn’t too big for him and I think he is what was reported and what we thought he would be. He’s just learning the info game.”
(With CB Tony Lippett, has he yet shown the skills needed to be an NFL cornerback after an Achilles injury or is it too early to know if he’s regained all of his skills needed after that injury?) – “I think he has a lot of skills; but everyone looks good. If I go out here right now, I might have skills until we get to a preseason game. (laughter) That’s when you find it out. But he’s doing exactly what he needs to do. I have zero complaints about where he’s come, where he’s going and how hard he’s working and all of those kinds of things. He’s an NFL corner. That’s what he is. He’s played NFL games.”
(CB Cornell Armstrong, just your initial thoughts on him?) – “Tough. He’s smart, learning and improving. I’m excited to work with him.”
Kris Kocurek – May 30, 2018
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Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Defensive Line Coach Kris Kocurek
(What are you general impressions of the group that you’ve got this year? What do you think of the talent you’ve been given?) – “So far, I like the talent; but the talent has got to work and that’s the thing these guys have been doing. Since Day 1, they’ve bought into the work ethic that we’re looking for as a coaching staff. They show up every day prepared. I’m just making sure that we get better one day at a time; but the talent is there. So we’ve just got to work hard to make sure we maximize our abilities and help the team win as much as we can.”
(Where did the emotion you coach with come from?) – “I’ve just always kind of been like that, starting at a young age. (When I) laced them up for middle school football, right when I hit the field, my heart started jumping out of my chest, I started sweating, got nervous and hit the field with my hair on fire. That’s kind of my approach and we’re going to go as hard as we can for as long as we can.”
(We’ve seen some different plans for DE Cameron Wake from, “He’s a starter and he’s the starter,” to “He’s a pass rusher and we bring him in on passing downs.” At 36 years old, what’s your plan for him this year?) – “Right now, we don’t really have any depth chart set, but all I know is that we’re looking for eight, nine or 10 guys, and in my history, we’re going to roll guys through games. We want to keep our guys fresh throughout four quarters and then we want to keep our guys fresh through 16 games. We’re going to wave them in and we’re going to hopefully develop eight to 10 guys to roll through games and try to keep snap counts down as much as we can and go as fast as we can for as hard as we can.”
(You’ve got a lot of young guys that got a lot of reps on that defensive line last year. Do you see it in the second-year guys?) – “Oh yes. As d-lineman, the jump from your first year to your second year as a defensive lineman in the NFL should be drastic, and then second to third year should be even bigger. Then they say by the time your third year hits around, you should be hitting your stride.”
(What have you emphasized with DE Robert Quinn as far as trying to get him back to some of those big years that he had a few years back?) – “Get on his aiming point, key the ball and go as fast as he can go as hard as he can go.”
(DT Davon Godchaux, he looks like a veteran. Even from the start he looked like a veteran. I know you didn’t see him last year, but…) – “I did see him last year. I saw him on film a lot last year and I like what I saw from him last year. We just need to take that next step with him. He’s doing a good job. (He’s) very serious about football, very serious about getting better and those things should lead to success on the field.”
(What’s your early assessment of DE Charles Harris based on obviously watching his film from last year and now being out here with him a little bit?) – “Very serious about his craft. (He) works extremely, extremely hard. It’s hard to outwork Charles. (He) wants to get better (and) strives to get better every single day.”
(What did you think of DE Charles Harris’ year last year?) – “Just from afar, good. As a rookie, it’s always hard. As a defensive end coming in as a rookie, I thought he played well. Now we need to take that next step.”
(How does the d-tackle group get better without DT Ndamukong Suh there?) – “Rotation. We plan on having four to five guys in there rolling. I know Ndamukong played a lot of snaps last year. We plan on waving guys through this year. Having depth at the position always helps. We’re going to rotate them through there and try to keep their snaps down as much as we possibly can and keep them playing as fast and as hard as we can go.”
(How many can you keep on the active game day roster? Four, five? Or have you thought that far?) – “We’ve kept anywhere between three to five in the past. Hopefully four at least. That way we can keep them fresh.”
(How significant was the acquisition of DT Akeem Spence and that being a guy you’re very familiar with?) – “Spence is a hard-working guy. Obviously, I put my name on him to bring him here (and) we got him here. He fits our style of play. He fits the culture we’re trying to build in our locker room. He fits in with the guys. He’s a team guy. He works really hard and he’s really quick-twitched to play the type of aggressive defense that we want to play.”
(The way it was relayed to us, the DE Robert Quinn thing kind of came out of nowhere, and I know you had been around for a couple months already before that happened. What was your reaction when you found out all of a sudden you guys were getting him?) – “Kind of the same reaction as (Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Matt) Burke. We kind of found out … He found out probably about two minutes before I found out. He came into my office and kind of the way he described it is he thought it was a joke to begin with. I kind of said the same thing when Coach Burke came in and said he wanted to watch Robert on film. I was like, ‘Come on now.’ And then (I) figured out we were possibly going to get him. Obviously, I got excited about it. He’s been a guy that going all the way back to North Carolina that I’ve had my eye on. I liked him coming out of the draft. Obviously, I’ve watched him throughout his NFL career. He fits our scheme, and we’re very fortunate to get him. As good a player as he is on the field, he’s as good a guy off the field.”
(Do you have a handle on what held DE Robert Quinn back the last couple years? The last couple years weren’t his better seasons.) – “I have no idea. I wasn’t in the building.”
(When you were watching his film though, was there anything you saw where you were like, “This is the thing we can correct?”) – “It’s just scheme. He was asked to do something differently than he had done in the past going from strictly a 4-3 type guy to being more of a stand-up outside linebacker type. It’s not an easy transition sometimes. It’s not like he played bad.”
(What are the areas that DE Charles Harris needs to apply that hard work to so he can make that jump from the first to the second year?) – “Just like all young players, just consistency down in and down out. In our scheme, we play an aggressive, attacking, fast style of defense, so just playing as fast as he can every single down. We can live with the mistakes when he’s playing fast. We want to take the guesswork out of things and get him going fast as he can go, and that should lead to production.”
(Do you ever lose your voice on the practice field? Do you ever get too excited?) – “Especially early on, your voice you’ve got to train it a little bit. Right when we first started, I get a little hoarse; but then as the season and OTAs progress, it gets game ready.”
(DT Jordan Phillips said to us the other day that you’re going to help change the culture in the defensive line room. What does he mean? How do you react to that?) – “I really don’t even know what the definition of culture is. All I know is we’re going to show up every day, we’re going to put our hand on the door and we’re going to walk in and we’re going to try to get better that day. We’re going to work as hard as we possibly can to make sure that we improve, to get our defensive line playing the way our coaching staff envisions our front playing – fast, physical, aggressive and with extreme effort.”
(Have you talked to DT Jordan Phillips about maybe needing more from him with DT Ndamukong Suh no longer here?) – “I talked to all of them about needing more, not just Jordan. We want to maximize our production from every single positon on the front, so not just Jordan. We’re asking all of our guys to give us everything they’ve got every single day they’re here. We’re all working collectively, not just Jordan.”
(DT Jordan Phillips at his best is obviously very good. Do you see still enough youth there where you think, “Maybe we can see a more consist player?”) – “I think we’re going to get more consistency from top to bottom. That’s what we’re striving for each day we come out here. Jordan, I’ll just say this: Jordan has showed up this offseason with a very good attitude. He’s striving to get better every single day. He’s working extremely hard and it’s important to him. I would anticipate him getting better along with the whole group. We show up every day to get a little bit better. That’s what we’re trying to do as a collective group, to help our team win and to help make sure we positively influence the game and help us win games.”
(There were a lot of big names on this defensive line last year, and at the end of the year, all of them said, “We don’t know why it didn’t translate to something better.” Having watched it on tape, can you pinpoint things that you need to change so it does translate to something better?) – “Show up and get this much better as a group every single day [signals a small amount]. I don’t care really about big names, small names, big-school guys, small-school guys. We’re here to work and to get better. Hard work is going to equal success. I’ve always believed in that. We’re trying to be the hardest-working group on the field and go at it as hard as we can every day, and try to get a little better every single day.”
(So far so good?) – “So far so good.”
