WR Jaylen Waddle
(What’s it like going out there and competing against guys like CB Jalen Ramsey?) – “It’s great. He had a great play on me, a special play today on me, so going up there and competing against a guy like that, that caliber each and every day; you don’t have a choice but to bring it and he is just special. He brings a different dynamic to our team so it’s always good playing with great special players like that.”
(After that play did you guys interact? What were you guys saying to each other?) – “We were just giving each other – just where I can get better at, what he’s seeing from his perspective that made him make the play. So he was just helping me out. OG to a younger guy, so he was just helping me out.”
(That was a play that worked for you guys yesterday, so I guess outside of CB Jalen Ramsey making a great play I guess, what were some things that made it different or better this time around or maybe better yesterday?) – “No, just another day of practice, of getting the rust out. First practice kind of getting back in the flow of things, people starting to hit their stride a little more today and just continuing to get better and get familiar with each other’s games and stuff like that.”
(How do you think WR Tyreek Hill is doing? I know he had that off-field incident. Now he’s been a little quiet in the first two days, but how do you feel he’s kind of doing from a mindset standpoint?) – “He’s great. He’s a great professional. He comes in, has great energy each and every day and when he hits the field, he’s a special player so that’s what we look for. He’s a leader, he’s a captain and he’s a special, special person, not even a special player.”
(You were talking about some of those battles earlier. Whether it’s CB Jalen Ramsey or CB Xavien Howard. Do y’all get excited about them like maybe we do as far as maybe what the one-on-ones, or the team drills look like?) – “Yeah, but you know we see each other so much throughout the day and the week so when we get out there, it’s always exciting. Maybe y’all get more excited than we do because we’ll just be out there, but when it’s time to compete, we’re trying to go at each other for sure.”
(Do y’all keep tally of “all right, I got you three times in practice?”) – “No, some people be on it one day. They’re going to have their days, we’re going to have our days, but it’s the NFL. You’re going to get locked up, you’re going to get routed up. You can do anything. It’s great players.”
(WR Tyreek Hill set his goal – 2,000 yards – what are your individual goals for this upcoming season?) – “Just be more consistent. I think I had a lot of ups and downs last season so just staying consistent throughout the whole season is kind of my goal for this year.”
(You got stronger this offseason. How are you feeling with the added muscle?) – “I’m feeling good. I’m feeling great. Put on some pounds, been in the weight room a lot more so I’m feeling good.”
(You mentioned pounds. Are you ready to tell us how much you put on?) – “Not yet. I want y’all – I need to get a good impact on somebody and y’all be like, ‘yeah, yeah, that’s that weight he’s talking about.’”
(WR Tyreek Hill mentioned how much he feels more comfortable in the offense here in the second year. How do you feel you’ve grown in the second year of the playbook?) – “Yeah, you just get more familiar. You kind of get a feel of Coach McDaniel’s – what he’s going to call, more detailed on the little things that they really hone-in on. So just getting a year under your belt to really lock in on the little stuff and this offense, it’s all about little fine details. So just locking in on that is key. I think we’re all doing a great job of just continuing to learn.”
(We all saw what happened at the end there with CB Jalen Ramsey leaving on the cart. How concerning is that for you and did you get a good look at what happened?) – “I actually didn’t. That’d be more of a question for someone else. I really didn’t get a good look on it, but I know Ramsey is a tough player.”
(I know you talked about getting bigger and stronger. How much bigger are you weight-wise or just body or muscle, I should say?) – “I think that’s GQ-classified. Can’t tell you all that, but hopefully y’all can see it in these arms, these legs. (laughter) And me running and stuff, but GQ-classified.”
(Were there plays last year you went back and looked at the tape with Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker or even you noticed yourself and said, “gee, I wish I would’ve been able to break that tackle.” Was that something that you noticed or saw?) – “Oh yeah, definitely. You kind of get that feeling throughout the year especially later in the year going through a whole bunch of games, but that’s just keeping up with your body and how important the pounds are to continue to take those type of hits throughout the season from safeties and linebackers and all different type of players.”
(Is that the biggest thing where you think adding the weight and the muscle could help break tackles?) – “Not necessarily just breaking tackles. It’s just a long season. Just having those extra pounds just to withhold and stay healthy throughout the whole season.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel had mentioned yesterday how the offense was like a foreign language last year. QB Tua Tagovailoa had to learn to communicate. Where is your comfort level with the offense and overall …) – “I’m very comfortable, like I said. It’s just getting more familiar with the play calls, getting familiar with Mike (McDaniel) on call. Kind of getting a feel of what he’s thinking inside. I’ve been playing with Tua (Tagovailoa) for a while now so I’ve kind of got a good grasp of his thoughts. So it’s just another year with the same coaches so that’s big.”
(I know last year, late in the season there was maybe snap issues as far as the play clock and stuff like that. Do you think the comfort helps in some of those categories as far as getting to the line and moving a little faster?) – “Definitely. All that just hones into the little small details that I really think that we’re zoning in on especially this offseason. They’re emphasizing how important procedure is and getting a good grasp on it before we make it a habit.”
(How have you seen QB Skylar Thompson kind of take a little next step year in his first couple practices?) – “I love Skylar honestly. I love how confident he is. He’s got a strong arm and he knows it so he believes he can make every throw and we believe in him, too, so I love his game. I love his confidence.”
(What have you seen from CB Cam Smith so far?) – “Man, Cam (Smith) is great. I think he’s really finding his stride now, getting into training camp, starting to get more familiar with the calls and being in his stance and kind of honing in on trusting what he sees, so Cam’s been great. He’s giving us great looks out there. I think he’s going to be a great player for a long time in this league.”
(I know you know QB Tua Tagovailoa very well. Have you seen much difference in him in particular this offseason? Has anything changed in your view?) – “He got an arm sleeve. (laughter) That was pretty unique to see. So that’s like the biggest thing, but no, Tua has been great like he knows the offense, knows it very well. So he’s just continuing to be a great leader and look to him and he’s our captain, our leader, so he’s just been great.”
S Jevon Holland
(We saw during practice that CB Jalen Ramsey went out. I’m curious what that means to you guys when you see one of your guys look like he’s a little banged up with an injury?) – “You know, everybody’s worried about him but we’re not really sure what’s wrong. So, just the end of practice, finished strong. But yeah, he’ll be alright.”
(You went over and talked to CB Jalen Ramsey, I think, when he was getting attention. What was that conversation like?) – “So he was like, ‘Yup. Straight.’ I’m like ‘alright bet.’ Dapped him up. That’s pretty much it. I don’t really know too much information about the situation. I’m not a medical professional so I’m not going to diagnose him. My expertise is on-field, football.”
(How quickly do you feel like the defense is grasping Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme?) – “Very well. Vic is a hell of a coach and he explains things in a very detailed manner. So I think because of that, everybody’s gathering the information pretty well.”
(How different is what you do in this defense compared to the last couple of years?) – “This is an entirely different scheme so it’s completely different. It’s like a whole 180 change, basically.”
(It’s been said that safeties can really thrive in Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio’s system. Are you finding that to be accurate?) – “Yeah, I find myself doing a lot, moving around, being able to make plays, communicate. It puts me in a position to be able to help my team.”
(There was an ESPN poll a week or two ago that came out with polling by exec’s, coaches, players. You were listed as the number five safety in the NFL. I was wondering if you saw that and what’s your reaction to getting that type of recognition from people around the NFL?) – “It’s pretty cool. But you know, like Kobe (Bryant) said, the job’s not finished. So, got work to do.”
(What are your expectations for yourself this year? Have you set any personal goals for yourself?) – “Nah. I can’t see past today. For real. I mean, I’ve got some meetings at 2:00, 2:30, that I’ve got to focus on. But I’m a very head in the dirt individual. I’m sorry I don’t have anything with headlines or anything for you.”
(You talked about the scheme being totally different. When do you think you’ll get to a point where it’s just second-nature? … Has that happened already or do you think it’ll happen over the course of camp?) – “I mean I feel like you always have more to learn about the game. There are 2,000 things that happen in football but only 200 a coach can tell you. So, through experience and through practice and whatnot, that’s kind of how you gather that information. There’s always going to be stuff that changes, always going to be things that arise that you have to talk about and council with your coaches and other players. Yeah, it just take’s time. But definitely.”
WR Braxton Berrios
(You’re making the AFC East Tour. How has it been with the Dolphins so far?) – “I’m very honored and blessed to be here. My dad is from Miami. I have a lot of family in Miami. I grew up a Dolphins fan, so this is kind of a dream come true.”
(What are your early impressions of this offense, and what do you like about it?) – “It’s been a lot of fun. Obviously went through OTA’s and learned the playbook as much as I could there and then reinstalling and going over and getting the finite details of everything. It’s been a lot of fun and a pretty quick learning curve. There’s a lot of crossover there, but I’m excited.”
(What happened on your long touchdown?) – “Just a go-ball. Skylar (Thompson) put it in a perfect place and we just connected on a deep one.”
(How much does offensive playing time matter to you? You’re a team guy, but everyone wants to play. Was that something that was important to you when you signed here?) – “Yeah, I think it’s important every year. You want to contribute however you can and help the team win however you can. You get what you carve out, so we’ll see what happens there.”
(You’ve carved out a career in the NFL, with your first year being on the fringe. Talk about your development, what you can do now that maybe you couldn’t do when you got into the league.) – “Year-to-year you have to look back and self-scout and see what you have to do better. Especially early, it’s really everything. I’ve tried to really hone-in on the things that I thought I was worse at year-in and year-out. From 2018 to now, I think I’ve made some decent strides and hopefully in four or five years, if I’m lucky enough, I’ll look back and say the same thing. Year-to-year is different. I feel good about where I’m at right now.”
(What were you working on initially when you figured out what you needed to do?) – “That’s going to stay with me. Hopefully it worked but it’s a year-to-year process and just trying to be the best all-around football player you can be going into the next year.”
(The decision to switch over to number zero. Was it because it’s new and cool?) – “It was new, it was different, it was cool. When I got here there wasn’t much open as it was, so I kind of fell into it. I like it and I’m embracing it. It’s the first year ever, so there’s a nuance to it, but I’m excited for it.”
(Do you have any cool nicknames for it, like Agent Zero?) – “Well Gilbert Arenas, that’s him. But everybody says that. I guess it sticks, but I can’t say I coined that one.”
(You said you grew up a Dolphins fan, and yet there were plenty of times you made plays that hurt the Dolphins. What was that like?) – “It’s the NFL. You can grow up a fan but obviously when you get here it becomes a career, a business, and things change. When I signed back here, I became the biggest fan again. It’s really cool to be here.”
(What about your family, no more divided loyalty between teams?) – “No more divided loyalties. My dad’s heart was hurting for the last five years with my tour of the AFC East as he called it, but now he’s happier than he’s ever been.”
(Have you been out to the Inter Miami games? What do you think of Lionel Messi being in Miami?) – “I have not yet, I need to. I think it’s incredible. Miami and South Florida sports have been incredible really in the last year with the deep playoff runs from the eight-seeds. It’s really cool to watch and we have a chance to continue that. I think that’s the most exciting part. Messi coming to Miami is something else. It’s very Miami.”
(What have you learned from Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker, someone who has a similar build to you and has accomplished a lot in the NFL?) – “A lot. He did it for a long, long time. If you study him and the way he runs routes, it’s different and I think he coined that. There’s a lineage after that that took from that. I’ve been watching him since I can really remember football. There’s some things that he does that you just can’t replicate because of who he is and nobody can be that. Same thing on the opposite side of the spectrum with Tyreek (Hill). There’s some things he does that you just can’t replicate because you don’t exactly have what he has. But I think it’s the overall knowledge and the nuances and the intricate details of football and what we are trying to accomplish in a play. Hearing him talk about those things and picking up on that has been really cool from my standpoint because you pick up on those things. You might not get the ball that play, but you might have done exactly what you’re supposed to do to open up somebody else. I’m trying to be a sponge with the offense and Coach Welker as well, but it’s been really cool.”
(You’ve been around QB Tua Tagovailoa for four months, what are your impressions?) – “I’m very impressed. As a human from a character standpoint and as a leader and teammate, he’s very personable. He knows how to get the attention of a huddle and is very confident as he should be. He’s been extremely accurate, and really I just can’t say enough good things about him and I’m happy and excited to play with him.”
