Dolphins Camp Day 21: McDaniel Highlights
Head coach Mike McDaniel addressed the media before the Miami Dolphins headed out to practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex on Tuesday morning.
Here were the highlights from McDaniel's press conference:
-- The first question deals with a progress report on Byron Jones, and McDaniel says the team remains hopeful he'll be ready for the start of the regular season. Jones hasn't had any setbacks yet, but his timetable remains unknown. Says Dolphins are ready to adjust if need be.
-- Jones has been doing change of direction and McDaniel says he's exactly where the team thought he would be at this time.
-- McDaniel says he wouldn't put him on the field for the first time in a game. Says he knows what Jones "should look like."
-- Regarding the acquisition of Mackensie Alexander, whose career has been played in the slot, McDaniel says the veteran has to establish himself first before thinking about moving players around.
-- McDaniel said that acquisition was made because he left the team needed "a competitive NFL defensive back." Repeat he's not so much worried about inside versus outside. Saw it as a rare opportunity to add a player in the middle of camp with a chance to contribute.
-- With Noah Igbinoghene, McDaniel says he's been impressed with his intestinal fortitude. Says he's had a lot of maturation growth this year from the stories he heard coming in, as far as moving on to the next play. Where he needs to improve is, "I don't want him to ever lose his aggressiveness and feel like he's playing not to get beat." Wants to always compete, have no memory in that regard, be cutthroat with the game of football.
--Asked whether this week is going to be set up for Tua Tagovailoa to start against the Raiders, McDaniel jokes, "This week is set up to not know what I'm going to do." Says he expects some players who sat out against Tampa Bay to suit up against the Raiders. Whether Tua plays might come to factors that have nothing to do with him, such as needing to see other players and how they work with him in a game.
-- McDaniel says he doesn't know when the team's "dress rehearsal" will be. Points out that his starting QB always has played the first preseason game, but felt it was the best move to sit Tua against Tampa Bay last Saturday night.
-- Larnel Coleman "is a really cool player" who has had some growth. McDaniel says he's seen have a very good camp, though it's far from perfect.
-- Asked about the weird scenario with Adam Shaheen, McDaniel points out that he was practicing with nothing holding him back and the team thought he was 100 percent. Says the team was as surprised as Shaheen was that he failed his physical with Houston, which canceled the trade. Shaheen got different opinions on his injured knee and decided to have surgery, which landed him on IR. McDaniel calls it "a nice little curveball."
-- McDaniel indicates that often two plays are called and the quarterback has the ability to pick which one based on what the defense is showing.
-- McDaniel points out Tampa Bay played an eight-man box with stopping the run as the priority, as opposed to teams that can show an eight-man box but are defending the pass first.
