Isaac Asiata – June 5, 2017
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Monday, June 5, 2017
G Isaac Asiata
(I know you guys liked the rain, huh?) – “Miami rain is different than Utah rain, I’ll tell you that. That was a tsunami. That thing was crazy. I’ve never got rained on like that before. That was fun.”
(Do you get a whole lot of rain in Utah?) – “It’s rain, but it’s like light rain. Our heavy rain (in Utah) is probably like a little drizzle here in Miami.”
(What was it like practicing in it?) – “It was cool. I mean it wasn’t hot, so that was nice. (laughter) I can’t complain.”
(How have you held up now three weeks into OTAs, going head to head with the better defensive linemen in the league?) – “Yes. I’m just getting caught up to the speed. I mean it’s really, really fast paced. It’s kind of like when you go from high school to college and you’ve got to get adjusted to the college speed; but then now, like everybody’s fast. Everybody is the best at what they do and so it’s tenfold. Going into week three, just learning … I’m trying more to dissect the playbook. I’m trying to learn my assignments so that I don’t have to think, it becomes second nature and I can just go out there play football.”
(Have you been asked to block DT Ndamukong Suh yet?) – “Yes. I’ve been asked to block Suh and he’s Suh for a reason. He has that, I guess that credential on him of being one of the best for a reason. I respect him for that. Every time I get to go against him I know I’m going against the best and that’s only going to make me better.”
(How many wins do you have?) – “Probably none. (laughter) But in the effort category, I’ve probably got some good effort, so that’s fine.”
(You were working with a lot at right guard. What’s that transition like for you considering you were a left guard?) – “They’re just trying to have me play … learn all three spots. For me at Utah, I played right and I played left, and I played a little tackle too. It’s been a while since I’ve played (right) guard. I like playing either side or wherever they want me to play at.”
(The last time we talked to you, it sounded like you were sort of, of the mindset that you felt that you needed to earn your stripes before you did the face paint thing. So where are you now? How will you know when it’s time to start doing that?) – “When I earn the spot on the active roster. When I earn some playing time. I feel still I haven’t earned anything. I don’t think I’ll earn anything until we’re into training camp and even then, for me, I feel like respect, especially from these veteran guys, especially on the O-line and the rest of the team, that’s everything to me – for me to earn their trust and the coaches trust. So I still feel like I have a long way to go and I just got to keep taking it one day at a time.”
(How much work have you gotten with the starters with QB Ryan Tannehill’s group?) – “A little bit. I’ve been thrown in the mix. Like I said, they’re trying to put me … make me learn everything and just make myself more valuable, trying not to pigeon-hole myself a little bit.”
(What did they tell you guys about when you get a sticker on your helmet?) – “They haven’t said anything. I noticed that the first time we went out there that I didn’t have my sticker and I thought it was great. I thought it was a great thing to have to earn the Dolphins sticker and I’m all for it.”
(You have a pretty big personality. Are you allowed to let it out a little bit or not?) – “Yes, like I said, I’m a cheerful guy. You said it, I have a big personality; but when I go out there, I kind of try to stay more low-key. Nobody really knows me. I don’t need to draw any attention to myself. I just need to go out there and work.”
(I heard you went to Hard Rock Stadium with DE Charles Harris. So how was that experience just taking that in for the first time?) – “An NFL stadium is definitely different than an NCAA stadium, I know that much. When I went on the field for the first time, it was an overwhelming feeling. That stadium is beautiful. The Hard Rock Stadium is amazing. I look forward to playing games on Sunday in that stadium.”
Adam Gase – June 5, 2017
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Monday, June 5, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(In regards to DE Charles Harris, on the days we’re here, he seems quite disruptive. Is that a consistent thing and what’s the next level for him in his development?) – “It is consistent. He’s really done a good job of trying to implement the techniques we’re asking him to do and doing everything in the run game (and) passing game exactly what he’s coached to do. It’s hard to predict how far we can take and what’s going to happen when we get in pads. That’s going to be a different world just because we’ll be able to do some different things offensively as far as the run game goes and some of the trap game type things. That will be a new world for him with what we’re going to do in training camp. I think it’s just going to be an evolving process for him. He’s just going to keep learning and see how fast he can adjust to the pro game.”
(When it rains outside, do you have a policy? I’m sure if there’s lightning in the area, you’re not going to be out there. Do you have a policy of sometimes we’ll stay out or we’ll always stay out?) – “I think it’s just what are we trying to accomplish for the day. Today was a good experience for us. (Defensive Coordinator) Matt (Burke) and myself talked about it once it started coming down pretty good of ‘we might not stay on the script here.’ We have some philosophies that we like to do when we do have these kind of situations come up. Play calling starts changing; the way we play defense starts changing. We both had to make those adjustments through practice so really the scripts kind of go out the window. You start calling it like a game.”
(How would you say the team handled the rain?) – “I thought it was good. It was really good to see the guys just never batting an eye. We had guys staying on their feet and we weren’t slipping and sliding all over the place. The grass held up well. It was good for us to go through.”
(Was today a blitz day defensively?) – “Not necessarily. Every day is just … We don’t really over-emphasize our periods. We don’t want our guys kind of cheating a drill. We just call them team periods. (Defensive Coordinator) Matt (Burke) and myself kind of choreograph what we’re looking to do. When we’re doing red zone, it’s pretty obvious you can tell when we’re going to be doing that. I thought the guys handled … They don’t know it is coming and then all of a sudden we start dialing up a few more blitzes. We’re very careful with what we’re really doing because we don’t want to start doing things where guys are stunting all over the place and then you get bodies on the ground.”
(Since OTAs began, how would you describe the way the defense has performed overall?) – “They’ve done a really good job. The speed has been outstanding. The coverage has been tight. Any time we have pressure, our fits and where guys are supposed to go has been really good. It seems like they have a pretty good grasp of the playbook right now. We’re just hoping we’ll keep improving. We just don’t want to get stuck on ‘Hey, we feel pretty good.’ We have to keep finding ways to improve.”
(Entering yet another week, what has the learning curve been like for the rookies? Are they grasping what you’re trying to teach them?) – “They’ve done a pretty good job. They’ve gotten a ton of reps. They’ve handled it well. I see those guys are very engaged in meetings. It says something about these guys that have either been drafted or found by the scouts as an undrafted free agent to where that emphasis of let’s make sure we’re getting the right kind of guys that can fit into our culture and understand what we’re looking for and listen to how we want to do our note taking, studying, in the meetings how our guys are learning. I thought what (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and the scouting staff has put together has really been beneficial for us this spring.”
(Is it a positive mental hurdle for QB Ryan Tannehill to clear with the slick field out there with his knee?) – “I think you guys are thinking about that a little more than we are or he is. He’s fine.”
(What makes this group of running backs unique, in your opinion, and is the approach different with the success you had last season going into this season?) – “I think it’s a very, very tight group. That whole group, they’re happy for each other’s success. If one guy is not on the field, you never see a guy standing by himself upset he’s not in the game. They are always kind of in it for each other. It’s pretty cool to watch over this last year then heading into the spring, how much they pull for each other. I think we’ve started something good last year with our running game. Jay (Ajayi) has really done a great job of taking the lead with that group and becoming really our bell cow running back. Those other guys are all trying to figure out ‘Where do I fit in best for us?’ They’re all ready to go if something would happen and they had to be the next guy. I really like that group and love the way they’re working right now.”
(When you get the rain coming down like it did today, do you almost embrace that as throwing the scripts out the window but you’re going to have to deal with something like that during a game. Do you almost embrace that as a challenge?) – “I personally love it because now it becomes a real game for us. We’ll see how our guys react to it and understand what we’re trying to do. We saw last year in the Arizona game, you have to keep your feet. The ball was popping up, popping all over the place. We were getting turnovers. We did a fairly good job of protecting the ball in that game and that’s probably what helped us win that thing. Just to get this experience of … Those balls today, it’s not like we got so many of them to where you’re constantly having a fresh ball. Those things were pretty water logged. I know (Equipment Manager) Joe (Cimino) was trying to change them out as much and as quickly – his staff is trying to get those things as dry as possible. But we kind of want that wet ball situation and to make it as hard as possible for our players.”
(Was there anything significant with either G/T Laremy Tunsil or S Reshad Jones?) – “No. It’s just I’m being soft and holding them out.”
(Do you have a timetable regarding the whole thing with the rookies and the decals on the helmets?) – “You guys are making a bigger deal of that than I am. We thought it was something different. We just wanted to make a point of everything needs to be earned here. Our veterans have really embraced that to where I think they appreciate that they know that rookies don’t just come in and are handed things. Every guy in that room knows the best players will play and nothing will be given to anybody.”
(Is G/T Laremy Tunsil injured?) – “Yes, but we’re alright. It’s nothing significant.”
(G Isaac Asiata, he played mostly left guard and now is being cross-trained. Is that just for the overall development of the line or do you envision him possibly contending for playing time?) – “We cross-train everyone because when you only have seven guys up on Sundays and one guy goes down, that can cause a lot of chaos. We always want guys to be able to play multiple spots. I know I’ve talked about this before. Just moving from right to left or left to right or to center, or if you get bumped out to tackle, it’s a completely different line of sight for you. It’s a completely different aspect you’re looking at things (from). So we’re always cross-training our guys. We try to get as many guys that can snap as possible because, as you guys know, when you lose your center and you don’t have a bunch of reliable guys in that area, it can be very costly for you. We’re always cross-training guys at guard; we’re always cross-training guys at tackle and the same thing at center, so we can find as many guys as possible to play all of those positions so if we do have an injury, we’re able to move some pieces around and we don’t feel like we’re going to be in a big hole.”
(Has G Isaac Asiata held his own so far?) – “I think so. It’s harder to tell with the linemen because they are at a disadvantage. There’s no pads. You feel like you’re on an island a lot of times because, especially with our d-line, those guys can get by you pretty quick, so you have to be pretty quick on your feet.”
(What is your comfort level with the backup left tackle situation? Is it T Sam Young? What are your other options?) – “We’re moving a lot of guys around. It’s too early for me to really say ‘This is the guy that’s going to back up the left tackle.’ We’ll just keep moving guys around and then whatever we find out our best formula is going into the season, we’ll make that decision later. Right now, we’re just trying to get guys reps.”
Kraig Urbik – June 1, 2017
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Thursday, June 1, 2017
Center/Guard Kraig Urbik
(You guys are getting some rotation in there at center with C Mike Pouncey being hurt. Is it just not for you to prove, even when he’s healthy, what you’re able to do?) – “Yes, for sure. When you’re trying to make the team, you need a guy that can do multiple positions. I think last year I started games at left guard and center. Like you said, there are guys – (Anthony) Steen, me, Jake (Brendel), even Ted (Larsen) – have been getting reps at first-string center. We’re just kind of rotating guys and seeing what guys can do.”
(Who’s looked the best?) – “We’re all working hard.”
(What’s the challenge like of trying to put together a good line with chemistry during this OTA process?) – “Like you said, you need to develop chemistry for sure. You need to have all guys out there healthy; but obviously when you don’t, it’s just guys trying to step up. You want to be one of those guys that they depend on that can step in when someone’s hurt, and you don’t lose that chemistry and there’s not a drop-off, like you have sometimes. You just want to go in and prove yourself every day.”
(How do you view the battle for the starting job at guard?) – “’Bush’ (Jermon Bushrod) obviously started every game last year. Ted (Larsen), myself and (Anthony) Steen and everyone else – we have a lot of guards on the team – everyone has been getting their chances. Everyone is out there working hard. It’s been a good battle so far.”
(Have you ever talked to DE William Hayes about why he doesn’t believe man hasn’t landed on the moon or are you aware of any of his beliefs?) – “I’ve heard a couple of them. It’s kind of funny.”
(Have you ever talked to DE William Hayes about that? Would you be receptive to hearing his points of view?) – “I am receptive to the truth and I think the truth is that it’s not flat. You can say whatever you want about the moon landing, but the earth is not flat.”
(DE William Hayes agrees with you on that, he’s with you on that.) – “He said the (earth is not flat?)”
(Yes, DE William Hayes said that he’s never fallen off the earth. So you guys are on the same page on that one.) – “Okay.”
(But DE William Hayes does believe in mermaids.) – “Well, I mean … You never know.”
(Do you believe in mermaids?) – “No, not at all.”
(DE William Hayes said that DE Cameron Wake and DE Andre Branch told him to shut up. Would you tell him that?) – “No. It’s free speech. He can say whatever he wants.”
(Do you have any controversial theories?) – “No, I’m politically correct across the board. I’m politically correct.”
(What do you think has been C Mike Pouncey’s mindset from your talks with him? Is he encouraged that he’s going to be able to play this season? I know Head Coach Adam Gase has talked about wanting him available for games by limiting him in some practices. Is he in good spirits?) – “Yes, he’s good. I don’t know if I can really comment on injuries but I know he’s feeling great and he wants to get out there. I think it’s just one of those things where you just have to take your time. Again, I’m not a doctor or anything like that; but I know Mike’s eager to get out there and practice. He wants to be out there with the guys. I think he’s eager and he’ll be ready for sure.”
(Do you think the key for the line this year is consistency? Because you had some games last year where you were great and some you weren’t. How do you make it so it’s not that … Those ups and downs?) – “Yes, for sure. Obviously there’s a lot of factors that go into it. We want to be more consistent game-in and game-out. I think we will this year. I think we know the mindset we have to have this year, being more consistent. We can’t have flashes of great games – 200 yards rushing and stuff like that – and then go out and have like 60 yards rushing. We have to protect the quarterback. We have to do a lot better job with that. We can be more consistent for sure.”
(Without knowing assignments and all of that from our standpoint. When it was going well, what were you doing well and when it was not going well, what were you not doing well?) – “I think (there were) a lot of factors. It was … Those games we weren’t doing well, it would be a play here, a play there, a guy off by half a man. If you’re just off a little bit, it will kind of destroy the whole play. I think we need to be more consistent with our landmarks, knowing our assignments and things like that. It takes all 11 guys to run the ball. There were a lot of times where there would be one guy that was off and it would ruin the whole play. That’s kind of one of those things where we want to get past that and be all 11 on, all 11 working together, and that’s when we were really good last year.”
(You’re obviously a reliable option at center should C Mike Pouncey not be able to play. But, have you gotten any work at guard and do you have hope to be able to be in that competition with C/G Ted Larsen, G/T Jermon Bushrod and G Isaac Asiata?) – “Yes. Being able to line up at center and both guard spots so far in OTAs, I’m sure that will continue throughout camp. Whatever opportunity I have, I’m going to go out there and prove myself, day-in and day-out, and whatever happens, happens.”
(Any impressions of G Isaac Asiata? He is older than the traditional rookie. Does he seem more mature?) – “Yes, for sure. He’s more mature. I think both rookies have done a really good job of grasping the offense. We have a pretty complicated offense, but they seem to not have too much difficulty with a lot of the nuances that we’ve learned. The third or fourth day, they were learning a lot of things that were pretty complicated. So they’ve done a really good job with that. I think for them it’s mostly just getting out there and getting reps.”
(Just basic zone-blocking things, if you’re uncovered, a lot of times you combo and work your way up to the second level a lot of times. At what point of the season did you guys feel like you were able to see what everyone had and play on a string and everybody knew what that person next to them was doing and going up to that second level?) – “Each week is different. Throughout the rest of the season – when we played Cincinnati, that was the last team we played that was a four down front. Every other team was multiple different fronts, jam fronts, all of those different things. So when you grasp the offense and know what you’re doing all the time, you know what the guy is doing next to you. I think there were some times last year where guys were a little hesitant sometimes because of a lot of new things; but they have to know in and out what the guy next to them is doing.”
(What kind of a sense have you gotten from QB Ryan Tannehill since his return from injury?) – “He’s leading everyone out there. He feels 100 percent. He’s moving. I think he feels great. There is no hesitation at all.”
(Were you surprised by how well he’s moving? I know you’re often in front of him but when you actually see him moving and doing drills and things?) – “I don’t watch the drills too much. I’m over there doing my own. But he seems to be moving good. Even before the playoff game last year, he was moving pretty decent. I thought he was feeling well then, so it’s been about five or six months (since then). He’s really feeling good and eager to get back out there.”
(Any change you’ve noticed other than the position switch for G/T Laremy Tunsil going from his rookie year until now?) – “Yes, he’s a really fluid left tackle. It’s a natural position. He looks fluid out there. I think it’s just him getting more reps and the better he’ll do. He’s doing a great job so far; but like everyone else, we just need reps right now.”
William Hayes – June 1, 2017
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Thursday, June 1, 2017
DE William Hayes
(I know you haven’t been in town long but have you had a chance to look for any mermaids yet out there?) – “No, but I went fishing a couple of times. I caught me a little hammerhead shark. I haven’t found one yet but I’m still in search for one.”
(Do people ask you a whole lot about your beliefs or do they ask you more … Like when they see you out, do they ask you more about football plays or what they know about your beliefs?) – “They’ll probably ask me more about my beliefs. A lot of times, people get excited to see me, but that’s more so about they ask me about the whole mermaids and dinosaur things more so than anything.”
(When we talked to you a few months ago, you said you had other theories that you’d be happy to share with us. The floor is yours.) – “I think I already made it clear that I don’t think man ever went to the moon. I don’t know, some of my beliefs might not be good to talk about right now. We might do that … I don’t want to offend anybody. I’ll keep those a little secretive right now. You can hit me up later.”
(Aliens? UFOs?) – “I actually believe in aliens. Absolutely. I believe there is life on other planets. I just don’t think we’re the only ones here. But I don’t know how much sense that makes to everyone else.”
(One that’s kind of catching fire in the sports world is the flat earth thing. Do you have any thoughts on that?) – “I’ve never fell off the earth so I’m going to say it’s flat too.”
(Your teammates in general, how do they like some of these ideas and theories that you’ve had over the years?) – “We haven’t really talked about it too much. The one time we brought it up, they just told me to shut up. (laughter) So it was real quick.”
(What was your response to that when they told you to shut up?) – “I tried to explain myself but (Andre) Branch and (Cameron) Wake said ‘We aren’t trying to hear all of that around here.’ So we just all laughed about it and that was kind of it.”
(What were you trying to explain to them?) – “I was trying to explain my theory on dinosaurs but they weren’t really trying to hear it.”
(It was a ‘no go’ then?) – “Yes. I don’t believe a T-Rex ever walked this earth.”
(It doesn’t bother you when you get shut down like that?) – “No, because I’m still going to explain myself, regardless of the situation. You’re just not going to hear it. You may not be listening to me but I’m going to talk to you about it.”
(How do you explain the fossils that they find though?) – “I just think we put those things there just so we could have some (stuff) to talk about. I don’t know. If you go to a museum and you see a dinosaur museum and you see a big T-Rex standing there and you just realize only 10 percent of it is the actual dinosaur. The other stuff is just made up. It just doesn’t make too much sense to me.”
(With DE Cameron Wake and DE Andre Branch at defensive end and you coming in, how do you look at your role on this defense? Are you looking to supplant one of those two?) – “Just do whatever the coach asks me to do. Whatever can help us win, that’s what I’m about. I put my pride to the side and just come in and put my work hat on and go to work. Whatever they ask me to do, I’m going to do it. I’m not trying to come here and try to re-create what they’ve got here. They’ve got a winning system and (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase is doing something positive around here. I’m just happy to be here. Whatever they ask me to do, I’m just going to do it to the best of my ability.”
(What was your reaction when you were traded here? Obviously you were a very good defensive lineman with the Rams.) – “’Damn. What’s going on?’ I was at a charity event and then I just got a call saying ‘You’ve been traded.’ It was cool. (The Dolphins) were really after me in free agency and I was actually pleased just to get the chance to come here. If it was anywhere else, I probably would have been a little disappointed but the idea that you know a team wanted you the year before made it a little bit better.”
(You played a lot inside throughout your career. Is that a spot where you’re comfortable at?) – “Yes, I’m comfortable across the whole d-line. I’m the Swiss Army knife. Whatever you need me to do, I’m going to go out there and just get it done.”
(Who has been most receptive to your beliefs? Who has been intrigued? Who has been in the audience when you’ve held court?) – “I don’t know. I actually got some people to change their minds a little when I was in L.A. But I haven’t really broke the ice yet (here). The next person I’m going to work on is (Ndamukong) Suh. Suh might be a little receptive just to hear me out a little.”
(Why do you think DT Ndamukong Suh would be receptive to hear you out?) – “Because he just likes to mess with me on a daily basis, so I figure he’ll at least call me (dumb) and just tell me how stupid I sound. He’ll at least give me a chance to explain myself.”
(Is some of this stuff a legitimate off-field interest for you? Do you spend a lot of time researching and looking into things like this?) – “No. Honestly the dinosaur fossils I did, at one point in time, because growing up I never really followed it at all, even when I was in school. The older I got, I was just like ‘Man, this stuff is starting to seem more and more ridiculous to me.’ So I kind of did a little research on it and kind of made me definitely not believe in it.”
(So there is nothing a scientist could do to change your mind?) – “Absolutely not. (Late night talk show host) Jimmy Kimmel took me to a dinosaur museum. I’ve had other people take me to dinosaur museums and every time I went there it just made me realize how ridiculous the theory seems even more.”
(It can be lonely to have the beliefs that you do. Have you found that you get shunned a little bit?) – “No. It’s my belief. I wouldn’t expect anybody else to believe in them. I don’t really mind what anybody else thinks.”
(So you will believe that there are other life forces in the world that are not human…) – “Yes. I’m just saying in general, they could possibly be somewhere else. Some other type of life form. I’m not necessarily saying a human or a legit alien with two things coming out of his head. I’m just thinking there could be other life forms.”
(What do you think of the possibility of co-existing with aliens at some point? Like colonizing Mars was in the news this week.) – “That sounds pretty dope. I wouldn’t mind taking a trip to Mars and seeing how it looks over there.”
(Can you elaborate on why you think the moon landing was a hoax?) – “I just don’t think man ever went to the moon. I don’t think we’ve been back there after we went there, have we?”
(No.) – “Exactly. Why did we just go once and not go back? That doesn’t make too much sense to me.”
(They went like four or five times.) – “We went four or five times? Did we really?”
(Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15 and 16.) – “And we just went up there and chilled? I don’t know about all of that.”
(Why do you think it is that the scientific community will push stuff like the moon landing and dinosaurs? Is it an effort to control people? To control the message?) – “I don’t know why they do it. I guess for you all to just have something to talk about. I don’t really follow it too much to be honest with you. I just can’t see us going up to the moon and just chilling. It just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.”
(Do you think you can bring Head Coach Adam Gase to your side?) – “Yes, absolutely. If Gase just hears me out one time, he’ll probably feel where I’m coming from.”
(Are you kind of a skeptic in general? Like when you read stuff and watch…?) – “Yes. I’m just more so … If I haven’t seen it, I just think you can’t just go with it. That’s my whole thing.”
(But you haven’t seen a mermaid…) – “I know. I’m not saying there’s necessarily a mermaid out there. I’m just saying there possibly could be. There’s a lot of water we haven’t discovered yet.”
(So you’re challenging the assumption that there are not mermaids?) – “I’m just saying that we can’t say there are not mermaids. We find a different lifeform in the water every day, so that’s my whole theory.”
(Have Defensive Line Coach Terrell Williams or Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke told you that you’ll be playing some tackle? Have you done it so far in OTAs or have you been outside exclusively?) – “I’ve been outside for the most part. I’m pretty sure I might play a little inside this year too. Just with our scheme, the defensive ends move inside on some of the plays, so I could see myself playing down there a little. I don’t really necessarily know exactly what I’ll be doing. I’m just going to kind of figure things out as they go. Like I said, whatever they want me to do, I’ll do. I’m going to do it.”
(What do you believe is a key to helping the run defense and this scheme from the end position?) – “Basically setting the edge and constricting the lanes. That’s what I make my bread and butter on since I’ve been in the NFL. Not to try to boost myself, but I feel I’m one of the best run-stopping defensive ends in the NFL. That’s just point blank, period. I’m not going to come in here and tell myself I can be a third-down pass rusher over Cam Wake. That sounds ignorant. He’s the best left end in the NFL when it comes to getting after the ball. But I think we’re going to complement each other real well. I know if I can get teams to second-and-long, third-and-long, he’s going to come in there and do damage. That’s what it’s all about. Like I said, I’m not a ‘me’ guy. I’m a ‘we’ guy. I just want to help us build on what we had last year. That’s what it is.”
(You’re 32 years old, is that right?) – “Yes.”
(How much do you have left in the tank?) – “I have a lot left in the tank. Me personally, I still don’t think there’s a man in the NFL that’s going to knock me back off the line of scrimmage. Like I said, that’s not being arrogant, that’s just what it is.”
(How are you viewing this opportunity at this stage of your career? What do you hope to accomplish out of it?) – “I want to win. That’s the only reason I’m still playing. I’m not playing this game for self-accomplishments. I want to win some games and go to the playoffs and go far in the playoffs. That’s what it is for me. Like I said, I’m not trying to come in and reinvent what we’ve got going on here. I’m just trying to come in and just add to what we’ve got going.”
(There was something a little surprising done, as you know, with your contract, in which it was restructured and you get to be a free agent next offseason. Did it surprise you the Dolphins were willing to do that? Did you jump at that?) – “No, I brought that to their attention. The Dolphins didn’t necessarily take my last year off.”
(Why was that?) – “Just at the end of the day, I’m a little older. My goal is to finish as a Dolphin. I have no intentions of going (anywhere else). If I would have realized how much I loved this organization, I probably wouldn’t have considered (taking the year off). Since I’ve gotten here, (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase has been probably one of the … (Former L.A. Rams Head Coach Jeff) Fisher I was with for eight years, so you can’t really compare the two; but (Gase) reminds me a lot of Fisher. He’s definitely a player’s coach. He’s really about family and I appreciate him. I texted him yesterday and told him ‘I just thank you for the opportunity.’ It’s genuine and it’s real. I really have fallen in love with this organization. My teammates are awesome. Like I said, I’m happy to be here. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t say how thankful I am. It’s probably the best move that’s happened to me in my career so far, especially with the move from L.A. A lot of those guys, I was really close with; but I just love how this organization is really ran.”
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.”
