MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — New Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel offered his thoughts on a number of offseason topics surrounding his team on Tuesday, the first day of organized team activities open to the media:
Possibly the hottest Dolphins offseason topic is the impending race between speedsters Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle that Hill challenged Waddle to at his introductory press conference.
“I’m not going to tell them not to race,” McDaniel said on Tuesday. “I love competitors.”
McDaniel insinuated he has a pretty good idea based on the team tracking player speed in practice and would use those numbers as a motivating factor.
He broke some news at his first press conference of organized team activities, announcing that the Dolphins will hold joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles in Miami ahead of the teams’ preseason finale. It was already known the Dolphins would do the same with the Buccaneers ahead of their preseason opener in Tampa.
McDaniel got started with his first set of organized team activities as a head coach on Monday.
“You want guys committed to getting better and you want to really establish how you’re going to go about getting better,” he said about what he wants to establish in the Dolphins. “You don’t skip steps in this business. I’m very proud of the way guys have approached everything.”
McDaniel touched on the team’s recent acquisition of running back Sony Michel, adding greater competition to the backfield after already signing Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert in the offseason.
“You have the opportunity to add a player of his caliber, of his pedigree, a multiple Super Bowl winner, we jumped at the opportunity,” he said. “Competition for the Miami Dolphins is only a good thing.”
McDaniel was not able to comment on Tuesday about the Dolphins agreeing to terms with veteran pass rusher Melvin Ingram because he has not officially signed, as of his morning press conference.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to talk about him soon,” McDaniel said.
Mostert had his 2021 season with the San Francisco 49ers, where McDaniel was offensive coordinator last season, cut short two carries in.
“His expectations are to play Week 1, and we are not going to rush it,” he said. “He has come too far to have a setback. He is diligently working day in and day out”
McDaniel just got through holding rookie minicamp over the past weekend. In addition to his four draft picks, he was impressed with undrafted free agents the team picked up.
“I hold undrafted free agents with high esteem,” he said. “They aren’t just throw-ins.”
