ORLANDO -- Miami Dolphins head coach Adam Gase attended the annual media breakfast at the NFL owners meeting Tuesday. It was a 7:15 a.m. kickoff. This is what he said: (Refresh for latest updates as news and tidbits are added.) 7:13 am: Gase walks in. Here we go. Already he’s ripping me for sitting too close. “Hey, can you get closer?” he says. 7:14: “Obviously when you have players that have left, the caliber of guys we’ve had, we know we’re not going to replace one guy with one guy.” Says it is a group thing and he wanted to address the locker room. 7:15: Gase says replacing Mike Pouncey is a “tough one.” Says Daniel Kilgore will have different traits. He talks about getting three interior guys to play well together. 7:16: Gase says the plan is to “spread the ball out” when distributing the ball in 2018. Last year, Jarvis Landry got over 100 catches and way more targets. That’s not the plan this year. 7:17: Gase compares Danny Amendola to Wes Welker. Says the system works well when it has someone like that. “It’s something we’re excited about. He’s a winner.... I think he’s going to be a great example for the rest of our locker room.” 7:18: Gase talks of being with Frank Gore in San Francisco 10 years ago. Says he hasn’t changed. Talks about how he will help Kenyan Drake. The reps? “We’ll figure it out. We’ll make sure we’ll spread this out well.” 7:19: Gase is saying he and Jarvis Landry ended in a good place. “I thought we did.” Says moving on from the receiver was a business issue. 7:20: Gase is asked about the offensive line. “I’m just glad I don’t have to hear about guard play. We can put that down for a while.” Says it’s important to finding cohesiveness. Talks about how everyone practicing together is very important. 7:21: Gase says Ryan Tannehill is “ready to go.” But “I’ll try to do a good job and not bother him too much and the training staff is going to be involved.” As to Tannehill’s game. “He’s going to play his game,” suggesting he’s not going to change after two ACL injuries. 7:23: Gase says Tannehill will be “ready to go” at the start of OTAs. Those begin in May. I asked if he’d be ready for the start of training camp. From the look he gave me, he thinks that’s not even an issue. 7:24: Gase says “I’d like to get a quarterback as much as anybody else,” when he’s asked if team is definitely drafting one. But ... “We’re not going to pick a quarterback to pick a quarterback. We have to make sure we get the right one for us.” 7:25: Gase is asked who the leaders are? “We’ll find out. We’ve added more guys than we’ve lost. We’re adding good pieces to the puzzle and we’re only going to get better leadership.” 7:37: Adam Gase says adding Robert Quinn and getting William Hayes back “was big for us.” Says Gase was “very impactful” in the building last year. Says Hayes issue was something he had for a while and doctor said as soon as he had the surgery he was going to feel like a new man. And apparently Hayes has confirmed that. 7:38: Gase says Hayes does a great job setting the edge. 7:39: Tight end talk. Gase says A.J. Derby was player QB really liked working with him. “Anytime you have a guy who’s a former quarterback, he has a better feel,” for what the quarterbacks are looking for. Says he’s eager to see how that grows going forward. 7:40: Adam Gase says “things are heading in the right direction” with Thomas Duarte. Got some first-team practice snaps last year and did well. Of course, didn’t play much. 7:42: Adam Gase says he and Baker Mayfield are “close in personality probably.” He calls Baker’s personality “infectous to other guys ... Whatever it is he wants to win. He always wants to do a little bit more ... I’ve enjoyed the amount of time I’ve spent with him.” 7:45: Gase says if team drafts a quarterback “probably” they’ll carry three. “I like the guys on our roster right now, if we add somebody else it will be for a reason.” 7:46: Gase says letting David Fales move on as free agent “was not an option.” 7:46: On Damien Williams, Gase says when the process began in free agency, the player was looking for more than he ultimately got. When the situation circled back and Williams’ price tag had declined, the Dolphins were already on to Frank Gore. 7:47: Gase on Albert Wilson: “The variety of things he can do, his speed, he’s a guy that can a throw behind the line of scrimmage and turn it into 70 yard touchdown.” Says he can play outside and inside. Sees exteme improvement 2016 to 2017. 7:51: Adam Gase says Albert Wilson “towers over Jakeem [Grant].” Adds he’s “taller thank [offensive coordinator] Dowell [Loggains]” Loggains is 5-foot-8. So is Grant. and Wilson is 5-9. 7:54: Adam Gase says “we know what he can do,” with DeVante Parker. The problem is “how we can keep him healthy. We have to do as much as we can when we hit Spring to build.” Gase admits the team needs a little bit of luck in keeping Parker healthy. Oh, boy. 7:55: Adam Gase says the team is in a holding pattern with the future of tight end Anthony Fasano, as I reported Monday. The answer will likely come after the draft. 8 a.m.: Adam Gase says the Dolphins are looking at everything this offseason in a positive light because “we get our quarterback back.” He says the Dolphins are a better team right now."
Woah, that last one is really interesting....because there was a ton of adversity with the hurricane and all the travel. Gase also said (from an earlier quote of yours) that this feels more like his team now than anything, and that he inherited a lot of folks who just didn't fit. So I personally am pretty excited that this is going to be a really good year. Who replaces Suh though? That's the million dollar question.
Surprised to read that quote about TJ McDonald. Is that something he believes can be addressed and fixed?
The Dolphins have parted ways with three significant members of last year’s squad by cutting defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and center Mike Pounceyand trading wide receiver Jarvis Landry after using the franchise tag on him. They’ve balanced the departures of those players and last year’s trade of running back Jay Ajayi by bringing in the likes of defensive end Robert Quinn, guard Josh Sitton, wide receiver Danny Amendola and running back Frank Gore. Head coach Adam Gase said Tuesday that he feels “like we’ve added more guys than we’ve lost” and that the changes will benefit the team’s locker room. “I am not hoping [the culture will improve],” Gase said, via the Miami Herald. “I know it’s going to be different. You have some alpha dogs who are not going to accept a lot of the [expletive] that has gone on. … I think you guys will notice it kind of when we get going. I don’t know, there’s something about a lot of these guys that we brought in.” Gase was credited with making positive changes to the Dolphins culture when he took the team to the playoffs in 2016. Last year saw the team go the opposite way and there aren’t likely to be too many more chances to hit the reset button before someone else gets a chance to press it.
Not saying we don't need talent, but team chemistry may be just as important. However, it's one of those things that's hard to define. It's like finding a spouse or significant other that is a good fit. You don't always know why, but when you have it, you know it. I like that Gase has looked in the mirror and has looked for ways he can improve. He has also looked at how we are coaching and teaching our guys. Gase is trying hard to find guys that work well together, and who really want to win and aren't just faking it. That has me excited. Can't wait for the season to begin!
It's one of the things many people have complained about on this board - coaching and teaching. Also the culture change. Some just pay it lip service but it really looks like he's trying to make fundamental changes and not just slogans on the wall.
They are. I think Gase said they were looking at how the coaches present the material. I am sure nobody was happy that some guys didn't know what to do last year. When asked about Amendola, Gase said he hoped Amendola could help SHOW the young guys how it's done,etc. Sometimes it's not enough to tell somebody something; some people need to SEE how it's done. I know that is how I am with stuff. Tell me something and it's 50/50, but let me see it visually, and usually I am good to go (unless it's grammar, LOL!).
That' why I think mincah Fitzpatrick if he were to miraculously fall to us would be our pick. McDonald will be moved to wlb in the hybrid packages they run. And I think we are drafting a free safety high. 1st or 2nd round. McDonald will be our hybrid lb/safety
I think you have a better shot at seeing minkah at 11 than you do derwin james But you probably need either baker mayfield or Denzel Ward to come off in front of us. Depends on if teams view Denzel as more than a nickel corner.
I think part of the problem with the dolphins for the last two decades is we have gotten too many partiers and not enough serious minded players. Hopefully the party atmosphere ends once and for all under gase
I think minkah would be great for the locker room but if his grade lies in nickel corner he should come off after Denzel Ward. If it’s pure nickel I’m taking Ward over minkah 183 lbs screams nickel. Minkahs about as assignment sound and well coached in college as you will ever find.
we're probably going to be in the nickel or dime 70% of the time the way the game is played now but I'm pretty sure mincah would be full time FS and stay the other 30% out on the field. I like the cerebral aspect of minkahs game and would do that pick in a nanosecond if he was available. I don' think he will so I think our pick will be Vea or edmunds. I would be cool with Edmunds though Vea would disappoint me a bit
I so hope that everyathing works out this season because I can see where Gase is coming from when he talks yet because he's in charge of the Dolphins, is going to get a bum rep from a lot of the talking headheads around the NFL.
Didn’t play an ounce of dime in 2017 although maybe that had to do with personnel attrition. I’m not sure tj McDonald as a lb will give enough gap fill accountability to be able to live with him off the los at lb in the nickel and a walk up/2 deep strong with a true free safety type But a Vita Vea addi sure would help there. I’m pretty convinced Edmunds will be gone at 11. The pure lb tape doesn’t validate it that’s like kuechly territory and he doesn’t have that level instincts but that frame fluidity and speed combo coupled with the poa play and meat left still on the bone with all of it has to have someone running that card up in the top 10 You can draft that guy with the idea he plays every down now and 2 years from now what will the player be. His combination of measurables and skills is once a decade like. You don’t let that sit long. Even if the lb play needs to catch up with everything else
At his size, speed, and age, it's a gamble you can take and no one will look at you funny for it. Plus, he's already a pretty outstanding linebacker.
Yeah, I have two words for those talking heads and their opinions- the first word starts with an "F" and the second word is "them". It used to bother me when I saw the Dolphins on a dominant streak and ranked like 25th in the league, but at the end of the day it really doesn't matter. You'll NEVER hear one of those idiots saying that they were wrong...for instance, when they said we had zero chance before kickoff against NE on Monday night. Yet by the end of the game, we heard how disciplined Adam Gase had the team, how Brady was having a rare off-night, etc. Then the media praised us all the way up to the Super Bowl with one line- "Teams need to manhandle the Patriots like the Dolphins did on MNF to have a chance." We went from having zero chance to being the poster child of how to beat NE, and I'd bet 99% of those talking heads didn't watch a full drive of ours all season. Yet they couldn't stop praising us even though we played horribly the last month of the season. So I'll say it again- F them and their 30 second ESPN searches right before kickoff.
It' a good point. Who you draft is going to have strengths and weaknesses that will allow us to play certain alignments and not allow us to play others. Im a huge tavon bryan fan but feel he wouldn' be used to his full potential if he was here. He's a guy you line up everywhere on the line . Here we might just leave him as a DE. But I'll tell you if we still had Suh here and you lined him up next to Suh inside we would be getting a lot of sacks up the middle.
If you are asking me do I think he will be luke kuechly level my answer is no. He will never have that level box instincts and feel for the position. Kuechly is basically zach thomas instincts wise in a 240 plus lb 6 foot 3 package. I think Edmunds pure box instincts as a mike if that’s where we put him are on the Bernardrick McKinney level. But in a much more rangy and athletic/explosive body. Better prospect than McKinney no doubt but similar poa and tackle to tackle like thump. To me for Miami Edmunds ideal fit is strong but if I’m drafting him at 11 he has to play every down and that means I’m either putting him at mike or weak in the nickel. Of the 2 with Kiko in house I think the play has to be mike. I need that thump in the nickel between the tackles to help offset the loss of suh at dt but preferably the box instincts would be better. So I think that’s what miami has to weigh here. I do think there’s a possibility he could play nickel weak and pair with Raekwon as the mike if Miami let Kiko go after 2018. But Raekwon has to show he has perimeter field range in the pros. Needs to meet the ball horizontally at the los. I know he ran 4.51 but his college play speed to the boundary and perimeter didn’t match that. Miamis scheme isn’t gonna ask Edmunds to win vs tackles as a pass rusher off anything other than overloads or gap blitz so we don’t get to put that one in the box to check off as added value. Although frankly if you draft that kid and ask him primarily to win one on one vs tackles as a edge rusher I think you are asking to be pinked. Ideal scheme most bang for your buck and littlest projection/risk for the player to me would be the patriots bear front. Donta Hightower role. He fits that like a glove. Some of the delay I see in Edmunds tape is recognition. Should improve with more game reps and understanding of what teams are trying to do pre to post snap.
I think that the problem has been coaches/FO tolerating that stuff. I’ve worked in places where the boss let the partying atmosphere take over and seen the place fall apart. As a boss I’ve shut down partying to excess, it’s not that hard - you ride the ring leaders, let everyone know they need to be functioning 100% at work and the rest of the crew falls in line. Don Shulas ‘phins partied hard - in their down time, not when affected their on field performance.
As one of the guys who has complained loudly and longly about coaching and teaching, everything I have seen over the last 2 years makes me feel Gase is genuinely going about making the fundamental changes. It’s why I am not so worried about losing Pouncey, Landry and Suh. Those 3 guys, talented as they are, were individualists not team centered players. This all comes back to undoing the damage Philbin did by not holding players accountable.
