Ryan Tannehill – August 2, 2016
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Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill
(On if he congratulated former Dolphins QB Jordan Rodgers on winning The Bachelorette) – “No, I haven’t talked to him.”
(On if he followed The Bachelorette) – “I watched a few episodes of it because my wife likes it but I missed like the last three or four and some in between.”
(On if he has any recollection of QB Jordan Rodgers from his time with the Dolphins) – “Yes. I remember him being here for a spring and enjoyed his time here.”
(On how different it is to throw to wide receivers he isn’t as familiar with instead of WR DeVante Parker who missed today’s practice due to injury) – “It’s definitely different. We’d love to have DeVante (Parker) out here. He’s a heck of a football player. We’d like to have him on the field. Hopefully he can get over his injury as fast as possible and be out here, grinding with us and getting better.”
(On how he feels the first five practices have gone for the offense) – “We’ve had our ups and downs. I think that we’re learning (and) we’re getting better. We’re five days into camp and we’re heading in the right direction. I think that we’ve seen a lot of good things on tape (and) some things that we’re correcting; but overall I think we’re excited about the potential that we have and the things that we’ve done that show we’re going to be a great offense.”
(On what things the offense has done well and what things the offense hasn’t done well) – “There’s been things, both running the football and throwing the football, that we’ve done great at times and not great at times – whether it’s the route, the throw, the protection, blocking inside outside zone. We’re having success sometimes and not sometimes. It’s just building that consistency against a tough defensive front. I think that’s our biggest challenge – and it’s a credit to our defense – is the front that they have and the challenges they pose for us up front.”
(On if he feels empowered and different at the line of scrimmage now) – “We have a big toolbox. (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase allows me to get up there and equips me with plays that we can change at the line and get ourselves in a good look. It’s a great feeling to have and it’s going to help us throughout the year.”
(On how often he is changing plays at the line of scrimmage during practice) – “Probably a few times every period, whether it’s an alert we have or a small adjustment. Not too often are we just going to scratch everything we have called and go to something else; but we definitely make adjustments and change maybe the side, or inside outside, or protection, or route concept.”
(On if he is comfortable changing plays at the line of scrimmage) – “Yes, I’m excited. It feels good. It’s exciting for us as an offense. It’s going to help us throughout the year to put ourselves in a good position to make plays.”
(On RB Arian Foster brings to the offense now that he’s practiced a few times) – “Yes, he is a dynamic player. He’s a veteran at running the zone read game. That’s what he did his whole career in Houston and that’s what he’s going to do here. That’s a big part of our run game so we’re excited to have him there. He’s really good at catching the ball out of the backfield. We want to have (running) backs that can both run the zone read game – run the football – and also be a threat out of the backfield. And he’s definitely that.”
(On what his son’s name is) – “Steel.”
(On if his son’s name is like the metal steel) – “Yes. Just like the metal.”
(On how he and his wife came up with the name Steel) – “We have a buddy named Steel and just kind of liked the name. We wanted something a little different and just liked it.”
(On if the name Steel sounds like a mixed martial arts name) – “Yes. Hopefully it will push him into being a tough kid. (laughter) We’ll see. He can’t be a wimpy kid with a name like Steel. My wife’s loving it; I’m loving having a kid. She’s just a champ for pushing out a nine-pound, eight-ounce baby. Kudos to her for doing that. I couldn’t believe it but she’s a champ. She’s a real strong girl.”
(On his son’s middle name) – “Ryan.”
(On if he’s heading back to see his son) – “Yes. I’ll probably watch this tape and shower up but I’m definitely excited to be able to see him tonight.”
(On being away from his son and wife for five days) – “Yes – five days away.”
(On if he is sleeping better while he’s away from his family for training camp) – “Definitely. I’m definitely sleeping better. I feel bad saying that because my wife doesn’t sleep but it’s just part of the job. I’m excited to go home tonight and spend some time (with them) and maybe change a diaper or two.”
Adam Gase – August 2, 2016
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Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase
(On CB Chimdi Chekwa taking first team snaps) – “We’re moving everybody around. We’re just going to keep trying to rotate guys in there and let guys compete.”
(On WR DeVante Parker missing practice) – “He felt something yesterday. I wasn’t very smart and should have pulled him out of two-minute (drills). He felt something, so we brought him back in there. He was a little bit dehydrated. We felt like if we gave him today off – with tomorrow (off) piled on top – we think we should get him back soon.”
(On how the offense looks) – “We’re learning. We’re learning when you throw the pads on and all of a sudden you got to be physical plus the mental side of being a team that plays on the ball for the most part, it’s challenging, especially with the defensive line we’re going against every day. We can’t say they’re not being challenged by probably one of the better ones in the league.”
(On the offense doing pushups at the end of practice following an interception) – “It was just something (Oakland Raiders Head Coach) Jack Del Rio started in Denver. It’s good competition. Guys take pride in it. It’s fun for whatever team wins to kind of rub it in the other team’s face.”
(On CB Chimdi Chekwa’s skillset) – “I think he’s a guy that … He does a good job in press (coverage). He does a good job of mirroring. He’s had good ball disruption as far as what we’ve seen. We’re just going to keep giving him a shot.”
(On gathering the team during practice) – “We came out (and) we were supposed to be in full pads today. Once we came in here, we just went to the uppers; we went to the shoulder pads. We had a couple of guys get hit and go to the ground. The biggest thing about practicing with not full pads – being in shoulder pads – the last thing we want is anybody going to the ground, somebody to get rolled up on. It was just a reminder to make sure we’re staying on our feet. That’s the good thing about having a younger team is when you’re athletic, you should be able to do that.”
(On practicing at night) – “There was great energy, I know that. I thought our meetings today were good. Our walkthrough was good. I felt like the guys liked the fact that they could sleep in a little bit. We came in a little later. I felt like the whole day went pretty smooth.”
(On the hit on DE Farrington Huguenin) – “It’s one of those things (where) you don’t want somebody to do something that’s going to injure their teammate. We’re going to clean up some of the things that we did today. I think he was a little upset about what happened on the play before. He felt like the play went a little long. It’s not something we’re looking for in practice.”
(On how RB Damien Williams looked in practice) – “I think he did a good job. He was fired up to get out here. I know he was tired of conditioning with (Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Dave) Puloka and those guys. He did a good job. He was right on a lot of things. He played with great speed. We’re going to build off of that.”
(On RB Arian Foster’s leadership) – “He’s been vocal from what I’ve seen so far. (He is) not only a guy that’s come in … He didn’t know our offense. It’s completely different than anything he has done. To be able to pick it up as fast as he had, I guess I didn’t know that side of him of how smart he was. The football intelligence, obviously, it shows. You can tell this guy, he has been around. He has played a lot of ball. Having him around is good for our other running backs; it’s good for our players on offense.”
(On what he is looking for in the one-on-one drills with the receivers and cornerbacks) – “That one’s an offensive drill. It’d be like o-line, d-line is a defensive drill. A lot of times, with one-on-one, the receiver has the advantage. We should be completing a high percentage of balls. You’re on an island if you’re a DB. For the wide receivers, most of their game is one-on-one, and we got to win a lot, and that’s a great training tool for us.”
(On DE Farrington Huguenin being carted off the field) – “He’ll be alright. He got hurt before whatever happened down here. I just looked over and there was a bunch of bodies all over each other. He’ll be alright. I’ll get an update tonight, and we’ll find out what’s going on tomorrow as well. It sounds like he’s going to be alright.”
(On how much he has been able to evaluate RB Damien Williams) – “I watched a lot of tape on him, because when we first got here and we were trying to figure out what we were going to do – Lamar (Miller) was up in free agency, Jay (Ajayi) I watched tape on him – but when I started watching Damien, seeing his skillset and what he could do with variety and the routes and the way he runs that ball, I was really excited to get him going. I felt like we were on a good pace there early in OTAs and then the hamstring and then he came in here. We were a couple days behind, but I’m excited to see what he can do, because I love his energy. I love his physicality. I love his route-running ability. I’ll be interested to see when we hit the preseason, how it goes for him.”
(On QB Ryan Tannehill at the line of scrimmage) – “He has done a good job. I’ve thrown a couple things at him that’ve been tough, and he has really gotten us out of a few bad plays in some of these blitz situations. We’ve put the offense in a few rough spots as far as third-and-long periods. It’s tough, especially with that pass rush that we have. And (Defensive Coordinator) Vance (Joseph) is mixing in a lot of pressures that veteran quarterbacks sometimes will even struggle with some of the stuff that he has been showing. It has been a good start for us. We just got to keep building on it.”
(On whether anyone stands out to him at cornerback) – “It’s so early. How many practices are we in? Five right now? We’ll see. I’m interested to see when we get to the preseason games and we get really into that second and third preseason game seeing how that is.”
(On G Billy Turner and G/T Jermon Bushrod competing at right guard) – “Billy (Turner) has done a good job. (Jermon) Bushrod has never played guard before, so it’s a new position for him. He has never played on the right side before, so this is a whole new world for him. I know I’ve said this before: I never realized moving from left guard to right guard was such a big deal until (Offensive Quality Control) Chris Kuper told me when we were in Denver. He goes, ‘It’s a big difference.’ It’s a completely different view. ‘Bush’ (Jermon Bushrod) is trying to catch up as fast as he can and use his athletic ability to catch up with the other guys. Billy has done a great job. I love what I’ve seen out of him. I love the way he works. I love his intelligence. He has done a great job as far as picking up what we’re doing and trying to play as physical as he can.”
(On the benchmarks for success during training camp) – “It’s so early. It’s hard to tell. I think we’ll know more once we get in the preseason games and we can see the ones play more, once we get in the second and third preseason game. It’s just too early for us to tell right now.”
(On WR Kenny Stills dropping a couple passes in practice) – “I think he had a couple throws that were some tough catches. I know he was not happy with himself, because he expects himself to make those catches. When you’re being as targeted as much as him and Jarvis (Landry) have, it’s going to happen sometimes. We’re trying to minimize them as much as possible. I know we’re way down from what we were in OTAs, so we’ve made improvement there. The thing is with Kenny, I keep telling him, ‘If one goes off your hands, you got to be ready for the next one. We can’t dwell on this stuff and feel sorry for ourselves.’ What I’ve seen out of him is if something like that happens, he’s bouncing back.”
(On WR Kenny Stills) – “Since I’ve been here – in OTAs – he has been pretty much … Him and the quarterback have been the first ones in (the building and) last ones to leave. It doesn’t sound like he left much in the summer. He’s trying to do everything he can to put himself in position to have success.”
Adam Gase – August 1, 2016
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Monday, August 1, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase
(On how much things changed today with pads on) – “Not much. I mean yesterday was kind of like our starting point, because they did have the shoulder pads on yesterday – just not the lower (pads). I mean really when we put the lower portion on, it’s just a little more equipment. You do feel a little more sense of security as far as, if somebody did get hit in the legs, you’re going to be alright, as far as somebody hitting you (there) or hitting the quad. I feel like guys were moving around well. At least that’s what it seemed like to me. The speed didn’t seem to change.”
(On his take on training camps scuffles) — “I guess it’s never really bothered me. If somebody got hurt, then all of a sudden … It’s one of those (where) it’s not a problem until it’s a problem. But there’s a lot of different activities going on throughout practice and you’d rather it not happen, but it does. It’s hot. You’re in pads. It’s competitive. They’re encouraged every once in a while. You’d like guys not to throw punches, though.”
(On the defensive line’s physicality showing up today) – “Yes, it did. It felt like we weren’t able to hold onto the ball for very long – I know that.”
(On RB Jay Ajayi’s knee injury) – “Yes. That kind of creeped up on us yesterday. He got through practice and we were in meetings last night and he just started feeling some discomfort. He went and saw the trainers. I think he was worried it was more than what it was, which when you’ve had a previously injury before, thankfully it was on the other leg and we had him checked out and it turns out he’s going to be day to day and we’ll see when we can get him back.”
(On if RB Jay Ajayi’s injury is a setback) – “Not really. I mean he was here the whole spring. He’s a smart guy. Anytime you can keep that group just working together, the better. But this is the National Football League, right? This is what happens. Next man up.”
(On the game plan for G/T Laremy Tunsil this camp) – “Reps. Getting to see as much as possible. When you’re getting to go against our defensive line, whether it be the first team or their second team – I mean the way those guys come off the ball – you’re getting a quick lesson on what the NFL’s really about. And the way those guys are coached between T (Defensive Line Coach Terrell Williams) and (Senior Defensive Assistant/Pass Rush Specialist) Jim (Washburn), I don’t think a lot of teams are getting to go through what our offensive line is going through right now.”
(On G/T Laremy Tunsil’s transition from tackle to guard) – “I don’t see any issue. Right now, for him, it’s mental. We just got to keep bringing him along. Obviously when you go against veteran players – the defensive line – those guys do a great job of setting things up. So when you haven’t seen certain things, they start picking on you when you’re a guy with little experience. They start playing these little games with you where you start playing pick games and you don’t see it coming and all of a sudden you get blindsided by somebody. And then you kind of put your … whoever it is – the tackle or guard – have problems because you don’t know what’s going on.”
(On DE Chris McCain making a lot of plays) – “I see a guy that’s getting off the ball with great speed. He’s turning the edge quickly. Every time we seem to be in any kind of drill, whether it be third down or a two-minute situation, I feel like he is around the quarterback a lot. And the more we can get him to do and the more that we can see him do and see how far we can actually … What else can we do with him? I know (Defensive Coordinator) Vance (Joseph) is going to be constantly looking to put guys in different positions the deeper we get into our install. So I think he’s a guy that keeps putting that positive foot forward. The more chaos you cause on defense, the more interesting you are to us.”
(On what it was like having former NFL QB Peyton Manning in the building today) – “It was good. I’d seen him a couple of weeks ago at his retirement party and for him to swing by was great. He came by and talked to the team for about seven minutes last night and he’s always got a good message to deliver to the guys.”
(On what he means when he said ‘If it doesn’t suck, we ain’t doing it’) – “I just look at it … I didn’t come up with that. I heard a guy talking about it. He had a discussion with a Navy Seal that said that, so I’m not trying to take credit for that. But I just thought it was something that kind of hit me – if it’s not hard, why are bothering with it? Why waste our time? The whole premise is, we want everything we do to be hard, because when we hit Sundays, we want that day to feel like this is actually fun because this is not as hard as what we’re doing out on the practice field.”
(On if having no interceptions at practice is good for the offense or bad for the defense) – “I think that the defense got their hands on some balls today. This is where it gets weird for me… It’s like you are split down the middle of: you’re glad the defense is getting their hands on the ball and then I start getting a little irritated that the offense is throwing some balls where (they shouldn’t be). It bothers me a little bit. It’s like you get caught in the middle there when you’re the head coach. If you guys want to say what’s different for me, that’s different. It’s a good thing, though. Anytime the defense is touching the ball, that’s a good thing.”
(On what he has told the running backs about reading the Wide 9 defense) – “That (stretch run) being a play that we are looking to be able to run, and we are going it against one of the toughest defenses to do it against. If we can figure out a way to do it against this defense then we should be able to do it against just about any other team we are going to play. We are going to keep repping it. We are going to rep it during the preseason and we’re going to work it in the regular season. We are going to get this thing down way or the other. We feel confident with it. We have the players to do it. We have the backs to do it. I know our coaching staff – the guy that’s coaching it (offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen) – my feelings for him, I’ve made clear to you guys obviously. I feel confident in it. I just know the defense we are going against is pretty good. So if we can run it against them, we’ll be able to run it against a lot of teams.”
(On the buzz from the stands for an 8:30 a.m. practice on a Monday and it affects the team) – “I think guys like it. Any time you get that competitive feeling when people are watching you and you want to show your skill set – I think it’s a good thing. The more people that come out, the better. It’s just a great energy when you know that the fan base is interested and they want to see what’s going on. I keep telling our guys, ‘If you want more people in there, win games.’ That’s how you get that. ‘Do you want a long line out the door? Win games.’ That’s how we have to do it.”
(On what he saw out of CB Brandon Harris after a full day of practice) “It’s still early. The evaluation stage with these guys… it’s hard to try to start pen-pointing every single guy. We are going to eventually have a personnel meeting here in the next couple of days to sit down and talk about all of these guys and getting the questions out. It’s a little early for me to say ‘This is what I think right now.’”
(On the reasoning behind resting QB Matt Moore) – “This was planned. We went back and looked at our days off and this was the one day that was kind of the odd day. He was kind of irritated that we did it, but I’m not taking a chance of us being two weeks into camp and he says “Hey, my arm hurts,’ or ‘I’m sore, shut me down.’ So we kind of got it planned out to where it should work out pretty well and this should be the only day he misses practice. But it does help the two younger guys (Brandon Doughty and Zac Dysert).”
(On if he plans to give QB Ryan Tannehill a day off) – “No”
(On RB Arian Foster taking some first team reps today) – “His resume speaks for itself. I don’t think there is any questions on why we brought him in here. He’s going to be working with the ones the whole training camp. He’s playing this year. Whether or not he is the guy playing on the first snap of the game, I don’t know. Time will tell; but he is going to be rolling with the ones.”
(On how he thought RB Isaiah Pead looked) – “Good. He did a good job. It’s a shame that… I’m not really sure what happened to him but we will have more information tonight. But what he’s done from the time he has been in here in the spring and all the steps that he has made, (there has been) a lot of improvement. He has done everything we have asked him to do. We just got to keep him on that same track.”
(On WR Jakeem Grant and the competition at wide receiver) – “I see a guy that has a skill set that, obviously for a slot player, we love. We love the quickness. We love the speed – he obviously has unique speed. We just have to keep growing his route tree. He has to understand how to use the defender’s leverage against them. I know that’s a new thing for him. He has to understand when he can go inside and when he can go outside versus a guy’s leverage. We’ve got some steps to take with him, but he is heading in the right direction.”
(On WR Jakeem Grant getting better at knowing when to use his speed) – “I think he is trying; but at the end of the day, that guy is fast. We have to slow him down a little bit.”
(On his time table for LB Zach Vigil and RB Damien Williams being out of practice) – “I think Damien (Williams) will be back tomorrow. Zach (Vigil) we are still day to day. We are trying to figure out what the best plan is for him right now.”
(On his thoughts about WR Jakeem Grant’s catching ability during different drills) – “It’s probably (Wide Receivers Coach) Shawn (Jefferson). Shawn’s probably in his head a little bit. I blame Jefferson on that. At the end of the day, it has to be a concentration thing. Sometimes when you’re in those competition periods, it’s easier to focus on what you’re doing. The pros that I know that are really, really good, they are able to understand that everything they do is the most important thing. So they can focus from the time they step on the field to the time they leave the field.”
Laremy Tunsil – August 1, 2016
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Monday, August 1, 2016
Guard/Tackle Laremy Tunsil
(On his relationship with T Branden Albert) – “Are you talking about the old man right there? (laughter) He’s a good dude. He’s a good person to look up to as far as a veteran. He’s been in the game nine years so he knows a lot. That’s a good dude to look up to and get advice from. (I) work on a lot of things with him because he knows a lot of stuff. He’s been in the league for a while.”
(On how testy practice gets with pads on) – “That’s all it is – competition. It’s all love for all of my teammates. We’re just competing. Like I said, we’re just competing. It’s all love for my teammates – the d-line, offensive line, receivers, anything.”
(On if things are slowing down for him now) – “(When we) put the pads on, we go a little bit faster, we can hit (and) linebackers are coming downhill. There are some things I need to work on: continuing to get in the meeting room (and) continuing to listen to vets – (Mike) Pouncey, ‘B.A.’ (Branden Albert) – continue to listen to them, let them coach me up and be coachable to the coaches.”
(On if he is feeling more comfortable at guard or tackle right now) – “I’m just trying to learn both positions. I have a lot to learn. I’m going to stay in the meeting room and learn from the vets as much as I can.”
(On if he likes putting the pads on) – “We’re just competing out there so it’s all fun.”
(On how much fun it is for the linemen to put pads on) – “It’s all fun. We’re competing. We’re competing every day.”
(On the biggest transition for him at guard) – “(Having my) hand in the ground. I’m used to my hand always up at Ole Miss – coming from a tempo team; but like I told everybody else, I’m going to get into the meeting room (and) I’m going to adjust to the position. It’s nothing major. It’s all love.”
(On if he feels pressure to get into the first team or if he is taking things practice by practice) – “That’s it – practice by practice, one day at a time. That’s it. Don’t rush (anything).”
(On what it is like to go against DT Ndamukong Suh with pads on) – “Suh’s a man now. (laughter) He’s a man. That’s a good person to go against. He’s one of the best in the game so if you continue to go against him, you’re going to be one of the best in the game also.”
(On the differences in the run game between tackle and guard) – “A lot of things are much faster at the guard position. You’ve got your hand down and they (the defense) are close to you. I’m going to get into the meeting room and I’m going to rep it every day so it’ll be fine.”
(On how much better he can get by going against DE Cameron Wake, DE Mario Williams and DT Ndamukong Suh in practice) – “Exactly. They are some good vets to go against. They know their stuff. They’ve been in the league for a while. There’s a reason why they’re in the league. They’re one of the best and going against them is good.”
(On DE Cameron Wake, DE Mario Williams and DT Ndamukong Suh looking forward to putting on pads) – “Yes, they were waiting on that. It’s good competition against each other. It’s something that we were looking forward to and it was good work.”
(On how he is feeling about the adjustment to guard) – “It’s fine. I’m just going to take it one day at a time. It’s football. You’ve got to love football so playing guard is nothing new.”
(On what he worked on over the summer following minicamp) – “I was really just trying to get into the best shape that I can. (I would) just run, zone step, get up to the linebackers, pass hit, anything that’s good for an offensive lineman to work on.”
(On going head to head against DT Ndamukong Suh) – “Suh is one of the best in the game so going against him is a real honor because he’s been in the league for a long time and he knows his stuff. So going against him is real good work.”
(On his first pro practice in pads) – “(It was) good work. (There’s) a lot of competition out there. There’s a lot of stuff that I need to get better on but good competition.”
Ndamukong Suh – July 31, 2016
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Sunday, July 31, 2016
Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh
(On how the Wide 9 defense will benefit the team) – “I think I’ve said it before: me, personally, I’ve had a lot of success in it. I think we have – in my opinion – the best coach that has an understanding of how the defense is ran in ‘Wash’ (Senior Defensive Assistant/Pass Rush Specialist Jim Washburn). Mix that with (Defensive Coordinator) Vance (Joseph) and all the other coaches – like (Linebackers Coach) Matt Burke who’s been in this system for a long time and understand it and knows how to get his linebackers prepared – I think it’s a great situation for us. We just have to make sure we stay healthy while we’re out here at camp, putting our first day of pads on, (and) just go out there and be physical and then come downhill and learn how to play the run as well as transition to pass.”
(On whether the Wide 9 defense places pressure on the linebackers) – “In my opinion, no, because the guys up front should be making it easier for them, giving definitive places to come downhill (and), at the same time, understanding that when they need to drop back in pass, we’re making it very clear for them, because we’re up field and getting after the quarterback and things of that nature. I think if we’re running at the correct (place), we’ll be making it a lot easier for them and allow them to see things a lot clearer.”
(On whether the first practice in pads felt different) – “No. It’s never different. It feels good actually. I love being in uppers. Spiders, it’s a little too thin, but we understand that’s one of the ways to keep us healthy throughout the year. But as professionals, if we learn how to practice in shoulder pads consistently, we’ll be very good.”
(On his comfort level in his second training camp with the Dolphins) – “I don’t have the transition of not having to deal with moving a house or things of that nature. Outside of that, I have a great team. Like I said before, (Director of Player Engagement) Kaleb (Thornhill) and his team have done a great job when I was coming here last year, of easing that pain for me. (It is) really just coming out here and focusing on football. We go into the hotel, buckle down and get ready to practice.”
(On the defense’s struggles against the run last season) – “You never want to be part of a defense that struggles, no matter where you’re at. I’ve been a part of struggling defenses before. I’ve been a part of great defenses, breaking records and different things of that nature. After having tasted success, you never want to see anything else. For me – and being seen as a leader – and somebody with a vocal point – I always really graded myself and my success off of how our team does, not individually.”
(On his leadership role) –“I’ve always been a person to lead by actions. I think leadership – from a vocal standpoint – people always have their rights to say things, but you always got to back it up from a playing perspective. Really, actions always speak louder than words. That’s how I view it.”
(On how DE Mario Williams can help the defense) – “I think Mario Williams can help us a lot. We have a great cast of guys on the defensive line. Mario will definitely be an intricate piece of that as well as a handful of other guys we have out there that you guys may not be aware of or know of at this point.”
(On what DE Jason Jones does best) –“’J.J.’ (Jason Jones) is a very versatile defensive lineman. He can play inside, outside, can stand up. He can pretty much do anything for us. He also knows how we like to run and call our plays when we get in certain formations and (are) doing certain things. ‘J.J’ is a huge help, and he was a huge help to me in (Detroit in) 2014, helping me call plays and do different things. It’s great to have another partner in crime that you’ve been with before.”
(On the energy in camp with a new head coach and defensive coordinator) – “I’m excited. I look forward to speaking to (Defensive Coordinator) Vance (Joseph). (I) had a long conversation with him yesterday about what he needs from me and, really, the focus that we need to do as an overall defense. (Head Coach Adam Gase is) a very energetic guy – very competitive – as is Vance. To have both those guys wanting to compete against one guy who’s on your side, it’s always fun to have that.”
(On whether he enjoys Head Coach Adam Gase’s trash talk to the defense) – “Yes, no question. It’s fun to have that. You always want your coaches to push you critically as well as emotionally overall. I’m happy with what we’ve got as a coaching staff. I think, at the end of the day, it’s about us as a group and as a defense to collectively come together and put everything together and go out there and perform.”
Mario Williams – July 31, 2016
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Sunday, July 31, 2016
Defensive End Mario Williams
(On his thoughts about the pass rushers as a group) – “Today was the first day we got to put on shoulder pads. I definitely think we are jelling. There is a lot of talent across the board and the most important thing with talent is, you got to have continuity and we got to learn how to play together and play off of one another. I think that the more repetitions and time we get together it will get better.”
(On if he thinks there is a double-digit sack guy on the roster) – “I think the sky is definitely the limit for us. We are not going to put numbers on anything. We just want to come out and work every day and, like I said, get to know each other, get to know how we play, get to know how we communicate – body language and so forth – and just come out and execute.”
(On his thoughts on how the Wide 9 defense will benefit the defense) – “It’s attack. In the situations that we have, (our) offense puts points up on the board, maintains the ball and things like that, we have the opportunity to go out and execute (and) it could be a long day (for opposing offenses) with what we have up front. It goes back to what I was saying about continuity – if we get our continuity down and we are out here playing and playing off of one another, good things will happen.”
(On if the Wide 9 defense puts pressure on the linebackers) – “I don’t think so, because we are not just getting up field. Our coaches, Coach Wash (Senior Defensive Assistant/Pass Rush Specialist Jim Washburn) and Coach T (Defensive Line Coach Terrell Williams), we are not just trying to run up the field to rush the passer. We are getting up the field being aggressive, but we want to make the plays. We want to make all the plays. We want to condition ourselves to be at the point where whenever we attack and go up the field, we can turn around and go get (the ball carrier). If guys are sitting there, slowing down or stuttering their feet or something, we are coming. That’s where we have to break old habits from anybody that we have – this is a new scheme for a lot of people. It’s an attack, aggressive (style and) we have to get that mentality and go with it. I think that every day that we come out here and just work at it, we will definitely have it.”
(On if he knows how playing time will be split between the defensive ends) – “I really don’t know. Like you said, there is quite a few (defensive ends). I think the biggest thing for us is if we can rotate and stay fresh and not miss a beat. Then I think, for me, and I think the coaches feel the same way, we would like to do that.”
(On if 50 to 55 snaps a game is okay with him) – “I’ll be alright just going out and making plays. That’s all I want to do and I know that’s what the other guys want to do. As long as we are out there and we’re fresh and we are humming, keep us out there, take us out, rotate, whatever – as long as we are out there causing havoc and creating chaos, that’s fine with me.”
(On if he creates more havoc with the pads on) – “Yes. We are out here learning how to play with one another. You can’t say that you’re going to go out here and have guys who are capable of doing things, but then if we can’t gel, it’s not going to (be productive) for us. I think the biggest thing for us, even with the pads on, we still have to do the small things – the fundamentals – and be able to play off of one another. That’s going to come. The mentality thing, I know we across the board we all have it. So going out there and putting pads on or not having pads on, we are still going to bring the same enthusiasm and same intensity.”
(On how he felt about leaving Buffalo) – “That was last year. At this point, it’s all about this year and all about us moving forward. None of us are going to talk about anything that is irrelevant.”
(On his reaction to Buffalo Bills Head Coach Rex Ryan not wishing him well) – “I didn’t hear anything.”
Dion Jordan – July 31, 2016
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Sunday, July 31, 2016
Defensive End Dion Jordan
(On his emotions about rejoining the team) – “I’m excited. I’m happy to be in the building. There’s a lot of new faces. Everything just seems kind of brand new. For myself, I’m just excited to get out here and be around the guys in the locker room and just have that opportunity to compete once again.”
(On if he ever had doubts that he would be allowed to come back) – “No. I was doing everything and being compliant with the league and doing everything (they asked of me). They reinstated me so I never had a doubt.”
(On what he wants his teammates and fans to know about him) – “I’m a hard-worker on the field, first of all. And I feel like they’ve seen that with my play and everything that I was doing while I was here, that’s for sure. I’m just a good person overall. I had a couple bumps and I had to overcome them. It was part of my journey as a person, first of all, and as a football player second. I’m kind of just putting that in the past and learning from it and moving forward, so I can make myself a better person and football player.”
(On what the past year was like for him and the hardest moment for him) – “It was tough. All of it was tough – just being away from the game for that whole year. But I knew I wanted to come back and I wanted to prove to myself first and foremost and then to the people in this organization, that I could be a big factor once I get out here. So I just put my mind to it. I trained real hard and now I’m here.”
(On if he feels like he let the team down) – “For myself, I’ve never felt like I had to live up to anybody else’s expectations but mine because my expectations for myself are higher than anybody can have for me. I feel like the main thing, though, were my mistakes off the field. They would cause me to miss a lot of games and continue to progress as a football player. I’ve addressed those things since I’ve been away. Now I’m back and now it’s time for me to get in work with these guys. We have a lot of good players here now – a lot of vets on the defensive line. I’m just excited to get out here and learn and continue to progress.”
(On if he feels like he let himself down) – “No, I don’t. I’m a young man. I made mistakes. I’m going to learn from them and move forward. Once I get out here and have a chance to compete with these fellas, I’m going to use everything that I’ve learned since I’ve been off to help the younger players and myself moving forward.”
(On where he is at right now and if he felt like he needed a suspension to change him) – “I don’t know. I wouldn’t say it like that. I hope if it didn’t happen, I would have made better decisions because then I would have been able to progress as a football player. But it’s life. (There) were mistakes that I made. Everything happens for a reason. I learned from it. I moved forward. I’m a better person now, and now I’m just working to continue to be a better football player.”
(On what position he envisions himself playing) – “On the defense. (Laughter)”
(On what he is weighing now) – “Around 275 (pounds) – the same as I was before.”
(On what happened with his knee) – “I just had it cleaned out. That was a little something that I had to take care of. But moving forward now, they’re taking care of me over here. I can’t practice so I’m doing a lot of conditioning and everything else to be prepared when I strap up.”
(On if he hurt his knee working out) – “That’s just between myself and the guys.”
Arian Foster – July 31, 2016
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Sunday, July 31, 2016
Running Back Arian Foster
(On the significance of him to be practicing this early in training camp) – “It felt good to just be back out here again – to get my feet wet, grinding with the fellas (and) enjoying football again.”
(On how he would describe his first day of practice) – “It was a pretty routine training camp day – run the ball, throw the ball, catch the ball.”
(On if he was ready to practice on the first day of training camp) – “I’ve got to go through their (the organization’s) process and trust their process and how they want to handle me. I always say, I’m just a chess piece and I’ll move when they say move.”
(On the process he went through to get ready to practice today) – “There’s a bunch of processing – a bunch of processing.”
(On how far along he is with the playbook thus far) – “I’m getting it down. It’s going to take a little time getting reps, getting acclimated to the terminology and getting used to the cadences and stuff like that. But at the end of the day, football is football so I’ll pick it up.”
(On how similar the playbook is to the playbook in Houston) – “Yes, it’s pretty similar to what we did (in Houston).”
(On his skill as a cut-back runner and why he is so good in a zone run scheme) – “Anytime you run the ball, it’s an 11-man effort. Over the years, you get good at playing off of what your teammates do. It’s a collective effort and it’s getting in sync with your teammates and helping them block the second level with your discipline.”
(On how beneficial Head Coach Adam Gase’s system is for him) – “It’s new. It’s different but I think being with (Head Coach) Adam (Gase), he really emphasizes that he wants to get the ball out of the backfield. I feel like that’s my best attribute as a running back – catching the ball out of the backfield. I can run routes with anybody, I feel, so I will be doing that to the best of my ability.”
(On his route-running ability and how he got so good at doing that) – “When I was growing up, my father was a wide receiver, so I wanted to be a wide receiver like him. He always used to have us running a route tree ever since he was little. With repetition over time, you get good at it.”
(On if he is hoping to switch to No. 23, the number he wore in Houston) – “It doesn’t matter to me.”
(On if he feels physically as he did before the injury or if that is not realistic yet) – “I actually feel better because I was coming off another injury. I actually feel better – more rested, healthy. I got a chance to train all summer.”
(On what he likes about what he has seen so far with the Dolphins) – “The weather is nice. You get a little ocean breeze, that’s new (to me). But aside from that – the atmosphere here, the people here – they’re on the front line of sports medicine (and) sports science. You can really see that working to the players’ benefit and I’ve already learned a whole lot here.”
(On if he is trying to get more reps) – “I’m just a chess piece. I move when they tell me to move.”
(On how he stays so determined and focused despite the injuries) – “That’s my nature. When you grow up with no lights and no food sometimes, you just develop that mentality. Nobody is going to hand anything to you, especially out there on the field. You have to handle the respect of your teammates and the respect of everybody around you, day in and day out. You just keep that mentality.”
(On what it is going to take to get back to the level that he had before the injury) – “Just consistency – coming out here and performing day in and day out to maximize my effort. But (I have to) be smart about it. I got a lot of time to rest last year so I feel fresh and I feel healthy.”
(On if he was anxious to see how his Achilles injury would respond to practice today) – “Was I anxious? No. I knew it was going to be fine. I’ve been training hard all summer.”
(On if practice went well today) – “It went well today.”
(On how long it will take him to learn this offense) – “Seven and a half days (laughter).”
(On how he arrived at that number) – “I don’t know – it’s a weird question. You don’t know until you know. It was sarcasm (laughter).”
(On if he picks up things pretty easy because he’s been playing in the NFL for a long time) – “This is true.”
