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Miami Dolphins defensive end Jared Odrick has been attending the NFL's Pro Hollywood Boot Camp this week. Silver and Black Pride managing editor Levi Damien had a chance to sit down with Odrick and see how the camp is going, as well as get his reaction to the Dolphins' big opening day to free agency.
Levi Damien (LD): You've been here on set while a lot of stuff has been going down with the Dolphins. What do you think about that?
Jared Odrick (JO): "Yeah, it's kind of interesting, doing scenes and acting and coming off the set and checking my text messages and finding out what's going on. But that's the NFL. Things like that go on. It's sad, a little upset to see guys that you get close with..." (interrupted)
"Well, it's kinda crazy, we're here shooting scenes and all of the sudden you come off set and hear about some of your teammates on other teams. It's kinda weird, it's unfortunate that some of the guys you got to know and like and get along with and play with that they gotta go, but it's a business. I think they know, guys like Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett. Those guys are true vets and they'll be missed but it's exciting to hear that guys like Mike Wallace and whoever else we signed, and signed back Hartline I think was huge so there's give and take and a lot of people understand that. That's part of the business."
LD: I know you guys were teammates but did you have any personal friendship with either Dansby or Burnett?
JO: "Well, I mean, it always gets personal when you're with somebody for that long and in the locker room and what not, doing all those practices and every day you see guys on the team and in the locker room more than you do your family. So, you grow close to guys, you get used to guys being around. Like I said, they understand the business and so do the rest of us here. Some of the rest of us here have gotten moved around or signed or released while we've been here so it's a different experience. You learn something different that requires your full attention while in your other job something else is happening."
LD: It's a crazy time to have this bootcamp right at the start of free agency. Is that a distraction for you?
JO: "Some guys it may be because it is our primary career, our only career. This is just helping broaden our horizons for after our football career. Some guys are free agents, some guys got signed, and some guys got released. It's definitely a distraction because it's your primary concern in terms of your well being and your job."
LD: Have you said anything to Dansby or Burnett since they left the team?
JO: "I haven't. I haven't been able to get on my phone and start calling around. Saw a few text messages on the way to set this morning and that was about it."
LD: What have you seen from Dannell Ellerbe that excites you?
JO: "To be honest with you, have no idea. I don't watch them on film much. Where'd he come from?"
LD: The Ravens
JO: "The Ravens? That's what I thought, right?"
LD: Yeah. Super Bowl champions.
JO: "Yeah, yeah. I mean, he uh... I can't really say because it's not like I watched him closely. I just know Mike Wallace because I've watched him, talk about him coming, and him being in Pittsburgh and me being from Pennsylvania and just knowing that area and those teams and what not. I can't really say because I don't know. I haven't practiced with him, I haven't been in the locker room with him. But I'm sure they're great players and I'm excited to have them."
LD: The other guy was Philip Wheeler, have you seen anything from him?
JO: "No, because the thing is when I'm watching film, and when I do watch film, whether it's in season or out of season, I'm watching Dline, you know, I'm watching defense but specifically Dline. You try to take things from other people that you like, try to watch yourself and correct those things and implement things into your game. You're watching the middle linebacker or inside linebacker, that's not really what I do, or what I'm gonna be doing this season."
LD: Dolphins have been very aggressive this free agency and have a lot of changeover because of it. Have the Dolphins ever done anything like this since you've been there?
JO: "Since I've been there, no. This is the most movement that I've seen. Obviously, there was B Marshall and Vontae that left in the past year or so, that's probably the most I've seen. And some of the guys from my rookie year but this is a lot of action in a short amount of time."
LD: Are you excited or is it bittersweet?
JO: "Yeah but I'm so removed from it now. I'm in LA trying to learn about a different career and shoot a short film. I'm a little removed from it right now, you know, I haven't spoken with my agent, I haven't spoken to anyone from the Dolphins so I've been really focused on this. Once I get back into it or once I get back to Miami or back to the East Coast, then I'll start to realize how much change is been going on.
A huge thank you to Levi for getting this and sharing it with us.