WEBVTT - Drive Time: Jaylen Wright, Ifeatu Melifonwu, AFC North Preview 0:00:00.240 --> 0:00:12.240 This is Drivetime with Travis Wingfield. What is up Dolphins 0:00:12.360 --> 0:00:15.160 and welcome to the Draft Time Podcast. I am your host, 0:00:15.240 --> 0:00:18.760 Travis Wingfield. And on today's show, we continue previewing the 0:00:18.880 --> 0:00:22.000 NFL twenty twenty five season. We go to the AFC 0:00:22.160 --> 0:00:25.079 North and a bunch of movement in that division over 0:00:25.079 --> 0:00:27.320 the course of the summer. We'll talk about the Steelers, 0:00:27.360 --> 0:00:30.360 the Browns, the Bengals, and the Ravens. Plus a pair 0:00:30.400 --> 0:00:32.920 of interviews. Will bookend it with Jalen Wright and if 0:00:32.960 --> 0:00:35.120 Emela Fund will all of that and more from the 0:00:35.159 --> 0:00:39.400 Baptist Hell Studios inside well my actual house. This is 0:00:40.840 --> 0:00:45.000 the Draft Time Podcast. Heye gaffe, All right, join us 0:00:45.000 --> 0:00:47.440 here on the Draft Time Podcast. Today is Dolphins running 0:00:47.440 --> 0:00:50.040 back Jalen Right, Jalen, what's up man? How you doing well? Good? Go? 0:00:50.040 --> 0:00:50.520 How you doing? 0:00:50.560 --> 0:00:52.080 I'm doing good. I'm excited to talk to you here 0:00:52.080 --> 0:00:55.080 today a little bit. You know, I just rookie year 0:00:55.120 --> 0:00:57.240 to second year. I love asking guys this question about 0:00:57.280 --> 0:01:00.280 the process of you know, you go from bowlgar aim 0:01:00.360 --> 0:01:03.600 to Pro Day, to combine to all that stuff that 0:01:03.760 --> 0:01:06.240 involves like track workouts, and then you get here. You 0:01:06.280 --> 0:01:08.280 got to learn a playbook and go back out for 0:01:08.319 --> 0:01:10.240 practice and you don't really get much time to yourself. 0:01:10.240 --> 0:01:12.200 But now that you've had a full year as a 0:01:12.240 --> 0:01:14.320 Dolphin and an off season to digest all of it, 0:01:14.440 --> 0:01:16.600 how valuable was that first year and how excited are 0:01:16.600 --> 0:01:18.040 you for the second year here in Miami? 0:01:18.720 --> 0:01:22.640 Very valuable? Valuable? Of course, the first year was a 0:01:22.680 --> 0:01:27.920 little long for the fact that I had to go 0:01:28.000 --> 0:01:30.800 through combine training and you know, doing hope and stuff 0:01:30.800 --> 0:01:33.679 to get to this point. So and then not only that, 0:01:33.760 --> 0:01:35.960 in the long season, longer season than I'm used to 0:01:36.680 --> 0:01:39.160 and used to in college. So I mean, it's good 0:01:39.160 --> 0:01:41.039 to get that first year out the way you know, 0:01:41.160 --> 0:01:43.720 experience it. I mean, I'm glad to experience it and blessed, 0:01:44.360 --> 0:01:46.080 you know. I'm just very excited, you know, for this year. 0:01:46.200 --> 0:01:48.400 So I think we heard a story or someone talked 0:01:48.440 --> 0:01:50.800 about this on on a podcast for somewhere otherwise about 0:01:50.800 --> 0:01:53.200 your dedication to being here first and last out type 0:01:53.200 --> 0:01:55.400 of guy. I'm curious where that mindset comes from and 0:01:55.440 --> 0:01:56.960 how you feel like it's kind of benefited you at 0:01:56.960 --> 0:01:58.120 this point of your football career. 0:01:58.960 --> 0:02:01.800 I mean, it's just just what I've what I've learned, 0:02:01.800 --> 0:02:03.240 and you know, just what I've did, and you know, 0:02:03.280 --> 0:02:05.720 in college, you know, I just took that mindset, you know, 0:02:05.840 --> 0:02:08.160 just being the building, you know, just outwork everybody, you know, 0:02:08.320 --> 0:02:11.920 just and eventually all this stuff's gonna pay off, you know, 0:02:12.000 --> 0:02:14.160 just focusing on myself, focusing on everything I gotta do, 0:02:14.560 --> 0:02:15.920 be detailing everything I gotta do. 0:02:16.040 --> 0:02:19.840 So that's really important to me. So, yeah, when you. 0:02:19.760 --> 0:02:22.239 Talk about details from the running back position, because I 0:02:22.240 --> 0:02:25.080 feel like, you know, a fan turns on a game 0:02:25.120 --> 0:02:26.799 and sees a running back and it's like, oh, there's 0:02:26.840 --> 0:02:28.720 a hole. He just ran through the hole, like whooped 0:02:28.720 --> 0:02:30.959 to do right? Or like you don't hit the hole 0:02:30.960 --> 0:02:32.880 and it's like, oh, he didn't have the proper vision. 0:02:32.919 --> 0:02:34.600 But I feel like there's way more that goes into 0:02:34.680 --> 0:02:37.239 and what a fancy's on TV. So when it comes 0:02:37.320 --> 0:02:39.519 to like all that work that you put in dedication, 0:02:40.000 --> 0:02:41.480 like what do you what are you trying to Like 0:02:42.120 --> 0:02:44.120 you're trying to learn how to play faster, right, but what 0:02:44.160 --> 0:02:45.720 does that look like in terms of how you prepare 0:02:45.760 --> 0:02:47.600 yourself to to be able to read blocks and read 0:02:47.639 --> 0:02:49.160 the right tracks and make the right cuts. Like what 0:02:49.440 --> 0:02:50.160 all goes into that? 0:02:50.919 --> 0:02:51.760 Just knowing what you're doing. 0:02:51.800 --> 0:02:54.400 I mean just really preparing, knowing what the defense is, 0:02:54.919 --> 0:02:58.600 uh want to do, just taking what they give you, 0:02:58.600 --> 0:03:01.200 you know, just pressing your aiming points right right, Uh, 0:03:01.360 --> 0:03:03.320 you know, stretching the defense, you know, just to puncture. 0:03:03.360 --> 0:03:05.760 You know, that's what the offense is about. So just 0:03:05.800 --> 0:03:07.680 doing taking the details that we learned in the in 0:03:07.720 --> 0:03:10.360 the in the in the room and taking out and 0:03:10.400 --> 0:03:11.240 putting it on the field. 0:03:11.320 --> 0:03:13.960 So and the comfort level and year two probably takes 0:03:14.000 --> 0:03:15.320 a pretty big jump for you to imagine. 0:03:15.480 --> 0:03:20.120 Definitely, uh comfortable, I'm definitely more comfortable. Confidence is definitely more, 0:03:20.280 --> 0:03:24.080 way more confident. The game has definitely slowed down, and 0:03:24.120 --> 0:03:26.160 I feel like that's that's that's that was the main thing, 0:03:26.639 --> 0:03:28.840 just the game slowing down, you know, slowing down. So 0:03:28.960 --> 0:03:31.000 you know, I'm just excited for you know this shure. 0:03:31.160 --> 0:03:33.359 So you're you're a pretty unique back in the sense 0:03:33.360 --> 0:03:34.600 that you can hit the home run, You've got a 0:03:34.600 --> 0:03:36.920 good speed, you can run guys over, Like, what do 0:03:36.920 --> 0:03:39.240 you think is your calling card as a runner? And 0:03:39.280 --> 0:03:41.000 you can say it's the versatility of my game, but 0:03:41.000 --> 0:03:43.480 I'm just curious, what do you think makes you like special? 0:03:44.600 --> 0:03:47.920 Just my explosiveness, not being able to not not getting 0:03:48.000 --> 0:03:50.600 hit by the not being being taken down by the 0:03:50.600 --> 0:03:54.000 first defender, being able to know just be I jail, 0:03:54.040 --> 0:03:56.480 you know, you know, just a good agility, good feet, 0:03:57.080 --> 0:03:59.360 h in and out of holes, you know, and then 0:03:59.400 --> 0:04:02.119 like you said, being able to hit the home run 0:04:02.160 --> 0:04:05.760 when I'm going, I'm going, you know, just being versatile, 0:04:05.800 --> 0:04:07.800 you know, being able to catch the ball out the backfield, 0:04:07.800 --> 0:04:07.920 you know. 0:04:07.960 --> 0:04:09.640 Ryn Roulson, you know, do all things like that. So 0:04:10.160 --> 0:04:11.240 I feel like that's my you. 0:04:11.160 --> 0:04:12.920 Know, yeah, I feel like we had a couple a 0:04:12.960 --> 0:04:14.760 couple of big runs called back last year right to 0:04:14.760 --> 0:04:16.200 get a chance to really see you open it up 0:04:16.240 --> 0:04:18.240 like you did. Was it the Georgia game, first play 0:04:18.240 --> 0:04:20.480 of the game at Tennessee for seventy five yard touchdown 0:04:20.560 --> 0:04:22.880 run That was fun to see. But in that Patriots 0:04:22.920 --> 0:04:24.560 game this year back in Week five, that was kind 0:04:24.560 --> 0:04:26.880 of the first time you got some real run. How 0:04:26.960 --> 0:04:28.800 valuable was that to kind of get called on there 0:04:28.839 --> 0:04:31.000 and and you know, Devon went down early in the game, 0:04:31.000 --> 0:04:33.760 which I imagine increased your role of that game. What 0:04:33.800 --> 0:04:36.200 was that entire moment like for you to get hey, Jalen, 0:04:36.200 --> 0:04:37.840 you're up. And then also the way you played out 0:04:37.839 --> 0:04:38.920 did that kind of hit you. 0:04:39.160 --> 0:04:42.039 I mean, it's just like I said, being prepared. You 0:04:42.080 --> 0:04:44.320 never know, Like nobody ever knew the vin was gonna 0:04:44.320 --> 0:04:47.080 go down at that moment. It's just me being prepared 0:04:47.080 --> 0:04:48.800 throughout the week, knowing what I got to do, knowing 0:04:48.839 --> 0:04:51.839 the plays, knowing the runs and everything got to do. 0:04:51.960 --> 0:04:54.280 So when that time had came, I mean, I was 0:04:54.320 --> 0:04:56.640 just ready for the opportunity. I mean, of course it 0:04:56.720 --> 0:04:58.640 was a little nervous energy out there. I mean it's 0:04:58.680 --> 0:05:00.240 just the game of the nature. But so was I 0:05:00.240 --> 0:05:02.760 got that one snap, wanted two snaps. It all settled 0:05:02.760 --> 0:05:05.880 down and I was able to play how I'm you know, 0:05:06.000 --> 0:05:06.480 going to play. 0:05:06.560 --> 0:05:08.719 So you don't have to get ready if you stay ready, right, 0:05:08.920 --> 0:05:11.680 that's the old saying. So Coach McDaniel talked about this 0:05:11.720 --> 0:05:15.280 in one of his recent press conferences about exit interviews 0:05:15.320 --> 0:05:17.240 and kind of challenging you and and you know, just 0:05:17.320 --> 0:05:18.719 having you to take the next step, and then he 0:05:18.720 --> 0:05:21.160 said that he's seen you respond in a really positive way, 0:05:21.440 --> 0:05:23.320 and then two days later we see you in the 0:05:23.320 --> 0:05:25.560 orange jersey at practice, like, okay, that's that's probably another 0:05:25.560 --> 0:05:28.120 good sign. I'm just curious what not that what McDaniel's 0:05:28.120 --> 0:05:31.200 message was, But how you've kind of approached this season 0:05:31.200 --> 0:05:32.880 and how you put yourself in position to you know, 0:05:32.920 --> 0:05:33.719 take that next step. 0:05:34.640 --> 0:05:38.280 Just just just me knowing who I am, knowing when 0:05:38.400 --> 0:05:40.560 once I walk into that get into that mode to 0:05:40.560 --> 0:05:44.360 where I'm I feel like you know that that I'm 0:05:44.440 --> 0:05:46.400 just working working so hard. Like the off season, you know, 0:05:46.440 --> 0:05:49.520 I took upon myself to get bigger, get stronger. I 0:05:49.600 --> 0:05:51.320 might be around the same weight, but I lost a 0:05:51.320 --> 0:05:52.680 lot of body fat, you know, put a lot of 0:05:52.760 --> 0:05:55.680 muscle on. I still got my speed. I feel like 0:05:55.880 --> 0:05:59.359 I probably got a little faster maybe. Uh you know, 0:05:59.520 --> 0:06:02.800 just take just what I did in off season, you know, 0:06:02.880 --> 0:06:05.200 and putting it into like real practice, you know, like 0:06:05.240 --> 0:06:07.240 I said, stay in detailed and everything, you know, doing 0:06:07.240 --> 0:06:08.240 everything that asked me to do. 0:06:08.320 --> 0:06:10.599 So that requires a lot of discipline, right to go 0:06:10.720 --> 0:06:13.240 from to keep the same weight. But it's all muscle 0:06:13.320 --> 0:06:15.560 versus fat. Like you gotta say no to that ice 0:06:15.600 --> 0:06:19.039 cream or no to that like snickers bar. Right, is 0:06:19.040 --> 0:06:19.960 that tough the challenge? 0:06:20.000 --> 0:06:23.440 I mean it's tough, but uh, I mean it's just 0:06:23.960 --> 0:06:26.880 it's definitely tough. I love I love eating like sweets 0:06:26.880 --> 0:06:29.400 and you know, you know, good food. I love doing that, 0:06:29.480 --> 0:06:31.039 but you know it's it's a sacrifice that you got 0:06:31.040 --> 0:06:31.840 to make at the end of the day. 0:06:31.880 --> 0:06:33.320 Yeah, It's one of those things where like I think, 0:06:33.720 --> 0:06:36.120 the less you eat it, the more you don't crave it, right, Right, 0:06:36.240 --> 0:06:37.880 Like you get like a week away from your last suite, 0:06:37.920 --> 0:06:40.279 you don't really crave anywhere. Almost almost kind of sounds 0:06:40.279 --> 0:06:44.159 like reals right, Maybe not gross, but I was saying, 0:06:44.320 --> 0:06:46.279 all right, So last question here for you, jialing Right, 0:06:46.320 --> 0:06:49.480 Dolphins running back this offense, you know, going back from 0:06:49.520 --> 0:06:52.480 the Shanahan days, you know, even even to Mike Shanahan, 0:06:52.560 --> 0:06:55.520 Denver has produced really quality running backs and they've always 0:06:55.520 --> 0:06:57.520 looked for a certain type of back right and it's 0:06:57.520 --> 0:06:59.640 a you know, outside zone with some variation to it. 0:06:59.680 --> 0:07:01.839 What is about this offense that really excites you and 0:07:01.880 --> 0:07:03.159 how it fits your skill set? 0:07:03.920 --> 0:07:06.320 Just how they use utilize running backs, how they like 0:07:06.360 --> 0:07:08.760 to get running backs out in space. I was not 0:07:08.960 --> 0:07:11.240 just like ground and pound down heel. You know, they 0:07:11.320 --> 0:07:13.400 like to get us outside, you know, utilize our talents, 0:07:13.920 --> 0:07:15.760 utilize our speed, you know, just do it, you know, 0:07:15.960 --> 0:07:18.720 just utilize them to us our skill set. You know, 0:07:19.240 --> 0:07:21.680 That's what I like about this offense, and you know, 0:07:21.920 --> 0:07:23.800 just not only in the running backs. You know, we 0:07:23.880 --> 0:07:26.640 got weapons on the outside that brings attentions off the 0:07:26.720 --> 0:07:28.960 running backs. So you know, I just love it. I'm 0:07:29.000 --> 0:07:32.360 really blessed, you know, being this situation, to have this opportunity. 0:07:32.360 --> 0:07:34.680 You know, I thank God for everything. So I'm really 0:07:34.680 --> 0:07:36.080 excited for a big year this year. 0:07:36.120 --> 0:07:38.520 So really good stuff Dolphins running back dealing, right, appreciate 0:07:38.520 --> 0:07:40.800 your time, day man, Thank you sir, and away he goes. 0:07:40.840 --> 0:07:42.720 We're going to come back on the other side and 0:07:42.800 --> 0:07:47.480 get to four teams in our AFC North preview, Brown, Steelers, Bengals, 0:07:47.520 --> 0:07:50.120 and Ravens. That's Next Draft Time podcast, brought to you 0:07:50.200 --> 0:08:03.560 by AutoNation. Really kind of into the concept of the 0:08:03.560 --> 0:08:07.760 primetime music to queue up the next divisional preview, and 0:08:07.800 --> 0:08:10.000 we moved today. We're halfway done. We're getting to the 0:08:10.120 --> 0:08:12.040 first part of the second half of the series here 0:08:12.040 --> 0:08:14.520 with the AFC North. We'll have the NFC North and 0:08:14.640 --> 0:08:17.040 both East divisions still to go after today. But today 0:08:17.080 --> 0:08:19.840 we're talking about a team that let's go ahead and 0:08:19.920 --> 0:08:22.120 rip off the spoiler banded right away, probably gonna pick 0:08:22.160 --> 0:08:23.360 him to go to the Super Bowl for the third 0:08:23.400 --> 0:08:25.920 straight year. I'm zero for two on that. It's the 0:08:25.920 --> 0:08:29.560 Baltimore Ravens. I just love love this team, love this roster, 0:08:29.680 --> 0:08:33.120 love this quarterback, and I'm I'm looking towards doing it 0:08:33.160 --> 0:08:35.160 once again continuity. They're not gonna be working on a 0:08:35.160 --> 0:08:37.120 new play call this year. They're not gonna be working 0:08:37.120 --> 0:08:39.679 on all this new offensive lineman in Todd Monkin has 0:08:39.720 --> 0:08:42.520 seventeen year, seventeen games and a couple of playoff games 0:08:42.520 --> 0:08:45.840 with proof of concept under his belt. With Lamar Jackson 0:08:45.920 --> 0:08:48.800 loaded all up and down the roster and the coaching staff, 0:08:48.920 --> 0:08:52.719 they brought in DeAndre Hopkins, Chiudobi, a Woose, JayR Alexander 0:08:52.760 --> 0:08:55.839 who was like, I mean, a wuose was like a 0:08:55.880 --> 0:08:59.160 consolation prize to Alexander, who you know, he's had his issues, 0:08:59.200 --> 0:09:02.120 he's missed his games, but I mean, if he makes 0:09:02.120 --> 0:09:04.719 a play against Buffalo in January, you're not going to 0:09:04.760 --> 0:09:06.719 care that he missed ten games. This is a team 0:09:06.760 --> 0:09:08.600 that could afford to make a move like that. Joseph 0:09:08.679 --> 0:09:11.880 Noteboom's a really good swing tackle option. Cooper Rush a 0:09:11.920 --> 0:09:15.920 good backup quarterback. Malachai Starks was the raven of the draft. 0:09:16.200 --> 0:09:18.640 They get Mike Green, who fell because of some very 0:09:18.720 --> 0:09:22.079 questionable personal issues in his off field character stuff. But 0:09:22.120 --> 0:09:24.920 if he's on the field, he's got really good twitchiness 0:09:25.080 --> 0:09:26.880 and kind of can be like the Chop Robinson of 0:09:26.920 --> 0:09:29.440 sorts in terms of just the on field playability of 0:09:29.520 --> 0:09:31.160 his skill set. So they go out and they have 0:09:31.200 --> 0:09:34.080 a Ravens draft on the way out. Malik Harrison and 0:09:34.120 --> 0:09:37.120 Josh Jones and Patrick McCarry all I thought were good players. 0:09:37.160 --> 0:09:39.320 Marcus Williams I thought really kind of fell off this 0:09:39.400 --> 0:09:42.120 last couple of years. Arthur Maulett. Michael Pierce was the 0:09:42.160 --> 0:09:44.800 big one to me, that big defensive tackle who was 0:09:44.880 --> 0:09:48.199 kind of unicorn in terms of how this system operates. 0:09:48.200 --> 0:09:50.280 And we talked about trying to find that guy, you 0:09:50.320 --> 0:09:52.600 know in Miami with Coach Weaver, and you just don't 0:09:52.640 --> 0:09:54.760 get three hundred and sixty pound guys like that. We 0:09:54.840 --> 0:09:56.640 got a three hundred and forty pound guy that could 0:09:56.679 --> 0:09:58.319 move as well as a three hundred and ten pound guy, 0:09:58.360 --> 0:10:00.520 which I love, But Michael Pierce was kind of a 0:10:00.600 --> 0:10:03.240 unicorn that way. They also lose Brandon Stevens, who had 0:10:03.240 --> 0:10:05.720 a really rough year last year. They cut Justin Tucker 0:10:05.720 --> 0:10:08.080 for obvious reasons. The big loss to me is art 0:10:08.160 --> 0:10:10.920 Darius Washington tearing his achilles back in spring ball. I 0:10:10.960 --> 0:10:13.400 was a guy that I talked about a lot for 0:10:13.480 --> 0:10:15.680 the Dolphins, for a fit for safety and free agency. 0:10:15.720 --> 0:10:18.000 Should he make it there, he goes back to the Ravens, 0:10:18.000 --> 0:10:19.720 gets hurt, and it bumps me out for him and 0:10:19.760 --> 0:10:22.000 for the team. As far as the film, the calling card, 0:10:22.000 --> 0:10:23.760 I mean it all starts with a complex run scheme 0:10:23.800 --> 0:10:26.920 that operates behind the core power concept. With the best 0:10:27.000 --> 0:10:31.480 power runner of all time. We willing to go that far. 0:10:32.960 --> 0:10:34.960 The old heads disagree, the young guys probably agree with 0:10:34.960 --> 0:10:37.160 me on that. And then the best running quarterback of 0:10:37.160 --> 0:10:38.959 all time. You can argue to a wall about that, 0:10:39.000 --> 0:10:42.200 because Lamar Jackson is that Mike Vick. I played behind 0:10:42.200 --> 0:10:45.000 Mike Vick at Plantation Preserve golf Course a couple weeks ago. 0:10:45.360 --> 0:10:46.640 Kind of weird. He was in the group in front 0:10:46.679 --> 0:10:49.000 of me. But I'm giving this Lamar Jackson. And if 0:10:49.040 --> 0:10:52.000 that wasn't enough, that quarterback is a great decision maker. 0:10:52.200 --> 0:10:54.920 He's incredibly accurate with the football. He can whip it 0:10:55.000 --> 0:10:58.199 all over the field from any platform, from any arm angle, 0:10:58.480 --> 0:11:02.240 on and off. Script is possible to stop the way 0:11:02.280 --> 0:11:05.600 our offense manipulates and creates passing windows. They do the 0:11:05.640 --> 0:11:08.280 exact same thing with angles in the run game through 0:11:08.280 --> 0:11:11.320 a myriad of shifts influence concepts. That's where you you know, 0:11:11.400 --> 0:11:14.200 show one thing and give you the the old you'll 0:11:14.320 --> 0:11:16.360 pull the rugout from under a type of deal. And 0:11:16.440 --> 0:11:19.920 personnel diversification with the full back that can play anywhere 0:11:20.080 --> 0:11:21.760 and tight ends that can burn you in the passing 0:11:21.800 --> 0:11:24.200 game but also condense down and kick your butt in 0:11:24.200 --> 0:11:26.920 the running game. Can you guys tell I'm a huge 0:11:26.920 --> 0:11:28.440 fan of this team. I think if they have a 0:11:28.440 --> 0:11:32.600 healthy Za Flowers, they probably be probably beat Buffalo in 0:11:32.640 --> 0:11:35.640 the playoffs last year. Mark Andrews, despite that drop, is 0:11:35.679 --> 0:11:38.600 a top five tight end for me. Isaiah likely I probably, 0:11:38.920 --> 0:11:41.960 I likely like him better. They returned the same offensive 0:11:41.960 --> 0:11:43.719 line that took all of four to five weeks to 0:11:43.760 --> 0:11:45.640 gel last Maybe that big concern, like, oh no, they 0:11:45.679 --> 0:11:47.800 lost some guys up front, but okay, they were like 0:11:48.160 --> 0:11:50.800 decent for four weeks and became awesome for the final 0:11:50.840 --> 0:11:56.360 twelve weeks of the season. Ronnie Stanley, Andrew Vorhees, Tyler Lindenbaum, 0:11:56.440 --> 0:11:59.800 Daniel Filele, who kicks inside after some years at tackle, 0:12:00.080 --> 0:12:02.560 and then Ryan Rosengarten, the rookie last year was awesome, 0:12:02.600 --> 0:12:06.680 big athletic, mean group that finishes their blocks defensively, you 0:12:06.760 --> 0:12:09.960 know the drill, Mike McDonald offshoot that struggled early. That's 0:12:10.040 --> 0:12:11.680 kind of the theme for this team is they figure 0:12:11.720 --> 0:12:13.760 themselves out, kind of akin to the Patriots of old, 0:12:14.040 --> 0:12:16.840 but really click down the stretch. I'm really curious to 0:12:16.840 --> 0:12:18.760 see what they have or what they get. Rather with 0:12:18.800 --> 0:12:22.119 the changes of cornerback again, the Packers outright cut Alexander. 0:12:22.120 --> 0:12:24.200 I think he'll probably start for them as long as 0:12:24.200 --> 0:12:27.280 he's healthy, but he's also missed those half of his 0:12:27.360 --> 0:12:32.000 career games. Basically, they'll be without Washington, without Stevens, without Malette. Again, 0:12:32.040 --> 0:12:34.000 that Washington injury changes things. I think that was going 0:12:34.080 --> 0:12:37.680 to be like their ideal big Nickel package which Miami 0:12:37.720 --> 0:12:40.520 now has with with Minka Fitzpatrick in store. But Kyle 0:12:40.559 --> 0:12:42.679 Hamilton and Malachi Starks. You can still make it work 0:12:42.679 --> 0:12:45.520 with just those two guys. But now you imagine Marlon 0:12:45.600 --> 0:12:48.040 Humphries move inside with Nate Wiggins, who had a good 0:12:48.080 --> 0:12:50.960 rookie season, and then Jy you'r Alexander on the outside, 0:12:51.760 --> 0:12:53.719 and then Cheetoh wuose the depth piece like, that's a 0:12:53.760 --> 0:12:55.280 lot of new parts in the system that requires a 0:12:55.320 --> 0:12:58.560 lot of versatility and communication. But they're getting like veteran 0:12:58.600 --> 0:13:01.040 guys they can do it, you know, and guys that 0:13:01.080 --> 0:13:03.200 have the football IQ and acumen to do it outside 0:13:03.200 --> 0:13:05.200 of maybe a piece or two here or there. But 0:13:05.320 --> 0:13:07.560 that front has a big loss to overcome and the 0:13:07.600 --> 0:13:10.319 retirement of Michael Pierce. They're deep as hell across the board, 0:13:10.440 --> 0:13:14.520 justin Meda or sorry, Nomdi Matabuike, Travis Jones, Broderick Washington, 0:13:14.880 --> 0:13:22.120 Kyle van noy, odell odell o'daffe o Way, Okay, adding 0:13:22.200 --> 0:13:24.600 Mike Green, Roquan Smith and Trent and Simpson, They're going 0:13:24.640 --> 0:13:26.760 to be just fine. The question for this team, if 0:13:26.800 --> 0:13:30.120 there is one, it's offensively and at the receiver depth position. 0:13:30.280 --> 0:13:32.439 But you've got Derreck Henry and those two tight ends, 0:13:32.480 --> 0:13:35.040 So do you need more than two or three receivers? Really, 0:13:35.120 --> 0:13:37.320 the one thing they have to figure out is how 0:13:37.400 --> 0:13:40.160 do they get the same production in January versus Kansas 0:13:40.200 --> 0:13:41.679 City and Buffalo. This is one of those teams where 0:13:41.679 --> 0:13:44.400 their season doesn't start until like January fifteenth, and I 0:13:44.600 --> 0:13:46.080 envy that in a lot of ways, but also it's 0:13:46.120 --> 0:13:48.120 probably kind of frustrating for that team throughout the course 0:13:48.120 --> 0:13:49.880 of the season, like when they started off zero to 0:13:49.920 --> 0:13:52.200 two last year and fans were panicking. It's like, just wait, 0:13:52.320 --> 0:13:54.880 wait until January twenty first, when you're playing in Buffalo 0:13:55.040 --> 0:13:57.600 for a chance to go back to the AFC Championship game, 0:13:57.640 --> 0:14:01.199 because that's where their seasons end. It's buffer lower case. Basically, 0:14:01.559 --> 0:14:04.000 Lamar finished three of the last five seasons. The two 0:14:04.080 --> 0:14:06.439 years they didn't, they win the playoffs once, missed the 0:14:06.480 --> 0:14:09.199 playoffs once. But the three years that he finished two 0:14:09.280 --> 0:14:11.959 losses in Buffalo won at home to Kansas City. The 0:14:12.000 --> 0:14:14.800 miscellaneous factors here, The Ravens and Bill's capsules will be 0:14:14.840 --> 0:14:17.280 pretty brief because they'll be back there again. That's a 0:14:17.280 --> 0:14:18.719 team that we're gonna have to find a way to beat. 0:14:18.760 --> 0:14:20.040 If you want to get, you know, to the big 0:14:20.120 --> 0:14:22.480 to the dance, they just have to The Ravens have 0:14:22.560 --> 0:14:24.720 to get past that final boss, so to speak. The 0:14:24.840 --> 0:14:28.840 opening schedule is pretty insane, which again, if they're five hundred, 0:14:28.880 --> 0:14:32.280 they'll be just fine, right Bill's Browns, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Rams. 0:14:32.600 --> 0:14:35.240 Five of those teams were in the final eight last year. 0:14:35.520 --> 0:14:37.800 I'm not sure anything else. Pertains in this category of 0:14:37.840 --> 0:14:39.400 this team is pretty locked and load. As long as 0:14:39.440 --> 0:14:42.560 the mars available, that's your trapdoor scenario. As always, if 0:14:42.600 --> 0:14:45.400 he plays seventeen games, he'll be a top three MVP finisher. 0:14:45.440 --> 0:14:47.520 They'll win twelve thirteen games and be right back there again. 0:14:47.760 --> 0:14:50.480 The conclusion, they'll win the division, they'll get home playoff games. 0:14:50.520 --> 0:14:52.680 Can they beat Kansasity and can they beat Buffalo? That's it, 0:14:52.960 --> 0:14:55.120 dash all, folks. And the team that I think most 0:14:55.160 --> 0:14:58.560 folks will predict as a challenger, the Cincinnati Bengals. I'm 0:14:58.600 --> 0:15:00.760 not quite there yet in terms of being the Ravens level. 0:15:00.840 --> 0:15:02.720 Let's go ahead and talk about this team. The changes, 0:15:03.040 --> 0:15:06.160 maybe the most interesting team in football to me. Historic offense, 0:15:06.400 --> 0:15:09.080 historic defense in the wrong way last year results in 0:15:09.120 --> 0:15:11.240 a nine wins season and missing out in the playoffs. 0:15:11.680 --> 0:15:13.520 And you know, it's fun. It's fun to root for 0:15:13.560 --> 0:15:15.240 a quarterback like Joe Burrow when you have to have 0:15:15.360 --> 0:15:16.760 that team win because they always feel like you were 0:15:16.800 --> 0:15:19.280 in those games. Remember that, was it the Pittsburgh game 0:15:19.520 --> 0:15:21.600 down the stretch last year or no, they're playing Denver 0:15:21.720 --> 0:15:24.440 right the week seventeen game. You always feel like you're 0:15:24.440 --> 0:15:26.320 in the game with Joe Burrow. But now they have 0:15:26.560 --> 0:15:29.920 a new summer directive with earlier practices, more playing time 0:15:29.960 --> 0:15:32.080 in the preseason, and hopes of mitigating what has become 0:15:32.120 --> 0:15:34.240 the norm for them, these slow starts. They lost of 0:15:34.240 --> 0:15:36.000 the freaking Patriots in Week one last year. That was 0:15:36.000 --> 0:15:38.440 a bad Patriots team, right, And there's another oh and 0:15:38.520 --> 0:15:40.800 three start. They go one in four total. They damn 0:15:40.840 --> 0:15:43.240 near skated by the Giants. In the other game they won. 0:15:43.880 --> 0:15:46.080 In twenty twenty three, it was a one in three 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:48.160 start with a loss of the Browns and the opener, 0:15:48.360 --> 0:15:50.440 and in twenty twenty two and oh and two start, 0:15:50.520 --> 0:15:53.480 including a loss of the dakless Cowboys. This year they 0:15:53.560 --> 0:15:56.080 get Cleveland and Jacksonville. So it's like the NFL saying, hey, 0:15:56.160 --> 0:15:58.880 we want Joe Burrow in the mix in January. Get 0:15:58.920 --> 0:16:00.640 off to your hot start, and then Joe can get 0:16:00.680 --> 0:16:02.440 hot and you guys can get back to winning games. 0:16:02.800 --> 0:16:04.720 And there are a lot of changes for this team 0:16:04.880 --> 0:16:07.560 in the personnel world. New defensive coordinator lou and Aarumo 0:16:07.720 --> 0:16:11.520 is out. Al Golden is in interesting to say the least, 0:16:11.560 --> 0:16:13.520 I guess not that surprising from a team that's in 0:16:13.600 --> 0:16:15.840 danger of losing their first round pick. Over a unique 0:16:15.840 --> 0:16:19.080 contract stipulation. I am team Shamar Stewart all the way 0:16:19.120 --> 0:16:20.800 on that. By the way, I'm gonna have to do 0:16:20.880 --> 0:16:23.680 some research on the scheme because before our next segment, 0:16:23.720 --> 0:16:26.560 because there's some retention on defense. But I don't know 0:16:27.000 --> 0:16:29.200 what to expect here. Before I got into the tape, 0:16:29.400 --> 0:16:31.960 our old friend Charles Burks coaches the corners there and 0:16:32.040 --> 0:16:35.200 former Dolphin Jordan Kovacs coaches the safeties. The rest of 0:16:35.240 --> 0:16:38.160 that defensive staff has changed, though the offensive staff remains 0:16:38.200 --> 0:16:40.440 the same. The big thing right now is going to 0:16:40.480 --> 0:16:43.000 be the availability of Trey Hendricks and Shamar Stewart. I 0:16:43.080 --> 0:16:45.640 think that Bear is watching because that's likely their top 0:16:45.720 --> 0:16:48.800 snap takers off the edge. One two there they most like. 0:16:48.960 --> 0:16:53.080 They mostly kept their own with deals for Joseph Aside, Jackson, Kirkland, 0:16:53.120 --> 0:16:57.120 cam Sample, Marco Wilson, Cody Ford, Mike Kasiki, bj Hill, 0:16:57.400 --> 0:16:59.000 and then of course the big one was t Higgins 0:16:59.040 --> 0:17:00.760 there the last two with the only players I thought 0:17:00.840 --> 0:17:04.960 were like, really, you know, priorities for me. They brought 0:17:04.960 --> 0:17:07.240 in samajp Ryan and to Daryl Slayton, who was a 0:17:07.280 --> 0:17:09.600 good pick up, or in Burks and Lucas Patrick. They 0:17:09.680 --> 0:17:11.919 lost a Keeam, Davis Gaither and Jermaine Pratt, who were 0:17:11.920 --> 0:17:14.640 the middle linebackers there for a long time. Trent Williams 0:17:14.680 --> 0:17:18.040 has gone, Mike Hilton, Sheldon Rankins, Alex Kappa, and the 0:17:18.119 --> 0:17:21.080 big one that really makes hendricks and Stuart so vital, 0:17:21.160 --> 0:17:24.080 Sam Hubbard retired, one of the most underrated players in 0:17:24.160 --> 0:17:27.920 the league for years. You know, Davis, Gaither and Pratt 0:17:27.960 --> 0:17:30.280 were eighty five percent snap takers there for a long time. 0:17:30.280 --> 0:17:31.639 And then the kind of like the last of that 0:17:31.880 --> 0:17:35.040 Super Bowl defense outside of Hendrickson, and it appears Burke's 0:17:35.080 --> 0:17:38.000 and second round linebacker Demetrius Knight will be the replacements 0:17:38.040 --> 0:17:41.280 for with Logan Wilson also in the mix there too. 0:17:41.600 --> 0:17:43.840 As far as their film, the calling card offensively, I 0:17:43.880 --> 0:17:46.920 could recite this in my sleep. Defensively, I had to 0:17:46.960 --> 0:17:50.520 watch some coaching clinics here Zach Taylor outside zone run scheme, 0:17:50.600 --> 0:17:53.359 but a passing offense that more closely resembles what Burrow 0:17:53.400 --> 0:17:55.520 had at LSU. And if you get into the weeds 0:17:55.520 --> 0:17:57.359 of the Bengals content, you know, the drave time of 0:17:57.400 --> 0:18:00.320 Bengals content one of the areas of contention, and Borough's 0:18:00.359 --> 0:18:03.280 preference to play from the gun and empty formations. Is 0:18:03.320 --> 0:18:05.560 that it reduces their options from a run game standpoint, 0:18:05.560 --> 0:18:07.680 and we've talked about that at length for different teams 0:18:07.720 --> 0:18:10.040 across you know, Aaron Rodgers podcast or we're going to 0:18:10.080 --> 0:18:12.520 talk about him in a second, actually, but also the 0:18:12.680 --> 0:18:15.480 entire off season of trying to find ways to take 0:18:15.560 --> 0:18:18.240 some of the workload off of Tua's plate, you know, 0:18:18.359 --> 0:18:19.919 lighten the load off his shoulders there a little bit. 0:18:20.200 --> 0:18:22.880 And I think if Burrow would maybe be more accepting 0:18:22.960 --> 0:18:26.640 to that, maybe it reduces some of the big passing numbers, 0:18:26.720 --> 0:18:29.600 but maybe you become a more winning operation that way. 0:18:29.920 --> 0:18:31.520 I'm not knocking Burrow at all, but I think that 0:18:31.600 --> 0:18:33.480 a lot of quarterbacks have to kind of go through that, 0:18:33.640 --> 0:18:37.360 especially nowadays, where you've been playing seven on seven camps 0:18:37.400 --> 0:18:39.160 your entire life, and it's kind of a different beast 0:18:39.160 --> 0:18:41.879 at the NFL now. But this is also why this 0:18:42.000 --> 0:18:43.320 is one of the few places where I think Mike 0:18:43.359 --> 0:18:45.480 Kasicki actually works as a player. You have to accept 0:18:45.520 --> 0:18:47.480 that you will get nothing from him in the blocking game, 0:18:47.600 --> 0:18:49.520 right I think Joe Burrow prefers it that way, so 0:18:49.560 --> 0:18:51.960 maybe it does work out that way, and they listen 0:18:52.000 --> 0:18:54.879 to their quarterback I'm super curious if some extra reps 0:18:54.880 --> 0:18:56.960 and attention to the slow start kind of comes with 0:18:57.080 --> 0:18:59.720 some more variety and formations and grouping. And look, I'm 0:18:59.760 --> 0:19:02.439 not monishing it at all. They scored thirty points per game, right, 0:19:02.720 --> 0:19:04.560 I think the argument of running the ball and controlling 0:19:04.600 --> 0:19:07.160 the clock is a slippery slope too. The offensive job 0:19:07.240 --> 0:19:09.080 is a score points. However, you have to do that, 0:19:09.240 --> 0:19:11.160 you should, you should do it, and when you play 0:19:11.640 --> 0:19:14.320 when you paid Jamar Chase and T Higgins and rightfully so, 0:19:14.760 --> 0:19:16.959 I totally get spreading the ball out forty times a game. 0:19:17.040 --> 0:19:19.639 In fact, last year was a change. They ran sixty 0:19:19.720 --> 0:19:22.560 percent of their offense from eleven personnel. That's down from 0:19:22.600 --> 0:19:25.600 seventy five percent twenty twenty three and eighty three percent 0:19:25.680 --> 0:19:28.680 the year prior. The big change came with more twelve personnel, 0:19:28.680 --> 0:19:31.879 which was just six percent three years ago, twelve percent 0:19:32.080 --> 0:19:34.480 two years ago, and then last year thirty percent, So 0:19:34.600 --> 0:19:38.320 big jumps there. However, sometimes the numbers live that's directly 0:19:38.440 --> 0:19:40.920 led to or tied to Mike Kasiki. And while yes 0:19:41.040 --> 0:19:43.359 he is listen is a tight end. He's a slot receiver. 0:19:43.480 --> 0:19:45.719 They do not ask him to block. Drew Sample did 0:19:45.840 --> 0:19:49.200 out snap Kasiki forty eight percent to sorry fifty eight 0:19:49.240 --> 0:19:52.600 percent to forty six percent. So there you go, and 0:19:52.680 --> 0:19:54.439 they know what they like. They have a type, right, 0:19:56.080 --> 0:19:58.800 we all have our types. They like big bodies on 0:19:58.880 --> 0:20:02.320 the perimeter, big body pass catchers. Andre Josi Evash played 0:20:02.359 --> 0:20:04.480 eighty percent of the snaps last year. Chase is the 0:20:04.560 --> 0:20:06.960 only one of the players on the top four that's 0:20:07.040 --> 0:20:09.119 under six foot three. He's six foot and plays a 0:20:09.119 --> 0:20:11.159 lot bigger than doesn't he The line has been the 0:20:11.240 --> 0:20:14.119 question here for years, and we'll cover that in the 0:20:14.240 --> 0:20:17.520 questions portion of the show. The Al Golden move makes 0:20:17.520 --> 0:20:19.719 sense because of the familiarity of the position that has 0:20:19.800 --> 0:20:23.080 the most retention for the Bengals. They're cornerbacks. Golden wants 0:20:23.119 --> 0:20:25.040 to play man. He wants to disrupt you at the 0:20:25.080 --> 0:20:27.400 line of scrimmage, and that suits Cam Taylor Britz game. 0:20:27.720 --> 0:20:31.000 It suits Dj Turner and Dax Hill a safety convert. 0:20:31.240 --> 0:20:34.520 They'll deploy something called the viper think like Jabrill Peppers 0:20:34.600 --> 0:20:37.400 and Josh Mattelis at Michigan, where Al Golden was most 0:20:37.440 --> 0:20:40.240 recently at. I think that suited for Jordan Battle, but 0:20:40.400 --> 0:20:42.360 could see Dax Hill doing some of that as well, 0:20:42.680 --> 0:20:45.120 and Golden is also famous for saying that his Mike 0:20:45.200 --> 0:20:47.920 linebacker is the problem solver in the defense, and that 0:20:48.119 --> 0:20:51.120 might wind up falling on the shoulders of rookie Demetrius Knight. 0:20:51.160 --> 0:20:53.840 So those two positions will be critical to get sorted out. 0:20:53.880 --> 0:20:55.800 But they also have Logan Wilson there that can do 0:20:55.880 --> 0:20:58.400 that stuff as well. I really think them bringing back 0:20:58.440 --> 0:21:01.240 bj Hill and signings Late and his big body guys 0:21:01.280 --> 0:21:03.399 that can two gap is going to make life a 0:21:03.480 --> 0:21:06.960 lot easier on those linebackers. The question for them, it's 0:21:07.000 --> 0:21:09.080 been the offensive line for the longest time and they're 0:21:09.119 --> 0:21:10.399 going to go into the season with a lot of 0:21:10.480 --> 0:21:13.240 unknown there. Dylan Fairchild expected to start as a rookie, 0:21:13.560 --> 0:21:15.600 and free agent Lucas Patrick is supposed to be the 0:21:15.640 --> 0:21:17.720 other guard. So that's I don't know what you're going 0:21:17.760 --> 0:21:20.359 to get there. Ted Kerris still anchors the pivot. He's 0:21:20.440 --> 0:21:23.879 kind of find his home post Dolphins career. Orlando Brown 0:21:24.160 --> 0:21:25.639 is the left tackle, and this is why you have 0:21:25.760 --> 0:21:28.800 to draft tackles. They're paying Brown seventeen million dollars a 0:21:28.840 --> 0:21:31.040 season and he's been like replacement level for the last 0:21:31.040 --> 0:21:33.919 couple of years. He also or then the other guy 0:21:34.000 --> 0:21:35.920 that liked the most on the entire offensive line of 0:21:36.000 --> 0:21:38.479 Mariusmim's got hurt last year, but I think he has 0:21:38.560 --> 0:21:41.040 the biggest upside to be like an actual Pro Bowl player. 0:21:41.320 --> 0:21:43.520 Their swing tackle is projected to be a rookie who 0:21:43.520 --> 0:21:46.359 played guard in college. That's Jalen Rivers. I don't know. 0:21:46.560 --> 0:21:48.480 I think if you're looking for it to change, then 0:21:48.760 --> 0:21:50.800 you're not going to find it. But then again, Joe 0:21:50.880 --> 0:21:53.800 Burrow makes it work. So I get the investment and 0:21:53.960 --> 0:21:58.200 the resource allocation for that reason. But the way, I'm 0:21:58.240 --> 0:22:00.560 glad we saw Tua get some more, you know, support 0:22:00.600 --> 0:22:02.200 in the interior offensive line in the run game and 0:22:02.320 --> 0:22:03.720 off the edge of tight end in terms of the 0:22:03.760 --> 0:22:05.840 blocking game, I wouldn't mind seeing more of that for 0:22:05.920 --> 0:22:08.159 Burrow as well. But again it works for them. And 0:22:08.200 --> 0:22:10.600 then all the changes on defense, Let's not sugarcoat it. 0:22:10.680 --> 0:22:13.119 They have to have Trey Hendrickson. Without him, nothing on 0:22:13.160 --> 0:22:15.840 this defense I think works. The miscellaneous factors here. I 0:22:15.920 --> 0:22:17.919 don't think they can afford a slow start this year. 0:22:17.960 --> 0:22:19.679 I mean they couldn't afford the last two years, right 0:22:19.720 --> 0:22:22.680 because they missed the postseason. But since that Super Bowl 0:22:22.760 --> 0:22:25.200 season they've made the playoffs just one time out of 0:22:25.240 --> 0:22:27.240 three seasons, and Burrow ended up one of those years 0:22:27.280 --> 0:22:29.760 on IR the second time in his five years, which 0:22:29.840 --> 0:22:32.560 brings a college coordinator up, or bringing a college coordinator 0:22:32.640 --> 0:22:34.600 up as a fascinating concept. And I don't think the 0:22:34.680 --> 0:22:37.879 stare down with Stuart and Hendrickson is nothing. But I 0:22:37.960 --> 0:22:40.119 also think the Higgins signing and listening to Burrow has 0:22:40.119 --> 0:22:42.000 the opposite effect a positive ones. So it's kind of 0:22:42.040 --> 0:22:45.639 an interesting team man the trapdoor scenario. Burrow's missed fifteen 0:22:45.640 --> 0:22:48.560 starts in his career and that's not nothing and broken record. 0:22:48.600 --> 0:22:50.359 But if they don't have those two pass rushers, I 0:22:50.440 --> 0:22:52.800 don't see this defense getting any better. And this probably 0:22:52.800 --> 0:22:56.400 belongs to the miscellaneous portion category of the pod here, 0:22:56.480 --> 0:23:00.840 but they play against goff Love Rogers twice twice to 0:23:01.240 --> 0:23:04.880 Alan Kyler, Drake may Boenix. It's eleven games against quarterbacks 0:23:04.920 --> 0:23:06.640 that I would say are either top of the league 0:23:06.720 --> 0:23:08.600 or right there in the top of the league. The 0:23:08.640 --> 0:23:11.440 conclusion here, any team with Joe Burrow is a threat 0:23:11.440 --> 0:23:13.200 to go all the way, quite frankly, but can that 0:23:13.320 --> 0:23:15.399 defense keep up with all the guns in the AFC? 0:23:16.040 --> 0:23:18.800 Is there enough balance on offense as confident as you 0:23:18.880 --> 0:23:20.960 are in the quarterback. I think there's an equal number 0:23:21.000 --> 0:23:24.040 of questions elsewhere. But if you play seventeen games, they're 0:23:24.040 --> 0:23:26.280 gonna win seventeen or they're gonna win ten games. Right now, 0:23:26.320 --> 0:23:29.160 seventeen to no. That's the Bengals. The Pittsburgh Stealers are next, 0:23:29.200 --> 0:23:31.080 and they just got a big, big jolt in the 0:23:31.200 --> 0:23:33.920 arm with John News Smith and Jelen Ramsey as two 0:23:33.960 --> 0:23:37.000 of the biggest changes this offseason. I'll write this down. 0:23:37.359 --> 0:23:39.120 I'll go to this part that I wrote down first. 0:23:39.359 --> 0:23:41.639 I'm glad that Aaron Rodgers saga got resolved before I 0:23:41.680 --> 0:23:44.439 recorded this, and I was gonna record this podcast on Monday, 0:23:44.520 --> 0:23:47.359 June thirtieth before the Ramsey and Smith trades came down, 0:23:47.400 --> 0:23:49.159 So I'm glad that happened as well. But they have 0:23:49.240 --> 0:23:53.080 continuity on staff Tomlin, Arthur Smith, Tarrell Austin, but major 0:23:53.200 --> 0:23:55.720 changes to the personnel in Aaron Rodgers. You guys know 0:23:55.760 --> 0:23:59.640 about that. DK Metcalf, Robert Woods, Mason Rudolph, They went 0:23:59.720 --> 0:24:02.160 Derek Harman in the first round, they signed Darius Slay, 0:24:02.280 --> 0:24:06.520 and they pick up Jalen Ramsey. So between Rogers Metcalf, Woods, Slay, 0:24:06.720 --> 0:24:09.840 and Ramsey you're averaging like age thirty four across the 0:24:09.920 --> 0:24:12.320 board there. I like the depth signs a lot. Actually, 0:24:12.359 --> 0:24:15.040 I probably like this portion of the team more just 0:24:15.119 --> 0:24:16.680 in terms of what you're paying and what you're getting 0:24:16.800 --> 0:24:20.160 in terms of playtime with Malie Harrison, Brandon Eckles, Wan 0:24:20.280 --> 0:24:25.560 Thornhill and Daniel Ukulele. You CALLI that's not how you 0:24:25.600 --> 0:24:28.800 pronounce that. It's a team that well, it's not unlike 0:24:28.920 --> 0:24:31.160 Rodgers last team, right, they felt they've been a quarterback 0:24:31.200 --> 0:24:34.200 away since Ben retired on the way out Nause Harris, 0:24:34.280 --> 0:24:38.960 George Pickens, James Daniels, Minka Fitzpatrick, Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, 0:24:39.440 --> 0:24:42.080 Mike Williams, Nate Herbig and Larry Ogan Joe. That's a 0:24:42.080 --> 0:24:44.960 lot of losses man, big changes for Pittsburgh this year. 0:24:45.200 --> 0:24:48.680 They're calling card. Nobody loves twelve personnel quite like Artie 0:24:48.720 --> 0:24:50.440 Smith does, and that's part of why they got John 0:24:50.480 --> 0:24:52.960 new Smith now and now they're gonna have Darnell Washington 0:24:53.040 --> 0:24:54.800 and Pat fryar Moose. So I imagine you're going to 0:24:54.840 --> 0:24:57.920 stay in your twelve personnel grouping pretty much every single snap, 0:24:57.960 --> 0:25:00.200 and maybe even some thirteen there as well. I think 0:25:00.320 --> 0:25:04.240 this pairing with Rogers is super interesting because Rogers had 0:25:04.280 --> 0:25:07.639 that career regression around twenty seventeen with some injuries and 0:25:07.720 --> 0:25:10.080 some of his lowest career passer ratings prior to Matt 0:25:10.200 --> 0:25:13.120 Lafleur's arrival in Green Bay. But then he wins back 0:25:13.160 --> 0:25:15.320 to back MVPs, and I think you can point to 0:25:15.400 --> 0:25:18.440 a little more emphasis on the run game, playing under center, 0:25:18.760 --> 0:25:21.480 and subscribing to the ideals the system can what they 0:25:21.560 --> 0:25:23.600 can do to reduce the number of high stress reads 0:25:23.600 --> 0:25:25.600 and reps from the quarterback. I say all of this 0:25:25.720 --> 0:25:28.080 because I think that he had that with the Jets, 0:25:28.480 --> 0:25:29.840 or I don't think he had that with the Jets, 0:25:29.880 --> 0:25:31.600 And I think he'll get it here. I really do, 0:25:31.720 --> 0:25:34.840 and have a hard time believing the things that he says, 0:25:34.920 --> 0:25:38.119 but I think he'll be more open to it than 0:25:38.160 --> 0:25:40.320 he was with the Jets. So it's probably going to 0:25:40.359 --> 0:25:44.320 be this giant melting pot of concepts of power football, 0:25:44.720 --> 0:25:47.440 quarterback autonomy, big bodies in the run and pass game, 0:25:47.560 --> 0:25:50.960 Rogers having complete control over the run screen, quick game 0:25:51.280 --> 0:25:53.560 that developed shots off of all of that, I think 0:25:53.640 --> 0:25:55.400 Rogers will play well and then call it a career. 0:25:55.400 --> 0:25:57.119 It's kind of I think he wants to go out, 0:25:57.160 --> 0:25:58.760 and I think it's how he will go out. I 0:25:58.840 --> 0:26:01.680 think the line will be very good. Roderick Jones has 0:26:01.720 --> 0:26:03.600 a lot more development to occur and has not been 0:26:03.640 --> 0:26:05.080 the player that I think a lot of folks thought 0:26:05.080 --> 0:26:06.800 he would be and be included, But he has all 0:26:06.840 --> 0:26:10.159 the tools. Isaac Somalu, Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick have all 0:26:10.200 --> 0:26:12.119 played at a high level in the league as recently 0:26:12.160 --> 0:26:14.600 as last year, and then right tackle Troy Fatana was 0:26:14.600 --> 0:26:16.640 a guy couldn't shut up about the entire last draft 0:26:16.680 --> 0:26:19.119 process and he missed his whole rookie season. But the 0:26:19.160 --> 0:26:22.119 depth there solid too. And again Friarmuth and Darnelle with 0:26:22.240 --> 0:26:24.120 Artie Smith, I think that they're going to be fired 0:26:24.160 --> 0:26:27.080 up about the offense there with DK metcalf Rogers on 0:26:27.160 --> 0:26:29.879 the back shoulder conversions and the go routes that convert 0:26:29.920 --> 0:26:32.040 off of that, like that's what DK does best. I 0:26:32.080 --> 0:26:33.399 think it's a good pairing there for them, as long 0:26:33.440 --> 0:26:35.680 as they're on the same page. It's interesting their first 0:26:35.720 --> 0:26:38.840 matchup with the Ravens featured a really good scheme defensively 0:26:39.720 --> 0:26:42.120 of using a safety as a robber, a delayed spy 0:26:42.240 --> 0:26:44.000 to kind of jump crossers and then account for the 0:26:44.080 --> 0:26:46.960 quarterback run. But the Ravens adjusted to that by rolling 0:26:47.040 --> 0:26:49.720 power down their throats in that season finale, and they're 0:26:49.760 --> 0:26:52.520 pretty beefy and deep across all three layers. I think 0:26:52.560 --> 0:26:55.480 Austin will adapt accordingly to what teams show him this summer, 0:26:55.680 --> 0:26:57.840 and I think that makes for some interesting choices in 0:26:57.880 --> 0:27:01.520 the back end with Deshaun Elliott and one thorn Hill. 0:27:01.840 --> 0:27:04.120 And I had Minka here as a capable starter as well, 0:27:04.160 --> 0:27:05.840 but he's not there anymore. So it's going to be 0:27:05.880 --> 0:27:08.879 too safety with thorn Hill and Elliott obviously, but then 0:27:08.920 --> 0:27:12.680 obviously Joey Porter, Junior, Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey is 0:27:12.680 --> 0:27:14.840 a really good one two three. Where does Beanie Bishop 0:27:14.880 --> 0:27:16.720 wind up? Where does Brandon Eckles want? Maybe we go 0:27:16.800 --> 0:27:19.600 back to the Steelers for more depth at cornerback and 0:27:19.760 --> 0:27:21.800 make more deals there. I don't know. Ideally they sit 0:27:21.880 --> 0:27:23.719 back and coverage with light boxes and put a lot 0:27:23.760 --> 0:27:26.280 of those state on those safeties plates, but injuries to 0:27:26.359 --> 0:27:29.760 Cam Hayward and TJ. Watt have really challenged that. Patrick 0:27:29.840 --> 0:27:32.879 Queen and Peyton Wilson's a nice linebacker duo. Nick herbig 0:27:33.040 --> 0:27:34.960 is back and Alex high Smith is the best player 0:27:35.000 --> 0:27:37.040 and no one talks about in all of football, although 0:27:37.119 --> 0:27:40.080 Keanubenton might be in that category as well. The question 0:27:40.200 --> 0:27:43.720 here can Rogers seamlessly fit into a new team. I 0:27:43.760 --> 0:27:45.200 don't think it's gonna look like the Jets, where he 0:27:45.240 --> 0:27:47.720 was essentially a GM there to go along with that 0:27:47.920 --> 0:27:50.280 and the OC gig and the quarterback gig. I think 0:27:50.320 --> 0:27:51.919 he does. I think it's gonna work for him this year. 0:27:51.920 --> 0:27:53.600 I think that line is good. I think his top 0:27:53.680 --> 0:27:56.639 receiver fits his game. Robert Woods will be where he 0:27:56.680 --> 0:27:58.200 wants me to be at all time. So I guess 0:27:58.280 --> 0:27:59.879 I don't really have a lot of questions about the 0:28:00.040 --> 0:28:02.480 offense right now, but the age and health of that 0:28:02.600 --> 0:28:04.840 defense has been a question for a while. I think 0:28:04.880 --> 0:28:07.399 they brought in so much secondary help to move to 0:28:07.800 --> 0:28:09.760 I wrote this down to move Minca around, but that's 0:28:09.800 --> 0:28:12.359 not gonna be the case anymore. So Ramsey probably figures to, 0:28:12.720 --> 0:28:15.760 you know, slot into that role. But they got steam 0:28:15.840 --> 0:28:17.439 rolled down the stretch in the ground game, and can 0:28:17.480 --> 0:28:19.080 they fix that. I don't know if they made enough 0:28:19.119 --> 0:28:21.119 move to fix that. I think the questions are fewer, 0:28:21.640 --> 0:28:24.000 especially compared to the pass because of the quarterback. They 0:28:24.080 --> 0:28:27.240 have miscellaneous factors here. They have to start fast. There's 0:28:27.240 --> 0:28:30.000 a lot of volatile personalities from Rogers to Pickens, to 0:28:30.119 --> 0:28:32.920 Slay to Elliott to Patrick Queen who had questionable effort 0:28:33.000 --> 0:28:35.680 down the stretch at times. Those injury issues have seen 0:28:35.720 --> 0:28:38.280 the defense fade down the strets and it's essentially the 0:28:38.320 --> 0:28:41.360 same group. But I do feel the schedule sets up 0:28:41.400 --> 0:28:43.800 for a fast start Jets, Seahawks, Patriots. That could be 0:28:43.840 --> 0:28:46.200 a three to zero start very easily, and then Vikings 0:28:46.440 --> 0:28:48.120 and then a bye and then the Browns like four 0:28:48.160 --> 0:28:51.080 and ones, not crazy. After the bye, they get Lamar Jackson, 0:28:51.200 --> 0:28:54.840 Joe Burrow twice, Tua Herbert Allen, Goff Love Rogers and 0:28:54.960 --> 0:28:57.560 Artie Smith's relationship is worth mentioning here. They'll go as 0:28:57.600 --> 0:28:59.640 far as those two take them. But I also think 0:28:59.680 --> 0:29:01.440 this is the type of thing that Mike Tomlin was 0:29:01.480 --> 0:29:03.560 built for. So I'm bullish from the Steelers this year. 0:29:03.720 --> 0:29:07.400 The trapdoor scenario, quarterback injury, defensive age and injuries. If 0:29:07.480 --> 0:29:10.000 Metcalf starts slow to become vocal, as much as I 0:29:10.160 --> 0:29:12.880 like it, there is some projection on the offensive line. 0:29:12.880 --> 0:29:15.040 If Broderick Jones is not taking another step, and Troy 0:29:15.080 --> 0:29:19.920 Fatanu's injury, he kind of develops or regress stunts his growth, 0:29:19.960 --> 0:29:21.520 that's the word I wanted. Then they're gonna be in 0:29:21.560 --> 0:29:24.520 trouble off the tackle position. My conclusion bullish on this team. 0:29:24.520 --> 0:29:26.480 I think a playoff spot's gonna come down to Bengals 0:29:26.480 --> 0:29:28.720 and the Steelers for me, and I'm not sure who 0:29:28.720 --> 0:29:31.080 I would taken that spot just yet. But I don't 0:29:31.120 --> 0:29:33.080 love the early buy for a team with an older 0:29:33.160 --> 0:29:35.000 defense that has so many parts that have missed a 0:29:35.000 --> 0:29:37.320 lot of games. But man, if they had Rogers any 0:29:37.320 --> 0:29:39.280 of the last five years, I think we view the 0:29:39.320 --> 0:29:41.600 Steelers a lot different. Is it too late for that? 0:29:41.960 --> 0:29:44.480 Maybe I think he's got one more ride left in him. 0:29:44.720 --> 0:29:46.320 Let's go to the Cleveland Browns here and put a 0:29:46.360 --> 0:29:49.200 bow on this thing. The Browns are synonymous with change 0:29:49.280 --> 0:29:51.800 and they deserve everything they got the last three years, 0:29:51.920 --> 0:29:54.400 but that all appears to be over after Deshaun Watson 0:29:54.400 --> 0:29:57.719 suffered an achilles injury. It sets back his recovery from 0:29:57.720 --> 0:30:00.440 an achilles injury for twenty twenty five. It's that whole 0:30:00.520 --> 0:30:02.640 year in question for him, and the Browns went after 0:30:02.720 --> 0:30:06.200 his replacement, not once, not twice, not thrice, but four times. 0:30:06.280 --> 0:30:08.800 That's the biggest change. Kenny Pickett trade. Are they gonna 0:30:08.840 --> 0:30:11.600 start with Kenny Pickett, Dylan Gabriel in the third round 0:30:11.600 --> 0:30:13.600 and then Shador Standers in the fifth round and the 0:30:13.680 --> 0:30:16.920 return of Joe Flacco. It's got to be Joe Flacco, right, 0:30:16.960 --> 0:30:19.960 That's my almost certain pick for Kevin Stefanski. And speaking 0:30:20.040 --> 0:30:22.080 of the coach, the staff is the same Tommy Reese 0:30:22.080 --> 0:30:24.800 back at OC, Jim Schwartz back on that defense. In 0:30:25.160 --> 0:30:28.880 those quarterbacks I mentioned Tevin Jenkins, Cornelius Lucas, Maliite Collins, 0:30:28.960 --> 0:30:33.600 Jerome Baker, Julian Aquara, Joe Tryon, Shoyinka Mason Graham and 0:30:33.720 --> 0:30:36.160 Carson Schweschinger and Quin Shawn Judkins. I love that one, 0:30:36.240 --> 0:30:38.680 two three punch of draft picks on the way out, 0:30:38.880 --> 0:30:42.720 Nick Chubb, hakeem Adenji, James Hudson, Elijah Moore, Wan Thornhill, 0:30:43.120 --> 0:30:46.800 Dalvin Tomlinson, Mike Ford and famous Jamis Winston. The film 0:30:46.920 --> 0:30:50.520 calling card a return back to the Stefanski roots from 0:30:50.560 --> 0:30:55.160 which which come from you guessed it, the Shanahan McVeigh tree. 0:30:55.440 --> 0:30:57.120 And they got away from that with the Watson move 0:30:57.160 --> 0:30:59.640 which we've discussed. Don't need to belabor that point beyond 0:30:59.760 --> 0:31:03.000 just a totally different approach. They're offensively less, big play hunting, 0:31:03.080 --> 0:31:05.240 more quick game, ball out of the quarterback's hands, playing 0:31:05.280 --> 0:31:07.720 off the outside zone, stretch game, and a quarterback that 0:31:07.760 --> 0:31:11.480 has seen everything in Joe Flacco doesn't like TikTok dances, 0:31:11.560 --> 0:31:13.840 which I'm with the old man on that one. And 0:31:13.920 --> 0:31:16.320 the way he's younger than me, and the way they 0:31:16.360 --> 0:31:19.160 were able to mitigate the offensive line injuries is he 0:31:19.520 --> 0:31:22.560 hell is Fleck, I'm thirty seven, I'm a man, I'm forty. 0:31:22.960 --> 0:31:25.160 The way they mitigated offensive line injuries at the end 0:31:25.160 --> 0:31:27.520 of twenty twenty three is a testament to the system 0:31:27.640 --> 0:31:30.000 and the play caller and coach, and for that reason, 0:31:30.280 --> 0:31:32.640 I think it'll be better, But will it be good 0:31:32.720 --> 0:31:35.360 enough to disrupt a loaded AFC? They did hit on 0:31:35.400 --> 0:31:38.360 the Jerry Judy reclamation project. He's become what we thought 0:31:38.440 --> 0:31:40.480 he would be in college, and they are who we 0:31:40.480 --> 0:31:43.520 thought they were. The depth beyond him probably goes in 0:31:43.720 --> 0:31:46.920 the questions category. Deontay Johnson slated as a starter. I 0:31:47.080 --> 0:31:50.480 like Cedric Tillman. DeAndre Carter like one of the best 0:31:50.640 --> 0:31:52.720 tight ends in the game and David Nijoku in that line, 0:31:52.880 --> 0:31:57.120 Dwan Jones, Joel Botonio, Ethan Posk, Wyatt Teller, and Jack Conklin, 0:31:57.480 --> 0:31:59.920 they've all missed more games than any offensive line of 0:32:00.000 --> 0:32:02.280 football last three years, but they're good players when they're healthy. 0:32:02.640 --> 0:32:05.080 On defense, Jim Schwartz wants to blitz, blitz and blitz 0:32:05.080 --> 0:32:07.800 some more. Everything he does is designed to create one 0:32:07.840 --> 0:32:10.480 on ones for Miles Garrett, which makes sense, duh and 0:32:10.640 --> 0:32:13.280 Mason Graham adds to that in a big way, especially 0:32:13.320 --> 0:32:15.600 with Malite Collins. But who will step up as the 0:32:15.680 --> 0:32:17.960 other edge presence on this team. They passed on the 0:32:18.000 --> 0:32:20.960 possibility of Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter for that matter, 0:32:21.240 --> 0:32:23.160 to move back for a future one, which I like 0:32:23.280 --> 0:32:26.280 because they're not going to win anything this year. But man, 0:32:26.600 --> 0:32:29.000 I love their back seven. I love the Schweeshinger pick. 0:32:29.240 --> 0:32:31.400 Jordan Hicks is a good player they missed. They've really 0:32:31.480 --> 0:32:34.400 missed Jeremiah Owusu Coromo since his injury. He's going to 0:32:34.400 --> 0:32:36.240 be out for the entire year. Again, that that just sucks. 0:32:36.280 --> 0:32:40.560 Sometimes football sucks. But Denzel Ward, Greg Newsom, Martin Emerson, 0:32:40.640 --> 0:32:42.920 Grant del Pitt, Ronnie Hickman. It's a decent backfield, but 0:32:43.040 --> 0:32:46.160 Ward is the star of that group. The question, I think, 0:32:46.800 --> 0:32:49.480 my biggest question is what's the planet quarterback here? Because 0:32:49.520 --> 0:32:53.120 Flacco obviously, you know, we spent three picks in the 0:32:53.160 --> 0:32:56.200 third fifth round range, and if you count Kenny Pickett 0:32:56.320 --> 0:32:59.240 because they traded for him, they have a future. One 0:32:59.520 --> 0:33:01.400 that I am is for a quarterback next year if 0:33:01.400 --> 0:33:04.200 it doesn't go well, and that would likely come after 0:33:04.320 --> 0:33:06.520 a complete detonation, right like if they win four to 0:33:06.600 --> 0:33:08.480 five games again, the offensive line is going to see 0:33:08.480 --> 0:33:11.000 a major change, the coaching staff probably two. It's why 0:33:11.040 --> 0:33:12.800 I think I might just like bite the bullet and 0:33:12.800 --> 0:33:15.720 start Shador because like, what good does Joe Flacco winning 0:33:15.760 --> 0:33:17.400 you games? Do you know what I mean? Your your 0:33:17.440 --> 0:33:20.160 best player wanted out until you gave him more money 0:33:20.160 --> 0:33:22.920 than anybody else. And the Watson decision ruined a pretty 0:33:22.920 --> 0:33:25.840 good core and quite frankly, I think they're, you know, 0:33:25.920 --> 0:33:28.240 they're going to be getting out of it for within 0:33:28.240 --> 0:33:29.480 the next year or two. They have to get out 0:33:29.480 --> 0:33:33.160 of that so weird times in Cleveland. The miscellaneous factor here, 0:33:33.240 --> 0:33:36.280 it's fair to ask whether Shador as quarterback two or 0:33:36.360 --> 0:33:39.200 even quarterback three. Looks like is that a distraction? I mean, 0:33:39.240 --> 0:33:40.720 the guy got a freaking speeding ticket and it was 0:33:40.760 --> 0:33:43.400 like the story of the across the league. They play 0:33:43.440 --> 0:33:45.560 in a really good division. Is anybody going to pick 0:33:45.600 --> 0:33:51.000 them to win any of their first seven games? Bengals, Ravens, Packers, Lions, Viking, Steelers, Dolphins. 0:33:51.240 --> 0:33:53.400 I don't. I wonder if they're starting to Flacco by 0:33:53.440 --> 0:33:56.040 that game against US trapdoors. There isn't one for teams 0:33:56.040 --> 0:33:58.800 of this caliber. Conclusion feels a lot like the twenty 0:33:58.920 --> 0:34:01.400 nineteen Dolphins. To me, think of a transition year in 0:34:01.480 --> 0:34:04.680 a very good division and conference. The division superlatives give 0:34:04.720 --> 0:34:06.800 me the Ravens to win the division. The best quarterback 0:34:06.920 --> 0:34:09.719 is Lamar Jackson. The best non quarterback offensive player is 0:34:09.840 --> 0:34:12.640 Jamar Chase. The best defensive player is Miles Garrett. The 0:34:12.680 --> 0:34:15.239 best coach is John Harbaugh. My favorite rookie is going 0:34:15.280 --> 0:34:16.920 to be Malachai Stark, so I think we'll look just 0:34:17.000 --> 0:34:19.120 like Kyle Hamilton did as a rookie there. And the 0:34:19.200 --> 0:34:21.320 best under the radar stud is Alex high Smith. This 0:34:21.440 --> 0:34:23.759 was the easiest division to do the superlatives for, so 0:34:24.200 --> 0:34:25.920 there you go. Let's go ahead and get to my 0:34:26.080 --> 0:34:28.680 last part of this podcast, my chat with Dolphin Safety 0:34:29.000 --> 0:34:31.680 I fat to Mela fam Wu. That's next Draft Time podcast, 0:34:31.760 --> 0:34:36.640 brought to you by Auto Nation. Joining us today on 0:34:36.680 --> 0:34:39.320 the Draft Time podcast is new Dolphin Safety. If I 0:34:39.400 --> 0:34:41.040 Mela fan Wu, if he I fought to, what do 0:34:41.080 --> 0:34:41.759 you prefer to go buy? 0:34:41.800 --> 0:34:42.040 If he? 0:34:42.760 --> 0:34:46.360 Honestly, it doesn't really matter to like, people call me ify. 0:34:46.440 --> 0:34:49.200 Most people call me if he My family will call 0:34:49.280 --> 0:34:51.920 me both. I just like for one announcers to say 0:34:51.960 --> 0:34:54.480 my name, I say you fought to, But in the building, 0:34:54.560 --> 0:34:56.479 outside of the building, people can call me ife. 0:34:56.640 --> 0:34:58.279 Okay, good to know we're on the same page there 0:34:58.320 --> 0:35:00.960 with all of that. So you arrive here and we 0:35:01.000 --> 0:35:02.960 haven't had a chance to having the podcast quite yet. 0:35:03.000 --> 0:35:05.960 But what kind of led to UH coming to Miami 0:35:06.080 --> 0:35:07.160 in the free agency process? 0:35:09.840 --> 0:35:10.800 What kind of led to it? 0:35:11.080 --> 0:35:14.440 Just you know, talks with with my old team Detroit 0:35:15.800 --> 0:35:17.719 and then I just you know, got a lot of 0:35:17.760 --> 0:35:21.640 interest from Miami. And obviously my old coach, coach Duker, 0:35:22.760 --> 0:35:24.759 he was there with me in Detroit for three years. 0:35:24.800 --> 0:35:27.960 He was my position coach. So that led to that 0:35:28.160 --> 0:35:33.440 relationship already being there. So that was like a big 0:35:33.520 --> 0:35:37.160 factor and making it and making a decision coming to Miami. 0:35:37.280 --> 0:35:39.600 Yeah, what was it about the relationship with him that 0:35:40.400 --> 0:35:42.040 you guys were air twined there in Detroit? But you 0:35:42.080 --> 0:35:43.360 guys were pretty close, it sounds like. 0:35:43.840 --> 0:35:46.239 Yeah, So when I had got moved, I was a 0:35:46.320 --> 0:35:48.480 corner and then when I got moved to safety, he 0:35:48.680 --> 0:35:51.920 was my coach. And in my first full year at 0:35:51.960 --> 0:35:54.399 safety twenty twenty three is when I had a really 0:35:54.440 --> 0:35:56.480 good year. And I think a lot of that is, 0:35:57.239 --> 0:35:59.560 you know, credit to him. And then now that he's 0:36:00.160 --> 0:36:04.759 the passing games coordinator here, I pretty much like know 0:36:05.080 --> 0:36:07.480 all the coverages and stuff he's installing because it's a 0:36:07.560 --> 0:36:11.080 lot of carryover from Detroit and a lot of you know, 0:36:11.200 --> 0:36:13.520 from where he was in the past, So the terminology, 0:36:13.600 --> 0:36:15.800 a lot of it is the same, and schemes and 0:36:15.880 --> 0:36:16.320 things like that. 0:36:16.640 --> 0:36:18.200 Does that kind of give you a different level of 0:36:18.680 --> 0:36:21.000 almost like voice in terms of the way you communicate 0:36:21.040 --> 0:36:24.239 because obviously, you know, oftentimes a new gut in new 0:36:24.280 --> 0:36:26.839 system you kind of have to like, you know, learn 0:36:26.880 --> 0:36:28.400 from the other guys that have experienced it, but you 0:36:28.640 --> 0:36:30.400 have experienced in the defense. So does that kind of 0:36:30.400 --> 0:36:32.440 empower your voice right away? As a new player here? 0:36:33.280 --> 0:36:34.640 I would say so a little bit. 0:36:34.800 --> 0:36:35.000 Yeah. 0:36:35.960 --> 0:36:38.719 Obviously, the guys that were here last year, you know, 0:36:39.520 --> 0:36:41.879 they learned the defense and there's stuff that's a little 0:36:41.880 --> 0:36:44.440 bit different, like some terminology and things like that, but 0:36:44.520 --> 0:36:48.200 the overall scheme has a lot of similarities. So I 0:36:48.280 --> 0:36:50.080 guess it does give me a little bit of a 0:36:50.200 --> 0:36:52.279 voice because it's not completely new to me. 0:36:52.520 --> 0:36:55.120 Yeah, that it makes perfect sense. And you talk about 0:36:55.160 --> 0:36:57.799 that experience in Detroit and the idea of going from 0:36:57.880 --> 0:37:00.040 corner to safety. I know it's not totally form like 0:37:00.120 --> 0:37:01.880 a lot of guys do it, but I feel like, 0:37:02.280 --> 0:37:05.360 you know, offensive linemen do it all the time, like 0:37:05.520 --> 0:37:07.960 year to year, game to game sometimes. But from the 0:37:08.000 --> 0:37:11.120 cornerback to safety position, how did that, I guess help you. 0:37:11.200 --> 0:37:15.480 How does playing multiple spots throughout the secondary improve the 0:37:15.520 --> 0:37:17.200 way you kind of see the field in that position 0:37:17.320 --> 0:37:17.800 on the back. 0:37:17.760 --> 0:37:20.520 End, Yeah, it definitely helps. 0:37:21.280 --> 0:37:23.920 You know, from corner you go from kind of just 0:37:23.960 --> 0:37:29.240 seeing half the field, you know, focus on your matchup essentially, 0:37:29.840 --> 0:37:32.319 and then now safety you're seeing the full field. But now, 0:37:32.400 --> 0:37:35.880 because I played both, I kind of know pretty much 0:37:35.920 --> 0:37:39.520 what everyone's doing on the field the whole back seven. 0:37:39.600 --> 0:37:42.160 I'm able to know, you know, what kind of stresses 0:37:42.200 --> 0:37:46.680 a corner out and moving from corner to safety. I know, 0:37:46.920 --> 0:37:50.719 like what can stress out with a safety If a 0:37:50.800 --> 0:37:53.120 corner doesn't you know, do x y Z might stress 0:37:53.160 --> 0:37:54.600 out to safety and stuff. So I feel like I 0:37:54.719 --> 0:37:58.759 just have a you know, overall comprehension of all the 0:37:58.840 --> 0:38:02.320 positions that maybe someone who just played one position the 0:38:02.320 --> 0:38:04.800 whole time wouldn't wouldn't have, like if. 0:38:05.040 --> 0:38:06.759 Like he's playing this leverage and I know when I 0:38:06.840 --> 0:38:08.920 played that leverage that this is where I was like 0:38:09.160 --> 0:38:11.120 kind of vulnerable. So you kind of have that knowledge 0:38:11.160 --> 0:38:14.399 of stuff like that. Yeah, Yeah, that's really cool. I'm 0:38:14.400 --> 0:38:16.080 excited to see how that how that works out here. 0:38:16.760 --> 0:38:18.800 You mentioned your four years during Detroit with Coach Duker, 0:38:19.200 --> 0:38:21.600 and I know, like you had some really good, you 0:38:21.680 --> 0:38:23.759 know production when you were there, but missed some time 0:38:23.800 --> 0:38:27.160 with some injuries as well. Just the entire experience in Detroit. 0:38:27.280 --> 0:38:29.200 What did you take from that? How did that kind 0:38:29.239 --> 0:38:31.160 of teach you and make you the man you are? 0:38:31.280 --> 0:38:34.200 You know here today sitting with me, My time in 0:38:34.280 --> 0:38:39.960 Detroit just taught me like resilience in my individual journey. 0:38:40.960 --> 0:38:42.840 You know, I had you know, some injuries and I 0:38:42.960 --> 0:38:45.480 came back and I just never gave up, and I 0:38:45.600 --> 0:38:47.440 was able to show what I could do in the 0:38:47.520 --> 0:38:50.640 times I was on the field, but also overall, like 0:38:50.760 --> 0:38:53.040 when I first got there were thirty thirteen and one 0:38:53.680 --> 0:38:56.120 and I was, you know, there for the change and 0:38:56.160 --> 0:38:57.200 I was a part of the change. 0:38:57.280 --> 0:39:01.800 So I just, YEA had resiliency. And I've seen the 0:39:01.880 --> 0:39:04.360 lowest of the low and I've. 0:39:04.280 --> 0:39:08.200 Seen you know, I've been to the NFC Championship as well, 0:39:08.320 --> 0:39:10.960 so I've seen both sides of it, and I feel 0:39:11.000 --> 0:39:13.480 like it's helped like me kind of just block out 0:39:13.600 --> 0:39:16.600 noise and just be resilient and you know, just keep 0:39:16.680 --> 0:39:20.279 going and you know, attacking the day, being grateful for 0:39:20.400 --> 0:39:24.319 every opportunity and being intentional with every time I step 0:39:24.400 --> 0:39:26.720 on the field or in you know, in the building. 0:39:27.360 --> 0:39:29.759 That the experience of going from a like you mentioned 0:39:29.800 --> 0:39:32.360 a three and thirteen and one team to NFC Championship 0:39:32.400 --> 0:39:35.520 and seeing that growth and the process, because that was 0:39:35.680 --> 0:39:37.160 that was kind of your guys' idea. There was like 0:39:37.239 --> 0:39:38.799 that this is a process, we're going to build towds, 0:39:38.880 --> 0:39:40.479 We're going to stay on this track. And it worked 0:39:40.480 --> 0:39:42.279 out and that the Lines have become one of the 0:39:42.360 --> 0:39:45.279 powerhouses in the NFL. What did that teach you in 0:39:45.400 --> 0:39:47.880 terms of, you know, being committed to the process and 0:39:47.960 --> 0:39:50.279 seeing how a team can go from you know, a 0:39:50.360 --> 0:39:52.880 team that's picking top five of the draft annually to 0:39:52.960 --> 0:39:54.799 a team that's competing for Super Bowls every year. 0:39:56.200 --> 0:39:58.120 Like I said, I think it taught me resilience and 0:39:58.320 --> 0:40:03.879 just you know, discipline and just what can happen when 0:40:03.880 --> 0:40:07.280 everyone buys in, even though, like you know, the outcome 0:40:08.120 --> 0:40:11.080 you know at the time may not you know, be 0:40:11.280 --> 0:40:14.120 what you want, but just the just the faith and 0:40:14.239 --> 0:40:17.560 belief in buying into a program and a coach and 0:40:17.600 --> 0:40:22.279 the system, and it just shows you, like what the 0:40:22.360 --> 0:40:24.600 benefits could be when you trust the process. 0:40:25.120 --> 0:40:26.640 And when you do that, you wind up here in 0:40:26.680 --> 0:40:28.800 Miami with with coach Weaver in this defense? What is 0:40:28.840 --> 0:40:31.120 it about this defense do you think accentuates your skill 0:40:31.200 --> 0:40:31.960 set as a player. 0:40:33.520 --> 0:40:36.800 I feel like there's just a lot of you know, hungry, 0:40:36.960 --> 0:40:40.839 younger guys, especially in the back seven that I think 0:40:40.880 --> 0:40:44.840 we're all just extremely motivated. And not to say that 0:40:44.880 --> 0:40:47.200 it wasn't like that in Detroit, but when when you're 0:40:47.239 --> 0:40:49.000 in a place like that, I feel like it just 0:40:49.360 --> 0:40:51.040 you know, it's a lot of competition. 0:40:51.280 --> 0:40:52.560 Everyone just feeds off each other. 0:40:53.160 --> 0:40:55.719 And then I would say, just up front in the 0:40:55.880 --> 0:40:59.279 front seven, I feel like we just got dogs all 0:40:59.320 --> 0:41:02.480 across the line, the linebackers, and I just feel like 0:41:02.560 --> 0:41:06.880 we're just you know, hungry and very very competitive group. 0:41:07.960 --> 0:41:10.600 So I just feel like we're all gonna thrive together. 0:41:10.880 --> 0:41:12.640 So it sounds like and just being here for a 0:41:12.680 --> 0:41:14.759 few months like you've kind of gotten pretty close to 0:41:14.840 --> 0:41:16.680 teammates already and kind of had that bond and that 0:41:16.800 --> 0:41:18.799 relationship developed across the board there with those guys. 0:41:19.239 --> 0:41:21.240 Yeah, I mean it's always going to be like mainly 0:41:21.320 --> 0:41:25.440 your position position groups the closest. That's just naturally how 0:41:25.480 --> 0:41:27.160 it happens because you spend the most time with them. 0:41:27.560 --> 0:41:31.280 But yeah, I feel like I definitely have gotten close 0:41:32.280 --> 0:41:35.080 with other teammates, you know, on offense and even just 0:41:35.960 --> 0:41:38.759 you know, d linemen and linebackers and everything like that. 0:41:39.120 --> 0:41:41.080 What are you most looking forward to? Last question here 0:41:41.120 --> 0:41:42.640 for you, if you, what are you most looking forward 0:41:42.640 --> 0:41:44.600 to here in your first season with the Dolphins. 0:41:45.160 --> 0:41:48.799 Most looking forward to? I'm honestly just most looking forward 0:41:48.840 --> 0:41:53.560 to stepping on that field and just stepping on the field, honestly, 0:41:53.680 --> 0:41:56.200 and just playing with a new team. And just getting 0:41:56.560 --> 0:42:01.760 this opportunity. You know, pretty much most of my season 0:42:01.920 --> 0:42:05.000 last year, I was out most of the season. So 0:42:05.080 --> 0:42:08.200 I'm just grateful to be here, grateful for a new start, 0:42:08.239 --> 0:42:10.280 and I'm just excited to just step on the field. 0:42:10.320 --> 0:42:13.200 And it's a blessing and I thank God for it 0:42:13.239 --> 0:42:16.239 and I'm just just ready to ready to go. It's 0:42:16.280 --> 0:42:17.120 ready to play again. 0:42:17.400 --> 0:42:19.000 We're looking forward to seeing you out there as well 0:42:19.080 --> 0:42:22.320 on Sundays. A Fatumlafama, new Dolphins safety, appreciate you time. 0:42:22.160 --> 0:42:24.000 Today, man, Thank you, thank you. I appreciate it, and 0:42:24.120 --> 0:42:24.400 it is. 0:42:24.480 --> 0:42:27.760 The most wonderful time of year. That's right, Miami Dolphins 0:42:27.800 --> 0:42:30.840 training camp right around the corner, and you can reserve 0:42:30.920 --> 0:42:33.520 your tickets right now. The Dolphins are back on the 0:42:33.600 --> 0:42:37.759 field for Back Together weekend on July twenty sixth, a Saturday, 0:42:38.080 --> 0:42:41.360 first Dolphins practice open to the fans in the public. 0:42:41.600 --> 0:42:43.680 The Dolphins will take Sunday off and be back on 0:42:43.800 --> 0:42:46.359 the field for a Monday practice on the twenty eighth, 0:42:46.400 --> 0:42:49.000 as well as the twenty ninth and thirtieth, all open 0:42:49.080 --> 0:42:51.600 to the fans. After a Thursday day off on the 0:42:51.640 --> 0:42:54.880 thirty first, Miami's right back to work for the first, second, 0:42:54.960 --> 0:42:58.360 and third of August. All those practices open to fans 0:42:58.480 --> 0:43:01.360 as well. The next practice available to the fans August 0:43:01.440 --> 0:43:03.400 the sixth, and then a pretty good gap there with 0:43:03.480 --> 0:43:06.960 the joint practices up in Detroit and Chicago. Miami's back 0:43:07.040 --> 0:43:09.520 for three more practices in front of the fans here 0:43:09.520 --> 0:43:13.040 at the Baptist Hill Training Complex August eighteenth, August twentieth, 0:43:13.080 --> 0:43:16.279 and August twenty first. That twenty first date is a 0:43:16.400 --> 0:43:19.879 joint practice against the Jacksonville Jaguars. So July twenty sixth, 0:43:20.120 --> 0:43:23.680 July twenty eighth, twenty ninth, thirtieth, August first, second and 0:43:23.800 --> 0:43:28.360 third August sixth, August nineteenth, August twentieth, and August twenty 0:43:28.440 --> 0:43:31.480 first against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Book your tickets now on 0:43:31.600 --> 0:43:34.479 Miami Dolphins dot com. In the meantime, you all please 0:43:34.520 --> 0:43:37.160 be shared, subscribe, rate review the podcast, follow me on 0:43:37.280 --> 0:43:40.839 social at WINFL NFL, the team at Miami Dolphins, check 0:43:40.880 --> 0:43:45.319 out the YouTube channel for Dolphins HQ, Drivetime, content, media availabilities, 0:43:45.360 --> 0:43:47.960 and so much more, and last but not least, Miami 0:43:48.000 --> 0:43:50.800 Dolphins dot Com until next time. Bins up Carolin Cameron 0:43:50.840 --> 0:43:52.759 and Willow Daddy he's already home.