Drive Time - Training Camp Day 1 Recap

in his football season. The Dolphins hit the field for training camp, the first practice available to the media and the first practice where the pads go on. That's right, we're doing some hitting today. We're gonna cover the action here from Coach Flores, Jerome Baker, Kyle Van Neuman, Ted Carris, all of that and more on this Monday, August sevent edition of the Drivetime Podcast Dolphins. Just a couple of bits of news from over the weekend that we did

not cover on the previous edition of Drive Time. Eric Flowers, Dolphins offensive lineman, has come off the COVID nineteen reserve list. The Dolphins also pick up another Auburn defensive back to join Noah Ignogamy in that backfield Jeremiah Dinson. He has been added over the weekend off waivers. You guys can find these notes and all transactional notes on your Miami Dolphins in the daily column up on Miami Dolphins dot

com at eight am. We are publishing every day the Blitz on md dot com, and we'll also have a daily recap story up on Miami Dolphins dot com to go along with this drivetime podcast, which is brought to you by Baptist Health as the official wellness provider and sports medicine provider of the Miami Dolphins. Baptist Health is ready and committed to continue caring for you safely. This pandemic has reminded us that crisis doesn't build character, it

reveals it. It's also taught us that our health is truly what matters most. We have the power to protect each other by wearing a mask. So who do you wear a mask for? Mask up South Florida, Keep caring, Live healthy, stay strong. Learn more at Baptist Health dot net slash coronavirus All Right. Up first and the morning before practice gets started, we have Brian Flores, the Dolphin's head coach, and his Monday morning media availability. Let's go

ahead and play the hits from coaches presser and up. First, of course, coach was asked what's he looking for in this first padded practice of training camp. Good communication, good execution, good fundamentals with their their at their specific position, just from a footwork a uh, you know, ball placement, accuracy,

those types of things. So, um, they're still in that early stages just since a new offense execute you know, um at a at a good clip you know, early on and you hear a coach that referred to the ball placement and the footwork of those quarterbacks and how they communicate with their teammates. We heard that all last year, right, how do you guys communicate with the huddle and just really developing that huddle etiquette that coach talked about last

year at length, same thing applies this year. Up next, coach was asked about the availability of rookie quarterback to ah Tongua Bloa. Well, we'll take it one day at a time. He'll be out there today, you know, along with the rest of the quarterbacks, and um, the majority of the players aren't on the team. UM, but yeah, he's been he's looked he's looked healthy and he's in uh in the O T A and the walk through type practices. This will be the first one in PAD.

So he's looked healthy and we'll just you know, we we take these this we're taking this one day at a time, two as we all with with every player, uh, you know, hoping that he improves on a daily basis. But you know, like any rookie, he needs the snaps and he needs the reps too to improve and get better and give himself a chance. And then I was up next, and I wanted to ask coach about these roster moves they've made, primarily in the defensive backfill the

last couple of weeks. And Coach talks about playing the hand you were dealt, dealing with the circumtan answers that you have in front of you, and just controlling what you can control. So I was curious to get his take if this time of year, in the strange season provide an advantage from bringing in multiple players to get

a better look at Hey, coach, good morning. I wanted to ask you about something you've talked about a few times with playing the hand you've been dealt, as well as mentioning your personal activity when it comes to scouting what's available out there. My question is, does this new season with expanded rosters and practice squad provide you any sort of maybe advantage for you to get more guys

in to take a look at. I don't know if it provides us an opportunity to look at more guys, I would say, if anything, you know, it's it's harder to look at uh, you know, to get workouts in. I mean there's there's protocols in place to to to do them, but um, it's not as seamless and easy as a I want to plan and get here there. There's a process that I go that that that players have to go through the workout now. So, um, you know,

look we have limited time. Um so, UM, as far as you know, we have gotten some guys in and you know we'll continue to do that. Uh but quite quite honestly, Chris and Brandon and Marvin, those guys handled uh you know, the lines share those things. Obviously I play a role in that as well. But um, you know, logistically, UM, it's not easy to to to to put together workouts as it were a year ago. Um. So from that standpoint,

there is a little bit more difficult. But um, you know, I think you know, up to this point, we've we've we've made some some roster moves and uh, I think we'll continue to do that. And you know, again, like you said, and I've said, you know, we're going to play the hand that we've been dealting. You know, I think we're just trying to proceed on the day to

day basis as best we can given the circumstances. And if you ask me, we get a more jovial version of Coach Flores on these days where we have actual football because this dude just loves football. We learned that last year. We know about that and his character and his background, what he wants and his players. And here you're gonna hear him talk about the offensive line, the importance of getting together and building that chemistry and jelling.

Listen to coach talk about some football here on padded practice Monday. Well, obviously we've got a lot of young guys in that group, um, with a couple of with some veteran players sprinkled in, you know, like Ted Carras, like Eric Flowers who just got back, like Jesse Davis. You know, Deter was here a year ago. We've got the you know, a few of the young guys as well. Um, so look, I mean it's there's a lot of chemistry that has to be built there. I think that's coming along,

could be better. You know, we're working on a few different combinations. Uh. Well look at the only old line. You can't really you don't know what you have until you put the pads on. And um, you know you you're you're literally fighting pressure with pressure against another another body and working at double teams, working the combinations. Um in the run game, Uh, feeling the speed and speed rush and power rush and bull rushes, be the power

and you know, converting the power feeling those things. Uh, you know, you don't you don't know what you're having to you. You're they're putting that that setting which starts today. Um, but you know from a walkthrough and non padded standpoint, Um, I think they're coming along. Uh but obviously these No. Fourteen padded practices. We'll tell us a lot about that group. I'm really the entire to you. It just here's good to hear Brian Flora is talking about actual football terms,

offensive line technique, different pass rushes that sort of thing up. Next, coach was asked about the preparation for this team and if they are ready to head into camp right now in this abbreviated offseason. Um, I mean, Ruth, we were have no choice but to be ready. So we're going out there today. They're not ready, then there's gonna be some problems. But I think we are. I think the guys are there raring to go, they're excited. But you know,

I think you put the pads on. Uh. You know, the one thing I tried to stretch to them as to focus on the technique and the fundamentals, because once you put pads on, you know, the adrenaline gets going, and Uh, in some instances, guys forget about those techniques and fundamentals that we've been trying to build into them for the last how many days it's been, but you know it's called twenty days. So UM, that's kind of the focus. That's where I want them to put their focus.

Let's let's focus on the technique and the fundamentals, the same techniques that we've been talking about, except we're in pads. Um, they have more protection and we're gonna let him go a little bit more today. Hearing him say they're going let the players go a little bit more today. That

gets the juices flowing for sure. Up next to question about Mica Sicky and his continued growth and building off last year's success at the end of the year and bringing it in to your number three for tight end, Mike Sick, I'm just you know, my goal for Mike is to is to improve today. Um, he's looked, he's looked good, you know, in this early part of training camp.

Once we put the path it's on, you know, blocking path protection, obviously getting into this route, route techniques, dealing with dbs who UM trying to work in his releases against dbs who are trying to get their hands on them. Uh, you know all those things. You know, when you haven't done them for how long has they've been? Eight mine months and you're out of that practice, you need to get back into it, you know, just jump back in and you know your where you were a year ago.

That doesn't you know, that's that doesn't that doesn't happen for any of US coaches players. So we all need to to get out there and practice. Like I've said to these guys last year, was last year and nobody

released worried about it. Um, let's just focus on you know right now, and uh, you know, to think that you're gonna be right where you were at the end of last year, I think that's just not the case, um, especially you know, not happening with this being the first day and pad, so you gotta work to get back to that point. Um. It doesn't just happen overnight. We've

gotta work for it. Um. And that's kind of been my message stand and we have heard at length now about the relationship between Ryan Fitzpatrick and to a tongue of Byloa as well as Josh Rosen in that quarterback room, how things have developed there. The next question posed to coach Flora's was about that relationship between two and Fitzpatrick and if that kind of permeates in the locker room with the rest of the guys, and how that creates

competition and an environment here at Dolphins camp. Well, I mean that dynamic. I'm seeing it across all positions. We've got a lot of good guys on this team, and UM, I can see the kind of some friendships and bonds building and that only helps on the field. From a

communication standpoint, from even on asking for help standpoint. You know, there's some instances and where you can sit and you know, offense comes out and something that you're uncertain about it, you can ask the guy next to you, Hey, what do you what do you what do you think? And you help each other get it get lined up, samething offensively. Same thing in the kidney game. Uh so I think, uh to and fits and you know Rosen as well. Um,

I think they're there, you know, those relationships that are building. Um, it's just one example of you know, hopefully, uh, you know what we're getting from. Uh the majority of the of the guys in the locker room. Up next, coach addresses the Adrian cold but released from over the weekend and talks about the difficulties of letting go players and how it's never easy in this business, you know, Adam,

I mean, those are tough decisions. Uh. You know, Chris, myself, Marvin Brandon, we we have I hadn't had long conversations about every player that will release. They're not easy, Um, but we we you know, at the end of the day, we always try to do what we feel is best for the team. Obviously those those conversations are internal. I'm not gonna go into specifics of it is that or the other thing, but we're just at the end of the day, we just felt it was the best the

best move for us UM going forward. And one more question here will end up with Arrest talking about new Dolphins linebacker addition over the offseason, Kyle van Noy, his relationship with Kyle and Kyle blending into the rest of the locker room and the defense there and developing those relationships with the guys that we're here previously and all the newcomers here as well. Well. Um, you know Kyle obviously I coached him, Um, you know in New England. UM.

I think he's he's very smart. Um, you can play multiple positions. He's got leadership ability. UM. I think he's gonna help us in a in a variety of ways. You know. To me, the one thing from a communications standpoint, the leadership standpoint, UM, I see him uh Ash just kind of similar to kind of what Cam said about two and fits. You know, his relationship with Bobby and Gotcha and Baker. You can see that starting to grow. So UM, you know, if we can get you know,

as much of that on the team as possible. Um, that's what we're looking for. You know. Obviously he and I have a good relationship up and down at times, and he'll tell you, but you know, I think the world of Kyle and I had a great family and UM, you know, I'm I looking I'm looking forward to to work with him this year. And so there you have a coach on the morning of practice, the first day of practice in the books, and we just got done talking to coach as well as the players that were

available for media. Let's go ahead and talk about these practice notes here though, because it did happen in a flurry. It was physical, it was fast, it was aggressive. They got a lot of work done. They bounced around from drill to drill so quickly. They get in and out of everything super fast. And that was the same story last year. So probably a Brian floor drive an idea there.

They bounced from these individuals, fundamental drills, team periods, get tons of work done in that ninety year so minute session they had. I've been debating on how to do this podcast for my format standpoint, and we'll adjust as we need to as the days go along. Here on the Drivetime podcast. Let's go ahead and just knock this thing out in bullet points. Does that sound good? And it always start with a specialists doing their thing, and Matt Hawk was out there automatic on dropping punts on

the five yard line. It was like watching Phil Nicholson with his irons out there just putting the football wherever he wanted to. Ryan Fitzpatrick comes out onto the field first. That was a fun theme to track last year, and the story was the same on Monday. The quarterbacks come out and work on some quarterbacks center exchange stuff. It's all pretty common and pretty boiler play. Special teams punt covering, so a lot of the dbs out there getting work

on that. Both Cavon Fraser and Brandon Jones both had really nice work down around the goal line, stopping punch before they did cross over the goal line. And if you didn't stop the ball from going over the goal line. Danny Crossman, the Dolphins special teams coach, he would certainly let you know. The Dolphins then broke into stretching lines some fundamentals. You had some typical Dolphins dancing involved in that portion. Davante and Jachim grant Man those guys need

a buddy cop movie. They are fun to watch with how they interact with one another. It's also fun to watch how coordinated all this stuff is. Everyone breaks in and out of those fundamentals and individual drills. It's all quick. Everything is done on hop, very organized, very regimented. Again a Brian Flores theme there. They did the ball security stuff for the skill guys, trail and ball drills for

the defensive backs. The front seven guys work on stripping the football out, offensive line working on firing off collectively as a unit. Saw one cool drill with the defensive lineman who would get into the passing lanes and get their hands up. Christian Wilkins had a pass breakup on a play last year in the Philadelphia game. Similar deal there where he kind of falls back and makes a

play on the football. On the far field, you have the defensive backs working on their trail technique offensive line down in the corner. Kind of tough to see those guys work down there, but they were doing a lot of drive blocking drills. They kind of reminded me of if you played basketball when you do the crossover drill and you're getting your defensive stance and try to stay square up to your man. Same thing. They're trying to drive those guys down the football field, staying engaged on

their shoulder pads. The backs were catching short passes from the quarterbacks, receivers working on the releases, linebackers tackling defensive lineman on the sled. It's just the sights and sounds of football. They give me life, man. I love that stuff. Fun to watch there. Ter backs were throwing on air, looked very crisp, very few balls on the ground. Timing were sharp and on point for those guys. And Matt Rita. Man, this guy, this new Dolphin's running back has some wiggle

even on air. You watch the explosive dest with each step he takes. He can get flexed out as a receiver as we saw last year with the forty nine and do some damage that way. A couple of drops in the period, but again, the quarterbacks location was primo. I love watching the way these guys work in their lower half, and you can really see it's been a point of emphasis for all three quarterbacks. Thought to look

sharp there Rosen and Fitzpatrick. But to his footwork is always something that I thought was a big plus in his game. And we'll have more on the quarterbacks here in just a minute, but I like the way he locates the ball up high as well the balls in the face mask for the receiver, so you can often see those guys just plucking the football right there and catch it and stride and go. Preston Williams, he looks really good out there. He was setting up his underneath

routs getting vertical. He's so physical at the release, and that's true for Davante Parker to Preston made a one handed catch on a deep shot in the one on one drills. That pass came from Ryan Fitzpatrick back to Parker. I mentioned it last year and got a lot of pop on Twitter for my comment complementing his physique and just how he looks strong. Well this year, he looks even stronger than me. Good muscle definition, good physicality, firing

out of breaks. Uncle came to play on Monday. I had a bunch of notes on the one on one portion between the receivers and the defensive backs, and boy did we get that heavyweight fight immediately. I talked about on the podcast last week, the very first rep of the drill and then two more editions of Byron Jones on Devonte Parker. Parker got him on one. All three were contested, and it kind of reminded me of that boat race game they put up on the jumbo tron

at baseball games. Maybe it's just the marriage games. I don't know, you guys can tell me. But one boat gets out to a lead, the next boat takes it back. The third boat comes up and takes his lead, and they I A'll go back and forth until the very end. That was Jones on Parker iron sharpening iron between those two studs out there. And I put this note in there just in general and bold and capitalized. It said, this is getting physical. These guys are competing in these

one on one drills. Ken Webster was a beast in that drill. He forced all in completions on his reps. He had two pass breakups and one rep in particular. I love the way he played an outside release and the receiver tried to cross face on him. He pops his hips, snaps back inside and makes a play. When mac Hollands tried to cross face and gets one of those p b U s I talked about. Need him had a great rap on Jachem Grant going deep, staying

in phase with that speedy receiver the corners one. This won this drill early on, and I thought that was kind of the physical approach. Remember now, these are Brian Flores and Josh Boyer and Jerald Alexander cornerbacks. They're gonna play physical. They're not gonna take any ship from these guys. And Preston was one of the guys that responded to that.

He had a great looking rep where he asserted his dominance and caught it pass underneath, and then things kind of got going for the receiver's Isaiah Ford had some really crisp looking routes, creating some separation there that was consistent in his game. Jachem, after losing that first rap to Nick need Hum, got one over on him for a long touchdown. That one came from Tah. The next play, Jamal Perry undercut an under thrown ball, also from Tah and made a really nice play on that football. So

some back and forth there. Noah ig Bonogamy, the rookie out of Auburn. This dude is rocked up. He was matching the physicality. It was fun to watch him and and Preston Williams compete and go at it on the football field out there, Malcolm Perry has some wiggle to his game as a route runner, thought he looked good in that area. The one wind Parker had on Jones was a beautifully thrown corner route from Ryan Fitzpatrick. The window was not big, but he laid it right in there.

And finally I have Jacheem on a jaw dropping comeback route where he sold the takeoff and then came back and won the play with five yards of separation in such a short area. He is so explosive in these drills. Now, finally we get to the eleven on eleven, the first one of training camp, and my first note was the overall play of the second level of the defense. That linebacker corps is just so deep and so physical, lots

of good pod pad popping out there on Monday. I saw each of them really just destroy a block at one point or another. The note that I had here was that e Land and Roberts blew up a play and then Eric Roe forced to fumble in behind that as a result. So those two guys coming down making an impact in the box, and those backers I had with the block defeats where Roberts, van Noy, McMillan, van Ginkel, and Baker. The big highlight on the day came courtesy

of Jechem Grant on a ball from Josh Rosen. Perfect anticipation on a deep ball. We know the saying if he's even he's leaving. He was just crossing Ken Webster and Rose and sees it, lets it fly with perfect arc and trajectory, and Jachem ran right under it for a eight yard touchdown. Pass. On that play, Miles Gaskin ripped off a big run where he showed some of the patients and vision we saw at the end of

last year. Throws a little stutter step in there, let's a block develop before hitting it up in there, and he bounces from one gap to another and made a big run on the offensive side there. Then they got in some open field tackling drills and Josh Boyler let somebody up in that one for tagging off in the drill.

Always loved when coaches get vocal like that. Back to some special teams work and then right back at it again with eleven on eleven, DeVante Parker had his name called on a deep pass we put a double move on Noah Egnogamy. Then he made that typical DeVante Parker big play down the field, rising over everybody. Eric Rowe closed in, but he could not make a play on the ball as Parker snatched up and brought that thing down.

And you can see why Solomon Kindley upfront, some of that size and just overall girth he has, he has some absolute push. He and Eric Flowers were pushing guys around inside. The battle between the trenches was kind of give and take a little bit. We said, some some penetration from the offensive line, penetration from the defensive line. One win here, one win. They're just a really physical,

hard hitting practice up in that trenches. On the Dolphins front, Vince Bagels had a very hard edge and worked back over the top for a big stop on a tackle for loss. That's kind of business as usual for him. Brandon Jones came down and made a tackle for loss in the team portion of practice. He's very active. You can see him getting himself getting his nose in the football a lot down there. And Josh Rose and I

thought looked really good in this day. Quick decisions, really good anticipation getting the ball out to his guys quicker at the quarterback spot, saying with Ryan Fitzpatrick, but we know that's kind of who he is. They go back to special teams, then back to eleven on eleven once more and Christian Wilkins I had him with a pocket collapse looks like could have been a sack. And again that battle between the trenches was just on all day long.

There was one snap with the defense would get pushed offense will come back and when the next rep they sprung a big run for Jordan Howard as Durham Smith celebrated his big block kind of at the point there for a big first down run. Shack Lawson was causing problems upfront as well. He got in for what looked

like it would be sacked to me. Then another play just a couple of snaps later where he resets line scrimmage, forces the back to bubble and did one of those hulk flexes because he knew he made a big play on the point of Jordan Howard. He reads his blocks so damn well and is so patient that vision at that size. That is the answer when you ask yourself, how has Jordan Howard produced so much at this point? In his career. He just gets it done with that

vision and that size. I referred to Matt Breeda's shiftingus earlier. He was cutting it up out there and had this one big run with sidelock our patients to the sideline rather a slow developing play, and then he ripped it and let it go and he was off like the ferrari that he is. Kyle van Noi had a very nice tackle for loss working on Chandler Cox in the backfield. You can to see his length straight away as he can kind of long arm guys at both as a

pass rusher and as he diagnoses the run. That was pretty much it man. It went buying a flash. They got a lot accomplished on this day. And speaking of Kyle van Noy and getting a lot done, let's go ahead and here form the new Dolphins linebacker and his evaluation on the first day of padded practices here in training camp and on the heat down here in Miami in August. It's hard as ship, um, but we're working through it. I'm working through it, getting used to it.

A lot of guys that have been here are already used to it, so um, it's a learning curve for me, and I think I'm just taking one day at the time right now. And then Kyle was asked, of course, about the most common question players getting training camp. How do it feel to get out there and hit somebody for the first time? It felt good, It felt you know, good to get back at it. I've been able to hit somebody since December, January, whatever it was, and be

out there competing with the guys. It's always good. There's a different type of field in the building all day to ramp up to get out there and hit. Guys were flying around, Guys were enjoying it, having a good time. It was. It was a good practice. I think it's something to build on. We want to be physical and fast and play at a high level. So what a great way to start to get on that path and get a cracking. And then this next question tells you all you need to know about why I love Kyle

van Noy. Kyle, how's it going, man? Good to see you again. That was my man. How are you doing. I'm doing good. Good to see some football out there. So my question is about podcast right, Yeah, you're on it right now. Actually, Oh, let's go, let's go. So I want to talk to you about some football actually, so I know it's early on here, but as someone that rushes from so many gaps like you do, how helpful is it to have the size of guys like Oddball and lost in off the edge to help create

better rush lanes for you? Yeah? I think it's just as a whole. I want to just say those two guys just collectively, it takes the whole eleven guys covering, um, you know, have secondary like we have to have the linebackers that can cover like we have. It takes all eleven of us to be on the same page covering and Russian. I think if we just get it going on the same page out of consistent, consistently high standard,

I think will be all right. But you know, those two guys are big dudes, and I think they're gonna get after the past. Are pretty good this year. And then some more commentary from Kyle van Noy about anything he might have learned from this team after day want to practice that he didn't know previously before the pads had come on. That's such a hard question, Ruth, every one I can't answer that. That's a sea phrase. I don't know we'll see I learned that. You know, I

gotta get better. How about that? So then the reporter rephrases the question to ask Kyle how he felt about a comment which Flora has made earlier in the day about the team being ready for padded practices and coming out with that intensity. That's a good question. I think we were we were ready. I think guys were scratching. I think some guys obviously already day one, and some guys that might take them a little while. But I

think collectively we're ready. As a group. We're hungry, we want to get better, we want to get up to speed with all the new guys, including myself, uh and older guys want to get back up to playing at a high level. So it's just coming together as a team. And you know, during these training campus grind period you get to see, you know, who people are all about. You got to see what type of team you have.

Obviously that team is going to continue to grow during the season, but this is a time to lay that foundation and to do it with this young group of guys. It's fun. I'm excited, rejuvenate. Let's go and far be it for me to go ahead and try to confirm what Kyle van Noy says there. But I think that when you watch the Dolphins practice on Monday, you could see that intensity and that hunger and those young guys flying all of the field. It all happens so fast

and so quick. Guys were playing loose and playing fast. And hear Kyle talk about they're so good to hear it confirm there from the veteran linebacker who was then asked about his reuniting with coach Flores in this Dolphins defense. You know, I want to be a leader on this team. You know who who You know. I'm not a rod type of guy, but I just hope to lead by example with the way I work every day, the way i'm as a professional, and I just want to be

the best teammate I can be. Yes, I have familiarities with the defense. Yes, it's you know, it's different, you know, but at the same time, like I know, I know how Flow wants things done, and I know how Boyer wants things done. I'm gonna try to do my best to help out everybody, and you know they're gonna help me out as well. And another reason to love Kyle Van Noy here a question posed by Cam Wolf of ESPN about his perspective on the offensive side of the

ball and the quarterbacks on this Dolphins team. I'm not gonna say, I'm not going to answer that one. You're not going to answer. No, you only get the has meet Kyle Mannois questions or defensive questions. And then we did get a Kyle van Nois question asking him about his multiple roles in the defense and playing three phases and coverage of the run game and as a pass rusher. Yeah, for sure, I feel like I'm the last of a dying breed. I don't think you can um find players

that can do all three skill sets. Usually there you know, either coverage or run to you know, one of those situations. Very rarely do you get all three. And I'm just trying to bring that energy to the team, trying to be a problem a mismatch and take advantage of that mismatch wherever I have lighting up. And then we finished with a question about his leadership role and mentoring the young players on this Dolphins defense. Yeah, it's a good question.

I like that one. That's a that's a good ending right there. I'll answer this one, all right, UM, I think the advice that I passed onto him that it's not it's not a sprint, it's a marathon, and you wanna inhale as much uh information as you can. You wanna work on your craft each and every day. You want to get better each and every day and don't make the same mistake. And I think you'll be all right.

That's kind of the message I've passed to him. And up next, we stay in that linebacker room, and here from Dolphins third year linebacker out of Ohio State Jerome Baker, starting with a question about his vision for this Dolphins defense. Awesome, we just gotta build off what we did last year. Uh, And that's just kind of be our approach of UM. Today was our first day in pads. We're gonna watch your film, UM, and tomorrow is gonna get better, you

know every day and awesomely, we really do that. You definitely be a good and so that's gonna be our personal now is just take every day as you know the day's coming. Awesome, We'll be all right. And how about the number one thing Jerome wanted to improve and work on this offseason? Here's his answer, UM, one thing I definitely work on is my pad level? Um? You know this all season. That's how I'm working on every practice, and I really be this conscious of, you know, my

pad level. And yeah, that's just like the one thing I've been focusing on. But every day I try to work on something new and you just trying to awesome to get my game better as best as I can. So, Um, this afseason, I definitely say my pad level. And then I had a chance to ask Jerome about his experience playing with Kyle van Noy, as both those guys are kind of three phase linebackers. We talk about rush, cover,

and play the run. Here's what Jerome said that Kyle van Noy is helping him with this offseason in this defense. What's going on, Jerome, I wanted to ask you about Kyle Van Noy's experience doing some of the same things you do. He just told us he was a bit of a dying breed in terms of a guy that do a little bit of everything and being one of those guys yourself, how much does his knowledge and experience

in this defense help you in that regard? It helps me every yet, Uh, you know Kyle since the day you know he walked in. He kind of just been in my ear about anything and everything. Um, if it's on the field, it's off the field, whatever it was. Uh, he definitely been a great mentor just a you know, just an older vet. So I definitely appreciate that. I always make fun because he's I think he's like the second oldest player on the team. So uh, he's definitely.

Uh he's unique, but he's a great person and also a great player. We talked about guys playing hard and playing fast. Here's Jerome Baker saying what he learned about this team on day number one with the pads on Um, I don't know yet. Uh, you know, he staydn't watching the film yet, but um, guys just went hard. I think that was like the unique thing. And we just went hard. We did everything. We did as hard as we possibly can and it might not be perfect, but

we definitely got better to that. Up next, Jerome talked about the value of having so many diverse players and that in the linebacker room here with the Dolphins and how it helps his game grow and continue to get better. It's a great thing. Uh, you know, you can definitely mix it up as far as in our defense but awesome. We just it's just as to our overall depth in

our linebacker Romanum. It definitely helps us and it's kind of cool that we all just kind of, you know, pick our each other game and help each other get better. So it's definitely fun and an aspect. So there he goes Dolphins linebacker Jerome Baker. We have one more player to hear from on this Monday, August seventeenth edition of

the Drive Time Podcast. Before we do that. As the official wellness provider and sports medicine provider of the Miami Dolphins, Baptist Health is ready and committed to continue caring for you safely. This pandemic has reminded us that crisis doesn't build character, it reveals it. It's also taught us that our health is truly what matters most. We have the power to protect each other by wearing a mask. So

who do you wear a mask for? Mask up, South Florida, Keep caring, live healthy, stay strong, and learn more at Baptist Health dot net slash coronavirus. And we've got one more player to hear from. Veterans Center first year Miami Dolphin Ted Carriss, First question posed to him, was about his view and his opinion of these Dolphins rookies up

on the offensive line. I've been very impressed with you know, all the rookies that we brought in this year and and pretty much everyone, everyone on the old line is really working hard, and you know everyone's kind of you know, finding their fit and and earning their role. And and those young guys really have been, uh, really been fun to work with so far. I'm really excited for you know, not only this year, but you know, their careers moving forward.

And with Opening Day less than four weeks away, Ted was asked what's it gonna take to get this Dolphins offensive line and fighting shape for that game in Foxboro just twenty seven days away. Days like today, you know, go out there and pads in the in the South Florida heat and and and working our craft. And I think today was a good start. Um, I'm gonna watch

the film right after to talk to you guys. Obviously there's gonna be some things to clean up, but um, you know, I thought we were competing out there and everyone's you know, fighting hard to get ready to go, and it is still all about building that chemistry and the relationship and the rapport with his teammates. Ted Carriss was also asked how he's doing that with the quarterbacks

so far at this portion of training camp. Well, I definitely, uh, you know, one of my favorite things is to go watch film with them after practice, and I like to see what they're what they're seeing. And it's kind of a low pressure situation getting to know these guys. You know, I've got to you know, uh see some pictures that

fits his family. I've been hanging out with with two of just so you know, just here at the stadium and and watching film and kind of seeing you know, I like to know what they're seeing as well, so we can speak the same language and and be really crissed with communication wise. But you know, off the field stuff, there's not much. We can't really do anything. I'm not taking any chances, um with anything outside the building. So we're pretty much here and that's fun. A little training

camp on the Novak campus. And then I is up next. I want to get a question across Ted about the physicality and the nature of this practice today in the trenches, playing right in the middle of it all at that center position. Hey, Ted, how's it going? Man? Good to

see you again. Um, coming into your fifth year now, you've been in part of several training camps obviously, and and coach Flora has talked this morning a little bit about the physicality of practice and kind of letting you guys go, what's your overall take on how the physicality

of today's practice was. I think it was great. Um. I think we have a really big team, uh, and big physical players all on the line of scrimmage, even off the ball, and UM, you know, it's a pleasure to go in there and cut my teeth with them and get better because now you know, this will be a fun camp and a good opportunity to get better as we go into you know, this long season, which is we're gonna play a lot of physical teams early

and it's going to serve as well. We talked a lot about the juice around the building on a day like today when football is back in full force. Here's Ted talking about the pads coming on and what it means to him and the offensive line as a unit, getting their footwork, the communication, everything down pat before the season. Now, it's definitely time to get the pads on, especially especially like I just said with twenty seven days till we're

kicking off. You know, we need to work and we need to get our timing right in our fits right on line is a repetition position, and um, you really can't get a true, true rep um without you know, having you know, full gear on. But it was a good start today and I'm excited that we did. I mean, it really is camp now and and that's exciting. It was nice to see some some people in the stands today, at least it was getting a little lonely out there.

But um, you know, we're just gonna keep working every day. Ted was then asked about Dolphins fourth round draft pick and guard Solomon Kinley out of Georgia. Here's what Ted has to say about the way Kiley's worked this offseason. Well, it's been very fun to play next to him, and he works really hard and he's you know, always trying to do the right thing. Um, you know, it's a he's a he's a great guy to have in the room.

He's a he's a cool dude, and you know, he really is working hard, and um, we're gonna we're gonna need him to work hard. He's a he's a he's a very very good football player, and um, you know, I'm I'm excited every time I get to go, you know, go into battle with him. So, um, obviously this is day one, you know, this is learning how to play in the NFL. I I have to work on my fundamentals just as hard. It's not harder. So everyone's working hard.

And you know, I think we were on the right track and we'll go ahead and finish this thing up here With a question from Kyle Crabs, the host of Locked On Dolphins, he posed a question to Ted Carriss about the terminology and communication in an offense for the first time and Ted Carross's career switching from one system to another, coming from the Patriots down here to Miami and the terminology and the communication of that and how it's going so far for Ted, this offensive line and

this Dolphins football team. I love the new termin knowledge. I think it's fascinating. I just to learn another language in football. I've relish that opportunity and feel pretty comfortable with it now. As far as technique, eyes and nuances, you know, I'm you know, I'm gonna, you know, do what our coach coach asks to do. There's a couple of differences, but you know they're putting us in positions

to succeed. There's a couple of ways to work and I am I am excited to get to work every day with Coach Marshall, Coach Lamb and and and these guys in the old line room. So there you go. Lengthy edition of the Drivetime podcast today recapping the first day of Dolphins training camp here with padded practice available to the South Florida media. We're gonna come back tomorrow and do it all over again, and of course we'll have written content for you guys up on Miami Dolphins

dot com. Check out all the social media accounts, all the video work this team does down here. Plenty of townspeople helping to bring you guys content on your Miami Dolphins training camp. As for today's show, that's gonna be my time you all, please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple, podcast, Spotify, wherever you here your podcast from. Go ahead and leave us that rating, leave us that review, Give me a follow on Twitter at Wingfield, NFL,

Fall the Dolphins at Miami Dolphins. We have a new episode of the Fish Tank podcast coming out tomorrow as well as the Audible coming up later this week, and Miami Dolphins dot com for all your Dolphins content. Until next time, guys, fins up.