Not a lot here but it's news: Head Coach Adam Gase addressed the media at the Baptist Health Training Facility at Nova Southeastern University on Thursday. Here were some comments that stood out, along with some perspective: — The Dolphins selected not one but two tight ends in the 2018 draft, with Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe, and they joined A.J. Derby, MarQueis Gray, Thomas Duarte and Gavin Escobar on the roster. Gase said Smythe, the fourth-round pick from Notre Dame, represented tremendous value because of his blocking ability while also possessing underrated route-running skills. “We liked the group that we have here, we just wanted to add to it.” — On Kenyan Drake: “He’s matured a lot, whether it’s the playbook or just him personally.” — The Dolphins will not be switching styles on defense in 2018, but Gase is confident that unit will have a good season. “We’re looking at a group that’s looking to play good team defense. I really like what I’ve been seeing.” — A vast majority of the Dolphins offensive linemen are back from last season, with guard Josh Sitton and center Daniel Kilgore coming aboard as veteran acquisitions. Back from 2017 are starters Laremy Tunsil, Ja’Wuan James, Ted Larsen and Jesse Davis. “We added some pieces there, got some guys returning. Right now, I feel like that group is coming together good.” — Wide receiver Danny Amendola is already making an impact on some of his new teammates. Gase specifically mentioned young wide receivers Isaiah Ford and Drew Morgan as two players who have made it a point to follow Amendola to see how he goes about his business. “The way he walks around there’s just something about him that guys kind of gravitate to. They want to watch how he does things.” — The Dolphins made their share of transactions in the offseason and Gase says he likes the end result in terms of the make-up of the team. “I like where our locker room is right now. I’m excited to see these guys compete in OTAs.” Kenyan Drake we will see this season will be more mature, more certain in his responsibilities and more capable of serving a variety of roles in this offense. Or, as Gase, framed it: “he’s a guy who’s really looking to bust out.” Combine Drake with the experience of Frank Gore and the potential of fourth-round pick Kalen Ballage and you’ve got an intriguing three running back look. Gase has no intention of moving veteran safety T.J. McDonald to linebacker to make room for the arrival of No. 1 pick Minkah Fitzpatrick. “I want to get the best 11 out there. We’ll see how it plays out.” Bottom Line: You can add safety to the “more options” list. The Dolphins didn’t select an offensive lineman in the draft for the first time in their history. There’s a reason for that. “I really like that we have multiple options and depth,” Gase said. There’s that option word again. You get the feeling that Kenny Stills is going to have a greater role in this offense than he had even a season ago when his numbers were solid. You also get the feeling that with a rookie tight end in Mike Gesicki, who can stretch the field, things could open up even more for Stills.
