Miami Dolphins Transcripts and Roster Moves November 15

Friday, November 15, 2024

Head Coach Mike McDaniel

(So how did CB Jalen Ramsey sustain the knee injury that surfaced on the injury report yesterday and do you expect him to play Sunday?) – “Something that came up during practice so we’ll see how it plays out today. Either way, I don’t rule out warriors like he is and an integral part of our team, so I know he’ll do what he is able to do today and we’ll be optimistic for the game knowing that if he doesn’t play it’s because he can’t.”

(What about OL Robert Jones? How’s the knee?) – “He had a good day yesterday. Feel optimistic about that for the game.”

(You have three plays that could come back this week with LS Blake Ferguson, S Patrick McMorris, OL Isaiah Wynn – any in play for Sunday or all more likely down the line?) – “I think it’s a more likely week-by-week, but I think that’s more likely a possibility in the next coming weeks than this week.”

(And how about the calf for FB Alec Ingold? I’m sure he wanted to play on Monday. Is he better this week where you think you will have him?) – “He’s better this week. Again, just making sure that we don’t have a setback. He didn’t have a setback yesterday, so we’re hoping for no setbacks today or tomorrow.”

(And with the David Long Jr. thing – just to clarify, the Long decision, did David or his agent David Mulugheta ask you or General Manager Chris Grier for his release or was that purely a team decision?) – “It was a team decision. Didn’t anticipate the scenario that came across with (Tyrel) Dodson being available. Didn’t anticipate that. Absolutely love David Long as a person and player but had to make the decision that was best for the Miami Dolphins.”

(And TE Julian Hill? How’s the shoulder? What’s the outlook for him?) – “He had a good day. I’m very optimistic for his participation and if he has a setback, I will be yelling at some defensive players during practice. So if you hear my voice, it’s because they set Julian (Hill) back.”

(I was thinking about doing something on the power of recall for coaches and I’m wondering how many plays can you recall? How far back? Can you recall since 2022 as a head coach every play…?) – “Every play. (laughter) No. In terms of, are you talking about like can I recall from seasons before? I think the toughest time for me to recall something is directly after the game because I’m trying to stay in the moment. So postgame press conferences are always a challenge because I’m changing from in the moment to reflection. But once I see the tape and stuff, there’s a good amount of recall specifically because you’re in the system, and as a play caller, you kind of feel the burden of the result and the whys of that result that kind of stick with you. I think that’s part of the advantage of experience and having recall on certain defenses, certain situations from concepts to how our players perform. It resurfaces itself every single game and every single game prep, but there will be a play call that I have this game that will be based upon something that I know our players can execute and perform based upon a previous example that’s happened since I’ve been here. So unfortunately to have one of these positions in the National Football League, you kind of have to be obsessed so I don’t know how to do a lot of things around the house and can’t recall what the cook time is on a Hot Pocket or something, but I can remember plays, for sure. (laughter)”

(So last week you guys had 53 plays, right? How many of those could you recall today now that you’ve seen the – I know you’re preparing for a different opponent, but could you recall 42 of them or…?) – “Yeah, I would say you can recall to the point of the order, pretty much all of them besides maybe like five or 10. I’m not to the extreme of like a Sean McVay that can rattle off the exact time and situation and hash, but for the most part, it’s important to my job that I do remember things, the succession of them, what opponents have seen, what they’ve studied. You have to do it all the time because when it’s earned first down on the 35-yard line going in, you’re making a play call decision based upon your anticipated defensive play call which has to do both with what they like to do and what we’ve done in the past. So that’s why I’m a terrible conversation on a game day. (laughter)”

(I know covering golf, golfers can recall pretty much every stroke and I wonder if you ever get to the paralysis by analysis point? When you’re recalling down and distance situations and defenses…?) – “That’s when you see us burn a timeout for no reason, that’s what it is. (laughter) That’s when the overload occurred and it took me too long to get the play in.”

(Have doctors recommended with CB Kendall Fuller because it is his second concussion in two months that he misses extended time like doctors suggested with QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “Haven’t gotten that feedback, also don’t have a timeline. I do know he was feeling – based upon the previous situation where he was at in the timeline, he felt better than he did previously. Henceforth the medical experts did not feel as though the timeline, whatever that was, was absolutely necessitating that automatic four weeks out. It’s week-to-week based upon the advice of the medical experts as well as the feedback from Kendall (Fuller) and what he’s feeling, because that’s the most important thing.”

(FB Alec Ingold, how is he doing?) – “He’s doing well. What does that mean for the game? Soft tissues, particularly with guys that are not on the line of scrimmage, but major in blocking like Alec Ingold where you have to run before your contact point and come off the ball with absolute suddenness and stuff, you’re always wary of the feedback of the next play or the next outing or the next practice. We’ll be conservative, but prudent to see where he at. I feel good about him. That kind of makes it 50-50 for me for the game, just based on having two more days to get through and where that leads us.”

(If somebody would have told you back in August that WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle would have a per game average of 90 yards, what would you have said?) – “I don’t really go into things forecasting; however, I would have found it interesting. I would have thought either two things; first and foremost, how are defenses playing us and they must be giving them a lot of attention, and then I would have thought how are we executing against those looks if we’re not having production on offense, we’re not taking advantage of whatever scenarios that are keeping them from getting the ball. I guess nothing surprises me, I would just be looking at how’s the rest of our offense executing because if we’re not getting yards from them, yards and points better be coming from somewhere. I think that’s been one of the great things about the adversity from this season is how instead of doing what a lot of people can and have done that I’ve seen in the past where there’s dwelling on numerical values that aren’t Ws and Ls, I’ve seen guys get better. I think our line of scrimmage play from Tyreek (Hill) and (Jaylen) Waddle is the best that it’s been since I’ve been here in terms of releasing, using their footwork, and I think there’s another level of understanding of the timing of our offense based upon the challenging looks they have gotten. I think that overall, it’s forced our team to get better across the board which is an overall win. Our entire motives this offseason has been finding ways to get better during the season so that our best football is at the end when it matters most.”

(With respect to vets like you and TE Durham Smythe what responsibility do you feel when a veteran o new player is brought into your room? Like with TE Jack Stroll do you and Durham say, “text me if you have any questions” to him?) – “Absolutely. That comes with the territory. You’ve got to make yourself available to guys that you may have more experience than. It’s an honor to be in the position that I’m in. I wear it proudly. I’ve always since my years have been getting up there in the league – listen, I don’t consider myself old – you’ve got guys who have been playing 15, 16, 17 years, but I understand that an eight-year NFL veteran I understand is definitely, you’ve got your stripes. But everybody likes to put the ‘older guy mark’ on it. But I still feel young. I still look young so doing something right. But you’ve just got to make yourself available and do what you’re supposed to do always. If you do what you’re supposed to do, everything else will come with it. That’s part of being a leader. Doing your job first, worrying about what you’ve got to do, being accountable, respecting others, respecting your teammates, respecting the building, respecting the standard, and you got to make plays. You don’t get this far in the league without doing that. Just try to continue passing on that message to every guy that’s younger than me.”

Nov. 13, 2024

Miami Dolphins Make Roster Moves

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins announced they have been awarded tight end Jack Stoll off waivers from Philadelphia and have waived linebacker David Long Jr.

Stoll is a four-year NFL veteran who has appeared in 57 career games with 28 starts in four seasons with Philadelphia (2021-24) and recorded 22 receptions for 193 yards (8.8 avg.). He also appeared in five postseason games and started two with the Eagles. Stoll entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent with Philadelphia in 2021. He played collegiately at Nebraska (2017-20), where he appeared in 43 games with 26 starts and recorded 61 receptions for 657 yards (10.8 avg.) and six touchdowns.

Long Jr. has played in 75 career games with 49 starts with Tennessee (2019-22) and Miami (2023-24). He has totaled 371 tackles (222 solo), 1.0 sack, 15 pass deflections and three forced fumbles in his career. He has also appeared in six playoff games with four starts. He played in 25 games in his two seasons with Miami, totaling 148 tackles (88 solo), 1.0 sack, one pass deflection and one forced fumble. He originally entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick (188th overall) by Tennessee in the 2019 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at West Virginia, where he was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2018.

Name	Pos.	Hgt.	Wgt.	Birthdate	Exp.	College	Hometown	Acq.
Jack Stoll	TE	6-4	247	1/28/98	4	Nebraska ‘21	Lone Tree, Colo.	Wai., ’24 (Phi)

-DOLPHINS-

Miami Dolphins Sign Rucci to Practice Squad

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins announced they have signed tight end Hayden Rucci to the practice squad.

Rucci entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent with the Dolphins on May 10, 2024. He spent the offseason program and training camp with Miami, where he was on the team’s practice squad to open the season. He played collegiately at Wisconsin, where he appeared in 36 games with 18 starts during four seasons (2020-23). He caught 17 passes for 200 yards (11.8 avg.) and one touchdown for the Badgers and was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection in 2020, 2021 and 2023.