A.J. Derby – June 11, 2018
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Monday, June 11, 2018
TE A.J. Derby
(Being a full-time NFL starter, there’s certainly an opportunity for all of the tight ends competing here to seize that job. Would that be significant to you being an NFL starter?) – “Right now, we’re not really focused on that. We’re all just working trying to get better. We’ve got a good group of guys. We’re all working together. We’re all trying to push each other every day to get better.”
(What is it that you did last year that allowed you in two weeks to go from a guy that just got claimed to a guy that was on the field?) – “It was interesting. Last year I wasn’t really expecting to get released or anything like that; but it happened and I came here and worked my butt off. I just studied. My wife didn’t come down here with our daughter. I told her, ‘Stay away. I’m just working.’ So there was no point in her coming down.”
(So it was just study? Because they talk about how fast you learned the playbook. What was it? Was it similar to what you did in Denver or similar to what you did in New England?) – “It was a lot of combination of all of that together. This will be my fourth offense in three years that I had to learn. Playing quarterback, I picked up stuff pretty quickly. I look at things differently than most guys on the team and I was just learning quickly.”
(You mentioned the fourth offense in three years. How do you feel about … To what extent are you settled right now in this offense compared to where you’ve been in the past?) – “I feel really good about where I’m at. I felt really good about every playbook I played with. That’s one of the things you can control is how well you know the offense and that’s something I take pride in. I feel really good about where I am with the offense and I’m just going to keep working to get better.”
(When you tell the wife and child to stay at home, I guess some guys can see that as relaxing. ‘I’m getting away from the game, I can be with the wife and child,’ but was it tunnel vision for you?) – “Yes. At that point when I’m coming to a new team that late in the season, there wasn’t really time to relax. I was trying to get on the field and help this team win. If you’re in the NFL, you’re either playing or you’re not really going to be on a roster, so I was doing what I could to play. My wife and my daughter, they were … My daughter is really young, so it wasn’t going to be easy for her. (I) needed to get as much sleep as I needed.”
(Head Coach Adam Gase, when he would talk about you, he would use the term quarterback-friendly. What does that mean to you, a quarterback-friendly tight end?) – “I think that has to go back to just knowing the position and looking at it from a different way. I try to look at what quarterbacks see and try to be where they want me. I try to be in their position because it’s a hard position to play, quarterback. You’ve just got to do everything you can to help them out and be where they want you.”
(Had QB Ryan Tannehill and you worked together at all before these last four weeks? Did you do anything February or March?) – “Yes. As soon as he started throwing, I was here. I stayed up in Jupiter this offseason, so I drove down any time Ryan wanted to throw, so I was here.”
(Where are you and QB Ryan Tannehill right now in terms of establishing good on-field chemistry?) – “Like I said, everyone’s here working. We’re all trying to get familiar with each other. That’s what this time of year is for is to get that connection, to get going, and then hopefully by the season, everyone will be clicking.”
(How many times would you say you and QB Ryan Tannehill got together to throw?) – “I didn’t count them. Whenever he called, I was there, so I don’t know.”
(Was it five or 20?) – “I can go look at my phone and tell you; but I don’t know. (laughter) It was a lot.”
(How have you enjoyed … What’s it been like competing against the two rookies?) – “Those guys have been great. As rookies, all you can ask out of rookies is that they want to come in and work and learn, and those two guys do. They’re here every day. They’re trying to be the first ones in the building, so that’s awesome. They want to learn, so they’re asking the right questions and they’re doing the right things.”
(What kind of difference does it make being here from the start, from the OTAs, as opposed to last year when you came in late in the season?) – “It’s big. Last year I was learning week by week the plays that were installed. It wasn’t just like … I didn’t get the full style of camp and now I get to learn the ins and the outs of the offense, so that’s awesome.”
(Did you say your family is here now?) – “Yes, we’re here now. They’re here now.”
(What’s that like having everybody?) – “That’s what it normally is. I’m used to it; but it was just midseason (with the trade) was a tough transition, so I just tried to have the least amount of distractions as possible.”
(You’ve been to so many organizations now. What is it that you think hasn’t allowed you to stick in one place?) – “I’m not sure about that. I guess you’d have to ask the GMs of the other teams; but I’m happy to be here right now and I feel good here.”
(Obviously, health was a reason with you not being in Denver last season, not continuing on there. Is there anything though as you’ve looked at your game where you’ve said, “I have to get better at this,’ that you’re willing to share with us?) – “I work on everything in my game. I want to be as complete a tight end as possible. I think (Offensive Coordinator) Dowell (Loggains) said a couple days ago that I need to work on my blocking, so that’s what I’m really doing this offseason, working with (Tight Ends Coach) Shane (Day) and just trying to make that one of my strong points and just keep working on everything else, as well.”
(After being in the league for a little bit, the draft, do you take that personally or is that the business side of the team? How do you take that?) – “I don’t really pay attention to the draft. They have their own reasons for everything they’re doing. I don’t really look at that. You can’t get caught up with a rookie. You shouldn’t be looking behind you; you should just be looking forward. So I’m not worried about that. I’m just looking (forward), trying to be the best I can be.”
(Can you explain a little bit of what you got out of those throwing sessions with QB Ryan Tannehill? What did you figure out about him that can help you guys?) – “He’s very detail-oriented and that’s a great thing in a quarterback. He wants you exactly where he wants you and I was just trying to take exactly what he wanted and implement it to my game. So just certain routes, being in the right spot, looking at the right time, just trying to click on everything.”
(What’s the difference that you notice from the beginning when you started working on those to coming into OTAs? What do you notice that’s a little sharper or better between you and QB Ryan Tannehill?) – “It’s just the timing and just me being ready when he wants me to be ready, and like I said looking at the right time. On a little diagonal route, he likes me to look earlier, so that’s what we work on. It’s stuff like that, just small details and everything.”
(Do you find it at least a coincidence that you and TE MarQueis Gray are former quarterbacks?) – “Yes. It’s pretty crazy actually. He was at Minnesota when I was at Iowa, so it was weird, because I obviously wasn’t playing quarterback, but I was watching him play. Now to be on the same team is pretty cool. You never know. We could throw in some trick plays with me or ‘Q’ (MarQueis Gray). We can figure that one out. (laughter)”
(What do you think it is about you, as former quarterbacks, that make you guys tight end options?) – “I don’t know. It’s different. There are a couple guys that have done it. Blake Bell did it my year of the draft, too. I just think it’s being able to understand what the quarterback wants. Obviously, blocking is going to be the first thing that people think is going to be the hardest thing to go to; but at the end of the day, you’ve just got to learn the technique and just work. I think quarterbacks are always wanting to work.”
(Do you think it helps you guys learn the offense quicker?) – “I definitely think it does.”
(The tight end positon has become so dynamic. A lot of guys are great receivers at tight end. Can this group be dynamic? Do you see dynamic talent at the tight end spot here?) – “Yes, I think we do have a great room. I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people this year. We’re just ready to work. That’s all we can do right now is work. I’m not going to make any goals or any expectations or anything like that, but we’re all working, we’re all trying to get better and we’re excited about this year.”
(How much more athletic do you think that positon has become because of the mismatches?) – “We’re all working. We all try to be athletic and try to be mismatches, so we’re excited.”
(Who can really throw out of the ex-quarterbacks? You, TE MarQuesis Gray, WR Albert Wilson?) – “’Q’ (MarQueis Gray) is pretty good.”
(T Larmey Tunsil can throw, too. I know he’s not an ex-quarterback.) – “’Q’ (MarQueis Gray) can throw pretty good. He’s still hitting goalposts after practice and stuff like that. It’s impressive.”
(So he’s got you?) – “We’ll see. (laughter)”
(Have you tried the garbage can drill?) – “Not since college. No, I haven’t done that in a while.”
(What’s the value for you in terms of being here with Head Coach Adam Gase, a guy who obviously values your skills? Is there extra value for that? You would be happy to be on any team I’m sure.) – “Like you said, I’m happy to be here. Being with Coach Gase, it’s exciting. He’s done a lot of great things with tight ends in his past. That’s why as a room we’re really excited. That’s why we’re working so hard. We want to be there for the offense and make as many plays as we can.”
Stephone Anthony – June 11, 2018
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Monday, June 11, 2018
LB Stephone Anthony
(How big of a difference for you is it making for you the fact that you’re coming in from the very beginning this year as opposed to last year when you came in during September?) – “I think the biggest difference is the amount of time I have and the time I’ve spent trying to learn the system and getting myself comfortable with it. That’s the biggest difference, just the amount of time I’ve had.”
(What’s your mindset as far this offseason is concerned. This is your second team and you’re fighting for a starting spot here. What’s the big picture for you?) – “I think it’s the same every year. It’s my job to come in, put my best foot forward and try to be the best me every day. I’m just trying to get better get good with the guys, and keep this camaraderie going the right way.”
(Anything different about you this offseason? Any change in you physically or the way you’re approaching things?) – “No. I wouldn’t say there’s a big change physically. I’m weighing 235-240 (pounds), so maybe you could say my weight is down; but I think I’ve just been one step ahead.”
(Have you been with the first team throughout when you guys are in base?) – “I’ve been a little bit of everywhere. I’ve been with the first team, second team. It’s kind of all over the place right now.”
(Who else has gotten reps at your spot on first team when you’re not with the first group?) – “A number of guys. You can say (Terence) Garvin, ‘Bake’ (Jerome Baker). There are plenty of guys. There’s a bunch of guys that play the same position and right now, they just have us rotating.”
(Is starting a goal for you? Being an NFL starter again, as you were early in your career.) – “I think so. I think that should be one of my first goals. Before I can do anything else, I have to become a starter and put my best foot forward.”
(You’ve got some familiarity with the system now. You know there’s a need at your position. Is this the best opportunity that you’ve had here, or did you have a better opportunity last year, do you think?) – “I think that whenever that opportunity comes, whatever opportunity is presented to me, it’s my job to take advantage of it. Whatever it is, whether the coach needs me to play 100 plays or 15 plays, my job is to get it done.”
(Not to dwell on this or stay stuck in the past, but is there a point you can look at where you feel like things went a little off track for you, that you learned something that you can correct now?) – “I think it’s just growth, honestly. I think it’s just being in the league, going into my fourth year, understanding the game, how this game is played from the college game and just hounding in and packing that information in.”
(Do you get more of the business side of the league now?) – “I think that’s something we need to learn when we first get into the league. The business side really hits you in the face once you get traded or you get cut or something like that. I guess I could say you get the business side full force once that happens.”
(What would you say to all of the rookies? You’ve kind of got one of those careers where you’ve been put through the grinder, or you started through the grinder. What do you say to rookies?) – “I think the best thing you can teach a rookie, or tell a rookie is that his job is to come in and learn as much as he can as fast as he can. I think that’s going to help them tremendously as far as getting on the field or just getting on the field some. You’ve got to learn the information and you’ve got to learn what to do.”
(I’m doing something on first-round picks and how you deal with that being a first-round pick. What’s different when you come in as a first-round pick?) – “What’s that three years ago now? I just treat it as a thing of the past. Once you get into camp and you have your first camp under your belt, we are all equal. Everybody is big and everybody can run.”
(Did you find that there was more attention to you from outside forces, whether it’s media or coaches? Did you put more pressure on yourself because you were a first-round pick?) – “I wouldn’t say so. I think my pride and because of who I am, that was enough for me.”
(How much more of an impact do you think you can make on defense because you’ll have more familiarity and more knowledge of the defense?) – “I guess time with tell. Like I said, when the opportunity and the plays present itself, I’ve got to make them. I’ll have a chance to make some plays and it’s my job to make them.”
(When you left the Saints, what was you thinking – I don’t know if you talked to Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke about this or not – where can you get better as a player? What areas and have you gotten better in those areas?) – “I think it’s the same tune every year. You want to be in shape. You want to get a little bit bigger. You want to stay in tune with your reflexes and getting off the spot. It’s all of the little things as a linebacker – your first step, your reads. Just going through that daily and getting that information down, that should be an everyday checklist for a linebacker.”
(Are you fully settled here now?) – “Yes.”
(How much of last season did you live in a hotel or how unsettled were you?) – “What were we looking at – Week 3 or Week 4 (I was traded)? I was probably in a hotel for about three or four weeks and then finally got settled after that somewhere, towards the end of the season. It just came together for me.”
(Is it easier now?) – “Of course, yes. I know where home is, I know where the bathroom is around the corner. (laughter) It’s a lot better.”
(Have you been here all offseason so far?) – “Yes.”
(Your plans for the upcoming month off?) – “I’m going to be back home. I’ve got a four-year-old that will be five in July. That’s where I’m going to be.”
(How do you describe your career to people who might know or be familiar with you?) “I’m not sure. It’s a business. It’s an NFL game. It comes with it. It’s never going to be pretty enough; it’s never going to be ugly enough. You kind of just go with it.”
(Was there a conversation you had with Executive Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum or General Manager Chris Grier after they made the decision on your fifth-year option in the last month? Have they told you what their thinking was?) – “I didn’t have any … I didn’t talk to anybody about that. Like I said, it was kind of what I expected. I needed more snaps and there’s a lot that goes into it; but, that’s not my job to worry about. My job is going to be to put my best foot forward.”
(When you look at your pass rushers – DE Cameron Wake, DE Robert Quinn, DE Andre Branch, DE Charles Harris – what do you think about them as a group?) – “(Opposing quarterbacks) better get the ball out. I’ll tell you that. They have a short amount of time. I think the first thing is (they are) fast, athletic strong guys. (They’re) a bunch of guys that can pass rush. We’re going to need those guys to be big for us this year and get after the quarterback.”
(Outside of WR Jarvis Landry not being here, what stands out to you about the offense, having to go against them three-plus weeks now?) – “I guess No. 17 – (Ryan) Tannehill. Him being back under center, this is really my first chance getting to see him. He can sling it.”
(What, if anything, is different Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke’s system this year and the way the defense is set up? What’s different about that, if anything, and what, if anything, is different about the culture in the locker room?) – “As far as system-wise, I think every year the coordinator finds tweaks on one or two things that we need to work on. I think I can’t pinpoint anything exactly as far as with the system. I know I’m more comfortable with it; but as far the system, every year there is something different. As far as the team, I think we’ve got a good group going. (We’ve got) guys that love each other and want to be around each other. We’ve got one goal and we are working towards that every day.”
(Having said that, what do you think is going to be the biggest difference to the eye to this defense as opposed to last season?) – “To the eye?”
(Like for the fans. What are they going to notice about this defense as opposed to last year?) – “I would say energy. I think this group is going to come with a lot more energy, a lot more to their step. A lot more of just guys having fun, being energetic, being happy about what they do.”
(A couple of guys have talked about that so far this summer. What was missing out on that last year? Why did the energy level take maybe a dip as the season went on?) – “That’s why it was last year. We tend not to worry about it. (laughter)”
(How devastating is it for you to walk in there and you don’t have K Cody Parkey sitting in the locker next to you? Would you describe it as crushing, are you distraught?) – “(laughter) Probably crushing. Cody’s a good kid and he was right next to me. Cody is going to be fine. He was a good kicker for us and he got the job done.”
(What’s your kid’s name?) – “Skylar Anthony.”
(Where is home for you?) – “Charlotte, North Carolina.”
Mike Gesicki – June 11, 2018
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Monday, June 11, 2018
TE Mike Gesicki
(QB Ryan Tannehill told us last week about a great one-handed catch you had down the sideline. Unfortunately it was a day that we weren’t allowed to watch practice. I was going to ask you how often you’ve been targeted in 11-on-11s and have you caught most all of the balls thrown to you? Do you have a ballpark idea of how much you’ve been thrown to?) – “Yes, I mean I’ve been out there, doing my job and all of that kind of stuff. When the ball comes my way, I try to make a play on it. That’s one of my strengths, at least that’s how I feel. When the ball comes my way, it’s my job to make the play whether it’s one-handed, two-handed, low, high or whatever it is.”
(How much time do you spend on one-handed catches?) – “I do practice them. Just getting the work and repetitions this way so when it does happen, it doesn’t take you by surprise; but when you go to make that one-handed catch, it’s not something that you plan in your mind. ‘Alright, I’m going to go with one hand on this one.’ It just kind of happens. It’s just natural that your hand just goes to the ball.”
(Are you one of those players that you want your quarterback to know when you’re covered, you’re open?) – “Absolutely. I think that, especially being a tight end and being a bigger guy and being a faster guy – more athletic – and all of that kind of stuff, I think that’s one of my attributes that I would like for my quarterbacks to know.”
(Just throw it and give you a shot?) – “Absolutely.”
(TE Durham Smythe said that the playbook is about twice what he had at Notre Dame. What’s the experience been like for you trying to get a handle on it?) – “It’s been a lot thrown at you at once, honestly. We’re in, I think, Install 10 now. It’s not like you are getting it the night before. You’re getting it 20 minutes once you come in, you look through it and then you go out there. There’s a lot going on. I think the good thing is being able to have these OTAs and this time period now, that way when training camp comes around, you get to go through it a second time. For me, this is different. This is a different system. This is more terminology. It’s a lot but it’s something that I’m excited about because now I have a challenge. It’s something that I’m really striving to master. When I get to that level where I can really play fast, play aggressive and play to my strengths, that’s what I’m excited about.”
(What kind of acclimation is the level of talent you are playing against? Have you found already that it’s a lot harder to do some of the things that you used to do when you’re playing against these linebackers and these safeties?) – “Obviously these guys are extremely talented. It’s definitely another level and another step up in terms of talent, athleticism, speed, strength and all of that kind of stuff; but I still feel pretty confident in my ability to use my attributes, my size, my speed and my ability to make plays. Honestly, it’s just getting the mental aspect of the game down right now. I think I’ve been here five or six weeks, something like that. I’m just excited for when I’m here five or six months. When I’m at that point and I have all of this stuff down, before you know it Ryan (Tannehill) calls a play, clap, line up and I’m set and I’m already looking at the defense rather than ‘Alright, I have this here and if I motion here,’ all of that kind of stuff.”
(What is it like to play like that when you’re thinking more than you’re used to?) – “I feel like it’s freshman year all over again type of thing. You get in and it’s a whole lot at once. I think that today, personally for me, it was a huge step forward. I think I did a really good job today of just focusing in the huddle and knowing, ‘I’m the F here. I’ve got this. I’m lined up here. I’ve got this route but if two come, I’m hot.’ That kind of stuff. I think that was kind of a credit … I had a lot of help this weekend. I got with Bryce Petty on Friday and was able to just go out and work with him for a little bit. He was mentoring me a little bit and it’s good. I think that shows the leadership and the guys that are in this organization.”
(Any big plays from you today as far as why today – outside of obviously feeling a better grasp mentally – were there any big plays from you today?) – “I had a couple of catches. Honestly, I’m not worried about the production on field right now. I’m not worried. ‘Man, I only had one catch yesterday. I didn’t score a touchdown today.’ Or anything like that because we’re sitting here and it’s June. We don’t have a game for another three months. What I’m most concerned about right now is just showing the coaches, showing the quarterbacks, the guys around me, my teammates and trying to earn their respect that this kid knows what he’s doing, he knows his job, he knows his role, his assignment and I want him on the field. I want him to make a play for us.”
(You don’t want to be that guy where the quarterback is grabbing him and telling him what to do?) – “Absolutely. There’s been times where I’ve been that guy. ‘What do I have here?’ That’s just natural. I’ve been here five or six weeks and just like all over the other rookies, (there’s) this acclimation period. Like I said, today, for me personally, I felt pretty confident out there. (I was) not really second-guessing myself, lining up quicker, being able to adjust to the defense and just playing fast.”
(Tell us a little bit about the whiteboard in your hotel room. We heard a little bit about that. Is that unusual? Does everybody or most guys have that? What are you getting out of that time?) – “I can’t speak for anybody else. I’m not sure. But (Tight Ends) Coach (Shane) Day is unbelievable when it comes to his teaching strategies and how he wants us to learn and all of that kind of stuff. That was something that he suggested. I grabbed the white board and me and Durham (Smythe) got in the hotel room – me and him are roommates – and he’s getting there, calling out a play, calling it out quick and you draw it up. We’re just trying to simulate the huddle and simulate knowing everything on the fly and not just your job, but knowing everybody’s job because I know for me, personally, I’ve got to know the Y, the F, the H, the X, the Z. I’ve got to be able to go anywhere and everywhere. There’s a lot to know. There’s a lot to learn, but I think that’s a very helpful strategy that me and him have been doing.”
(So you guys are calling out plays and quizzing each other?) – “Yes.”
(So he has his turn on the board and you have your turn on the board?) – “Yes.”
(And you have to tell both assignments for the F and the Y?) – “The F, the Y, Z, H, X, everybody. You draw up the whole play and sometimes the Y is in on protections, sometimes the F is out and it’s all … Everything is all over the place.”
(So did you borrow the board from here or you went out and bought your own whiteboard?) – “We had a board in the tight ends room and I said, ‘Hey coach, can I have it?’ And he said, ‘I’m not using it.’ So I grabbed it and brought it home.”
(Are you spending a little time doing that most weeknights?) – “Yes.”
(So it’s like a thing after dinner or something?) – “When we get back to the hotel. Honestly, I’ll stay here late just because I don’t want to go back to the hotel anyways. You’re just locked up in a hotel room. So I’ll stay here and just do whatever extra work to, honestly, just kill time to stay out of that hotel and just continue to get better.”
(Don’t punch the whiteboard?) – “(laughter) Yes.”
(So you guys didn’t watch the NBA Finals or anything?) – “We did. We did watch the Finals. That was like, ‘Oh, yes. There’s a basketball game tonight. We have something to do. We can watch some basketball.’ That was good. That’s why I was hoping that they pushed it up a little bit and went into five, six or seven (games) or something like that.”
(I asked TE Durham Smythe this question and I’ll ask you. In your case, you played in from of 100,000 crazy fans every home game on Saturday. This stage won’t be too big to you.) – “No.”
(Is that an advantage?) – “No. I don’t think it’s an advantage. I think you’re playing and I’m lining up next to Danny Amendola. It’s not too big for him. He’s been in the Super Bowl. Your opponents … You’re playing teams that have been in Super Bowls before. You’re playing teams that go to the playoffs. Maybe for other rookies that are coming from smaller schools in terms of acclimation, but once you get here and that ball is snapped that first play, it doesn’t matter how many people are in the stands because you’ve just got to do your job.”
(There was a video on social media of QB Ryan Tannehill kind of teaching you a way he wanted you to run a route. How valuable is that for him to do that?) – “It’s awesome. He’s a really great mentor (and) a great leader. Especially for me being on the offensive side of the ball, I get to see his attributes as a leader. He’s vocal. He’s doing all of the right things. For him to take that time and help me out, and that’s not the only occasion he’s done that. He’s done it several times. Sometimes if we’re doing some RVA (routes versus air) stuff, he’ll get up there and make sure that he’s throwing with me. He’s done a really good job helping me and I think that just shows the teammate and the person that he is.”
(Does it surprise you at all that QB Ryan Tannehill did that?) – “No. It doesn’t surprise me at all. I’ve heard great things about him. I met him here on my 30-visit and had lunch with him that day and got to kind of know him a little bit. I think that’s just who he is.”
(How important is it to know exactly what the quarterback wants from you, especially the option route stuff?) – “It means everything. You’ve got to have 100 percent chemistry with him. He’s got to have all of the trust in the world that you’re going to be where you need to be and where he thinks you’re going to be at that exact time. I think building that chemistry and building that confidence, that’s a huge thing. For him to get back and know ‘I know I can go to Mike here because I know he’s going to get open. I know I can put it here and he’s going to make the play.’”
(So when you’re in the huddle and they call a play and you don’t exactly know what you’re supposed to do, who do you turn to?) – “Whoever is to my left and right. (laughter) Whoever is there to help.”
(It’s normal for veterans who have been in the system to take most of the first team reps as TE MarQueis Gray and TE A.J. Derby have done. Have you gotten any first team reps at all in 11-on-11s?) – “Yes. Everybody is kind of getting their shot and getting their opportunity. Right now we’ve got six tight ends in the room and everybody’s had their shot. Everybody has been in with the ones. I’ve been anywhere from ones to threes. Honestly, I could care less about a depth chart. I don’t care if there’s six tight ends and you’ve already got me at seven. It doesn’t bother me right now because I just want to be able to learn this playbook, learn what I have to do, play fast and play confident, because that’s when I’m at my best. When I get to that level, when I get to that stage in this acclimation period and in these OTAs and into training camp, that’s when I’m going to be lining up there with the ones and feeling really confident that ‘I can beat him here. I’m going to go make this play.’”
(Through this break that you’re going to have after next week, who is going to be whiteboard quizzing you? And what happens to the whiteboard?) – “That’s a great question. I’m not going to be able to bring it all the way from Florida to New Jersey, so I’ll just go out and get another one. I’m sure my dad will be at home just waiting for the opportunity to help me out and call some plays and see how much I know because I’ll get on the phone with him and tell him ‘Oh, man, this stuff is hard.’ So when I get home, he’ll give me the opportunity to continue to use the whiteboard, continue to get better and all of that kind of stuff.”
(It looked like you guys went to Top Golf instead of having your third day of minicamp practice.) – “We did.”
(How did you enjoy that and how cool was it to …) – “It was awesome. It was cool to have that … You’re going in and you’re expecting the third day of minicamp. The two days prior were pretty long and you get there on Thursday morning and I think they showed us a clip from Happy Gilmour. They said here’s a little motivation for you. (laughter) We went out, watched that and then went to Top Golf. It was cool. It was a great experience for all of us as a team to just kind of get that chemistry going. It was a fun experience.”
(What’s the chemistry like in the tight end room? Obviously you have some veterans in there and then there’s the rookies in there. Rookies are supposed to take the veterans job.) – “It’s really good. I’ve said this before talking with other people, you don’t get this sense that people are competing for the same job because if I have a question and I turn to A.J. (Derby) and ask him the question, he’s giving me the answer right away. He’s trying to help me out. Everybody is trying to help each other out to make the best out of our entire tight end room, which is really good. I think it’s making everybody else better. When everybody else is at their best competing and challenging each other, everybody is really helpful.”
(What are you going to do to unwind after we get through these next few days?) – “I’m not … There’s zero unwinding going on, I promise you that. My foot is on the gas from now until February.”
(Was there a point where the heat really got you, where you really saw how serious it is down here?) – “Yes. The scary part is (you say) ‘Oh, man. It’s hot,’ and (other people say) ‘it’s not even hot yet.’ It’s just like, ‘Alright, well.’”
(It gets much, much worse. What was it, 140 degrees on the field once?) – “That’s comforting. (laughter)”
(TE Durham Smythe said he sweated through like three pairs of gloves during practice. Do you have something where it surprised you?) – “Yes, today we were in the bubble and it was like awesome. (laughter) When you get into the bubble it’s just like the greatest thing in the world. When I go home and when I run, I might … Honestly, I’ve thought about running in sweats and a sweatshirt just trying to simulate that heat so when I get back, it’s not taking me by surprise. We do come back a week early as rookies and (get) acclimated more to the heat.”
(Do you want to play games in the bubble?) – “(laughter) No. I was at the stadium the other day and it’s really nice. I’m excited to play there.”
(Who’s the best golfer?) – “Not me. I couldn’t tell you but I’m damn sure it wasn’t me.”
Dowell Loggains – June 6, 2018
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Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Offensive Coordinator Dowell Loggains
(Of course playing time obviously is really important to guys, but starting is important to some veterans as well. They admit as much. You’re going to have a receiver – even on days you’re starting three receiver sets – you’re still going to have a receiver who is a worthy NFL starter not opening games. How do you make that decision if ultimately you say it’s an WR Albert Wilson/WR Danny Amendola decision as far as who opens games as a third receiver? Not to say it’s automatically those two, but what would lead to how that decision is made?) – “We’re so far away from that. I completely understand the question and it’s a great problem to have as a coach when we are deep at a position like we are there. Those guys are working really hard, competing. I’ve been really, really impressed with Albert Wilson and Danny Amendola. Their work ethic, they’re both very professional and very quarterback-friendly. The quarterbacks have a high trust level in both of them. The thing is we have … We’ll watch the tape, we’ll game plan, we’ll figure out who’s the best matchups that week. It could be we’re in 13 personnel to start the game or whatever, and both of those guys will get plenty of time.”
(With your tight ends, what have you seen from TE Mike Gesicki and TE Durham Smythe? At this point, obviously, it’s natural to see the veterans out there more with the first group. Is that a function of them knowing more or have Gesicki and Smythe maybe not done enough to this point to get more first team?) – “Number one, everything in this league is earned. You’ve got to earn it. You’ve got to go out there and do it. Coach Gase is a believer in working. You guys know him. He’s a grinder. He came up a unique, hard, long way and he believes that everyone should go that route. We’re expanding both their roles and figuring out what they do well. That’s a process in itself, especially when you get two new, young guys; but they’ve taken the stuff very quickly. They’re both really intelligent guys. They work at it. So, they’re coming along the way we want to. We’re just going to keep doing stuff with those guys, especially Mike. Mike is a little bit unique. Durham is a ‘Y’ and Mike G is more of a … We’ve got to find out exactly what he can and can’t do and what he can and can’t handle early. As the season goes and the offseason goes and training camp, his package will expand and his routes will expand as we found out what he can and can’t do.”
(I know a lot of this predates your arrival here, but for a while now we’ve been waiting to see WR DeVante Parker’s performance match his potential. What are you seeing out of him now that might give you confidence that he’s going to fulfill that potential?) – “He was a guy coming out that we graded very high, in Chicago. I thought he was a good football player there. I’ve been really impressed since I got here with his work ethic. The guy spent a ton of time here in the offseason. We have a really good support staff. We’re very fortunate that way. We obviously weren’t allowed to spend a lot of time with him as a coaching staff, but he was in the building grinding and doing the things he needed to do. I’ve seen a very professional guy that’s trying to get better every day. The thing to him from us (is) we keep reminding him, ‘Keep stacking good days. Keep stacking them up. We’ll count them at the end. Just keep improving each day.’ We try to give him stuff to work on and he’s done that to best that he could right now.”
(In your experience, how important is players mentoring other players and can they often impart wisdom that you can’t impart?) – “I think it’s part of every good football team. (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase and the coaching staff can only do so much and peer accountability is more important than anything. When it becomes their team, then we’ll be a good football team. Every good football team … I’ve been part of 13-3 teams and I’ve been part of 6-10 teams and the difference was the veterans on the team. They created a culture in the locker room and they held people to the standard and the accountability that needs to take place to win. Yesterday we didn’t have our best practice offensively. Credit to the defense. We just didn’t have the urgency that we needed to and missed a couple small things. It starts to create sloppiness. The message to all of those guys was, ‘(Daniel) Kilgore, (Danny) Amendola, (Ryan) Tannehill, (Josh) Sitton – all you guys that are pros, that are veterans – Frank Gore – we can say it as much as we want, but until it becomes your football team and you guys talk about it and you guys hold these young players to a standard, all we’re going to do is talk about it. We can’t go on the field and affect change like you guys can.’ And that’s why Coach Gase did what he did. He built the team he wanted to coach.”
(Has WR Jakeem Grant showed you that he’s done enough to earn a spot in the receiver rotation? I don’t know if it’s a three or four man rotation.) – “I don’t know that right now, but I do that Jakeem is a good football player. He shows up every day. He’s an explosive player and I don’t just say that because we see eye-to-eye literally. (laughter) I really have been impressed with the kid. He started flashing at the end of the season. We had a high grade on him coming out of Texas Tech. Coach (John) Fox really liked him as a returner coming out. Obviously (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase and (General Manager) Chris Grier and those guys drafted him before we could. Just the potential that he has as a playmaker, I think he has done a really good job continuing to grow that way. You keep expanding his route tree. He’s short in stature, but he does not think he’s short. He does not play short. He plays like a big person. His mindset is that and he’s had a really good camp so far.”
(What would you like to see more of from WR Jakeem Grant, whether it’s expertise on the outside or better in the slot or anything?) – “I think he has the ability to play a lot of spots. I think when you first see him, you’re going to label him a slot, because everyone sees that. He is a long-striding, explosive athlete. Very much the case of a guy like in Atlanta, Chicago and we had in Cleveland – Taylor Gabriel. He’s a long-striding, explosive player. So, he has the ability to play on the outside and be good there. He can change the game in one snap. We just need consistency. He needs reps and to keep working. He’s doing a really good job with every opportunity he’s been given so far.”
(RB Kalen Ballage looks fast. I know it’s not in pads, but fill me in a little on some obvious things you already know noticed and not some obvious things he’ll need to do to play on Sundays.) – “The obvious thing is what you guys see. When he walks through the door, you draw them up like that. He’s big, he’s good in protection, can catch the ball, can be a matchup issue in the passing game. But it’s kind of like what we talked about in the draft in that process. You want guys and you really like a guy that can play on all three downs. You don’t want to be limited by smaller stature guys that you’ve got to take out on third down or a guy that … (Kenyan) Drake is a guy that can play all three downs. I think Kalen fits that vision as well. He can catch the football. He can be a weapon out of the backfield; but he’s also big enough in pass pro. Where he needs to grow is the NFL game and nickel protections and learning that stuff, because that’s obviously the biggest transition in the NFL is going in there and you’ve got odd defenses and you’ve got spinners and floaters and trap blitzes and all of those things. He’s got to master that stuff. The more exposure that he gets, the better he’s going to get at it.”
(Were you surprised that RB Kalen Ballage last until the fourth round?) – “(General Manager) Chris Grier could answer that better than I can. I liked him and was really fired up when we drafted him.”
(Without listing the entire roster please, could you tell me is there a guy that you walked in and you thought, “This guy just does everything right. This is one of our guys?”) – “The new additions definitely. I’m trying to think. Ryan Tannehill. That’s an obvious. The new guys we brought in. The guy that I think has made the biggest improvement from Week 1 to Week 2 is Jesse Davis. He’s taken a huge jump. The first week he got beat on his hands a couple of times. He’s really drilled the right way, he’s practicing the right way. I’ve seen a jump in his performance to this point. I’m excited to get him in training camp and we put pads on and see what he does that way.”
(Obviously it’s so hard to judge offensive line play this time of year. With your tackles, any impressions of T Laremy Tunsil and T Ja’Wuan James and how they’ve looked initially?) – “Really athletic. Really athletic. It’s shown up, just their ability. They’re young kids, too. Both of them are young; but they have the ability to really move and they should be good in pass pro. The thing that’s really going to help them and Laremy is going to talk about this experience five years from now is going against Robert Quinn every day. You can’t put a value on that. You’re facing one of the best edge pass rushers in the game one on one for 30, 40 snaps a day and it’s going to make him better. It makes you go to practice with an intent and purpose, because if you don’t, then he will expose you.”
(In the practices we’ve seen, QB Bryce Petty has maybe been a little more consistent with accuracy than QB Brock Osweiler. Of course, we haven’t seen all of them. Overall, who do you think has been the most consistent among those two and QB Bryce Petty among your backups?) – “I don’t want to compare anyone right now. What Brock has is unbelievable command of the offense. He was in it. He got to learn from the best in the game – No. 18 (Peyton Manning) – and when you watch his huddle etiquette, his line of scrimmage procedure etiquette, he does an outstanding job there. Bryce is a guy that is extremely talented. He’s got talent. We’ve got to coach him hard and get that stuff out of him. He’s got some things in his footwork and those things. We’re working really hard to get consistent and create more accuracy for him. It’s something we talked to him about is there’s not enough time in the offseason anymore. The rules, they are what they are. It used to be in January we start working with these guys and February, and they just grind quarterbacks. It’s hard now. Every Monday when he’s off and every Friday when he’s off and on the weekends, he needs to keep working on his drops and the consistency in his footwork, because if he gets that part of it all right, he has enough talent in his upper body to play.”
(I meant QB David Fales. I misspoke. It’s hot outside. Fales is a little more consistent than Brock, as you probably suspected, as far as what I was asking?) – “Yes, sir. I understand. I’m trying to stay away from the comparisons with those two. David has been consistent. He’s played within the system. David is a guy that if you say, ‘Hey, this is a progression, but this is an alert. If you get it versus quarters, you can take it.’ He’s taking it. He’s going to be aggressive in the timing of plays. He did have the benefit of being here. The offense has been tweaked a little bit even since I was with (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) in Chicago in 2015 and when Fales was with us then. So he does have the advantage of being here last year and understanding those things. He’s playing at the highest level I have ever seen him play. It’s a credit to him, because he’s done a lot of stuff in the summer, in the offseason with the strength training stuff. He’s worked really hard to get stronger and be a more accurate passer with more power.”
(One more thing just on TE A.J. Derby, just the skillset. Obviously, he can catch the ball. Do you have any sense for him as a blocker from tape, from Denver last year?) – “Well, he’s an Arkansas guy number one, so I’m a little biased. (laughter) That’s one area he has to improve. The thing he has … As a former quarterback at Arkansas, he’s got football IQ. He’s got awareness in zones. He understands how coverages are going to play out. One thing that we definitely have to work with A.J. is his blocking and running off the football and doing those things at a higher level. In the passing game, he’s been good so far.”
Cordrea Tankersley – June 6, 2018
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Wednesday, June 6, 2018
CB Cordrea Tankersley
(What have they told you about the boundary corner job that you obviously started a lot in last year? Have they portrayed it to you as an open competition? What’s your feeling on how they portrayed it?) – “I feel like we all have an even competition. We have competition all over the field. I go out with the ones, I go out there with twos. I definitely feel like we are getting even reps.”
(What’s the next step for you in terms of your development as a player?) – “My next step is just to become one of the best corners in the league. I’m learning from the best. I’m still learning from the guys on this team. I’m also learning from guys I look up to, and just trying to perfect my craft.”
(What do you need to improve on, based on what you learned from last year?) – “Basically, just stepping up and being more aggressive. I feel like I need to be more aggressive. This is my second year, so I’ll definitely take what I learned last year and step it up a notch.”
(What are the things you learned last year?) – “The biggest thing is the speed of the game – adjusting to the speed of the game and try not to get star struck. Kind of stuff like that.”
(When you look at this defense right now, what sticks out to you about it?) – “I think we’ve got a lot of speed. I think we have a bunch of aggressive players – people who want to go out there and compete. I think that’s the difference between this year’s team and last year’s team. We have a lot of mature people, people who are willing to step up and compete.”
(You have to help us answer this running debate about who’s the fastest wide receiver since you have to cover them. Who is the most difficult to cover down the field?) – “Man, they all give you a little different taste; but I’d definitely have to say Jakeem. That man be rolling.”
(Did you, in the offseason getting ready for OTAs and minicamp, did you work with any other corners around the league to make your game better in the offseason?) – “I did a lot of stuff on my own. A lot of people like to do their own stuff, with people who they trust and stuff. So, I just go with the people I trust. Me and Jordan Lucas, we did some work and stuff together, but I mainly was doing stuff on my own.”
(Is there a veteran corner in the league outside of this team that you kind of lean on for advice? Or even a guy that is retired that you say is a guy you want to model your game after?) – “I haven’t talked to any other guys. I definitely just try to model my game after like ‘X’ (Xavien Howard). He’s proven he’s a lockdown corner, so I definitely try to model after him – someone I can see and compete against every day.”
(What have you seen from WR Jakeem Grant so far?) – “You can’t see him. (laughter) He’s definitely stronger than last year. He’s got that dog mentality. He’s definitely one of the guys that definitely wants to be here for a long time. So, you can definitely see the determination he puts in the offseason.”
(A comment from Head Coach Adam Gase that he told us in March, he said “We would love to see Cordrea come back with the mindset of that’s his spot and he’s not going anywhere, and really be aggressive as far as not letting anyone take that spot that he’s having.” Did he convey that to you in a conversation?) – “Oh, definitely. It’s a no-brainer. I kind of had the idea myself. ‘It’s my job to lose’ kind of ordeal. He definitely let me know that, and it’s just extra motivation.”
Jakeem Grant – June 6, 2018
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Wednesday, June 6, 2018
WR Jakeem Grant
(What does this year hold for you?) – “I don’t know. I’m just out there working and trying to get better each and every day. I’m just out there trying to compete. I’ve got Devante (Parker) in front of me right now and I’m just always competing against him and competing against every receiver out there, just showing everybody that I’m here this year and I’m ready to roll. That pushes everybody to be great. As a collective unit, that’s all we want to do is to be great.”
(When you see that they brought in a couple of guys obviously and a couple are coming back, how is this all going to work with so many talented receivers?) – “To tell you the truth, I have no idea. Whenever we did that, I was just happy actually, because I’m a guy that like to compete. When they brought in Albert (Wilson) and I saw him for the first time, I was like that’s a guy that’s almost the same height as me. So I’m like, ‘Okay, I’ve got to compete.’ That just added fuel to my fire, not just because those guys came in but because I want to get out there and show coach that I have the big-play ability and I am a receiver and not just a specialist. I was attacking the game just like that and just showing him each and every day that I’m a receiver and you can depend on me, just like you bring guys in and things like that. I love that Danny (Amendola) and Albert are here because they add more weapons to our offense and things like that. I’m going out there and competing against those guys just like I’m competing against Devante (Parker), (Leonte) Carroo, Rashawn (Scott), Isaiah (Ford) and such. I love that those guys are here. They bring a lot of energy and a lot of playmaking ability.”
(As far as WR Danny Amendola, have you learned from him? Thus far it’s early, but Xs and Os, technique or intensity?) – “Definitely. I would say the big thing is learning coverages from him. He knows the defense inside and out. I’m picking his brain every single time we’re in our offensive meeting because we’re sitting right next to each other. I’m like, ‘Danny, what coverage is that?’ Just understanding that, being on the outside looking at the coverages, you get a read on them and then know if you have to convert a route or not. Also, in the return game as well, just picking his brain. He’s been around the league for a long time and it’s good because we went to the same college. We already have that brotherhood right there. Having a veteran guy like that in the receiver room is great.”
(What do you think of a guy that throws his helmet at practice in May at practice?) – “(laughter) It’s all good. That’s showing that his love for the game is real. Him doing that, it shows that he wants to be nothing but great. He plays with a lot of attitude and swagger. You can’t ask for much more from him.”
(Where has your game grown since you’ve been in the NFL? CB Cordrea Tankersley just said that he thinks you’re the toughest deep cover. We’ve seen you play on the outside. We’ve seen your hands improve in the return game. Where do you think your biggest growth is going to come?) – “I’d say route running, hands, everything he said. I look to perfect everything. I feel like in previous years, I didn’t have it all down. Now that my head is all the way in the playbook, I feel a lot smoother and I feel a lot of confidence going into OTAs and into mini-camp. It feels great because now I don’t have to think about what I have on this play or what I have on this or that. Knowing what you have, that builds confidence. This is going into my third year. I’ve got to make the most of it. I’m just improving all the way around. Like you said, hands, route-running, being able to get in and out of breaks and just becoming a threat and being available so the coaches can rely on me to put me in the game, knowing I can make that big play.”
(CB Cordrea Tankersley talked about how strong you are. Can you talk about some of the offseason work that you did? You were doing a lot of work down in Lubbock.) – “Yes, I was doing a lot of work and a lot of explosive movements. Basically, I have to have an edge. Being a short guy, I have to be strong. Going in there and blocking safeties and all things like that, they’re coming downhill flying and I have to be able to hold my ground. I have to be strong with that and also getting off press releases and fighting hand-to-hand and being able to hold my landmark. I have to be a strong guy. I already have the weight and the size against me, so I have to be a strong guy. A lot of people always say, it’s only because you have three kids. That’s daddy strength. (laughter) If that goes with it, I’m cool with it. I always pride myself on being one of the strongest guys on the team, pound for pound one of the strongest guys on the team. I just pride myself on being strong.”
(Did the end of last year give you an edge and confidence that you can play in this league?) – “Definitely. Toward the end of the season, I started hitting the playbook really hard. Coach started giving me a chance and throwing me in there and I knew that I had to make a big play. I let them know that this is who I really am. I can make these plays and I can do this and I can do that. That built confidence in me. Once that happened, I just let it roll over into the offseason and just training and training and saying, ‘Why can’t you do that almost every play that you’re in?’ That’s been my mindset every time that I go out and train.”
(You’ve been around WR DeVante Parker. It’s your third year together now. You can talk a lot. He doesn’t talk so much. What can you tell us about his mindset going into this year?) – “(laughter) He doesn’t (talk) at all. I call him the monster. I feel like he turns it on. I feel like he’s a complete beast and I feel like he has to get out of his comfort zone and just go out there and be the beast that he is. I feel like he’s a very sharp route runner. (He has) great hands. Of course everybody says the injuries and stuff like that; but DeVante Parker is a beast. I’m telling you right now. If you throw any ball up there, any ball his way, he’s coming down with it. You can see previews of his big-play ability and I feel like this is going to be a great year for him. He’s attacking the game much stronger than he did last year. He’s up there running. He has one of the top speeds going into it. We have this little speed testing and his top speed is up there with the top. His approach this year is way different than it was last year.”
(Can you see WR DeVante Parker feeding on a lot of the doubts that have been around him the past couple of years?) – “I think he definitely wants to go out there and prove to people that he’s better than what people thinks he is. He’s not a guy that’s continually getting hurt. Mostly he’s just focused on his game and just perfecting his game and just wants to go out there and give it his best and give it his all. There’s no telling. He’s going to be great. Without doubt, he’s going to be one of the top receivers in this league. I feel that personally because I sit there and watch him day in and day out and his grind. I feel like he can go out there and do it all.”
(Can I get names, spelling and ages of your kids?) – “Jakeem Jr. is five. Kaley is 3. Kylie is 3. Those are twin girls. Those are my babies. That’s what keeps me going.”
(I know you said you embraced the signing of WR Danny Amendola and WR Albert Wilson; but that does give the team four receivers that have started a lot of NFL games. Did you wonder at all where you might fit in? Did you and Head Coach Adam Gase have any discussion about it or any reassurance that you’ll still be given a chance?) – “I never had a discussion with (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase about it. Typically when you get two guys to sign with a team, of course you’re going to wonder where you fit in. But that wasn’t my main focus. My main focus was, ‘Okay, they’re going to bring two guys in? It’s time to compete. It’s time to bring out every trick in the book and show these guys that I belong on the field.’”
(What’s the fastest miles per hour you even ran on the GPS thing?) – “I have no idea; but I always average every practice in the 20s. That’s my job. We always do it every single day, to see who’s the fastest and who had the fastest miles per hour in the receivers room. I’m always in the top three, so as long as I’m in the top three, I’m good.”
(Who’s the fastest person on the team?) – “Me, of course. Hands down. Neither one of them – not Albert (Wilson), Kenny (Stills), neither one of them. No.”
(What distance is this? The 40 and 100?) – “It doesn’t matter. You pick the race. It doesn’t matter.”
(Is there a race in the future?) – “Is there a race in the future? If you guys want a race, there could be a race.”
(For charity, it would be good.) – “Yes, for charity.”
(What race?) – “It doesn’t matter. As long as we’re not running a marathon, a 400 or anything like that, I’m good.”
(You would lose the marathon?) – “Yes, definitely.”
(You’re admitting that?) – “Yes, I’m admitting I’d lose the marathon because, I’ve got short legs. (laughter) My lower back starts to get tight. Yes, I’ll just worry about running 100 meters.”
(What was your initial reaction when they signed you Texas Tech buddy WR Danny Amendola? To get a chance to play with him.) – “My first initial response was I texted him. I was like, ‘Bro, you’ve got to be kidding me. You’re not going to be here in Miami with me.’ He was like ‘Yes, bro. I am.’ I was like ‘Man, that’s crazy.’ Because I never got to play with him. I’ve always watched him, watched film on him and everything like that. I watched him in the NFL. I’m like, ‘Man, I get to see this guy I’ve been looking up to since I’ve been in college come and play right along with me.’ It felt great. I get to pick his brain in the return game and as a receiver. I get to learn things from a veteran guy that I know. I was happy. I was truly happy because he was coming and we had that brotherhood. I met him plenty of times when he came to Lubbock. I was like, this is going to be awesome playing alongside of him. That was it. I was happy.”
(Your dance moves we saw out there. Can you give us a scouting report?) – “I was just loosening up out there. Dancing, doing everything, just having fun. I think that was the biggest thing that I wasn’t doing last year. I was on edge trying to show the coaches that I can do this and do that instead of trying to get out of my shell. That’s me this year – being me and letting people see who I really am instead of being up-tight and trying to make play after play, and that’s when mistakes come in – trying to impress people too much instead of being yourself. That’s me. You’ll see a lot of dancing out of me, a lot of joking, a lot of doing this, a lot of playing; but when it really comes down to it, I’m just showing you all who I really am.”
Matt Burke – June 6, 2018
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Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke
(What are your early first impressions of S Minkah Fitzpatrick?) – “He’s probably about as advertised. He’s really sharp. He’s thirsty for knowledge and for more, and we’re trying to overload him a little bit. We keep giving him more and he keeps taking it. He spends a lot of extra time in the building on his own, working out (and) studying film. I was here really late last night and Minkah popped up to get with (Defensive Backs) Coach (Tony) Oden for about an hour and a half until about 9:30 last night, to get some extra in and to get ahead. We are moving him around to some different spots and trying to play him in some different places to get a feel for sort of what his best fit is or what the best way to utilize him is, and he’s responded well. He’s been around the ball. He’s got his hands on a few and been close on a couple of others. I’m excited to keep working with him, for sure.”
(What’s going to be your approach going forward over the next five practices and training camp with boundary corner? We’ve seen obviously some CB Tony Lippett out there. We’ve seen some CB Bobby McCain. We saw CB Cordrea Tankersley. Is the plan to give each of them equal reps?) – “Absolutely. Yes. I mean we don’t have any positions set in stone right now. We’re rolling a lot of guys at a lot of positions and we’re trying to play guys inside and out, back and forth, safety and nickel. I mean, we’re moving guys around and again, trying to load them up and see what the best fit is for each guy and what the best combination is to win some ball games for us.”
(At Sam, it seems like LB Stephone Anthony has been the guy for you a lot.) – “Has he?”
(What has LB Stephone Anthony done to …) – “I think we’re doing the same thing at linebacker. I think a lot of our other linebackers are younger guys right now. So Steph’s been here. He has a little bit of history in the scheme, so I think there’s just a little bit of comfort level with him in terms of knowledge. So we’re probably putting him out there with those guys a little bit more right now, but we flip-flop some spots a little bit. We’re going to try to get some guys some different work there, too. I think that is probably a little bit maybe more the dynamic of trying to let the younger linebackers kind of get up to speed a little bit before we totally throw them in the fire.”
(You used LB Stephone Anthony obviously a lot the last month of the season last year. How did he earn that and how did he do?) – “He earned it by the same way all guys earn it. He’s been working hard. Again, it’s always difficult, I think, to come in the middle of the season, come from a different scheme and pick things up. Again, obviously, we had some injury issues last year and some other things at that position, which kind of sped that process up; but he works really hard. He works really, really hard. He’s, again, I think I mentioned this last year, he’s a big athlete. He’s almost 6-foot-3. He’s 240-something (pounds). He can run and we like those body types. I think it’s good for him to have a full offseason. With us again, it’s tough coming in, transitioning from one system to another, so I think we’re trying to really overload him a bit and give him a full offseason, a full year of coaching with us, and see what he can do.”
(Speaking of evaluating, how much can you tell when they’re not in pads?) – “Nothing (laughter). No, it’s good. The evaluation process right now is, obviously, more movement based and those sorts of things, but really it’s going to be able to focus on getting sort of the mental side of things and how much: A) they’re picking up, and then what are the next steps and the nuances of the defense comes and how they’re reacting to that. Obviously we don’t finalize any evaluations until we play some real football and we start hitting people and doing those sorts of things; but again, to me it’s a good time. It’s a good test of … It’s more like a mental evaluation. Again, can they learn the different spots? Is there somewhere, down the road, that we can eventually play just from a knowledge and mental learning standpoint from those spots? And then you’re evaluating movement skills and, obviously, especially in the back end in terms of covering. I think it’s great going against our offense with, you know, with the receiving corps they have and the tight ends now and the backs. I mean, we have different types of athletes that we’re matching up with so you kind of get a feel for those types of things, too. That’s really the evaluation. I know you guys always try to take my caveats away, but everything’s got a little asterisk on it until we put pads on and see what we’re doing.”
(You guys have done very well at finding undrafted rookies who’ve contributed, especially last year with guys like LB Chase Allen. Is there anybody that impressed you, one or two guys that have impressed you so far?) – “I think all of those guys have flashed at times. Everyone has made a play here and there, and I think we’re always looking for consistency. Jalen Davis has done a little bit. The linebackers, they’ve all had their moments. I’ve probably dog-cussed them all a couple of times but they’ve all had their moments. Mike McCray had a pick yesterday; I don’t know if you guys were there for 7-on-7. Jalen’s been battling it in the slot a little bit and outside and those type of things. Cayson (Collins) is actually showing a little bit of ability to absorb some things. He’s got some savvy about him and stuff. Again, especially with linebackers, it’s always hard. Going back to the pad thing, it’s really hard to judge those guys. To me, that’s one of the harder positions in this time of year to evaluate because they’re not doing the things we’re going to ask them to do totally; but there’s been a couple of guys. They’ve all been working hard – the whole group. Honestly, we’ve been really satisfied. Again, coming early, staying late. That’s a tribute to (General Manager) Chris Grier and those guys. We’ve had a couple of years in a row now where we’re getting the right type of guys that are putting the work in. So I have no complaints with any of those guys, the work ethic, and what they’re trying to do out there. Again, sort of the nature of a rookie, they’re going to have some plays and they’re going to have some flubs and we’ve got to work through those.”
(This is for a league-wide story that we’re doing. I heard that you’ve got some pretty good safeties. We’re asking all 32 defensive coordinators if Eric Reid is good enough to compete for a spot on this team?) – “I have not evaluated Eric Reid, so I probably can’t give a fair assessment of that. I know he’s played a lot of football in this league and he’s had some level of success. That wasn’t part of our evaluation process this offseason, so I probably can’t really speak to that.“
(Because of the state of your roster?) – “Probably. We didn’t really make any moves safety-wise until after the draft. Obviously we got Minkah (Fitzpatrick) and we feel pretty good about how we’re working with those guys there.”
(How important, in your world, is players mentoring players? And do you find that when that happens, they can often gain something from a teammate that they may not necessarily gain from a coach?) – “Yes, absolutely. To me, it’s two levels. One, sometimes they get sick of me and me screaming and yelling and throwing things, so at some point, my message probably gets stale. So, it always helps to have that reinforcement. I do believe that it is a player’s league. Those guys see things out there. I mean, I learn from veteran players as much as other players. I’m always asking, ‘Hey, what’d you see here?’ or ‘Why’d you do that?’ It’s a different perspective, so for a veteran-whatever – a defensive end – to grab a young guy and say, ‘Hey, you might want to try this move,’ or ‘Hey, they lined up in this formation, so you’ve got to be alert for this.’ Those types of things, that’s very helpful. We encourage that. We encourage that if you have something to contribute and something to help … I know there’s always that fine line where there’s competition, but it’s also teammates, and we’re trying to get each other better. It’s funny. When you start looking, we don’t have a lot of old guys on our defense. I think we only have two 30-year-olds. Three? Let me check my math on that. So we don’t have a lot of old guys, but we’ve got a handful of guys that have played a lot of football, and they’ve been good about trying to work with the younger guys and getting them up to speed. So, that’s always helpful. It’s a different voice – a different perspective – and again, they can see some things and sometimes word it and can relate it in a way that I can’t all the time or one of our position coaches, so it’s definitely helpful.”
(You’ve had DE Cam Wake for two years now, and you’ve seen him coming off an injury and then productive at a high level. What sets him apart from other NFL players that you’ve dealt with?) – “Yes, I mean again – sometimes I feel like a broken record talking about Cam – it always just amazes me, at his age … I hate to keep saying that. He probably gets mad when I keep bringing up his age and telling him he’s old and stuff. I actually talked about it in a defensive meeting this morning.; but the level of, sort of, physical ability that he keeps himself at – the shape he’s in – to be out here and again, I’m sure you guys have seen, especially in that room, we’re really emphasizing getting to the ball and running and chasing and he’s the first one down field turning and getting after things. To me, his conditioning and the way he keeps his body in shape … I mean for how long he’s been here, the joy never goes out of it for him. He’s out smiling, loves practice, loves getting better, and competing. It’s rare to see a guy at that age and with that many years in … Again, he come out, loves to work, wants to get better, works in the weight room and all of those things. You’re not around guys like that often.”
(After all of these years, what does DE Cameron Wake get out of OTAs?) – “There’s always something to get better at. Obviously, you have a couple different voices in the room with (Defensive Line) Coach (Kris) Kocurek and that stuff. I think he’s always attuned to trying to get a little tip on a stance or something he’s seeing or maybe try a different pass rush move. Or going back to the other question, we have Robert (Quinn) here. Obviously he’s another accomplished edge rusher. Some stuff that Robert has done in his career, to be able to go back and forth with those guys. Again, I don’t think he sees it that way. I don’t think he sees himself as a finished product or that his accomplishments are over. I know there’s some milestones coming up for him and those sorts of things. He’s a joy to be around. He really is. He just keeps coming to work every day and trying to find something little that gets him better, and I haven’t seen him slowing down a bit. It’s been fun to be a part of, for sure.”
(What’s the sweet spot for DE Cameron Wake as far as reps?) – “We’ll see. In general, our plan in that room would be to wave groups (in) and to roll different groups. Not just because of Cam – don’t put all these age quotes in there, he might get mad at me. Not just because of Cam’s age, but with all of those guys, we feel, philosophically, we will be better off having fresh guys. Whether it’s two, three, or four snaps at a time, whatever it is, and then roll the next group in and let those guys get water or oxygen or whatever they need. Then, get the next group out. So, building depth there was important for us to be able to play that way. Again, I don’t anticipate necessarily getting a hard number on it for him, but one guy may be different from another guy. He may be able to take two to three, four or five reps and one game he’ll take one rep; but we want to get guys going full speed for as many reps as they can and get up to par. Our goal is to have enough depth there so that we can wave those guys can always have fresh Cam Wake and fresh Robert (Quinn) and (Andre) Branch and Charles (Harris) and Will Hayes and whoever else wants to join the club. That would be the plan.”
(DE Robert Quinn, what are your impressions? What do you notice?) – “He’s a unique athlete. He bends probably as good as anybody I’ve ever been around. It’s weird to watch sometimes, to be honest with you. He comes off the corner and sometimes you think he’s actually rushing too high and gets past the quarterback, then he just turns his foot and plants it and bends it. His knee is about two feet off the ground and he can really hug it. It’s pretty fun. Again, he’s another guy that doesn’t really say much. He just kind of comes out to work. He’s got a smile on his face. But just from an athletic standpoint, to me, he has a rare bend ability. That’s his trait and it’s almost disarming to watch at times, the way he can corner.”
(Can you take an important question about beards? G Josh Sitton said he’s been kind of taken aback by how hot and humid it is here, and he made need a haircut and a shave. You have kept yours, obviously, and seemed to have survived just fine. Would you lose your respect for Josh Sitton if he shaves?) – “No, I would never say that. I have a lot of respect for Josh Sitton. Quote that. (laughter) He’s been getting after us pretty good. I don’t know. Every man makes his own decision. I’ve had my beard for about 10 years now, so I’m used to it. The heat doesn’t bother me. I’m sweating a little right now. But no, I wouldn’t lose respect for him. He’s a good player, he’s playing hard and he’s tough. What else can I say about him? He’s a real man. (laughter)”
(Offseason trip this year?) – “I’m going to Bora Bora to do some diving. I’m going to go to Olympic National Park for about a six-day backpacking trip. We’ll get dropped off at the trail head and go live out of a backpack for a little bit. Those are the only two right now. I’ve had some stuff going on the last couple of months so it’s been hard to plan some things, but we’ll get out of town for a little bit.”
(Will Head Coach Adam Gase be able to reach you by cell?) – “Probably not. Whether I have cell phone service or not, he probably won’t be able to reach me. (laughter) So the answer is no.”
Vincent Taylor – June 6, 2018
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Wednesday, June 6, 2018
DT Vincent Taylor
(How different is it for you this year compared to last year?) – “It’s a lot different. I don’t see myself thinking as much as I did coming in. Last year I kind of didn’t know what to expect, me going from college to the NFL; but now, I’m familiar. I got my feet wet last year so I know what it’s like.”
(When you heard the Dolphins were going to move on from DT Ndamukong Suh, what was your reaction?) – “I mean it’s hard losing a guy like Suh just knowing what he’s capable of doing; but at the end of the day, it’s a business decision. I know all of the things when I was coming in, what he taught me, so I learned some of the things that he taught me. Like I said, it is hard losing a guy like him and trying to replace a guy like Suh.”
(Did you see opportunity?) – “Yes. Me, I was learning from him. Last year I played some snaps when he came out, so this year hopefully I can bring those numbers up and us as a defense, replacing him will be hard.”
(DT Ndamukong Suh has an interesting reputation. You actually worked directly with him. What was that year like?) – “It was good coming in my first year to be able to learn from a guy like Ndamukong Suh. What more could you ask for?”
(How did DT Ndamukong Suh treat you?) – “Good. People always ask me how was Suh in the locker room. Suh was a great teammate (and) a great guy. I think he’s like a big kid. He likes to joke. Suh is a great guy.”
(What kind of goals do you have for yourself this year?) – “Really just go out there and improve from last year. Last year I think I had two blocked kicks. If I could increase that, try to get some sacks under my belt and get more tackles. Any way that I can help the team.”
(Do you think it bothers the defensive tackles primarily that DT Ndamukong Suh’s name constantly keeps getting brought up?) – “Again, it’s hard to replace a guy like Suh, so that’s going to come up a lot. But I think with the guys we’ve got and with (Defensive Line) Coach Kris (Kocurek) here, he’ll help us get to that level we need to be at to play.”
(Is there going to be a different kind of feel this year to the defensive line? A lot more rotation and a lot more keeping guys fresh? What does that mean for you as far as conditioning is concerned? When you hear this are you like, “Man I’ve got to get on it?”) – “Yes. You should always be on it no matter what the circumstances are; but just knowing that, that allows guys to play faster and give it all they’ve got since we’ll be rotating a lot. I think guys can go out there and (Defensive Line) Coach Kris (Kocurek) has us running to the ball. If you do that every play, you just know another guy is coming in to pick up where you left off at, so it’ll only help us out as a unit.”
(What do you see different about this defense so far this year?) – “We’re attacking more. That’s one of the things (Defensive Line) Coach Kris (Kocurek) is big on. We’re attacking more. I think that’ll help us out. We’ve got ends that are setting the edge and will help us guys in the middle.”
(Does it provide extra motivation for you, DT Davon Godchaux, DT Akeem Spence and DT Jordan Phillips to show that even though DT Ndamukong Suh isn’t there, the d-tackle group can be just as good last year, if not better?) – “Yes. With (Defensive Line) Coach Kris (Kocurek), that’s what he’s there for. He’s helping us out and telling us that a lot of people outside this building don’t believe in us. But with Coach Kris, he’s motivating us and I think we’ll be just fine.”
(From an outsider’s point of view, I wanted to ask you about WR Jakeem Grant and what you see in him. We know he came on late last year but on the field, off the field, personality-wise, are you seeing a difference in him this year?) – “I’m very familiar with him. He played at Texas Tech and I played at Oklahoma State, so I remember playing him my last year. We played up there. The opening kickoff, he took a kickoff right to the crib, so that just goes to show you what kind of player he is. (He’s) very fast. I guess they’re having a debate right now who’s the fastest out of him, Kenny (Stills) and (Kenyan) Drake; but he’s a special player.”
(So who do you think is the fastest?) – “Me? Playing against Jakeem (Grant) and seeing what he did to us in the Big 12, he’s a pretty fast guy, so I’d probably say him.”
(So who is the locker room debate between? WR Kenny Stills and RB Kenyan Drake and WR Jakeem Grant? Is that the three finalists?) – “And Albert (Wilson). He’s a pretty fast guy. I’ve seen him run, so he’s pretty fast also.”
(When you’re a defensive player and you’re playing for a team with a bunch of speed like that, how much more difficult does it make when they can open you up that much?) – “It’s hard. I know when we played K.C. last year, they’ve got a guy named Tyreek Hill. Practicing against Jakeem Grant, that helped us out as a defense. (Defensive Coordinator) Matt Burke came up with a great game plan. It’s pretty hard.”
(When you watch DE Robert Quinn, you think what?) – “Flexibility. (He’s) very flexible. Just the way I see him bend the corner and how low he gets, and just getting around all of those tackles, he’s a very special player. He’s very flexible.”
