(Opening Statement)
“We haven’t had a chance to really visit since the fourth and final preseason game at Miami. Neither club, I’m happy to report, had a single starter injured in the game, largely because (Dolphins Head) Coach (Joe) Philbin and I decided not to play our starters in the game. But we got through it. We had some minor bumps and bruises with some of the younger players, but we got a lot out of it. We got to see a lot of younger players in this game in particular, helped us to move forward and make our decisions yesterday and today. These two days, yesterday and today, are very, very difficult. I’ve been doing it for many, many years and every year there are difficult decisions. As I told our team yesterday after we had made most of the moves, that unfortunately we let go some really good teammates, some close friends. As I mentioned to the guys in the room yesterday, some may be coming back. You may see them Sunday on the practice squad and some you may never ever see again. These are two very difficult days for us.
“We have a policy here that I personally talk to – in person – every player that we release. I was able to personally talk to everybody except (DE) Mike (Sam). Mike mentioned to you guys and to us that he wanted to go to Mizzou and we were fine with that. I had a conversation with Mike about an hour ago and our intention is to get together tomorrow so I can tell him the same thing I told everybody else that got let go, the reasons for that and then what their worlds look like moving forward. Mike and I will get together tomorrow and talk about those things.
“Again, a difficult couple of days. We got to 53 (players), as everybody else has. I can’t say that we’re done. We’re no different than any other team in the league. We’re going to watch the wire and see if it’s at all possible for us to upgrade our football team over the next couple of days.”
(On how Sam reacted to the news that he was being released)
“He said, ‘Yes sir.’ And he said, ‘I understand.’ He said, ‘Thanks for the opportunity.’ I said, ‘Mike, I’m looking forward to visiting with you tomorrow.’ He goes, ‘I am, too.’ That was really all that was said.”
(On how difficult the decision was to release Sam)
“Well, it was a football decision and it was no different than any other decision that we make. It was a football decision. It was a football decision back in May to draft Mike. And once again, it’s been all about football. I will tell you this: I was pulling for Mike. I really was. I don’t say that very often, but Mike came in here and did everything that we asked him to do. He got a chance to play a lot of snaps. He had the second most snaps on the defensive line, to Ethan Westbrooks. He had well over 120, 130 snaps and was productive. But as we said on the front end of the whole…when we drafted Mike, on the front end, we mentioned that this was going to be a tough road. Those four defensive ends that we have on the roster are good and they play a lot and they’re very productive, as well as the tackles. It’s the strength of our football team. But again, it was a football decision.”
(On if it’s unusual for him to not meet with everybody on cut down day)
“No, it happens at times. Most clubs will start on Friday and then finish on Saturday, and Saturday by nature of the schedule is the players’ day off. Sometimes you can’t get in touch with them, sometimes it’s a last-minute thing. So it’s not unusual, no. We communicated last night, Mike and I did. I knew that he had plans and was not in town, was going to be in Columbia.”
(On likelihood of Sam making the practice squad)
“I can’t go there right now. We don’t, coaches don’t talk about practice squads because we have to see what happens as far as the claims and things are concerned. We’ll know better tomorrow afternoon. The practice squad is heavily dependent on what you do in other positions. We’ve got, for example, it’s well noted that (CB) Trumaine’s (Johnson) going to be down for a few weeks, (C/G) Barrett is (Jones) going to be down for a few weeks. We may have to go heavy in the other positions. If your familiar with our roster right now, we’ve got five linebackers, for example, we need linebackers on the practice squad. I’m not going to go into what his odds are or what those opportunities are until we sift through things tomorrow.”
(On DE Ethan Westbrooks being a strong prospect)
“Yes he is. He was very productive in the preseason for us and played all four spots. He is a very very talented, young player that I think has a really good future.”
(On if Sam was competing solely against Westbrooks for a roster spot toward the end of preseason)
“I think it’s a little bit of both. Nine defensive lineman on a roster is a significant number especially when you’re a four-down line team. So nine’s a number that we look at to start the season whether you go with 10, if you go with 10, then you’re going to be short someplace else and we’re just not there.”
(On this historical take away from Sam having a positive experience with the Rams and not causing a distraction)
“There was no distraction. If someone perceived or thought there may be a distraction-they weren’t in the building. We’ve said that all along. This was a football decision. Mike fit in very, very well. He was fun to be around. He was a good teammate. There was no issue there. Again, as I said earlier, I was pulling for him and it didn’t work out. It just didn’t work out.”
(On if this represents progress and sends a positive message to the league for the next openly gay athlete)
“There were a lot of things that were said right around the draft, right after we drafted him that this was a historical moment, for the league and everything. We’re proud to be a part of that, but it was a great experience but there were no issues that’s the thing. No issues in this team meeting room, on the field, any place. I just think there was a lot more made of it than there should have been and obviously, as I said back at draft time I was proud to be a part of that. Enjoyed the experience and with Mike, Mike’s got the ability, Mike played well. He has the ability to play someplace and it’s got to be the right place, it’s got to be a fit. As someone told me years ago the difference between a good player and an average player in this league is just snaps, its reps and he’s a much better player now than he was when he got here. As is the case with most of the first year, the rookies or draft choices and guys that came through here. That’s just life in the National Football League.”
(On what challenges would another team have if they pick up Sam)
“There will be no challenges, no challenges whatsoever. He’s not about drawing attention to himself. He kept his head down and he worked, and you can’t ask anything more out of any player for that matter. But there’s no challenges with respect to Mike Sam and the second opportunity that lies ahead.”
(On what assets Sam has that will help him make another team)
“Well it’s his motor. Mike was Co-SEC Defensive Player of the Year because of his motor. I mean, he just plays hard all the time. He’s smart, I think he’s learned to use his hands better, hand placement, and he’s gotten better at the pass rush but the plays he made were effort plays. After playing a lot of plays, effort plays are what you look for. So, I think he’s got skills to fit in some place.”
(On how hard the decision was to waive Sam)
“It was not a difficult decision. Let me point out, our sixth round pick and we had four seventh round picks and none of them are on the active roster. So, we made football decisions with respect to our draft choices, with respect to our undrafted free agents. And you look at the big picture, that implies that we’re getting better. This team is getting better because we’re releasing draft choices.”
(On only having two quarterbacks on the active roster)
“Well we’ve gone into most games with two quarterbacks on the active roster. We have one on practice squad here and there. That’s not an issue. The quarterback position is a position that we’re going to address, that we’re going to monitor. The picks went in 45 minutes go and we’ll get the list and we’ll see what’s out there. I’m sure there’ll be workouts and tryouts and a potential to do some things at the position but right now as I said a couple of days ago, we’re not going to overreact. We’re going to apply patience to this situation.”
(On speculation of possible trades)
“There’s always that possibility. We have not engaged in any to this point.”
(On waiting until Saturday afternoon to let Sam know he was going to be waived)
“We have internal discussions. There’s things that I’m not going to go into from a roster standpoint but that’s typical that you may be pushed up against a deadline. It has to do with other positions and other players and things like that.”
(On if it’s usual to have five tight ends on the active roster)
“It’s probably heavy at the position. But it shows you what both Alex (Bayer) and Justice (Cunningham) have been able to do and contribute. Again, there’s going to be some movement on the roster. We’ve felt like this year’s roster going in may be heavy here and there. We’ve got an additional spot, unfortunately, because (WR Stedman Bailey) ‘Sted’ won’t be with us for four weeks so you can go heavy here or there.”
(On CB Marcus Roberson making the active roster)
“He’s a good football player. He picked the defense up and made plays, he tackled, he’s got ball skills. You can’t have enough corners on your roster. And then of course, having to be in the position where we are going to be without (CB) Trumaine (Johnson) certainly didn’t hurt his cause as well.”
(On if it was a tough to cut down the cornerback position)
“Yes it was. We’re moved past that now. We’re starting to game plan to figure out who’s going to be on the 46(man active roster) and things like that. Yeah it was a very talented secondary, competitive throughout camp.”
(On what he thinks the state of the team is going into the regular season)
“I feel really good. We’re ready to play. We’ve had some of the offseason injury things that we were able to put behind us. We were able to get guys on the field. We should be healthy going into the season and the guys are excited. We’ve got a young team once again. But we’ve got a team that has a great deal of confidence in self its. And out starting quarterback as well.”
