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Miami Dolphins interim head coach Dan Campbell met with the media on Friday ahead of the team's game against the San Diego Chargers. Here is the transcript of what he said:
(On the injury status of CB Bobby McCain and LB Jelani Jenkins) - "Bobby McCain will go through the last series of the protocol today. We expect him to be cleared and who was the other one? I'm sorry. Jelani, I'm less optimistic about Jelani. He's still day to day."
(On if LB Neville Hewitt will start in place of Jelani Jenkins if he can't play) - "That's correct."
(On which players on the team have played at a consistent Pro Bowl level) - "Certainly (S) Reshad Jones. Feel like (DT Ndamukong) Suh and (C Mike) Pouncey both have as well. Those would be three off the top of my head."
(On motivating the team this week) - "I'm going to go back to your first question, because really there's, when you talk about the whole Pro Bowl in general I mean the way you posed the question really there's a lot of guys I feel have played at a high level. But I just know how the voting goes and it's not always about production. I mean OV (DE Olivier Vernon) has had a hell of a year too. I mean (DE Derrick) Shelby's had a hell of a year so, I don't want to limit it to those three guys have been very productive, the first three I gave you. There's been other guys, but the voting is unique as well so anyway. Alright so, back to your question, I think they'll respond well. They came out today. That was a sharp practice and I feel like guys are into it and they'll be ready to go, they're going to be ready to compete and we've got enough prideful guys in there that want to get a win."
(On T Ja'Wuan James' injury status) - "I'll be honest with you, it was what I expected. He went out there and he worked it two days ago live and you know he's just not quite ready yet. But he's going to continue to rehab. I wouldn't imagine we'll have him this week, but we'll see what he looks like next week."
(On LB Jelani Jenkins' status) - "Jelani I was less optimistic, but he's still day to day."
(On WR Rishard Matthews' injury status) - "Less optimistic on him as well."
(On what he sees in the offensive line and if they are playing better) - "I think they're playing better. That's a group that has had some time to work together now obviously. I think when you're able to run the ball better that helps in protection too; those things go hand in hand."
(On if the tight ends will be able to release into pass routes more now that the offensive line is playing better) - "I mean there again we would like to. We had some opportunities last week. Our tight ends caught some balls and we left some out on the field so, we still want to move that way where we get them more involved."
(On Walt Aikens playing well on special teams despite struggling on defense) - "That says a lot. He's another one of those guys that he comes to work every day and he works his craft and you're right, he didn't let it get him down. And special teams is something where he's able to excel because there's not as much going on. There's a lot of moving pieces when you're talking about defense and he's a young guy. Nothing is to say that he won't be the player that we want him to be. But special teams is I mean, you want to talk about first of all he's a phenomenal athlete. And you get to see all of his athletic ability on special teams, because he doesn't have to worry about you know, nothing slows him down. He's able to just go full speed and he goes lights out, but it says a lot. He's a guy that, he took it as a challenge and he's continued to work."
(On the safeties' play recognition and ability to make plays from sideline to sideline) - "First of all, I can't speak enough about (S) Reshad Jones, but Reshad plays more in the box than anywhere else. I mean he plays some high safety but, all in all (S) Mike Thomas has gone in there and been solid for us and Shamiel (Gary) has gotten a few reps. I mean you would always want more production in the secondary overall, but those guys have done what is asked of them and they've been solid and hopefully it will continue and get even better."
(On where S Shamiel Gary fits in the defense) -"There again he's a young guy that has got a lot of awareness to him and certainly he's got some athletic ability. But, we feel like he just -- he does -- he grasps what other offenses are trying to do. He's a little more natural in his ability to adjust and we think he's got some upside."
(On if DE Damontre Moore has done enough in practice this week to play in the game on Sunday) -"I would say we're definitely going to use him on special teams and I think he could get in there on defense some for us."
(On the Chargers signing Jeff Linkenbach this week and how that will change any hand signals or audible calls as he was on the Dolphins roster earlier this week) - "We may have to do a little bit, we've thought about that. We're going to alter a few things for that. Jeff's a smart guy and he'll know a lot of the things we're trying to do. So, we're well aware of that and we'll have a pretty good idea early in the game if they're picking up on anything."
(On Tony Lippett transitioning from wide receiver to cornerback and what he's had to do to earn trust and playing time) -"Route transition would be the big thing for him right now. I mean overall it would be experience, right? But that's what comes with a rookie, but I would just say at the top of breaks. You're going full speed and you're at twenty yards and you get an in cut. Those are the little things that he's got to continue to work on. Now his strengths are at the line of scrimmage and if you ask him to match somebody straight line down the field. Those are things that I would call his strengths, because he is a bigger, longer guy and he is competitive and he's got very good ball skills."
(On CB Bobby McCain's injury status) - "He's going through the last stage today and we anticipate that he'll be ready to go for us."
(On if there has been miscommunication in the secondary) - "That's happened; we've had some miscommunication or we've had some guys that aren't using the help that they have enough. I think those are two areas so you could lump that in whether you want to call it technique or mental error; those kind of fall in the same line. Either way it's not good."
(On if CB Bobby McCain is up and ready to play, does that alter the playing time plans for CB Tony Lippett) - "I would say so, because we, I was kind of more under the assumption we weren't going to have McCain. So I thought that we would see Lippett. That doesn't mean that he won't be ready to go and that he couldn't. But yes, that would probably, that's going to have a big bearing on how much he plays."