Mike Gesicki – April 27, 2018
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Friday, April 27, 2018
TE Mike Gesicki
(Were you surprised to be taken by the Dolphins or did you have any hint that they were very interested in you?) – “I visited with them last week, so … This is honestly one of the most exciting moments of my life. I’m so excited to play down in Miami, get to work and know that I’m exactly where I belong.”
(What makes you feel that you’re exactly where you belong?) – “The people in that program, the people in that organization – Coach (Shane) Day, the tight ends coach, (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase. Everybody involved, they made it seem like home when I was down a couple of weeks ago. I’m so excited to get down there.”
(You’re regarded as a very good athlete and I know that you played volleyball. Can you talk about your athletic background and what makes you such an athletic tight end?) – “My history of playing sports – whether it be football, basketball, volleyball, running track in middle school – it’s all given me an opportunity to be where I am today and helped me to be the athlete I am today and the player on the field that I am. I’m just excited to get to work in this offense, because I know that with the weapons they have, with the quarterback they have in Ryan Tannehill, it could be something very exciting in Miami.”
(What do you feel is an area that you need to continue to work on to improve?) – “I definitely need to continue to improve my run blocking and all that kind of stuff. Obviously, my best attributes are in the pass game and I need to continue to develop on the other side; but it is something that I’m so excited about. I have great coaching there and I’m really excited just to get to work and do what I know I can do.”
(You have an opportunity to come in and start right away with this organization. Is that exciting for you? How does it feel?) – “Obviously, there’s going to be talented tight ends in that room and people that I’m excited to learn from, older guys to lean on and all of that kind of stuff. I’m just excited to get in there and surround myself with talented players, mature players, with guys that have been in my shoes and just get to work. It’s an unbelievable opportunity and I’m so excited.”
(What is it about Head Coach Adam Gase that appeals to you so much?) – “Just meeting with him a couple of weeks ago and just talking with him, he’s a young coach in this league and an up-and-coming coach in this league. Obviously, he was in Denver with Peyton Manning and had success with the tight end (Julius) Thomas back then. I’m just excited to be able to learn from him and be coached up by him and get to work.”
(How does your athleticism help you out on the field, whether it is running routes, high-pointing the ball or in the red zone? What does your athleticism do for you?) – “I think my athleticism is who I am on the field. It allows me to stretch the defense, it allows me to get up the field quickly, it allows me to high-point the ball. Playing tight end, playing receiver, playing the slot, playing on the line, it doesn’t matter where. (I) just (want to) get to work.”
(Can you paint a picture of where you are right now, who you’re with and what this moment is like?) – “I’ve been waiting for this moment, honestly, my entire life. To be here with the people that mean the most to me, I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
(So the dream was always to be a tight end in the NFL?) – “The dream has always been to be a professional athlete. When I was growing up, I thought it was basketball. Then I got to high school and had the opportunity to really start playing football at a serious level and since then, (the goal has been) to get to where I am now; but this is only the beginning. This is honestly just another stepping stone moving forward.”
(I think that you and S Minkah Fitzpatrick are both New Jersey kids. Do you know each other at all? Do you ever cross paths?) – “Minkah is obviously a phenomenal talent and a guy that is going to be extremely successful for this organization and is also a Jersey guy, like myself. I’m excited to get down there with him. I was training at EXOS with him leading up to the combine. I’m just so excited.”
(You said you trained with S Minkah Fitzpatrick?) – “Yes, he was at EXOS in Pensacola, Florida.”
(What were your observations of S Minkah Fitzpatrick?) – “Obviously a great athlete, a great kid. He’s all business and is a great player.”
Minkah Fitzpatrick – April 26, 2018
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Thursday, April 26, 2018
Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick
(What has this experience been like for you in terms of being in the draft process and being selected by the Miami Dolphins?) – “It’s been a fun experience. It’s something that not a lot of people get to do, so I try to enjoy it as much as I can. I know Miami is a great team, a great program, a great state and a great city. It’s going to be an awesome opportunity down there. I’m going to go down there and work my hardest and just try and win championships down there.”
(When you adjusted your headset, I noticed that there are a couple of rings on your hands. Show us those and do you expect maybe…) – “I’ve got to fill the rest of them. I got to fill the rest of them. (laughter)”
(Yes, that’s what I was getting at. They give out rings for winning a Super Bowl.) – “Yes, sir. Yes, they do. Like I said, I’m trying to fill the rest of those fingers up.”
(Tell us about the suit. You look like you got dressed with South Beach in mind.) – “(laughter) I just tried to do something that wasn’t too bright, wasn’t too flashy; but also stood out a little bit. So I decided to go with this off-white color with black on black, and that’s really it.”
(Did you have an idea that Miami was interested, that this was a place you could end up and what is your reaction about being taken by the Dolphins?) – “I knew a lot of teams were interested and I had no clue honestly where I was going to be going. With every single team, I had as open (of a) mind, that I could or could not go, to that team. Like I said earlier, it’s a great program. I’m just happy to be selected by the Dolphins.”
(You played a lot of positions during your career at Alabama. Where do you feel is the best fit for you as a football player?) – “I just say wherever the team needs me. That’s what I did at Alabama. Week to week I was playing a different positon based off what the offense did and where I was needed at week to week. If the coaches at Miami think I can play multiple positions, then I’m going to play multiple positions and do whatever they need me to do.”
(Can you talk about how playing at Alabama prepares you for the NFL?) – “Honestly, Coach (Nick) Saban. He has coached underneath some great coaches like Bill Belichick, and he has been in football for over 40-plus years. He knows what the NFL is like. He knows how to get his players right on and off the field, whether it be discipline or … The scheme that we run is very complex and very similar to NFL schemes. It’s a combination of a bunch of whole different things and that’s it really.”
(What do you think helped you contribute at a high level as a freshman at Alabama and do you think it’ll translate into the NFL?) – “Yes, sir. I think it was my mental maturity. I kind of had to grow quick just because of some things I’ve been through at a young age and it kind of helped me realize what I was chasing after. I had a goal in mind and I wasn’t going to fall short of that goal. That was my mindset going in, and it is the same thing in the NFL. My dream wasn’t to just make it to the NFL, it’s to be a great player in the NFL. It’s just the beginning. Like I said, I’m going to take that same mindset I had at Alabama and apply it to the Miami Dolphins organization.”
(How would you describe that approach and that mentality and mindset that you try to take to practice as well as game day?) – “You’re only going to be as good as you are in practice. People can say to you, ‘I don’t go that hard in practice, but I play hard in the game.’ That’s not true, because if you do that, you’re hurting your team, you’re hurting yourself and at the end of the day, you aren’t going to win games and you aren’t going to play the way that you want to, or at least you’re not going to play as well as you want to. Every single day, just flying to the ball, racing each other to the ball, is going to get everybody better. Everybody is going to want to run as fast as you and beat you to the ball so when you do that and compete with each other every day in practice, it translates over to the game.”
(You mentioned playing a lot of positions, different positions in college. What allowed you to be able to contribute at multiple positions? What about your personality or your work ethic allowed you to do that?) – “I would say a couple of different things. One is my athleticism. I’m an athlete, so you can put me in multiple different spots and I could adjust to different techniques and stuff like that. After that, it’s my football IQ. Coach Saban taught me a lot at Alabama, a whole bunch of other coaches, (Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Backs) Coach (Mel) Tucker, (Defensive Backs) Coach (Derrick) Ansley, Coach ‘Shoe’ (Director of Player Development and Associate Director of Player Personnel Glenn Schumann). All of them taught me a whole lot while I was there – (Assistant Director of Player Personnel) Coach Aazaar (Abdul-Rahim). They all just taught me a whole lot. It kind of allowed me to move around, be a chess piece as you would say, or a Swiss army knife as you would say. That’s really it, those two things right there.”
(What was your interaction with the Dolphins like prior to getting the phone call tonight?) – “I only talked to them about two or three times. I didn’t have any visits with them. I didn’t do any workouts with them. I talked to them at the Combine and I talked to the DBs coach (Tony Oden) one or two times over the phone.”
(You referred earlier to some of the adversity you’ve been through. I know you had the situation with your family home after Hurricane Irene. How were you able to get through that and did it affect your preparation for football very much?) – “It was a tough time in my family’s life, but the only way we got through it was by sticking together as a unit, doing everything together, making decisions together and making sure everybody was alright. And then of course, at the foundation of all of that, was our faith. Our faith in Christ kept us all rooted in the right things, kept our minds and our hearts in the right place. So that was how we did that. It did affect my ability to play sometimes. At one time I told my family I was going to quit and just work and not go to (the) school I was going to because t was a private school, so my family had to pay. So, it did affect my mindset a little bit; but after a while it kind of reverted my mindset onto something else and it made me work harder rather than just giving up.”
(What, if anything, do you know about the Dolphins safeties – S Reshad Jones and S T.J. McDonald?) – “I don’t know too much, but I know just watching some of their games throughout the season that they’re both real good safeties. They do what they’re supposed to do and they get the job done.”
(Do you know anybody on this roster aside from perhaps RB Kenyan Drake?) – “’Mo’ (Maurice) Smith. He was at Alabama and then transferred to Georgia. He’s a DB as well.”
(What do you think is the key to creating turnovers?) – “The key to creating turnovers is simply just doing your job and being in the right place. If you’re a DB and you try to get picks, you’re going to be out of position and you’re going to be looking at the wrong things; but simply when you’re just doing your job and being in the right place, they just come.”
(You had six interceptions in 2016 and one last year. Were you concerned that might somehow affect how teams would look at you in anyway?) – “No, sir. I wouldn’t say that. I think it was because I was moving around so much. It allowed teams to kind of not target me as much. I think I was targeted about 20 less times in 2016 than I was in 2017, so there was really nothing I could do about it. I just tried to do my job as much as I could and I think teams realized that.”
(So you would like to be targeted, correct?) – “Yes. I think any DB wants people to throw at them; but at the same time, it’s a compliment and an honor if teams don’t throw at you.”
(What was your favorite team and player growing up?) – “NFL team?”
(Yes.) – “My favorite NFL team was Philly. I was a Philadelphia fan. One of my favorite players was either … I love Brian Dawkins and I love Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook. All three of those guys were guys that I watched all growing up. They’re awesome players and awesome men on and off the field. I just love watching them play.”
(I’m curious, what kind of name is Minkah? Where did that come from?) – “I’m named after my father. His name is Minkah. He’s also named after his father; but my grandfather’s name is Justice. He already had named one of his sons Justice. He wanted to name another one after him but not with the same name, so he chose Minkah. It means justice and equality in either … I think its Arabic or Swahili – some form of that. So I’m named after my grandfather, but not exactly the same exact name.”
(You know that Nick Saban was the head coach of the Dolphins for a little while. Any chance that you talked to him about what it’s like down here?) – “I didn’t get a chance to talk to him. We just had a quick handshake and I gave him a hug after I got the phone call, and that was really it. I’m sure I’ll talk to him a little bit once I get done with all of the media.”
(The Dolphins have sort of needed someone who can help cover tight ends for a minute. Do you think you can do that pretty good?) – “Yes. I did that a lot in college, whether it was at the money position or the safety position. I would come down in the box and cover those bigger tight ends, and even when they moved outside I would go out there and cover them just because I’m a physical guy. I’m physical with those guys and I know they can’t run by me, so Coach (Nick) Saban trusts me to do that job.”
(What was it like playing for Coach Nick Saban?) – “It was awesome – an awesome experience. I became so much better of a player in the past three years just by sitting underneath him, watching everything that he does and move the way that he moves. I really appreciate everything that he’s done and how hard he was on me because it made me into a great man. It also made me into a great player.”
(He obviously thought very highly of you and it is one of the reasons you’re probably here, because Head Coach Adam Gase is a disciple of Nick Saban. Is it kind of rewarding that the hard work you put in college is now kind of manifesting now in the pros?) – “Yes, sir. It’s awesome just being able to see my family here enjoying this moment with me and just being able to call myself a professional athlete.”
(You mentioned how hard Coach Nick Saban was on you. Can you point to one particular time that he was hard on you that maybe helped you get to where you are today?) – “I remember one of the first weeks I got there, he was just on me; like on me bad, on me hard. At first, I wasn’t frustrated because I was used to getting yelled at but he was, even when I was making good plays, he was just finding something to tweak and finding something to fix. It was kind of getting under my skin a little bit because I’m like ‘I’m making good plays, why is he still yelling at me?’ He would see me getting frustrated one day and he just told me why he was that way and why he was hard on me specifically, and some of my other teammates. He just told me it was because he realized how great I could be and he’s not going to let me get away with slacking or not doing the right thing, whether it’s the smallest of little things. He wasn’t going to let me get away with it.”
(What similarities do you see between Nick Saban and Adam Gase?) – “Both of them are really great coaches. Both of them are very thorough in their approach to the game. They’re both great coaches. They both have good ‘reps’ (reputations) behind them. I’m happy I played for Coach Saban and I’m excited to play for Coach Gase.”
Chris Grier – April 26, 2018
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Thursday, April 26, 2018
General Manager Chris Grier
(On S Minkah Fitzpatrick) – “For us, he was a player that was a targeted player. He’s a unique kid when you meet him. (He’s) unbelievably smart (and) loves football. Obviously he’s one of Nick Saban’s favorite players. This guy played right … He came off at 18 right as a freshman and was an impact player for them. He’s been a very good football player for three years. (He has) impeccable character. There was a story … You guys have all seen his story. At the end of the day, this guy is a football player. He creates turnovers. He’s had a bunch of touchdown returns as well on those. This was a player we just felt, at that point, that we could not pass up.”
(What’s your vision for S Minkah Fitzpatrick in this defense?) – “He’s going to be a safety.”
(How do you see the free safety situation that you have?) – “That will play out here in the spring and summer. I think for him, it’s a great mix now. He has a little different skill set than the other two guys. From there, they’re going to battle it out this spring. It’s all about competition and we’ll see how it plays out.”
(It looked like after the fifth pick that you might get one or two quarterbacks falling all the way to you, or you had that option at least. Were you hopeful or expecting that some teams were going to swoop in and get them?) – “Really, the way it all played out, we didn’t think any of the quarterbacks would make it to us. For us, we talked to a couple of teams about maybe moving up or down but nothing real serious. For us, at the end of the day, if one of those guys was there, we would have talked about it; but we just didn’t think anybody would be there.”
(How does S Minkah Fitzpatrick’s skill set possibly lessen the importance of adding a premium third linebacker?) – “For us, at the end of the day, his skill set and the things he does … You’ve covered him a lot. We still need to add a linebacker. We made the trade for Stephone Anthony. Stephone is going to compete for a spot there, as well. We’ll still keep looking to add to the roster and we’ll keep adding players post-draft. I think Philadelphia last year led the league in adding players after the draft as pro free agents, and it worked out well for them.”
(CB Minkah Fitzpatrick’s ability to also defend the slot, how does that benefit you?) – “He’s like a Swiss army knife. He does a lot of things really good. You’ve heard everybody talk, it’s his skill set. He gives your defense a chance to be flexible and do a lot of different things. It’s his football intelligence, his love for football and he’s been a productive player from the minute he stepped on campus at arguably one of the best programs in college football.”
(Any thought to moving S T.J. McDonald to linebacker?) – “I think you’ve asked (Defensive Coordinator) Matt (Burke) about it, but that’s for the coaches to decide here once they get going through the spring. They’ll let Minkah (Fitzpatrick) come in and get settled in and start working with the guys and see how it all fits.”
(So of all the things CB Minkah Fitzpatrick has done at Alabama, I’m not sure that he did too much coverage of the tight ends. In fact, I haven’t seen that.) – “No. He did a lot of covering receivers.”
(Right. Exactly. So do you think the tight end thing is a thing that CB Minkah Fitzpatrick can do or that’s not going to be…) – “Personally, me? I think it’s easier to cover tight ends than it is receivers. The athletes … A lot of receivers … There’s very few tight ends … Obviously with (Rob) Gronkowski, there’s different kind of matchups, (and Travis) Kelce; but the one thing he gives you, he’s a 6-foot, 205-pound guy that runs 4.45 (40-time) and can run and cover, and he’s been a good cover guy. It’s a unique skill set at that position and his history of producing turnovers is very good.”
(Are you guys done for the night? Are you guys going to try to get back into the first round?) – “If there’s an opportunity to move in, we will. I wouldn’t say … There’s still some teams that want to move out. We’ve had a lot of calls about teams wanting to move out, so we’ll investigate every call that comes.”
(You mentioned at quarterback, you didn’t expect guys to drop there. At any point, did you have conversations about moving up a bit once a couple of them maybe started to drop?) – “We had a couple of calls with teams but it didn’t get very serious. Moving up, they wanted a lot, obviously. (laughter) And they know what you’re coming for. For us, at those spots and the opportunities, we just didn’t really take it very far. Again, Ryan (Tannehill) is our guy. We believe in Ryan. He’s going to be our starter.”
Mike Tannenbaum and Chris Grier – April 18, 2018
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Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Executive Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum and General Manager Chris Grier
Chris Grier:
(I’ve got a draft and develop question for you. By my count, over the last three years, you guys have drafted 22 players and 18 are still on the roster. Eight or nine of them could be starters, which is almost half of your starters. How do you think you’ve done as far as draft and develop over the last three years?) – “It’s always an interesting question. I would say we feel good about the players we’ve added to the roster. Obviously the first year here with Mike, Adam (Gase) and I together, we had a great run and we went to the playoffs. It was a good season for us. Last year was a disappointment. Again, we are what we are. Mike and I have been … That’s a saying from one of our mentors. So for us, we’re very happy with the guys (but) they all need to get better. We need to get better. (A) 6-10 (record) is not where we want to be. I think at the end of the day, you’re judged on the results. We’re happy (because) we have some good players; but we just need to get back to where we were two years ago.”
(Can you explain to us a little bit of the process of actually making the pick? When you guys are getting maybe five spots away from wherever you’re picking, what kind of conversations are you having? Specifically, it would be good to know what Head Coach Adam Gase’s role is in it.) – “For us, this past week, all of this week and a little bit of Monday and Tuesday of next week, the three of us (Chris, Adam and Mike) will have talked through every scenario possible, just about. Obviously we don’t know what’s going to happen being at No. 11, but we’ve talked through trade possibilities, who might be there and who may not be there. For us, the big thing is just the communication, talking and working what we think is best for the Dolphins. Adam plays a big role. He coaches the team. Mike and I, we have to get players that he wants and that he feels fits best for what he wants to do offensively and defensively. So we work with the coaching staff as well and our scouts have done a great job, led by (Director of College Scouting) Adam Engroff on the college side. (Director of Pro Personnel) Anthony Hunt has done a great job for us on the pro side as well, through the free agency process. For us, when the pick is coming up at five, we’ll start getting together and looking at the board and see who is there. Most of the decisions have been made by next week before, like I said, on Monday or Tuesday, we’ll kind of know. We’ll have an idea but there’s always a wrench that gets thrown in from someone on draft day.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“Just to add to that, listening to Bill Polian last night, who did as good of a job as anybody for years, he talked about when he was drafting in the 20s, it wasn’t until they were at 15 that they really had a sense of ‘It’s going to come down to these two or three guys.’ Seeing where we are at 11, it’s the same for us. We could sit here and run through all of these different scenarios with Adam, but until you’re just a couple of picks away, we’re really not sure how it’s going to unfold.”
Chris Grier:
(So when you actually get to that spot, do you have it narrowed down to like maybe three guys or five? How many guys is it and who is making the final call on which one of those players it will be?) – “We go through it. I don’t think it’s … Everyone always wants to know who is making the final call. For us, the three of us work great together. We’ll have discussions before and like last year for instance, we had two guys targeted at our pick and we ended up with Charles (Harris), and Charles was the higher one. We felt good about it. We were going to make the pick and we got two calls from teams below us that did very well last year (and they were) calling to trade up for the pick. In the end, they told us it was for Charles. For us, he was the guy we were going to take; so we were happy to get him. At the end of the day, when it gets there, you’ll always have two or three guys you like and you make that decision on which one fits best.”
(What are some of the things that would cause a player to be completely off your board or significantly moved down?) – “There may be character issues or certain things that … (Director of Team Security) Drew Brooks does a great job of investigating all of the background on players. There are some things … We take each player individually. You never want to say you’ll never take a player that’s done this; but once you spend time and get to know the players, you kind of get a feel for ‘Maybe this guy is not for us and we wish him best,’ and go on. It’s a process. We don’t just jump to any conclusion right away. We go through (the process). For us, at the end of the day, we want guys who we feel comfortable would represent the Dolphins well on and off the field.”
(You mentioned the fifth pick kind of being the zone where you start to get an idea of how the draft is going to unfold. There’s been a lot of debate about some teams moving up into that top five or top six to get a player they’ve targeted. Not saying who you might target if that’s the case, but if there’s a guy at five or six that really is on your radar that you love, do you have enough capital to go get into the top six if you decide to do that?) – “I think there is. You can always make a deal to move up. It’s just always dependent on how much you want to give up. (laughter) At the end of the day, you’ve seen some deals where some teams … We may think they gave up a lot to get up there but then there’s other times where you think they didn’t get enough. If teams want to move up or down, depending on what they want to do … We’ve had a situation here in the past when we made a trade in the first round where we really didn’t give up a ton for a player. At the end of the day, you can move up or down I think fairly easily; but you also still need someone to want that player or want to move out of that spot.”
(You’ve talked about best player available and that’s what you want to do. You want to get the best player available; but you have needs. You don’t have a starting tight end. You don’t have a starting outside linebacker. How do you balance the best play available to fit also needs?) – “Well, when you build your board, you’re always building it for the Miami Dolphins, for your team. So as you’re doing it, you start evaluating each position and you’ll start ranking the players how you think they’re valued in terms of on and off the field. We do our psychological testing if some guys come in for visits. We spend a lot of time with the players to get to know them. So once that process is done, the film obviously takes precedence. That’s going to tell you really what he is. You build all of the other stuff. When you build your rosters, when we say best player available, you’re still looking at your roster because we’re building it for the Dolphins. We’re not just saying ‘Hey, the NFL says this guy is the best player so we’re going to put him up at No. 1.’ There may be … I’m not just saying us but you may have a team that has four quarterbacks and they feel good about their starter and the backup. The quarterbacks here in this draft are good players but they may not have them ranked that high in the draft because they’re building their board for their team needs.”
(So the need is built into the best player) – “Yes, because you’re always building for your roster.”
(How do you perceive the depth and variety of talent at these two positions – linebacker and tight end – this year’s draft class overall?) – “I think it’s balanced. I think there is depth at both of those positions. Every draft you have guys that you like at the top; but I think you can find value and the draft’s always shown there is value through that. I think the tight end group is a deep group this year, and there’s some good linebackers, especially mid-to-late rounds, as well.”
(It seems like Head Coach Adam Gase has been doing a lot of work relating to reviewing last year and planning ahead for next year with scheme and things like that. How much do you bring him in on a lot of the months leading up to the draft, as far as do you give him film on a guy to watch to get his input? How do you involve him in that?) – “You probably know how Adam is. (laughter) During the season, he’s just focused all on our team and getting better and free agency. He likes to work in stages. Once we get through … He’ll start coming in our February meetings. He’ll come in a little bit and sit in for a little bit. From that point on, he’ll ask Mike and I for a list of players. He’ll say ‘Hey, give me five players at this position,’ and he’ll work through it that way. Even now, he’s upstairs watching college players right now, still. He’s in it heavy; but he doesn’t really start dialing in on it until probably mid-February.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“And really, the process starts going back to the end of the season, where we evaluate our own and figure out who we can keep and also what our needs are. Then we start hitting it in free agency. Obviously the draft is the next opportunity, but that’ll go on through the summer and into the early fall.”
Chris Grier:
(Are the Miami Dolphins comfortable with where you are at quarterback or do you need to come out of this draft with another quarterback?) – “Well, Ryan Tannehill is our quarterback. We feel good about Ryan and we’re excited to have him back. For us, and you’ve heard this before, (it’s about) competition. We’d love to draft (someone) at every position, it doesn’t matter who it is. So for us, if we can come out and find one, then yes; but we’re not going to reach or overextend for something. We’ll make the decisions but we’ll also always keep looking to evaluate the roster. Post-draft, we’ll keep looking. That’s at every position.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“And I think those two guys give us flexibility. Adam (Gase) has coached both (David) Fales and (Brock) Osweiler before, so his comfort with that was one of the reasons they’re here. It’s good to have depth at any position going into the draft, especially quarterback. We’ll see how things go.”
(Can you give us some insight into what goes on over the last week until the draft? Is your phone ringing off the hook? Is there silence a lot of the time? Are you readjusting things? Just give us a little insight as to what this last week is like?) – “I think we kind of divide the teams up a little bit and we try to get a sense of what’s going to try to happen the best we can, and touch base with as many teams as possible. Like we said earlier, until we’re three or four picks away, you really don’t know what’s going to happen. I think the reason for that is because there are other trades that we can’t project. If we think a team four spots ahead of us has a certain need, but a different team trades up with a different need, that’s going to affect where we’re going to go. As Chris mentioned, I think at this point it’s just crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s, and that goes for security, medical, all of the different areas that touch the draft process. Then, just let it unfold and we’ll be surprised just like everyone else will be in this room. All we can worry about is our preparation and we’ll be ready to go.”
(I’m sure you guys have done extensive research on every possibility with the 10 teams in front of you. How do you feel about the 11th slot, on all of those different possibilities you’ve worked out, getting a guy that you really want?) – “I was joking with Chris about this that if you have the 11th pick, there are eight guys you love. If you have the eighth pick, there are five (guys you love). That’s just one of the axioms. Maybe we wind up trading back. You never know. I think we feel really good about our preparation. We’ll see how it unfolds when we get to 11.”
(What was your reaction to the Jets/Colts swap, as far as the price that it took to move up three spots? Does that set the market higher than you expected?) – “We track it. Our guys do a great job. (Senior Director of Football Administration) Brandon Shore and (Director of Analytics) Dennis Lock, they do a really good job of tracking and value. Obviously, three (second-round picks) for three spots, it looks like one team is targeting something. That doesn’t necessarily affect the rest of the trades. Sometimes trades before the draft have one set of criteria whereas once you’re in the heat of the moment, things … I think my view with that is the trade chart is a great guideline, but at the end of the day, if two teams want to get something done, they’re going to get something done.”
Chris Grier:
(I think we talked to you guys some about the quarterbacks in January. Now, three months later when you’ve done all the homework on these guys, is there any one or two traits that stand out from this class? And you as a franchise, what’s the most important thing? Is it accuracy, arm strength, durability, leadership? What do you judge a quarterback on? What is the one thing you want?) – “I think the biggest thing with getting to know all of these guys is that they’re all very smart kids. They all have personality and they’ve all been successful. I think they all have a chance to be good players in the league. We’ve been fortunate to spend a lot of time with each of them. We like them. In terms of the quarterback … Everyone is looking for the same thing. The leadership, the intelligence, the ability to process information, accuracy, is the guy a winner, is he durable. All of those things, everyone is looking for the same traits in those quarterbacks.
Mike Tannenbaum:
“I think the other thing I would add too is with this class, not just the quarterbacks; but the poise a lot of these first-round players and some of these top players have, they are very polished. You can tell that they are used to the spotlight. I think that’s just the popularity of our sport, be it college football and the way it’s covered now and the number of premium games, because they’re coming in and you look at them like, ‘Wow, these are pros, the way they handle themselves, how they talk, communicate, how they dress.’ You can see for some, their transition will be very easy and they are very polished.”
Chris Grier:
(Would you be surprised if there are six quarterbacks that go in the first round, because there seems to be not a likelihood but a possibility?) – “Nothing surprises (me) with the draft. Not just the quarterback position, but every year there’s always one where everyone is shocked.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(A lot has been said about improving leadership, culture and so forth on the team and on the roster, this year and going forward. You’ve had to import a lot of those guys in free agency. Shouldn’t you get to the point where you draft those guys and they’re yours instead of having to bring them from somewhere, like a RB Frank Gore or WR Danny Amendola, or G Josh Sitton from somewhere else?) – “I think those guys are also good players. I think it’s hard to lead unless they can produce. I think we’re happy with the players we’ve added and we want to keep adding players. I think there’s a lot of good, young players here that have leadership that maybe hasn’t been covered; but someone like Bobby McCain. And there’s a lot of different ways to lead. Leadership to me isn’t just about giving a team speech. It’s about how you conduct yourself, how you get better, how you hydrate, how you study, do you grab a teammate with you. Maybe those aren’t household or noteworthy names, but I think there are a number of young guys, as Chris alluded to, and we feel good about the process we’ve had over the last couple of years. Maybe it’s not to the forefront yet, but we think there are a lot of young players here that do have leadership attributes.”
Chris Grier:
(So going forward, it’s not that big of a deal?) – “No, I mean you always want to add good people in your locker room. I think with us, what do we have, 35 players under 26 or something on the roster? Danny (Amendola) is a good player. Josh Sitton is a good player. They’ve been in Super Bowls and just to have those guys around such young guys as they’re coming into their own in the league, I think it’s a great benefit. For us, the players we’ve drafted, I think you’ve been around some of them. There’s a lot of them – Davon Godchaux, all these guys – Raekwon (McMillan), you guys haven’t been around him a lot, but if you ask a lot of players, they talk about how mature and what type of leader he is. I’m just throwing those guys out, but all of these guys are all biting at the bit to take over and be leaders on this team, so we’re excited about it.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(In your first three rounds, would you say that you need two starters? Could you take a starter, a major contributor and a guy to develop? How would you break down your first three rounds?) – “I think you always have to stay away a little bit from the starter label because guys could play a lot and not necessarily start, especially on defense depending on which packages we use; but certainly, our hope and expectation is some of these players are going to come in and contribute right away and Coach Gase will obviously determine their playing time. Especially early in the draft, as Chris alluded to, having Adam as part of the process as intimately as he is, you want to have a vision so early on these guys can contribute and hopefully like in previous years, the first few picks will play a significant amount come the fall.”
(You have a reputation as one of the more active traders in the NFL, even going back to your days with the Jets. What goes into your mind and the thought process, especially on draft day, when you’re proposing or fielding those trade calls?) – “I think for us it’s just, again, being prepared and looking for opportunities like the (Daniel) Kilgore trade. That just kind of popped up and we felt like that was a good opportunity for us. Like I said, Chris and I will work the phones quite a bit between now and next Thursday to get a sense. It’s rare to sit there at 11 and you’re on the clock and then the first conversation of a trade happens, (like) if someone else wants to come up for the 11th (pick). You have multiple conversations. I think, again, you just try and be prepared and look for opportunities. Likewise, if you’re trying to move up, you’re working the phones several spots ahead and saying, ‘Alright, what’s reasonable for us?’ I think a lot of work goes into it and then we’ve got to make the best decision once those opportunities present themselves.”
(Do you make those calls before Thursday?) – “Sure.”
(Or do you make those calls on Thursday? Do you wait for the calls to come to you?) – “I think it happens both ways.”
Chris Grier:
“It’s kind of fluid how it works. Mike will talk to a ton of people and I’ll talk to a few. We’ll talk all the way up until draft day, and then sometimes after the third or fourth pick, someone will start calling us.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“But to answer your question, those conversations won’t happen … They will start before Thursday. Sometimes it could be a team saying, ‘We can come up for two players.’ And then we try to keep that alive and likewise we’re sitting in the second round, and we call a team 10 spots ahead. ‘We want to come up. If one or two guys are there, we’ll come up and we’ll give you a third. Is that good enough?’ A lot of that has to happen before you actually get to that part in the draft. I think that’s the part that maybe is a little misunderstood, is for every 10 calls you make, you may get one trade done; but very rarely does a trade actually start while you’re on the clock.”
(Going back to the quarterbacks in this draft class, what did you think of their readiness and their ability to play right away, some of these quarterbacks in this class?) – “I think it’ll be, for whatever team that chooses these players, what you ask them to do. There’s always going to be a developmental phase. The college game does things different than the NFL; but I think the one thing that’s impressive about the five or six guys you’re talking about is they’re all very smart, and they’ve played for coaches that have systems that some people may say are simple, but they’re asked to do a lot of stuff. So, I think for us, the good thing here is the guy is going to come in and Ryan Tannehill is the starter. So you’re going to sit and learn behind Ryan and compete with Ryan; but at the end of the day, Ryan is our starter, and he’s going to get a chance to learn.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On free agent RB C.J. Anderson, you guys were obviously in it two years ago I guess. Now you have RB Frank Gore in. Does that preclude going back to C.J.? Is that a possibility?) – “We’ll certainly see what happens once we get after the draft with any free agents, and we’ll see where we are. We’ve got to get through the draft here first. That’s the next opportunity and then we’ll look at other things once we get through that.”
Frank Gore – April 17, 2018
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Tuesday, April 17, 2018
RB Frank Gore
(Talk about how happy you are to be here finally.) – “When you get the opportunity … I played at (the University of) Miami, grew up in Miami and I was away for 13 years. Now that I get the opportunity to play back here, it’s very big. For one, my kids get to see me every day. I get to see my oldest son’s high school (football) games. This will probably be my first time really getting to see him play since I’ve been in the NFL, so that’s a plus. Just to be back playing in front of my fans where I grew up is very big and I’m happy for it.”
(What kind of role did Head Coach Adam Gase discuss with you that you have coming in here?) – “They want me to come out there and be me. They want me to come out there and be the football player I’ve always been. I’ve known Adam since 2007 or 2008. He knows I love the game and how much passion I have for the game. Like I told him before I signed, if I felt like I couldn’t play, I won’t play. I know I still can play and I’m going to try to do whatever it takes to help this team win.”
(Being a Miami guy, was it ever or always in the back of your mind that someday you might be wearing Dolphins colors?) – “When I came out, when I had to do the workout for the team, I thought they were going to take me in the second or third round. When they took Ronnie (Brown), I said that was out the door. They worked the hell out of me, so I said I might have a chance to get drafted here; but it didn’t happen. It’s all good. I feel like I’ve had a pretty good career so far. I’m still playing and I’m blessed, and I’m happy I’m here.”
(Will it really hit you when you get in a game?) – “Yes. I think once we get into training camp and I’m here every day and competing with my teammates and probably the preseason, once that comes around, it will probably hit me then.”
(Can you talk about your longevity and how you’ve been able to be so productive in your career and that it’s a point of pride for you?) – “First of all, I’d have to say it has to be the man up above. Without him, I don’t think I could do it at all. The way I train in the offseason and I think the way I love the game – you have to love the game to keep playing this long – I think that’s what it is.”
(What’s your oldest son’s name and where does he go to high school?) – “He went to Coral Gables last year and now he’s going to Killian. He’s junior – Frank Gore Jr.”
(What does he play?) – “Running back. Slot.”
(How much longer do you think you want to play or can play?) – “I don’t know. I just take it one day at a time, one year at a time. If I feel like I can play and I’m still enjoying it and they still want me and I feel like I can at a high level, then I’ll play. If I feel like my body can’t take it and I feel like I’m not playing at a high level and I can’t be myself, I’ll walk away.”
(In regards to the rushing record, you’re 75 yards from being No. 4 all-time. How much does being on that list, how important is it to you?) – “I would say that I don’t think about it; but when people ask me, it’s a blessing. Thinking about where I came from, coming out of college with two ACL (injuries) and all of the doubters saying that I won’t be able to play two or three years, and getting picked in the third round was a reach. I’m still going. I will say it’s a blessing.”
(What keeps you going outside of the love of football?) – “I’ve been doing this my whole life. In Miami, football is big for us. That’s one way out of our community that we feel we can get out of our neighborhood. I’ve been blessed to do it. I feel like I’m still playing at a high level and I’m still having fun, so why not do it?”
(When you were released, did you consider other teams or did you focus in on you wanting to be here?) – “I didn’t get released. My contract was up. Before I got out of the NFL, I always wanted to play here. It’s a business; but also, when I got the opportunity to play in the Super Bowl and we were successful in San Francisco, I always wanted the opportunity to get back and chase that trophy. Hopefully as a team here, we get it together and play for each other and try to change that to get back to the playoffs here. When I got here, the locker room has been pretty cool. (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase is a good coach and a good dude. We’ve just got to keep taking it one day at a time and believe in our locker room and coaches, and see where we can take it.”
(A lot of what has been done with the roster makeover this year has been about bringing in leaders, bringing in guys that are going to be at the head of the roster and showing guys what to do. Do you embrace that? Do you see yourself as one of those men?) – “I’m not a talker; but I will show in practice the way that I work and the way I love the game and the reason I’m still playing at a high level. So when training camp comes, all of my guys in my running back room will see how much and how hard I go every day. Once I start making plays here and playing good ball, then I’ll feel like I have the right to talk in the locker room. Right now, I’m a new face. I have to prove myself to the coaching staff and also my teammates. Right now I’m just standing in the back, doing what I have to do every day, working hard and getting ready for training camp and for the season.”
(What are some observations that you’ve picked up over the years about what separates the teams that win and the teams that lose?) – “I would say … In San Francisco, we were like brothers. The offense, defense we stuck together – on the field and off the field. After the game we met up at each other’s houses and hung out. In San Francisco, I didn’t want to let Justin Smith down, so I played every play like it was my last. I didn’t want to Patrick Willis down. In San Francisco, I’d say the reason was because when we all got drafted, it took us five or six years to be a top-dog team. We grew that bond. Once we got a chance to taste how to win, we never wanted to go back, so every day we competed. I remember me and Patrick – he’s a Pro Bowler and I’m a Pro Bowler – but we used to be about to fight because I didn’t want to lose against him and he didn’t want to lose against me. Basically it was the same thing of how we were at the University of Miami. I think once you get that and want to compete and you get the opportunity to start winning, you never want to go back.”
(No one goes into the league saying I’m going to be a Top 5 rusher of all time. Has real life exceeded your dreams?) – “I’d say I’ve been blessed; but I don’t think about it. I was talking to my cousin and he’s older than me and he was calling out all of the running backs who he used to look up to when he was a kid in the streets. He’s like ‘You’re my little cousin and you’re at No. 4.’ I told him I don’t think about it because I guess I’m still playing. I think when I’m done and I look back, it’ll probably hit me then. I’ve been blessed and I’m happy. I’m going to show this organization that they picked the right guy by bringing me in this year.”
(Do you think about that bust in Canton one day?) – “No, I don’t. When the time comes and it happens, it happens. I don’t (think about it).”
(Playing in Miami now for the hometown team, how much pride is there to do something in your hometown because you’ve been away for so long?) – “It’s big. Like I said, some guys go to different teams and feel like when they get older, they just want to ride the coattails of other guys. I don’t want to do that. I respect every man on this team. I’m here to still play and help the young guys; but I want to show my fans in Miami that I can still be a top guy in this league.”
(Have you met RB Kenyan Drake yet? What are you impressions of him and how do you see the two of you working together in the backfield?) – “Yes, I met him. I think he’s a great young man. He’s got a lot of tools. I remember when they played Denver the week before they played us, I was watching tape. He kind of caught my eye. He’s got a lot of talent. I think me and him in the backfield, I think it can help this team with a different style, and it should be good.”
(A lot of players have certain diets, certain exercises. I’m wondering why you’ve been able to last so long at such a physical position and be effective.) – “I’m smart. (laughter) I love it and I’ve been blessed. The way I train in the offseason – training with Lamarr Miller, training with Gio (Bernard) – training with a lot of these young guys just to keep myself honest and if I can still hang with those guys. I feel like if I can’t, I don’t need to be here.”
Danny Amendola – April 17, 2018
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Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Wide Receiver Danny Amendola
(Why Miami? What else was out there for you and why did you decide here?) – “It’s a great place to play football. I’ve played against these guys for a long time in our division and we’ve got a strong division. It’s a great place to play. I love what (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase does. I’m excited to be a part of this group.”
(What are your impressions of Head Coach Adam Gase?) – “He’s a great coach. Obviously he’s been in the league for a long time and been doing a lot of great things. Just being here for a couple days, I can tell these guys really respond to him and they play hard for him.”
(We asked CB Bobby McCain – with a smile – on Friday how it was, the first meeting between you guys and he said everything was cool. From your standpoint, how was that first meeting with Bobby?) – “We’re brothers now. We play on the same team, so we’re going to fight together and I can’t wait to get out there and start working with him and start pushing each other and start getting better.”
(What do you feel like are some of the keys to being a good leader and a good teammate?) – “Just expressing your knowledge for the game, what you’ve been through and what you’ve learned along the way. We’ve got some young guys, got some old guys and the leaders are going to step up. Whatever I can do to help this team win is what I’m going to do.”
(How much time have you been able to spend with QB Ryan Tannehill since you got down here?) – “A few days. We’ve thrown the ball around a couple times. We’re always talking, always picking each other’s brain here in the short time that I’ve been here. He seems to be a great guy, a great player. I watched him play when he was in college when he played receiver, when he played quarterback. I know what kind of athlete he is and I’m excited to be a part of a group playing with him.”
(Who’s got better hands, you or QB Ryan Tannehill?) – “He’s a good quarterback. That’s all I know. (laughter)”
(Recently you talked about Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick. You said he’s one of the greatest coaches of all time, sometimes he can be a bleep. You don’t see ex-Patriots say that about Bill. I think you meant it in a very respectful way, but could you expound on that, and why did you feel the freedom to be able to say that?) – “I’m just focused on the Miami Dolphins, trying to get better every day here in OTAs and focused on forming a bond with my teammates here and I’m really focused on the future.”
(Is it weird coming from the Patriots to the Dolphins? You guys have been rivals for so long. It’s got to be a little awkward, no?) – “No, I love these colors, so I’m excited to be wearing them and I’m excited to be a part of this group.”
(You and a lot of the other veterans who are accomplished in the NFL were brought here, in part, to show leadership. How do you balance that with being the new guy? Is it harder to just come in and be the guy and show everybody when you haven’t been here?) – “When the time is to come for me to lead, then I’ll lead. Right now, I’m just trying to flow and get the playbook, trying to learn, trying to adapt to this organization, to this facility and the way things are going. It’s my second day in the building. Everything will work itself out.”
(What does it mean to you to be rewarded with a quite substantial contract at this point in your career?) – “I’m excited. I’m excited to get out there and play football. It’s what I like to focus on. Obviously, there’s a business aspect to this game. Sometimes it works out for you, sometimes it doesn’t. I’ve been on both ends. I try to keep it consistent with playing good football and trying to be there for my teammates.”
(You’ve been on the other side for a lot of Dolphins games. What is it that this team needs to be better?) – “Just continue to improve every day, try to embrace the grind and create an atmosphere around here that’s conducive to winning. We’re excited to be … I know I’m excited to be here, and we’ve got a great group.”
(When a player comes into a new organization and if you’ve had success against that team, do you ever tell coaches, ‘This is what worked well against you guys or this is what didn’t work. This is what you guys are doing well.’) – “I’m here to listen to my coaches and listen to what they have to say. I’m here to be coachable and follow directions. If they ask me, then whatever I can provide, whatever kind of information I can give to help my team win, that’s what I’ll do.”
(How much do you know about your fellow wide receivers either personally or on film – WR Kenny Stills, WR DeVante Parker and the rest of them?) – “I’ve obviously, watched them play for a long time and it goes back to college for a couple of them. (I am) familiar with some of the new guys in the room, too. We’ve put a lot of good ideas on paper these last two days and we’ve got a great group. I’m excited to get on the field and get working with them.”
(Is the idea of running some of the routes that WR Jarvis Landry had success with somewhat appealing to you, that role in this offense?) – “Every team in the league has the same concepts, really. It’s just a matter of getting out there, getting them repped, getting familiar with your teammates, creating a rapport if you will, and then just getting out there and getting reps.”
(How quickly do you think it will take for you to learn this offense considering this is the third offense you’ve been in?) – “I’ve been in three or four of them, I believe. It’s all new verbiage, so it’s going to take some time to learn the language and learn the vocabulary. The system and the way things work pre-snap and within the play are similar to a lot of places I’ve been; but to learn the language, to learn the verbiage, it’s going to take a few days.”
(Did the idea of playing your old team a couple of times a year factor at all in your decision?) – “Not really. I wanted to go … I wanted to play for a good coach, a good team and a good city, and here I am.”
(You’ve had some memorable plays in the biggest moments. I’m wondering is there some sort of key to being the guy who makes the plays in pressure situations?) – “It just all comes down to preparation and being ready when your number is called. Really, no matter what month it is, what down it is, for me it’s just all about preparation. Whenever your number is called, just be ready.”
(As former, fellow Texas Tech players, did you have any kind of relationship with WR Jakeem Grant before you got here and what do you think of his game?) – “I have. I have known him and watched him play for a really long time. He’s a great player. He’s strong. I found out he’s an exceptional athlete these last two days. He’s fast. He can do a lot of great things. (He has) a lot of upside as a player. I’m really excited to see what fellow Texas Tech Red Raiders are going to do this year.”
Robert Quinn – April 4, 2018
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Wednesday, April 4, 2018
DE Robert Quinn
(What was your first reaction when you had heard the news?) – “Well, actually I was worried about finding my phone. I got the news from my brother’s phone, so I’m like ‘Well, let me go finish finding my phone and I’ll figure the rest of lights out from there.’ (laughter). So I was a little shocked but … I mean I was pretty much shocked, honestly.”
(Has that shock worn off and, if so, what are your thoughts about being a Miami Dolphin?) – “Honestly, you know you don’t realize you’re suffocating until you can’t breathe no more, so honestly I’m glad I can have a new breath of fresh air down here in Miami. It’s allowing me to clear my mind and have a fresh start. It’s a new beginning and new possibilities. I’m excited for this new start. Honestly, I think it was best for me and my family, and sometimes things work out funny but they always work out for the best.”
(What did you mean by that when you said you were suffocating? What do you mean?) – “Well, how about this: I’m not a West Coast guy. I’ll just put it that way.”
(You had a few really fantastic seasons a few years ago. What have you been through since then as you try to work your way back?) – “Well, trying to make sure all my injuries hold up. Honestly, like I said, being here is more of just a fresh start. All of the old, old history … I don’t know. It kind of just, for whatever reason, seems to have gone away since I got here. There’s just something about when you walk into a place and you get this feeling that it seems like you’re supposed to be there. Like I said, I got one of those feelings being here. It’s still early, but I’m excited for the start.”
(When you talk about the feeling, I guess of optimism and a new start, is that because you’re with the Dolphins or because you’re away from the Rams?) – “Both. I mean it’s like this … This is the first time I’ve been traded. When you commit yourself to someone and basically have a family member turn your back on you, you realize who appreciates you around here, and you commit yourself to them. All it takes is one time for someone to rub you the wrong way and you have to just keep moving. I’ve got a new family now here in Miami and that’s all I’m concerned about.”
(Do you have a side that you prefer to play or do you play right and left side, both?) – “Long snapper (laughter).”
(You can stay in the league that way, right?) – “I can get 20 years right there, right? (laughter) No, but to answer your question, honestly it’s just pretty much playing defensive end. I’ve always been pretty much the majority right side and I guess I’m lucky Cam (Wake) loves the left side. Hopefully it works out for the best for the both of us.”
(What impresses you about DE Cam Wake since you just mentioned him?) – “Every time I hear about him – since I’ve been here I’ve bumped into him one time – I always hear about his work ethic, the way he eats, the way he takes care of himself and all of that. Like I said, I’ve only met him one time since I’ve been here. I never like to judge a book by its cover. I always want to get to know someone for who they are and not by word of mouth. He’s been here pretty much his whole career, if I’m not mistaken, so he’s earned his stripes. He’s committed himself and he’s been a heck of a Hall of Fame player whenever he decides (to retire). It makes you realize when you’ve got that type of caliber player, with that new breath of fresh air, it makes you want to get back to that level and expectation of being great. It’s exciting to be with a player and a teammate and I’m sure we’ll turn into friends. We’re going to do that in due time.”
(You and DE Cam Wake are two of the best in NFL history in the strip-sack. You guys are like No. 1 and No. 2. What’s the key to doing that successfully, getting that ball out?) – “Well, being on the right side, usually it is the blind side of the quarterback, where they can’t see you. Honestly, I forget what coach told me, (but it was) about a stat. Any time the defense gets a turnover, it’s like a 65-70 percent chance of winning and any time you score on defense, you are pretty much at 100 percent. That’s where my mind set is. Just off of those percentages, if I can get a strip, forced fumble and a touchdown on defense, that pretty much guarantees a team win. That’s what I’m about. I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help the team win.”
(How much do you enjoy being reunited with DE William Hayes?) – “I’m excited. I was talking with him yesterday. I don’t consider a lot of people friends, but only my best friends. He’s one of my best friends. I’m definitely excited to be here and be reunited with him.”
(I’ve read a lot of stories about how you’ve had great success despite having issues with the tumor. I’m wondering how often do you have to have it checked and what’s the latest, if anything, that you know about thing?) – “Long story short, I’ve had this tumor since high school. I guess this would probably put it in a better (perspective). They told me that week that I wasn’t going to make it out of the hospital. That kind of changed my whole perspective of looking at life. That’s kind of just how why I am the way I am, just because … I don’t know if you were ever 17 and told you won’t make it out of the hospital in a week. It kind of messes with you a little bit. I think it did it for the better, just to make me realize there are more important things. Football’s fine. Everything’s fine, but the important thing is life. As long as you are happy with life and everything, at the end of the day, tomorrow’s not promised. As long as I can wake up with a smile, it’s a blessing.”
(Do they just basically give you a clear bill of health each year? Is that what they do? Is it like a once a year thing?) – “Yes. I get a checkup on it once a year and make sure it stays … not doing anything crazy. It’s been I guess about 10 years now – almost 10 years, 11 years now – I’m going on 11 years. Yes, so I get a checkup just to make sure it’s stable and nothing crazy is going on up there. It is your brain, so if that shuts down, everything pretty much shuts down. So it’s more of just checking on it and making sure it’s fine. Again, it’s going on 11 years so hopefully it’s found its resting place and will leave me alone.”
(If I’m not mistaken, you were a 3-4 outside linebacker last year. Is that right?) – “Yes.”
(What happens when you get to putting your hand back in the dirt? What kind of a difference does that make for a pass rusher?) – “I don’t know if you’ve ever watched the Olympics but I’ve never seen one of the sprinters run from a two-point stance. I think some people are gifted to push off that one foot – I’m thinking of Von Miller and stuff like that – but I honestly think if you want to get the best get-off, you’re supposed to get in a three-point stance. Again, to each his own. Some people are better doing one versus the other. Like I said, you can’t tell a person how to produce and make plays.”
(What kind of damage do you think you and DE Cameron Wake can do rushing the passer from opposite sides?) – “I don’t want to talk about ourselves too much but like you guys said, we’re the – I don’t know – No. 1, No. 2 at strip-sacks, forced fumbles? If we can do that once a game or twice a game, I think that gives our team a great chance of winning week in and week out. Again, I keep saying, it’s about the team winning. I’m just trying to do my part and hopefully … I keep saying these statistics because I had a defensive coordinator that made them stick in my mind. At the end of the day, I just want to get back to winning and some positive vibes because it seems like Miami is a great place to be.”
(What can you tell us about why you’ve raised your fist in protest at times during the national anthem and if you plan to continue that this season?) – “Well, let me tell you this. The way America was built and the way people talk … The President said we should build a wall to keep Mexicans out. This country was built off of … They killed Indians built off the backs of the blacks and yet they tell us to keep quiet. At the end of the day, let’s confront the situation and let’s bring humanity and friendship. Let’s get rid of all the ignorance. Let’s face it head on, look at each other as humans and I always live by this one law: treat each other like you want to be treated. You don’t ever want to smack someone in the face and don’t expect to get smacked back. It’s just that simple fact. Don’t treat someone bad and then expect not to get treated the same way. That’s just how it is.”
Adam Gase – March 27, 2018
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Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Head Coach Adam Gase
(Considering you guys had so many big talented names leave, do you feel like you’ve brought in the talent to replace that or is it more the sum is bigger than the parts?) – “Really the way I see it right now is that we’ve added the pieces that really go with the group that we already have. Obviously when you have the players that have left, the caliber of players that we’ve had and the guys that have had the production that they’ve had, we know that you’re not going to replace one guy with one guy. We understand that. We’re just trying to find the best fit for our locker room right now. That’s what we’re looking for anytime we bring anybody else in.”
(Are you where you thought you’d be when you took the job? You inherit a lot of pieces where you don’t have any control over it. Now do you feel like this is a roster that’s more reflective of what you’ve been looking for?) – “I think this is closer than what we talked about when we first started. Sometimes you have to go through a couple of years and really figure guys out and who fits and who wants to either move on or you want to move on from. I think we’re closer to what we’ve been looking for heading into the draft. We still have some pieces to add. We’re looking really to kind of see how it plays out. We’ll see what goes on after talking with other teams in the league. You just never know who else is going to shake free from now until the start of the season.”
(What do you guys get in replacing C Mike Pouncey with C Daniel Kilgore?) – “That’s a tough one because I think Pouncey … It’s a tough word to use, ‘replace.’ I think when you have a guy that’s done as much for this organization as Mike has, I don’t know if you can really replace him. I know Daniel will come in here and really put his spin on that position. He probably has some different traits that are strengths to him. We’ll just see how everything goes and how that group gels together, because really that’s what we’re looking for: to see if we can get those three interior guys working well together and see how well we can play this year.”
(What was the thinking behind moving on from DT Ndamukong Suh?) – “I think it was probably just the right time for us. We have a lot of young players in that d-line room. We’re kind of moving some things around this year, both on offense and defense. You have to look at everything financially, just how you want to go about heading forward.”
(With that defensive tackle group, do you feel like DT Jordan Phillips and DT Davon Godchaux can play more snaps? Davon already had 500 snaps as a rookie.) – “Yes, we’ll kind of see. We’ll keep adding to that position and keep creating competition. We’ll see how it really plays out this season. You never know with injuries and the moves that are made, whether it be the draft or trading for somebody or picking somebody up. You just never know how it’s going to shake out.”
(In what ways can WR Albert Wilson and WR Danny Amendola fill some of the WR Jarvis Landry role?) – “I don’t know. It’s really going to be … I’m looking at that as more of a group effort of we’re probably going to spread it out a little more. Ball distribution will be a little more wide-ranging than one guy. We’ll kind of see how we play this out and who is playing where. We’ll probably have guys moving around in multiple spots. I think between DeVante (Parker) and Kenny (Stills) – those two – and now you add Jakeem (Grant) in there and you add (Kenyan) Drake in there, now you’ve got Frank Gore. We’ve got a lot of guys that we’re going to need to get the ball to.”
(What was it about WR Albert Wilson that attracted you to his talent level?) – “His speed is hard to ignore. We saw first-hand how fast he is and what he can do, how he can stretch the field vertically. Then I think I’d look at a guy that when you put the ball in his hands, he makes plays. I don’t think I’ve seen too many wide receivers where a team is actually handing the ball off to him and he’s running between the tackles. He’s not a running back; but he has toughness, he has vision and he has ability to do a lot of different things, which is very intriguing to us. We feel like we have a lot of things that we can do with him.”
(And why WR Danny Amendola?) – “I think Danny fits into this system probably really well. When we started this thing, we had Wes (Welker). He kind of originated that position up in New England. By getting (Amendola), we have the type of offense that really fits him. I think he creates a lot of separation. He’s one of those guys that makes the quarterback’s job really easy. He doesn’t just get a little bit open. There’s a big window there. The quarterback has margin for error. It’s something that we’re excited about and I think he brings that element that he’s a winner. He’s played in a lot of big games. He’s won Super Bowls. He’s made big plays in huge games – game-changing plays. I think he’s going to be a great example for the rest of our locker room.”
(Why did you bring in RB Frank Gore at this stage of his career?) – “I wouldn’t doubt Frank with anything. I know a lot of people are looking at his age but with him, it’s irrelevant. He’s a different dude. I’ve known him for 10 years. We were together a long time ago (in San Francisco). He just hasn’t changed. When you watch him run, the physicality he plays with, pad level, the way that he’s able to drive defenders when they’re hanging on him and carrying them still, he’s a good fit for us. I think he’s a great guy for us to have in that locker room and that running back room. I think he’s a great guy for (Kenyan) Drake to see work day in and day out, and those two guys kind of being able to do their thing together. That’s going to be a fun thing to watch.”
(So how do you envision using both RB Frank Gore and RB Kenyan Drake?) – “We’ll figure it out. This is no different than what we were kind of doing with Damien (Williams) and Kenyan last year. I mean it’s a long season. We got caught in a couple of situations last year where Kenyan (Drake) was the only guy we had, and he had to take the majority of the carries. Really, that’s not what we want over a 16-game season. That’s going to be tough. We’ll make sure that we spread this thing out well. We’ll use both of those guys the right way.”
(You’ve spoken so highly of WR Jarvis Landry, especially the first year when you took the job. Was there a point at which maybe your vision and his went different directions?) – “I don’t think so. I think when you get to that free agency point, it’s not as easy as you think. You’re talking the amount of money somebody else wants and what you think … Not necessarily what they deserve, but how it can work for your organization. We just couldn’t find a way to meet in the middle there. Really, the next step for us was with the franchise tag and then we ended up moving on from him. He’ll do well. He’s around a good group of guys now. That group is going to be good. He’ll do what he’s always done. He’ll have a successful season again and we’ll just see how it plays out for him.”
(Did you and WR Jarvis Landry end the season in a good place, as far as your relationship?) – “I thought we did. The last time that we spoke, everything was positive. It’s just the business side of everything. It’s just not very fun.”
(Is there a common thread among the types of players that you’re trying to bring in now that you want to add to this group?) – “I think the common thread is we’re just trying to get guys with experience winning, who have been successful, have done it right, are professionals and are just good examples. But at the same time, (we want) guys that can play. We’re trying to get guys that fit into what we’re looking to do. Right now, we feel great about the guys that we’ve acquired.”
(How good do you feel about this offensive line that you have? You have depth. What do you like about G Josh Sitton?) – “I’m just glad I don’t have to hear about guard play anymore. (laughter) We’ll keep that one down for a while. I think anytime that you have competition, that you have veteran players … I like where we’re at with our tackles right now. I think those two guys (Laremy Tunsil and Ja’Wuan James) are only going to become better with the guys that they’re playing with. It will be interesting for us to watch. I like our depth. We’re just going to have to get that cohesiveness we need. I know that we’ve talked about that a lot, where we’re always trying to figure out what’s the best thing to do. Practicing together, does that matter? If it’s every day for three months, what’s that going to do? I think we’re all in the same boat when we’re saying ‘Yes, that’s going to be a major factor.’ If we can keep guys healthy and practice together and get those reps together, that’s going to be important.”
(When you think about what you plan to do in the spring and summer with QB Ryan Tannehill, is there any sort of easing in or limiting…?) – “I don’t know if there’s anything about him that’s going to be easing in. I think he’s ready to go. I already know I’m going to get some dirty looks when I say ‘How are you doing? How does it feel?’ He’s not going to want to hear it. He’s just going to want to go. We’ll just keep … I’ll just try to do a good job of not bothering him too much; but at the same time, kind of figure out where he’s at. I know our training staff is going to do a great job of just making sure everything is good. He’s been really honest with us as far as how he feels and where he’s at. We’ll kind of see how that plays out.”
(What are you going to tell QB Ryan Tannehill in respect to running and protecting himself?) – “I mean he’s going to play his game. I don’t think he ever really put himself in harm’s way to begin with. I thought he was always smart. Occasionally I would have loved to have seen him get down; but it was usually at the right time where he knew he had no choice and he had to lower his shoulder and try to run through a guy for a big play in the fourth quarter. I know it feels like forever ago, but he got hurt in the pocket throwing a ball. Really, it’s about … If we do a good job of protecting him and he gets the ball out on time, I don’t feel like he’s going to get hit as much as he has in the past.”
(How do you think you might be able to help with QB Brock Osweiler? What does he actually bring?) – “I really like the competition we’re going to be able to have between those three guys that we have on the roster right now (Osweiler, David Fales and Brandon Doughty). We’ll kind of see how everything else goes moving forward with the draft coming up. I think Brock has the tool set really that we saw when we drafted him in Denver. He’s had a little bit of a rocky road here the last few years. When you’re used to working with a guy and you kind of know each other already and you’re able to skip a few steps and get right into the meat of the action there and just get into fine-tuning a few things … I think he’ll do well in practice with us and he’ll be able to get on the same page with guys really fast. He kind of knows how things need to be done. It’s just going to be about when you hit the preseason, how does that really work out? Can you get those other guys to play well around you and can you make the right decisions?”
(Going back to QB Ryan Tannehill a second, so he will be ready to go at the start of training camp?) – “He’ll be ready go in OTAs. He’ll be doing stuff from the beginning of the offseason.”
(How do you see the linebacker situation taking shape right now?) – “We keep trying to look to address this … We’ve probably got one hole right now. We’re looking for either somebody to step up and take that spot or we’ve got to bring somebody else in, whether that be the draft, trade or somebody getting cut from another team. We’ll kind of see how it plays out going forward. It’s hard to predict right now. We’ve got some young players that we’re encouraged by. We feel like Kiko (Alonso) and Raekwon (McMillan) are two guys that we really like. We’ll be excited to get Raekwon back. We’ll just kind of see how it plays out. It’s hard to predict anything right now, especially since we still have the draft. We’ve still got a lot of time before the season starts. We’re just going to have to see how it plays out.”
(At that position, what did LB Stephone Anthony show you?) – “I think we got a good first look at him. I thought he did a great job in practice. The times that we got him into games, he did a lot of good things. We’re just going to kind of see how it plays out. I don’t want to promise anything to anybody. I think we’re just going to … Competition is going to be a good thing for us.”
(Without asking you to tip your hand regarding the draft or the future of your roster, do you believe it’s imperative for you guys to get a good, young quarterback in the draft this year at some point?) – “I think we just … I think (General Manager) Chris (Grier) will do a good job putting the draft board together and we’ll pick the right guys. For me to say that, it’s just hard to know. I don’t know how the draft is going to fall. I don’t know who … What if three teams trade up even higher than what we’ve been seeing and everybody’s gone? Are we taking a guy just to take a guy? I mean I’d love to add a quarterback as much as anybody else but at the same time, I want it to be the right guy for us.”
(With the acquisition of DE Robert Quinn and DE William Hayes coming back, are you going to find yourself having a hard time figuring out how to get all of those d-ends on the field?) – “I was always told you can never have enough d-ends and corners by somebody, so we’ll figure it out. I’d rather have more than not enough.”
(What do you think, aside from QB Ryan Tannehill’s injury, the biggest issue with the team was last year? And how have you gone about trying to fix that this offseason?) – “I think we had a lot of … There were a lot of little … There were some big things and some little things that came up last year. A lot of us had to deal with a lot of adversity. I think it was a learning lesson for a lot of us. I know I went through a lot of things last year that were not in the handbook. There were some tough spots to get put in; but I thought some guys did well. They handled adversity well. Some guys didn’t handle it as well. We probably learned a lot about a lot of guys. It was one of those things that at the time you’re going through it, it’s not really the (most) fun thing to do, but it’s a great learning experience moving forward.”
(What did you learn about the job from dealing with some of crazy stuff?) – “Just to expect anything. You just never know what it could be.”
(Did it make you better?) – “Yes. I mean it was either adapt or die. You had no choice. That’s the way I saw it. You had to figure out a way to deal with the situation and still get ready for the game, work to get our coaching staff ready and make sure our coaching staff was getting our players ready. It was interesting. It was interesting to go through a lot of the things last year that we went through.”
(How do you think that impacted the team’s performance? All of those constant distractions.) – “You wish you could say it didn’t have any impact. I think a lot of guys would say … Just talking to them after the season, some guys got distracted by it, by certain things; but some guys assert things over others. I think everybody had a little different feel each week of if something came up, if that bothered them or it didn’t. I think everybody was a little bit different, but I think we kind of fell apart to that a little bit.”
(Is there an example of that adversity that we don’t know about that you can share?) – “No. ”
(I apologize if you’ve been asked this before but what attracted you to WR Danny Amendola and how do you see him operating in your offense?) – “Really just to know a guy that really fits into what we’re doing. He’s an experienced guy, a guy that’s been in big games, made plays in big games. He’s been part of an organization that’s won a lot and he’s a guy that can absolutely be a huge impact in our locker room. He can help other players on offense and help our team in general. I think it will be good for our guys to see how he works, how he does meetings and how he goes about his business. I remember when we signed Wes (Welker) in Denver, that was one of the biggest things that he did was when our young guys saw him practice, they were shocked because they couldn’t believe how hard he went and how fast he did everything. There was no half speed or take this play off. It just didn’t exist. He was full speed all the time.”
(What went into the decision to follow through on the fifth-year option for T Ja’Wuan James?) – “I think we looked through all our options. I think he had a chance to kind of think through how he felt. We had a lot of discussion with him, his agent, us – between (Offensive Coordinator) Dowell (Loggains) and (Offensive Line Coach) Jeremiah (Washburn) and (Assistant Offensive Line Coach) Chris Kuper – and we felt like at the end of the day, Ja’Wuan wanted to be back. He wanted to be back. He wanted to get an opportunity to really finish off last year the right way. He wanted to continue in building on what he felt he was building on. We had a great conversation to where I think all of us felt really good that he deserves that shot to get what he wants, where he can come in, he can be a part of that group and be an impact guy for us. I think he … The biggest thing that excited me is that he wanted to be … It meant a lot for him to be back. He wanted to be on this team. He wanted to be a part of this. He wanted to be part of us taking last season, building off it and then finding out a way to win this year.”
(You lost a lot of veterans in the last offseason. Who do you think the leaders are going forward?) – “We’ll find out. I mean right now … feel like we’ve added more guys than we lost. I know free agency, a lot of guys were taken away there and whether we released guys or traded guys; but I think we’re adding good pieces to the puzzle here and I feel like we’re only going to get better leadership wise.”
(Regarding special teams, where do you see the leadership there and how do you see…?) – “Did (Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren) Rizzi put you up to this? Did Rizzi call this one in? Darren from Fort Lauderdale? (laughter)”
(I just know you lost a good number of special teams players…) – “We lost a good player (in Michael Thomas). I think when we started this thing, we knew between Mike and Walt both being up, it wasn’t going to be an easy thing for us to get both of those guys back. I think what we kind of predicted for ourselves and what happened was two different things. I really felt like Mike was going to be quick. I didn’t think he’d last this long on the open market. We wanted to make sure we got Walt done and we were able to do that. There were a couple of things we weren’t able to get done to help our special teams. I think Walt is a guy that we’re going to see really step up in a leadership role this year. I don’t know if anybody can really replace Mike as far as his leadership goes and his ability to make plays was outstanding. He’s a tackling machine, but we also have a lot of guys that were impact players that we still have on the roster between Mike Hull and Walt and the rest of that group. We’ve got a good crew of guys and we’ve added some guys that are actually going to be able to help on special teams, so we’ll kind of see how it plays out.”
(What excited you about DE Robert Quinn, to be able to get him without a ton of compensation back and he’s still only 27?) – “We got a young player that (can) rush the passer, loves playing football and he’s got a great motor. When you watch him on film, the guy just keeps rushing the passer. I think adding him and then getting William Hayes back, that was big for us. Those are two guys to add to that room that we feel really good about. Getting William back, that was big for a lot of us. We really wanted to make sure he was in our building this year. He was very impactful. It was unfortunate he got hurt last year, but I think that was something that was lingering for a long time with him and somehow he’s played through it. I think it just got to a point where he couldn’t handle it anymore. The pain was just that extreme. The doctors were right. They said as soon as he has this surgery, he’s going to feel like he’s ready to go the next day, and he did. I’m excited to see a healthy William Hayes go.”
(In terms of your defensive tackles with DT Jordan Phillips, DT Davon Godchaux and DT Vincent Taylor, how much development are you expecting from that trio and also, do you feel like you have enough at that position?) – “We’re always going to look to add. We’re going to look to add competition. I think these guys will … They’re only going to get better. I like what we’re doing with (Defensive Line Coach) Kris Kocurek. He’s going to get those guys better. That’s all he has ever done in his career. He has taken guys that sometimes when you watch some of his past film, some of those guys that you’re not really sure who they are, but they’re playing hard, they’re getting to the ball, they’re harassing the quarterback. He gets guys better. I think those guys fit in the mold that he’s looking for, and he’s going to get those players better. If things play out the way they seem to always play out, we’re going to probably add multiple pieces somewhere to where we can create competition, and we’ll kind of see how that plays out.”
(How big was it bringing DE William Hayes back to the fold?) – “It was huge. He’s probably one of my favorite guys to just watch play, to play in games and play in practice. His love for football, it’s hard to match. I think he’s contagious. Other guys really feed off of his energy, especially on game day. The physicality he plays with … I know we love using this word, setting the edge. He does a great job doing that. That’s something that he brings that we need.”
(What kind of step could TE A.J. Derby make after being with the team through OTAs this year and training camp?) – “I’m really interested to see what we can do with him. When he came on board, I wasn’t really sure where he was health-wise. It was just kind of a weird situation. Being able to … Seeing him go out the first day and he’s running around and he’s fine and I could tell the quarterbacks really liked working with him. Anytime you get a guy that has been a former quarterback, he seems to have a great feel for where to be, where to fit in, kind of what that guy is thinking. We’ll kind of see what we can do developing him. I think he’s one of those guys that has a great feel in the slot and kind of that one-on-one spot versus a safety or linebacker. We’ll see how it plays out.”
(As far as the rest you have at that position at the moment, has TE Thomas Duarte taken any steps as a blocker to make you think…?) – “I think so. We did something in the middle of the season last year where kind of talking to (Tight Ends Coach) Shane (Day) and Clyde (Christensen), we talked about putting him in with the ones and seeing what happened. Shane did a good job. He put him in there on a majority of run plays and pass protections. We’re in pads. It was great to see him really throwing his hat in there. He was being physical. He was doing things right. That gave us a lot of confidence to we feel like things are heading in the right direction. I think this is going to be a really important offseason for him, so when he hits training camp, he’s not thinking, he’s playing and reacting and he’s able to play physical. Then at the same time, when he gets his opportunities in the passing game, he makes the most of them.”
(How would you describe what G Josh Sitton and C Daniel Kilgore bring together and maybe how their skillset and their personality type might impact the overall production of the line?) – “I haven’t been around those two guys long enough to really … We’re talking about a couple hours I’ve been with them. I really need to experience this. I can go off of what I’ve heard, which has been positive for us. I’m going off of what two guys that were with them for two years, their experience with them in Chicago. I know with what we’re getting with Josh, we’re getting a guy that has been a Pro Bowler. He has won. He has played with an elite quarterback. I think he’s excited to have this opportunity, being able to help a young player that’s playing next to him. I think that’s something that really excited him. As far as Daniel goes, I’ve got nothing but positive feedback from those guys out there. I have a great relationship between Kyle (Shanahan) and John (Lynch), Paraag (Marathe) and Jed (York) and all of those guys. Those guys couldn’t say enough about him. I feel like we’re getting two good dudes that are hard workers, that want to do it right, that want to be part of the solution of us winning. I think we’re going to have the positive results we’re looking for.”
(I’m curious about one thing with the draft. A lot of the quarterbacks have said how much they enjoyed meeting with you, that they really liked you, that they really connected with you.) – “Don’t sound so surprised.” (laughter)
(Well, the one that really didn’t surprise me was Baker Mayfield.) – “Right.”
(Just personality-wise – I’m not asking for like a breakdown or whether you want to pick him or any of that – but personality-wise, he seems like he would be perfect for you. You guys seem almost the same.) – “We’re close in personality probably. I enjoy watching him play. I like the way he plays. That whole group of guys … It’s rare that you’re talking about this many guys at the top of the draft. Whoever is getting who, you’re getting good players across the board. You’re getting guys that are confident. You’re getting guys with a lot of talent. Really, it’s going to be kind of really your flavor as far as quarterback goes. I think Baker’s personality is something that’s infectious to other guys. I think there’s a competitiveness that you love to see. You can tell that he doesn’t want to lose at anything that he’s doing. It doesn’t matter if football … I don’t know what else he could possibly be doing, but whatever it is, he wants to win at. As a coach, you always love guys like that. You want to be around them because that gives you a little bit more. You want to give … You want to make sure you do more for that guy to put him in a better position. When you get that kind of energy from guys, it’s fun to be around. I’ve enjoyed the amount of time that we’ve been able to spend with him, whether it be the Senior Bowl, the Combine, when we do our workouts, Pro Days, things like that. It’s fun to go out and watch young guys throw and see how they act around other guys, kind of that evaluation process. You wish you weren’t so crunched with time, but it is what it is and it’s a great experience to go through those.”
(You seem to be a coach that lets his players have a personality. Do you think some of the stuff that QB Baker Mayfield does, even he admits, may have crossed the line, and that he learns from them?) – “I don’t want to expose myself as far as maybe how some of the things I do aren’t always great. Sometimes passion and emotion gets the best of you. Sometimes you do things that are positive and sometimes you do things that you look back and wish that you would’ve done something different. That’s part of this sport. That’s what it is, its emotion. It’s a violent game and a lot of things happen in a matter of split seconds. You just go with your gut and if you screw up, you try to fix it down the road.”
(It’s been mostly two quarterbacks here on the 53 since you’ve been here; but if you’re able to draft one, do you give more thought this year?) – “Probably. Yes. I think that’s something that – I mean I don’t know how many we … What were we carrying, five last year at one point? And we survived. I don’t know, it felt like it. It was a crowded room, I know that. We’re going to do what’s best for the team. We’re going to do what we think … That’s an important position. I like the guys that we have on our roster right now, and then if we add someone else, obviously we’re doing it for a good reason. At that position, the more guys that we can bring along and the more guys that we can develop, I think it’s hard to just say that we’re going to keep a practice squad guy. Last year we felt really good about how David (Fales) was coming along. That wasn’t an option. Letting him move on was not going to be an option for us.”
(Right guard, your thinking there? You’ve got a couple of options obviously with G/T Jesse Davis and C/G Ted Larsen?) – “Yes, we’ll see how this plays out. I don’t want to … We haven’t really got a chance to meet with those guys and talk football with them. We’re going to kind of work though this thing and see how it plays out. We’ve got a lot of time left.”
(With CB Tony Lippett coming back and all the young guys on the roster, what’s your confidence at cornerback?) – “It’s one of those positions you can never have enough of. We’re always going to look to add. That position, you guys always talk about drafting a quarterback every year, (you have to) draft a corner every year. It’s a tough position to play. It’s becoming a position where it’s high-priced. Now all of a sudden we’re looking at Xavien (Howard) is coming up on his contract here pretty soon. We see him getting better.”
(What kind of football player are the Chiefs getting with RB Damien Williams?) – “A tough, football intelligent, playmaker. He’s just a guy that when Sundays come around, he’s going to give you everything he has. When things are going bad, you get the ball to him and he’ll make something happen. He’s got passion for the game. He’s one of the guys I loved being around, whether it be practice or game day. Just seeing him grow over the time that we’ve been together, it was a great experience.”
(RB Damien Williams signed pretty cheaply. Why is he not back?) – “I think when he really entered this process, they were thinking more than what we were really at. By the time it circled back around, we were already kind of moving on. I was looking for what we ended up getting with Frank (Gore). I wanted that veteran guy that had a lot of experience and really could help (Kenyan) Drake take his game to the next level.”
(The way CB Tony Lippett played a couple of years ago and obviously the way CB Cordrea Tankersley came along last year, do you view that sort of as a competition?) – “I think at that spot, you’re always … I mean you play so many guys. I mean you’re playing five DBs at a time so much. Guys get banged up and they’re in and out. We’re just going to keep competing out there and see how it all unfolds and try to add as many guys as we can and try to get these young guys better. The good thing was we played a ton of guys last year, especially in the back end. I think we’re only going to get better out there.”
(CB Cordrea Tankersley’s rookie season, you would assess that how?) – “It’s hard to say. I think he got better. I think there were times where he wishes he could go back and do some things different; but that’s the rookie year. We’d love to see him come in really with the mindset of that’s his spot and he’s not going anywhere and really be aggressive as far as not let anybody take that spot that he’s had.”
(With K Cody Parkey gone, what’s your philosophical thought on preferring maybe a veteran kicker as opposed to a young one?) – “We’ll see how it goes. We’ll figure that one out as time goes on. I know (Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren) Rizzi and ‘Moof’ (Assistant Special Teams Coach Marwan Maalouf), they are getting put through the gauntlet right now. I don’t know where Darren is right now. He’s in Vancouver or I don’t know. (laughter) I don’t know where he is. He might be not … I don’t think he’s in the country. So it would’ve been hard for him to call from Ft. Lauderdale. (laughter)”
(WR Albert Wilson is going to be productive for the Miami Dolphins because of what doing what?) – “I think the variety of things that he can do. I think his speed. I think the fact that when you put the ball in his hands, he’s a guy that can take a throw behind the line of scrimmage and he can create a 70-yard touchdown. Things like that. It’s really impressive what he can do. It’s really about getting the ball in his hands. But at the same time, he has flexibility outside and inside. He has a wider range of route tree than what he did when he started in the NFL. I think he’s a quick study as well. When you watch him from 2016 to 2017, you see extremes of improvements in certain areas. I think that’s something we noticed with him right away. When you watch those two years, you went ‘Wow.’ He really became an impact player.”
(With G Josh Sitton, offensive line signings are never the sexiest thing; but what can he mean to your team?) – “He’s a veteran player, a guy that’s still playing at a high level, the leadership, the experience of winning that he has. Any time you get a guy that’s played with an elite quarterback, that’s always going to help your group because he understands how it should be. Those guys always help your quarterback because he can always ask … Ryan (Tannehill) does a good job when he gets around guys that have played with other guys and asks questions about how those guys did it as well. Those guys are always good information-wise, as far as what other teams have done, especially good teams. But getting a guy with that kind of veteran leadership, that was excited to come in for us and be an impact guy with some of our younger players, that was going to be good for us.”
(You said on WR Albert Wilson, outside or inside. He’s an elf. So how do you play him outside?) – “What did you just say? (laughter)”
(He’s very short.) – “That’s fine. That means it’s just hard to get your hands on him. That’s alright. When you see him, try to touch him and see what happens. (laughter)”
(But I’m saying, doesn’t that make it hard for your quarterback?) – “Jakeem (Grant) looked alright. We put him outside. (Albert Wilson) towers over Jakeem. (laughter)”
(Is that in the scouting report?) – “I put that. ‘Taller than Jakeem.’ They’re both taller than (Offensive Coordinator) Dowell (Loggains). I know that. (laughter) He’s going to be so mad we’re talking about him right now.”
(What you got from the safety combo once S T.J. McDonald came back, with McDonald and S Reshad Jones, was that what you were looking for? What you were looking for in spurts?) – “I don’t think it really turned out as well as we thought with what we saw in training camp. I think that eight week layoff, T.J. did a great job of being ready to go and being able to really get in there and physically be able to do it, but I think we didn’t have that chemistry we were looking for. It took those guys a while to really kind of get that feel with each other. We’ll be better getting into training camp and for us being able to continue that growth. I was feeling something good there when we were in the middle of training camp. T.J. was playing really well and Reshad and him were really doing a good job of communicating with each other and there was a good feel.”
“(Offensive Coordinator) Dowell (Loggains) says he’s 5-foot-8. Just a heads up. Don’t short him. (laughter)”
(There’s depth obviously that you need at safety with S Michael Thomas moving on. At this point, S Maurice Smith, did he show you enough before his appendicitis?) – “He did a lot of good things. It was unfortunate that we lost him for the season. That was one of our show up Friday and find out one of the guys you had plans to play that week isn’t going to play that week because he has appendicitis. He continued a good streak there, a good 10 weeks in a row. He showed us a lot. There’s a lot of good things that he did. I think like any rookie, (there were some) ups and downs; but I like that the guys he learned under in college are guys that I respect a lot. I think he knows what we’re looking for and he knows what he needs to do moving forward to contribute.”
(What do you think about how T Laremy Tunsil played last year and how does he get better?) – “I think I might not be the only one. There’s probably a lot of us sitting here that thought it would be an easy transition for him. It’s still left tackle in the NFL. I think it was tougher for him than what all of us anticipated; but I think at the same time, he felt the same way where there’s nothing easy about this. I saw a different side of him last year. I saw a guy that started to notice that it’s not that easy. He went to work and he practiced hard and he was great in meetings. The way he was watching film and his development as a professional improved last year. I think he’s excited moving forward, getting Josh (Sitton) in there and working with him, and to really be the guy that he’s wanted to be since he came out.”
(We haven’t talked about WR DeVante Parker. We’ve been hanging here for like 40 minutes and this is the first time that he’s come up. We’ve used potential and upside. Are we kind of past that now and it’s kind of like, if it’s going to happen, let’s see it?) – “I would say I feel like we know what he can do in our building. I don’t think there’s any question about what anybody feels of what he can do. I don’t even think it’s a potential thing. I think it’s a health thing. It’s just about how are we going to keep him healthy? I think that’s when we get our best DeVante Parker. I think we’re trying to do as much as we can to figure out a way to make sure when we hit spring, we start from there and we just keep building on it. It’s just unpredictable. We need a little bit of luck. We need him to do the right things and he has been. He’s been trying to do everything the right way. We’ve just kind of got to see … let the chips fall where they may.”
(We talked about the little guys. WR DeVante Parker’s skill set, because it’s different, how do you need his different skill set?) – “I’ve always been a big fan of having as many different guys as you can, and we’ve got a good variety. We’ve got a lot of speed. We have different sizes. We just need to keep guys healthy and on the field.”
(Why does it take so long for young receivers to develop in the league?) – “It’s just there’s a lot of options. There’s a lot of moving parts. There’s volume. I wish I could say ‘Hey, it’s easy. We’ll just do this.’ Then as soon as you go down that road, five minutes later your guys are going ‘They know what we’re doing.’ Or you start hearing people say ‘you’re too predictable.’ If you want to increase the volume, you better have guys that can handle it.”
(Do you know if TE Julius Thomas wants to keep playing?) – “I could not tell you. I don’t want to speak for him.”
(With where you’re at with your tight ends, is that anything you would explore? Bringing TE Julius Thomas back at the minimum or something like that?) – “I haven’t … When I talked to him at the end of the season, we had a good conversation. Really, anything past that, you guys would have to ask him.”
(And with TE Anthony Fasano?) – “We talked at the end of the year. We‘ll kind of … As of right now, we’re probably going to be in a holding pattern. We’ll kind of see what happens – whether it be the draft or after the draft – and if we feel like we have to still address anything, then we will from there.”
(What does WR Danny Amendola bring to your football team?) – “See? You guys all think I’m crazy, huh? That’s the third person to ask me about it. (laughter) Leadership. He’s a guy that has a lot of experience in big games. He fits into our offense really well. We’re excited to be able to bring in a guy like that into our locker room. He’s going to help all of our young guys, especially.”
(Was that something you thought was missing? That you thought it was an important thing for you to bring into your team?) – “It’s a similar experience that I’ve been through before, when we brought Wes (Welker) into Denver. We had a bunch of younger wide receivers that had a lot of positive things to bring to the table, but I don’t think they quite saw it through the eyes of a true professional. When Wes came in, he changed our culture and environment. He was part of the reason why we had a big swing there. Those guys saw him practice, they saw him play in games, they saw the way he did things in meetings and in the locker room. He was a big reason a lot of things changed there. Danny has a lot of the same personality traits and I think a guy like Ryan Tannehill is going to benefit a lot from being around a guy like that.”
(Last year you talked about how it was 0-0 going into 2017. The 2016 season was over and it didn’t matter. You needed to start over and that was like the mindset, the mentality and the message. I’m wondering how you would describe the mindset, the messaging and the mentality for the group entering this offseason and this season.) – “I think we have so many different guys now, I don’t think anybody really cares about what happened last year that’s in that locker room right now. There’s a different feel. There’s going to be a lot of different bodies and a lot of different guys; but that’s what happens. If you have a 6-10 season, you’re going to have a lot of change-over. That’s just part of it, whether it be on the coaching staff, whether it be in the locker room, the staff around the building. We made a lot of changes and that’s what happens.”
(Is it difficult to be honest with yourself at some points and say we’re not just a couple of pieces away? Because generally everybody would like to think they’re that close.) – “If you take the pieces of the puzzle that you either have or you’ve added and really once you get through the draft, you’ve kind of got to figure out a way to make it work. The league is so close talent-wise. Right now we look at everything in a positive light because we get our starting quarterback back.”
(Yes, but at the end of a season though.) – “I think at the end of the season we were …”
(At the end of the season, to be honest with yourself. Is that a challenge?) – “No. It’s not. That’s the easiest thing to do. We’re critical. Nobody’s ever afraid to say what either went wrong or whether they made a mistake. It’s brutal honesty. It’s not always fun to hear but that’s what it is. That’s what this league is. No one’s ever shy about telling you that you screwed up or you did something wrong or you should have got this guy over this guy. I mean that’s just part of it.”
(Based on what you said about you got your quarterback back, are you a better team now than at the end of last season?) – “Yes. I’m always going to think that way, especially when you’ve got a guy that you had a lot of confidence in, you lose him and then now he’s back. We went a long time without him. I know there’s a lot of guys that are going to be in that locker room that feel the same way because if I had to hear we get ‘17’ back one more time at the end of the year, that said a lot to me. I wasn’t the only one thinking that.”
(With QB Ryan Tannehill, obviously physically, he has to get healthy. What growth do you expect to see in this year, the second year in the offense?) – “Sometimes when you sit and watch, you look at things in a different light. I think he did a great job of trying to help where he could, but understanding I’m not the starting quarterback at the current moment. He was trying to give those guys their due, their role, and let them be who they needed to be. I think what he saw was things really … The clarity really picked up for him as far as why I was calling things when I was doing certain things, the way I’d install something. He understood things a lot better than what he had before and that gets me excited thinking ‘Wow, the fact that he didn’t play the entire year and now it makes more sense than it did before.’ And I think he understands why, when I called certain things, how the ball can come out faster and what he can do protection-wise. His brain is just moving faster just from watching. I think he’s just ready to take that next step, get back in there and get things rolling and then being able to do it.”
(You obviously have DT Jordan Phillips and DT Davon Godchaux. You know DE William Hayes can play some tackle. You’ll probably add a player. Did DT Vincent Taylor show you enough to where you can project him for any sort of meaningful role next year as you evaluate?) – “Yes, he was a guy that we felt like was playing well for us. You know it was unfortunate he got hurt. I know it was late in the season, but anytime you’ve got to go through any kind of rehab and things like that, it’s no fun. He was a guy that if he was inactive, it didn’t set well with him. You’d see a guy that would just terrorize the practice field and he’d want to make sure that everybody knew he was out there. He’s our kind of guy. I’m excited to watch him really improve in the year coming forward.”
(You mentioned a few minutes ago when I asked you all of that stuff about theme and everything, that there was a different energy in the building because it was new people, new players and new coaches. Can you expand upon that a little bit in terms of how would you describe that new energy?) – “I think you’ve just got to feel it. I think you guys will notice it kind of when we get going and you guys get around. I don’t know. There’s just something … there’s something about a lot of these guys that we brought in. Seeing Frank Gore, that gets me going. It’s been 10 years since we were together. I mean it seems like forever. The guy looks exactly the same. Just everything about him. I’m excited to see what he can do to help us and we’ve got Danny (Amendola) and Albert (Wilson) in at the same time. And then Josh (Sitton) was in there, and then Daniel (Kilgore). These guys were excited to be here. They wanted to come here. This was their decision to do it. I think they’re looking to be impact players for us.”
(The way CB Bobby McCain played last year, do you feel good about that spot?) – “Yes, I don’t know why everybody always wants to replace Bobby but all he does is just consistently play probably better than everybody else. He’s one of our guys that’s probably one of our top leaders that we have in our locker room. He’s a guy that we’ve counted on for two years and he just keeps getting better.”
(What do you hope changes in that locker room from last year to this year?) – “I mean I’m not hoping. I know it’s going to be different. We’ve got different animals going … You’ve got some alpha dogs going in there. You’ve got some guys that will go in there and they’re not going to accept a lot of the (expletive) that’s gone on in the past. We’ve got the right guys for what we’re looking for.”
(With RB Kenyan Drake, what’s the next step for him as a player? I know you don’t believe in feature backs but what’s the next step for him in terms of his growth?) – “I think it’s just consistency and doing a great job. It’s always just the amount of … It’s processing the information at a high rate and when things change, being able to be like (snaps fingers) that’s happening, I’ve got to do this. I think that’s really that next level, that next step. I really think that’s his biggest thing. There were a couple of times last year where we’d make a change and he’d kind of freeze there for a second and it’s just that he’s a tick late. That’s just time and experience, and I think we’re going to see a big jump there.”
(With you and the offense, I know that you’re a pass guy; but does it bother you that you had the least amount of rushes in the NFL?) – “A lot of the stuff we do in the passing game, I mean the ball is coming out. It was quick. We’ll be more balanced this year. I have no doubt about that. I mean we tried to do everything we could to win games. That’s all we were trying to do. I mean certain games, we had to throw it. That’s what we had to do. We got behind way too much and I feel like the only game that we were ever up was the New England game, and Denver. That was it. Besides that … I mean those games we ran the ball a healthy amount of times, especially against Denver. We’ve just got to do a better job of getting ahead and trying to play with a lead a little bit. That’s really what we need to do.”
(With respect, you’re putting a lot on QB Ryan Tannehill. He’s a .500 quarterback. He’s an 87-rating quarterback. You expect to go to the playoffs and you expect to compete with the New England Patriots because Ryan Tannehill is back?) – “I think with Ryan coming back and the amount of guys we’ve brought in on offense, I think that’s going to help us a lot. It’s not all on him. I know for us to have success, he has to play well. That’s the way this league is. There’s not a lot of times where you’re saying, ‘The quarterback is not playing well and they’re winning.’ It’s rare that’s happened. A majority of the time, the quarterback has to play well. He knows that. I know that. You guys know that. It’s no secret. The good thing is after our first four games in the first year we were together, or five games, he played pretty well. He was playing at a high level. We were excited. We had high hopes coming into last season. It didn’t work out the way we wanted to, and now we’ve got an opportunity to start over again and get going.”
(So the next time that QB Ryan Tannehill plays, he will have missed over 600 days. You see that there will be no rust, no issues relative to …?) – “That is what these guys do. They practice and then we get into the preseason. He’ll be fine. You’re worrying about something that you don’t need to worry about. Did it count when he played – everybody told me – (he played 77) straight games and never missed a snap and all that stuff? He’s played 13 out of 32 or 33 games that I’ve been here. (Expletive) happens. This is what guys do. They bounce back. They have a couple seasons where things like that happen and now he’s going to be back out there and ready to go.”
(I asked you during the season and you said, ‘Yes, it’s true, but I’m not going to be able to address it until the offseason,’ about why in each of the two years the offense started slow and then turned it on at the halfway point? Six months removed now or whatever it is, how do you explain that?) – “The first year it was really … Probably the first year was more on me trying to figure it out. I don’t know why, but it was very difficult for me to figure out how to call plays for Ryan (Tannehill). I struggled and just couldn’t get in a good feel. I think once that Pittsburgh game hit, it became a different feel for me. The next year it was really, it was a lot tougher than what I think any of us had anticipated by losing Ryan and bringing Jay (Cutler) in. It was kind of like things got flipped around for us and a lot of things that we had been working on, we weren’t doing anymore. It was like we were starting over in front of everybody. It was very tough for us to go through that first half of the season, because we looked terrible.”
(Anything with Offensive Coordinator Dowell Loggains that you’re going to give him to take anything off your plate? Obviously, you’ll keep calling plays as you should, but is there anything that you will give him different?) – “Dowell … We have a very easy-working relationship to where he knows me well enough to where he was doing a lot of the things that I needed him to do. I don’t really have to say anything. He just goes and he does it. He knows how to organize and he knows how to manage the staff. It’s a very smooth transition. Still having Clyde (Christensen) around is extremely helpful for us and we’ve got him doing a lot of different things with some of our younger players. Dowell knows exactly what he needs to do, what he needs to get done and where I kind of fit into this whole equation.”
(We obviously will always remember the press conference of yours after the Baltimore game, in which you talked about players not preparing. As you look back at last year, just from an introspective standpoint, is there anything you’ve decided ‘I want to do this differently as a coach now,’ whether it’s enforcing learning the playbook even more than you had or anything else?) – “We have some good thoughts on how we want to do some things moving forward. We feel confident in some of the stuff we’re looking to do this offseason in that Phase I, Phase II areas, of how we can get our guys to learn better and take things with the seriousness they need to. Sometimes you’ve got to add the right guys to show other guys the right way.”
(As you go through every corner of your roster evaluating, are you worried at all that LS John Denney has lost a step?) – “(laughter) No. I’ll tell you what, he did a great job for us last year. I’m glad that he’s back. He looks way better than I do. I know that. I think he’s older than me. Is he older than me, or am I older than him? It’s close, right?”
(You’re older than LS John Denney.) – “I’m older than him? Really?”
(I think so, no?) – “That’s a great question right there.”
(I think he’s 38.) – “We’ve got Rizzi from Davie on Line 2. (laughter)”
(Dave DeGuglielmo, what kind of coach are the Colts getting? It’s obviously an important position.) – “You’re getting an old-school line coach. He gets after it. He works hard. I think the players can feel his energy right when they step on the field. He does a great job in meetings. (He’s) very creative. He has seen every scheme known to man. It was fun for me to be around him, because we’ve worked with a lot of the same guys. Being able to talk football in generalities, that was a great experience for us. I’m happy he landed in a great place.”
