Dolphins in Depth: Dolphins add three cornerbacks after camp’s first week

Dolphins in Depth: Dolphins add three cornerbacks after camp’s first week

We’re at the beginning of week two of Miami Dolphins training camp. One quarterback is actually impressing. Actually, more than one quarterback’s impressive, but but we didn’t expect this one. Uh, and we finally hear from Ma Fitzpatrick, the Dolphins new starting free safety. Joining me is Isaiah Smalls. Isaiah, Ma finally ended his silence. Um, I think it’s best that we allow the fan base the opportunity to hear from him directly so you can figure out what the silence was all about. And once we come back, we shall address it. I know I I haven’t addressed the media or posting on social media. Uh, one, I’m not a big social media guy on there. Period. Point blank. Uh, two, in no way, shape or form was that in expression of frustration about coming back to Miami. Um, three, uh, you know, when I came to the city of Pittsburgh, uh, the fans of Pittsburgh, you guys treated me very well. Um, I enjoyed my time there. I played with some great teammates. Um, I was very unfortunate the way things ended, but, uh, you know, it’s a part of the business and, um, I’m extremely extremely excited to be a Miami Dolphin. Again, my my silence was not a reflection of of how I felt about this team or this organization. Uh I’ve been here in the building for uh about a week now and I’m extremely excited about this season. I think we have a very very high ceiling. We have a lot of young uh hungry passionate guys combined with a lot of guys who play a lot of games and have a lot of accolades. So uh this is an organ organization that um I’m extremely proud to be a part of. And uh again, my silence was uh nothing to do with with uh my feelings towards uh the Dolphins organization. Uh with that being said, I’m not going to take any questions about uh how the transaction went down. I’m not going to take any questions about Pittsburgh or the previous coaches, anything like that. I would like to respectfully uh talk about this current situation, this team, my players, my coaches, and I would appreciate if you would all respect those those wishes. That’s Minka. Um it’s pretty consistent with who I’ve known him as as a player in 2018. Uh he addressed all the narratives out there. He let you know he was not talking about any old coaches. um let you know that he appreciated his career in Pittsburgh. Wish it wouldn’t have ended the way that it did. Um and then he said, “I’m happy to be with the Miami Dolphins.” Obviously, those comments came after the Miami Dolphins readjusted addressed his situation. Minka said that the silence came to an end after he learned or got a commitment basically for two years. And while the Dolphins did not guarantee any money in 2026, what they did, it’s kind of confusing so stick with me here. Go ahead, is they reversed the order of the contracts. One was for 15 and a half, the other was for 17 million and they gave him the 17 million up front. Gave him the $2 million extra. Gave him, I believe it’s something in the neighborhood of $16 million in signing bonus, which means they basically just wrote the check for the entire year this year. stretched out the cap space and makes it diff more difficult for them to move on from him next year when he’s cheaper at 15.5, which is still a lot for a safety. Um, I said from the very beginning I needed to see if Ma still has speeds before I give him any money. Um, he showed that was the interception he pulled down on Saturday was probably up there in terms of interceptions I’ve seen in terms of him coming from the spot go booking it straight back to the free safety position and plucking the ball out the air. Very probably one of the more impressive plays I’ve ever seen um a a defensive back make. And keep in mind, I’ve seen Rashad Jones and I’ve seen uh Xavier Howard and I’ve seen Brent Grimes, so I know know what special talent looks like. Am I ready to put Minka in that conversation? I don’t know. But he’s a fivetime allp pro. So, what did you think about Minka’s first presentation to the Miami Dolphin fan base? I mean, he’s he seems wise beyond his years a little bit. Like, I had to go look up how old he was, right? And he’s a little bit he’s a couple yards younger than me, right? I’m like, yo, it he I just the way he approached it, it was that of like a grizzled old veteran. Like I want to I want to call him a 35 year old after that. Like he pushing 40 after that. But he’s always been like that though. He’s always he always quiet, watches. Yeah. Picks, you know, and I, you know, I’m not surprised that that’s how he presented himself just because that’s how he is. Yeah. But I think we we still learned a lot from it, right? We learned one, he he wants to be here long term, right? You know, when he was asked about that, he said definitely. He said definitely. That look, you you got to you got to take the man at his word. He said definitely. So, he wants to be here long term, right? Uh he’s excited. He believes, you know, in this this pass rush for sure, right? He said that at the end. He said like the, you know, the the key to a good defense is having, you know, dogs up front. they got dogs up front which will certainly make his job and that of the corners easier. And then three, you know, point blank period and to your point like I think he just wanted to be assured that this is just isn’t just a one-year rental, right? Because he said, you know, towards the end of his speech like look, like I just wanted to make sure that I’m not here just a year, right? And so once he got that uh you know that commitment from the team where you know essentially making it to your point a little bit more difficult right for him to for them to trade him next year. I think that’s what broke the silence right. He said that it had nothing to do with his own happiness and all that stuff but uh it was the money thing. I I I I’m going to go out on a limb and say it was the money. Right. He said he said this is a business. It’s a business. When you talk about trading from Pittsburgh it’s a business and football is truly a business. Um, all of these people who always talk about team team, oh team, n player, this a business, homie. Um, if his ACL tomorrow, the Dolphins could walk away from $15.5 million like like it was nothing. Uh, and and move on from the contract. It’s it’s it’s a ruthless business. Um he talked about getting to know his teammates, getting to learn his teammates before he comes out and steps forward as a leader, even though he’s already identified as a leader. Um he said all the right things. I will say this, am I certain that Mick is happy at this very moment? Even after that press conference, not really. Not really. I I think I think M is more of a I need to see it. I need to see that this organization’s not about the BS. Interesting. That you know, you say you’ve changed, but have you really changed? You know, I’m mentioning I’m thinking about Tariq at the present moment because, you know, I mean, that’s a fair point, right? At at the end of the day, the very guy who drafted him and you know, he’s still here, right? The guy he asked for a trade for is, you know, essentially is still here in Chris Greer, right? So, you know, it’s I don’t know if Chris Greer had anything to do with the trade. No, no, no. I’m saying I’m saying that like when he says, “I want a trade.” The guy who executed him executed the trade. Yes. Yes. Who executed the trade? Uh, is still here, right? So look, I mean, it’s kind of like when you know, if you’re, you know, going back to an old girlfriend and she’s telling you she changed, right? And like it’s like, well, look, the way you the way you walk is still the same. The way you way you talk is still the same. I I need to see more more actions, right? To to really truly see that, you know, you’re a different person. And, you know, I think the only thing that they have to do that is time, right? Like time is the only thing that can solve that. So, I think we we’ll we’ll learn sooner rather than later how how he actually, you know, truly feels whether or not this was a a facade. I mean, look, I’m going to hold him at his word, right, for right now, right, that, you know, he’s he’s excited to be ex using the words extremely excited to be a Miami Dolphin, right? And look, I think there’s some personal factor, right? You mentioned the other day, and I totally forgot this his family lives down here, right? His brother play goes uh St. Thomas, right? Right. So, I think it’s just, you know, put everything else aside. Like, just being closer to family is important, right? You know, that’s one of the reasons Jan Ramsey wasn’t here in the offseason because he wanted he wanted to be closer to family. He didn’t get any closer to family though, uh, in Pittsburgh. But, and that’s a that’s a totally different story, totally different conversation. Um, I think, and I have to you got to take him at his word. Yeah. Um, but ultimately, you know what he said? said a number of times, it’s a business. A business for sure. And I think I think Mick has taken a very business approach to his return to Miami. Um there was no guaranteed money added to his contract and that that that to me is a little bit a little bit suspicious. Um but we’ll we’ll we’ll figure that out. Um my question before we move off of off of Minka, and this is something I posed to you earlier, how does this situation affect Zach Cal? Right. They’re both Drew Rosenhouse guys, right? Uh, you know, to me, I didn’t necessarily like the message that it sends that you’re going to take care of a guy who just got here versus a guy that’s been in the trenches, you know, both literally and figatively for years, a guy that has been, you know, the leader of your defense, that was tasked with essentially being the leader of your defense this year before the addition of Minka. Like so what sort of messaging does this send uh in your opinion when you have when you sign the the shiny new object instead of the guy who’s been here for for for years because I personally me speaking this is Small speaking I didn’t like the message that it sends I didn’t personally that is the Dolphins way and I’ve heard this for over a decade from players this organization will take care of everybody but their own. They will court everybody but the people that have been been here. This is a longstanding issue that players have had. Now, in fairness to the Miami Dolphins, they’re not in identical situations. Okay. While both players don’t have guaranteed money anymore, Zach’s pretty much pushing for a double of his salary at least. Um, at the least. Minka, you just moved around a little bit of m you just moved around money. You you you just put 2026 salary in 2025 and 2025 salary in 2026 and then wrote him a big fat check. Steve Ross has never had a problem writing any big fat checks. That’s not the issue. Um now in fairness, the mega situation helps Miami from Zax standpoint because they create cap space. The Dolphins worked out. Noah Fant, the tight end from SE was released from Seattle. Gives him some cap space to sign him. Um, he’s not a minimum salary player. So, you going to have to create a little bit little bit little bit of money to to go get Noah Fan. Now, whether they do that or not, I don’t know. They worked him out today. So, but Minka Fitzpatrick’s restructuring of his contract, it creates the spending emergency spending fund that the Dolphins have always had. And uh if for those who follow me on Twitter, I pointed out when I started looking at their books, I was like, “Yo, this is this is the worst they’ve ever been financially in terms of they’ve got no emergency funds, none. They always keep about 8 to $15 million in emergency funds for emergency situations. Well, they don’t have it. They didn’t have any emergency fund before Minka. Now they don’t. Now, Zach Cer situation, Zach Cer could potentially create cap space depending on how the contract is configured, how much signing bonus Steve Ross gives him. If I’m the Dolphins and Zach Cer is the person who personifies everything that I want this organization to be about. And that’s what they say. That’s what they say. The money not talking that way of Yeah. Yeah. That that’s what they say. I’m trying to make sure I lock him up. Probably keep him here for another three years. Um, I’m probably going to give him a substantial signing bonus just so that I can make sure that that that that contract makes sense cap spacewise, of course. So, but if I’m Zach, and this is I I think I said this to the media contingent. If I’m Zach, I’m asking for the exact amount of money that Mat Fitzpatrick got. You gave Minka 31 $32 million pretty much in guaranteed money. I would like 31 $32 million in guaranteed money. Holla at me cuz he hasn’t done anything here. You gave him 32 at a position that’s not as important as mine. I want my 32 and I would not be budging off that. Now I and I said this to you earlier today. Zach is too nice. Zach is out there. Huh? Yeah. No, that’s real. That’s real. That’s very real. That’s very real. You You want to You want to get this organization’s attention? Yeah. Don’t show up for work. Don’t show up for work. Don’t No call. No show. No call. No show. And have uh Drew send over a fax saying, “Hey, no. No. You got to show up for work because that’s a $50,000 a day fine.” But you could show up and watch. That’s real. And Zach is Zach is Zach is a worker, man. Zach is a lunch pale guy. The problem is, do you reward those players? Now, Zach has been extended two times previously. When he was on his exclusive when he was on his restricted tender contract, they extended him. And when he was finishing his second his second deal, they extended him. But both times I will point out they got him signed for.7 cents on the dollar. Will Zach take another deal.7 cents on the dollar? I don’t know. I don’t know, man. You getting up there now. And granted, he he mentioned that like he’s his best football is is still ahead of him considering the wear and tear on his body. But at the same time, like let’s let’s just I mean you’re you’re older. What What is the thing you like to say? Once you hit 30, like they’re trying to figure out how to take you out back. Exactly. Right. So like it’s look it’s a very peculiar situation and you know I you know shouts out to Zach Cer for for you know getting the job done day in day out. But at what point I’m I’m going to need you to I’m going to need you to put on that that me that same mean face that you know opposing offensive linemen hate to see coming. You need to put that on with that with this organization. Um, I Christian Wilkins is a great example of this. Christian Wilkins took one snap of joint practice and the first day they practiced against I think it was the Falcons and he was like, “I’m done.” And he did his individual drill, did his one snap, and was basically like, “All right, I’ll see y’all when I get my money.” And he never got his money. Came back the regular season. Yeah. Um, uh, Vic Fanjo said that his slow start was a byproduct of him not being in football shape. So, I’m sure Zach pays attention to that. Zach has got an open line of communication with Christian um, who is going through his own little saga right now. I, you know, I don’t I don’t know if it’s my place to really talk about it podcast. Where else you gonna talk about it? It’s like not here’s the thing. Everything being said about Christian does not align with the player that I covered for five years. And the world knows I don’t have a great relationship with Christian. It might be the worst relationship I’ve ever had in the NFL. Like it it I’m I’m just being real with you. It like Christian doesn’t like me. I don’t have a problem with him. But but with that being said, I know Christian is a first class kind of upstanding individual. You know, outside of some nasty stuff in the huddle, I mean, in pileups, you know, and and some very vicious things he’s he said to teammates and opponents, you know, Christian always does things the right way. So, this whole situation where he had three surgeries planned and he didn’t show up or didn’t f go through with the surgeries and then wasn’t ready for camp. That’s all that’s just like a head scratcher. Um, and then the whole Christian kissed a teammate on the forehead. I could see that happening cuz Christian is unique. Um. Uhhuh. I said eccentric. unique. One of those one of the words but but for a team and an organization to put that out there to soil somebody’s reputation um I find that a little bit distasteful especially when you owe him a ridiculous amount of money uh and and you chose to move off from that money. This is going to be a very interesting NFL PA fight because sure if you start to allow teams to escape from paying players their fully guaranteed money it’s a slippery slope from that point. For sure. For sure. And I think one of the things that you know uh Chester and and Pat McAfee brought up you know in the revelation of this this saga with the kiss on the forehead is who is the player that he kissed right? You have to you have to expect or kind of guess that it was someone somewhat high enough in the organization, right, where he’s like, “Nah, I’m not a fan of that.” Cuz what you like, look, the incident happens. The guy goes to HR, says, “Look, I’m pissed.” HR. Did they say H? Okay. They specifically use the word HR, which I found hilarious. That they use the word HR. HR. Like, yes. Yes. Yes. Pat M used the word HR. So I’m like because it makes sense though like if if if he did this to a practice squad player right you going to complain about it but it’s not going to get much traction right so you got to think that he did it to somebody that is one of those higher up people in the organization now they said the name Max Crosby I’m not I don’t want to I don’t know but like if that I can’t just just the the mental image of that happening to Max Crosby is hilarious but it’s a sticky situation to say the least but he’s still getting interest he’s still generating Patriots, right? I heard like the Patriots would look into him. Like, look, yeah, he’s he’s a Boston kid. So, yeah. Uh, Christian is not gonna have problems finding work when he’s and and and the thing I I don’t like is that I’m sorry, you knew he was digging in people’s private parts for years. Like, don’t don’t act like when you paid him that money, Raiders, you knew he was a dirty pl. You knew he was nasty. You knew you knew you knew what he did. Like there’s tons of videos of him, you know, sticking his hand and finger in in in in in places that it didn’t belong in in pileups. It is what it is. Um, let’s move on. Uh, Dolphins I I I don’t know if Dolphins have any interest in Christian. I think they’re really ready to move on. They’ve got a pretty decent defensive line, but that can change with this one snap and one ACL tear at any point. So, I’m not even interested in speculating that. Look at the quarterback unit. We we started with a rag tag bunch of what was it? Eight undrafted players. Yeah. Now, now you’ve got some veterans added to the unit in terms of Jack Jones, uh, Mike Hilton, uh, Cornell Armstrong, all in a week because Kater Kohu suffered an injury, BJ Armstrong, BJ Adams, an undrafted rookie, is in concussion protocol, and Arty Burns tore an ACL. That’s one week. That’s week one of training camp. Um, the slow days on the Dolphins beat. Yeah. So, here’s the thing that I I I wrote a column on. Basically, um I always wonder when guys are out of work, why are you out of work at this point? Every Dolphins have 12 quarterbacks on their roster. Jack Jones has started 20 something NFL games. He’s got seven interceptions for his return for a touchdown. Why is homeboy unemployed at this point? Um, and Jack actually addressed that in his press conference today. I just personally I feel like with the talent I got, man, I shouldn’t be, you know, on three teams for four years. You know what I’m saying? So, man, it just it just it lit a spark under me to do right, you know, on and off the field. Do you think that that’s the issue why you have problems finding work right now? Uh, definitely. I mean, if you know me, then you know the story and you understand what I’m going through. Jack, it’s early, but what’s the relationship been like with Anthony Weaver? Uh, good. Uh, I like Coach Weave. He he the first guy came in. Uh, had a long meeting with him, you know, he just kind of told me about what he expect and what the team is about, you know, and and I like it and, you know, I feel like me and him match. How would you describe your strengths? My strengths, uh, I’m getting better in all areas, man. I don’t want to pinpoint anything. You know what I’m saying? I I’ll let you guys do that. Jack, when you mentioned off the field, has there been any one specific thing with you off the field or do you think or has it just been kind of life? I say life, everything. You know what I’m saying? You just learning how to manage manage life as a young man growing up. What do you think of the opportunity at quarterback on this roster? What do I think? I think we got some a pretty good group. You know, obviously I’m going to come in and add my spark, but I think we got a pretty good group on the field. But how do you feel you’ve coached your defense so far? Uh, I love it. You know what I’m saying? I mean, I’m still learning it, but but I love it so far. Um, that’s our first exposure to Jack Johnson. Jack Jones. We also talked to Mike Hilton. Um, a nickel physical nickel quarterback kind of undersized, really tiny. Yeah. And now, now he’s supposedly a dog. Supposedly hits hits hard physical in the box. Obviously, Kater going down. It makes it a major, it makes it a major issue. Sure. Uh, I’ve watched Jack Jones for the last two days and there’s ability there. Would I am I willing to say it’s far head and shoulders better than Storm Duck who didn’t work today. Um, or or Kendall Sheffield? Probably not. Uh, Ethan Bonner probably not. But that whole group, that whole unit, you basically throwing things against the wall, seeing what sticks. Um, and the one thing I can tell you is Jack Jones can’t get arrested. Better stay out the strip clubs. Better stay out the casinos. Better show up to work on time. Better show up not miss curfew. Um, and whatever he’s told to do, and I think he’s aware. I was about to say I forgot. I think you forgot one. Check his carry-on baggage before he gets to the airport. Yes. Um I I I I would hope that he hasn’t brought his weapons with um be careful about the people that he surround himself with because I think a player that and and this is what I wrote in my column. The one thing the NFL has made very clear to a lot of players, playing in the NFL is a privilege. It is not a right. Yeah. These million-dollar checks don’t get handed to just anybody. And if you’re on your third strike and it appears that Jack is on strike two, um they they’re not going to they’re not going to roll out the welcome welcome map for you. Now, if you’re an absolute baller, shot caller, person who scores a lot of touchdowns or picks off a lot of balls, they’ll probably make some excuses for you. A a whole lot of excuses for you. The Dolphins certainly know about that for sure. Yeah. But there’s a certain there’s a certain delineation between troublemaker that helps me win and troublemaker who becomes a distraction. And Jack, you you you gonna have to walk a very fine line, my brother. Um hopefully I I wish him the best. Hopefully he learns a defense. I think I think and I watched his interview with the pivot. Um, and Ryan Clark’s one of his mentors. He mentioned Ryan Clark as one of his mentors. I can tell you this, I don’t unsolicit stuff from other coaches or other executives. But when he got signed, I got about three texts like, “Yo, he could play. He could play. He’s a dog, but you need to babysit him.” Like he, you know, yo, he he he g. and one said, “Hope hopefully the Miami streets don’t get him.” And I was just like, “Damn it.” You know, hey, wish brother the best of luck. He could certainly be used here. And hopefully hopefully and I think he talked about it. He knows this is one of his last opportunities. No, he did. He did. I think he talked a lot about the self-evaluation, right? And the the process that he had to undergo, the introspection, excuse me, uh to try to figure out where he went wrong, right? And you know, he listed a pretty long list of of mentors that have been in his ear. You mentioned Ryan Clark. He said TJ Hushmanada, which was rather surprising to hear. Haven’t heard that name in a while. Yeah, that’s where we go. So, I was wondering the connection, but um yeah, I I I think he has a great Marvin Allen, which not Marvin Allen, uh Marvin Lewis, who was a coach at Arizona State, obviously um when he when he when he got drafted into the NFL. Uh, and everybody knows Marvin Lewis. They they they had a team of of of Bandits in Cincinnati. Um, so Marvin can relate to the Bandits. We We’ll see. I I I can’t I can’t say whether or not he’s a baller or not. So, we’ll there’s there’s there’s very small sample size. I liked there was one play that I saw on Saturday that I got in trouble for posting the video for, but I think it illustrated his his speed, right? Like he covered five yards with literally like that just to try to break up a pass. And to me, you know, that is that’s pretty special, right? And he’s a guy that obviously can get his hands on the ball. You mentioned the seven picks for a return for a touchdown. Dolphins a lot of a lot of those were screens. You know, he is eating he is eating screens. He did. Yeah, I did notice that. I didn’t know. However, you could get hit with a lot of double moves and team teams are gonna play you for that screen. They just that screen for you and put something over top of you, which is probably why he gave up eight touchdowns last year as well. So, obviously there there’s room to grow, but you know, the opportunity here is is amazing, right? Like there is not a clearcut guy top dog in that uh boundary corner outside corner room, right? You can say the whole n you save your nickel unit too because shut down. Yeah, you could say that. Yeah, you could. It’s really open. It’s really anybody’s game, right? And I think, you know, someone who has the talent, right? He who has that sort of resume, excuse me. I looked it up. Since 2022, he was in the top 25 for most picks, right? So, look, there talent’s there. Just got to keep his his head on straight and, you know, wish him the best of luck in that regard because Miami can Miami has can eat you up, man. It can. It can. It really can. I’m glad you still safe out on these streets. Yeah. Look, you know me, I be I’m chilling. I’m chilling. I do not know you chilling, huh? Yeah, I’m like, look, man. Look, you chilling. Okay. I could tell him how to how to stay how to how to stay low key, but you know, something tells me he don’t want that advice. He g he he gonna figure it out on his own. All right. Um, on that note, let’s get to some of the top performance of today’s practice. Uh, I started my stock report. My stock up is Quinn Urers, of course. Um, I I don’t I don’t try to overhype young players, especially quarterbacks. I would prefer not to write about quarterbacks. Um, however, however, it’s been noticeable. It’s been noticeable. He is he throwing he throwing dimes out there and it’s impressive and I I compare this to who we saw during training g I mean during mini camp. Yes. Night and day. Night and day. Night and day. Night and day. Look he he was he looked elite in the red zone portion the second the second red zone portion of the day. Um four plays three touchdowns. Even the the one play that wasn’t a touchdown. It was very I think he was he was rolling out to his right saw the defender in his face and quickly put it in the dirt. So it’s still that’s that’s good IQ up there, right? So yeah, Tua can’t do that. Tu won’t do that. I I’m just being real. Tu can’t. He need to but he can’t and he won’t. But he and so that to me is is an area of of just overall growth because it’s one it shows that he understands the offense, right? He knows he understands how to play football. girl. I think Okay, Mike is calling the favorable stuff that he get he’s got. Okay. And why do you think that? Why do you think that? Because I know how Mike works. Mhm. And we asked about him today, so we’re clearly looking. Yeah. It’s a red zone day. You He followed up a hot Saturday. Will he follow up a hot Saturday with a hot Monday? That’s that’s the and the way that his teammates celebrated all those passes like Tua was jumping all in his face celebrating. And you want to you want to you want to Mike is always about helping a young player build your confidence. That’s true. And here young man is I am going to call these plays that I know you like. I know you’re comfortable with in this red zone. We’re going to get you some We going to get you some positive buzz. Mike is always about that. You are right. However, one of those passes where he fired it. It was literally a bullet, got it in between a few defenders hands. I don’t I don’t care if he if he called that play for him. That’s a good play. Like that’s that’s talent. That’s nothing that’s nothing had to do with the play call or blah blah blah. He saw he saw a gap. No, he he could throw it. He could throw it. He saw a gap. He said, “I can fit it in there.” And he got it there. Yep. That to me is impressive. The one of the one of the touchdowns is broken coverage, you know, easy pitch and catch guy in the corner of the end zone. But that that one in particular had that’s the one I I was like, “Oh, okay. I see you.” I always pay attention to who they start who work they’re working with. And Drich had been making Zach and and and um Quinn kind of shine. And then Tanner Connor was working with them too. They were making them kind of shine. Um, today it was Theo Weiss Jr. want to give him a special, you know. Well, I I don’t know your number yet, young man, but I do know your name and like we continue to do that and and we’ll continue to we’ll continue to give you your praise and your shout outs cuz them third teams I I ain’t really watching that. I’m not, you know, I’m not I’m not really watching for that. But Quinn is making me watch right now. For sure. For sure. No. No. Definitely. He He looked good. I’m I thought he looked really good on Saturday. I’ve been saying it since the since they started, you know, practice. I I’m gonna be honest. I’ve been Yeah. I’ve heard I’ve heard people say he had a good day one other day. So, n let’s say, okay, you had three good practices in five. How are you going to build on that? I’m very curious about that. Um, another thing, top performer Chop Robinson, um, Willie Gay Jr. gave him some praise that I was just like, everybody’s giving Chop unsolicited praise. Mhm. And it’s a little bit surprising to me, uh, considering he’s really not a starter and and Willie Gay basically said that like he’s like, he’s not a starter, but that boy Yeah, that boy could play. Um, and I I see Chop I see Chop out there doing his thing. Now, my question is, when the pads come on tomorrow, are you still going to be doing your thing? Are you going to be setting that edge? Are you going to be physical? Cuz it’s cool. It’s cool to make plays when there no pads and everybody just playing tippy tap touch football. But let’s see what happens when when the pads come off. So, um, it’ll be interesting to see. again offensive line. It’s not good. I thought today was a better day though. Today they were creating like run lanes and I was like yeah there was a few there was a few lanes where I was like okay all right like he got that’s 10 15 yards. We didn’t really see a lot of that uh in previous days. It was more so like two yards three yards two yards three yards two yards three yards then there’d be a 10 yards but it was you know and today it was a little more frequent for sure. and Andrew Myers, him and Kenneth Grant got into a little bit of a snatching helmets off and shoving each other. Um, I don’t know about you, but I love that. I personally love it, especially I wait for I wait for pads to come off. I feel you. But but two young guys going at it like that. Obviously, Meyers realizing the opportunity, you know, before him with, you know, no Aon Brewer right now. Kenneth Grant, KG, that’s the first round pick. That’s the guy that, you know, is not to say untouchable, right? But there’s a lot of faith in that man. There’s a lot of faith in him. Let me let me let me ask you a question. Let me ask you a question. Okay. Andrew Myers, has he been disappointing so far? No, not at all. No. And I think a third team center that’s holding up against a first a first round pick. Think about it. That’s pretty impressive. That’s very impressive. Honestly, look, cuz we saw what happened with the third team center today and that was that was bad. I’m not g I’m not going to mention any names, but yeah. No, that but you know who you are. It was bad. It was like four straight bobbled snaps. Yeah, I if I’m not while I’m not happy with where the line is, if Andrew Meyers was on the second team line, I’d be okay with that. I’d be I’d be perfectly fine with that. But You gota you hold on now. He ain’t out there getting beat up by Bonito Jones and Kenneth Grant. No. No. And that I mean that bodess well for for the season, right? Like cuz you know O line it’s one of those uh positions where you’re going to lose a guy or two for at least a game, right? So you have someone like Andrew Meer who can come in and it’s seamless, right? Granted, again, no pads in practice, right? We we’ll see. We’ll learn. We’ll see tomorrow. tomorrow. We’ll see a lot more. I get a little payback. That’s what I’m saying. Like I’m sure KG is like, “Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow. We gonna see each other again.” So I’m Look, but just in this small sample size, right, without Aan Brewer, who was, you know, arguably the most consistent offensive lineman last year, right? Like without him, that’s kind of where the offense starts or in terms of the run game, all that stuff. like I and he was to me uh one of the guys that will be key with getting this offensive line to really gel, right? And so for him to be gone and there’s somebody that I don’t I’m trying to think if he actually suited up for any of the games last year. I don’t think he did. I think he was always same day and active, right? So for him to make this jump to me, I mean it’s impressive. Very impressive. Absolutely. And and I’m pretty sure Kenneth Grant is is look tired of looking up Aaron um Andrew Meyers like trying to see See See you supposed to be doing this. You you out here letting letting this undrafted rookie get the best of you. Yeah. He probably heard his name a few times in meeting. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That’s probably what today was. Yeah. I should have. Yeah. That’s definitely what today was. He’s heard his name way too many times meetings. Okay. You gonna let this undrafted guy do this to you? Yeah. Like, look, look at look at him. He ain’t You don’t even need no help. Look, look at him. You a first round pick. He He He done heard that. All right. On that note, we will be back tomorrow to give you the wrapup of what happened in the first day of pads. Tuesday is the first day of pads. It’s always my favorite day. Um I’ll be focused on the trenches, so hopefully we’ll get have a a good favorable report to give you. uh here on Dolphins in Dep. On that note, we are out. Peace.

The Miami Dolphins have signed three veteran cornerbacks—Jack Jones, Mike Hilton, and Cornell Armstrong—in just one week, addressing injuries and inexperience in the secondary. How much of an upgrade are they? Find out in Monday’s Dolphins In Depth podcast, which also features safety Minkah Fitzpatrick breaking his silence.

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