Tag: Anthony Weaver

Dolphins sticking with LB Anthony Walker Jr. in starting lineup

The Dolphins benched David Long Jr. last week and they plan on keeping him on the sideline in Week 10 too.

The Miami Dolphins benched linebacker David Long Jr., one of their four defensive team captains, in Week 9 and he won’t be getting his job back in Week 10.

“I thought [Anthony Walker Jr.] went out there and did a good job of both executing not only his assignment but communicating to the defense overall and trying to help guys out,” Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver told reporters Friday.

“That’ll be a decision based week-to-week. Love [Long]. He’s a captain. He’s an outstanding teammate. At this particular time, we just think ‘Walk’ gives us the best chance to go out there and execute from a defensive standpoint.”

Not only was Long yanked from the starting lineup against the Buffalo Bills, he didn’t play a single snap in the Dolphins’ 30-27 loss.

Long, 28, received a grade below 42 from Pro Football Focus in each of his last four games and was credited with missing 12 tackles during that stretch. Walker received a 54.8 grade against the Bills.

“It was less about David Long not doing something and more about we felt like ‘Walk’ needed and deserved the opportunity and has skills of his own in his own right that were the best man for the job,” McDaniel explained earlier in the week.

“It’s not necessarily fun, but the whole team and organization are depending on you to try to do what you see as very best. And I think David respects that and regards that. I’m sure he disagrees, but it’s about understanding intent and I think the whole team loves David. That’s why they voted him captain, but also you have to – I think it was the football team was excited for ‘Walk’s’ opportunity which he made the most of, for sure.”

Walker, 29, joined the Dolphins in March after spending the last three seasons with the Cleveland Browns.

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Dolphins confident in Jevon Holland, regardless if he has club on hand

Jevon Holland might play with a club on his hand Sunday, but Anthony Weaver thinks the Dolphins safety will be effective, no matter what.

It’s still unclear if Jevón Holland will be able to play Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts after suffering a hand injury in the Miami Dolphins’ last game. But if Holland is wearing a club to protect his injured hand, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is confident the safety will still be an asset in his secondary.

“I think with that kid, I’m not saying he can’t do anything,” Weaver said of Holland. “So if I was going to count on anybody to get out there and play, it would be him. … Regardless of if he has something on his hand or not, I think he’ll be able to go out there and do his job.”

Holland, 24, dealt with knee sprains during the 2023 season. But an injured hand is a new experience for the fourth-year safety.

“I’m going to assume it’s going to be a little difficult,” Holland said Wednesday. “If I have to club it, I’m not really sure yet, but yeah, I’m going to assume it’s going to be a little hard to catch the ball and whatnot because it’s kind of in the way.”

What might not be too difficult is forcing fumbles. Holland punched a ball out of the hands of Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. in Week 1 and could look to do the same against future opponents.

“It probably won’t that hurt bad since it’s casted and everything,” Holland said. “So yeah, I’ll probably end up doing that.”

Holland has four sacks, five interceptions, and five forced fumbles in 50 career games with the Dolphins.

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Anthony Weaver: Dolphins veteran is ‘what you hope Mohamed Kamara grows into’

Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver says the team has the perfect role model for fifth-round rookie Mohamed Kamara.

Miami Dolphins fifth-round rookie Mohamed Kamara still hasn’t made his NFL debut. While he’s on the 53-man roster, the outside linebacker was a healthy scratch in the first four weeks as the team patiently develops the former Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.

The hope, according to Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, is that they can get Kamara to become a lot like current starting outside linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah.

“He’s essentially what you hope Mohamed [Kamara] grows into,” Weaver told reporters Thursday. “He is an enforcer and you saw it multiple times in that game. He sets a firm edge. He can intimidate you with just his sheer size and will and his ability to stick his face in the fan. And then as a rusher, he’s not just a power guy, there’s a little finesse aspect and great hand usage to it, too.

“To me, he’s the perfect guy for Mohamed to watch and kind of see what he can take from him and then add to his game.”

Ogbah, 30, came into the league with higher expectations than Kamara as the No. 32 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. But it took time for him to find his footing in the league. After 12.5 sacks in three years with the Cleveland Browns, Ogbah was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for backup safety Eric Murray.

It wasn’t until 2020 that Ogbah broke out with back-to-back seasons with nine sacks as a member of the Dolphins.

Kamara may be a similar late bloomer, but Weaver has high hopes for the rookie.

“He’s a guy that’s rugged, tough,” Weaver said of Kamara. “You talk about he should be a firm edge setter, be able to reduce him to a three technique and rush him there if need be, but he needs to be like your topflight security of the world. He needs to be the protector and be the enforcer on the field, and I’ve kind of tasked him with that since he’s been here.”

With Jaelan Phillips done for the year with a knee injury, it may be time for Kamara to see his first NFL snaps. However, the arrival of veteran Tyus Bowser could mean play time for Kamara remains scarce. In the meantime, he can spend the next few months continuing to learn in hopes of eventually becoming the Dolphins’ next Ogbah.

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Dolphins sign OLB who was 2nd round draft pick in 2017

The Dolphins reunited Anthony Weaver with a familiar face to fill Jaelan Phillips’ spot on the roster.

The Miami Dolphins signed outside linebacker Tyus Bowser off the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad, the team announced Thursday.

Bowser, 29, was picked in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens and spent the first seven years of his career with the team. During his time with the Ravens, Bowser worked with current Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, who became the Ravens’ defensive line coach in 2021.

Bowser recorded 19.5 sacks during his tenure in Baltimore, but missed all of 2023 due to a knee injury suffered in the offseason. The Ravens released Bowser earlier this year and he eventually landed with the Seahawks. He appeared in two games with Seattle in September and received a 62.4 grade from PFF.

Miami was in need of some pass rushing help after losing Jaelan Phillips to a season-ending knee injury. Through four games, the Dolphins have seven sacks, more than only four teams in the NFL.

Earlier this year, the Dolphins picked Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara in the first and fifth rounds of the 2024 NFL draft. The team also has Bradley Chubb on the PUP list as he works to recover from an ACL tear suffered in Week 17 of the 2023 season.

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Anthony Weaver: Bradley Chubb likely to return ‘at some point this year’

Anthony Weaver’s update on the health of Bradley Chubb doesn’t sound like he expects the pass rusher back soon.

There haven’t been many updates about the health of Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Bradley Chubb, who suffered an ACL tear on New Year’s Eve last season. On Friday, Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver didn’t offer the most encouraging signs about Chubb’s return.

“I truthfully have no idea [when he’ll return],” Weaver told reporters Friday. “He’s in all of our meetings so he certainly gives me the feeling that we will see him at some point this year.”

Chubb, 28, is currently on the Dolphins’ physically unable to perform (PUP) list and is eligible to make his return as early as Week 5. But Weaver’s update doesn’t seem to indicate that the team expects to see the pass rusher back on the practice field next week.

Miami’s defense could use the boost, though. Through three weeks of the 2024 season, the Dolphins have recorded six sacks, more than only nine teams. Last year, the Dolphins’ 56 sacks ranked third most in the NFL. Four of Miami’s six sacks so far have come from defensive linemen Calais Campbell, Zach Sieler, and Da’Shawn Hand.

Chubb led the Dolphins in sacks last season with 11, the most he’s recorded since notching 12 as a rookie with the Denver Broncos in 2018.

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Mike McDaniel: Eager to get Jalen Ramsey out there, but we’ll be smart

Unsurprisingly, Mike McDaniel isn’t offering many hints about Jalen Ramsey’s readiness to play Sunday.

Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey returned to practice Friday, hours after becoming the NFL’s highest paid player at his position earlier in the day.

But will he be available to play Sunday after missing practice both Wednesday and Thursday? Unsurprisingly, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel was unwilling to offer many hints.

“He had a good walkthrough today. I think we’re gonna be smart, but we’re eager to get him out there,” McDaniel said of Ramsey before practice Friday. “I anticipate him — in some way, shape, or form — at practice. I don’t know the level yet.

“That and whether or not he can play in the game, it does matter to everyone — both teams. … Quite honestly, I don’t know. If I did know, I wouldn’t tell you, but I really don’t know.”

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Ramsey, 29, has earned Pro Bowl honors in each of the last seven seasons and was acquired by the Dolphins in a trade during the 2023 offseason. While meniscus surgery kept the cornerback out early in the year, he returned to play in 10 games and allowed a 52.9 passer rating when targeted in coverage, according to PFF.

While it would be a boost to the Dolphins secondary to have Ramsey in action against the Jacksonville Jaguars, a looming Thursday night game against the Buffalo Bills next week could force the team to be extra cautious.

“We just got to be smart and cognizant that we do have two games in whatever that is, a little over a week, so we’ll see,” Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said Thursday. “But the one thing I do know about Jalen (Ramsey), is that it’s not for a lack of work ethic. He’s doing everything he can in the training room to try to put himself out there.”

In the event that Ramsey is held out of action Sunday, second-year cornerback Ethan Bonner would likely get the start. On Thursday, he said he’s prepared for that and would embrace the opportunity.

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Ethan Bonner: I’m prepared to start, excited for the opportunity

Ethan Bonner says he’s ready to go if the Dolphins decide he’s starting in Jalen Ramsey’s place Sunday.

Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey hasn’t been ruled out for Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but it would be quite a surprise if he plays. After missing back-to-back practices, it appears that second-year cornerback Ethan Bonner is set to fill his shoes in starting lineup for the Week 1 opener.

“It’s exciting,” Bonner told reporters Thursday, via Adam Beasley of Pro Football Network. “Any opportunity I have to get out there, I’m going to try to take advantage of it. So yeah, I’m definitely excited about it.

“I’m gonna be prepared to do whatever I’m asked. If that’s to go out there and start, I’ll be ready to go out there and execute.”

Bonner, 24, spent the majority of his rookie year in 2023 on the Dolphins’ practice squad after signing as an undrafted free agent. The cornerback was elevated to the active roster in December and appeared in two games, but the majority of his time was spent on special teams.

“You wouldn’t be here, and we wouldn’t even think about putting you on defense if we didn’t think you could play,” Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said Thursday. “So regardless of who steps out there – I don’t care who starts, I want to know who finishes. I’ve said that before and I think all those guys can finish.”

His ascension to potentially start Sunday comes at the end of a strong offseason for the second-year cornerback.

“Bonner probably has had like the craziest jump from I think any player from last year, in my opinion,” Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle told reporters in July. “He just seems like a totally different player out there.”

In preseason, Bonner was credited with allowing four receptions on eight targets for 70 yards.

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Anthony Weaver on Jaelan Phillips’ rehab: ‘He is an absolute freak’

Anthony Weaver hasn’t had a chance to work with Jaelan Phillips much, but he’s been impressed by the little he’s seen.

The Miami Dolphins finished the 2023 with the third most sacks in the NFL, but generating a similar amount of pressure this season could be tough.

Not only did the Dolphins lose defensive tackle Christian Wilkins in free agency, the team’s top two edge rushers, Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, are working their way back from season-ending Achilles and ACL tears, respectively.

While Mike McDaniel has shied away from giving a timetable for the return of Chubb and Phillips, new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver has been impressed with what little he’s seen out of the latter.

“I’ve learned that he is an absolute freak,” Weaver said of Phillips on Friday. “He is a specimen of a human being. He is a phenomenal person and he is chomping at the bit to get out there on the field and play with his guys. So super excited.

“Mike [McDaniel] showed a clip today just how fast he was running in his rehab program so let’s just say we got excited seeing those numbers. … Faster than I’ve ever seen a dude that big run, let’s just say that.”

Phillips, 25, is currently on the Dolphins’ PUP list, making him ineligible to participate in training camp practices. The fourth-year pass rusher can, however, work individually on the sideline as part of his injury rehab.

Despite the impressive progress Phillips appears to be making, being productive within a year of an Achilles repair is still a steep challenge. Pass rushers Shaquil Barrett and Dawuane Smoot suffered similar injuries during the 2022 season, but managed only 4.5 and 1.0 sacks, respectively, in 2023.

Back in 2015, Baltimore Ravens star edge rusher Terrell Suggs tore his Achilles in Week 1 and bounced back to record a respectable eight sacks in 2016.

Phillips will have the challenge of staging a similar comeback on a shorter timeline after suffering his injury on Black Friday in 2023. But if Dolphins coaches are to believe, it shouldn’t be ruled out.

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Jalen Ramsey says Anthony Weaver’s defense is ‘different’ in a good way

Jalen Ramsey is feeling confident that new Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver is going to use him correctly.

Nine-year veteran cornerback Jalen Ramsey has seen his fair share of defensive schemes since he was drafted in 2016.

Last year, his first with the Miami Dolphins, he played for former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and was less than pleased. As Anthony Weaver takes the reins, Ramsey thinks his approach is different from Fangio and his other past defensive coordinators.

“It’s been cool,” Ramsey said Wednesday. “It’s different than the defenses I’ve played in the past years which is a good thing, can be a really good thing.”

Weaver has spent two decades in the NFL, seven as a player and 12 as a coach. He spent the past three seasons in Baltimore, with the last two as assistant head coach and defensive line coach for the Ravens.

Fangio and the Dolphins decided to mutually part ways this offseason after spending just one year together, and Miami is now moving on to its third defensive coordinator in as many years. The team has more than a month until the season starts, and the defense has more work to do, but Ramsey believes Weaver will put him in the best position.

“The scheme is different, the way he wants to call plays is going to be very different,” Ramsey said. “I’ve heard that [I’m the ultimate chess piece] a few times in my career, though, and that’s only really happened a couple times. I’ll let everything unfold, and whatever is best for the defense at the end of the day, I’m sure — I hope is what position I’ll be in.”

And if Ramsey is used appropriately, he believes his team will reap the benefits.

“It allows me to showcase all of my skill set, all of my abilities,” Ramsey said. “It allows teams to not always be able to dictate where I am. It allows me to be more involved in the game and the gameplan and not get bored out there on the field. I think it opens up a lot of opportunities and plays for other people, as well, when I get to be versatile and do different things.”

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Ravens John Harbaugh on incorporating new coaches: ‘It’s been great’

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh discussed incorporating new coaches into the team’s system and culture

The Baltimore Ravens lost a large number of coaches to different teams over the course of the 2024 offseason. Starting just days after their AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore saw Mike Macdonald, Anthony Weaver, Dennard Wilson, and others earn promotions and take other opportunities, which resulted in blow after blow to the coaching staff.

The Ravens made the appropriate replacements for those who left, including promoting Zach Orr to defensive coordinator to replace Macdonald. The team also brought in multiple outside hires, and head coach John Harbaugh said incorporating the new coaches has been great.

“It’s been great. The coaches have been great. Our guys have come in and done a great job. I look at the product, and I also look at the process, and the process has been amazing. We’ve added some great coaches, and sometimes it’s good to mix it up a little bit [and] turn it around a little bit and get another look at things. We haven’t changed our scheme on defense, but we’ve added stuff, [and] we’ve tweaked stuff. We haven’t really changed our philosophy on offense – especially from last year – but we’ve definitely grown the offense. [On] special teams, we’re chasing this new kickoff [and] kickoff return thing. [We’re] trying to figure that out, so it’s a lot of excitement.”

Baltimore has long been known as a coaching factory, with Harbaugh’s coaching tree continuing to expand every season. They’ve seen coaches come and go but somehow always find ways to replace them with just as effective, if not more effective, options.