Adam Gase – April 27, 2016
Download PDF version
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase
(On if he gets a better feel when he’s out on the field re-routing guys on plays and getting into player’s faces) – “For me, it’s … I kind of got a little bored standing by the defense so I went over and bugged the quarterbacks a little bit. (It’s) just my way to jump in there and get something going … For myself to get involved in what’s going on with their routes versus air.”
(On C Mike Pouncey not being at voluntary minicamp today) – “Yeah, I know where he is. But he’s fine.”
(On if C Mike Pouncey not being at voluntary minicamp is excused) – “It’s voluntary.”
(On if WR DeVante Parker looks like a rookie or if he’s had a year of seasoning) – “Yeah it looks like he’s … That year, just being in the program and getting to play some games, he seems to be a quick study. I know he was well coached in college. We did a lot of homework on him when we were in Chicago. I think I’ve said it before, we were looking at him and WR Kevin (White) and WR Amari (Cooper). So you can tell, I mean he’s pretty sharp. He’s picking up what we’re doing really, really quickly. I’ve been really impressed with the fact that it seems like every day he comes in, he’s on it and he knows what to do. And he’s very attentive in the meetings.”
(On the potential and the youth of the wide receivers group) – “I think our whole team’s young. I don’t know how many, what do we got… 35 guys that are under 25 right now? It’s fun. I told them the other day the great thing about receivers is you get paid to run. I don’t think I’m going to have anybody complaining about their legs are tired or anything. They’re too young to complain right now. It’s fun to watch those guys work and (Wide Receivers Coach) Shawn Jefferson and (Assistant Wide Receivers Coach) Ben (Johnson) have done a great job and Shawn’s (Jefferson) got an obstacle course out there every day so he’ll keep them engaged for the most part. It’s going to be awhile before they get tired of doing individuals. Those guys have really brought an energy level that’s exciting to be around.”
(On the analysis that WR DeVante Parker had trouble selling his routes last year and if that’s something that he has noticed) – “I haven’t noticed that. I mean its two days out there working, so we’ll see. You always try to keep an eye on all those type of things with offensive line. Same thing on defense to see if guys are tipping off what they’re doing. We’ve got so far to go. Once we get into OTAs and you have a chance to go back and look at things in the summer heading into camp, then you at least have a game plan of ‘Okay, when you run this certain route you may be tipping off what you’re doing.’ So you make those corrections going into training camp and then you give them a few tools to use to help them expose something else that a defender might be looking at.”
(On what he thinks of the cornerback group aside from CB Byron Maxwell) – “I think the guys are competing right now. And that’s all we can ask for. I just always look back in (2011 with the Broncos), we come out of the draft and no one knew who CB Chris Harris was. Everybody knows who he is now. He’s a $2,000 undrafted college free agent and now he’s one of the best corners in the league. So you let these guys go out, they compete, and then you’re going to find somebody that’s scrappy and figures out a way to get it done. And that’s what we’re looking for. And that’s why we have that large group out there. Somebody is going to step up. It’s the NFL. That’s the way it is. We’ll find somebody to play. I mean they’re not going to cancel a game. I know that.”
(On if he has had any conversations with RB Jay Ajayi about his role amidst speculation the team may draft a running back this week) – “I don’t think he’s worried about it. I think he’s focused on what he’s trying to do right now. I mean he looks out there right now and he knows he’s a starter. We’re going out there (and) he’s getting better every day. He’s showing me a lot of great things. I like his skill set. I liked him coming out (of college). He’s impressed me more both days, from the first day to the second day. We’ll just keep learning and we’ll just keep giving him opportunities.”
(On what he likes about RB Daniel Thomas) – “For me, I had a different exposure with him last year. He came in on a tryout and he impressed everybody there. We signed him and he was actually having a really good camp and then he got hurt. Right now, I think he feels really comfortable because he’s coming into this thing and he knows the terminology. He knows what we expect out of him and he’s playing fast. When I see him in meetings, he’s really engaged in those things because he’s a step ahead of everybody in those things. He knows what we’re doing. He knows how I like calling a preseason game, at least. And I feel like I know his strengths of what he likes to do and when he gets his opportunity in the preseason, we’re going to try to use those to his advantage.”
(On his early impressions of QB Ryan Tannehill on the field) – “I guess I’m still trying to figure out a few things; but, I guess I didn’t realize how live his arm was. The more I watch him throw, it’s effortless. That ball travels down the field pretty good and he’s hit some big plays, and then just underneath having some touch. It’s been good to kind of just get out here and see things live. When you watch it on tape, you don’t get a great feel for on tape compared to when you see a guy throw live.”
(On how he sees TE Jordan Cameron’s pass-catching potential) – “I feel like he does a really good job. I mean he’s done well, at least today. I know yesterday we walked off there and I was like, ‘How many balls did you catch?’ And it wasn’t a great answer. We peppered him in the walkthrough, though. So I feel like he felt better about it. But he did a good job today and got more involved. We had a lot of third down situations going on today so he was really involved in that and made a lot of plays.”
(On General Manager Chris Grier) – “I feel like our personalities, we’re different; but, I feel like every day it’s my job to make sure he’s laughing. He’s very serious and he’s grinding right now because of the draft, trying to make sure he goes through all the scenarios. I know there are a lot of people looking at what we’re doing right now and he’s making sure that we’re prepared and making sure that we’re all on the same page. I mean the communication with him has been off the charts and it’s easy in my position to be around a guy like that, that’s constantly communicating. (He’s) making sure we’re all on the same page and between him and (Executive Vice President, Football Operations) Mike (Tannenbaum) and myself, I just feel like every night when we finish up, we’re all on the same page when we leave the building.”
(On whether the returning starters will pick up his system quickly because of their experience) – “I said this yesterday, and the thing that people don’t understand about NFL players is since they’ve been playing football, you have no idea how many playbooks these guys have learned over time. This is kind of what they do. This is their profession. So, when you bring in a new playbook, the terminology changes, but nobody is running anything groundbreaking. And a lot of these guys have run all these same routes, they’ve used the same blocking schemes, they’ve played the same coverages, they’ve played the same front. It’s just a few different things that we do here and there. It’s not necessarily anything that’s out of this world. It’s just different terminology for them.”
(On motivating the players with intensity) – “I think it started more in Denver, when I was the wideout coach there. I had a group between Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, Brandon Lloyd (and) Brandon Stokley. Those guys, they never stopped. I think they rubbed off on me. Once we got (CB Aqib) Talib and Chris Harris and those guys going, it was just a nonstop battle. It was fun. It made practice feel like it was so short, because it was just constantly … Everybody was talking, but everybody was working hard. When you have that kind of atmosphere, you love being out there, you love competing. Just get as many guys like that as possible on the field.”
(On whether keeping up the intensity is easier for a younger coach) – “I don’t know. I’ve never been old yet.” (laughter)
(On whether he relates to players because of his young age) – “I don’t know. I watch some of our other coaches that have been doing this a little longer than I have, and I’ve seen their interaction with players. Some guys are the same as what my personality is. The guy that I learned under a lot was Coach (Mike) Martz, and probably, people didn’t realize how much he talked in practice. He talked about as much trash as I’ve ever seen – as far as a coach goes – to defensive players. I think being around him, that kind of fueled my fire a little bit too to know that, ‘Hey, a coach can talk a little junk to opposing players.’”
Ryan Tannehill – April 27, 2016
Download PDF version
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill
(On what intrigues him about the offense) – “A lot of things. I think just the mindset of Coach Gase and the way he wants to attack the field; the multitude of things we can do – whether it’s on the ball, in the huddle, moving guys around, creating matchups – he focuses a lot on that. And that’s what this game is; it’s a game of matchups. So I’m excited for that – to be able to get on the ball, work with him, get us in a good play and create those matchups where we can have an advantage.”
(On if it feels different with a new coach and system) – “Well, it’s always exciting this time of year. We’re excited to be out on the field and excited to work together. It’s a little strange not having OTAs before you jump into a minicamp. It’s my first experience with that. But yeah, there is a lot of excitement and a lot of buzz. Guys are soaking up the information in the meeting rooms a lot. They’re really challenging us with what they’re throwing in and making us learn. Guys are jumping in and retaining the information and coming out and playing well.”
(On who he was throwing to in the offseason and how often they were doing that) – “We threw twice a week. We had a bunch of guys here. Most of our receivers and a few of our tight ends were here working from the end of February/early March until we started (the offseason program). (We) had a lot of guys here, got a lot of work in and I think its showing now.”
(On if they were throwing more than they had in previous offseasons) – “It was the same. We had a good turnout, though; a lot of guys (were) here. That’s the great thing about being in South Florida. You have a lot of guys in the area that are here for the offseason, or a good part of the offseason, and you can get everyone together and work.
(On if he is bothered by DT Ndamukong Suh not attending the voluntary minicamp) – “No, no. This is a voluntary camp. We’re out here getting better and I’m sure he’s working to get better doing his own thing so no hard feelings. It’s the way things go sometimes and we’re all working in our own way to get better.”
(On if it would help if DT Ndamukong Suh was present for the voluntary minicamp) – “I don’t know. I don’t know. I think that he has done things a certain way throughout his whole career and he has a process that he goes through both mentally and physically. Sometimes you have to go through your own process to feel fully prepared in your own way and I think that’s what he’s doing.”
(On what he expects from himself in his fifth season) – “(I expect) to be better. Just improve. Obviously, I want to compete for a championship, be in the playoffs and ultimately win a Super Bowl. (I’m going) to take it one step at a time and win games.”
(On if it is unfair to expect the offense to click right away) – “It’s tough. There’s a learning curve. It’s a real thing to have a learning curve but that’s what we’re here for right now. We want to speed that thing up and get it going when we get around to camp. (We want to) progress quickly through camp and be ready to go Week 1. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in the 10th year of the offense or the first year, you have to be able to go out and perform Week 1. And that’s what we look to do”
(On if he has baby-proofed his house) – “Not yet. (laughter) We’ve got a few months. I don’t think he’ll be moving around until after the football season so I have a few months for that.”
(On if he is excited that his family is expecting its first baby) – “I’m excited. It’s an exciting process. You can feel him kick now and move around. My wife has had a great pregnancy – no sickness and no side effects. It’s really been great.”
(On when the baby is due) – “July.”
(On the perfect timing of the baby) – “Yes. I’ll be around to see the birth and have some time with the baby and then off to (training) camp to focus for a month and hopefully he’s sleeping by then.”
(On his first thoughts when he saw Head Coach Adam Gase diverting routes and running around with the players) – “It’s cool. He’s a hands-on coach. You see him … when I’m throwing, he’s rushing me and making me move around the pocket and just creating those habits. He’s giving receivers leverages. He’s hands on. He wants to have a hand in the offense and that’s important because when the guys see the head guy out there running around and breaking a sweat, moving, doing things to make us better, it creates even more of a level of respect.”
(On how active Head Coach Adam Gase is throughout the building) – “He’s around. We see him all the time. He does the offensive installs. He pops over to the defense. You talk to him, he’s around. He’s easy to communicate with and relate to so I think we’re off to a great start here.”
(On if he can take his career to higher levels with the guidance of Head Coach Adam Gase) – “I think so. I believe in myself and my preparation and the offense that we’re putting in, the guys that are around me. I think that it’s a process. We’ll all come together. I’ll play better. The guys around me will play better. And we’ll ultimately win a lot of games.”
(On the primary objective for him and his teammates at this minicamp) – “Right now we are learning the system, competing and just learning the ins and outs and the details of what we are doing. We’re taking it from paper inside and putting it into action out here. It’s a process. The bullets are flying. Things are moving fast and you have to be able to translate it from inside to on the field.”
(On if anything has surprised him thus far about Head Coach Adam Gase) – “He’s not nearly as good at golf as I thought he would be. (laughter) Tell him I said that. Actually, don’t tell him I said that because I think he would beat me.”
(On what has impressed him about Head Coach Adam Gase) – “I’m just impressed all around with him – the way he goes about things, the way he thinks of the game, the way he is progressive in the offense and challenging us. I just think he’s really in tune with his players and how we need to be challenged each and every day.”
Jay Ajayi – April 27, 2016
Download PDF version
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Running Back Jay Ajayi
(On whether becoming a starter is his goal this season) – “Absolutely. With Lamar (Miller) moving on to the Texans, it gave us a chance to compete for his position. That’s basically what I’m here to do is compete to be that guy, to be a starter.”
(On how excited he is heading into this offseason) – “I’ve been excited since I found out that Lamar (Miller) was going to be moving on and that the position would be available. I’ve just been pushing myself through this offseason to prepare myself to have a great sophomore season. I was able to get a lot of opportunities last year when I finally started playing, and I felt comfortable. Now, I’m ready to elevate my game to a new level this season.”
(On whether he has thought about the Dolphins possibly drafting a running back) – “I’m not worried about that stuff. That’s out of my control. I can only control my mentality every day and my work ethic. And that’s what I’m going to do.”
(On what he would like to improve upon this offseason) – “(I) definitely (want to) try to lose some weight so I can be a little bit more shiftier this season. (I am) just trying to prepare myself mentally to be able to take that role up as a starter. I think that I’ve been doing a great job so far, and it’s just about constantly progressing all the way up to the season.”
(On how much weight he would like to lose) – “I played last year around 228 (pounds), close to 230. This year I want to be closer to 220 – 218 to 222 – around that range.”
(On working with Head Coach Adam Gase) – “I (felt) really good about Coach Gase from the first day that we talked (about) how he’s such a young guy who’s really excited about being here. He’s excited about working with me and the rest of the team. He made us feel very comfortable from the first day. We’re excited about this new offense that he’s implementing. It has been really great to get out on the field and actually be able to work with him now day in and day out.”
(On Head Coach Adam Gase running around with the team during practice) – “He’ll be fine. He’s young, and he has been doing a great job of keeping our intensity levels up while we’re out there in practice.”
(On whether he will sacrifice any strength with weight loss) – “No, because I’m working with (Team Nutritionist) Mary Ellen (Bingham) on nutrition and all that. Really, it was just cutting out a lot of the junk food and (about) trying to eat (well), cook more at home to (the point) where I feel healthier. I’m still working out really strong with the physical training coaches – (Head Strength and Conditioning) Coach (Dave) Puloka and all of them. So, I feel strong. I don’t feel like I’m losing any strength. So, that was really (about) cutting out the bad diet in my dieting.”
(On what food he misses while dieting) – “It’s the junk food. I don’t eat at McDonald’s anymore. (laughter) You’re not supposed to eat there anyway. You get a cheat meal every now and then, but it’s more about cooking at home and trying to watch my fast food intake.”
(On Head Coach Adam Gase commenting that he is a shifty running back and if that is how he sees himself going into the season) – “Definitely. I know that I can be a powerful runner (who) prides himself on breaking tackles and stuff. But I wanted to add another arsenal to my game of being quick, being able to make those quick cuts, getting that one cut and getting down the field fast. That’s kind of through my training in the offseason. That’s what I was working on: to try and be a little bit shiftier so I can make more people miss and also break tackles as well to create more yards on the field. “
(On whether he has proven that a prior knee injury is not a concern) – “To be honest, that injury occurred my freshman year of college, and I didn’t miss a game after that. So, those concerns were from whoever was putting that out there. I was never concerned about it and I feel great. I was able to play last year at a high level and I’m playing right now at a high level. That’s what I’m focused (on): continuing to come out here on the practice field and put some good work out there and prepare myself for this season.”
(On whether he has set specific goals for this year) – “No, not yet. I’m – right now – working out here, learning this new offense and trying to contribute on this field here while we’re practicing, make big plays and set myself up for a great season this year.”
(On whether he has been focusing on his hands) – “Yes, definitely. Just seeing Coach Gase’s offenses and seeing that he likes to throw the ball a lot and knowing that we’re going to have to be weapons out of the backfield, it’s definitely something that myself and the other running backs … We understand that we’re going to need to know how to run good routes, know how to catch the ball out of the backfield and be able to do that when we’re called upon. That’s really what we’re working on besides everything else about being a running back.”
(On whether he has nervous curiosity about whether the Dolphins will draft a running back) – “Not really, because at the same time, I can’t do anything about it. I’m just here working on myself. If the Dolphins do that, then that’s what they do. But, I’m really just worried about myself and controlling my work ethic – my mentality – out here on the field, which is to be the starter this fall.”
(On whether it is weird to think he was drafted a year ago) – “It’s weird. It has been fun for me though just because I have a lot of guys I went to school with at Boise State, because I left a year early, that I came in with at Boise State, and now they’re going through this draft process. It has been really fun to go back and watch those guys. They’re working hard. They’re chasing their NFL dream, and I’m there to give them any advice that they need and be a good friend to those guys.”
Adam Gase – April 26, 2016
Download PDF version
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase
(On how his day went) — “It was good. It was fun to get out there. Feels like forever. Obviously, for myself it’s been since January, late December. I know the coaches were itching to get out, having two weeks of meetings. And then getting an opportunity to do this, it’s just a good feeling to get outside, especially in this weather.”
(On what he feels is the biggest difference now that he is the head coach) – “I don’t know, I kind of went through my same routine I always did. I went over and talked a little smack to the defense and let them know how many times we were going to throw over their heads. The thing that was a little different for me was (Offensive Coordinator) Clyde (Christensen) was running a lot of the drills with the offense during individual. So it was fun to be able to be kind of be bouncing back and forth and seeing what’s going on with special teams and not working with the quarterbacks on some of those drills. It was a fun experience just kind of seeing everybody coach and get to observe what was going on.”
(On if he feels adding an extra minicamp because he is a new coach will help) – “I think so. I think it gets a lot of the anxiety out. For our players, they understand how we want to do things. The tempo is what we’re really trying to make sure we do a good job of, just in between periods and where we’re going, what we want to do. If you can get that done before you hit OTAs, it just makes OTAs a lot smoother.”
(On what he can share about some of the missing personnel) – “It’s a voluntary camp and the good thing is, I know where everybody is at. That’s just what it is with the Players Association and the league and the deal that they’ve worked out. This is voluntary. I learned very early and when this thing went down, there is no reason to get upset about guys not being here – it’s voluntary. We all know that right from the get go and we’re appreciative of the guys that have shown up and that are working hard and that are with us. These guys are here to get better and we’re here to help.”
(On whether the players who didn’t show up gave him advance notice of their absence) – “Yeah, we knew who was going to be here and who wasn’t going to be here.”
(On if everyone on offense has the entire playbook or if it’s given in small parts) – “We install it a little bit at a time. Those two weeks before this were nice to have. We were able to kind of give them a little bit of a pre-install to what we were going to do here. And then once we started with this minicamp, we kind of condense that and say, ‘Hey, this is what we’re going to focus on in these camps.’ We try to be smart because you don’t want to run certain things in these types of camps. You don’t want pile ups. You don’t want situations where DBs and wide receivers can get tangled up. So we’re really smart about what we’re actually practicing.”
(On if it would be an issue to him if S Reshad Jones’ absence lingers beyond the spring) – “It’s voluntary. Every day I’m coming in this thing and when guys show up, we’re going to help them and we’re going to help them get better. But right now it’s a voluntary camp. It’s a voluntary program, so guys can come and go as they please.”
(On if he would be more upset if S Reshad Jones missed one of the mandatory camps) – “I’m not going to get upset about anything right now. It’s the first day of voluntary vet mini-camp. So we’ll see how everything goes once we get to June.”
(On if he feels that it helps or hurts with him being a new coach and the new players) – “I never worry. It’s the NFL. These guys learn things very quickly. I mean you don’t need a lot of time. When you’re a veteran player, you jump right back in. A lot of times it’s just change in terminology. These guys are sharp. That’s what NFL players get paid to do and that’s to learn playbooks.”
(On his feelings of having DE Cameron Wake on the field and how his recovering is progressing) – “We’re day to day. He’s just going to keep grinding and figure out every day we come in and we see what he can do and if he’s sore and where he’s at for that particular day. He’s working close with the trainers and the sports science group to make sure that we get him as close to 100 percent (as possible). The big goal for me is that I just want him ready to go for training camp. The offseason – this is a great time to make sure that he is as close to 100 percent heading into training camp as possible.”
(On if the timing is hard having veteran mini-camp at the same time as preparing for the draft) – “I was a part of it last year. We did this same schedule in Chicago with our first year being in that situation. And I feel like our time was managed well leading up to this. (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and (Executive Vice President of Football Operations) Mike (Tannenbaum) have done a great job of making sure we finish with what we needed to do with the coaching staff. And then for me, it’s just going to be a quick transition. When we get done Thursday, it’s a shorter day, and then I’m going to roll right into some draft things.”
(On how he feels about two new acquisitions: DT Chris Jones and CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, who is recovering from an injury) – “We’re still working through to see how far we can bring (Ekpre-Olomu) around, as far as where his injury was. Once again, these injuries, it’s time. We’ve got to figure out what’s going on with him. And then when we’re claiming guys, we’re trying to get better. And we feel like Chris was a guy we were interested in and our scouts and our personnel guys were really excited about the fact that we had a chance to get him. We’ll see how he fits in the group.”
(On CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu) – “I know he was a high guy on a lot of people’s draft boards and unfortunately he got injured and we’ll just see how that one progresses.”
(On LB Kiko Alonso’s play and if he can return to his 2013 form) – “I would say it’s tough for me to predict anything. I mean, it’s been one day. We’ve had eight meetings. Time will tell. We have a long ways to go and we’ll see how it goes for the rest of the offseason.”
(On some of the things he tries to focus on the practice field) – “I try to get into the rhythm for myself, for one. Coaches, they all have their individual responsibilities. I’m trying to kind of see where my place is a little bit, as far as (Offensive Coordinator) Clyde (Christensen) has such a great handle of what’s going on in the offense. I know I’m going to be calling plays. I kind of might be spying on the defense a little bit to see what we can take advantage on that from an offensive perspective and just kind of being around the o-line and d-line. Those are two positions you don’t get to spend a lot of time on them when you’re an offensive coordinator. You’re working with the quarterbacks a lot times. So I really enjoy going down there and watching (Offensive Line Coach) Chris (Foerster) coach and watching (Defensive Line Coach) Terrell (Williams) coach the d-line. It’s just kind of … for me to be able to observe a lot of these guys that I haven’t been able to watch in the past.”
(On if his mind starts racing on day one when he has a guy like WR Jarvis Landry on his team) – “It’s pretty early for me to get too crazy with what we want to do with him. But, I mean right now we’re installing our base stuff and just trying to get guys used to that up-tempo style on the ball. We’ll start working on where everybody fits in but we’re a ways away from that.”
(On how beneficial it is to a look at the players on the field as opposed to the film) – “It’s a completely different ball game. When you get out on the field, you start seeing things and … you might not actually see it on a game tape. I wasn’t here last year for practice. So I mean you see a guy rep after rep, then practice after practice, and you get a really good feel for what that guy can do and what he can’t do. This is like the first opportunity to see a few things where I might not have seen in a game situation. So this is a great opportunity for our coaching staff to really get into that evaluation stage to figure out what guys can and can’t do.”
(On what he likes about RB Jay Ajayi) – “When I watched him coming out of college and then now I see him in person, I guess I never realized how shifty he was, and today was a great example. Just seeing him stick his foot in the ground and change direction, you didn’t see him do that a lot in college. Just being able to see him move around, it was very impressive for me to see him in person. The way he cut in some of the run game schemes … I mean I’m really excited to see what we can do going forward.”
(On CB Byron Maxwell) – “There’s been a lot of talking going on between me and him. He’s got my number right now so I told him we’re going to try to go at him as much as possible. But, you know as long as he is and as physical as he is at the line of scrimmage, I’m just glad he’s on our side. It’s great to see, when I went down there in individual, just to see him smile and having fun. (He) really looks like he’s ready to go and enjoys the defense that he’s playing in under (Defensive Coordinator) Vance (Joseph). He’s a guy that we’re expecting to really excel in our scheme.”
(On if that was a walkie-talkie in his hand during practice) – “Yeah.”
(On who was on the other end of the walkie-talkie) – “I hope the quarterbacks. We like to start kind of that game-type mentality; and, for the quarterbacks, getting used to hearing my voice. I mean that’s just something – the way that I call plays and the way that they can hear it and kind of understand – that I probably talk too much. And I’ll give them tips and things about what to look for. So it’s just getting used to hearing me on the other end.”
(On if he likes what he has to work with on the roster heading into the NFL draft) – “I like what we have already on the roster. I’m excited to see what we can build going forward and then what we can add. And I’m excited to see what takes place coming up here in the draft. (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and (Executive Vice President, Football Operations) Mike (Tannenbaum) have done a great job in kind of getting that board set and Chris (Grier) and the scouts have really worked hard to make sure that we have everything covered. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out.”
(On what CB Jamar Taylor needs to do to become a starter or play in the cornerback rotation) – “He’s no different than every other guy. When we had our first team meeting, the statement was, ‘It didn’t matter who you were before this.’ You’re getting a fresh start. Everybody’s walking in the building (with a) clean slate. So if you were lazy and didn’t try hard last year, you could be the hardest-working guy walking through the door and I won’t know any different. We’re encouraging guys to just come out here and give us everything they have and see how it shakes out for them.”
Andre Branch – April 26, 2016
Download PDF version
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Defensive End Andre Branch
(On his first impressions of the defense) – “We are an attack defense. We have a lot of great players. It was the first day out and a lot of people had some cobwebs. We knocked them off. It was good to be back on the field, though.”
(On if it was a good experience the first day out there) – “(It was an) amazing experience. I just pay attention to me and getting better each and every day and then we just go from there.”
(On his experience playing at both defensive end spots and if it will be good to lock in on one) – “It’s great. Whatever they want me to do, that’s what I am going to focus on and just keep getting better each and every day.”
(On what the Wide 9 is) – “Go get the quarterback. That’s what it is – go get the quarterback. That’s exactly what it is.”
(On how much he has played in the Wide 9 system) – “I’ve never played in that system. Ever. There are a lot of things that go into certain defenses and certain schemes but this one, it fits into the strengths of the players that we have.”
(On why the Wide 9 fits into the strengths of the players) – “Because we have a lot of (players) that can rush the passer and that’s what they want us to do.”
(On how he would describe the tone that Head Coach Adam Gase is setting) – “Very positive. (He has a) ton of energy. I mean he’s young. He wants us to be the best players that we want to be and he’s the type of coach that you want to win for.”
(On seeing DE Cam Wake getting some work in six months after his injury) – “That’s awesome. He’s definitely a vet in this league. He’s been playing at a high level for a very long time and he just shows by example. He leads by example. He’s the type of player that you follow.”
(On if he’s had a relationship with any Dolphins before he joined the team) – “CB Byron Maxwell – we played at Clemson with each other. I knew T Branden Albert before coming here. He’s another ACC guy. Other than that, everybody is pretty much new but I’m getting pretty acclimated.”
(On what this experience is like to start over with a new team and coaching staff) – “It feels good. I’m a Dolphin now and (I’m) just going forward from here.”
(On being used to the Florida heat and humidity) – “Always, so it’s not a big deal to me.”
(On how the heat is going to get a lot worse) – “Way, way worse than this. You’ll see me out here with sweatpants and sleeves on, though. I can’t fight that heat.”
(On if it is different to have an April minicamp with a new head coach) – “I’ve had a new coach (before) but I don’t remember doing (a minicamp) this early. It was different but it’s good to get that work in.”
Kiko Alonso – April 26, 2016
Download PDF version
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Linebacker Kiko Alonso
(On what the process has been like playing for his third team in three years) – “Like you said, I went through this process last year. Football is football. You just come here, get to know everybody and play some ball.”
(On the scheme’s similarities to his rookie season in Buffalo) – “It’s similar. Like I said, football is football. You go out there and run around and hit some people.”
(On his comfort level in Miami) – “I feel really comfortable.”
(On why he feels really comfortable in Miami) – “My body feels great, and I feel great.”
(On how he would describe himself as a player) – “Versatile. I just like to run around and hit people, in a nutshell.”
(On how he would describe his NFL career) – “That’s a good question. I don’t know. I think it is yet to be said. All I’m worried about is getting better and using this time to get better and learn the defense.”
(On how often he has called plays in the past) – “I’ve been calling (plays) my whole football career.”
(On if there is a great comfort level about calling plays) – “Yeah.”
(On what stands out to him about Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph’s defense thus far) – “It’s aggressive.”
(On what makes the defense aggressive) – “The scheme. The scheme and the players.”
(On his first impressions of Head Coach Adam Gase) – “(He’s a) great guy. It looks like he wants to get better every day. (He is) always looking for ways to get better, and I think that’s what makes a great coach and a great team.”
(On if this is a fresh start for him) – “Yeah. At the end of the day, it’s football.”
(On if he has physically regained everything from before his injury) – “Yeah.”
(On if he felt that he was not 100 percent back from his injury last season) – “I don’t like to fall back on that. I just didn’t have a good year, and that’s just how it was. I just have to get better.”
(On if he has watched tape from his rookie year to try and get back to that type of play) – “Occasionally I go back and look. I just like to watch (tape from) back then, last year, other players around the league – any way that can help me in my development.”
(On if the player who was named PFWA Defensive Rookie of the Year is still in him) – “He is still there.”
(On if he is feeling much better now than he did at this time last year) – “I would say so. Usually coming off an injury, the more time, the better.”
(On if he feels he can go full speed with no limitations) – “Absolutely.”
(On if he feels comfortable with what has been installed and whether it will suit his skill set) – “One hundred percent.”
(On if there was a time he felt he was going to be able to build on his rookie year) – “That is the ultimate goal – to keep getting better. At the end of the day, we are just trying to get better. Today, the day is not over. We have to go have meetings, watch film, watch what we did good today, watch what we did bad and try to improve on it.”
(On what first stood out to him about Head Coach Adam Gase) – “Just his desire to try and get better (and) try to find ways to get better.”
(On Head Coach Adam Gase’s youth and enthusiasm and if it occurs to him that Gase is the youngest head coach in the NFL) – “It doesn’t occur (to me). I think it doesn’t matter. I think age is just a number.”
(On if he stays in touch with DE Dion Jordan) – “Yeah.”
(On how DE Dion Jordan is doing and if he thinks Jordan will be back) – “We’ll see. That’s not up to me. I’d love for him to be here. He’s a great football player.”
(On if he thinks DE Dion Jordan will apply for reinstatement) – “That’s between you guys and Dion Jordan.”
(On what he does really well when he is at his best) – “I like to think at the linebacker position that I can do it all. I think to be a great linebacker now – in this day and age – you have to do it all. You have to be able to stop the run. You have to be able to play in coverage. You have to be able to play man-to-man.”
Byron Maxwell – April 26, 2016
Download PDF version
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
CB Byron Maxwell
(On the tone Head Coach Adam Gase is setting for the team) – “He’s aggressive. He’s in your face, but he wants to have fun and compete and wants to win some games. So, that’s always fun.”
(On Head Coach Adam Gase’s overriding message to the team right now) – “Compete and have fun. That’s what it really is about.”
(On whether he believes he is a No. 1 cornerback) – “I’m definitely a No. 1 cornerback.
(On why he feels like a No. 1 cornerback) – “Because I feel that way.”
(On mentoring younger players) – “It’s not really (about being) a mentor. (If) they want to do that and go that route, I’m definitely here. If they want to knock some things out, ask me some questions, and I can give them an answer, definitely I would (do that). We’re just trying to win a game. If that’s my role to them, that’s fine.”
(On Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph’s system) – “Basically, he wants us to press and play man coverage and be aggressive with the receivers on the line and re-route them, get them off their route.”
(On seeing LB Kiko Alonso in a Dolphins uniform) – “He looks good to me. That’s my impression.”
(On Head Coach Adam Gase’s coaching style) – “He’s a competitor. He seems like he’s looking forward to competing and making us better, bringing a winning culture to Miami.”
(On speculation that he could not do a pushup before being traded to the Dolphins) – “I don’t know where it came from. I don’t want to speculate or anything like that, but I definitely could do a pushup. I did pushups. It’s cool. I’m here. My shoulder is good.”
(On how his shoulder feels) – “It’s 100 (percent). A ‘hundo.’”
(On getting back onto the field) – “It was tough, but it was good though. It felt good to get out here and have some fun and actually play football again. That’s one of the things you get paid to do, but you look forward to doing (and) you have fun doing. It’s definitely good. Lifting and running gets a little boring. (Being) out here catching balls and throwing is good.”
(On players that may not be participating in the voluntary veteran minicamp) – “I’ll worry about that … They’ll worry about that later on. I’m just here to play ball, and we’ll figure that out later on.”
(On playing in Miami) – “I love it, man. Everybody wants to play ball here. It’s fun. The sun is out. It’s cool. I love it down here. I got a place down here already, so obviously, I love it.”
(On whether this is a bounce-back year for him) – “That’s one of the things … I don’t even want to call it a bounce-back year. It’s a year where I can put it behind me and move forward (and) make some plays.”
(On whether he would’ve had a bounce-back year regardless of where he played) – “I think, either way, it would have been a bounce-back year for me. I don’t want to call it a bounce-back year, but I would’ve had a better year than what I had last year. That’s just how I felt. Approaching this season, I felt like it was going to be my time.”
(On if he felt this season would be “his time” because of the scheme) – “Nah. It just felt like my mindset was completely different going into it. I had it clear like, ‘This is what it’s going to be.’”
Mike Tannenbaum and Chris Grier – April 22, 2016 (Pre-Draft)
Download PDF version
Friday, April 22, 2016
Executive Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum and General Manager Chris Grier (Pre-NFL Draft)
Mike Tannenbaum:
(Opening Statement) – “Hello everybody. Thanks for coming. I just want to start today by acknowledging something. We recently lost a member of our family. Neville Hall, who was known as known as Mr. Neville, was a valued member of our organization who recently passed away. Neville worked at our facility for the last 12 years. He had an incredible smile, great attitude and big heart and he will be greatly missed by all of us. I just want to turn attention now to our roster. We really feel good about where we are (and) the energy in the building. We’re really happy with the offseason program that started. It’s voluntary but we’ve been really pleased with the attendance thus far. Currently we have 78 players on our roster, 24 of which are new, which is approximately a third of our roster. Our average age is about 25.6 years old. We also have 16 new coaches on our staff. While we’re please where we are, we feel like we have a lot more work to do and next week is the next opportunity for us to add a few young players to our roster. In terms of the dynamic with Chris (Grier), Adam (Gase) and I, it has been terrific. We’ve worked together since January and again there’s great energy in the building. We got a small glimpse of that, we had a local day – Miami Day – and to see the new staff out there was great. I’m really excited to see them start working with our players next week (at) next week’s minicamp. Chris (Grier) has done a tremendous job. (Chris) and his staff have worked incredibly hard and importantly they’ve worked hand in hand with our coaching staff to identify the needs and the fits for our organization to make sure the players fit the scheme that we’re trying to build on in all three phases. So I really tip my cap to Chris (Grier) and his entire staff. They’ve done a great job. So again, we see next week as the next opportunity for us to add players and Chris (Grier) is going to tell us who we are going to pick next week. (Laughter)”
Chris Grier:
(Opening Statement) – “Thanks, Mike. First, I’d like to wish continued success in the playoffs to the (Miami) Heat and (Florida) Panthers organization. It’s an exciting time to be a South Florida sports fan. You guys know I follow hockey. So it’s good to see hockey getting back on the radar down here a little bit. Echoing what Mike (Tannenbaum) said, I’m excited for the draft because our process has been outstanding in terms of communication with the coaches and our player personnel staff. From day one, the discussions, the collaborations and the debates have been outstanding. It’s been a pleasure to work with Coach (Adam) Gase and his staff from day one, when we all got together in early February for the first time, and they laid out the foundation for what they were looking for and our guys have done a great job of doing that. Coach Gase, (Defensive Coordinator) Vance Joseph, (Offensive Coordinator) Clyde Christensen and (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator) Darren Rizzi have done a great job communicating what they want our team to look like – in terms of every position from speed, height (and) weight. You guys are going to ask some questions here in the future, as we get going, on what we are looking for. We have what we like, but again you have to be flexible in terms of the types of players that we want. The scouts have worked tirelessly throughout the Combine, Pro Days and over meetings to identify the prospects that we like for the Dolphins. I’d like the thank Chase Leshin, our Player Personnel Coordinator, for all of the work that he has done behind the scenes, from Miami Day to the Combine, organizing all of our lists and everything. He’s an asset to our organization. And I’d like to thank (Director of Analytics) Dennis Lock and (Football Analyst) Tom Pasquali for their analytics contributions, as well. Overall, it has been a good, thorough process. I’ve enjoyed working with Mike and the coaches, and I feel we are very prepared for the draft next week. Any questions?”
Chris Grier:
(On if the Dolphins have zeroed in on a position that they will take in the first round) – “No. I said right now we’re going to take the best player for the Miami Dolphins. There are a lot of good players in this draft. A lot of prospects will be there. We’re picking 13th, so we will just follow our board and let the process play out.
Mike Tannenbaum:
“And really our thing here has been, we are coming off a 6-10 season and all through the offseason we feel like we’re not one player away. So there are a number of things we’d like to accomplish at the draft and we’ll see how the board falls to us.”
(On how far in advance they are in contact with other teams regarding trades) — “Yeah, some of those foundations are laid days before. Typically we’ll reach out to teams just to have preliminary conversations, but sometimes the phone rings out of the blue or there’s a strong conviction for us to make a move. You have some preliminary conversations but by and large, at this point, you have to see how things unfold.”
(On if there has been any update or indication from the NFL about the status of DE Dion Jordan) — “(There are) no updates on Dion. He’s not on our active roster. He’s still on that reserve list and if something changes again we’ll let you know.”
(On if he knows if Jordan has applied for reinstatement) – “I don’t. I don’t know where things stand. That’s something that you’d have to check with him or his representative.”
(On if they are more likely to trade down and stockpile picks since they are not one player away) – “As Chris (Grier) alluded to, we are going to let the board dictate that for us. If there’s a player we have a strong feeling on, it’ll be hard to move back; but yeah, if the phone rings, we’ll evaluate that opportunity.”
Chris Grier:
(On if one of their draft picks needs to be a cornerback) — “No, I would say really, you just have to trust your process and working through the board and how you rank them. The story I always tell is that my dad was in Houston with the Texans, and a defensive end wasn’t a great need but they took DE J.J. Watt. They got booed mercilessly (for taking him). But would you pass on J.J. Watt if he was there, knowing that it was maybe a need that people perceived? We are confident that we can go out and play with who we have on our roster right now. I would just say our board will dictate who we’ll take at that pick.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On if there is much interest in free agent CB Josh Norman) – “Anytime a free agent becomes available, we’ll look into it and we’ll make the best decision for us. We have nothing imminent with any player right now.”
Chris Grier:
(On whether they are looking for a different cornerback prototype compared to previous years) – “We always take the best player. At the end of the day, every staff really has what they’re looking for in terms of prototypes, etc. You also have to be flexible. If a guy is an exceptional player and an exceptional athlete at that position, maybe you’ll make the exception and take that player. Really, it’ll be whoever the best player on the board is at that time.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On how the change in coaching staff affects their draft approach) – “Again, philosophically, I just believe our job is to serve the coaches. As Chris (Grier) alluded to, to have sustained success, you have to have a really good idea of what each scheme is looking for. And then within reason, we have to do the best job we can each year to try to get those players to look perfectly. Now, candidly on opening day, in a salary cap system, is every person going to look identical to what we’d like in a perfect world? Odds are probably not, but we believe in the staff to maximize the strength of each player. They’ve been really fun to be around and to listen to them, to hear them problem solve. So, we’ll keep working hard. We had a guy in DT Chris Jones last week that Vance (Joseph) knew from Houston. Sometimes those (players) aren’t household names, but DT Chris Jones may make a play in the fall that could be meaningful and that’s the part that … Our approach is anytime we have a chance to improve the roster, we will.”
Chris Grier:
(On whether this year’s draft preparation differs with a new coaching staff) – “I would just say that every coaching staff has been thorough in detailing what they want. With this staff – with Coach (Adam) Gase from Day 1 – they came in, they told us (what they were looking for). Vance (Joseph) is a tremendous communicator. Obviously, Adam knows what he wants on offense, and Coach (Darren) Rizzi, as you know, has been here for a while. He’s one of the best special teams coaches in the league. So, they’ve been very clear and direct, and it has been an easy process for our scouts.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On who will be the starting cornerbacks in addition to CB Byron Maxwell) – “Ultimately, Coach (Adam) Gase and Coach (Vance) Joseph will decide who will play, but we have guys that have played meaningful snaps. CB Jamar Taylor has played a lot of snaps in this league. CB Tony Lippett is a player we’re encouraged by. (CB Tyler) Patmon has played. Are they all household names? No. And again, we feel like we’re more than one player away. We want to take the best player, and that could be a position we add to. But again, there are players in this building that we feel good about. That’s why they’re here. They’re working hard. Over the course of the season, those players will play. You need depth at that position given the fact that teams are passing the ball more and more.”
Chris Grier:
(On whether they are comfortable at the running back position) – “I think we’re comfortable. I think (with) Coach (Adam) Gase’s history of what he has done with running backs, these guys all fit what he’s looking for in terms of their skillsets. But again, we’ll take any opportunity we can to add at any position if it’s a good football player.”
(On whether trading up in the draft is outside the realm of possibility at this point) – “All options are on the table for us. I wouldn’t rule anything out.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On how many “players away” the team is) – “We’ll answer that a week from Monday. (Laughter) Look, every team is (players) away. You can start with Denver. They’re the defending champions. For us, I think it’s a tireless commitment to constantly improve the team. Again, the part that’s exciting for us is we’re going to add a whole bunch of players next week, and hopefully they’re going to help. But a lot of the improvement on our team in 2016 is going to come from within. To me, that’s always the most invigorating part of the process, because you get to see the (Head Strength and Conditioning Coach) Dave Pulokas and the (Sports Performance Director) Wayne Diesels impact our players as much as our position coaches. We’ll have to go prove it in the fall, but I think we’re all very optimistic about where we’re headed, and I couldn’t put a number on how many players we need.”
Chris Grier:
(On the offensive line’s depth) – “I think we feel good about it. We added (OL Jermon) Bushrod and T Sam Young and some other pieces (so) that we feel good (with) where we are right now. Again, (I) don’t want to sound like a broken record, but if there’s a good player at that position, we’ll take them. But we feel good (about) what we added in the free agency process.”
(On RB Ezekiel Elliot) – “He’s a good player. He’s a good football player. There are a lot of good football players in this draft. I know you guys all know he came in here to visit. He’s a good kid, so we enjoyed spending time with him. There are a lot of good players in this draft, and he’s one of them.”
(On whether there is anything they learned from RB Ezekiel Elliot’s visit) – “It’s like with all (of) the visits – that and from the combine visits. And our scouts have done a lot of visits with players offsite, at campuses, at their school. (We are) trying to get a feel for the kid and the person just in terms of if they’re made up of what you want in your organization.”
(On the prototype of the player they want to acquire in the draft) – “Really, you just want guys that are competitive, that love football, have passion for the game, are football smart and are driven to succeed. Coaches can’t always push guys. You want guys who are going to push themselves and basically just love to compete. It’s what we’ve talked about from Day 1, just bringing competitive players (in that) we love, that love football.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“Just taking that a step further, we’re incredibly fortunate that (Chairman of the Board/Managing General Partner) Steve Ross has given us so many resources that other teams don’t have. For us (with) that axiom of, ‘The tape sets the floor and character sets the ceiling,’ we want guys that want to be here and take advantage of all these resources that we have to make them feel better, play better, become more flexible, become stronger, become more explosive. So, I think it’s up to us. And again, I think Chris (Grier) and his entire staff has done a great job of … They’re going to come at different shapes, sizes and backgrounds – four-year players, players that have come out early – but do they love football? Do they want to be in the building? Do they want to avail themselves to be as good as they could be? That’s really what a big part of our process is and how they handle adversity, because things in pro football never go perfectly. But that’s really important to us, because again, you’re never going to have the perfect player at every position. But if they can maximize their ability, that’s going to give us the best chance year-to-year to win.”
(On how the draft process will work among the staff) – “Chris (Grier) is running the draft. Chris has put a grade on every player, and we’ve already hashed out where we want to go with things for the most part. We have some more tweaking to do, but we’re really going to let the board dictate, and that has really been based on the final grade that Chris has put on each player.”
Chris Grier:
(On if General Manager Chris Grier will be on the phone with other teams) – “Yeah.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On the margin for error with this draft) – “It’s really important. Every draft is important. You want to come out of the draft every year with three, four or five players, because – on the other end – you’re going to lose three, four or five players, because you can’t keep everybody in a salary cap system. You constantly have to manage your indoor and your outdoor. That’s why adding players like OL Jermon Bushrod or S Isa (Abdul-Quddus) … All those guys we’ve added is just part of the narrative. Again, Chris Jones may impact us more than a fifth rounder. I’m not saying he is (going to), but that’s why we’re constantly looking at where they are in contracts (and) what our expectations are. But obviously, the draft and the cost certainty you get – starting with possibly five years in the first round – it’s critical to have sustainability. It’s really hard to win if you don’t hit on a number of picks each year.”
Chris Grier:
(On if the coaches have emphasized certain characteristics they want in prospects more than previous coaching staffs) – “No, I think every staff has always been pretty self-explanatory in what they want and what they are looking for – height, weight, speed, what positions, etc. in terms of makeup and character. So no, this staff, again, they’ve done a great job. I’ve said they’ve hit it 100 miles per hour right from the start. Again, I just have tremendous respect working with Coach (Adam) Gase, Coach (Vance) Joseph and Clyde Christensen. Those are guys that I didn’t know before but I had heard people say great things. Just watching them work every day has really been exciting.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On if there was a philosophical change to approach this offseason focused on value) – “Yeah, I think going back to when Chris (Grier) joined the senior management team, talking with Steve (Ross) – and then Chris, Steve, myself, and when we brought Adam (Gase) on board – we’re trying to build something long term and sustainable. Again, we want to be measured and take advantage of opportunities when they are there. I think it is how it played out this year. I think our sense has been that we are going to need a number of pieces, especially with a new (coaching) staff. Again, 24 new players, as of now – that’s a high number. If we sat here in February, that wouldn’t have been the number I would have thought that we would have gotten to. But I think that’s a result of being 6-10 and having a new staff.”
(On if there are any changes with analytics under the new general manager and who will be in the draft room) – “Chris (Grier) has done a great job. Dennis Lock and Tom Pasquali, they run our analytics department and they help with everything. They helped in the coaching search. Really, they help with everything. They help with actuarial projections on cap and cash, trades and players. They are really good and they have been helpful. I think Chris has done a great job of trying to even integrate them more into our process in terms of when a player gets a final grade, they have a say in it. So that’s been one of the things that Chris has brought to the table. In terms of the draft room, it will be pretty small and pretty tight. That’s just something that we both believe in.”
Chris Grier:
(On what will make this draft, led by him, different than past Dolphins drafts) – “I just think at the top – with Adam (Gase), Mike (Tannenbaum) and myself – the collaboration and the communication. You’ve heard me talk about that stuff from day one – the three of us are kind of inseparable. You see us and we are everywhere together. I think (we share) the vision we all have for the team and what types of players we want to bring in. I’m very confident in our process and I’m confident that we will do very well in this draft.”
(On if it is safe to say this will be a defense-heavy draft) – “Like I said, the board is going to play out for us. I think we can go out and play with people right now and compete. But we need to keep adding good players. People say it is a strong defensive draft and I’d probably agree with that. There are a lot of strong defensive prospects; but say for us, again we are just going to take the best player available for us.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On if potentially trading up indicates the studies that told the team to trade down were wrong) – “No, it just means that a new set of opportunities present itself and the price and the risk was reasonable. But I’m not sitting here saying that’s what we are going to do. I feel great that CB Byron Maxwell and LB Kiko Alonso are in the building and they’ve been great and they are two players that we project will play meaningful roles for us. We’re going with eight draft choices, two players that we’ve already added, and we’ll just make those best decisions when they are presented. I’ve been around long enough to hear trades that I would have never dreamed of, even going up or back, because people’s perceived values will always be different than ours.”
Chris Grier:
(On how much draft preparation goes into playing out possible situations during the draft) – “There’s so much misinformation out with (mock drafts) as well. For me, I’m just focused on the Dolphins and what we do and the players that we like. You can’t help but see it here; it’s everywhere. It’s how big the draft has become. But for us, we’re just really focused on our process and the Miami Dolphins.”
(On if the second day of the draft holds any significance in building a team) – “I think they’re all very significant. I think – as Mike said – when you’re trying to build something long term for sustained success; you really need to hit on those picks. We’ve done that in the past on occasion. We’ve hit on some guys that’ve been really good players in those third, fourth rounds. We’ve just got to make sure we hit on those first, second (rounds) and just be consistent through the draft. Our scouts, led by (Player Personnel Director) Joe Schoen and (College Scout) Adam Engroff, have done a good job in free agency of finding players through free agency here over the last ten years. And you guys that have been here know that. So I think all the picks are valuable. I don’t think you can win without building your team through a draft.”
(On how much he pays attention to locker room personality in building a team) – “I think it’s important. You want guys that have character. Again, like we talked about, (we want) guys that love football. (We want) the guys that are not playing just for money. They’re playing because this is the game that they love and it’s important to win. So yeah, we do put an emphasis on it. We’ve done a lot of studies on that and it’s very important to us.”
(On his first draft as a general manager and how he feels) – “I’m excited. I just feel heavier because I’ve been eating more and gaining (weight). I haven’t worked out as much as I should (laughs). But seriously, I’m excited. Honestly, I’m not nervous. I’ve been doing it, been in this business for so long, and I think we’re prepared going through our process. No, I’m excited. I thought I would be more nervous than I am, but honestly I’m not. This is how I am every day.”
(On where he would stack up this draft on talent and does that impact how he conducts business) – “No, at the end of the day the drafts the last couple years have all become junior heavy in the first couple rounds. Then after that, you’ll always find value throughout the draft. It’s just a matter of – again, getting the right players for your system and what your coaches want; what you’re looking for. So, at the end of the day, people always say it’s a strong or weak draft. But there’s been so many good players in this league that have come from mid to late rounds on every team that you can find guys that do the hard work.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“And I think it’s true that three years from now, you can go back and truly evaluate any draft. And that you can really see the strength of it and what it looks like today could be different in a year or two.”
