To on Remove gol on Deep Speedways, Peace do PASD from the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex.
This is Drivetime with Travis Wingfield.
He's got my advans in the playoffs.
What is I'm Dolphins and welcome to the Draft Time Podcast. I am your host, Travis Wingfold. And on today's show, we are back on the floor at the Indiana Convention Center for Scouting Combine twenty twenty four coverage. We have a bunch of interviews lined up for you guys. We're also gonna touch on the Dolphins ranking first in that player survey for how they're treated across multiple avenues of professional football life.
We're gonna do that.
We're a gonna hear from Jordan Reid from ESPN and the great Emory Hunt from CBS Sports HQ. All of that and more from the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
This is the Draft Time Podcast.
YEA, So, the Dolphins rank number one on the NFLPA survey that grades several categories across the National Football League and these are graded by the players themselves, a pretty good source here, and I believe Miami was number two last year.
If I'm not mistaken. Well, they got better, they upgraded, they proved.
To number one this year with top rankings really across the board. So here's the categories that players voted on for this particular survey. Treatment of families. That's third in the National Football League out of thirty two.
What does that mean?
Tickets for families at games, postgame meeting areas with the players. We have family Night for where the families come in for dinner to have dinner with their with their players and the coaches at the facility. So third out of thirty two. Pretty good in that category. And when they have those dinners in the cafeteria number one in the NFL. Baby, and I can personally attest to that. We have very good breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day in the facility.
It's awesome. I eat their more than eat at home, and it is very very good food. And it gives me a good mix too, because I.
Don't really like to eat that many vegetables and things that are good for me, but it forces me to eat better when I eat in that cafeteria. Nutritionists and Dietitian second in the National Football League. Locker room third and it's a great locker room.
We hear about that all the time.
Training room first, Training staff first. A lot of consternation about training staff this year, right, and I've always said, how the heck is a training staff supposed to prevent an achilles from popping?
Like, I never understand that argument.
Well, the players will tell you the training staff and training room are number one in the entire National Football League. So it was the weight room that's also first strength. Coaches second place, team travel Scott Bullus mentioned here the one that coordinates all that stuff first in team travel ownership, Stephen Ross number one, Go get.
Them, Steve.
And then how about the head coach number eight? That one kind of shook me as like kind of low on the list here, but he.
Also got an A.
That just means there's lots of coaches that are loved out there in the National Football League.
So every one of these things is great.
As an AA for the Miami Dolphins, the only A minuses were training staff and treatment of families, and then the ownership and the weight room both received A pluses and everything else got an A.
For your Mimi Dolphins, it's a great place to work.
And we got to hear from Dolphin Jail manager Chris Greer on that survey as he addressed it in his Wednesday media availability. From the comment, I will play the rest of the sound bites from Chris Greer a little bit later on.
Let's go ahead and drop.
That sound bite talking about the NFLPA survey right here.
Well, I think it's a testament.
It's a Steve Ross.
I mean just for what he's built in terms of the facility and the people he's allowed us to hire, and and when you have a building like that and you get a survey and you finish top rated like that, I think that shows just the quality of the people from you know, Dave Poloka and strength, Kyle Johnson and training staff, you know Meghan and the dining staff.
But it's a very collaborative.
Everyone works and talks together, and the players feel that, like, you know, we're very communicative with the players and telling them like, hey, you know, what can we do better? What can we do? So I was very excited for it because I know last year when we got number two, you know, guys are like, oh, how do we not get number one? So again, and that just shows that, you know, with Steve, because right away that last year, Steve was like, oh, we're number two, what can we
do better? And so I give Steve a lot of credit on that for driving us to be the best in the business.
We will hear more from Chris Career here in just one moment, But first, let's go ahead and play a couple of interviews live from Radio Row. They're not live. I conducted them live when I did them. They're not live right now. They happen in the past. It's a podcast. That's how podcasts work. Do you guys know how podcasts work? Maybe I do. Let's go ahead by the interview here with Jordan Reid from ESPN. Now, all right, welcome back
into the podcast. ESPN still feels good to say that every single year Jordan Reid, Jordan, how do you doing man?
How's the how are the rounds treating you?
Here?
Exuce, I've seen you make a couple of software anywhere over to the Dolphins table.
It's good man.
I compare it to the car wash, just going through it, talking to different teams, and that's the fun part of the process.
It's like the lead up to Christmas for me.
I love that.
So every time I have you on the show here we do some type of check in on the quarterback position, because well, you play the position at a pretty high level, and so I'll ask you again for a progress report on two A Tongua bai Loo who played the full season for the first time in his career, had great success early on, kind of tailed off the production towards the end of the year, didn't get the wins late in the year the Dolphins fans and organization we're hoping for.
I'm just curious overall, what did you make of his second year in Mike McDaniel's system.
I thought he was really successful.
He had plenty of hot points throughout the season, and I think there isn't a better system than he could play in that matches his strengths. Just attack in the middle of the field and then just having the adequate number of weapons that he has Jaqulen Waddell, Tyreek Hill and the host of other guys that they do have. Devin h change really came on when he was healthy throughout the season, and they have a host of other
running backs that they do like as well. So I thought he showed some problems and flashes, but they do have a big decision to make with him this offseason and if they're going to give him the extension or not, and if he is worthy of that.
So I'll mentioned to see how it does unfold.
Well, if you take McDaniel's word for it, sounds like that's the direction they're going to go into. He just talked about him in his press conference, and it seems pretty likely that two was going to be here for quite a while. If you hear coach talk about him and his growth that he's he's seen from that first year now into year number three, what would you say are some things that he can he can do better?
Because every year we've seen to a twenty five year old quarterback going into his age twenty sixth season, he's gotten better every single year rookie year up to now.
What about year five? Where's that jump for him gonna happen in year five?
Do you think just a consistency with working things outside the middle of the field and then also just stretching the playbook outside of so much RPO stuff too, just because RPO is such what I call object read centric to where he's reading the safety or he's reading the linebacker and things like that. To where he can go through those true progressions and be more consistent than that area.
What do you think about the idea of hiring quarterback coach? I heard that he was going that direction this offseason. I think most most quarterbacks probably work with a And also I was telling our friend off to the side here that did the production for us.
He was like, what's the quarterback coach?
Joan?
I view it as like a swing coach in golf, right, whereas you have your your caddy as your coach, and then your swing coach as yours your quarterback coach. Is that an accurate assessment? And also what's the value of having that?
It is?
And a lot of times with coaches, they have to be so focused on winning games they forget about the developmental aspects of the position. So a quarterback coach can focus on those intricacies, the depth and the details of the position that the NFL coach may not have time for just because he's trying to beat the Patriots, He's trying to beat the Bills and the JITs, so they forget about the little details of the position. R I should they forget? They forget about they get into winning
games and they get a little. They get so focused on that they forget about the little details of the position.
Fundamentals and details can always be stressed upon it and focused on. Let's go ahead and pivoting down to the team building aspect of our show. Here we have Jordan Reid from ESPN breaking down all things NFL draft minded Dolphins for you guys. Here, let's go ahead and start with the top pick twenty one. I think this is the first time we've done drive times since twenty one. Yeah, maybe the Waddle and Phillips picks, which worked out pretty
good for the Dolphins. In fact, if you go back to twenty twenty to Austin Jackson, no Ignogeny was a miss. Jalen Phillips and Jaalen Wattle pretty good bye christ career, right, Like, tell me about those guys a little bit.
What do you think about their career so far?
I mean, they've been awesome.
Phillips had the unfortunate injury too, has come along really nicely. Waddle has been a very explosive weapon. And then you know, Igbinoghny was a risk for them back then, but it was worth a swing just because a player that started as a receiver at Alburn and then transferred over the corner. It tests really good and they felt like they had he had the traits present to where you could coach them up to eventually turn into a successful player, but it just didn't.
Work out for him.
So we're talking about in those five players, a quarterback, a tackle, a wide receiver, an edge, and a corner. It's the five premium positions in the sport, right Is that kind of a smart philosophy to go first round premium spot because we can get these guys that on the free agent market are super expensive.
Rickie contract not so much.
Yeah, And I mean the first round, in my opinion, should be a reserved for passers, pass catchers, and pass protectors, pass rushers. But so those are the four areas where he really want to address in the first round, just
because they're those premium positions. And I think wide receiver is a premium position nowadays just because we're seeing so many of those guys go in the first round, and how it really is insurance for those first round quarterbacks or those young quarterbacks that you do select.
So kind of getting into more followups here than my actual question I was going to ask you, because you know, I tell people this a lot, and actually e J.
Snyer, the Bootleg Football co host, just stop buying.
He asked me, what do you think the offen'se biggest needs are, And I said, I'm interested in another pass catcher because Tyreek and Waddle when they were injured last year, there was a lot of stress on the one guy who was up and available. And they also run an offense where there's a lot of rotation, so Tyreek and Walla don't play every step every game because they come
off the field for those reps. So I'm curious what you think is a good compliment to those two in this year's class at a receiver, tight end and eligible that could potentially give Miami even more juice on offense.
That you like. Well maybe not at twenty one, but if they want to trade back for somebody that's coming up for a player, maybe late first or early second, I would love to see them get a dynamic tight end. I think that's another area that can unlock Mike me Daniels offense, just because we know they like the flood the middle of the field. That's just his scheme, that's what he wants to do. So Jatavian Sanders of Texas. He's one that I think they could have a lot of interest in, just because.
He's a player that's highly productive.
He can play inside and outside in the end with them stressing the middle of the field so much, his game in between the college hashes has been so productive for him, and I think he was around one to think yeah, yeah, I think so, late first, maybe not at twenty one, but late first, early second.
I think that's where they could go.
Gotcha, how about on the offensive line, because that's another spot where the Dolphins, like every team is looking for offensive line help. Right. I did a little research thing on this and, like I believe Chad Rure, NFL dot Com had like twenty six teams with the offensive line need and their first three needs, like it's everybody in the NFL but from Miami. Pretty good lusher and they're healthy the depth after injuries took their toll, which again
every team in the NFL has those. But left guards are free agent, center's a free agent, right guards a free agent. The right tackle got re signed. The left tackle we don't know if he's coming back or not yet. How are some guys that could play either either of those spots. But also I'm kind of airsted in the potential convert guys like like a Troy Fatanu right from you could be a guy that plays guard right away tackle? Is that a tough transition for a guy like that
to make? And I guess just kind of tellus about the offensive line in that first round.
Well, it'd be interesting with Patanu, just because I'm always of the belief if you have any doubts or you're on the fence about if a guy can play tackle or guard, make them show or make them fail at tackle first, just because it's such a premium position. You want to make him show you that, hey, I cannot play tackle before you slide him inside the guard.
Now.
I have Fortana grated as a guard, but some teams you talk to they have him as a tackle and they feel as if he can stay there. So I think he could be a viable option at twenty one. Center could be another area of need or is the area need for them? Jackson Powers Johnson of Oregon, I think he's another player that they could target. Zach Fraser of West Virginia is another. There's plenty of others. Kooper beebe of Kansas State is another I think they could like as well.
We've heard Powers Johnson, we've heard the Duke kid. I just for grand Barton and Zach Fraser a lot the three centers. How do you separate those guys? Like, what's the difference in those guys' games?
If you don't mind it, well, I'll just start with Barton.
Barton actually played center his first year at Duke in the any transition to tackle his final two seasons, so he has that versatility of where he can play off five upfront. Now I think it's an interior guys because he does lack some length and he saw that on tape quite a bit last year. So he has the versatility and experience at all five that the others do not have. Fraser's only been a guard in the center,
so he kind of has that interchangeable ability. And then Jackson Powers Johnson also has guard and center capability.
But I think he's the best center in this year's draft.
Yeah, he's fun to watch his tape's.
I compare him to Christian Wilkins a lot in his post snap extracurriculars because he's always doing something on the tape. Is that something you kind of watch for on tape sometimes is how guys backed after plays.
It shows guys that are having fun and they're enjoying the game. Especially as an offensive lineman. You'd love to see that, just because as a center, centers are like quarterbacks to me, you're setting the tone of the offense because there's only two people that touch the ball every single play on offense.
It's the quarterback and it's the center.
So him having that type of infectious energy, it just helps infuse the rest of the group. And you saw that at Oregon, like when he was playing at a high level. That offensive line is playing at a really high level.
Just a high a great character.
I saw an interview with him where he was talking about doing autographs and he's like, when I find out the guys are hawking the auto are the Ebell e Bay sellers, I just ride down like turd Ferguson from Jeopardy. I saw he mentioned that in interview. Just a great, high character. Funny dude. Last one for you here we talked about the first round Dolphins pick. Again in the second round, I picked fifty three. Who do you like
in that range? That kind of marries up with the Dolphins knees that you have.
Just any position or just in general.
Wherever you want.
Fifty three, like top fifty three players, kind of that French top fifty guys that you like.
Yeah, I mean offensive line, we could stay with that. Cooper b B I definitely could could be a viable option. Now see a scheme fit. I would say that's kind of on the fence about that as far as the predominantly zone scheme. But I think Cooper BB could he could be a tackle or it could be a guard. So he's one tight end I think could be once again another area we talked about Jatavian Sanders, but after that it gets a little bit tricky. Maybe not so at fifty three, but Theo Johnson of Penn State is
one that I like, call it quite a bit. Excuse me, that big, multiple piece of clay that really dominates the middle of the field. Had seven receiving touchdowns the last eight games at Penn State, so things really started to click for him down in the back stretch of last season.
It's hard to discuss defense in the podcast because we don't really know what the Dolphins defense looks like going into next year with a new DC. I even asked Andremia about this and he was like multiple and versall. I'm like, oh, you don't say it like every the team in the NFL. Right, he was making a joke about that. So appreciate your time. Was always Jordan Reid
at Jordan Underscore Read on Twitter. You can find him on ESPN all across the draft landscape there still getting mistaken for the former commander's tide end right, I think I saw it recently. Appreciate you, man, Thank you.
Thanks as always, Travis, and.
Away he goes, let's go ahead and take our first break rate there. Come back on the other side, and welcome in guest number two, Emery Hunt. Draft Time Podcast, your host Travis Winkfield, brought to you by Auto Nation annual tradition, Emery Hunt, CBS Sports HQ joining me here on the Draft Time Podcast.
Emery, good to see you again.
Man, Always a pleasure, man. It's always good to seeing you.
Man.
I feel like we're all getting older, but you somehow just continue to get younger. I know you had kids, so you know your grade started peak out a little bit there, man.
So I did get a haircut earlier, which hides him on the side a little bit hides the grays. And I was going to make a comment to you because usually when I see you, man, you put me to shame with the dress. But you're kind of casual today.
What's yeah, listen, I felt like, you know, I wanted to do it for the people. You know what I'm saying. I was getting too flashy.
I didn't want the fans to come in, so I was like, let me stay a little key, mingling with the commoners, and then boom.
He dresses down. He confidence the host.
This man knows exactly what he's doing, how to butter the bread there as it were. Every year we do this with you at the combine, and then we do one in May, which I'm sure we'll do again talking about udfas. But it's an annual tradition to revisit the hits you have with guys that you project they're gonna make our roster from the udf A list. It's uncanny, man, every year you get two for us. I don't want to know, inflate your ego too much.
Year.
But Chris Brooks and.
Julian Hill, you came on the podcast last many and tell me they're gonna make the team, and they did, and they played all year long. Chris Brooks got injured and couldn't get on the field late in the year. But those two guys, man, what did you see in their game as rookies for the Dolphins this year.
Well Brooks was someone that set out to me initially at the Hula Bowl.
There's a big.
Back, just was heavy running downhill, ran behind his pass. I felt like watching him that week, it's difficult to tackle him. And then you go and watch the film, You're like, Okay, he was a good pace setter for a run game, someone that can help keep the Dolphense on pace.
And we know the.
Dolphins is predicated on speed, so you need someone like Brooks in there. And that was the perfect fit for him for his skill set and when he brought to the table, he'll I remember calling the game where they played Mama because I do a lot of college broadcasting and Mama Campbell game was like, man, it's this This kid is pretty dog go good. And you know he's one of these swing move h back types that can catch the ball and get up.
Feel he could run, he could block.
He's enthusiastic about blocking but he's also very good with the ball in his hands. So he's another one that if given the opportunity. With the way the Dolphins utilize their tight end and what they want to recreate, I know everyone says, you know Minnie Sean Vay or someone like that, and how San Francisco does. Says, well, that's what San Francisco does. They get a tight end, they get an h back and get a flex tight end and get a full back. And the Dolphins are still
creating that. And I thought Hell would have been a perfect type to crossover between fullback h back that can really catch the ball.
That's a good example because alec Ingold obviously is kind of that.
Kyle used check role.
Dervis minds us a little bit of everything, kind of a I don't want to say poor manage George Kittle because he's not that, but George Kittle's an can all pro,
so it's tough to hit that match. But then you know, with Julian I had I interviewed this year in the locker room one point and I was like, man, I love watching you come around the formation on those jet motions and kick out that backside lineback or even lead up the back on the outside zone that way, and he's like, got offif on my rookie duties.
So what I'm curious is the.
Next evolution for him as a pass catcher because you mentioned a little bit there. You think there's some meat on the bone fram because he didn't really get any targets this year in the passing game.
Yeah, and that's you go back and watch the games at Campbell. He was a significant part of the passing game. He was well closed by Mike Menton, former NFL player and he now moved on from the head coaching position there at Campbell. But while he was there, he was they were getting him the ball. And I think now because people have gotten you see him blocking, that they're going to leave the passing game on a constant and
he's going to get those opportunities. And that's going to be the surprise the growth this year, which is what I love football and how you could always see rolls expand. So what you see year one may not be what a guy can only do. It's going to expand in a year or two, and for him, I think we were going to see that this year. It was just mixing offense that much more dangerous.
Julian Hill alec Engold fifty combined catches this year. I'm calling it right now. Now, get the ball in those guys hands. Forget Tyreek and Walla again to those two guys. Now, I'm just kidding, But let's go back to Chris Brooks here, because you know, you mentioned the balance for the Dolphins offense, the speed they have, but Chris Brooks is such a physical hammer man.
There was a moment in training camp last year.
They were running the team drills at the end of the practice and Chris Brooks took a ninety or no, I'm sorry, let me rephrase that.
They were on goal line.
He hammered it in it from two yards out, just ran through a tackler and then took a ball ninety seven yards the other direction for a long touchdown. I was like, okay, you got my attention now, young man. But he ran that way in the preseason. In this regular season in the Broncos blowout, he had a long run in that game. I think he can play man.
And so my question to you is, because the Dolphins have all that speed and they tend to garner two high structures defensively, right is Chris Brooks kind of that guy that can come in and get you out of those two high looks and get more single high looks for this offense.
Yeah, because at the end of the day, you have to account for him in a run game, and you know, for guys like him.
It's a chore to tackle him.
So you got to bring an extra guy down, an extra hat down, and that just creates those looks that you see, those advantageous looks that that gets those guys.
With speed in space.
So yes, but it's the gift and the curse, because we touched on it briefly, the injuries. Right when you're
that physical over runner, that's gonna happen. So if you could just develop a little bit more wiggle without losing that that enforcer mentality, it's gonna help sustain his season for sixteen seventeen games and then open things up for everyone else to do their things speed wise, because if you have to tackle him all throughout the game, at least on first or second down, like man, all right, here we go again, and then here comes a ch hand and then boom eighty yards like I'm tired from
tackling this dude, and this dude just running all over the place. That's the union and the yang of the running game, which is why you need those prime example, and this is a team that the Dolphins played. You saw the difference between the Cowboys without a pacesetter Jux opposed to you know, having one with Zeke. It was a different game. Polo was much more efficient and better, more effective. And so we're seeing that now the Dolphins. If they can get Brooks out there and let him
just continue to be the pacesetter. He doesn't have to be, you know, a dominant back, but he has to be able to go on those three and a half four yard carries, those jabs and here comes to knockout blow.
With all the speechs you guys have in the backfield.
The way he kind of the way a chan finds those little slippers increases reminds me of Chris Johnson for the Titans back in the day. Wendell White. Maybe he can be our thunder and lining right now? What would really tick me off about?
Like, because people always liked what's your favorite team or who's your favorite team? And I don't root for teams anymore. I root for good football and our route to see guys, do well. Right, So it just in the Dolphins Ravens game, a Chan had the easiest one hundred yard game and didn't get the ball, Like imagine if he just they kept giving him the ball. I think they stayed in
the game and probably beat the Ravens. So having that ability to hit the home run from anywhere on the field in the run game, that is a valuable asset. So I'm glad he ended up in a situation that's gonna you know, utilize his skill sets fully.
You love his game, right, let's talk more about him a little bit. Just tell me about his rookie season and just kind of what you saw from him.
Speed speeding is supposed to just like period, like you get outside and it's gone, it's eighty eight out the gate, and you know, so when you have in one of the in my scouting news, I think the first tune of his scolaryport, I have like runs like a determined puppy. Like he's just aggressive in terms of like I'm not going down, and he had to be a little bit more judicious on winning where he's gonna take contact that we're contact. The beauty is when we're that fast, he
might not take a lot of contact. He's just gonna outrun everybody. And we saw that at times in the NFL, and that to me is where someone like a Chan is.
Gonna have a nice long career.
It's kind of like what you see already roheem most those type of guys. But I mean, when you run Legit four three, four to two on good days.
You know what I'm saying.
You got a Legit four about one track team, And I brought this up. I was talking to another team where with the Dolphins, in this particular team, it's creating It's very CFL like to where you feel like the field expands with wire. So now when you expand the field with wise and you have these dynamic speed guys.
In space, it's impossible to cover.
That's why teams were so afraid of playing the Dolphins, because it makes the field look wider, it makes the feeld look longer, and we don't have the speed to cover four guys that have Olympic track speeds. So eight Chan in the midst of the Wattles and the Tyreek Hills. I would never want to game plan against Miami.
Daniel talks about his twenty one first twenty one personnel fast, twenty one personnel with a chan, and most are out there. I like that thirty personnel package put ingled out there wattle reek a chan.
Mosters go baby speak.
How much speed do you have?
Like?
You can't you can't like? And the thing here's the thing about exposed to speed.
People don't understand you can't zone cover or bracket cover that type of speed. You can bracket speed and zone speed and kind of play inside out banjoo coverage or whatever. But when you have Olympic type speed guys outrun coverage, it's it's it's nothing you can do. You better get pressure on the quarterback. But when you're dealing with a quarterback that is accurate, his timing is all.
Point, the placement, his own point. The ball comes out quick.
Good luck, hey man, preaching, tell us more.
You got three minutes. You're out here.
I want to ask you this last two questions. In one, I know you've been spending some time on the skill players in your evaluation. Tell us about some guys you like at the top of the draft from Miami in that regard, And then as you want to do some hidden gems later.
On, listen Troy Franklin is someone I thought you might like it. It's speed, speed, speed, bro, and it's Miami can't get enough of it. And he's a he's a taller guy. I do think even though he's lean, he has room to fill out this frame a little bit and get, you know, add some weight. But he runs routes like a like a receiver does. He's not just a speed only guy. He's just a He's a receiver
that happens to be explosively fast. So he would be one with the Dolphins picked that still well, it depends on when that run goes with the you know, the receivers, right, because this is an elite class of wide receivers. You know, you got a bunch of guys, maybe like ten guys that I could say our first round talents, right, and so it's crazy it's gonna push guys down. So Franklin would be the one. I think it fits in that
range for the Dolphins. That would be an ideal fit for what they do schematically, if you're a taller guy, but still that in line with the speed, and it just opens things up right later in the draft, you want to undraft the gym you want someone that no one's talking about, West Florida's John Giles, like six two two eighteen can fly.
It was at the College Grin showcase. He killed it there.
It is almost laughable with how dominant he was in each and every rep. He got a late call up to the Hula Bowl, went out there a short notice in dominated as well. And so if you go back and watch his game against Florida A and M. Florida and M was going to have two guys in twenty twenty five draft and the second area are going to be draft picks he had. He was open all day. Quarterback just couldn't get him, you know what I'm saying. So he was open all day and that's the biggest thing.
So John Giles, big receiver, fast, physical, underrated guy that no one's talking about.
If I was a betting man, I would bet that you're not gonna hear John Giles' name in this room.
Not at all the week unless you said unless I said it said West Florida Argonatt you know, say out there in Pensacola.
And that's why we have every hunt on every single year at f ball game Plan CBS Sports HQ Emory thank you as.
Always man, Always a pleasure.
Man.
Appreciate you coming on, man, and we will have Emory back on the podcast to do our UDFA podcast we do every single year with him, where he gets them right every year.
I don't know how he does it. It's amazing.
But it's also fun to go back and look upon like we did there with Chris Brooks and Julian Hill and the other undrafted rookies that he has nailed for the Mimy Dolphins.
Let's go ahead and take our last break right there.
Come back on the other side and get you the updates and highlights from Chris Greer's Wednesday press conference here Indianapolis. That's Next Draft Time podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation. It's not too often we get to hear from Chris Grear, and we got that on Wednesday here in Indianapolis.
Go ahead and go back to his media availability.
And another thing you got to talk about a lot when you have a good quarterback is the quarterback position and that quarterback himself and his contract situation. So we're gonna go ahead and do two soundbites for you here on TUA. First about the extension that sounds like it's in pretty imminent at this point. Here's Chris Grear on QB one and his contract situation.
Yeah, we've been in communication since the off season began. I'm gonna talk to his agent here this week. Yeah, so I'll both try and see if you can get something done. So Ryan's been great too, It's been great, So we'll see, but there's no timeline on it because the end of the day, you know how these deals get done, their complicated deals and building the team through free agencies as well. So we'll work through it and see if we get something done.
A couple of guys on Radio row when I record that last bit there we're clapping, which almost feels like an applause hitting and the two extension conversation, which just feels fitting to me.
Let's go ahead and move on next.
Here to a question that I thought was the best of the entire press conference, and it was from a guy that doesn't usually come on the Dolphins beat, so good for him for coming in and being the showstopper. He asked about the exponential growth for Tua and the opportunity for him to continue to get better because as we discuss on this podcast and every piece of content that I do in this world is that Tua has improved his game each of the four years in his career.
Kind of an up and down rookie season, right, not really a lot of explosive popping. There some better efficiency in year number two. Year three takes off, has the breakout yere Ab gets injured. Year four has another big time statistical season and stays healthy.
What's coming up in year five?
I've talked about how I believe that his processing, his strengths that he exhibits really bode well for his long term growth to become the best version of himself into his late twenties and even into his thirties, maybe even into the mid thirties as well. He's the kind of quarterback that excels with the stuff that gets better with age.
So coach not coach.
Chris Greer was asked about that here's career on Tua's room for growth as a quarterback and a player and a leader for your Miami Dolphins.
That's a good question because Mike and I had talked about that a lot, and and we're strong believers in him, and you guys all feel Mike's passionate about him when he talks about him, and just in the two years of what he's done, he's grown in areas and to where you know, he let the league in passing and did some great things this year, and we all feel there's still another level that he can take it. And I think if you ask too, he would tell you that too.
And so.
Just his growth on and off the field, like being voted captain last year and then seeing how he is, you know, behind the scenes with guys and holding people accountable is huge. So I think the way he's attacked this and wants to be great, and the combination of Mike and working with that and that trust and belief in each other, we do think.
There's still another level kind of tell offors. Why I apologize for that audio, but you get the point of what he's saying. Next the other big contract we're talking about this Sason Christian Wilkins. I continue to get the breadcrumbs here that sounds like Christian will not be leaving. In fact, that's what the report was, right. They're not gonna let out of the building. And why would you. I've told you, guys, I've officially swung to the side of do not let him leave, because if he leaves
now you need a zero technique. You probably need a zero slash one shade technique, you probably need a three technique, and maybe even a potential like five swing technique. Is a rotational guy, so Wilkins fulfills several roles. Here is the update on Christian Wilkins, which is some good news here. It sounds like Chris Greer and his agent are having a powwell here pretty soon.
No, I think all options are on the table for us. I'm gonna beet here with Christian's agent this week. Dave and I've always had good conversations, but I'm just being very transparent with it, you know. I Mean, he guys earned it. He's had a great season, and so we'll see what happens here as we talk here over the next couple of weeks.
The all options mentioned there at the top of the answer was regarding the potential four potential, potential for potential for a long term contract or a tag situation for Christian Wilkins. Let's go ahead and go back now to a more team building philosophy question, and he was asked about having a quarterback who is no longer on a rookie deal and how that impacts your ability to be flexible and just what you do going forward. That was
the question posed to Chris Greer. But I thought the answer about the guys we're talking about for potential extensions is the real Uh you come for the come for the breader board with the highlight. Is that the the main ticket? What am I looking for here? The main the headliner? But you stay for this common here from Chris.
Greer, Well, it's I mean, it's a it's a challenge. But I think the one thing that you know, Brandon Shore and Max and Paul Tonnell then when we talk is we're always looking short term and long term and so in terms of having some flexibility and how contracts are structured and stuff. So again, yes, every year you can't go make those moves. You know that people get excited for your teams just because I mean, you're seeing
it around the lea. It's not sustainable. You know, at some point you have to reel it back a little bit and then add some youth and influx and then and then uh, cherry pick, you're in there where you go and so you know we've been looking at all different ways in terms of building this and keeping our roster competitive.
So we know about Tua and Christian. He mentioned Waddle and Phillips in there. I believe Javon Holland has to be part of that mix as well. So that's five guys right there. I mean, again, pretty good core players, right, another result of drafting well, which some people don't agree with that even though the proof is right your face.
But I digress.
And it's not that disimilar to the discussions about having a quarterback on that big contract and the ability to not win games or go deep in the playoffs. Right, that's a discussion you've heard the last several years, and Patrick Mahomes and other quarterbacks have continued to disprove that.
So interesting stuff.
They're talking about how the team has to kind of take a different approach and be maybe a little bit less aggressive, and how they go after veterans and maybe even in the draft and get that influx of young talent on the roster. I'm gonna have Kyle Crabs in the podcast. I'm not sure if it's going to be Friday or Monday yet, but you'll he'll talk about this.
We discussed the idea of team building cycles and how that all works out and how that flow works, and with the Dolphins' ability to have those good draft classes a few years back, they afford themselves the opportunity to go aggressively after a Tyreek Hill, after a Bradley Chubb. Right, use those first round draft picks for veteran, proven talent
on the big contract. But now that you're a couple of years removed from having first round picks, probably time to kind of step back a little bit and be a little bit, you know, less aggressive and get that youth influx on your roster.
I thought that was very well said there from Chris Queer.
Let's go next now to a question about the health of two and fifteen, the edge rushers who were lost late in the year. Does it derail your plans at all in the off season at all? Here's Chris Career on just that.
Well, it threw off the playoff plans, that's for sure. Said, Yeah, losing guys like that late in the year is always hard. At the end of the day, we don't talk about the medical history or where guys are in terms of their rehab. I will say they're both in the building attacking it every day. So it's been good to see those guys and they support each other working through it as well as all our other injuries guys with a
number of guys. Yeah, I mean, you know, of course, it makes it challenging because now you know, we have to hear, have guys ready to go here, start a dreaming and do it and just the timing get the injuries later. But they're working hard and hopefully we're going back at some point.
There a couple more here for you guys. Let's go ahead and pivot. Next to the offensive line, there was a bunch of questions about to Ron Armstead, Robert Hunt, Isaiah Winn, and Connor Williams, and those situations all remain fluid. To Ron Armstead has been in communication with the Dolphins about his long term potential here and whether or not he will retire or continue his playing career with the
Miami Dolphins. So we are still undecided on that, and you don't know about winning Williams and Rob Hunt contract situation. So he was asked, are you going to have to sign four new offensive linemen? Here's his answer about that.
Possibly, you know, at the end of the day, I thought, Butch and Mike and Frank did a great job developing those guys. So some of the younger guys there that we have on the roster, the guys are excited for see him in another year here going. Those guys made a great lead this year, and they're excited for some of the guys and what they could be in the future. But yeah, I mean, we'll definitely end up having to add some players there at that position.
I wanted to run that audio because I think it's an imperative part of this offseason for the Miami Dolphins with how things are going to shake out, with how
the roster gets built. Because I continue to make this point that there are some spots, and this is most teams, especially when you do have the bigger contracts and the proven players begin to come up on their second contracts, you're gonna have to kind of have a leap of faith at some positions in regards to you can't have you know, twenty five players that you gave premium money to because your quarterback doesn't make a bunch and you
had the flexibility within your salary cap to make that happen. And so now when you do have those big contracts for tu for a Christian Wilkins, for a Tyreek Hill, for all the above, you have to make some concessions and accept the fact that you're going to go into the season with maybe a little bit uncertain to have
some spots. And I wanted to talk about this because his mention of the offensive line being a position where they got young guys that developed, like, we can look at this crop that was basically you know, I don't want to say red shirts last year, but guys that didn't play a whole lot who might have the opportunity to get more playing time in the future and potentially carve out starting roles on an offensive line or backup swing roles that wind up playing several games because of
the attrition you see every year.
On the offensive line.
So I want to just real quick discuss a few guys that I think could be those leap of faith players that you have some trust in with regards to how they could help your roster get more balance to even out those big moves you made for Tyreek, for Chubbing, on and on and on. So, Eric Azukama, I think tops that list receivers a very expensive position to import, whether it's a high draft pick or a free agent contract.
If Azukama can really carve out that role as a guy that can beat one on one coverage inside, be a separator in the red zone, win those third down matchups, that would go a long wave towards your building the roster with more explosive options outside of ten and seventeen to get, you.
Know, to be more comfortable with what you have.
If something happens to Tyreek or Waddell and they miss a game or two, or if they're just off the field in general.
Cam Smith and Cater Kohu pretty obvious there.
Cater feels like in the slot is a position they could really, you know, go after in the offseason. But his rookie year I thought was plenty good enough for that position, or his second year had the bit of a drop off. But he's a guy that I think you would feel comfortable taking that leap of faith on because of his proven resumes in the past. And then camp Smith obviously you're going off of camp in preseason
and what he did in South Carolina. I think he's a hell of a football player with a chance to really be, you know, one of the lockdown cornerbacks in the league. That could be a spot where, you know, opposed to spending ten million bucks on a veteran corner if it's Cam Smith on his second round rookie contract for the next three years, you'd feel great about having that concession there alongside someone like Jayalen Ramsey who you pay top of the market money to, and then you
move on to the cornerback spot. Ethan Bonner kind of falls in that category for me. I'm looking at Julian Hill and Tanner Connor as guys that could make steps forward to give you more flexibility the tight end position. And then Chris Brooks at running back I think makes a lot of sense in that role as well, because we know Devon A. Channon and Raheem Moster are big time. You know bellcows with his team, but having that more
physical back could make some sense there. The reason I put this segment together, though, was talking about the offensive line and a couple of names I thinks to keep an eye on.
Ryan Hayes, last year seventh.
Round draft pick out of Michigan, kind of fit the mold of a Dolphins offensive lineman. Good ten split, good, get off good, athletic ability can anchor that left tackle spot in the future potentially. Keon Smith made a lot of last year both in preseason and had some damn good reps in garbage time last year when he got a chance to play for toront armstat down the stretch.
Maybe even Chasing Hines who was a practice squad guy in the roster all year long, but was a guy that had some talent and majors wept in New England and eventually to the Dolphins practice squad. So a few names to keep an eye on for OTAs and training camp that you need to see progress and uh, you know, solid performances from Let's go ahead and play two more soundbites here. Chris Greer was asked about the potential of a first round draft pick. Debate whether or not you
go safe or go ceiling or high ceiling. I should say, what are you looking for in that first round?
Here is Chris Greer.
I think at the end of the day, well, like we tag at twenty one, so we always will always take the best player. And if it's someone that even that position and that you know, and I don't want to speculating position, but the position people think we're stacked at you never know, like last year when we sat, our of our outside linebacker group was really deep, you know, and the things happened, and then you know the receivers, you know, a Wattle went down, a little bit, Tyreek
got banged up. So yeah, in this league, the way the injuries happen, you need depth everywhere. So I mean it's you can have the safe pick. But if there's a guy that you truly believe is a supremely talented player and loves football and will work to reach that ceiling, then and it's up to us to spend the time and invest in them to find out and then you make that decision you feel it's best for the roster, not just short term but long term as well.
One last one for you here, Cam Smith.
Right, let's just go ahead and get the update from Chris Queer on camp smith growth and development.
No, I think we're very excited about camp. You know, I think you know last preseason, you watch this preseason and stuff. He played very well in the preseason, got banged up the end and came back and you know, at the end of the day, learning big system early. You look at his history of guys, with the young players, it takes a little bit, and so he worked hard and by the end of the season, we are really
excited about it. And talking to Jalen Rams the other day, he was saying how he loves Cam's game and thinks he's going to be a good player. So now we have we're very strong. You've been believe in them. I think last year with a couple of things, he had got banged up a couple of times, but contributed on special teams get some good things. But I think I talked to him probably about three four weeks ago and called him at like eight thirty in the morning and
he was in the middle of a workout session. I feel. So he's attacking the off season. So we're all very excited to see him with an opportunity to play. But he's gonna have to compete and earn it. You know, Cater is not going to give it up to him. So it'll be good. And then obviously we'll be bringing in some other people here too, and maybe X.
Is back, you knows, he said, maybe X is back right there?
Interesting, very very interesting. All right, that's my time today, guys. Welcome back tomorrow with let's se who's gonna be on tomorrow show.
I believe E. J.
Snyder and Matt Miller from ESPN will join me as well. Friday, I think is going to be the Kyle episode, and I'll have more for you guys next week. Also in the meantime, you all please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts from.
Go ahead and.
Leave us a rating and leave us a review. Follow me on social at leak for NFL. From the team at Miami Dolphins, check out the fish Tank Podcast with Seth and Juice. The YouTube channel for Media Availabilities and Dolphins Today.
It's so much more.
Last but not lead Miami Dolphins dot Com until next time. Fins up, Carolin and Camferan Daddy, He's coming home on Thursday, all right?
By JT