Adam Gase – August 10, 2017 (Halftime)
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Thursday, August 10, 2017
Halftime – Atlanta
Head Coach Adam Gase (Halftime)
(LB Raekwon McMillan right off the bat.) – “I still don’t know exactly what the injury is. Some kind of knee injury. I’ll find out more.”
(QB Brandon Doughty comes in, kind of makes a bad decision on the interception, but comes back, throws a nice one to WR Leonte Carroo, who makes a good adjustment. Little bit of a comeback there.) – “That was a good job kind of wiping the slate clean, went on to the next play, and he did a great job, put the ball up in the air and completed it.”
(Guys that are showing up, DE William Hayes. It looks like all that you expected when he came in.) – “Absolutely. We wanted a guy that’s going to be aggressive versus the run and still rush the passer, and he has done a great job.”
(TE MarQueis Gray, your tight end, coming back and continuing what he did last year also made some big plays along with RB Kenyan Drake.) – “Both of those guys did a great job. They’re where they’re supposed to be. We’ve got to keep getting them touches and see what happens in the second half.”
(Are you happy with some of the things you’ve seen out of your defense?) – “Yes, we just have to keep working on tackling. We’ve got to get guys down. We’ve got to be in the right spots.”
Adam Gase – August 8, 2017
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Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(Obviously you know QB Jay Cutler. What did you see today on Day 1?) – “The same when I saw him last time. He was good. He remembers basically everything with the offense. The biggest thing for him was just kind of getting that feel with the rush. It’s one thing to throw when we’re routes-on-air or one-on-ones, but to get in there and be able to take some reps with the line in there and just be able to see everything kind of develop and our players body language and how they run routes, that’s the biggest difference for him, and just kind of getting that feel back from pass rush.”
(Do you feel or see, I should say, that QB Jay Cutler was comfortable?) – “Yes. I mean he said he felt good and he’s not going to sugarcoat anything with me. So it was good that he fell just right back in it.”
(How long does it take QB Jay Cutler to learn little things about receivers? Like where they like the ball on a certain situation, maybe what their favorite or least favorite routes are. Things that make up a receiver.) – “Yes, we kind of build it into the offense. Our guys are … They’re all so different, so we kind of specialize in certain routes and it’s no secret that we do that and other teams know that. We just kind of have moves off certain routes. He just was trying to figure out who does what. He just jumped right back in. It seemed like he had been here for a minute.”
(What percentage of the playbook would you estimate is different than the one QB Jay Cutler last reviewed with you?) – “It’s more terminology with … I think there were a few more teams that we’re all kind of using the same terminology. We kind of switched it up, just being a lot of our stuff originated with New England so we had to make sure that we kind of changed a lot of the terms up. We changed a few things from when I was in Chicago, but he looked at it. He’s got it all down already.”
(Can you give us a sense of how much of a reset this is for the offense? It’s a change of quarterback but it is a guy that, like you said, you have a lot of familiarity with?) – “I didn’t see a problem.”
(It feels like a continuation to you?) – “Yes. Our guys do a good job. They adjust well and Matt (Moore) does a good job. It’s like when he jumped in there, you just keep rolling. Guys just keep doing what they’re supposed to do. That’s why we try to be as detailed as we can when we’re running routes, no matter who is back there. The quarterbacks, if they’re not, when Ryan (Tannehill) was practicing and Matt was the backup, I mean you knew how those guys all ran routes by when we go through the film of practice and when he jumped in there, it was nice and smooth. It just seems like whoever we’ve put back there, receivers, the line – all those guys – the backs, they do a good job. They stay consistent.”
(You told us yesterday that QB Jay Cutler wouldn’t play on Thursday. Are there others you have already ruled out?) – “No, I haven’t.”
(There’s a possibility RB Jay Ajayi could play?) – “I would be hard pressed to do it. I’ve got to wait for him to be officially cleared from the protocol. He’s still in it. This is kind of part of the process with that. So I’ll be smart. I haven’t met on this one yet because you don’t do it until the day before.”
(Is T Laremy Tunsil expected to play?) – “Once again, I’ll figure it out here tomorrow. That’s when we’ll talk about it.”
(Is T Laremy Tunsil okay?) – “Yes, he’s fine.”
(There’s obviously no running back controversy but the more carries that RB Kenyan Drake gets in the practice setting, it looks like he’s getting just that much more comfortable. What are you seeing out of him as far as explosion and comfort level there?) – “The more reps he can get, the better. Last year, we were kind of in and out in the spring. We had so much work to do with Jay (Ajayi) and then Arian (Foster) was here and Damien (Williams), and he kind of got lost in the shuffle a little bit. So being able to get him as many reps as we can is valuable for us and just getting him comfortable and understanding how everything works with the run game, where he fits, where he’s supposed to go. The reps for him are very, very important.”
(What is your philosophy for playing time in the first preseason game?) – “Play until somebody tells you to come out.”
(As far as QB Jay Cutler’s arm strength, is that a concern? He said he needs a couple of days to really build that up. How did that look to you?) – “Fine. You don’t have to worry about his arm strength.”
(What is your thought process with the new rules for cuts this year? Are you planning to do a big one at the end or is it something that you’ll do as you go?) – “For us, when you’re a coach, you don’t have to … that fourth preseason game, especially, you’re going to get a lot of guys that get more tape. I was excited. It was really tough to play some of the fourth preseason games. I’ve been involved in games where you’re kind of hoping nobody gets hurt because you don’t have that many guys and it’s going to be new and it’s a great opportunity for a lot of guys.”
(Do you generally plan on keeping a big group until the end?) – “Yes.”
(We’ve seen growth from WR Jakeem Grant as a receiver clearly these last few days. What’s impressed you about how he’s developed in that regard?) – “I think he just feels comfortable. He understands what he’s supposed to do. He doesn’t have to worry about all these different options you have inside. That’s why the slot is a lot harder than a lot of people realize. You’re working off the DB a lot and trying to figure out leverages and what you’re supposed to do to be on the same page as the quarterback. I think putting him out there on the outside lets him use his strength – his quickness off the ball, his vertical speed. When he makes a cut, he creates separation. If you get the ball in his hands and there’s open space, it’s a dangerous situation for the defense. I just see a guy that’s very focused. He wants to do right. He’s really been good in the meetings. He’s trying to be one of those guys that does things as perfect as he can. It’s been good so far.”
(I saw QB Ryan Tannehill out there talking to QB Jay Cutler. How do you envision his role moving forward? Of course is there any medical update?) – “There’s no medical update. As far as what he’s going to do, we just talked about staying engaged. He’s going to be able to help me a lot. So it’s not an easy situation for him to be in. It’s tough to stand there and watch when you’ve worked as hard as he has to come back and he knows what kind of team this is. He knows that these guys have been doing things together for the last eight months or so … seven months. It’s tough when you put that much work in there to have to sit out. He’ll stay involved. I mean I know it’s important for him. He wants us to win, so he’s going to do whatever he can to help.”
(C Mike Pouncey, any update as far as progress?) – “He’s doing exactly what we’re telling him to do. I told you that. (laughter) He’s not practicing.”
(Some of the stuff QB Jay Cutler said yesterday made it sound like you guys have kind of a funny relationship – a funny back and forth. How much does he kind of go at you about things or start stuff with you?) – “You know, the communication is good. It’s just we’re probably both a little bit … We’re both smartasses so we make comments to each other all the time about every little tiny thing that goes on. I think a lot of our quarterbacks … all of our quarterbacks are really like that. We’re kind of open. That’s just kind of how I am and they’re not afraid to give it back to me. I mean that whole group, it’s opening up a tidal wave of stuff. (laughter)”
(Is that part of why you and QB Jay Cutler clicked originally, because you both like to instigate and agitate with each other?) – “I don’t know. He was coming out of Vandy. It was a weird situation. I picked him up at the airport. I was the quality control guy. I just met him there and we didn’t have a quarterbacks coach so he was with me the whole time. We just kept running into each other. It was like we go to Denver, he’s there and then he leaves and then (Mike) Martz goes to Chicago. We were talking about how that whole dynamic would work and what to expect. Then the next thing I know, I’m in Chicago. We just kept bumping into each other as far as guys in the league and people that we’ve been around. We just keep crossing over a lot. We just kept in touch.”
(Are you happy, glad that these preseason games are finally starting?) – “Yes, I think it’s a great opportunity for the guys to prove what they’ve been doing out here in a real game. You get to tackle. Every time you think you’re sacked or it’s a negative play, now you have to take the guy to the ground. It’s good. We need it. That’s why we did live periods this year, to get better at tackling, blocking and finishing plays. These preseason games are a continuation of that.”
(With guys like DE Charles Harris, and LB Raekwon McMillan and rookies that are going to be expected to play a fair amount this year, what do you want to see over the next four weeks?) – “Just keep getting better every day, that’s it. Pay attention to every little detail we’re doing and keep pushing guys to get better. Don’t get complacent.”
(You’ve touched on the skill guys, the rookies from last year. What have you seen from WR Leonte Carroo? Do you feel like he’s improving?) – “Yes. I feel like he has a way better grip on the playbook. He’s playing way faster. His game speed, or practice speed in this case, has been lightyears from last year. He’s very comfortable. You can see why we drafted him because he has strong hands, (he’s a) big guy, physical at the line of scrimmage. His quickness has gotten better. His releases have gotten better this year. He has a better feel of what defenses are trying to do and why they do it, and I think that that has helped him.”
(Did QB Jay Cutler and you hit it off right away or did your relationship build?) – “No, we were good right from the get go. If you spend a day and a half with somebody all day long, you’re either good or you’re not.”
(With the offensive guard, center, left tackle, left guard situation. How are you going to work that in terms of C/G Kraig Urbik, C/G Anthony Steen and decide who plays what on that first team?) – “Whatever (Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator) Chris (Foerster) does, that’s what it’s going to be. We’re working everybody everywhere. That’s the good thing about having a really good o-line coach. You don’t question what he does. You let him do his job. I trust him because he gets so many guys ready to play so many positions and when we get in a game situation, you’ve got seven guys up. He always had great plans, contingency plans all over the place. If this guy goes down, he’ll go through it so fast. I just never even have to worry about it.”
(It looked like there was a palpable decline in swag or whatever you want to call it in the team after the QB Ryan Tannehill injury. Is that back now? Is the excitement…) – “I think that the day after that happened, we had our best practice. That was a punch in the gut for everybody. I thought Matt (Moore) went in there and tried to pick everybody up. I think we were all kind of like, ‘Did that just really happen?’ And then the next day, guys just refocused, came out, and that was our best practice. There was high execution. Everybody was playing fast. The speed was great. Going back and watching that practice, we were all very excited because we really felt like it was that same mentality you saw when things weren’t going right the year before. Seeing those guys just understand that this isn’t ideal, but we’ve got to move on and get it going again. When they came out the next day, it was very impressive.”
(Going back to WR Jakeem Grant, you said the move to the outside, does that help streamline things for him because he’s not necessarily worried about options and things he has to process based on leverage?) – “Yes, it goes to … His strength is his speed and quickness. By him moving outside, it allows him to do it. You look at his size and automatically think he should be in the slot, but he plays against these corners that are 6-foot-2. If he makes one move and all of a sudden that guy’s standing still and he’s by him. He’s a hard guy to cover.”
Ndamukong Suh – August 8, 2017
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Tuesday, August 8, 2017
DT Ndamukong Suh
(You obviously faced QB Jay Cutler quite a bit during your days with Detroit. Your thoughts on the acquisition?) – “I think he’s a great quarterback. Obviously I’ve played against him many, many times. I actually got my first sack against him. (laughter) I’m looking forward to it – going against him and practice and whatnot. (He’s a) good dude.”
(There seemed to be a pretty good level of respect between you and QB Jay Cutler when you played. Would you say that’s fair?) – “Yes, without question. I definitely have the ultimate respect for him. I don’t like any quarterbacks but he was one guy that I definitely had a respect for because he took hits and never cried, never complained and just got up and went and played the next play.”
(And QB Jay Cutler never ducked you either. It seemed like even if he was a little banged up, he was like ‘I’m not going to miss playing against DT Ndamukong Suh.’) – “Yes, yes. He’s definitely a tough guy and always makes sure he wants to be out there the next week.”
(What makes QB Jay Cutler so tough back there as a quarterback?) – “Honestly, he’s one of those quarterbacks that makes you earn sacks. He would get to the sideline, throw the ball out – you’d have to chase him and make sure you get there and make sure it’s a real sack because he wasn’t going to give you any gimmes by any means.”
(What’s the past week been like emotionally for the locker room from losing QB Ryan Tannehill to the uncertainty of QB Jay Cutler arriving?) – “I think we have to understand that some things unfortunately happened. Injuries are unfortunately part of this game. It’s pretty much 100 percent guaranteed that at some point in time, in your career, if not in a year, you’re going to have a bump or bruise. In that regard, we have to step up and guys have to step up in their particular positions and hold their own. At that time, when your number is called, you have to come up and produce.”
(You’re a couple days away from taking your next step and you play somebody else, you get to hit somebody else. How much are you looking forward to Thursday night?) – “I’m excited for it. I think all of the guys are excited for it. Being in camp for a couple of weeks now, being able to see some other faces to … Going to hit some other faces is going to be great, especially a team that we’re going to see in the regular season. They were in the Super Bowl last year so we have some things we can really learn from them and play against them and get our first taste of where we’re at this year.”
(What have you noticed about DT Davon Godchaux?) – “Davon has done a great job. He’s come in, as I’ve said before, and implemented what we do in individual and taken it to team. I think that’s why he’s seeing a little bit more reps with the ones as well as everybody getting mixed in. We all want to be interchangeable. At the same time, any time you’re put out on the field, you have to be able to be out there and produce. I may be on the bench and he may be taking my spot. Whatever it is, you’ve got to go out there and produce.”
(How hard was it to get your hands on QB Jay Cutler. Does he have a quick enough release?) – “He definitely has a quick release. (He’s) a guy that wants to get the ball out, spread it all over the field and get touchdowns. It was definitely tough getting after him but I had my fair share of sacks against him.”
(Did you speak with QB Jay Cutler yesterday or today? When was the first time you spoke to him since he came here?) – “When I found out, I reached out to (Head Coach Adam) Gase to get his number and spoke to him briefly. Obviously I got a chance to speak to him yesterday when he got in the building.”
(So after QB Jay Cutler signed? When did you reach out to him?) – “After he signed.”
(What did you want to convey to QB Jay Cutler at that point?) – “That’s personal. (laughter) I’ll let him answer.”
(Generally can you give an idea of what you wanted to…) – “No, no. Keep stuff in house.”
(Based on what you know of QB Jay Cutler, are you more interested to see what he can do in a preseason game – he’s likely not going to play Thursday but when he gets in there?) – “Yes, obviously you want to see what everybody is going to be able to do in a preseason game. One, myself and see where I’m at; and then see where our offense is and see where our defense is as a whole. Everybody whoever gets an opportunity to play on Thursday in the games coming up, we want to see how well they can perform and be a part of this team.”
(When teams lose a quarterback, it often means their season is over. It’s not the feeling here. You brought in a guy in QB Jay Cutler who has won a lot of games in this league. How advantageous is it to have that opportunity that your season is not over and you have everything in front of you?) – “I never would think our season is over. One, because we haven’t even started it. That’s how you have to, in my eyes, look at it. We have to start the season to even have an opportunity to go out there and see where we’re at. So in my particular case, obviously as I said before, injuries are going to happen at all levels. You never want it to happen at any particular level, especially the quarterback position; but guys have to be able to step up and be able to make plays for us to get into our season and we’ll go from there.”
Jarvis Landry – August 8, 2017
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Tuesday, August 8, 2017
WR Jarvis Landry
(First of all, I want to ask you about the legal situation. What is your comment on the situation?) – “I’ve been upfront with the team. I’ve been upfront with the … and the law enforcement. Hopefully this gets resolved in a timely fashion.”
(Everything that’s written, that’s untrue? You did nothing wrong?) – “Exactly.”
(Can you tell us what happened? As I understand it, were you trying to prevent her from getting into your residence?) – “Like I said, I’ve been very upfront with the team. I’ve been very upfront with the law enforcement. I’m here at training camp to help my guys get better. I don’t want any bad attention to me, this organization, (Head Coach) Adam (Gase), nobody. I don’t believe this is the place for it or the time for it. I think that … Again like I said, I’ve been very upfront with the team and I’ve been very upfront with the law enforcement. I put that in their hands and that’s really all I have to say about it.”
(Your impressions of your new quarterback, Jay Cutler?) – “Good, good. I finally get a chance to see him out here today and have an opportunity to take a couple of reps with him today. I think he slung it pretty well.”
(I heard that QB Jay Cutler has a lively ball. Can you tell the difference in your hands when it hits your hands that this is a different guy throwing it?) – “We didn’t hookup today. We didn’t hookup today; but hopefully tomorrow we get a chance to hookup and I’ll give you a better analysis tomorrow.”
(Do you have a plan to make sure QB Jay Cutler knows that you have to get a certain number of balls?) – “No, I don’t. (Laughter) I’ll leave that up to (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase. I think he puts us in the best position to make plays. I think we got the guy back there that can figure it out and get the ball in the right people’s hands at the right time.”
(How long do you feel like it would take any guy to become a Miami Dolphin when he walks in like right before the first preseason game?) – “Honestly, when you walk into this facility and you’re wearing these colors, you are family. For Jay (Cutler), we welcomed him with opened arms. We’ve extended all of our contacts, all of our resources to him and his family. That’s just what it is.”
(What’s your conversation with QB Ryan Tannehill been like since this all went down?) – “(I’m) just continuing to encourage him, continuing to let him know that we have his back, continuing to be there for him. It sucks and it’s very unfortunate.”
(How do you think QB Jay Cutler will blend in with this team? Any issues?) – “No, I don’t believe there will be any issues. I don’t believe there will be any issues. I believe that he’s going to come in, he’s going to fit right in. He’s played with (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) for a year or two so he has the system under his belt a little bit. I think once he gets adjusted to the heat, I think that will be the big adjustment.”
(How was the zip on QB Jay Cutler’s ball today?) – “Like I said earlier, we didn’t hook up today; but hopefully tomorrow we’ll hook up and I’ll get back to you on that one.”
(What kind of a comfort is it knowing that you get a guy like QB Jay Cutler to come in when your quarterback goes down?) – “It’s good, Like I was just saying, I think he’s had a year or two under (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase. To know the system the way that he does and have the opportunity to still have that free range to check and be the general out there, it’s going to help our offense a lot.”
Jay Cutler – August 8, 2017
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Tuesday, August 8, 2017
QB Jay Cutler
(You mentioned yesterday that you had been throwing with the kids. This is a lot different today, isn’t it?) – “Yes, I mean it’s a little bit faster; but it’s still football. I think (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) is doing a great job with these guys and this group works really hard. It makes it easy on the quarterbacks the way receivers, running backs and the offensive line work. It’s a fun group. It’s good being back out (there).”
(Was it like a crash course today?) – “It’s kind of a crash course if you already took the course before. Some of the run game stuff has changed. The passing game is kind of relatively the same. The protections are changed up a little bit. I’m just kind of working with (Quarterbacks Coach) Bo (Hardegree) out there and going through the run game and making sure I’m clean on that. It’ll come back quickly.”
(How did the arm feel and how did the zip on the ball feel?) – “It’s good. I think a couple more days out here and I’ll be back and be 100 (percent). It’s a little hotter out than I’m used to; (laughter) but it was fun. It was fun being out (there).”
(Was the heat a problem for you at all?) – “No, no. I thought it wasn’t bad. Is this hot or is this…?”
(This is like normal.) – “Oh, this fine. (laughter)”
(We saw you talking with Special Adviser to the President and CEO Dan Marino out there. What did he have to say to you?) – “(He was) just introducing some people. It’s awesome to have a guy like that in the building. To have him around and his expertise, especially on the quarterback position, and to see him around, it makes guys fired up to have a Hall of Famer and a guy that played at his level.”
(Will you seek advice from Special Adviser to the President and CEO Dan Marino and vice versa?) – “Definitely. He’s a wealth of advice. He’s been through it all. He’s experience it all – highs and lows – and played at the top of the game. To have a dude like that at your disposal, you have to use him.”
(You’ve been around for a while but was there a little bit of nerves?) – “Definitely. Especially whenever you’re a couple of months behind these guys. That makes it … You kind of want to catch up pretty quickly but you know these guys are a few weeks ahead of you. I just have to put in a little bit of extra work. We’ll get caught up pretty quick.”
(Did you talk to the team as a group or have you just kind of been going up to people individually?) – “No, just individually. People come up to me. It’s been kind of organic. I didn’t want … That’s not really (Head Coach) Adam’s (Gase) thing. He doesn’t want to force anything. He kind of lets it happen. We’ll make our rounds and get to know guys and unfortunately the roster will start slimming down so it’ll get a bit easier to remember everybody.”
(Do you feel back to work or is it still kind of surreal to you that you’re here?) – “I mean practice felt back to work. This morning I think I woke up in the hotel and I didn’t know where I was at. I had to get my bearings for a minute and remember I was back in Miami. It’s going to start feeling like home and everything will settle down.”
(Were you happy to see DT Ndamukong Suh today?) – “I’m happy he’s on my team. (laughter) He texted me whenever we got it done. He told me he was just patting me on the way by in 11-on-11s. To have a guy like that on your side is always a good thing.”
(I saw QB Ryan Tannehill out there helping out the quarterbacks. How is Coach Tannehill?) – “It’s a tough situation for him. I’ve been hurt before. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re going to have a great year and something like this is a setback; but he’s been great. This is Day 1 … I guess yesterday was Day 1; but since I got here yesterday, he’s been supportive and helping out the receivers. He’s vocal. He just wants to help this team win games.”
(You mentioned that you were familiar with Head Coach Adam Gase of course. Do you feel you’ll have a comfort level going through a week maybe for the second preseason game?) – “I think we’re going to kind of play it by ear and see how I feel and see how things are going. I don’t want to rule it out and don’t want to say it’s a certainty. I’d like to play, but if we don’t feel like I’m to a point where we can do it, then we’re not going to push it.”
(What’s more concerning to you – soreness of the arm or grasping the offense?) – “My arm’s … It doesn’t get sore, first of all. We just have to get all of the strength and stuff back in it. And the offense, the offense is going to come. I think it’s just sitting in the pocket, getting my feet underneath me, just the timing of the game, rhythm, that stuff is just going to take a little bit of time; but hopefully it comes back pretty quickly.”
(When you woke up this morning and you realized where you were, what was your reaction? Was it what the hell have I done? Or this feels right?) – “(laughter) No, it felt right. Going into work and getting here and going through the motions of the practice, it felt good. I told (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) thanks for bringing me in. It’s fun to be back out.”
Jay Cutler – August 7, 2017
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Monday, August 7, 2017
QB Jay Cutler
(Head Coach Adam Gase said today that you did not come out of retirement to be on the sidelines. It is a two-fold question. What prompted you to come out of retirement and were there any guarantees by Gase that you would be the starter?) – “No guarantees. I just kind of come here to help and get back into football. We’ll kind of see how it goes. What was the other question?”
(What prompted you to forego your broadcasting career?) – “A situation like this just doesn’t come along very often. I know (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) very well. I’ve known him since 2006, the first year I came out. I know the system. You talk about a playoff team with a lot of really, really good football players (and) a lot of potential. It was one of those things where there weren’t a lot of opportunities or jobs out there if they would have came up, I would have taken; but this has got to be at the top of the list.”
(What kind of training have you been doing the past four months or so and how is your shoulder you had repaired?) – “It’s good. In December … By March I was cleared on that one. I’m a little bit behind these guys. They’ve been going through training camp and stuff like that. I’m not quite there yet, but it won’t take me long.”
(How hard was the decision to come back and play?) – “It was hard. It was definitely hard. Like you said, the last four months I’ve been in a different mode, a different mindset, getting ready for the FOX deal. I was really pretty good with where I was in my life. I was around the kids a lot and felt pretty content. I weighed back and forth on this. I’d probably say my wife, Kristin, probably talked me into it more than anybody else could.”
(What kind of playing shape are you in right now? How long do you think it’s going to take?) – “Well, the good thing is I play quarterback so I don’t really have to be in that great of cardiovascular shape. (laughter) But I’ll be fine. (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) knows kind of what I’ve been up to so we’ll figure it out along the way.”
(What is it about Head Coach Adam Gase that makes you guys click so much?) – “I think he’s really good. I think he’s really good at his job. He takes care of quarterbacks. If you kind of look at his track record of where he has been, even when I met him in Detroit, he was always learning and getting better – San Francisco, Denver – everywhere he’s been around quarterbacks, they’ve been successful.”
(Was it a bit of a whirlwind for you last week? All of a sudden you had one thought for how your life is going and then QB Ryan Tannehill is hurt and you get this phone call?) – “Yes, I think that’s the biggest thing you kind of have to process there is I think everyone probably in the room kind of forecasts what they’re going to be doing in a week from now, a couple weeks, a month, and you kind of have that in your mind about what’s going to happen. We’re going on vacation this week and then we start up the FOX thing and head to the preseason games. My son’s birthday is tomorrow. So there were things that you just kind of have planned in your life and to get something like this thrown (at you), it takes a little bit to kind of process and figure out what direction you want to go.”
(When Head Coach Adam Gase reached out, whether it was through text or a phone call, what was the message?) – “He asked me what kind of shape I was in. (laughter) We’ve kept in touch, just cordially. ‘How are the kids? How are things going?’ I’ve told him that I was good to go. It was very short, very brief. They didn’t know what the situation was going to be here. It kind of went from there.”
(So after you decided to work for FOX and before the Dolphins called, how often did you throw footballs around on a daily basis?) – “Well, we’ve got two boys so we’re always doing something. I would go down to Vandy and do some stuff down there. I was playing basketball in the mornings and there’s football camps there. You know, you’re around it. (Phone rings) You can answer it. (laughter) It’ll come back pretty quickly. I’m not worried about my arm or the throwing part. Getting used to these guys and how they get in and out of breaks and a little bit more detailed stuff, that’s some of the stuff we’re going to have to hit the fast-forward button on and get used to that.”
(Did you say your wife wanted you to play? She was pushing you to play?) – “Yes, I think she got tired of me around the house, you know it was a little different. (laughter) I think she saw it from a different lens and saw what kind of opportunity this was and she was all for it.”
(Did you kind of feel like you were back in your college days the way Head Coach Adam Gase was recruiting you?) – “I did, I did. It was kind of like a recruiting experience there for a little bit; but he gave me space, too. He knew … He gave me his spiel and I talked to some other people I’m close to and then he gave me a lot of space to decide what I wanted to decide.”
(Looking at this roster, how does it stack up amongst the other teams you’ve played against or with on paper?) – “It’s a young team I think mixed in with some really good vets. (It’s) a playoff team from last year. It’s got a lot of dudes. On the offensive side, you’ve got a lot of guys that can make some plays in the backfield, wide receiver, tight ends, offensive line – they lost Teddy (Larsen) last week, so that’s going to hurt a little bit; but it’s a very, very talented roster.”
(Do you go into this as strictly a one-year deal or are you coming into it as one year and we’ll see where this takes me?) – “I’m going into one day. (laughter) I’ve got a lot of things I’ve got to process and get used to. I was in one place for eight years, so this is going to be a little bit different. There’s going to be a transition period. I just want to get to this next meeting, figure out where the dinner room is, and then we’ll start learning the offense and learning some guys’ names.”
(Why did it work so well between you and Head Coach Adam Gase in 2015?) – “I think he does a really good job of putting quarterbacks in good positions. He knows his personnel. He knows defenses, how to attack them. I think he does a real good job of being consistent with the run and the pass and not getting too heavy on one or the other. He’s got a good feel. I think play calling is kind of an art form. It’s not for everybody and he’s got that feel.”
(What’s something specific that Head Coach Adam Gase told you all the time that resonates with you even right now as you stand here?) – “Adam talks a lot. (laughter) He talks a lot in the headset too. I don’t know. He’s always so supportive, though. I think that’s – as a quarterback – that’s what you know the most. He’s got your back. He’s going to support you through thick and thin and you’re always going to be in good spots.”
(What are your thoughts on coming into a situation where it’s not like they don’t have a quarterback? There is a guy that it’s been his team for a while.) – “It’s tough. I’ve been injured before. I know what that feeling is like at quarterback, to be hurt (and) not be able to help your team, and you kind of feel isolated a little bit like an outcast. It’s hard and I wish Ryan (Tannehill) the best through whatever decision he has to make and I’m sure he’s going to come back stronger.”
Adam Gase – August 7, 2017
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Monday, August 7, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(For clarity, is QB Jay Cutler competing with QB Matt Moore during the preseason to be the starter? Or is he going to be the starter going into the season?) – “You’ll know when I release the depth chart. I’m not going to make that announcement right now. He didn’t come out of retirement to stand on the sideline, but we’ve got a ways to go. We’ll get him in here, do a physical and kind of see where he’s at.”
(How confident are you that he’s the same QB Jay Cutler you had two years ago?) – “After watching last year, I saw basically the same stuff and then he got injured and they decided to move on from him. Then he stepped away for a minute. I feel good with where he was at the last couple years. I feel good about how he kind of fits in with us.”
(Can you explain how this all came together? Obviously you talked about it Saturday morning. Things developed pretty quickly after that?) – “Yes. I gave him a call and asked him if he was interested. He said yes and we worked on a contract. That’s it.”
(There wasn’t any convincing involved? QB Jay Cutler was pretty on board?) – “Nope. That was it.”
(Why did it work so well between you and QB Jay Cutler in 2015?) – “I mean he’s a good player. He did a good job of … We changed the offense. A new staff came in. He just did his job every week, every day. He did a good job of protecting the ball and the rest of those guys around him did a good job of making plays when we needed to. We had a lot of close games. Some went our way and some didn’t. Overall, the season was tough because our record didn’t quite reflect how tight a lot of those games were. It felt like if a couple of balls bounced our way that year, it would have been a different story for the season.”
(Can you explain what about QB Jay Cutler’s skill set makes him a good fit for the offense?) – “He can make every throw you want. (He has) good movement skills, good pocket presence, knows how to adjust to offenses and has been in quite a few. He fits in well with what we do without us really changing much. He has a really good grasp of our scheme. It’s a good fit for us.”
(Given QB Jay Cutler’s knowledge of the scheme. What will his learning curve here be like, do you think?) – “I’m pretty sure he’s already got it, so he’s good.”
(How much comfort level do you have in terms of when is the last time he’s thrown a football and what kind of shape he’s been in?) – “Really, it’s going to be more about the repetitions of how many times he actually throws in a day. We’re going to have to be smart with that because I’m sure he wasn’t out in the back yard throwing 100 balls a day. We’ve just got to make sure we don’t go too much too early. We’ve kind of got a good plan in place with (Head Strength & Conditioning Coach Dave) Puloka and (Sports Performance Director) Wayne (Diesel) and (Head Athletic Trainer) Ryan Grove. Those guys, we talked about exactly how we want to progress through this. We’ve got a good plan and we’ll just see how long it kind of takes us to get him ready.”
(You also have a locker room that is pretty loyal and committed to QB Matt Moore. How do you sort of ease that un-discomfort?) – “I talked to them. Our guys know. I was very up front with everything. They understand the reasoning why and what I was thinking and what I was feeling was the right thing for us. Our guys know that we have one goal in mind and that’s to win, and we felt like this gave us a good opportunity to have two really good quarterbacks on our team. We felt like we had two good quarterbacks when Ryan (Tannehill) was healthy. That’s really what we wanted to make sure (of). We wanted to make sure if something happened, we weren’t going to have a fall off. I think our guys understand that. I feel like we have a lot of guys that have worked extremely hard and when Ryan went down, that was a blow to all of us. I want to make sure that we put ourselves in the best position possible at the quarterback position to where our guys feel like they have a chance to win.”
(QB Matt Moore is one of the most professional and classy guys we know. How did he handle all of this?) – “I mean he wants to play. That’s why you play this game. I know that. I knew that before we signed (Jay Cutler); but I was very upfront with him. I kept him in the loop on everything. He knew exactly what I told him. I was like, ‘You just keep doing your thing.’ He understands. He doesn’t know how long he’s going to keep playing right now. Every day, just keep going out there and when you’re with the ones, roll with them and if that ever changes, we’ll adjust. But that’s what we’re doing right now.”
(There’s a report out that WR Jarvis Landry is under investigation for battery. Have the Dolphins and yourself been notified of the situation?) – “Yes, we’re aware of it. We took the proper steps of what we’re supposed to. Past that, I can’t really comment on anything.”
(What kind of conversations, any convincing you had to have with Owner Stephen Ross before making a move on QB Jay Cutler) – “I mean he’s been great. He’s all about winning. The questions that he asked were mainly what we had been discussing with the locker room and how guys would deal with somebody different coming in. We’ve kind of prided ourselves on not really bringing in too many brand new faces. We’re kind of keeping that locker room pretty tight. Our guys understood kind of the situation we were in and understood the thought process behind everything. I’ve been very open with them with what we were talking about doing. We’ve been communicating with our guys a lot, especially our veteran leaders, and all of those guys understood exactly where I was coming from.”
(How is QB Ryan Tannehill taking everything over the past week? Are you any further along in terms of where things are at with him?) – “It has been a tough few days for him. We were talking about the other day all these stages you go through and we both keep saying we’re going out of order from denial to angry and then all of a sudden we’re depressed and go back to denial. It’s tough. We worked really hard to get to this point and to get it taken away like that, I think it was very frustrated for him. We put this thing together all spring thinking this is the crew we were going to roll with. One cut and all of a sudden all that’s gone. It has been tough. It has been tough for a lot of guys because we’ve been working really hard to get to this point. Now he understands, ‘You guys got to get going and figure out what we’re going to do to win.’”
(I know you were asked about WR Jarvis Landry and you probably don’t want to talk about his contract but are those two at all related that the resolution of this contract will wait until the resolution of the legal issue?) – “No.”
(We saw former Lions WR Calvin Johnson, do you expect him on multiple days? Was this a one-shot deal? Do you want him to give tips to guys like former NFL WR Wes Welker did last year?) – “Calvin has been … When we were out in L.A. last year, he swung by. Him and (Wide Receivers Coach) Shawn (Jefferson) have a really good relationship. I was with him when he was a rookie. So, it’s interesting to see … When I see him retired, it kind of freaks me out a little bit. But I’m only 39, I shouldn’t be too upset. (laughter) He’s not afraid to talk to those guys and tell them what he does. Our guys are doing a good job of … Anytime we bring somebody out, they pick their brain, ask them questions. I don’t know how many days he’s going to be here. Somebody told me, but I forgot. I think he’s going to be here a little bit.”
(What can the receivers pick up from a guy like former Lions WR Calvin Johnson?) – “Just anything from how he prepared, studied. Sometimes when you have a really great player like that, everybody just thinks he just rolled out onto the field and dominated. I was around him long enough to know he worked extremely hard. He treated every day like a game. It wasn’t easy for him because his style of play, he was so physical. He took a lot of tough shots. He wasn’t always healthy when he practiced on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and he would go out there and he’d grind. You respect a guy that’s that good who understands how to grind and fight through the tougher things in football.”
(What’s going to be the best way for QB Jay Culter to become a part of the team considering how close we are to the season?) – “Just come in and work. We talked about it. Do what he did the last time when we were together. We had a lot of new faces. Just come in, put your head down and grind. He knows that he just needs to be a part of it. That’s what we’re looking for. We’re not looking for somebody to come in and do anything extremely different. Our guys are … We feel like we got a lot of good skill players on offense and we’ve got two good quarterbacks that can deliver them the ball, and we feel good about our situation.”
(Has a decision been made on surgery for QB Ryan Tannehill?) – “I’ll let you guys know when I hear officially.”
(You said you think QB Jay Cutler has the system down. Are we still aiming for the second preseason game as a realistic point?) – “I haven’t really gotten … I know he’s not playing Thursday. That’s the best I can tell you right now. I’m (not) past that. I haven’t even got there yet.”
(A couple of housekeeping things, DE Cameron Wake, DT Ndamukong Suh and DE William Hayes were not participating out there. Veteran rest day?) – “We’re giving them one day off a week. I think they snuck one. They didn’t say anything that we’re playing Thursday, so they got a little extra day in there.”
(T Laremy Tunsil same thing as Saturday?) – “Yes. He’s personal reasons.”
(And S Nate Allen?) – “He got hurt … What day was it? When was the last time we practiced? Thursday? Before the scrimmage. Friday? He got hurt. He’ll be back. It shouldn’t be a long time. I don’t know the exact number of days he’s going to miss. He’s kind of nursing something. We’re just being smart.”
(RB Jay Ajayi?) – “He’s in the protocol. That’s all I know. Like I said – I’ve said this a million times – once they go into the protocol, when he’s out there, he’s out there.”
(When you had your first encounter with QB Jay Cutler, what was it that you did in particular to help him clean up his game and become more efficient?) – “We talked a lot about how I called plays and how he thought about plays. We did some things to change up how we were doing things. I was very aware of some of the things, whether he liked or disliked, within a game and may have voided a few things. The longer we were really practicing, and I was calling plays, we did a lot of things where we didn’t script anything. We just called it so he could get a really good feel for me and same thing for me to get a feel for him. It was really good communication there. We knew we had to really expedite the process because we didn’t have a lot of time. It just felt like we were going to be at the season so fast. He did a great job of communicating with me of, ‘This one is not really my favorite, but I like these following plays.’ We just leaned on those. He did a great job. He protected the ball. We had a ton of injuries. There were receivers moving in and out. He just never blinked.”
Jermon Bushrod – August 7, 2017
Monday, August 7, 2017
G/T Jermon Bushrod
(You know what we’re going to ask you. You’ve played with QB Jay Cutler. What are your thoughts about him?) – “I think he’s a great teammate. I think he’s a great guy. I spent three years in Chicago and we were pretty close there. He’s a family man, I have a family, so it was just a good vibe. He’s a good locker room guy. He’s going to come to work every day and fight to put his best foot forward.”
(Knowing QB Jay Cutler and working with him, what does he bring to this offense?) – “Well, he’s a smart quarterback, and we all have to do our part whenever he has his opportunity in there. We all have to be in the right spot at the right time and we’ve got to do our job up front so he can – not just him but any quarterback that’s back there – so they can make the correct reads, the correct throws, and put us in the best position possible.”
(Have you talked to QB Jay Cutler at all over the last couple days?) – “I have through text messages and we talked last night, yes.”
(Did you lobby for him to come here? Did you talk to him on behalf of the Dolphins?) – “No. I let the people upstairs make those decisions. I have no influence, no input on the decision to bring anyone here. Like I said last time, that’s above my pay grade. I don’t have any influence on any of that; but once the talks got heating up, we exchanged a couple of texts and once the deal was done, I gave him a call to congratulate him and told him I’d be waiting for him to get here.”
(What did you tell him about this team?) – “I told him we’re young but we’ve got a lot of guys who go out there and really fight to put their best foot forward. We’re going to grind and I think it’s a culture that he’s going to like, and he’s going to appreciate the work that this team puts in. We’re going to go to fight, we’re going to go to battle for him. That’s all we can do up front and as a team. You don’t have to do anything special, you just have to fight to do your job and doing your job is hard enough.”
(QB Jay Cutler obviously has an image issue in the NFL and you’ve been with him, where does it come from?) – “The media.”
(So it’s our fault?) – “Some of it. No, it’s not all your fault; but look at the end of the day, I know the guy. I’ve spent time with him. I’ve seen how he is in the huddle. I’ve seen how he is in the locker room. The messages that are portrayed on some of the major broadcasting networks isn’t what we see, isn’t what we feel. When I was in the locker room with him, I didn’t feel that way about him. I thought he was a tough player. I hear the things that people say and when I was (in Chicago) it upset me, and now that he’s here, people are still going to have their things to say; but at the end of the day, if you win games, nobody says anything about that.”
(What’s the No. 1 thing you think QB Jay Cutler brings to this team?) – “He’s just a smart player. He’s a tough player. He’s really going to study to fight and do his job to the best of his ability. Like I said, we all have to do our part around him and around whatever quarterback that’s in there to make sure we’re doing our job the best that we can.”
(How difficult will it be for QB Jay Cutler to step into this offense?) – “It’s a lot because most guys who come into a new team, they’re here before OTAs and they’re here during workouts. We have those two things that we can get adjusted to everybody and then you have training camp, where you’re still getting adjusted to everybody and getting to know the people; but he’s coming in at end of the second week, I believe it is, right? The day’s kind of run together; but (it’s) the end of the second week, so everything’s going to have to be accelerated a little bit. He’s going to have to get to learn the players, learn their tendencies and figure out our vernacular on offense. He knows it but obviously we’ve changed some things, so it’s just about getting him and our playmakers on the same page.”
(You said you spoke with QB Jay Cutler. What’s something you can share that Jay said?) – “He’s excited. He’s excited to get back down here. He’s excited to get back in the building with (Head Coach Adam) Gase. He wasn’t ready to fully hang it up yet and I feel him. I understand where he’s coming from. The broadcasting thing would have been a cool gig for him, but he still has some football left and I just told him that we’re excited to see him down here.”
