Bobby McCain – June 1, 2017
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Thursday, June 1, 2017
CB Bobby McCain
(We saw you guys giving a little heck to the receivers yesterday. Tell me about the secondary and the attitude that you guys have? I know you like to have a good time but you seem to be a veteran unit who is a little more accomplished now.) – “Yes. Like you said, we like to have a good time and have fun. It’s competition. Competition brings out the best in people and every once in a while, giving a little bit to the receivers, receivers giving it back makes it a lot of fun out there.”
(Where has this secondary progressed would you say since last season?) – “We’re all still learning but we’ve got a lot of guys back. We do a lot of communication. We do a lot of … We’re better, but we can always be better and we’re going to be better. We’re going to get better each and every day. That’s what we work to do. Coming out here and learning, like you said, the ins and outs of the defense and everything.”
(There’s a picture of you hollering at QB Ryan Tannehill and WR Jarvis Landry. Do you remember what you were saying?) – “No. I honestly don’t. Probably just giving it to them a little bit. Like I said, just being competitive.”
(What’s the biggest area of growth that you expected to see in your game from last season to now?) – “Just getting hands on the football. That’s what I want to do. That’s what we want to do as a team. The more turnovers we have, the more chances the offense gets to score, and that’s how we look at it. Being able to create turnovers, being able to get hands on the football, that can make you championship team.”
(As a nickel, does that require you to jump more routes?) – “It just requires you to just do your job and at the end of the day, let the plays come to you. As long as you are in the right leverage, doing what you’re supposed to do, and tight in coverage, the plays will come to you.”
(How important is it for you to maintain your position as a starter?) – “Its competition everywhere. It’s competition every day and everyone wants to start. Everyone wants to play. Everybody wants to be the guy and at the end of the day, you have to go out there and prove it. You have to go out there every practice – every training camp practice, every game, preseason game, regular season game, playoff game – no matter what it is, and prove that you’re going to be the guy and that they can trust you.”
(How would you assess your performance last year?) – “I could be better. As a player, I could be better. I can’t sit here and tell you what my goods and bads were; but I can tell you that I know I can be better. I know I can do better and I will do better.”
(Head Coach Adam Gase also mentioned the entire coverage as well on defense this year. That’s something you just mentioned as well. What is required for a defensive back to remain tighter? Is it just study a little bit more?) – “Yes, studying, which you train for. You pretty much train all year to play. That’s what you do. You train to play. So however hard you train, that’s how well you’re going to play. At the end of the day, however hard you study, that’s how much you’re going to know. So being tighter in coverage consists of training, studying, being good in the classroom, being good at practice, knowing your responsibilities, all 11 guys on the field, and if all 11 guys are doing their job, we win.”
(They drafted CB Cordrea Tankersely but they didn’t really bring in a nickel to compete with you. Basically the competition comes from within. Were you surprised at all that they may not have gone and targeted that exact position?) – “I never know what … honestly I don’t watch the draft. I watch the first round, as everybody does; but after that, I don’t really watch it. I just come in. Whoever comes in, we’re all competing. Tankersley, he’s a good corner. Like I said, there’s competition at corner, at each and every spot. You’ve got to go out every day and prove yourself, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
(People often focus on who the starting outside corners are, but you’re on the field most of the time. So can you explain why the nickel role or the slot role is so important in the overall success of the defense?) – “For one, slot corner is, like you said, slot corners play 75, maybe 80 percent of the game, especially in this division with Tom Brady and Buffalo. You play most of the game. It’s important just because of that. You’re on the field all the time. It’s a passing league. You don’t see just line up in the I and run the lead. No, it’s stack options, there are all kinds of things happening inside, where you have to communicate. You’ve got to be able to be good on your feet, be quick and a nickel corner is very important to a great defense.”
(Having said that how would you look back on the run defense last year? How do you describe it? What needs to change this year?) – “Like I said, we’ll be better. At the end of the day, I can’t tell you ‘We have to do this or we have to do that.’ As long as guys are doing their jobs, as I know they will, we’ll be fine.”
(When you look at special teams, you guys made some plays last season – kickoff return, punt return, good coverage units. I think LB Spencer Paysinger might be one of the few key guys that you guys lost. Can this be a game-changing unit, a difference-making unit this season? What do you think?) – “Yes, most definitely. Special Teams, we take them very seriously here and ‘Coach Rizz’ (Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi) and ‘Coach Mouff’ (Assistant Special Teams Coach Marwan Maalouf), they take pride in what they do and so do we. Being on special teams, it’s not an offensive or defensive play, but it’s an important play, regardless if it’s field goal block or regardless if it’s the first kickoff of the game, because you never know. That field goal block, you may be up 2 points and the balls on the 4, and you need a field goal block to win the game. So we take them very seriously here and yes, like you said ‘Spence’ (Spencer Paysinger) is a great player, but we also have really good players as well.”
(Going back to talking on the field. Do you think when you get engaged verbally with, whether its the receivers, actually raises your game?) – “Yes. Everybody. Everyone. If you raise it even with the receivers, the coaches, regardless what it is – every once in a while the coach will give it to you here – it’s just competition. If you’re not out there, if everybody’s out there quiet and just lackadaisical, ‘Oh we’ve got practice today.’ No. You want to go out there and have fun. You want to compete. You want to be the best you can be and at the end of the day, I want to beat the guys in front of me.”
(What would you say has been Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke’s sort of points of emphasis since it’s his defense now and he’s the voice, especially as it relates to the d-backs? Like what are you guys constantly hearing?) – “Just play with effort. Play with effort. Play with attitude. Do your job like you’re supposed to do. Do your job and like I said, if everybody’s doing their job and everybody’s doing their responsibility, plays will come to you.”
(Going back to the talking thing, let’s say you make a big play out of here in OTAs or on Sunday for that matter. If I’m a receiver, what am I going to hear from you?) – “(Laughter). You’ll just have to wait and see for that one. I can’t give you that.”
(Do you research their family names and stuff like that?) – “No. No. No family names. No mom names. No mom jokes. That’s a little far, but you know you’ll give them a little heckle a little bit.”
(What’s the worst you have ever heard?) – “I can’t say (laughter). We’ve got cameras in here. (laughter). That’s alright. I can’t tell you that one. I wish I could.”
(On trash talking) – “Yes. From time to time, it may; but like I said, most guys are just out there just having fun. Like we know most of the guys we play against, or we train with them or we went to school with them; we played them in college. So every once in a while, you’ll give a guy; but it’s nothing too crazy.”
(It’s amazing some of the things you probably here and if you heard it anywhere else, there’d be fists thrown, right?) – “Yes. Probably. Even more than likely.”
(Did you see Charles Barkley and Shaq almost went at it on the air?) – “No. I didn’t see that.”
(You’ve got to look it up on YouTube. It’s funny.) – “Yes, I haven’t seen it.”
(When it gets personal like that, does it get under guys skin? Does it affect their play? Have you ever seen it negatively affect a guy’s play?) – “No, not me personally. No, not really. Not too bad, because you’ll give it back. At the end of the day, you have to play the next play. That’s just like if you have a bad down. If somebody catches the ball, you can’t just let that affect the next play. So whatever this guy’s saying, it probably doesn’t matter. I probably won’t see him again.”
(You come to work every day believing you’ve locked down the starting job or thinking ‘I’ve got to perform every single day to make sure that nobody passes me.’) – “I mean I believe every – I think 90 guys? All 90 or 89 guys come into work just knowing ‘Hey, I’ve (got to) perform.’ We’ll go out to practice every day, not to say ‘Oh, I’m comfortable.’ You can never get comfortable in the NFL – ever – because you never know. I have a friend that just got traded today. So you can never get comfortable in the NFL. You have to come out every day and prove yourself, and that’s what you go to practices to do. That’s what you do in the classroom. Any question they ask, you want to get it right. Any play you have, you want to get it right. You want to do it the right way and that will keep you around.”
(No entitlement?) – “No.”
(Was it Calvin Pryor that got traded?) – “Yes.”
Michael Thomas – June 1, 2017
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Thursday, June 1, 2017
S Michael Thomas
(We asked you a lot last year about demonstration and your community activism. Do you plan to continue to kneel this year and what’s the biggest lesson you learned over the last year?) – “I’m definitely moving towards doing more community involvement – work in the community. Demonstrations and stuff like that, I can’t really say if I’m going to do something like that. But I’m definitely doing more good works in the community. I’ll definitely continue to do my part – whatever that might look like – to keep the conversation going. But at the same time, I felt like I was involved. I’ll continue to find ways to be involved; but this year is more so focused on this team and trying to help this team win.”
(When you started doing the kneeling, it was to make a social statement. It’s a year later. Are we moving in the right direction? Is there progress? Is there no progress?) – “Definitely where we were at, especially during the summer last year with everything that was going on, (there) were a lot of young African Americans – males to be exact – felt the need to do something. (They) felt the need to speak up. Some did it through social media, through posts and stuff like that. Some felt ‘I need to do more.’ At this point, I’d like to say a lot more conversations have started – probably more at this point this year than there were last year. A lot of people are more receptive to these conversations. A lot of people are putting those messages out. I could say we’re kind of moving towards the right direction but obviously there is still a lot of work left to be done.”
(Are you surprised that QB Colin Kaepernick is unsigned and do you think his activism plays a factor in that?) – “Obviously there are issues with that. Some people feel a certain type of. You see a lot of people commenting about it. At this point, it is what it is; but I wish Colin nothing but the best. He stood for something he believed in. A lot of people felt the same way. Quite frankly, a lot of people were against it, especially with how he chose to protest it. I believe that yes, it’s something like that; but at the same time, I wish him nothing but the best moving forward. I hope he gets his opportunity.”
(What did you learn from the stance that you took and the public’s reaction from it?) – “That there are a lot of people right now who aren’t ready to have those types of conversations. They can – for whatever reason – look past the actual issues that are going on in America and they’ll find fault in any type of thing you do, regardless if it’s a silent protest, regardless if it’s a protest that’s in your face, regardless if it’s just through social media. If people don’t want to have those types of conversations, they’ll find a way not to partake in it. They’ll find a way to ignore it. Obviously, as a young African American, I felt in my heart that it was the right thing to do and I stand up for people who don’t have a voice, who don’t feel like there is justice for them. I learned that throughout all of last year.”
(When you look at what just recently took place with LeBron James and his mansion, what are your thoughts and what goes through your mind when you see someone as famous as LeBron that could still go through something like that?) – “It’s crazy we’re having these conversations right now. It doesn’t matter. He said it best yesterday. ‘It doesn’t matter who you are, it is what it is.’ As an African American, that’s something you grow up dealing with. You could walk around all day with a smile on your face; you could do all of the right things but unfortunately you’re going to have to deal with some of these things. I think still a lot of people aren’t ready to accept that that’s an actual fact, that that’s an actual reality that some people in America still deal with. I’m not surprised. I hope that doesn’t surprise anybody when I say that I’m not surprised that happened to him. It could happen to anyone. He’s dealing with it the best way that he can. I think one of the things that he talked about yesterday was it’s tough for him not being able to be there with his kids and his boys. I’ve got a daughter. At some point I’m going to have these conversations with her. It’s just a reality of where we’re at right now in America.”
(How close did you come to leaving as a restricted free agent?) – “I love it here. Obviously I have to do what’s best for my family. I love being here. It was the best thing for me to do to stay here. The Dolphins wanted me back so I’m here to compete. I’m glad they brought me back. I’m glad it worked out.”
(Is your focus right now more on the safety position or the nickel corner position?) – “For me, nothing has changed. As a restricted free agent, with everybody they brought in this year, with everybody they brought back, nothing has changed for ‘Mike T.’ I’ve got to go out there and compete. The coaches are mixing us up right now – safeties, nickels – throughout the whole scheme. So for me, nothing has changed. You have to be ready to play any position.”
(So they have been playing you some nickel?) – “I’ve been mixed around different spots. Nothing has changed. You have to compete everywhere.”
(Where do you feel you are in your career and what do you think is the next step?) – “Right now, I feel like I’m in my prime. I feel like I’ve learned a lot. No longer am I that young guy who just came off the practice squad. I still feel like that young guy. I still remember it like it was yesterday, but I’m not there anymore. Coach looks at me as a guy who needs to step up and not make the same mistakes a rookie would make, not make the same mistakes a young guy would make; but be there no matter what the situation is, what the down and distance is, what the situation is. (You have) to be able to go out there and make a play. That’s it.”
(What are the challenges of playing that nickel spot? Can you describe how different that is as opposed to say cornerback?) – “Obviously you’re guarding probably one of the quickest guys on the field. You think about a guy like Jarvis (Landry). He’s probably the best slot receiver in the NFL. You’ve got to be able to be quick. You’ve got to be able to play with leverage. When teams see that, they see a safety – a smaller, quicker guy – they try to put big guys on him. They try to scheme you up and get you out-leveraged. They might run the ball right at you, so you’ve got to be physical. You’ve got to be able to play with leverage. You’ve got to be able to get in and out of breaks and when you’re going against guys like Jarvis, it only makes you better. I love the challenge. You’ve got that linebacker mentality that you’ve got to be tough and physical; but at the same time, you’ve got to be able to run all day. That’s why I love the nickel position.”
(Do you prefer the football questions or the non-football questions?) – “I’m comfortable with both.”
(You spent part of your offseason going to Haiti? How did that affect you or change you?) – “(It was an) eye-opening experience. I talked to a couple of people in this room about it. To see, 1: It was a beautiful country. I didn’t know what to expect when I went out there. (It’s a) very beautiful country. There are some things that need to be done, obviously, if they want to progress as a nation. Actually going out there and seeing it first hand and seeing what their actual needs are, I was able to come back and write a little piece and continue to do work with the community and try to raise funds for it. Actually going out there and seeing it, it was life-changing for me. My family, they were able to go out. We know exactly what we want to try to do out there.”
(So you intend to go back to Haiti?) – “Oh, definitely. I intend to continue to do work to raise funds and then to go back out there and to see those actual projects that we want to get done for us, like bringing water to those remote villages – bringing a water system out there, so people don’t have to walk two-plus miles to retrieve water daily. We’re trying to see one of those water projects get built out there.”
(You wanted to raise like $200,000? Is that what I heard?) – “Closer to $100,000. One actual project to actually get a water system built would probably take closer to like $40,000 to $50,000. Then to actually get that water purified to where we as Americans are used to drinking, it’ll probably take another $40,000 to $50,000. So $100,000 would probably be the goal. But it only takes like $40,000 to keep them from walking two-plus miles every single day.”
(How far along are you in that fundraising effort?) – “We’re good. Me, personally, I don’t want to talk about the exact amount I’ve raised; but I’ve raised a decent amount. The actual organization I’m helping, obviously they’re bigger and they can spend more time daily doing that. They’ve raised a lot of money too. It’s moving along.”
(You said that you love playing nickel. Do you think you’re better at it than safety? Because it seemed like last year you were thrusted into that safety spot and you had your moments where even you admitted ‘I wasn’t where I was supposed to be.’ That didn’t happen at nickel when you get a chance to play nickel.) – “I appreciate the kind words. Since moving to defense in college, that was the only position I … Well, not the only position; but that was the main position I played. I feel most comfortable there; but again, since I’ve gotten here, it’s wherever the coaches need me, I’m going to play. I’m going to go out there and compete and right now, that’s where it’s at. But I love the nickel position. I’ll say that.”
(When you look at this secondary man for man, what do you see as a collective group?) – “Right now, I can’t lie, we brought in two vets. I love the energy they bring. I love the way we communicate and they’re going out there and making play after play. It’s just great competition for us. Seeing the new ‘20’ (Reshad Jones) out there, it’s good to see the attitude that he’s bringing this year, that energy that he’s bringing. If I’m talking about young guys, our young corners – you look at ‘Lipp’ (Tony Lippett) and ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) – what they’re doing out there competing right now is crazy. Obviously it’s June 1, we don’t have pads on right now; but this time this year, compared to this time last year, I love it. I love where we’re at. I’m just excited to go out there and continue to compete with these guys.”
(How would you describe Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke’s personality and leadership style?) – “He’s definitely calculated. I guess that’s probably the best way. He loves to make sure guys understand the why, in even more detail than what we did last year. You know exactly why he’s calling certain calls and why we’re practicing it. I think it’s helping guys understand the defense a little bit better. It’s helping guys play a little bit faster.”
(Based on what you were saying about S Reshad Jones, does he have a little different this season?) – “Somewhat. I love it though. ‘20’ (Reshad Jones) has always been ’20,’ as far as on the field – just an athletic dude, gifted athletically, no flaws. You see that leadership in him this year is a little different. I’ve been here for a little time now. His leadership is a little different, I would probably say that. That’s probably the biggest thing that jumps out, and it’s great for our room.”
(Is S Reshad Jones a little more vocal this year?) – “Somewhat, yes. Somewhat.”
(A special teams question. You guys seem to be a veteran unit coming back with LB Mike Hull, CB Bobby McCain, RB Kenyan Drake and yourself. How many spots are there for rookies? Are there as many as previous years or maybe a few more? Can you say right now?) – “I’ll say this, I love the group we had. I feel like we were one of the best units out there. Obviously every single year, there’s somebody trying to come take your spot. We have some nice rookies out there that move around, are pretty fast and pretty big; but there is a reason why we had a lot of success out there, like some of the names you just named. You could throw in Walt Aikens, Lafayette Pitts. These are guys that came along strong last year and we’ve just got a bunch of dogs out there. Obviously, these guys don’t want their spots taken; but there are some rookies trying to climb their way in here and trying to claw their way in. That was my ticket. You’ve always got to be prepared. If any of them can make us better, even better than we were last year, then they’re going to be here.”
(When we get through OTAs and minicamp and everything and there’s a little bit of a break, what do you have on tap? Is there any more community projects? Traveling?) – “Always. Mostly though, obviously spending time with the family, since we’re about to go come back and start the season. I’ve got to train and get my mind right. But I always have my annual camp in Houston and that’s dealing with those kids, trying to give them access to a bunch of things I didn’t have growing up – computer science, SAT/ACT college prep stuff. So that’s what I do at my youth camp. But other than that, spend time with the family and get ready for the season. That’s it.”
(This offseason, the team emphasized both free agency and the draft. The emphasis on defense, were you surprised by that? Did you feel that was a necessary thing for this team to take the next step?) – “Shoot, I’m not in the front office. If that’s what they felt we needed, then that’s cool; but I definitely see a difference out there. The young guys we brought in, they’re competing right away. It did something to the defensive players that were already here. It made us better. I like what they did in free agency. Like I said, the vets – especially in our room with T.J. (McDonald) and Nate (Allen) – just having more vets in the secondary … It’s crazy how the communication is right now. It’s crazy how everybody is just flying around making plays, but that’s what happens when you get a whole bunch of vets and a whole bunch of guys with game experience together, playing like that.”
Jarvis Landry – May 31, 2017
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Wednesday, May 31, 2017
WR Jarvis Landry
(Did you get in on that trash talking at the end? The DBs were giving it to you guys.) – “No. Just friendly competition as always. I wouldn’t expect it any way less. It’s all healthy, so it’s always a good thing.”
(Number 42 this year [on NFL Network’s Top 100 players.] What do you think went into your move up from last year?) – “Not enough. Not enough. Honestly, me personally, I play this game to be recognized as one of the best. For me, and I’m sure every player, they want to be No. 1. I’ve always approached this game that way and how I’ve worked that way, so I wouldn’t settle for 42, like I said.”
(In a contract year, some players have not come to voluntary workouts in similar circumstances. Was that an issue at all? Was that crossing your mind at all to not be here during voluntary workouts?) – “No, that didn’t cross my mind at all. My whole objective was to help my team get to the Super Bowl. That starts with me being here, first of all. I’m not really worried about any contract or anything like that. I’m more focused on trying to help my team get to the Super Bowl, week-in and week-out, playing hard, playing well, playing together.”
(That being said, has there been progress made between you and the Dolphins starting with an extension?) – “We’ve talked back and forth but there’s nothing really going on. Honestly, we’re just really kind of focusing on right now – today. That’s the priority right now.”
(Obviously you’d like to get the deal done before the season?) – “Wouldn’t you? (laughter)”
(What is your breaking point?) – “Like I said, again, I don’t really have a breaking point. Honestly, I’m at the point in my life where I’m set. I’m comfortable with the position that I am in right now and again, I’m here to help my team get to the Super Bowl. It starts with me being here. I can’t be one of those guys that sit out or not show up or just bring bad whatever to the organization. It’s something that for me, I know that I needed to be here.”
(Having said that, what they did this offseason, what they’ve done with some of the guys, that gives you kind of an idea of what…) – “I don’t understand all that stuff. I don’t understand what all that stuff means. I’m just kind of in the background. I’m just kind in the background waiting my turn.”
(What are your thoughts on the NFL relaxing the celebration rules?) – “(Clapping) It is about time! Me and the big guys are already talking about celebrations to do together. It’s going to be interesting this year.”
(Can you talk about the potential here, keeping WR Kenny Stills here and bringing TE Julius Thomas in. Can you talk about the potential of the offense you see this year?) – “It’s endless. First of all, to speak on it, it’s an opportunity again to get all of us together in the same room. It kind of started with re-signing Kenny, getting DeVante (Parker) healthy and then bringing in a piece like Julius and Anthony Fasano. These guys are going to help our offense in the pass game, in the run game, but also their leadership. They’ve been a part of a couple of teams that have won … I think Julius was part of the Super Bowl team. To have their leadership in the locker room and on the field as well, it’s big time for us.”
(With a big target like TE Julius Thomas, what can he bring, if he’s healthy and his best years were under Head Coach Adam Gase in Denver? What can he bring to this offense?) – “Like you said, first of all we’ve got to keep him healthy. I think the biggest thing is, he’s almost kind of a hybrid. He can play by himself on an island or he can be the third guy inside and still use his speed to beat linebackers and beat safeties. Having him in our offense and putting him in the right position to make plays for us is going to be huge.”
(How much is having TE Julius Thomas going to help you particularly since you work between the hashmarks?) – “A lot. And again, it goes with every guy being able to move in this room. It starts with Kenny (Stills), it starts with DeVante (Parker), it starts with Jay Ajayy, the offensive line. And Julius is in there, as well. To have him in there, to have him a part of this, it’s going to make our offense go that much better and also allow me to get one-on-one matchups and not so many double teams.”
(We see the knee brace on QB Ryan Tannehill. Any difference in him?) – “No. That’s a little swag. (laughter). That’s all. That’s a little swag. It hasn’t slowed him down. His recovery process has been tremendous. He’s been throwing since, I want to say April. He’s been throwing out there. We’ve been throwing together and now he’s just trying to find the rhythm, along with the timing, now that we’ve got the defensive line out there (and) the DBs. But he’s still competing like (number) 17.”
(Did you speak with Odell Beckham Jr. about his contract situation? Because he’s holding out right now.) – “I’m worried about the Miami Dolphins.”
(Derek Carr is up for a new deal and he said he said he won’t address it, he doesn’t want anyone talking to him about it once training starts. Is that a deadline you have as well?) – “No. Like I said, I’m here. I’m here to help my team. All that other stuff, it’ll come. It’ll come. I think this is my main focus and I think the guys upstairs understand that too. I’m sure you heard (General Manager) Chris Grier say multiple times, ‘We take care of our own,’ and I’m at peace about that and I’m comfortable. Like I said, I’m comfortable where I’m at.”
(You mentioned double teams. If you guys throw the ball like 35 times a game, how many of those would you say in the past couple of years you’ve seen double teams?) – “Honestly, it depends on if I’m the third receiver inside or it depends on the down and distance. Generally third down and the red zone, I typically get doubled more often than not. So I would say about half, at least the majority of the time, I’m probably getting doubled.”
(What’s the next step for you in terms of improving as a player?) – “I think for me it’s continued leadership and by that, I say you see some of these guys, you talk about LeBron James, Michael Jordan, things that they’ve done for their team. They make guys around them better. So again, like the yapping and all that, it’s healthy competition but also just trying to find a way to make the guys around me better and pushing myself day-in and day-out and leading by example. I’m not much of a talker, but I kind of lead by example a little bit.”
(What kind of growth have you seen from CB Xavien Howard from his rookie year to now?) – “Well ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) is a baller. I’ve seen him come off an injury and play in the Jets game and I think Brandon Marshall had one catch or two catches, and he made a couple of hell of a plays. To see his progress under Reshad (Jones) and under ‘Max’ (Byron Maxwell), the way that he’s learning and the competition behind him, even with ‘Lipp’ (Tony Lippett) and Bobby McCain. Those guys are pushing him and ‘X,’ he just continues to make plays for us, and that’s what we need out of him.”
Kenyan Drake – May 31, 2017
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Wednesday, May 31, 2017
RB Kenyan Drake
(Head Coach Adam Gase was in here a few minutes ago and he talked about how he wants you to become a complete back so that God forbid something were to happen to RB Jay Ajayi, you could do everything. What are your thoughts about how you can become a complete back?) – “I’m definitely just trying to come in here every day and be the best pro I can be. I think that’s just the first and foremost thing, because honestly coming in and seeing guys like Jay Ajayi – who is a great person to look after – or Damien Williams or any other running backs or any other great players on our team that come in day-in and day-out and just get the job done. So that’s what I need to do too.”
(So you are catching punts out there right?) – “Yes.”
(How do you feel about that responsibility?) – “It’s very exciting just to help the team in any way possible. Jakeem (Grant) does a great job for us now, but just being a reliable backup to him, that’s just what I’m trying to be able to do. I’ve never caught punts before in a game situation. I did in practice leading up to … last year and in college a little bit. But it’s a different animal, honestly, so it’s just something you’ve just got to do.”
(What makes catching punts so different?) – “Well in kick return, you just know there won’t be anybody in your face. It’s just more of a mental thing to where you don’t know where the ball is going to go per se off the punter’s foot. It falls differently depending on how the tip of the ball falls, and also if it’s a left- or right-footed punter. It’s just nerve-racking in the sense that you know somebody is running down, so you have to make a decision to either fair catch or run with it. And it’s hard enough to do it with nobody even running down to even get to that point. It will be interesting to see how I progress.”
(Has your role on the team changed this year?) – “I think that will be up to me and my capabilities. If I come in and put the work in, we’ll see how everything unfolds from there.”
(From a personal standpoint, what will make it a successful season?) – “From a personal standpoint, just helping this team get past where we got last year. We were excited about making it to the playoffs. We obviously wanted to go further but it was unfortunate we ran into a good Pittsburgh team in Pittsburgh. But this year, we are looking forward to taking the next step. Any way I can help with that, I’ll be happy.”
(What area of your game do you most want to improve this season?) – “Just more of the off the field preparation, I guess, to kind of put myself in the best position to be the best player I can be on the field. That’s what I want to do.”
(Things happened quick for RB Jay Ajayi and all of a sudden he had a great year. What makes you think it could happen for you?) – “I feel like that could happen to anybody, honestly. Jay is a great example of just putting your head down and just going to work. Things didn’t go the way he wanted them to early in the year, but all he did was work, and everything kind of happened the way it was supposed to because of the hard work he put in. I think anybody that wants to kind of follow in those footsteps – maybe not the initial standpoint of it but the diligent work that you put in to be where you want to be – I feel like anyone could be in that position.”
(Head Coach Adam Gase said a few months ago that he sometimes wants to hurt you. He said that ‘he does so many good things but he always does one thing, whether it be on or off the field that will test me. But I kind of like that.’ What are you doing that is irritating the head coach so much?) – “I just have to be more consistent, I guess I can say. My play on the field, sometimes I’m real critical on my self-performance. Let’s say I do something that wasn’t on script or something that I didn’t … that wasn’t planned. It works sometimes, like the Buffalo game; but sometimes it doesn’t work. So sometimes I just have to kind of put my head down and get those 2 or 3 yards when it’s not there. That can be frustrating because also I want to make a big play every time I touch the ball. So it’s just understanding my role in the grand scheme of things and kind of let those big plays come when they come and not force them.”
(Is that kind of the nature of your relationship with Head Coach Adam Gase so far?) – “I feel like that’s what he brought me in to be, that big playmaker. And sometimes I press on myself to make the plays, because last year I didn’t necessarily get the amount of opportunities that I wanted. But at the same time, it also comes with the whole grand scheme of mirroring off field with on field and making sure that I’m where I’m supposed to be, when I’m supposed to be, and everything else will happen how it’s supposed to.”
(Is it kind of a fine line between your creativity and what you bring to the table naturally and then also kind of tapering that off and just doing what the coaches say at the same time?) – “Yes.”
(How do you kind of mix those together and bring those together?) – “It’s not like I’m necessarily just every time I get the ball, just going off script and just doing what I want to do. It’s just knowing, say for instance like today, we had a situation where I caught a quick hitch out of the backfield and it was third-and-4. Instead of just catching the ball and falling backwards for the first down, I tried to catch it and make a couple of people miss. It was touch, so who knows if I would’ve been tackled or not, but it was just the coaching point of understand the situation, it’s third-and-4, just get the first down and live to see another down, instead of possibly getting tackled for a 2-yard gain when I had the first down.”
(Do you have a pretty good understanding of what’s ok with Head Coach Adam Gase and Offensive Coordinator Clyde Christensen, if you take chances for example? Is that clear to you, in what spots is it ok and what spots it is not?) – “Yes, of course. In those critical situations to where it’s a third-down play. Okay, I need to be aware of the situation to understand that I need to get the first down. That’s priority No. 1. Big plays happen, not necessarily when they’re not supposed to, but when you follow the rules. If I just continue to do what I have to do on a consistent basis, then those big plays will become more numerous instead of trying to force them.”
Tony Lippett – May 31, 2017
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Wednesday, May 31, 2017
CB Tony Lippett
(You let the offense have it at the end a little bit?) – “It’s all a competition out there. We’re always trying to get each other better.”
(On the competition between the offense and defense) – “We’re all out there competing, trying to get each other better every day. That’s what we’re going to do. (Head Coach Adam) Gase created a competitive environment out here, and we’re just trying to uphold it.”
(How much of a talker are you?) – “Not much. I’ll talk a little bit here and there. I’m not much of a talker though.”
(CB Bobby McCain likes to talk?) – “Bobby won’t stop talking.” (laughter)
(With all the progress you made last year, was there another level that you identified as you look back at last year that you wanted to get to and what areas?) – “I’d like to get more comfortable and having that experience of last year of going through what I went through – and kind of being thrown in the fire – I think helped me. I just try to work on every phase of my game every day, every day in the offseason. I try to strengthen my mind, strengthen my body and strengthen my knowledge of the game. I feel like if I continue to do those things, it’s going to help me, so (I) try to do that.”
(When you look back on last year and the fact that you were kind of thrown in there the way you were, were you pleased with how you responded or how did you look back on it?) – “Looking back on it, I didn’t really have a choice to respond any other way. It (was) basically, ‘Alright, get out there and play. That’s what you have to do; it’s your job.’ I haven’t really looked at it like. I try to take what was given to me and try to make plays the best way I can to help this team win. Now looking back at it, (I) learn from every game and learn situations and things like that.”
(What’s the biggest thing that you take from that second season?) – “The second season, just basically never getting too up, never getting too down, keeping it an even playing field, learn as much as you can, learning in losses, learning in wins, because there is always stuff to learn in this game. The moment you think you got it, you get hit with something you’ve never seen before. Always learning how to make a play or not make a play and move on to the next play and don’t let it linger on to the next one.”
(In the defensive back room, you have a lot of talent there between you, CB Byron Maxwell, CB Xavien Howard, CB Bobby McCain and now CB Cordrea Tankersley. How competitive do you think it’ll be in training camp?) – “It’s competitive now. I feel like it’s going to be competitive in training camp. It’s competitive now. We all mess with each other a lot. We’re cool with each other. We help each other out a lot. We’re our hardest critics on ourselves. We push each other every day to make plays. One guy makes a play, we’re all getting hyped. That’s just how we are. (It is a) competitive room, but we all got each other’s backs at the end of the day.”
(How do you build on last year’s performances as far as technique?) – “You’ve got to take it week to week, day to day. You can always find something to get better in. You can always find situations to get better in. That’s what I try to do. I try to watch all the games last year, watch other people’s films and things like that, to see what they’ll be thinking on certain down-and-distances, on certain plays and things like that. Just basically strengthen your mind, learning from last year.
(Situationally, is there anything in particular you’ve been trying to pay attention to and say “This is what I need to get better at.”?) – “A lot of third-down stuff, third-down tendencies that coaches use – third-and-shorts, third-and-longs. Coaches use different things but it’s a lot of repeated stuff in the NFL. (I) try to see what a lot of different offensive coordinators see and what they’re trying to do to you and try to be in the right place at the right time.”
(If I’m not mistaken, you went over the top against Pittsburgh to try to block a field goal in the playoff game. Was that you?) – “Yes, that was me.”
(That play is banned now. Do you have any thoughts on that? Is that a difficult play? Should it be banned?) – “I don’t know. It was something we … I just mistimed it. (laughter) I’ll just say it: I mistimed it. I can’t do anything about the rule. It’s out now, so we can’t do it anymore. I’m sure somebody will find some other way to jump over something and try to block a field goal. It’s just the game we play in.”
(What did you think about that when it was called? I’m sure you all practiced it. Did you think it was crazy? Was it a good idea?) – “I thought it was a good idea. I thought it was a good idea the whole time. When I jumped over and nobody moved, I didn’t think it was a good idea. (laughter) You live and you learn. That’s just the name of the game.”
(When you came in here to the NFL, you were the receiver being converted to DB. At what point did you stop thinking “receiver” and start thinking “full-fledged DB”?) – “I would probably say midway through my rookie year, midseason when I was on scout team a lot playing corner, and I started to every day try to get better at something, every day try to get three percent better at something. (I would) go out there and work on something. I might be on scout team, no matter what it is, you can always take something out of this game. Me being new to it, that’s what I told myself to do: go out there and work on something that day no matter what it is. That’s when I stopped thinking about it as a wide receiver. When the ball is near, I try to get it, but I’m not a wide receiver anymore.”
(What was the point of emphasis physically your work with Pete Bommarito and his staff this offseason? Was it going out there to just stay in shape or were you looking to work on a particular skillset or physical thing?) – “All around. You can work on on-the-field stuff, off-the-field stuff as far as lifting and things like that and technique and things like that. There are a lot of guys around the league that work out at Pete’s and things like that, so every day I pick somebody’s knowledge (like) what they’re thinking on this, what are they thinking on that. It helps you at the end of the day. Nobody is going to be selfish enough to try to hold information and things like that. If they’re going to give it to me, I’m going to ask them every day something, a little tip (like), ‘What do you see out there? You’ve been playing 12 years, so obviously you see more than I do. Whatever you see, I can learn from that, and I can incorporate that into my game and how I think on the field.’”
(Any receivers in that group that you competed against last year?) – “I don’t think there (were) any receivers … That I played against last year? No, I don’t think there (are any) receivers that I played against.”
(How big of a goal is landing a starting job?) – “It’s big, but we take it one day at a time. You never know how the chips are going to fall, so I just try to get better every day, try to make plays, try to compete and try to take all the knowledge that I have and I continue to acquire and put it all out there.”
(LB Raekwon McMillan – there are Big Ten ties between you two. Also, are you guys part of the same fraternity as well?) – “Yes.”
(Have you guys had any conversations about that?) – “We had no crazy conversations, nothing like that. I talk to him (about) how it was when he was back at Ohio State and things like that and how it was in the frat as far as being at Ohio State (and) was it different than Michigan State and things like that. It’s kind of basic stuff. He’s a great player, too.”
Kiko Alonso – May 31, 2017
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Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Linebacker Kiko Alonso
(A few people have remarked on how easy it is this camp relative to a year ago because you’re more familiar with Head Coach Adam Gase, you know what you’re doing, you can move around a little bit more quickly. Do you find that to be the case?) – “Yes, definitely. Just coming in last year, you had to learn a whole new defense and all of the terms. Being one year under, you’re ahead and further along than last year.”
(With the new contract done, knowing you’ll be here for a while, do you feel some different responsibility that comes with that as far as in the locker room?) – “I don’t really think about that. I feel being in my position, I’m in a position where I can help other guys, guys that just got here. Being in my second year in this defense, I can just help other guys come along.”
(What do you think made it work for you so well here after being in Buffalo and Philadelphia? Why did this click so well?) – “I think just all of the people around me – the d-line, the coaches. I think the coaches really helped me out. They allowed me to just play fast.”
(You guys had a good message for the rest of the guys. ‘Do well, we’ll take care of our own,’ between you and DE Andre Branch and WR Kenny Stills. ‘We’ll take care of our own guys. We’ll re-sign you.’) – “Yes, usually that’s the case. If you play well, you’re going to get rewarded.”
(Have you gotten any clarity on where you’ll be playing as far as inside or outside?) – “I think right now we’re just all doing everything. I don’t think we’re making any decisions yet. It’s just wherever they put us.”
(How much different is playing weak side from being on the inside in a 4-3, in your opinion, based on what you’ve seen so far?) – “It’s a little different in the sense that you’re more on the edge instead of running inside-out all the time. But at the end of the day, you’re running around and hitting people.”
(What have you seen so far to make you think the run defense will be better, whether it’s players coming back in better shape or Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke or tweaks to the scheme or whatever, personnel?) – “We just have to correct what happened last year. A lot of it was just one guy here or one guy there. Just little details and just let the defense work. I think that’s the biggest thing.”
(What are your early impressions of LB Raekwon McMillan?) – “He’s a big, fast kid. He’s great, a good dude. He works hard. I look forward to playing with him.”
(You’ve been in the meeting rooms with Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke for a full year now. What can the rest of this team – your unit – expect from him as a defensive coordinator?) – “He’s just a competitor. He’s a guy that you love to play for because he’s going to give it his all. You can just tell day-in and day-out he’s giving it his all and he puts his heart and soul into it. Being behind a guy like that, it’s just something that guys notice and it just makes us play harder.”
(So much has been talked about his intelligence level. When did you first see it?) – “Probably when I got here and he was – obviously he was the linebackers coach – so I thought he did a great job. I think that’s part of the reason why I had success last year because he was just able to … The way he explained it, he got us playing fast. That’s the biggest thing, just having everyone doing their assignments and playing fast.”
(What have you seen from LB Lawrence Timmons so far and in what ways can he make your job easier this year?) – “The guy has been a great player for quite some time. The guy can do it all. It’s always good to have a vet like that. He just needs to come in here and make some plays.”
(To have an organization say you are going to be here awhile and you’re our guy, after all you have been through throughout your career and to land somewhere to have some success and a team that believes in you, how does that make you feel right now, to feel that this team believes in you?) – “It feels good because it’s where I want to be. It just feels good that I know that I’m going to be here for a while. I’m just glad that I can stay here and get to work.”
(Did they insist that you have to go a little more business-like now with the hair cut or what?) – “No, they let me do what I want.”
(Have you settled in now? What’s with the hair?) – “I don’t know what I’m doing with it right now. (laughter) I like cutting it once a year, just buzz it off. Right now, I’m just kind of in the awkward phase right now. (laughter) I’m just trying to figure out my way.”
(Are you thinking about growing your hair out?) – “Yes. I don’t think I’m going to go as long as I did a couple of years ago. That was out of control, but I think I’m going to grow it a little and see. But it’s hot here. I’m sure a couple of days in camp and I’ll be like ‘Ah, I’ve got to cut this thing off.’”
(Why are the corners and the receivers always yapping?) – “Because it’s football. That’s what it’s about. It’s about having fun and talking smack.”
(The inside guys don’t do it?) – “No, everybody (does it). Some guys more than others. Some guys don’t say much. Some guys talk more. That’s football.”
(Who wins a Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor boxing match and why?) – “A boxing match? C’mon, man. There’s no way (McGregor will win). Mayweather is going to win. A boxing match? No. That’s like saying … McGregor is not going to beat any boxer. He’s not beating (Manny) Pacquiao obviously. He’s not beating any of those guys. You could put him against … It’s all for show. I want to see it. I’d pay to see the press conference, to be honest with you. (laughter) I think the press conference will be more entertaining than the actual fight.”
(Decision or knockout on the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight?) – “I don’t know. Obviously Mayweather … I think the way Mayweather fights now, he’s not really, he doesn’t really smell blood like he used to. He’ll just hit you a few times and … not like he used to. I think it’ll probably just be a decision. It’ll be a shutout – 12 rounds to zero. He’ll probably start doing some Sugar Ray stuff, like swinging his arms around. (laughter)”
Adam Gase – May 31, 2017
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Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(One thing on your defensive backs. I know General Manager Chris Grier mentioned at the draft that some of your outside corners could move to slot. He mentioned the possibility of CB Xavien Howard doing it. Howard said yesterday that he hasn’t. What other options do you have there that you want to look at beyond CB Bobby McCain for depth reasons or competition in nickel?) – “There are a few guys we’re trying to give reps. You start off the year thinking ‘Here’s the first three we want to work through.’ You want the other guys to get comfortable playing the primary. We don’t want to start hitting the contingency plans quite yet, if something happened to Bobby. We’ll keep moving through that but we have a little bit of a progression with how we want to go about it with our outside guys right now. We’ll get to the point where we’ll try some guys inside and kind of figure out where we stand there but we don’t want to do that too quickly. We want those other guys to work on their outside stuff.”
(As a follow up, did CB Bobby McCain do enough last year in your mind for you to feel good about him being your likely nickel guy this year?) – “Bobby improved a lot through the year. He started to understand what we were asking him to do. We always kind of have that discussion of ‘We’ve got the leverages down, now let’s be tighter. Let’s make some more plays on the ball.’ He’s done that in this camp. He’s had some PBUs (pass breakups) and getting tight on some coverage. He’s got a tough challenge every day going against Jarvis (Landry), which is good for him. When you’re playing one of the top guys in the league at his position, it’s hard not to get better.”
(DE Charles Harris seemed impressive out there but what can you really tell? Can you tell he’s got a good first step or is it kind of unfair?) – “It’s tough with no pads. It’s so much passing going on right now and (the defense) knows it, so they’re getting good get-offs. It’s good to see there’s a few things we kind of look for and ‘T’ (Defensive Line Coach Terrell Williams) and (Defensive Coordinator) Matt (Burke) have a good idea of how they want to use all of their guys. We’re moving them around a little bit and doing some different things and trying to find some packages (to see) how far we can take some of those defenses – exotic defenses. We don’t want to put too much on one guy’s plate. We just want him to just continue working on the little details of what the coaching staff is asking him to do and find ways to get better.”
(With S Walt Aikens, we saw him work at cornerback quite a bit today. Is that just cross-training or are you all thinking about a possible position switch for him?) – “I think Walt has kind of done that for us. He did that last year with us too. There were some times where we would move him out there (to cornerback) and just make sure that he was ready to go because he was up for every game, pretty much. He has to be in a position to where if somebody goes down at one of those spots, he has to be ready to go. We’re just trying to find the best fit for him. I think he’s one of our better athletes for sure. He’s a huge playmaker for us on special teams and we just want to make sure whatever spot we end up finalizing with him – corner or safety – it gives him the best opportunity to where if he goes in a game, he can have success.”
(A lot of the rookies were working without logos on their helmets. Is there anything to that?) – “I think we’re just trying to … Maybe that’s our way of saying ‘You’ve got to earn that logo.’ That was kind of something that, talking to (Equipment Manager Joe) Cimino about things that maybe have been done that way in the past, and we were just kicking around some ideas of doing something a little different than we did last year. We felt like that was one of the things that kind of came up that a few of us thought was a good idea and we’ll see how it kind of goes.”
(We saw the defensive backs were giving some of the wide receivers some trash talk at the end of practice. Was that deserved you think?) – “Oh yes. They took it to the offense today. Everything they said, that was pretty much true.”
(Can you let us in on what was said?) – “I wasn’t trying to pay attention too much because then they start talking to me. (laughter)”
(You have indicated that regardless of where guys are drafted – if they are veterans or rookies, free agents – everyone gets a fair opportunity. DT Lawrence Okoye is a guy who was an Olympian and a rugby player. When you see a player like that, do you see certain skills that this guy can have an opportunity?) – “I think the first couple of practices, guys didn’t really know what they were going up against and he made quite a few plays. He’s been making plays through the whole OTA session so far. When we bring a guy in and he’s had some experiences with some other teams, we’re trying to give every guy a fair shake. That’s kind of why we do things the way we do it where when we get a guy and we start the offseason program, we want to try to give them the full allotment to prove whether or not they belong. That’s why you don’t really see a lot of guys get released by us. We try to keep that pretty much the 90 (man roster) – I think we’re at 88 right now – to where those guys have the full time, the preseason games and those type of things, to prove if they should make this team.”
(DT Lawrence Okoye has been on a couple of practice squads but this guy never played football until he came to the United States. Playing rugby, being in the Olympics as a discus thrower, does that mentality show you something as far as being an Olympian too?) – “When you get a guy that’s been involved in high-performance areas not being football, pressure situations aren’t the type of thing that are going to rattle him. He has a great mindset. The work ethic is through the roof. You see him around quite a bit. He’s always trying to do something to get better. You appreciate a guy that knows what he doesn’t know and he’s trying to figure out every little detail of what his job is.”
(LB Kiko Alonso is much maligned by us for coverage. Has that ever really been an issue for him in your eyes?) – “No. I think what we ask him to do is play aggressive and don’t hesitate, which won us a game (at San Diego), because of the way he plays. There is a reason why he is going to be here for a minute because we like how he operates from the time he walks in the building and the way he carries himself off the field. Everything he does is exactly what we ask him to do and we tell him we want him to be as aggressive as he can within the scheme. Does it burn him every once in a while? Yes; but he makes a lot more plays.”
(I don’t know it was owners meetings or sometime in the winter but we asked you about WR Jarvis Landry and if you expect him to be here throughout the voluntary stuff and you said yes. He’s shown he has. Has he been able to compartmentalize the contract stuff? Do you see it as a motivator to him?) – “We haven’t really had too many conversations about contract status. Everything is really done in-house. I just knew he was going to show up and he was going to work as hard as he can possibly work and find ways to get better and try to be one of the leaders of this team and encourage the young guys and find ways to help us get better. The way that we kind of do things here is put your head down and work and things will work out.”
(By we, do you mean you and WR Jarvis Landry? Not the team and Landry’s representatives?) – “I’m talking about conversations between me and him.”
(What do you want to see areas of growth from WR Jarvis Landry?) – “I think the details of the offense. Any time you go through that first year, you’re trying to learn each other. You’re trying to figure out what are the best things that a certain guy can do. Sometimes you get in situations to where you’re not on the same page all the time. I might be thinking one way, he might think one way, Ryan (Tannehill) might think another way. It’s always that learning experience. That’s why the offseason is so important because you learn little things through the details of constantly doing the same scheme over and over again. Right now, we’re able to do that. We can run the same concept without feeling like ‘this team’ is going to know what we’re doing. We can find ways to protect those certain routes that he really likes. We go through that stuff every day and when we come in the next day to watch film, we’re able to talk through some stuff and kind of learn a little bit about each other and how we want to do things, every day that we come in here. I think the longer we’re together, we just keep finding little things that not only I like as a play caller, but what he likes as a route runner and what Ryan likes to throw to him. It’s just going to be an evolving process over the years.”
(With LB Kiko Alonso, what do you think it is that has clicked for him here – fits so well for him – that after bouncing around, now he’s a cornerstone for you guys?) – “That’s a tough one to answer. I know that since the day he really got here, he has done everything right. We like the way he plays. We feel like the attitude he brings and that aggressive style, that’s what we want all our guys to do.”
(With WR Jarvis Landry, last year you talked about speed cuts versus chopping at the top of routes. Is there any progress there with that and everyone being on the same page? Do you things have gotten better there?) – “I think the entire group has done a great job of really looking at last year and finding ways to improve, and they’ve really focused on the details. I think it started in that second phase – it probably started before we ever got our hands on them – where those guys were doing a lot of stuff. It really comes down to the communication aspect of this game, where sometimes if you don’t know the reason why, it’s hard to believe sometimes what you’re being told. The more we explain things and the more we get the feedback from players, that’s where we really start making some movement. The thing that I’ve noticed about our guys this year is there’s a lot of feedback. There are more questions of, ‘When we do this, is this what you want it to look like? Or is this what you want it to look like versus this coverage? How do you want us to do this?’ The more questions you get like that, the better chance you have as far as perfection. That’s what we’re striving for. It’s an imperfect game and you’re trying to be perfect. It’s not easy to do, but these guys are constantly working on it.”
(When DT Jordan Phillips came in yesterday, it seemed like he had been very self-critical. He was really critical about his play. It sounds like he has been changing his direction there. Are you seeing some action that backs that up?) – “I’d say he’s very difficult for us to block right now. He has had those good days and bad days in the past. What I’ve seen so far out of the guy is consistency. That’s the biggest thing for us when … If you’re (Ndamukong) Suh and you know the guy next to you is constantly doing the right thing, and you know you can trust that guy next to you, that’s a huge part of our defense. That front is what we lean on. We count on those guys being right. That’s why we’ve invested the amount of resources we have in that front. His best ball is really what we’re going to need this year. The reason why is we’ve got four of those guys on that front line and now you start adding some depth to that, it makes it very difficult for teams to prepare for us.”
(DT Jordan Phillips said he’s trying to get down to 320 pounds. Is that something you guys set for him? When do you want that to happen by?) – “I don’t want to get into the whole weights and stuff, but you can talk to (Head Strength & Conditioning Coach Dave) Puloka about it.”
(What do you see expanding for RB Kenyan Drake this summer?) – “I think we’re going to keep trying to work him into the offense. We have some things that we’d like to do with him, but we want him to be an all-around back. We don’t want him to get stuck in one phase. We got to be ready to go if … Jay (Ajayi), he takes a lot of hits. He’s basically our workhorse. The rest of those guys have to be ready to go at the drop of the hat. They have to be able to do everything. For us to have two guys backing Jay up that do have a strength in the passing game for sure. But they are good runners. It’s more about getting consistency and understanding the importance of every little detail. Sometimes when you’re a backup, you can lose that, and it takes a professional to do the job right consistently. Really, that’s his biggest challenge is being a consistent guy for us.”
(Do you have an update on LB Koa Misi? Do you expect to see him in the spring or by training camp?) – “You keep asking me the same question every time. (laughter) I don’t know. We’re not there yet. When you see him start running around or something, then I’d say we’re close.”
(With CB Xavien Howard, obviously last year the knee injuries sidetracked him a lot. What do you expect from him in Year 2 in terms of understanding the defense and playing at full speed?) – “Right now, I can tell he has a way better grasp of what we’re asking (him) to do. You always wish you could get every single game in your rookie year, just the experience factor. When you play that position, offenses do a good job of changing things up so much (that) the more you see, the easier it makes your job. He has got six games under his belt right now. We need as many reps as possible with him. In the spring so far, he has been a tough guy to get open on. He’s facing two guys that are tough to cover. He has done a good job. You can tell he’s more confident. He’s talking a lot right now, which is good. You want him to have that swagger. Sometimes when you start really battling good players and you feel like you’re winning, your confidence is going to go up.”
Xavien Howard – May 30, 2017
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Tuesday, May 30, 2017
CB Xavien Howard
(What’s the biggest thing that you took from last year, your rookie season?) – “My rookie season had been up and down due to a lot of injuries. By me being injured, it made me stay in the film room to watch film more and just learn the game. It helped me mentally that way.”
(What do you think you need to do to take your game to the next level?) – “This is my second year in the system, so I’m used to the defense, and it’s clearing things up for me. Last year, due to injuries and stuff like that, I couldn’t really just get in and learn the system like that, due to the injuries. But me just watching film and stuff like that helped me a lot.”
(What we saw from you last year was only about what percent of what you think you are capable of?) – “I don’t know about that one.”
(Did the knee limit you at all when you came back? You had some good moments in late December. Were you feeling like you were not completely 100 percent?) – “Yes, I couldn’t get 100 percebt each time. My first injury I had, I couldn’t finish OTAs. The second one came from me just jumping up in the air and catching the ball and I came on the ground. So I really couldn’t just get to the level to get to 100 percent and play. Each game, I was just playing to play; but I just really couldn’t be 100 percent and perform how I know I can.”
(What level of confidence do you have that all of that stuff is behind you, that your knee will not be an issue at all this year?) – “I’m very confident about that. This offseason I just worked a lot to strengthen my legs and stuff like that, so I’m very confident about my knee.”
(Have you been assured by doctors that this isn’t something that is going to linger?) – “Yes, it’s cleared.”
(What kind of confidence did you gain from when you did have success? Do you know in your mind that you can be a good starting corner in this league?) – “Yes sir, I know what I’m capable of. I have confidence in myself so I know what I can do when I’m 100 percent.”
(I know CB Tony Lippett said this offseason from a competitive nature, he’d like to start. How important is that for you? Obviously there will be some competition up until September.) – “Oh yes, there’s competition all the way. That’s how we make each other better. Just us out there competing and going against each other and making each other better.”
(As far as playing in the nickel, how much experience have you had in that and is that something you guys are really looking at? Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke had mentioned it earlier this offseason. Is that something you’ve been doing a little bit?) – “No, I haven’t been playing in the nickel. I’m an outside corner, so I’ve never played in the nickel inside.”
(One thing you mentioned last year was that Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph talked to you about being able to use your size. Are you happy with where you are in that part of your game? Are there still more things you have to learn to use your size to play corner effectively?) – “I’m still learning how to be an elite cornerback in this league. I’m watching film of other guys and stuff like that, seeing what they are good at – like Byron Maxwell and Tony Lippett – to see what they are good at and see what I can improve on in my game from theirs.”
(Do you watch any film of any non-Dolphins?) – “Yes, everybody in the league.”
(Like Seattle CB Richard Sherman?) – “Yes, Sherman, (Arizona’s) Patrick Peterson, (Denver’s Aqib) Talib.”
(A couple of times Head Coach Adam Gase has mentioned how the style of play in the Big 12 doesn’t really translate to the NFL. I think he’s talking about how there are fewer runs in the Big 12, maybe they run different types of offensive packages. Can you kind of explain a little bit more about all of that?) – “In the Big 12, it’s a spread league, so there is a lot of passing and stuff like that. They spread out the field and just throw the ball. So me getting into the league and stuff like that, I see a lot of different clustered looks and different formations that they do. I’ve just got to get used to it.”
(Is it more like bunching receivers and what their options are, or is it also knowing what to do against the run plays? You’re a good tackler, but diagnosing and recognizing the run plays?) – “Yes, diagnosing what the offense is trying to do to me, like where can I get beat at and where I have help at and stuff like that.”
(This offseason, you did a lot of ball work, a lot of specialized training. Is that something that’s new or have you always been doing that?) – “I’ve always been doing that, I’ve been doing that in college. I’ve been working with this guy ‘Footwork King,’ in Houston, and I always work with him during the offseason when I have free time.”
(What do you think that has done to help you in regards to what?) – “It just helps me with movements, stuff I have to get used to, stuff I have to get used to just like moving and being able to plant off my leg and stuff like that.”
(What have you told or would you tell CB Cordrea Tankersley about making the transition from college football to rookie NFL?) – “Man, it’s a big difference. He came from Clemson. He’s got some good corners over there too. So I just told him, just learn from it. Just learn everything you do. Just watch the older guys like (Byron) Maxwell talked to him a lot. And me, I just tell him … When he’s down, I just tell him to clear his head and move on to the next play, it’s the NFL. Stuff is going to happen, so just move on and go to the next play.”
(How do you feel about the talent you guys have overall at the corner position?) – “There’s a lot of competition. We can do some nice things on that side of the ball.”
(How many pick sixes have you guys seen in OTAs so far?) – “About three or four.”
