The Audible Ep. 76 | Sam Eguavoen

games just because the intensity, the matchups. You can you can create the matchups you want. You can see guys against guys you want in the intensities there a little bit and you're playing against other I just yeah, I could do with one preseason game a couple of you get the season rolling, you know, I think I think the guys I think for the most part of the other than the mechanics are going through a game. You know if your rookies and you know where he's sitting,

all that. Other than that stuff, man, I just thing. I think the work you get out of those practice sessions a far out way what you get in a game, other than the fact that it's a game situation and you go through that, I agree, and I think the coaches would agree. I think sometimes the fans would agree. You know, in Tampa it was kind of weird because the weather was not great, you know, so they had

to go inside, outside, back to the indoor facility. But the fans that were there, Dolphin fans and Bucks fans, I think they really got into the practices, you know, because you had one on ones going on one field, you had some line drills going on the other, you had running backs against linebackers, you had dbs going against white outs. The quarterbacks were throwing, and it was a constant you know, your head was on a swivel, so

you were constantly watching football. You're constantly evaluating your team against somebody you really don't know and something you really haven't seen and studied. So I think the players enjoyed it too, because it ratchets up their intensity for a practice. You know, it's it's mundane sometimes when you go through training camp and you're gonna see the same schedule and

it's the same thing. Now, it could be the same schedule the Dolphins had for two weeks at training camp that they rolled out against the Bucks, but it looked a hell of a lot different going against a different colored jersey, different techniques, and it's your team against another team. And I think that it just sets the mind, uh for for regular season games. It sets your your tempo

for a regular season game. You get kind of amped up to go to practice on a daily basis against somebody else because you're trying to prove that what you've done for the last couple of weeks is good enough to stay in the National Football Leagues. Stay on your grosser, find a place on your fifty three, and eventually work your way onto the field. Yeah. And if you're I'll tell you this, John, And because unfortunately I've been to I've probably been just probably about the fifth or sixth

time I've gone to these uh where. I remember we went to Tennessee. I went to Carolina, Carolina a couple of years ago. So we have there's been an amful of times I've been and and and I only remember one time. I think Tampa may came down here one time. I'm in practice here. It's the only time we've done joint practices down here in South Florida. And so every time I've been on the road and and and I always come away thinking, man, that was fun because you're

just immersed in football and wherever you go. You're staying at the team hotel, you know, so you're seeing the guys there, you're seeing coaches or you see him, you know,

guys that are associated with it. And then you go to practice and you know, you go there and there's guys in Tampa that you know, or you guys playing there, or coaches that you know, and and and and even just watching you know, everywhere you go, you're just talking football and you're talking details, and you're looking at all this stuff. And and if you're a football fan, it really is a I just I'm like in heaven when I when I go to those things. It was fun.

I came away with a smile, you know, because it was real. It felt it felt like the ray, It felt like you're building up to a regular season game. It felt like the intensity was so much different. And I just think that, you know, if you asked the Tampa Bay coaching staff, I think they got just as much out of it as you know, the Dolphins coaches. Because they had only been outside three times times because

of weather. You know, they'd been inside for the entire training camp really, and it didn't matter what time of day they were trying to get outside, the lightning delays and rain delays. It was just you know, brutal for those guys. But I really think the Dolphins, when you look at them going up against Tampa Bay that Tuesday and Wednesday practice, they got more out of that, Just as much out of that as any training camp practice that you could have had in South Florida, you know,

no question about it. So let's let's get a move on over to the game. And John, you look back in the game, uh quickly, you know, thumbs up, thumbs down? Who who? Who looked good? The big st surprise to me obviously. And John, we did the pregame show for CBS four prior to the game, and well, we're kind of jockeying around, you know. You know, I think we're I think we're starting to see a little bit maybe

of that New England philosophy of information flow. I don't know if you could call it a flow, you can call it a coach flow. I don't know how much flow is coming flow there, because you know, you're you're kind of you're kind of looking, you're kind of evaluating and and you know, you kind of, you know, maybe talk to somebody here and you get and I was so I was so off, you know, and I think

was gonna play. How about our conversation prior to us going on air, or maybe while we were on air, We're going, well, you know, Kenyan Drake's out, so that is gonna be up. He's gonna get a lot of working. And all of a sudden, we're looking the street clubs and you're expecting him to get a lot of carries, and you know, it's just you know, I'm going you know, your tounchel, you know, I don't think he's gonna play.

And then there he is in the starting line up, and you know, we had we had kind of heard basically listening to the pregame show rehearsal for for for Channel four for Greece and Dick Stockton and Jason Taylor and they kind of come out and they're like, you know, hey, uh it looks like, you know, it looks like, uh,

Ryan Fitzpatrick is gonna start. And we're kind of throwing out Josh Rosen because he had practiced all week and got all the work with the ones in the second practice and and so you you kinda kind of had the feeling that that was gonna be case. So we're all, yeah, it looks like Josh Rosen doesn't and then and then like no, no, no, I mean Ryan Fitzpatrick and okay, so we go at that, and then two minutes later, no, no, no, it's gonna be a job. So we look like assholes

out there. But you know, it wasn't the first time. You know, it's not the last time that that's for sure. Hey, hey joined us now, Sam, Sam and Bobbin and Sam. First thing, you know, I'm trying to make sure I pronounce your name right because I've heard your name pronouncing about a thousand different ways since you got here. But thanks for joining us on the on the program. Uh, thank you for having me. Well, look, it's great, you know,

it's it's great for us to have you. I'm sure for you, it's great to be in this training camp and uh and going through everything, especially getting the opportunities that you're getting to on the practice field in the games. But man, you're you're rude. Your rude has been one of those very It's funny because you know, the last player that came here and made an impact from playing

to the Canadian Football League was Cam Wake. His story very very familiar, very similar to years although you know, he goes in and gets gets a tryout, doesn't make it, he's out of football and goes to Canada, comes back very pretty much the same thing. You don't want you to take us through your path to the to the National Football League in the Miami offense and were there times during there where you just saw, man, this this

just isn't gonna happen. Oh yeah, definitely. Uh, you know, coming out of college, I'm seeing other guys, you know, get NFL opportunities, guys that I didn't even really think we're that great of players. So I was thinking, I mean things like everybody gets an NFL opportunity, but now everybody makes it. So you know, after the draft and everything, you know, nobody was calling my phone, no teams, you know, not even Dallas and I'm from Dallas, you know, so

that kind of you know, hit me really hard. And then you know, I ended up graduating that made from Texas Tech, and then after that, I was just seeing what else life had to offer. I'm still working out and everything, but you know, I kind of knew that my football window was closing. So after that, I just started working in Foot Action. It's a company under foot Locker, working back in Dallas, Texas. So I was there for about five months, just you know, just hustling selling shoes

and things like that. And I was like, well, you know, it's time for me to like try and get a real career. So my major in college was sociology slash criminology, so I wanted to go into a law enforcement So, you know, I signed up with the Dallas p D. I was there for about almost two weeks and then uh, you know, stuff got real. Yeah, so I found out real quick that that wasn't for me. And then, uh it was around January when I decided to try and

get back into football. I was always in shape, so I started thinking about trying to redo my pro day and Texas Tech. And then a lot of people were saying like, oh, the scouts are not gonna like you, you know, because you're a year round and they're not gonna give you a chance. You need to get a recent film. So I was like, well, let me play in a different league. So I looked up CFL tryouts online and whatever. The first team that was gonna come to Dallas. I was gonna go to that trial. So

it's a team called Saskatchewan. Like when I read it, I didn't know how the spirits just like you can't say my last name. So I was just like, whatever, this green team. I'm going boom, Carrollton, Texas, Let's go. So I pull up there. It's a hundred dollars to try out. So I get there, I'm draped out and texts, text stuff because I'm thinking like, oh, if I wear all my college stuff, that probably yeah, that's probably gonna let me go through the back door instead of the

front door. So I get there, it's like three hundred guys. Then some of them were draped down their college clothes, some of them had NFL clothes on, and some of them had high school clothes on, like high school um apparel. So I was just like damn. So you know, I'm in the line getting ready to get my registration number and uh, you know, pay my hundred dollars. I have my highlight tap with me. So I get up there. Uh,

coach Jones is right there. I was a head coach there, So boom, I give him a hundred dollars out hand him a highlight tate. He grabbed it. What's back on stack of a whole bunch of the highlight texts. I'm like, damn, he gives me my number, you know, and then uh, I go through the workouts or something number like that, yeah, yeah, something like I can't remember my number. Man. I think my dad still remembers my because he was there with me. And then I did the workout. I was just doing

one on ones against receivers and running backs. And you know when the CFL they got the waggle, so that was new to me. I'm like, yo, what like, you know, my first rep, the receiver comes running at me. I'm like that's false start. But I was like okay, you know, I ended up locking some boys up, and then uh, they extended a contract to me. I went to mini camp in April, basically had to do the same thing all over again to you know, get invited to training camp.

And then from there, you know, I was in the CFL and you know, just started competing for a starting job. I got it my first year, played six games to my m CL my the six game that I played, so that at that point I was like I don't know if football is gonna work like this because I hurt my senior in college. My next year playing ball again, I get hurt season ending. So at that point I

was like I really couldn't see the light. At the end of the time, I was like, man, the NFL is so far away, Like why am I doing this? But you know, once you're in the locker room, you start building the brotherhood with some guys. You know. I met a couple of guys out there in Canada. They told me to keep pushing. Man, I got potential. Uh Philip Lalley, that was my linebacker coach. He told me

to keep pushing, come back the next year. Um, and I messed my ankle up in the all season, I saw I was playing basketball mess my ankle up trying to dunk. So I came into training camp injured. My my second year, now I saw the rotating with the guy that came back from the NFL. So then my second year was just kind of up and down. And then um, I knew for sure I was going to come back for my third year because you know, in the CFL you gotta play. Yeah, yeah, it's not your option.

Though I've basically, so if you play good football for them, they're gonna keep you. But if you're not playing good, you know, you kicked rocks. So then my third year I came in and you know, that's why I really just bought into the CFL, because I started the whole time I was in the CFL, I was looking at the NFL like, oh, I want to go I want to go to the league. I want to go to the league. And you know, that kind of messed me

up because I'm looking too far down the road. So I just started taking exactly, I started taking them one day at a time. So last year, two th eighteen, I couldn't even tell you anything about NFL football. I didn't watch the games will be on. I'll just nah, let me go watch an Ottawa Red Black game in Montreal all away game. Like I fully locked into the CFL that I didn't know what was going on in the outside world, just focusing on the task. And here

I had one of my best seasons. You know, I killed it out there, and then uh, you know, we went to the playoffs. We lost the first round of the playoffs, and then right after that, uh started my NFL workouts, Like I say a week or so after the season, so I was just going on tour. I'm talking about like maybe I had a daybreak in between each workout. So I walked knocked out about twelve, twelve or thirteen workouts within within a month. I say, so yeah. And then, um, Miami was the first place that I

came that I visited. I loved it here Chris Greer, I mean that was really the only person I can meet. You know, I met the linebacker coach or whatever, but you know they're on their way out. But uh, Chris Greer, we got closer whatever. And I mean I love to hear from from the start. And then when it came down to it in January, January when I was able to sign, you know, Miami was that was that was pretty much where I wanted to be with a lot of chapters, you know, to get to the Miami Dolphins.

And now you're here, do you really how much of a change was it when you had a you know, adapt to the twelve guys, unlimited motion, a lot of space and now you're do you feel confined as a linebacker trying to go back and I feel like you're in college, but now that's you know, it's bigger, faster, stronger too. Yeah, definitely. Uh. You know the CFL, that's a lot of spread formations and the field is huge, so it wasn't so much twenty one personnel eleven personnel, Like,

it wasn't condensed. Everything was spaced out. But now it's like I'm in a boxing Like all my movement has to be correct now, like my read's gotta be faster angles. Yeah, it's more run here than it was in the CFL. You know, there's three downs out there, so if you run our first down, we stop you for a two yard game. Now it's second and eight. Now I'm like, okay, screen draw, you know, I'm gonna through all that. But when we stopped on second, that war off the field.

But now it's so much more to the game because there's four downs. You know, they used tight ends, fullbacks, so you know, um during O T A S I was excelling um because it was pretty much passed. You know, I'll catch a pick here and there. I mean, we're not running a Wong got pads on. But at a training camp starting then, I was like, Okay, there's a whole new ball game. There's more hitting and you know, fitting in on the runs and stuff. So uh it

took me a little while to adapt to that. And then uh, you know, from there, like PG Man, he really just broke everything down to us, like where to fit on runs and how we're gonna play the run here. And then the first game I played, I was just like I was talking to everybody back home. They're all blowing my phone up black, I can't believe your NFL. You worked so hard, and you know, it's uh kind of a sentimental moment for me, but it was like I still gotta play football, like I gotta put a

good film out there. So then, I mean, my first game really didn't do much. But then the second game, I was like, all right, I'm not talking to anybody back home before this game, Like I'm focusing on this game and that's it. Like I'm a football player. I'm here to play and play good. It seems like you're experiencing the in the CFL. Probably benefited you through O t s and mini camps and stuff because of the throwing game. Because you're you're playing in a wide open space,

you're having to cover. You haven't do all those types of things. And I would assume that's probably what caught your caught the coaches at first, with your ability to cover and do those types of things, and with the type of d offense they're playing now, it seems like what they're going to maybe not the biggest linebackers, but more agile guys that can run, guys that can cover.

Kind of fits right right in your deal. And then in week two, you're right, you can see a step up and filling holes and doing all those types of things. So you kind of you that that that experience that you got in Canada, especially from a cover standpoint, it really seems to me from just watching from the outside, got your foot in the door and now you're just kind of picking up the pace of the rest of the game. It looks like you're feeling pretty uncomfortable out there. Yeah, yeah, definitely,

you know, especially getting a good game like that. I like seeing myself do good and that that bill is confidence that bills. You know, you're getting comfortable. Well, don't

like using word comfortable. You never want to be You want to be comfortable being uncomfortable, but definitely add more confidence now, you know moving forward, Uh, I feel like I'm more vocal on the team getting more respect or do you feel like you belong, which is probably the most important thing, right for a guy like you that's kind of bounced around and you get in, maybe you don't feel like you belong. There's an insigency. You gotta feel like belong. You belong so you can jump in

and just let it fly. Yeah, definitely. When I first came out of here, you know, I just kind of kept to myself and I was like, look, I'm gonna do my job. And then you know, I'm gonna do my job when I'm here, and once they cut us free, I'm going home and I'm getting my playbook. And you know, I didn't really socialize much for most of the guns, but you know, in training camp, you don't really have no choice. Well up here from sun up to sundown something,

that's when you really build that bond, that brotherhood. And uh, definitely, just feeling comfortable to make checks and make calls, especially at the lineback position. You gotta be able to do that. You gotta be able to communicate with everybody on the field. And I feel like I'm stepping up and taking that role now. Well, you know, you're the quarterback of the defense, right, you know, you're you're have you have to play with extreme confidence. And it seems like not only from training camp,

but from week one to week two. I mean, you did it just about everything in Tampa. You had an open field tackle on special teams, he had to tackle for lost. You had a strip you know, he had a force fumble, you had multiple tack was in and around the line of scrimmage. Is comfort and confidence go together for you because you're getting more familiar with the defense, what the expectations are from the coordinators, to your linebacker, coach and coach Leonard, and and and and now playing

that confidence is coming through for you. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Confidence is huge because you know the play The coaches they bring it in guys for a reason because they've they've seen what you did in college. Like they've seen you know what Baker Dinn college, seen what everyone minka then in college, and then they put them in a system to where they're like, I need you to play like this, you know, But then as the player, you have to understand the playbook inside and out. Then get

to your athleticism. And you know what I'm saying, because everybody's athletic and the NFL or you wouldn't be here. So that's pretty much what I did. In game two. I really just dove into my playbook, you know, started watching film more, and then I started tweaking, Okay, how can I get in on this player? How can I get in the back field on that play? And that's just every football player thinks like that. You know, you get to play and then you're okay, I think I'll

be able to beat this guy backside. And that's that's basically all I did. Um in Gangs, from the looks of this defense and what this defense is gonna be going forward, um for you to come in, I mean, it's a multi scheme defense. I mean, you've got a different personnel. I think in the first series or two there was a three man line, four man line kind of had it over. You had a lot of different looks up front there, and everyone those different looks kind

of changes what your assignments are. So so from that standpoint, it's a pretty complex defense to understand with all the changes going on, especially you know, in your first year within it with his new coaching staff. But although I guess everyone else is out there is going through the

same thing because it's it's new for them too. But for you all those changes, how have you been able to handle understanding all the different things because typically back and olda Hello, you're lining them in a three four,

you're line for three and that's what you do every down. Now, I mean, I gotta look every time, count how many defense line in there are, and you know what defense they're in here in this play and that play, and so it makes it much more complimated for everybody out there to be on the same Yeah, definitely, And that's why we have the great coaching stuff that we have now. You know, Petrock Graham, we have a lot of defensive fronts, you know, because he's a D line coach by heart.

But he addresses it to us and teaches it to us in a way that we can carpet, uh, compartmentalize it where we could just break it down like, okay, when we're in this, this is what it's really like. You know, they really break it down to where it's almost the same thing, but it just looks different from from the offensive uh perspective, so that it's really just the coaching and then us as players just talking and understanding where everybody's fitting. Uh, going an offense. Looking at

it, it it looks really difficult, like it looks confusing. But as a defense, you know, one guy little tweaks. Yeah, okay, Sam' gonna make you laugh a little bit. So I'm playing in Toronto in the Canadian Football League. My first away trip is to Saskatchewan eighty seven. So imagine what that city looked like back then. Okay, So we're flying and we're about ready to land, and I looked to my left. I'm sitting on the left side of the plane, and

I don't see anything. There's no city, there's nothing. I looked to my right, there's no city, there's nothing. I think the plane's going down because I'm going theeld. There's nothing there. So all of a sudden, you know, the guys go, don't worry. You know, there's a little city down down there. Saskatchewan's right there. So we land and I'm like, oh, man, I thought we were going down. There's nowhere to go instead like two buildings downtown. Uh,

there's this like one little bar in the corner. We go there for like a pre you know, I'm the rookie, so I'm paying for everything, right, I got no money, you know, I'm trying to borrow money from one of my linemen. It was a vet, but it was one of those things where Saskatchewan was such a I would imagine it was a cool place to play as the home team because the crowd was so supportive of of what you did while you were there. Definitely, John, the

Saskatchewan is I mean, there's no place like it. Not to knock them, but you know, there's pretty much nothing but there's the stadium and tayloryed I played a Taylor one year. Yeah, the New Mosaic is beautiful. You know, you got the stadium, you got the Casino Regina. Those are the two places that those are the two places that you can go out there. So um, that's probably

why how easy it was for me to stay. Fully, ain't nothing to do after price but go home and watch your open And you know a lot of people, a lot of my teammates back in Saskatchewan, they're like, man, you're going to Miami. That's probably the worst place you're going to. Like you don't lose your mind. No, no, yeah, that's a little little little cult. Sam. We appreciate your stopping by. Uh, and it's been great watching your progress,

your progress since you got here. Just keep going, man, you're doing you're doing what you need to do and keeping fun to watch and uh and this defensive scheme seems to really fit your your skill level. So it's it's gonna be fun to watch you here going going forward. We appreciate you stopping by and uh, it's it's it's nice here and your your story. You know, anybody that stays with it and stays with it and gets through

it and gets to where you are. But it's uh, you know, it takes a lot of intestinal fortitude and a lot of toughness. So I applaud you for that. Good man. You know, it's always it's always good John, always good to see guys come in and you know, not everybody. You know, it's funny when you talk to people and uh, you know, you and I kind of

both two different paths to our professional careers. And you know, small with a small schools and this and that, and you know, and you've got a guy like Sam or or Cam Wade and these guys and and you see these stories every year where guys just you know, they're they're hanging on. They're hanging on by the edge and and something clicks when they get someplace. And and you know when you when they signed Sam, I go, look, they can't strike gold in the Canadian football twice twice

in a row. But you know, and look he's still say I'm still got a long way to go. He's still you know, it's still two more preseason games. And look we we've seen, you know, we take a look at uh, Preston Williams, you know, who had that really

good game one. It comes back to earth in game two, and and so you know, it's it's tough for a guy for it's tough for guys like that, especially if they're undrafted free agents come in and you kind of have some success and then you kind of maybe maybe maybe a relax a little bit, and you shoot, I can't do that anymore. I don't want to have another one of those those. But it's good to see. And he looks since really since training camp has started, he's

he's been in there every day. I mean, it's it's not like it's they're they're testing him out of certain position. That guy has been in the starting eleven defense from the you know, first day of training camp, you know, you really didn't know. And with the injuries at linebacker, Kiko hasn't practiced or played, Quon hasn't practiced or played. You know, you got you know, Rashad, who plays a different position, hasn't been out there. Van Ginkle, you know,

was out during Tampa Bay. So there's a lot of uncertainty at the linebacker position. And you have a guy that's taken advantage of his reps and his opportunity and can do a little bit of everything and not do it pretty well, he's doing it really well. So it gives you some confidence that there's guys on this roster.

You might not know their names, you might not be familiar with how they play, but you watch him a couple of games or a few weeks of practice, and you go, this isn't a one flash in the pan.

You know, It's funny. I was talking to a buddy of mine out who's a down the Bay area, and you know, forty forty fan We're talking and just talking about players and this and that, and you know, you scratch your head with as much money as the National Football League and teams spend on you know, researching, scouting and digging into everything about these guys, and and then you'll see a guy come in and you know, you see a guy drafted in the You know, I remember,

I tell I, I remember when I came in. I played against it. I played in the East West Shrine game against a kid from Wisconsin. He was a big talent, big ten offensive Linement of the Year, Outline Trophy winner. He end up getting drafted like the ear and forth picking the draft, you know, and and you know I'm playing against him in the East West Shrine game, right

and I'm going down. I'm you know, winn All American, this and that, and you know, I just went through ten games playing a Long Beach State, University of Pacific, Fresno State. You know I'm going, I'm going and this is a whole different ball. I got. After two downs, I come over. I remember Larry Gordon, who ended up being the Office draft both of us at the same you know, he was one. It was two picks after him, and I know Middlary and you know the game. So and I come out, I go, Larry, I go, this

guy can't play. This guy, this guy can't this guy can't play and he was out of the league in a couple of years, And you go, how can they be that wrong? How can they missing a guy like that in the flip side? How do you miss in a cam wake? How do you miss on a Sam aguav And how do you miss on these guys that slipped through the cracks and then finally kind of emerged somehow or another, they kind of the they pa back in the next thing, you know, you know for camp standpon.

You guys have five or six time Pro Bowl right, you know Holds, you know, one of the one of the great pass rushers in the early history during his time. Yeah, and and here you got a guy like Sam who who now that he's in here, but you see his skill level, you see, and you just scratch and go,

how can you miss on that guy? You know? It's funny too because not knowing his history, not knowing you know that he hurt his knee one year and then he got to Canada and blew out his angle before he got there, what may have limited his exposure, you know, And and then he's out of football. You know, he's going to be a Dallas policeman. And then he's out

of football for a little bit. So you know, you guys that you have to really give credit to the determination and the will of guys that know what they can be and have the confidence of them belief in themselves. They just need that opportunity to keep going. And he did. He found a way to get back into football and that led him to the National Football League and now he's got a chance to be a starting linebacker for the Minami Doll. Yeah. I don't know who the guy,

I forget the guys. He's one of those guys, the motivational guy sales ext mean, he's he's not like, I forget his name, but he's one of like the when you when you're a salesperson. He's like the guy that

he's like the motivating the motivating guy. And he always said, you know, they never mean it, never, they never mean no until they say it seven times, you know, in other words, don't stop keep going, keep pitching, keep pitching, keep pitching, and eventually, you know, after seven times, then okay, walk. And it's kind of similar to these guys where they get they know, you can't play in this league, No, you can't play in this like no, you can't play

this league. But they've got somehow they there's that something in their mind it says, well, I'm gonna keep I know I can play. I'm gonna keep giving a shot until I get there. And boy, you really have to applaud guys that that have that wherewithal within keep going and find a way on this roster. You know, it's not easy. It's not an easy road. You know, you hear Sam story, you talk about Cam story. It's not an easy it's it's not for the faint of heart

and for lacking of confidence in yourself. And you have to give credit, you know, all credit to guys like that that keep been during whether it's injury, whether it's another setback that's off the field that keeps you away from your premier goal or your dream. And these guys are living their dream every day. Yeah. Well, let's get back to the game, and we're kind of starting that before Sam came in and and speaking the game, Sam

was certainly one of the guys six seven tag. He had six tackles and three unassisted tack or three assistant tackles and fumble special team plays and so I mean he really, you know, he really had the opportunity. Maybe he's making hey while the sun shines, while a couple of guys are out, he's you know, he's he's stacking

things up and so he's doing pretty well. But as we go along, we talked about the kind of you know, not sure and who was still but let's kind of take a look back at the game, John and and see what you liked and and and you know, you know, we we talked a little bit about about Preston Williams and you know, you could almost see it coming, you know where you know, he he had played so well so far a long and well he was he was. I had him on a couple of shows, you know,

doing the interview. Now he's doing interviews. People know who he is. Look out for this guy and this and that and and I've of this. He did ran good routes. He was in the right spot, but just left the ball and the right was a little bit wet and all this and that. But you know, it kind of came back to him a little bit. You know, he kind of came back to the pack a little bit.

Now I expect him to rebound and see more of what we saw of him Week one, um in this but uh, you know Sam's in the same situation here. You've got guys that are getting their shots and you know you can't have too many. Well yeah, yeah, yeah, we knew he was gonna, you know, fall back to the pack. Well, you know what, it was a good thing. I got to watch a little bit of Tuesday's practice and you know, he came right back, caught everything around him,

look good running routes. Um, you know, he just looked like the guy that you we expected. And there were drops on both sides. I remember Tampa Bay had an under route. The guy was still running into the house if he catches it, and you know there was drop drops on both sides. So maybe weather had a little bit to do with it. But you're gonna have that, and you're gonna have that in South Florida Week one,

potentially against the Ravens. You gotta be able to to show that on a consistent basis that you can make those catches in clement weather, whether it's rain or whether it's cold, whatever the situation is, whether it's hot and it's you know, it's sweaty, and you you you gotta

hang onto the football. But I have called I still have confidence in what Preston can do because I really like his size, I like his route running, I like his demeanor, and he's one of those underdog guys that is trying to battle through his own, you know, skeletons. He's trying to to put away all the all the negativity that maybe surrounded him during a certain period of life and fight through it and show people the kind

of athlete he can be. So I'm I'm rooting for both of these absolutely, no no doubt about it, and Nick because there all guys that work hard, and yeah, you need playmakers on this team, and both of these guys have the potentials. Let's get to let's get to the quarterback position, which is you know topic, really, it's really and it's gonna be probably gonna be this for

a better part of this season. Is it gonna be the topic of conversation, the number one focal point when you talk about this football team success or failure wise one way or another. So you got Josh Rose and gets to start. He goes for a quarter and then

there goes for the first half. Ryan Fitzpatrick comes in, goes a little over a quarter in there before turning the ball over to uh uh j J. Brudock um and you look at Josh ten for eighteen a hundred two yards a number of drop balls, um and and you know, I think when you look at you say, yeah, tell some good things. I would like to see him get the ball in the end zone for a touchdown or two during his drives. But did you see enough in and and and you know, all the conversation now

is that, Okay, he had his shot. Now it's Ryan Fitzpatrick starting this third game. Now that being said, we'll wait and see when when take off comes. But but that seems to be the um. That seems to be the narrative right now with this if fitz Patrick and so the thought following that is Fitzpatrick's getting the start in game three, arigo, He's probably gonna be the starter Week one when the Baltimore Ravens come to Now that

could change. But getting back to the game, you know, Ryan limited time three for nine twenty yards, nothing really going on, and again he was under durest offensive line problems. We you can you can bind it both of these guys with offensive line issueses. But you know they're both playing in the same type of situation. Is there any did we see anybody deparation, any separation or is it just kind of same kind of I I don't think so. I don't know if there's any more separation after the

Tampa Bay game than before the Tampa Bay game. In my opinion, I think Josh Rosen did some good things. He threw the ball well. I think that his anticipation, his urgency in the pocket, his awareness is getting better. But it's still there's still a lot left on the table. I thought a couple of throws, especially in the red zone, if he gets the ball out to Mike Kisiki a little bit earlier with leverage, he may score before he misses Isaiah Ford, you know at the goal line, and

you don't you don't get in the end zones. So there's certain plays that you see. I know coach Flores talked about in his press conference about pocket awareness. Maybe, you know, we gotta get rid of some of those sacks. Maybe we throw the football away, maybe we we step up into the pocket if there is room to step up in the pocket and do some different things down

the field. But he was plagued by pressure and he's played by drops, so you know, those are some things that you're gonna play quarterback you can't control, but there are some things you can assist, and you can try to raise the level the guys around you by your decisions, by by your pocket awareness, by your timing, your anticipation with the football. So I think there's still room for improvement.

They're moving forward now. Looking at the third preseason game, I don't know if if I'm going to read into if somebody's gonna start that game, he's necessarily going to be the starter Week one against the Baltimore depends on his production. I would think that if it if it were me and we were talking about this Sunday at FLR and we're doing Dolphins Weekly Live, I felt I feel like both guys should play. I don't even know

if if Jake Rudolc might play in this game. To be honest with you, I think you try to get both of these guys as many reps with the first team offensive line, whether that's you play a guy a quarter and a half, you you stick Josh in, or maybe Josh starts and you stick Ryan, and I don't really care what the rotation is, but I think you have to expose these guys to the same type of environment and and try to see if there is any separation that you could piece into what they've done at

practice on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, what they've done last week, where you see improvements, where you see some of the deficiencies starting to erase themselves, you know, by by their play. And I think you added up all together. In the end, I think we'll have a decision probably, you know, within you know, four or five days after the game, of who's going to be the starting quarterback

going in for week one. But for me, I would play two quarters one guy, two quarters other maybe it's a quarter and then you you switch them out, but you definitely expose them to the same type of environment against Jacksonville. You know what John I'm looking for. And we talked about this on the on the program on Sunday. You know, Josh is doing a lot of things good.

You know, he used us this and that, and he's getting up getting in out of the huddle, and I think, you know, he's he was talking about body language wise by by coach Flowan. I think he's working on the approved like that a little bit. But you know, I remember I remember when when when Danny came here, and you know, I played up to then, I'd played the

majority of my career with with Bob Greece. I'm a Hall of Fame quarterback and you know, and so then Danny comes in and I remember we're playing the Jets up in Shafe Stadium at the time. Joe Rose running like a deep crosser and and Danny throws him a ball. It was about a twenty five yard throw, whatever it was, and the ball didn't have any arc on it at all. It was a bullet. And there's two dbs closing in on Joe and all Joe Joe. The ball hit Joe right in the hands. We didn't have to do right

in between the two defensive backs. And at that moment, I looked at the guy standing next to me in the sideline, did you see that? And everyone else is going did you see that? Did you see that? What I'm waiting to for waiting to see in Josh Rosen is that did you see that moment, that moment that you believe, Oh wow, that guy's got the skills to be that guy, that franchise guy. You know, we've seen

him throw some nice balls. Throw the deep corner, him throw the ball down the field, but we haven't quite yet seen him throw a ball where he said, wow, that that's a special throw right there. And and and to compliment, you know, maybe piggyback onto what you've said. I think if I'm a guy on the sidelines, I want to be able to go he did it again. You know, he did it again. Do you see that? Did it again? I've seen it once. I've seen I've seen glimpses when he cuts it loose and you go, man,

that I like that. That that we need more of that. I want to see that more on a consistent basis. Now. I don't know if it's him or the guys around him that's causing that for me anyway, but that's the feeling I want to I want to well, I think there's a there if there's a disappointment across us the board in this quarterback competition is it's really tough because you're having so many struggles up front. You know, Ryan, Ryan gets in there and I think with the first

or second play he just gets clocked right. Yeah, I mean, come on, you know, I think they took I think they took either either shot Calhoun out or diet out or one of those guys, and they put whoever in and that guy whipped and who maybe right away like oh, he goes, well, welcome, there's gonna be a good quarter. Welcome. That's when you're I've been in those preseason Welcome to the second half of the preseason. No, no, I got

it in this one. You got this one. I got you. Yeah. Well, it's funny because I was talking to someone and said, yeah, I said, you know, you could see you can see you can see Ryan's uh, you know, his experience because the next play kept two backs in and pulled him in tight. I think that might have been the play call this speaking Ryan have been when he bowled over

the day back the Bucks, that was pretty cool. I don't know who was the I think I think I think everyone on both sides, because he's pretty you know, he's got a pretty good relationship with all those guys in the Tampa Bay sidelines, and they're probably they were acting it up on the sidelines. But then for if you're a guy with the DOLF, you're gonna that's that's our that's the kind of guy want that's my guy right there, and those are things. Those are things that

endear you to question. I don't know how smart you can you can question all that stuff, but those are heat at the moment battle, you're a competitor. You're gonna put your head down. I'm gonna knock this some bitch over. I don't really care. And you know what that that gives you as as a guy on a team. I'll play with that guy. I'll go I'll go in and I'll do whatever it takes for sixty minutes to play with that guy. And that those are the things you

have to have no question about. And you know you flow talking about body language, well, by that's party body language too. Yeah, that's part of that. You know you you know you can see it and you can make that little little dip outside and get out of bounds, or you can try to run the guy over and then they're not not what you want most quarterbacks to do right now. But at this stage, you know, I'm battl I'm gonna I'm gonna do it. So yeah, that

was good to see. Beyond Beyond that, um, I think the other thing that that's that's really I mean, it's been one of our biggest topics is pass rush. Uh. You saw Jerome just kind of blow through and you know, miss the one tackle and and then got to that can be look getting there's a hard part. You know, you're wrapping him up and bring him down. That that's the that's you know that that's the easy part of

getting to coach. You can coach out to that. Yeah, and then he gets one and and Charles Harris gets into help him bring him down. Charles Harris got one. Uh. You watch Christian Uh, Christian Wilkins got one from multiple positions, from multiple and so I think when we're starting to see on Nate Orchards getting around the ball a tank charity and is looking good on there. So so you know, we know that this is gonna be a pass rush

who comes a like committee by committee. But what's nice to see is that you're starting to see some of those defensive ends get a pass rush in a standard pass rush situation where if you want to just go four men up front, you know, cover seven dep get seven guys in coverage that you got to have those guys and and so you're starting to see in in some of these guys. And you know we've talked about Charles all of you know, he seems to always be a step away. Well maybe he's getting maybe he's making

up that step, right. It's fun to talk about multiple people. We've said more names on defense after a week two of the preseason than we did in week one. And I think you could throw Nick de Luca in their linebacker because he was a guy that played a lot of snaps against Tampa Bay and we mentioned the injuries.

You know, everybody knows how good Jerome Baker is and can be, but you're gonna have to have others that that are dependable, that play certain you know, roles, like like Sam who you know is taking advantage of his opportunity. I think there's there's more guys that are on defense that are taking advantage of snaps that they didn't maybe necessarily think they were gonna get in week two of the preseason and some of these some of these guys that are on the on the on the fringe, yeah,

on a bubble. You know that it was nice like like Patrick lay here, here's a guy that comes in seven rushes and every time he gets an opportunity, So you're you know, you're kind of looking at going where does he fit? Where can he fit? Where can we you know? And I would assume if this coaching staffs going, well, this guy's got some skills, let's let's find a way

to take advantage. And I don't know if he's gonna make the fifty three man roster, but he's certainly doing everything he can to, you know, to to stick his hat in the ring, and who knows, maybe ends up

in the practice squad. But I think right now he's one of those guys that maybe you didn't really didn't even on the on the practice, but you see him now as a guy that, hey, you know, he could be on the fifty three, could be in the practice squad, and those types of things, so you're looking for those guys.

It was nice to see him come up. And he did a lot of really nice things out there, you know what, you start the game and Mark Walton's out there and you see Myles gas can get you know, a couple of things, and and what I liked about them, you know, they didn't necessarily set the world on fire, but they ran with authority. They were really good and

stepping up in PAS protection. They were available in the passing game, and you know, they didn't probably necessarily think that they were going to be in the starting role on the plane over to Tampa Bay. So within two and a half three days, you know, you're you're starting number one and one A aren't gonna play in Calein Blage and Drake and all of a sudden, these guys, hey you're up. You know, so let's see. You know, the moment wasn't too big for for any of those

guys that stepped into running back. Yeah, it was. It was good. It was good to see that. And uh, now now it's it's you know, now it's kind of getting the one thing. You know, we got to talk about the offensive line. We've kind of mentioned them here along the way, but uh it's it's still you know I said it before, you know, priority one of his football team as a quarterback, Priority one being a quarterback.

Now they may be priority one, B or two because I think that offensive line with two weeks left to go, albeit when you know when they started the game they had tounsil in. I think Jesse Davis played early in that game. You when you have those guys in even with Shack and and and Michael Dieter in there, that offensive line seemed to be a little bit more better, better. They got better. They weren't. They weren't a finished product by any sense of the imagination, but they were better.

You saw improvement, You saw hat on a hat. You saw some guys that weren't getting pushed back with consistency. At least they're holding their own And you know, that's all you can ask you as a running back, you just want to be able to get a crease and you at least you felt like those guys made some steps in a positive direction. They didn't go backwards from a poor performance in week one of the preseason. At

least they got better. So I'm I'm really intrigued to see how much better they're they're gonna be at the end of this preseason compared to where they started, and can they can they have a semblance of of a line that can move some people that can You know, you worried about missed assignments when you have young guards

in there. And that's the one thing that I didn't see as much of in week two then I saw in week one, because I don't think you know, to me when I watched those guys, is I think they're both physically capable of doing the job. It's just you know, we're during the game, we're talking with Jayson. You know sometimes you see them where they you know, for an offensive lineman, you know you need you need to be in balanst and balance. You know you can. There's two

things you can't. But you can't be on your heels because you'll get you get you'll get piled driving. You can't be too much on your toes because you're leaning too far forward. And it's very easy for a defensive back to defensive lineman throw a quick arm over and saying, you know you're looking where where do you go? So you gotta get that gotta find that medium ground in. And I think you're seeing Deeter and Calhoun. You know, the more snaps they get, the more they're gonna figure

that out. And those are those are things that are important, but they're they're fixable. Those are easily fixable things for an offensive lineman. And and and looking watching those guys progress now they I think they've got the wherewithal to get better, but they're not gonna do it without getting multiple snaps and getting there. I like the philosophy now, uh, and I'm sure that coach Flora's you know, was the guy behind us. But let's throw them in there and

let's let them sink or swim. But we gotta get we gotta get him exposed and exposure to multiple looks during this preseason. The only way they're gonna do that is to play, and and it practice. Those guys, I mean, they go on the bus I was riding back from the practice. They're sitting right next to each other, you know, So this is a tandem that's gonna you know, they're gonna sink or swim. And right now they're they're gooding out there and they're getting exposed to everything in the

National Football League can give them. And I think they're gonna do the same thing in preseason game number three against Jacksonville. Hey, let's throw them out there, let's play an extended period of time and let's show them. Let's let's get them on tape, get them on film. They're good, they're positive stuff. Let's let's pump them up a little bit their negative stuff. Let's get it corrected. Because this is who we've got, this is your offensive line, and

let we gotta ride with you guys. You gotta play with more confidence. You gotta play with more you know, grit. You gotta find a way to get it done because you're you're our choices right now. And they've gotta get confidence in themselves, you know what. They They've got to have those those practices, those those those games, a game where you just come out clean, where you go, you know what, you know, I'm better than this guy, you know, And they'll have those games, they'll they'll find a game

what they do. Then they then they take a big step forward. Well and now they kind of come out you know, now they break that hell and turn around. Yeah exactly. You know you're gonna have that moment that you you know, I just I just put somebody on their back, you know, I just pass protection and I'm not worried about who I'm going against if it's a Dominican Sioux on the other side like it was last week. So I think that's the only way these guys are

gonna get better. They gotta play. They gotta practice, and they gotta play, and you gotta expose them to everything they're gonna see because once it starts, it's really difficult, you know, to get guys in and out. You gotta get those five guys up front. You gotta let them play together. And that's the other thing, John, I think with this team, you know, if they're gonna be a team that's gonna be able to compete early on, uh,

they need to get healthy. You know, we we need to see if Kiko and Kuan have a place on this team. You gotta, you know, find out you gotta have Kenyan and Kaylin have to be and on the outside, you know, you you those guys that you know, no exposure, so you gotta feel like other guys you are getting opportunities. But you know you're talking about some of the guys that we circle on on this roster. They gotta they

gotta perform for us to win. And then you wonder what the coaches mindset is going to be this week, this this game against Jacksonville with those guys, because it's probably gonna be the last time that we see the starters. And now look at game four, you're gonna see Michael Dieter and you're gonna see Shaq Calhoun out there playing. I guarantee you that, but probably not these other guys. So so you know, Albert's had a chance to get out there and work a little bit. He's done a

little teamwork and stuff like that. Are they gonna try to pepper him in and give him a little game action in there, or do you just say, let's let's keep him on the shelf, give him another couple of weeks, let him get a little more healthy, and go that way. I'm sure that's gonna be the case with Jachem grant Um, but I'm not sure about those linebackers. I'm not sure how far Ray Kwan and Kiko are from coming playing

and from playing. So but those are all, you know, those are all questions, and those are all Those are all guys that you're looking at. They really haven't participated for the most part through this preseason. Now all of

a sudden you get them back there. They're all veteran players that are good players in Northern new And you know, all of a sudden your team from could you could go from scratching your head with this team going, hey, you know what, not as bad as people you're adding players, because you're watching a team now that's been playing with about with about a half a dozen guys, not getting many reps, not not getting in there and playing that are that are starters and and bona fide players in

this league. Yeah, it's a tough situation in preseason. That's why I really liked going to Tampa Bay and getting those practices in because everybody was in and it didn't matter if you were healthy, you were playing, you were practicing, you were getting your reps, and you're getting a chance to get on tape and you're getting a chance to get evaluated because you never know in the month of September, some of those guys might be on the practice roster,

they may be playing and starting. So at least you've got them, uh indoctrinated into the system on defense, and you've got them blitzing when they're you know, a guy coming on the edge of the line of scrimage, you've got him in man and man coverage. You've got them running a tough route against against leverage it might not be the best, and you you have them making decisions at quarterback too. So I think everything was good in terms of getting guys that are are available out and

exposed to what they what their expectations are. But it's sure would be nice to have some of those names that were not coming back this thing and not playing for a week three against Jacksonville. Yeah, you gotta. They've gotta get some playing time in there, you know, so we'll see John. The other thing before we wrap this thing up is uh, you know, it's it's it's funny when you go around you see different teams and the way they do about and I tell you it it was

it was Bruce Arians. This guy's this is a pretty unique guy out there. Got a golf card, you know, got his a little logo on the golf card and just cruising around, you know, practice going on, and he's up you know, by the trainers or whatever, our trainers, talking to them, and you know, just it was great. I got. I got to catch up with him because when I was seventeen years old, he was a running back coach at Alabama and he recruited me. So I

got to know him at a young age. And and all of a sudden, you know, I saw him on the far field and I didn't really you know, I didn't want to walk over there. I'm kind of in my own area, trying to be invisible, you know, and all of a sudden, you know, ten minutes later, there's this golf cart behind me goes, hey, what are you doing? Man? I look back at his bruising coach. What's going on? He goes, come here if in I'm just sitting in the cart with him talking and it's a laid back atmosphere.

But he he once he started going, he's uh, he's you want him on your you know man watching the sideline over there. I mean he he was in mid season FOURM charting. You're grilling on those officials, you know, working pretty hard. It was cool. I thought the interaction between Bruce Arians and Brian Flores and how they organized practice and how they got everything out of what they wanted to and how they collaborated it and and made that.

You know that Tuesday Wednesday for nine guys on each side, if if Tuesday and Wednesday was a lemon, they squeezed all the Tuesday. They got every piece of work you could out of two days of practice, and it was. It was efficient, It was quick. Even the fact that you know, on Tuesday got run in and out of, or Wednesday got running in and out of a couple of times. You know, still once you got back in that building was let's get back to it. Was efficient.

And it's funny because I'm thinking, you look at Bruce arians and and you know, he seems like a laid back guy, and you know, he tells his coaches, hey, if you got if your kids have something, go, I don't want you if you miss it. And he likes to go out and have a pop after practice and then all those kind of things. And so he's a casual, casual guy, casual guy like that. Yet you know, yet his team is is They've got a structure and they stick to you, and so it's it's a it's a

little bit of a dichotomy, you know. He he he you know, kind of the personality of him, you would think he'd be like a little you think you'd be a John Bruden guy, you know what, kind of a you know, but but he's quite the opposite. He's got guys on his staff that he coached in college, which is great. You know, uh, you know, Keith Armstrong is running his special teams. He was a running back at Temple when

Bruce was the head coach. You know, You've got you know, a bunch of guys that were over there that are on his staff that he has a history with. Those guys and he trusts those guys. And I think that's the same thing that Brian Flores has. He you know, he has guys that he coached with in New England and he brought to the Miami Dolphins that he knows what the expect they know what the expectations are, that he trust and that's how you build That's how you

build winning organizations with people that you trust. You know what. I've watched the two episodes of Hard Knocks with the Raiders and John Bruten I don't know why they paid that guy a hundred million dollars. Wouldn't give him a hundred fifty dollars to coach my team. I just don't, you know. I've always I've never been a buyer. I've never been bullish on John Gruden and every job that he's got, every job that has been available. So I think when St. Thomas job was available, he was first

on the list for that job. But over the years when he was in the booth, every time a job became available, he was the top guy in the list, but never got the job, never took the job, which you know, led me to believe that he that that he wasn't available, but he wasn't really on the top of the list. You know, he's a good agent out there. But I mean, I'm watching this guy, John, and I

just don't see it. I I just you know. You you tell me, you walk in front of an NFL football team that's got a bunch of misfits, and there's misfits on that team. You got to perfect who was a tough guy? You got eight you know, Antonio Brown, You've got some you got some knuckleheads on that team. And you walk up in front of the first day and you say, here are the rules I got Try to be on time, don't you know, and try to be close to your weight and use common sense. And

that's it. I'm going really and paying you a a hundred million dollars for that, you know. And then I watched the next practice was no better than that. And boy, I'll tell you what if you're if you're you're banking. I'd be shocked if the Raiders win five or six games this year. I haven't I haven't really dove in as much. I got to see glimpses of the hard knocks, but it'll be interesting to see how the Raiders do

this year. Because that's a tough division. Yeah they're playing in Yeah they are, they are, And I just don't I see a loose you know, undisciplined. Hell, you got your best receiver that comes comes and went practice when he wants to, when he doesn't, doesn't show. Finally, they finally got to the point where they have to either yeah you know he's here, he's not. Yeah, yeah, so

I think you gotta fire him or whatever. You know, it's a but hey, you know what, Hell, that's their problem, not our Thank goodness, we got enough issues on our own. But just just from a this from an NFL standpoint and watching that, that's the thing about that show that you know, it makes an I watched just kind of see how the distractions, see how we'll see how the coach is, just how they coach, how they go about their business. And I'm just I'm gonna probably catch up

on this week. It's uh yeah, it's it's I watched this week too, and see how it is. Anyway, that's gonna do it for the show. John Can, Jammie, Kimbo camper with you. It's the Dolphins and the Jack's Bill Jaguars Thursday Night preseason game number three after that it's New Orleans and you know, you know, and you kind of you might have the clicker handy for that game because that the game tends to be a little bit boring.

But but this is a big game, big game game from Miami to see where we're at, you know, see where the starting twenty two and whoever else can came, I'm gonna be probably this game is probably gonna determine who your quarterback is gonna be September eight, uh, and a number of other positions and guys like Sam where Sam fits in, and some of these other guys, the guys we haven't seen. You know, it's gonna be interesting to see what happens with Ray Kwon and kicking between

now and the time that the rosters. T J hasn't played much, RASH played, So we'll see how that all shakes out in week three and we'll be back with the audible next week and we'll go over all that and and get ready for the last preseason game and kind of kind kind of probably get a little better idea where this roster is gonna be at at that point. But uh, it's just you know, more and more good

stuff man, we're still good stuff. Look and forward to it. Okay, Hey, thanks, thanks for listening, and we'll catch you guys next week on The Audible