P Michael Palardy
(The first obvious question is how good does it feel to be back after the injury last year? Are you back to being your old self?) – “Yeah, I feel great. I feel great. Unfortunately, that kind of stuff happens. It was kind of a freak thing in my driveway playing basketball when everything was kind of shut down. You just have to roll with the punches.”
(Did you land wrong or did you plant wrong?) – “Yeah, I was playing around and I just stepped wrong and I fell and collapsed to the ground. At that point, I knew something was up. This is kind of one of those things that you can’t really control and last year was tough, not being able to play. It was my first major injury like that. My entire career I’ve been healthy for the most part. It was tough to sit and watch; but I got through it and I’m here now and I’m happy to be here and I feel great. My surgery went well, my recovery went really well and I feel back to being my old self.”
(Given the nature of the punting position, where sometimes you have some really good ones who have a hard time finding work for a long period of time. Was there ever that thought crossed your mind like, “Is this going to be it?”) – “Yeah, absolutely. There’s 32 of us, right? My first two and a half years I was probably the epitome of a ‘journeyman.’ I was on nine, 10 maybe 11 teams. Sometimes I lose track. (I had) 26 different workouts, so I was all over the place. I was always looking for an opportunity. I think that allowed me to really appreciate having the opportunity of being at a place like here and Carolina the previous five seasons. You grow a different appreciation for the game when that kind of stuff happens, when you struggle a little bit and that’s what I did. There were times where I questioned whether or not I’d be able to get an opportunity again because that window is very small. I wasn’t worried about it. I wasn’t stressed about it. I just knew that I had to do what I needed to do to be able to get myself ready in case that opportunity did present itself and I was ready to take advantage of it.”
(How’s your throwing arm? Have you ever thrown a pass in a game?) – “I have. I’ve thrown two. One was incomplete but we had a flag on the play. The second one was two years ago in Indianapolis. I played quarterback before I was a kicker or a punter. I played quarterback a little bit in high school and then I stopped to focus on kicking and punting. Having a red jersey, sometimes I wish I could but I’m happy with the position I chose.”
(Have you raised your hand and said, “hey, if you’re thinking about it I can do it?”) – “I’m just trying to take advantage of the opportunities when they’re called upon. I’ll leave those decisions to other people.”
(How did it come to you to get here, after an injury, after you getting back to health?) – “I think around February is when Carolina released me. I wasn’t done with my rehab at the time and a little bit after I had gotten released, my agent got a call from Mr. (Chris) Grier showing interest. I came for a visit and I think I meshed really well with what they wanted to do and the intensity that they put on special teams. There’s a lot of value to that. That’s something that I hold near and dear to my heart; coaches, head coach, Coach (Brian) Flores, Coach (Danny) Crossman, the intensity that they put on the kicking game is something that I value. It was a good fit.”
(How does that come through, the intensity of the kicking game?) – “It manifests itself in so many different ways. Coach (Danny) Crossman, Coach (Brian) Flores expect a lot out of their specialists and I expect a lot out of myself. They challenge me, I challenge me, my teammates challenge me and I want them to. Sometimes it’s verbally, sometimes they don’t even to say anything and I know what I need to do to execute my role, my job, whatever the play is. If it’s not met, I’m upset at myself. I’ve let my teammates down; I’ve let my coaches down. I think that’s what I need and I’m happy that I’m here to be able to witness it.”
(Have you heard from any of your students?) – “(Laughter) Ironically, when I was substitute teaching, Jordan Scarlett was actually in school there at St. Thomas. It was cool because he got drafted by Carolina and now he’s here and I’m here. It’s a nice full circle.”
(Do you remember him as a student?) – “Of course.”
(Give us a teacher’s report on RB Jordan Scarlett.) – “He was a good student. At St. Thomas, the student athletes are held to a very high standard. They’re always very respectful. I know Coach (George) Smith, Coach (Roger) Harriott that’s part of their mantra is that student athletes are held to a very high standard. I always appreciated that. It was like that for me when I was in school there and I think it’s still that way to this very day.”
(I noticed something that I haven’t seen before; you were kicking line drives from midfield to about the 10-yard line. I’m fascinated by it so I wanted to know where did you pick that up at, is that common, did coach tell you to do that? – “I don’t think its common, at least from what I’ve seen. For me, it’s mentally getting myself prepared to experience the elements that are around me. My train of thought is if I can put the ball on a rope at a specific spot, a specific yard line, when I go out into the open field and I have this ton of space, it allows me to be a little more comfortable hitting directionally, painting the sideline if I want to, putting it outside the red line here on the fields, trying to hit the ball so that the returner can’t catch it, hit it out of bounds. Those are the best returns and the best punts; the ones they can’t catch. That’s my train of thought. It mentally gets me prepared. It’s part of my warmup whether it’s before practice or before a game so you’ll always see that.”
RB/WR Malcolm Perry
(Obviously you showed some good things last year as a rookie but the room is very full with 14 guys. Do you have any sense of whether you’re going to have an opportunity to play here this year? What’s your feel for things?) – “I’m not really thinking about that. I’m thinking about taking it day-by-day, trying to come out here and learn from my mistakes, get better every day and try to learn from the guys who played the position for a long time who have a lot of experience. That’s not really something I’m thinking about it. It’s just taking it day-by-day, coming out here, playing football and trying to be the best player that I can be.”
(How would you assess your progress to receiver? Obviously it’s been over a year now where you’ve been able to fully concentrate on that.) – “I believe I’m getting there. I still have a lot to work on. I would say I’m happy with how much I’ve progressed, how much I’m learning and I’m extremely grateful for the guys in the room who are willing to lend advice and try to get me to the best version of myself that I can be. I’m extremely grateful for the receiver room that I’m in.”
(Have you talked to offensive coaches – maybe Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey, Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Eric Studesville, Wide Receivers Coach Josh Grizzard or anyone really about being able to do other things and get snaps at other positions maybe to make yourself more versatile? Has that come up?) – “No, not at all. We’re just now starting off camp so we’re trying to get the basics down. That’s pretty much it right now. It’s the basics. It’s fundamentals.”
(So all of the focus has been on wide receiver?) – “Yes, sir.”
(Just from being in the league for a year, do you feel like, ‘I’m an NFL player?’ Obviously you had the touchdown in Buffalo. Is there a confidence that ‘I’m an NFL player’ for you at this point?) – “Yeah, I would say so. That’s a progress for everybody and it comes at a different stages in everybody’s career. I would say I’m at that point; but like I said, I’m still far from where I want to be. I’m extremely happy to be here.”
(How tough is it to not look at the numbers game? You’re in a room with all of these receivers. How tough is that?) – “I would say for me personally, it hasn’t been that tough. I’ve been taking it day-by-day. Just coming out here, coming out to practice, learning from the guys in the room, learning from my mistakes and just trying to be the best player I can be. If you worry about the numbers, that’s kind of detrimental to what you want to do. I don’t look at that stuff. I just come out to practice every day and play.”
(You’ve got a unique opportunity in this training camp to have joint practices with two separate teams. That’s very unique. Are you looking forward to going against other people out here?) – “Of course. I’m always looking forward to competition. That’s what makes you better as a player. So any chance I get – whether that’s out here against the Dolphins or out here against whoever – I’m always happy for a little competition.”
(I want to ask about your quarterback. How different does QB Tua Tagovailoa seem in this training camp as opposed to last year when everybody had no training camp and he got thrown in there?) – “You can obviously tell he’s been working in the offseason. It’s fun kind of to be able to sit back sometimes and kind of look at him and see how much he’s grown. It kind of motivates you as a player in the same position – I’m in the same class as him. So seeing how much he’s developed has kind of motivated me to get on top of my game even more and try to develop just as much.”
(Have you seen more of a leadership from QB Tua Tagovailoa because last year he was behind QB Ryan Fitzpatrick for a little while. Now he gets to be that persona. Have you seen more of his persona?) – “Yeah, definitely. That goes into your Year 2 development. I think embracing that role and being able to play at that level, and then also to be a leader at that level and be vocal. I’ve seen it all from Tua.”
(How has being at the Naval Academy prepared you for where you are today?) – “That could be a long answer but to keep it short, it makes everything a lot easier. Being out here playing football and not having to worry about school or the military obligations and all of that stuff, it helped me a lot with time management and just being grateful to be out here playing football.”
(What are you looking forward to most in Year 2 in the NFL?) – “Just being a better player all around for myself. I don’t have much personal expectations other than just being a better player and being the best I can be.”
S Jevon Holland
(I know the goal is just getting better every day but is it at all encouraging to you that we’ve seen you with the first group in two of the last three days of practice?) – “We’re all just rotating around and getting reps, really. Going into Chicago next week and at practice tomorrow, we’re just making sure we’re getting our fundamentals and techniques down like ‘Coach Flo’ (Brian Flores) wants, and trying to orchestrate the defense according to Coach (Josh) Boyer. We’re just making sure we’re executing and really focusing in on the things that are going on in meetings and walkthroughs.”
(We saw the pick that was impressive a couple of days ago. What have you been pleased with how you’ve done in this camp? What have you done well?) – “I feel like I’m learning the playbook and getting the fundamentals down, really. When you get the fundamentals down and do the little things, then plays come to you. You don’t have to really go find them. That was the result of one of them. But that’s in the past. I’m just looking forward to continuing to execute and capitalize on those things that come to me.”
(What part of your game do you and Defensive Backs Coach Gerald Alexander focus on as far as where you think – I know you’d probably say everything but are there any specific areas where you’d say you’re not at the level you want to be at yet at this particular thing?) – “I’m really just focused on the fundamentals and the techniques, honestly. Every place is different so coming here, you’ve got to learn everybody’s terminology, the technique, the fundamentals, how they want you to come out of the post, things like that. That’s really what I’m trying to focus on with coach.”
(I saw DB Jason McCourty says he calls you Old Canada. Is it Old Canada?) – “Yeah. Old Canada.”
(Do you have a nickname for him or anyone else in the room?) – “No, not really. I just – ‘Forty Glock’ is Nik (Needham) and then I just call Jaytlin (Askew) ‘skew’ and things like that. But yeah, everybody is cool. Everybody has a good time. Everyone in the DB room is cool. They’re good guys, making sure everybody knows what they’re doing. Everybody’s learning. The older guys are teaching younger guys. The younger guys are really absorbing that knowledge. It’s a good mix.”
(Watching you out here and going back to your Oregon tape, it looks like you play really fast. Is that instincts? Is that your play speed? Is that a combination of both? How do you get to that ultimate point of playing so fast?) – “I think it’s just TNT’s – the ‘takes no talent’ type things. It’s just about effort and wanting that ball. ‘Coach Camp’ (Anthony Campanile) talked to us about just feeling like the person with the ball is taking your livelihood and to attack the ball every play like that. Nobody has an answer for that – that 100 percent effort to the ball every time. I think that’s one of the main things of trying to play fast is making sure you know what you’re doing so you can react and just go run to the ball.”
(You mentioned Defensive Backs Coach Gerald Alexander a minute ago. I saw him in the rapid tackle drills over here and he got in there for a rep and took, I think, S Brandon Jones down. What’s that energy like having a guy that played the position and had some success, what’s it like learning from a guy like that?) – “It’s great honestly. Coach is ecstatic and energetic all of the time, so it makes listening and learning from him a lot better, especially because he’s played the position, like you said, in the league and everything like that. It just motivates you to listen to what he’s saying, really. You want to learn more when he speaks. You’re quiet and listening at attention when he speaks.”
(Do you think Defensive Backs Coach Gerald Alexander can still play?) – “Oh, yeah. Definitely.”
(There’s so much importance at your position of calling out signals. Do you have a teammate or someone quizzing you at night about ‘Ok, in this spot, you should call out what?’) – “No, I live alone. (laughter) But I do have my brother and we do go over some of the stuff. Just talking football – talking football in general will speed things up in terms of the learning process. I try to talk as much football away from the facility as possible just so that it’s comfortable in my mind and I’m always thinking about it.”
(There’s a game obviously one week from now. You’ll be playing. Do you feel like your knowledge of the playbook is such that you’ll be able to make all of the calls you need in a game?) – “Well, yeah. I think every day you try to take a step to that perfect call, that perfect communication in a game. A lot of the time guys make mistakes; but as long as you’re better the next day than you were today and better tomorrow than you were today. It’s all about making improvement.”
(Do you and S Eric Rowe talk through things? Obviously he’s a strong safety. Just about developing chemistry? Is that something that can be done in part by talking a lot off the field?) – “Yeah, definitely. When you build chemistry with someone then it’s easy to be able to communicate with them on the field. You know their mannerisms and things like that.”
WR Lynn Bowden Jr.
(How do you feel camp has gone for you so far? Are you happy with what you’ve put on tape through the nine practices?) – “Definitely. There’s always room for improvement. We’re out here working in this 100-degree weather every day just looking for things to critique and get better at. On my end, I probably have to step up a little bit and be that playmaker that everybody thinks I am, that I know I am; but other than that, I think I’m doing a good job.”
(There’s an awful lot of depth and talent at the wide receiver position. Where do you see yourself fitting into that group?) – “It’s a deep group and everybody is competing right now. We’re all competitors in there and I feel like I can get up there with the best of them. We’ve just got to let it show out here.”
(The Dolphins added a few guys who have speed and shiftiness such as WR Jaylen Waddle and WR Will Fuller. What do you think you can offer the Dolphins that is unique?) – “Everything. Just like you said, the shiftiness, speed and just my IQ on the field in general from playing multiple positions and doing it at the highest level. I feel like my IQ can get me there.”
(How much of a difference does it feel to actually have a training camp here and be in the offense that you already somewhat know compared to last year?) – “It’s way better. When I got traded, I had a couple days to try to learn the whole playbook; but just being out here from Day 1 to whenever it’s over, it’s just way easier for me and for the coaches to see what I can put on film and do in the offense that we’ve got.”
(Thirteen receivers in the room – of the 13, obviously before WR Isaiah Ford came here. There are only six running backs. I know obviously you’re best suited for receiver than a running back. You could’ve done it, but you’re probably better at receiver. But because of the numbers, did the thought ever occur to you this offseason, “Should I inquire about maybe asking for some snaps at running back as well?” Or is your thinking, “I am receiver. This is what I want to do?”) – “I’d play center if I got to. (laughter) So if that answers your question – I’ll play whatever they need me to play, whatever they ask me to play.”
(Is it something that you brought up though to them? Did you and Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Eric Studesville and Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey have any discussion saying, “Can I take running backs snaps, too?”) – “Can’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. (laughter)”
(Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey and Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Eric Studesville, some other folks – they all kind of brainstormed to put together an offense that would fit the skillsets of QB Tua Tagovailoa and the skill players. What do you like about what they came up with?) – “To me, I think the offense is magnificent. The coaches – they took their time with it and they made it for us and it’s going to show out there when we come out in Game 1.”
(What stands out about you is your instincts in the open field. It’s almost like you have a sixth sense in where guys are coming from. Where does that come from?) – “That’s from God. I’ve had that in me since I was a young guy just running around. I played a lot of backyard football growing up and I still do at home with my son. And I got a lot of dogs. They like to chase me around the yard so I work on that stuff at home. (laughter)”
(It’s like Rocky. It’s like Rocky chasing…) – “Oh yeah, definitely. (laughter)”
(With the RPO offense, obviously you have a background with it from your college days. What is the biggest challenge in terms of making it work?) – “Everybody’s just got to be on the same page, committed and dedicated. I think that’s where our group is right now from the ones to the threes to the fives. I think we’re all committed, dedicated to everything the coaches want us to do and I think that’s what’s going to get it done.”
(How difficult is it as a playmaker to just accept the role that they carved out for you in?) – “It’s the name of the game. It’s the name of the game. You know what you sign up for. Some player’s role might be bigger. Some player’s (role) might be lower. It all goes hand-in-hand.”
(What’s one specific thing that you want to make sure that the coaches see from you before the final cut-down day?) – “That I’m dedicated. I’m reliable and I’m here to have fun and win some championships.”
(Some of your teammates and some people have decided they don’t want to be vaccinated. What is your level of support for their decision?) – “That’s their personal decision. I’m not going to say I’m against. I’m not going to say I’m with it. I’m obviously vaccinated. I did it for my kids. I didn’t want to bring anything home, even though you still can get sick. I’m not against it; I’m not with it. I did it out of my personal choice. I guess I could just tell them to read up on it and make a decision; but we’re playing in the NFL so they got the last say of what’s going to go on and like I said, it’s a personal decision.”
(What are your thoughts on your Madden 22 rating?) – “What is it?”
(68, but your acceleration and catching is like 87.) – “87? Acceleration? I think I got one of the best stop herky jerky NFL. (laughter) I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t get into stuff like that. I still see people tagging me in 95-yard bombs down the field so if 68 is bad when I get on there, whenever I do, I’ll turn it up to 99. (laughter)”
(How do you avoid looking at the numbers during training camp – how many guys are there? How many guys will stick? How do you avoid that?) – “Sometimes you’ve just got to worry about yourself. You can’t worry about the next person is doing. If I’m trying to get better – like I was saying, you can’t worry about what someone else is getting better at because that’s the chance that you give them to get on top of you. You know what I mean? So for me, I’m just worrying – like I watch the film, I see everybody and what they do. You learn from mistakes. If I make a mistake, I go in there and watch it and make sure I don’t make the same mistake over and over. And at the end of the day, it’s about the team. You want to better everybody around you, so I know if I’m going hard, they’re going to go hard and if they’re going hard, I’m going to go hard. It goes hand-in-hand.”
(This may be a weird question, but you seem a lot more comfortable and enjoying the conversation with the media than you did last year. Is it strictly because you’re in-person and not on Zoom?) – “We’re in person. Listen, I’m going to come and shake y’all’s hands when I get done. (laughter) I’ll come shake y’all’s hands. I feel good. I’m not just staring at a screen; I felt like I was incarcerated.”
TE Adam Shaheen
(How concerning was it to be on the COVID-19 list?) – “What do you mean by concerning? Can you elaborate on that? Like was I concerned for my healthy and safety? Not at all.”
(Were you asymptomatic? Did you feel fine?) – “I never had COVID. I never had COVID.”
(So you were just in the protocol? Just contact tracing?) – “Yes.”
(On your twitter profile, you say ‘I will not comply.’ Is the in reference to the vaccine?) – “No. It’s actually more of a – I’m a big gun guy. It’s more of a second amendment thing from one of my favorite YouTube channels. I know I think it was taken that way. It is what it is.”
(We definitely want to clear it up. Are you vaccinated?) – “No.”
(What went into that decision? And is there anything that would lead you to change your mind?) – “For me, it’s a personal choice and it’s bigger than just COVID. I’m not going to elaborate further on that. There is – the NFL has been trying to push it. It is no secret that they’ve been trying to push it on unvaccinated guys. I’m going to continue to go through the protocols of the unvaccinated that they make me do. I’m not going to get fined. But they are not going to strong-arm me into doing something for more freedom when this is such a changing atmosphere and they are already taking away freedoms of unvaccinated guys. This is just a changing environment and I’m going to take my hands off and follow the rules that they put in place for me. But they’re not gong to strong-arm myself into getting it, so no.”
(Do you feel any level of resentment or disappointment that they make it harder for you as an unvaccinated player?) – “Yes and no. This is a business and from their point of view, they want us to play all the games. Absolutely, I get that. They are trying to do everything they can. That being said, for us to go and push more protocols than we had last year is beyond me. But like I said, I’m going to do what they ask and require of me and that’s going to be that. We’ll take it one day at a time.”
(When we see something on Twitter we want to make sure we know exactly what you mean. On there you said something about somewhere without a mask – something like that. What is your belief about masks?) – “Belief about masks? Listen, I believe we live in the greatest nation on the earth. I think from the start, it’s been about people’s choice. If you want to wear a mask and protect yourself and those around you like they say, I’m all for it. No problem. If I don’t want to, I’m all for – It shouldn’t be – in my opinion, it shouldn’t be looked down upon when you don’t do one side or the other. I think that’s a part of what I alluded to earlier – part of the bigger problem with this entire thing. With that said, the same with the vaccine. I think it’s your choice and that’s really all I think that needs to be said. I’m sure that will – whatever. Anyways, do you guys have any questions about the offense?”
(How do you feel you’ve performed this spring and early summer?) – “I think we’ve put together – having more time with the OTAs and stuff, I think it was good for us. I think you can see us clicking a little bit more early on in training camp and hopefully we’re going to continue to build off of that going forward.”
(How do you feel about returning to Chicago next week? Obviously, it’s where you played.) – “I’m excited. I got traded here obviously right before training camp and I got the extension last year. I’m excited to go back up there and compete against the old stomping grounds and have fun with it.”
(With everybody back at tight end and the team drafting TE Hunter Long, are there going to be enough balls for the tight end room?) – “We have a lot of talent across the board – offensively, defensively. I think that’s why we’re out here in training camp right now is to earn those opportunities come the season.”
(Why do you think you’ve been able to make a home here, where you’ve gotten an extension; but it didn’t fly right in Chicago?) – “I’m never going to say anything bad about the Bears. I wasn’t available for them to – that was my problem because I wasn’t available. Now obviously getting down here, this is an unbelievable organization from top to bottom as far as everything they do. I think I came in, them helping me really take it slow coming off of a couple of injuries and getting going was paramount to my success. Continuing that and being as healthy as I really have been in my five years has been awesome.”
(Aside from your health, what are you doing better now?) – “I think for me, the game has slowed down completely. Like I said, this is year five, and it doesn’t feel as all over the place and lost as I was those first couple of years. I think it’s improvement and that’s a lot of credit to the organization and the coaches and how well they are doing for us as a staff.”
