The Audible Ep. 75 | Preston Williams

and a quarter by tomorrow one day. I don't give many days where I can put my meals on the Dolphins taff so, so I gotta take advantage of John k Jimmy Kim Vocambra. We are in Tampa where the Dolphins are going through two days of practices with the Tampa Bay Bucks before a Friday's uh second preseason game. I actually thought the game was Thursday all week, and then all of a sudden looked at me, We're gonna

be there Friday extra day on here. So uh, but John says, you know, to me, it's it's certainly about the game. But but I think the real value to coming up there are the two prack. This says, you get a chance to you know, guys have been working against each other. Now they kind of Norman's tendencies and kind of know where they're setting up a route and this and that. Or if you're a defensive lineman, you know you kind of know where that talk was gonna set.

Now all of a sudden, you get to go get two days going against another team that you're you're not that familiar with, uh And I think it gives you a better picture, a little more intensity, a little bit of pushing and shoving. No nothing that nothing on day one, that that erupted. You know. I thought a couple of times maybe they were gonna kinda get going, but but nothing. And I think it was a pretty good days, pretty good days worth of work for the Dolphins. I thought

so too, Bo. And like you said, it's invaluable to go against different body types, to go against different guys with different gears at wide receiver, running back or different pass sets, and and for the defensive linemen to go after different guys that you haven't seen before. I think it's it bodes well for both teams. And I thought the practice was very fluid. I thought it was very clean.

I thought it was crisp. I think both teams are are gonna be benefiting from the workouts, you know, for the two days of prag is leading up to the preseason game, and it just it just I think it excites both teams because you know, there's not many chances you can go for dress rehearsal in a practice setting and then go into a game. And this is gonna be good practice work for both teams, you have no doubt about it. Uh, just to get again into the practice.

Uh must have been first or second snap of the day. Kenyan Drake hobbles off the field. It looks like it's kind of a foot injury, maybe an ankle injury. Not sure. I'm not sure what the effective is it right now. Didn't see him back on the field. But the flip side, it's nice to Albert Wilson back there all through practice, doing more things out there. Means he's getting closer and

closer to being a hundred percent as you wanted to be. Uh, come to Baltimore Ravens when they come to town September eight. But it's nice to see him out there running, getting loose, and doing some things, and that was certainly a really nice thing to see. Well, anytime you see fifteen out there, the only thing that could be better is if you see nineteen joined them pretty soon and Jachim Grant. But

you know, Albert was in full pads running routes. It looked like guys on the outside kind of you know, the elite by example, and especially if you haven't been out there in a while, you want to be you want to be able to go and get your work in because I think it's important coming off of an

injury for both of those guys. You can throw Jachim in there as well, to go back out on the practice field, do things and test yourself, test your limits, see where you're at physically, because once September hits, and it and it, you start counting him for real. You want to be as closer, if not at a hundred percent when you're going against the Baltimore Raven. So this was another test I think for for you know, Albert

to go out there and see where he's at. And he looked pretty looked pretty good catching the ball, you know, then he turned it on down the sideline, just you know, mimicking a big player, an explosive play. So like what I saw, you know, it's it's tough when you're coming

back from an injury like that. And I'm a kind of referenced Jachimila because you know, Jachim was out there early in the training camp, look like he was gonna go and then he had a little set back, maybe a little twins, a little this and that coming out that you know, that Achilles injury scared scare and I think it kind of I think it caught caught everyone by surprise and said, hey, let let's let's kind of

set him back a little bit. Let's give him some time because we need him to be ready in September. We we don't need any of these you're early in training camp. And so I think that's a lesson learned.

And I'm sure they're gonna keep a close eye on Albert Wilson going forward, so if there's any minor set back, but you know, minor setbacks all right, because I gets a little rest, kind of goes back into that rehab mode, gets himself stronger, and then comes back and had that all that extra time to heal up is important and I think that's gonna be good for uh, for Jachim and Albert, I think is they're gonna keep a close eye on the event that you know, he kind of

got it as a little, you know, a little hiccup and then hey, let's let's pull you back a little bit and then we'll accelerate a little further. But it's just, you know, it's it's one of the things that you have to go through both as a team and a player as you try to manage coming back to from injuries that that really cost you a big part of

last season. Well, and I think that that bodes well too when you talked about the running back situation and Kenyan going out for a couple of plays, you know, only a couple of plays into practice he comes out, I think that shifts the workload now if you know, if it might not be serious, but it might be serious enough to keep him out of a couple of days of practice, which might not lend him to play on Friday night, which would allow Blage to get maybe

the lion's share of the work. And now you get to see maybe a little bit more of Mark Walton, a little bit more of Miles Gascon, maybe some more you know, Kenneth Ferrell, you know, you get it opens the door up for these coaches to get to see guys maybe on a sudden change type of deal in

the regular season. You want to test that naturally in the preseason, so you know that might you know, hopefully that Kenyan's injury or a tweak is just that, just a tweak, and maybe it's a day maybe he's right back out there, you know, in practice and doesn't miss a beat. But if it does happen, it lends you to see other guys. How much workload can we give

them and how do they do with that work? The other the other thing always wonder in those situations, especially when you've got people that you know are important to your to your lineup, and you talk about Jachim, you talk about Albert, you talk about Kenyan. You know, sometimes you know, you put a guy out there and all of suddy tweaks and you go, hey, you know what, let's kind of put him on the shelf. We don't need to we know what he can do. You just

get his work. Let's get him in there and and you know that, you know, I think Kenyan is in the battle and that running back spot with Kaylin Blage, and so I know Kenyan would like to get back out there again. We don't know the severity of that injury right now, but I'm sure if it's nothing really big, I'm sure Kenyan want to get back with the team. You know, but the team magday, let's you know, let's let's let's temper this a little bit, so you know,

both sides. You really have to be smart at this time of the preseason. Look, they've been out there for two going in their third week. You guys get a little tired, you get a little spent, You kind of over exert a little bit. And so this is where it comes to trainers, team doctors and coaching staff to monitor these kind of players that have little nicks, a little injuries, and and you know, and pace them so you get them ready for the season. One guy's not

pacing himself though, Josh Rosen. Josh came out again and did some good thing. You know, you know, Josh is It's funny because Josh the guy you can watch and and and maybe in the beginning of Jesus and I don't know, he doesn't look us and all of a sudden he starts moving the ball down the field. We saw him at Davante Parker on a on a nice little takeoff right down route down there, and uh, you know, and and do some other good things on the field, but there's still a couple of things, a couple of

hiccups in there. And and coach you know, we talked about a couple of weeks ago, John, and and now Coach Flores is talking about it. He wants see his body language a little bit. And something that really struck me early on when I watched him play that you know, I'm used to seeing guys that, you know, quarterbacks, John, they walk into that huddle like they own that huddle, and you know, and it's anybody's talking, shut your ass up,

I'm in charge here. And and you kind of tend to see him kind of slink into the hud a little bit more. And and and Coach Flows talking about it so well, something to keep an eye on with him. But but the one thing I think we do see is that the more he plays, and and he spent a good amount of time with the ones that want when when they went to the full team, you know, it was it was Fitzpatrick with the starters and Rosen

with the backups. But through a lot of those individuals, stuff seven on sevens and stuff, John's got a lot of a lot of play with those, uh, those starters. So at least you can either they're starting to to to mix them and mix them both in and see what they can do with the first group. They're starting to put more on his plate to see how he handles it. In half of that battle is to see how he handles some of the things when they don't

go well. And I think that was a couple of examples through you know, Tuesday's practice when things didn't go well. I think coach Flores wanted to nip that in the button. Say listen, good, bad, or and different. You still have to be the leader of the team. You still have to be the leader of this offense. You know, let flush those things out of the way. Get him out if if they're bad things that happen, move on to the next plane. I think he wants that to filter

down to every position. If you wi as an offensive guard, if you drop a pass, if you're busted coverage, if you miss on a blitz, or you don't tackle and wrap up in the open field, get it past, you move on to the next plane. Don't let a beach twice. And I think that's the most important thing at quarterback for Josh Rosen is to start repeating those solid plays and flush the stuff, get it behind him. When when

he does make sometimes done it pisses he was. I was always kind of a guy who was extremely critical of myself. And so when I made a mistake, you know, I beat myself up a little bit. And I think at times I kinda I kind of maybe stepped back a little bit, you know, and and and you know, and and kind of felt sorry for myself a little bit. And you know, I had you had to. I had to teach myself no, no, no, let's move on to that. And you know, and then you watch, you watch the

other extremes. And two of the biggest examples of the other the other extremes both come in the quarterback position. To me, Danny Marino and Andrew Luck. You know, I remember watching Andrew Luck. He's last year with Stanford had no wide receivers. Every wall the receivers, the wide receivers they had got hurt. And he's playing with a bunch

of tight ends, good tight ends. But he's basically playing an offensive with a running back, and and and and a couple of few tight ends moving the ball down the field. And and I and I saw him a couple of times force it throw a pick six, throwing interception at a critical part in the field, and instead of slinking off, he ran over to the field sideline's and he's gonna don't we We're gonna get the ball back, and we're sticking right down those throws. You know, there's

that guy. That's the guy you want. And Danny was the I mean, Danny was the best. You know, he may throw a pick sick. You know, Danny wasn't gonna chase anywhere too far. He were going to give a minimum efforts just to make the effort. But but but then when you over the sideline and he was a little bit I would expect he was a little more colorful with his verbiage. But hey, we get the ball back, we're gonna stick it up there, and you know what, and taking up you know, and and and those are

the guys that did really lift up a team. And I think they I think they see Josh making that move and you look, you've got a guy in Fitzpatrick has been there, done that. He he's got, he's got

to believe in himself. But I think with this young quarterback, I think and what he's been through in uh in Arizona is I think they're trying to get him to believe in himself more and put the mistakes behind him quickly, and and don't and don't carry it into the huddle where you've got ten other guys and there looking at you, going, hey, our leader not feeling very good. I'm not feeling very

good if he's not feeling very good. And that's you know, you've been a cor've been a quarterback of your whole life. That that's you know, that's something that you've got to think about and something that has to be a part of your preparation. It has to be part of your d NA, make no mistake about it. You have to have that gene where you all eyes are on you at all times, and you have to have supreme confidence in what you're doing, no matter if things are going good.

It's easy when things are going good, but when things are going poorly, you still have to be able to have that presence about you to have that calming effect. So other guys can feel like, hey, all we need to do is do our part because we know our guy has got us. And I think, you know, for the coaching staff, they have to know everything about Josh Rosen because this is not just a one week plan.

This is a long This isn't this is this is looking into the future for the Miami Dolphins, because you know, fifteen years as an NFL quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick is not going to be your answer for four years or for three years down the road. They have a young guy at twenty two years old. They have to find out he's gonna be the guy or not. So as soon as you can find out bits and pieces, tweak what you don't like and build upon what you do like

to get him a chance to be that guy. They this staff has to find out what makes him tick and how can we make him better. You know, you look at quarterbacks in this league, John, and you know they're they're still had a number that floats around. Oh you know, the average average career span in the NFL is three and a half years, whatever it is. I think that's skewed by a lot of a lot of things. But but when you look at the quarterback position and

quarterbacks that become franchise quarterbacks. And I'll throw in, I'll throw in, uh, Ryan, Ryan Fitzpatrick, because you know, he's been in the league for fifteen years, been a journeyman, but good enough to be around for fifteen years. Then you go to the franchise guys. You know, Danny played seventeen years. Uh you'll look at look at yeah. You know, if you hear that guy, you're gonna be there for

fifteen to seventeen years. So that office don't even not not only need to try to get Rosen prepared for to be that guy. Now, you know, if he turns out to be you know, and again there's a long way to go in this race, but if somehow he turns out to be that franchise guy, you're not talking about just getting him ready for this year. You're talking about getting ready for your ten and twelve four, you know,

and taking this team and putting on his shoulders. And you can't put a guy in his shoulders if they're slopped down and got your sliding off his back. Well, I think that's why this this staff is preparing every day to give him the ability to be that guy. You know, they're they're preparing him with the corrections, with with the pad on the back, with with every little thing you can be to be the best quarterback you can be, because you either have it at that position

or you don't. And if you think the guy's got a chance to have it, you're trying to direct him any way possible. And I think that's what coach Flores was doing during the Tuesday portion of practice. Poem aside, Hey, this is what we're like, This is what can happen for you to be the guy. You gotta you gotta be better at this, this and this and this is what we want. This is what we want out of you.

There's here's our expectations of being a leader, being a court the quarterback of the Miami Dolf, you know the other thing that goes along with that, and and and to me, it's you know, when when we started, John, I think I think we're both pretty pretty clear on it. And I I know it's pretty clear that to be priority one was find that quarterback. You know, get that guy is at him or is it not him? So you know what to do next year. But and and

then everything else kind of fell behind it. Now I'm in a position where, you know what, the biggest concerning me, he's that offensive line and allowing those guys to go through what they need to do with at the quarterback spot to try to earn that job, because uh, it's it's not a pretty site, that offensive line. I mean, look,

you've got two young guys in there. Uh Dieters. Looks like he's gonna be the guy that they're gonna're gonna They're gonna run him out there every day, They're gonna give as many snaps, they're gonna talk to him as much as they can, and and he's gonna be one of your starting guys unless he just completely falls apart. Now, he's had his struggles, but you know he's he's getting used to he's getting used to life in the NFL

and different things. And he's kind of leans a little bit of times, you know, kind of bends at the waist a little times instead of bending the knees and and gets beat. But you know, I think he's a guy that's got enough pedigree that he'll catch up. On the other side, Shaq Calhoun was in for a while. Out he's been out. You're moving people around. Jesse Davis is kind of getting kicked out outside and maybe coming

back inside that that that group. And and believe me, I'm watching every day and Google's out there and and and and he's he's spilling his guts out there. I mean, he's doing he's doing everything he can to get these guys tight. You know, I heard him from the field. I know I heard him from other field. Look, he puts he's sending guys in time out. You're not doing something. He put it, and go over there. Just go stand over there and I'll call you when we're ready. I'll

put it in time out for a while. So you know, he's doing everything he can, but it's gonna take a while. Unfortunately, we got another almost up two and a half weeks, almost three weeks before you know, it really gets to a critical point. But but every moment that he spends with that group is valuable to get them where they need to be because there's certainly nowhere close right now, well right now, you're glad that the games don't count for real, because these guys are on a on a

huge learning cup. When you talk about Michael Dieter and Shot Calhoun, no no matter how much college football these guys have played, it's just different strength. It's different speed, it's different hand placement, it's different angles, it's different quickness off the ball. There's so many things that go into playing in the interior that let alone on the edge when Jesse Davis is kicking outside thinking he's gonna be the right guard for them for the two thousand nineteen season.

So I think that whole offensive line is in flux. Now are they under control? Yeah, they're under control. They've got a plan. Now how well can they execute it? How well can they go from watching that Atlanta tape which was very poor in in the beginning of that game, first two and a quarter and a half, the two

quarters were poor. They got better as it went along, But can they start by making those improvements by by correcting some of those mistakes that were made early in that game so you don't repeatedly make the same mistake In terms of getting just flat outbeat with you know, with you, you can't within the national football You're gonna get you know, your second team quarterback in there right away. So you have to be able to protect number one and you have to be able to move the line

of scrimmage a little bit better. I think in the run game. You know, a couple of those off schedule runs in the first quarter against the Falcons, that was Kenyan Drake vision. You know, that was Blage getting to the outside right away down on the goal line. I thought we did a pretty good job. But I just think this group needs to play together for maybe two and a half quarters again this game. You know, I wouldn't be surprised if they played through halftime and going

into the third quarter. You know, if you know, these guys are your guys, and you know that you've got that much time to make and and and you kind of do a disservice to the guys that are back there in the you know, in the in the Netherlands, and in that third group, that fourth group, those guys that are just hoping to catch on and making the

fifty three man roster. You know, you may at some point and at some point maybe soon, where you just say, you know what, sorry, guys, we gotta go with these guys, and we gotta get these guys ready. And if that means playing the four quarters and every one of these preseason games, then damn it. That's that's what we're gonna have to do, and and and again it takes away from these other guys opportunity. But you know, if that's what you gotta do to get ready for the opener,

that then then you've got to do that. So certainly that's a that's a priority. And I'm not I'm not talking out of school. Everybody looks out and sees it. I mean, everybody's seeing those the issues they've had, so it's nothing, nothing new to anybody else. Um. The other the other thing to look at. We've got a couple of things, and I want to kind of get back to Rose and John. When when you when when you look at him and now you've had a chance to watch your for going on three weeks now and you've

seen the good and bad. What what is it that you like about him? Uh? And what do you think it is? Is there is the that X factor that he needs to find his way a little more beyond what we talked about earlier. Well, Number one, I love his arm strength. I love when the when he finally cuts it loose, that ball is humming. You know, today at practice, for instance, he threw a couple one on one routes that the ball just exploded out of his hand and he carried it over a little bit to

seven on seven. Then he threw a deep ball to DeVante down the field. You know, there's a lot of good things. I think his mobility is a lot better in game mobility, you know, within the pocket, escaping to be able to find guys down the field. That was a lot better than what I thought he could do. You know, I saw glimpses of that in Arizona. We're putting pieces together for an all twenty two pieces that we did on him. But I like I like those two things. I love the ball speed coming out of

his hand when he finally cuts it loose. And I like his mobility. The thing I would like to see

him his anticipation. I just think it has to be just a touch quicker that's gonna you know, maybe that's when he feels a little bit more solid in the pahn is an anticipation or hesitation, I don't, I don't know to find I'm not sure, you know, because I'm not sure, you know, learning the offense and being able to go through you know, sometimes when he cuts it, LU should go wow, there it is and then sometimes holding onto the ball. Now that's a two way street.

Guy might not be open, might not be ready to catch the football, has to hold it for account. Maybe his eyes have to get off quicker to check it down. And that's another thing when there's a negative play, don't make it disastrous in terms of, you know, take a sack or throw it away instead of maybe just throwing it up. So you know, those are things that are learning traits as you move along and as you get more accustomed in the offense and where you want to

go with the football. But the couple of things I do really like about Josh strong arm velocity is there, and that the foot speed, the mobility within and escaping has been better. Yeah, and the only thing you talking about the negs and it it you talked about, and you know, I know you kind of look at that first passing through that first in the first quarter where he's almost down his knees to throw us just a just a duck sitting up there waiting to be picked off. Unfortunately,

Preston Wilson makes the catch on it. Neverone goes oh,

you complete the pass. And I mean it didn't take long after the game before he's going no, no, no, no no, no no. So I think there's a little bit of that still, a little bit of that panic in there, you know, where something's not there and all of a sudden you're getting pressured and oh, you know, you pan make a panic, you want to make a play and and and you know that nine times out of ten going that turns in, that turns into a bad situation.

But we're falling that. The one thing he doesn't have a problem with is you know, he's talking to Nail a little bit about throwing the receivers out and you talking about Deavante Parker read another good day. So Vante

is kind of going through this training camp. DeVante has been a pleasant surprise throughout this training but it's been consistent, and you know, and he's been on the field every day fighting through things and this not so you know, we we hope that that this is and look, you can't tell me it doesn't help Davante when you've got number eighty two on the other side coming in and and and and showing now the other the other thought is, well, if you can get both of those guys, Preston Williams

and DeVante Parker on the field at the same time. Well, you've got two big, physical receivers out there that can get open, and you're watching, you know, watching one on ones with Preston Williams. We'll talk about him a little bit more. Well, I'll tell you what you talk about a guy that's come out of college his first training camp.

He is meticulous and route running and he does some you know, he made a nice inside relief release off the line of scrimmage, made a little made a little hesitation move that just through the guy, made an outcut and was standing all alone and in the quarterback cyderging where to go? Where you go? I understanding next to that more during most of the practice and and that kind of you know how he kind of hit you

on he said, that's the route runner. He's talking about how Paul Warfield used to tell him how to set up, you know, routes and stemming off the line of scrimmage and getting guys moving laterally instead of just backpedaling. You know, Preston Williams did a really good job of that today, did a great job in the game with the four catches almost a hundred yards. And I thought Isaiah Ford did a pretty good job of that to today as well, you know, setting up wide, setting up defensive backs as

a wide receiver. So there's a lot of good things going on with the wide receiver group. But I agree with you. The two guys at the top of the list right now are Leving and eight two on you. And you know you just watched Preston Williams and you know you're gonna talk to me here a little bit in the program, John, But well, here's a guy that you know, undrafted free agent, and we know he's had

some misues in the past, and he's passing. You know, I've talked to him a now two or three times, and you know I I hear I. I talked to a sincere guy. I talked to a guy that wants to get better. I talked to a guy that that that knows what he has to do. I talked to guys that doesn't sit there and lament what his problems were that didn't get him drafted. He knows he's got an opportunity here and he's just going out to to

get better. And you know, I don't You don't see too many rookies that come in that are is comfortable at their position. Uh and and ready to make an immediate impact, as he has since the day one he walked onto the facilitian Davy. You know what, but it doesn't look like the spotlights too bright for him, and he looks comfortable with what he's doing. Now. Has he

made mistakes, I'm sure. Is it all perfect? No? But when you watch a guy that consistently comes out and catches the football, I haven't seen too many drops out of him as a rookie, and he consistently finds ways to get open, creates separation for the quarterbacks. No matter who's throwing to him. You know it could be Jake, you know with the twos and three's throwing the football down the field to him. This this is a guy

that creates separation. He gives you place to throw the football and you feel confident no matter if it's closed, he's gonna come down with you. And that's been impressive. And it looks like he's got a smile on his face all the time. You know I would too if I played the way in practice the way he has. He has to have some sense of confidence. Now does he have to keep continuing to stack day after day

after day. Yes, but he looks very confident at his ability and what he's putting on tape, no doubt about it. And uh, well you just you know, you keep you keep waiting to see a stumble there, you know, not not that that's what you want to see, but it's just it's it's in. He's gonna come out and just gonna go, Okay, well, you know there's a there's a there's a two step back right there. Now you gotta

kind of climbing way back. We certainly haven't seen it with him, and you know, after watching him, watching the way about it goes, it goes about his business and and talking to him, I don't I don't know what's gonna happen, he said. You know, he's you know, we talked about being confident in the quarterback position. If if you know, if quarterbacks are the most confident guys in the football team, those wide receivers are are very far

from that. Some some of them may be self conclaimed and not not I deserve, but in their minds, you know, and they're gonna let you know about let you know about it if you if you don't think so, just looking just ask that's the Open Raiders right now. It was like having a D receiver on their team, because

they certainly have one up there now. But it's good stuff to see and and and the one thing I like about about Preston, you know, having talked to him after the game on last Thursday night and talked to him, uh, you know, talk to him during the course of the week, is that you know, he always just talks about getting better, doing the right thing, being in the right place, listening to his coach, is doing all these types of things, all the things that that makes a guy not only

a good player, but a guy that coaches lean on in respect. You know what. I just think the way he's playing it puts it puts a good pressure on the rest of the group because you've got a rookie that's elevating his game and it's hard to hide. You know, it's right out in front of you can see it every time the ball comes his way. And you want other guys to kind of emulate that to lift the rest of the group up. And I think that's helped guys like Herns. I think it's helped like DeVante on

the outside. I think it's helped Kenny Stills because this guy is going out of his craft and he's making it look easy. But he's working at it too. And you know he's not lying. You don't have a lot of lineup issues where he's on one side of the uh the formation and he has to run back after breaking the huddle. You know you're not waiting on a rookie. Well, you know he's football like you. I mean you can

set his football like you. When he when he goes about running his routes and and all the things he does, it's it's pretty clear to see. Right, we have a chance to pick up catch up with him. So let's hear what Let's hear what Preston had to say. Alright with Preston Williams and Preston uh little work up here in Tampa. How do you like working against another team after spending a couple of weeks down in Miami beating on each other for a few weeks, I man like

it a lot. You know, it's different, you know, because you're going to get people you really really been against, and then you see different things, you learn different different's head needs and you know the good part. We're playing on Friday, so I can learn. I'm a little bit better. You've got through your first NFL training camp, you get to this where you come out and work against another team, do you feel the intensity ratchet up as soon as

you walk on the field here in Tampa. Definitely? Definitely. Um, you know, just coming out here and competing against a whole another change, almost like a scrimmage if you think about it. So you know, I'll come out here and just try to, you know, fool myself. You've been proving yourself daily, which is a good thing, you know in the National Football League. And I know coach talks a little bit about you know, focusing in on that day and then forgetting about it and trying to stack another day.

Is that something that you're concentrating on during training camp and now here in Tampa. Yeah, definitely, you know it cause I always telling us, you know, just when you start our computer, you know, you start to hold database. You know, if you had a good day yesterday, you know you gotta try to stack and be consistent. You've had a bad day, just snapping clear and just come our heir and is ready to work. Now. Speaking on that preseason game number one, you flashed and you've been

flashing all camp. But it's been exciting for Dolphin fans, been exciting for all of us to watch you catch the football. What are some of the things you've been working on to keep improving on a daily basis, you know, just every day in a book, learning from the vet still you know what I'm saying, getting corrected on my routes, you know, just trying to be consistent once of all, you know what, and that's that's a big thing, you know,

just being consistent steck in days. So personally you look like, uh, you've only been in the league for five six years. So the way you're going about your business, what's allowed you to have some freedom out there? And it seems like you've got no no nervous just going out and playing your game. And you know, we we've seen it

from day one going forward. Uh, and I know in your mind you've just got a lot of room ball become improve well, you know, coach always tell us, you know, stop thinking so much and just go out there plate even if you make a mistake, you know, just making a hundred miles per hour. He's like, all that is really effort. You know, it takes no time to have effort. So I just come out her. You know, I'm not thinking about if I if I might make a mistake. It's more of you know, I'm trying to do my

assignment and do my job. So what's the biggest change for you coming from college football? Now? You know in the NFL with technique? Is it? Is it players? Speed? Is it? Using your hands? Is a little bit of everything? What have you noticed that's the biggest difference for you taking that next step all around? You know, coming to the league, you know, it's just the game. You gotta

be more patients. I think i FL patients is like really big because you know you moved too fast or you're trying to release too fast and it's basically just just running the edges all you or whatever. So you know, you gotta have patience. You know, it's more counter you know what I'm saying, hand and come back. It's it's a lot, you know, but like you know, the more you work in your crab, you know, the better you'll get at it. So Qus, and you're a guy with

plenty of talent and it should have been drafted. You're coming as a free agent. Did you come in as a fragent with a little chip on your shoulder saying, hey, look, you know a lot of people passed on me, but you know I'm gonna show some people that that they should have should have thought twice about what they were doing there. Definitely stuffing. You know, I came here with a chip. You know at the end that you know a lot a lot of the the reason I didn't go. I want to dreve you know I had a lot

to do it. You know what I had not being a professional, you know, stuffing out the field. But you know I come here every day or ready to work. First round, I drest that I was taking color, ready to work with the ship. So you know, you talk about talent and and the other things that if you don't have the talent, where you certainly have the talent. We certainly saw it against the in the first preseason game.

The one hand to catch and to me, for a rookie to come out and be able to make a catch falling out of bounds, have the wherewithal to keep your toes be in line. Coming from a league where you only had to keep one and went in the bound to get to both in it kind of showed me a lot about your maturity and your understanding of where are you on the are on the field and what you want to accomplish. And it says a lot

for a young guy in this league. Yeah, you know, I gotta you know, a great goop of guys around me. Even the coaches, you know, you know, they're they're big on details. So you know, I made it one and I made I made a kitch and practice I had one ft there. You know, they they telling me they ain't gonna work here. You know, we're gonna get two feet down. So we practice it every day. Be even practiced today, you know, just just sideline catches, getting the

feet down, so you know, once you just practices. Con second nation, we're watching this offense and it's kind of a working progress. You're got an offensive line that shuffled around a little bit. You guys are rotating through, you got quarterbacks rotating in and out. Really the stable position seems to be the running back spot. Other than that, it's it's kind of very Is it is that good

for you? Or does that make it a little more different with guys coming and going, not sure when you're gonna get your snaps, and and just being ready when you have to be ready. I think it's pretty cool. You know, everybody you know get to do different things where everybody getting put at different spots, senior versatility. You know when your numbers car you know, you just want to make the play. So I don't look at it like that. You know, if it's West nap the whole

right is you know, making the most of it. If it's twenty twenty plays. I know it's only been one day, but this had to be exciting to get to a different city and going up against Tampa Bay. I know you played against Atlanta, but that was just that night you knew it was coming. Does this excite you guys? You guys have been building up to this day because you're going up against different techniques, different players. I mean, I like, I like this. It's it's really different, you know,

coming to right As against another NFL. Say more of it. I got to watch Mike Evans, you know, a bit fan. You know what I'm saying, Just study people and just learn from like other teams. I think it's like real good for you know us, especially like the young guys, you know what I'm saying, Just to get this experience. So I'm just taking every day head. Yeah, you look at yourself make a play and you look over in the other field you see Mike Evans make a one

handed catch or making a catch over the middle. It's gotta like be kind of like taking it all in right, It's kind of you know, it's a confidence. But so you know, just watching Mike Evans do it, you know what I'm saying, Like, you know, I'm watching some of the people have been looking up to for a long time. I was in high school watching myke Evans, you know. So you know I'm here now and I'm just watching it. You know, it's giving me motivation because I'm starting to

get up there with them. So you talk about the patients, and I I canna assume by what you've gone through from training camp to now, Uh, you're you're being patient, But there's gotta be some anxiousness in man. I like, I like, a few more reps coming my way during practice wouldn't be bad. A few more rep coming we're during the game wouldn't be bad. And and there's gotta be a little bit of that for you said, come on, put put a little more, putting more workload on my

plate a little bit. Definitely, definitely, you know, I trust the couches. You know, that's what they're doing, you know what I'm saying, So more rails I find that still find with a little different than this training camp. I know, what's your first training camp. But you know, you know, when you've had an established coaching staff and you have there, they're kind of setting their ways. It's an entirely new coaching staff for the most part. I think there's two

coaches back from from last year. And not only is that is that it's it's all new, but everyone's new to them, so you know, they don't have any preconceived notions about the guys that were here. They've known you as long as is he they've known the rest of those guys. Certainly has a level of playing field for everybody out here day in and day out, you know, because you said, you know, it's it's it's equal competition out here. You know, everybody everybody out here coming to work.

You know what I'm saying, it's competing at the end of the day. You know, so best man went the job in withing. Okay, you watch yourself on film, you critique yourself where you were you at right now as as an NFL wide receiver, what are the things you like and what are the things you're trying to keep improving on a daily basis. I'm not there yet, you know what I'm saying. Uh, it's a lot of stuff I can clean up. No, just you know, try to be perfect, you know, just from route running, from kissing

the uh, you know, from this crazy space. So you know, I've got a long way. He's there, Freezeason, So we'll keep it going. Man, you're looking good. You've given a lot of excitement to fans already in in week one of the preseason. Keep stacking those days together than pressing effects for stopping by. I always a pleasures pleasure watching me play. So thank you. Keep rolling it man, thank you?

All right? All right, John, good stuff from up from Preston and uh, but I mean he certainly is the talk of camp and you know you you can't You're going on and I just expect him to go on

the same way we were talking before. We're talking about that that meeting room and you know, you think about you know, you kind of go in and you know guys, you know, you like guys like Herns and guys like that has been around for a while, and you know these different guys and they kind of sure, you're kind of going and you look at that room and okay, said they're gonna probably six wide receivers. I get that guy. Okay, that guy, Okay, I'm in that. I'm in there, I'm

in there. I got a chance. And then all of a sudden you got some free agent that you know, undrafted. Frasier comes in. Boom, he like moves up to he's moving up to the to the front ruin from pencil to pen and a little and so now all of a sudden you're going, oh, wait a minute, you know my my, uh my, smooth moving to a better pick up the pace because this young kids is you know, he's grabbing a spot. He's putting a strangle hold on

the spot. And if he's putting a strangle on a spot, one of those guys four or five or six, you know they may be on the outside look at him. It makes you value every opportunity that you get in practice, in one on once an individual drill, you have to be so consistent. If you're a guy that you know you figured I got a I get a pretty solid chance of making this team. So now you you add a guy in there, you know, well, there's time to time to make or break, you know, for pressing. But

right now he's he's leader of the pack. In my opinion, he's been productive. So if you're one of those guys like Isaiah Ford or your or your Herns, or you're somebody else on the roster that you're trying to just see where I fit in. If you're Bryce Butler, you know, how how do you you know? Reese Horn? You know you're trying to figure out where I fit in. You gotta start counting uh spots, and you better count your chances. Every time that you're toes lineup and you're on one

on ones, you better win. You better do the right thing, use the right technique, find a way to get open, and when it's thrown your way, make sure you catch the football. Because there's other guys that are they're getting on tape and and they've been flawless. Yeah, you know, we've talked about some of the good and bad. The the other thing I keep looking at this, you know that this this begin beginning to be a little bit concerning, is that tight end spot, John, we haven't really seen

much out of the tight ends, whether it's past receiving. Um, you know, see a little blocking. On to the other thing about Preston, you don't mind not much. Thing is that all the receivers done a pretty good job down field. Um, but you're you're, you know, you're, you're just that that tight end position just seems to be, you know, a

non factor. Again. We I'll go back and when we talked about it last week or to me right now, the nicol Learrys is the most consistent, best tight end they've got, I thought, I think think he had a good day today. I think Derham Smith has picked up a little bit, and and and Mike is Mike's had his his moments, but too few and too far between. I think for for for where he was projected, when he was projected to be, for what I think coaches expect him for what fans expected him and likely I

think probably expected himself. I think. So I think you're right, Boie, I don't know. I don't have a good pulse that to have an idea who's gonna who's gonna emerge, you know, whether it's gonna be three guys doing one man's job, or it's gonna be four guys, or how many guys you're gonna keep at that position? How much can you give you? I think derham smythe has has an opportunity because of his blocking skills, because he gives you a

lot on special teams. You know, Leary does as well, so you know, and then you've got veterans in there too, that it's very tough to gauge. When you throw in Mike Kisiki into the bunch. There's not one guy that you say, well, he's heading shoulders above the rest. Maybe it's Oleary at this point, but it's the tight end position has been so invisible that you're you're almost give me anybody right now because we're the ball is going somewhere else. And that's a bad thing because defenses are

gonna think the same thing. You know. I know that their idea with Mike is to try to get him in situations where he's moving at snap, you know, to diget him off the line of scrimmage, to get him into his route, to get him moving up the field. And and there have been a couple of times where you know, you see him you see him flexed out, giving him some room, and it still has it still has trouble separating from a from a defensive back or

even a linebacker that that's covering him out there. And that's you know, that's something he's gonna he's gonna figure out. I mean, they're they're putting him in, they're putting him in positions where he should be able to be more effective than he has been. And but that that's a

light switch. It really you know what if it doesn't go off this week on on Friday Night, and then yeah, I mean you know you've gotta start turning your attention back to Clyde Walford, you know, to to Nicoleary, to Durham Smith, to those guys, Dwayne Allen with those guys, and say, look, if it's not gonna be him, you know, we we've got to get these guys ready. Now. I I don't think that I don't think that that that you know, well, I can't say that I was gonna say.

I don't think that they just you know, dump him overboard. But you know, if if he doesn't prove you know, in a pretty good strap steps, you know, I think he's you know, I think he's counting numbers there. I think week one of the positive things that I saw last week. At least they set him out as a wide out. They krew him a slant, they got him involved. Let's let's look for that this week in Tampa. Let's let's look for the opportunities of maybe it's a pick

and he's getting the ball in the flat. Maybe he's outside and he gets a fade route in the red zone. Let's see if they dial up some opportunities for him, because that might tell you think if they can do that and and he can make some plays, maybe he starts believing himself a little more. Maybe he gets his body language changes a little bit. Maybe he goes shoulders, here we go, here we go. Yeah, I've got it,

because you know, I just see a guy. I just kind of see a guy that looks looks lost out there, and and it looks a good kid. I don't doubt his work ethic. I mean, he comes to comes to work all the time and to drive. But well, it's just it's it's it's something that said it's out there now. Now you know that's a rookie from last year. Uh. The other kid. And it's it's funny. We weren't talking about Christian Christian Wilkins, you know, the Dolphins first pick.

I mean, and here's a guy who's been there every day, done everything. And let me tell you what we're not. We're not we're not not talking about him, not because he's playing well, because I just watched I watched him about five plays in a row in the game last week, and well he is just picking guys up and moving

him in the backfield. You know, and and and as a defensive tackle, you know, you wanted to give him a field and you know his his thing is, you don't get this level is now just to disengage a little bit and make some plays. But but he's he's, uh, he's a beast out there. There's funny because Michael Dieter, you know, Michael Dieter, when the first time you lying up begets sue. He said he jumped off sides. You're anxious, you know he kind of jumped jump off Yeah, exactly.

So if you gotta jump off side, don't jump off against that guy. You're gonna jump off five times a game anyway, you know, let him do it. But but It's funny because they talked to him after the game. He said, yeah, you know, I know this is the NFL, but he's like walking to the line of scrimmers on line up. I look off, he goes, there's a Dominican sue and he goes, I didn't expect that. Maybe I got a little bit more of that, but a little

bit more. Yeah, but he in tounso both kind of kind of jumped offside first play, a little excitement everything, but yeah, but but but Christian Wilkins. Uh. But you know, it's like I said, we haven't talked about him much. Um, but he's a defensive tackle. He's not making those plays. It's easy to talk about Preston Williams because he's making everybody because you follow the ball. But if you start, if you start, you know, you want to take a

look at something. This week when they played the Bucks on Friday, you know, watch him, Just watch him and just keep your eye on him and see just see where he goes her he moves, see what he does. You know. The worst thing for a running especially rough for a running game, is when you've got a guy that's getting two yards in your backfield, you're handing the ball off and all of a sudden that that that

played this designed to kind of go off guard. Now it kind of becomes a little bit of a bubble belt to get outside of that, and then you're in Noma's land. You know. One of the things I noticed watching the tape back against the Atlanta Falcons was Wilkins his ability to kind of get in the backfield and win immediately, but then locate the football and run latterly

to get involved in the tackle. You know that he maybe it's two or three yards down the field, maybe it's a yard down the field, but he's actually active. He's a willing participant to get around the football, and

he's not trailing from behind. He's taking the angles, taking the angle to where he's gonna buys he's gonna he's gonna bisect him at that point and be able to make a play shortest point at John And so you know, it makes you know, it seems to be common sense if you're a football player, But I've seen plenty of guys where you know, they hit a guy and then

they jump behind him. You know what I like, like, are drafting behind him and you're not gonna make any plays there and now you're behind the player plays Eddie and next thing you know, but you know, here's another young guy that that that that's on this football team that certainly knows what he's doing. And uh, he was

a starter I think from day one. And I don't think you know to I think they're gonna take dynite, take dynamite to get him out of that spot because I think he's locked in the other kind of that DEFENSEI up front who you know what. It's one of the things we talked about during the year, and we talked with you know, coach Florence about a little bit, is you know, where do you get your pass rush? Where? Where?

Where's it? You don't have that traditional Defensevean, you don't have Jason Taylor, you don't you don't you don't have Cam Wait, he's gone. You don't have that kind of guy on this team. Where do you get him? And and and so it's it's been a concertain to be. One of the pleasant surprises that I've seen so far has been Tank Carty. You know, Tank is a a big guy you can align up with that defensive end position. I don't think he's a speed burning pass rusher. He's

a physical, strong guy that can make things happen. So you know when you when you start kind of going through the different he is front four, you know, linebackers, secondary, uh, you know, a lot of questions about that flo that front, and I think Tank has kind of been one of those guys that's you know, he's kind of floating up the He's done a nice He's done a really nice job. Nate Orchard. I thought he had a pretty good game

last week against the Falcons. You know, later in the game, Dwayne hask Hendrix did a good job of finding the quarterback albeit you know, with the backups in the game, but you still gotta win. You still gotta put it on tape, and maybe you get an opportunity to play a little bit earlier in the Tampa Bay game. So

there's a lot of good things that are happening. I just need to I just don't know if there's a guy on the edge without bringing secondary pressure that's going to threaten a tackle that you have to bring it, you know, bring a tight end to your side and widen you out or chip against you. You know that that gives offenses a lot of freedom when you can just go five on you know, five on five and

kind of block big on big. I I just don't know, John that I think this maybe a year and let's say make some p snow moves or something changes that you just don't have that guy, you know, Charles Harris. They've been you know, giving him the opportunity and and he hasn't flashed. He hasn't given you you know that you're not seeing that jump that you're expecting out of him. You know, he's a tough guy, he's a strong guy. Um, but but he's he's got to figure out some way

to to to get around the corner and get there. Uh. All that that being said, you know, I think this team right now, it's a scheme defense that that's that's gonna get him their pressure. Whether it's whether it's linebackers coming inside outside, whether it's Jerome Baker, whether it's Making Fitzpatrick, uh you know whoever it is, Geko Uh. But you know, and and you know the this may be a season where you get your your your sack leader comes from

the inside instead of the outside. You instead of a defensive end you maybe got you know, maybe it's uh maybe it's one of the defensive tackles. Maybe it's Christian Wilkins, maybe I don't know who, but you know, it could be one of your line could your linebackers could do you know even more, one year when one of my years first year in the league, the first couple of years of lead, A J came in and, uh, you know, we're both playing lineback, a little linebacker, and we're both

leading sackers on the team for that that year. But just it just so happened to be that's the case. And and maybe a situation this year where you know, you look at the end of the year and you're leading, you're leading sack guys. Maybe maybe coming from that interior of the of the of the of the front seven. Well, if if you don't find it and you don't create a little bit of havoc upfront, sure does put a lot of pressure on the back end of your defense.

And and there was a lot of pressure there early in that game. Last week, I thought, you know, Nick Needham struggled as a rookie, and he struggled on the edge of the defense, played better as the game went along. But this week, I think we're gonna get to see a little bit more Eric Rowe playing the cornerback spot. Is he the answer? There's a big there's a lot of question marks on this football team, naturally because of

the youth on this roster. But I think on the defense, you know, you hit on two spots, can you create pressure on the edge of this defense? And if you can't do it by committee and you don't get it done, who's gonna hold up the opposite X? Because we saw against Tampa Bay in one practice. You know, you go away from xaviing Howard and you start feeling pretty good, then you kind of go towards him and he comes

up with a couple of interceptions. You know, So I thought that that was a telling, you know, trait of this football team early is that, well, you better find somebody that's gonna have some resistance opposite X because if not as a quarterback or as a play caller, as a coordinator, I know where I want to go with you,

no doubt about it. And you know you don't want to be that you want you don't want to be that that wanna be that wounded out and handle open the serengetti, you know, running around with all the lions chasing people people because they're gonna run out, They're gonna run x X ways, they're gonna they're gonna go the other way. I'm thinking about that. But yeah, that that

you know, whoever that is. And you know, right now, I think Eric Rowe looks like the guy that that would be the best, uh best outside guy, most experience, the most experience out there. But what if he ends up whoever ends up, whoever that guy is, you know, you better put your big boy pants on, because, boy, you're gonna see a lot of football's coming your way.

You're gonna be tested in a lot of different ways, and not only a coverage because you're gonna run down the field and you're gonna have to come turn around and come back and make some make your plays, attackling, the attacking by the line of scrimmage. Uh, you're gonna have a lot of work to do. And that's gonna that's gonna be a that is gonna be that that maybe one of them besides quarterback, that maybe this year one of the more more difficult positions on this team.

That corner opposite X, because boy, you are gonna be a busy, busy guy. Yeah, if you've got a two, three, or four on your jersey that precedes another number, you're gonna have a chance to win it. And you're gonna get a lot of opportunity. And I think that you know, there are guys, you know, Jamal Wilts is a guy who's been playing a little bit of that nickel or or or dime when they when they get into that type of coverage. You know, Jalen Davis has an opportunity.

I think Cornell Armstrong has an opportunity to be involved and and and have a chance to do something. So there's a lot of guys that are standing in line. You just need somebody to start making plays, like like you see Preston Williams on the offensive side. You need one of those young unsunned rookies to kind of make a couple plays in practice to get known and then when when the game lights come on, can you get a hand on a football? Can he tackle in space?

Can he do the things necessary to keep them on the field. Yeah, no doubt about it. Hey, you know

there's gonna be a good test Friday night. We still had another practice coming up against these guys, and um, you know, the one thing The one thing about it, you would think with Bruce arians out there that they'd be a little bit a little bit of uh, a little bit of fireworks in that practice field, you know, because he's a little bit of he doesn't mind throwing guys under the bus, and got guys like Google's out there that are they're kind of, you know, making their noise.

And you know our defensive line coach likes to talk a little bit, so um, you know, things may heat up tomorrow and practice, but this is a good This is gonna be a good But these practices in this game we can are gonna be a really really good, good work for this football team. And and it's nice to see guys taking that challenge of taking a step up.

But as we expected with this team, they're gonna be some guys that just that that you know, you just can't quite keep up with that pack, and they're analyze the The rub on this team is to just how good they can be. Well, you're only be as good as your weakest Lincoln's It's an old cliche, but this may be as cliche of a team as you you want to as you can with with with that common with that common The good thing about about having that preseason game and then coming over and practicing two days

against the Bucks before you play your second game. You kind of set the bar in that first game. You know, everybody gets to watch that tape, and if you've got thin skin, don't go into those meeting rooms because there's gonna be a lot of corrections that need to be made. Now where do you go from there? I think that's with this team in this coaching stap most importantly has to kind of go out and work on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday to get ready for that second preseason game on Friday.

You set the bar wherever it is against Atlanta Falcons. Who can rise it? Who who can raise that level of play? Who who can elevate their game to where you're getting talked about a little bit more in a positive light and you're getting closer to maybe, you know, challenging for a starting spot at defensive end, at at corner, opposite X, at wide out, at guard, offensive guard, you know, at the rotation in that tackle spot. There's a lot

of things that were set against the Falcons. Who's gonna be able to elevate, who's gonna be able to raise their game. So when you look at the tape, So when we look at the tape on Saturday, you kind of go, you know what, I didn't know that guy played that well, he played better than he did against Falcons. He you know, he's improving. Or you get to see who's gonna play a lot as they move along in

the preseason. After game number two. Yeah, yeah, So it's a continuation good work though early on here in Tampa. Expecting to go through the tomorrow and ill through uh the game on on Friday, another big test from the Dolphins, and so it's gonna be still got another another couple of good days here. So, uh, we'll be back next week and we'll have the aftermath of the game against

the Bucks. We'll start looking forward for the third game of Jack with the egg Wars coming down, and uh, you know that they're that's you know, that's the that's the that's the that's the telltale game. Normally Game four might be a tell tale You're right, remember, maybe a lot of guys that normally wouldn't play on Game four playing a lot on Game four, especially that offensive line, some of the guys in the on the defensive line

of this and that. So we'll see. But this is gonna be uh you know, you know, it gonna be gonna be very interesting. I think the first three games for this football team and share equal weight. I don't know if that third one you circle you might it might be, it might tell that way, It might play out that way after Tampa Bay. But these first three games, everybody's getting in and we've got to see what we're at the football team, no doubt for John Ken, Jemmy,

I'm Kimbo Camper. I'm glad you guys are tuning in and downloading the other podcast, and we'll be back with you next week for more in the Audible As Storms Stand PO