Mike McDaniel June 6 Minicamp Media Session Highlights
Head coach Mike McDaniel addressed the media before the Miami Dolphins' Tuesday minicamp practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex.
Here were the highlights from McDaniel's press conference:
-- Mike McDaniel prefaces the press conference by pointing out he's been sick, encouraging reporters to sanitize their records.
-- Connor Williams will not be attending the mandatory minicamp, but McDaniel says the team has been in communication with him. McDaniel says it's not an excused absence, but downplays its significance.
-- Williams is entering the final year of the two-year contract he signed last year, and it's probably not outlandish to suggest he's staying away because he wants an extension.
-- With the success of the Miami Heat and Florida Panthers, McDaniel is asked whether fans have told him that it will the Dolphins' turn when the NFL season kicks off, and McDaniel talks about the excitement in South Florida. Adds that the team and the players is very aware of the juice that's around the area right now.
-- Referencing the Heat's Game 7 victory at Boston, McDaniel brought back his popular saying of "Adversity is opportunity." Talks about all the doubters nationally who never give the Heat much of a chance.
-- Regarding Jaelan Phillips, McDaniel says he's seen him practice at a higher level than he's ever seen and to take that for what it's worth. From this standpoint, Phillips always has been a good practice player. "He's goal-oriented, great human being who has his vision set on what he wants to do."
-- Phillips and Bradley Chubb "gravitate to each other," which McDaniel says he loves because it exemplifies they just want to make each other better. "They want to be a great pair and they're going about it the right way." Says he's seen clear improvement from the edge position that he's excited about.
-- An offshoot of hiring Vic Fangio, who McDaniel called the best coach for the defense he wanted to run, is helping make the offense better. Mentions specifically the route runners getting the best training against the Fangio coverages. "We're pushing the envelope on both sides of the ball."
-- McDaniel says he wants the offense and defense to each be efficient and trading punches in practice, as opposed to having one side dominate. It's something that McDaniel always said last year and something that kinda, sorta should be obvious.
-- McDaniel says he challenged Erik Ezukanma in the offseason and challenged him knowing he was going to be a big year. Accurately points out that 2022 was almost like a redshirt year for him and points out the challenges of learning NFL defenses for a wide receiver and says "he's probably made the biggest gains from last year to this year in terms of ownership of the offense." Points out the depth of the wide receiver corps, adding that Ezukanma has put himself in position to compete for opportunities.
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