Takeaways from Latest Newcomer Media Sessions

The remaining five of the Miami Dolphins' free agency acquisitions spoke to the media via Zoom on Tuesday; here are the comments that stood out

New York Jets safety Ashtyn Davis (21) celebrates his interception with teammates during the first half against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium in the 2024 season finale. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins finished introducing their free agent acquisitions to the South Florida media Tuesday with another series of Zoom sessions.

The five players who spoke to the media, in order, were running back Alexander Mattison, cornerback Artie Burns, punter Ryan Stonehouse, safety Ashtyn Davis and guard James Daniels.

Here are some of the highlights of those latest media sessions.

RUNNING BACK ALEXANDER MATTISON

-- Mattison was signed to bring some physicality to the Dolphins running game, and he said head coach Mike McDaniel told him to "bring his big boy pads to South Beach."

-- As a fellow Boise State alum, Mattison is very familiar with former Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi, who had a memorable 2016 season for the team with three 200-yard rushing performances.

-- Mattison said three running backs whose style he admired were Jamaal Charles, Marshawn Lynch and Adrian Peterson.

-- Asked to describe his running style, Mattison said "downhill, fast, physical."

CORNERBACK ARTIE BURNS

-- Burns could become, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, the 51st former University of Miami player to appear in a regular season game for the Dolphins. Burns said that would be a dream come true.

-- A former first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2016, Burns is about to enter Year 10 in the NFL. He says the key to that longevity is "invest in yourself, find out what matters to you."

-- Burns played at Miami Northwestern High with longtime NFL quarterback (and former Dolphins backup QB) Teddy Bridgewater and wide receiver Amari Cooper.

PUNTER RYAN STONEHOUSE

-- Stonehouse's claim to fame is his leg strength, which produced the top two seasons in NFL history in terms of gross punting average of 53.1 yards in 2022 and 2023. Stonehouse is listed at 5-10, 193 and says his leg strength is the product of offseason training "like an athlete" and more about leg speed.

-- Stonehouse joined the Dolphins after the Tennessee Titans declined to extend a tender as a restricted free agent, a move that Stonehouse says caught him by surprise. "More clarity would have been nice," Stonehouse said.

-- The Tennessee special teams really struggled in 2024, which led to Stonehouse's career-low 38.3 net average. But he pointed out things got better in the second half of the season after a debacle against Detroit and the numbers bear that out — a 44.0 net average over the final nine games.

-- Stonehouse said new special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman was a big reason he was excited to join the Dolphins.

-- Stonehouse says he has been focusing on improving his hang time this offseason.

SAFETY ASHTYN DAVIS

-- Davis has proven to be a ball hawk during his limited time on defense, with eight interceptions in his five seasons with the Jets, and he says he has led him to wonder why he's started only 22 games in his career.

-- After walking on at California, Davis says there was a specific coach who really helped him understand the importance of going after the ball from the secondary. That coach was Gerald Alexander, who would join the Dolphins from Cal in 2020.

-- In his final game with the Jets, which was his only start of the 2024 season, Davis recorded two interceptions in their victory against the Dolphins. Davis called it the favorite game he's played up there.

-- Davis pointed out he played one season with Dolphins safety Elijah Campbell and while he didn't play with fellow Cal alum Patrick McMorris, he did play with his older brother.

-- Signing with the Dolphins, Davis says, was largely about a "legit chance to become a starter."

GUARD JAMES DANIELS

-- Right away, Daniels was asked about his recovery from his torn Achilles tendon last October, and said he was progressing well. He later said he had no concerns about being ready for the start of training camp.

-- Daniels' only connection with the Dolphins is new offensive lineman Larry Borom, with whom he played in Chicago in 2021. Daniels is familiar with the outsize zone, having played in that scheme with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season and at Iowa.

-- The Achilles injury occurred during Daniels' contract year, which he called "brutal," but quickly added the positive that it happened relatively early in the season and also as he was about to get his third contract and not his second.

-- Daniels understands that he'll be under the spotlight to help the offensive line, saying it comes with the territory of a free agent who signs a multi-year deal.