Tag: Anthony Weaver

Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald sings praises of Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver

Seattle’s HC has great things to say about Miami’s new DC.

The Miami Dolphins needed to find a new defensive coordinator this offseason after parting with Vic Fangio just one year into his tenure, and they did so by hiring Anthony Weaver back in February.

Weaver came from Baltimore where he worked under defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald for the last two years.

Since the end of the 2023 season, Weaver landed in Miami and Macdonald was hired to be the next head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.

Macdonald recently spoke to Pro Football Network’s Adam Beasley and shared his thoughts on Weaver taking the role in South Florida.

“When did I figure he’d be a good DC? When he was in Houston,” Macdonald said. “That’s the first time I ever saw him, and I thought he did a great job there and just working with him on a day-to-day basis. This is someone that I have huge respect for, just as a human being and a leader. Incredibly smart.

“The players love him. He was a huge asset for our staff and how those guys played up front in the success that, you know; you’re excited for the guys’ success that we had up front at the D line spot. And he’s gonna do a tremendous job for those guys, man. Love Weav, miss him, and we wish the best for him.”

That’s as good of a recommendation as a new defensive coordinator can get for his new team. He’ll have some talented players to work with, and if he can get them to reach their potential, his unit could be one of the best in the league at the end of the year.

Dolphins hire defensive assistant from Brown University

The Dolphins have hired another defensive assitant.

The Miami Dolphins are putting their finishing touches on their 2024 coaching staff after moving on from and parting ways with a number of coaches in recent months.

According to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, the Dolphins have hired Matt O’Donnell as a defensive assistant.

O’Donnell, who is a graduate of Brown University, spent the last two seasons coaching their defensive line and cornerbacks. Before that, he spent three seasons with Duke (2016-17 and 2021-22), three with the Houston Texans (2018-20) and two with Southern Mississippi (2014-16).

His time with the Texans is when he crossed over with new Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. At the time, Weaver was the team’s defensive line coach (2018-19) and defensive coordinator (2020) while O’Donnell worked as a defensive quality control coach.

Ravens are hiring Baylor assistant Dennis Johnson as their defensive line coach

The Baltimore Ravens are hring former Baylor assistant coach Dennis Johnson to the role of defensive line coach replacing the departed Anthony Weaver

Zach Orr has made one of his first critical hires, luring Dennis Johnson away from Baylor to replace Anthony Weaver as the defensive line coach.

Johnson joined head coach Dave Aranda’s football staff at Baylor in January 2020, serving as defensive line coach.

In 2022, Johnson helped Siaki Ika earn All-America honors, with the nose tackle totaling 24 stops and two tackles for a loss, leading the team with five QB hurries.

Johnson, an LSU graduate and member of the school’s 2011 Southeastern Conference Championship team, arrived at Balylor following a 2019 season spent as an analyst at LSU.

He served from 2016-18 as a full-time coach, first with the outside linebackers (2016-17) before moving to the defensive line (2018).

5 cornerbacks the Dolphins could consider with pick No. 21

Here are five cornerbacks the Dolphins could consider with their first pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

The Miami Dolphins own pick No. 21 in the 2024 NFL draft set to take place on April 25, and this is a crucial offseason for the aqua and orange coming off a devastating end to a promising season.

There are a lot of questions that’ll be answered as to the direction of the team, as free agency decisions will likely determine what the Dolphins will do come draft night.

Miami came into last season with high expectations in the secondary with the trade for Jalen Ramsey and the second-round selection of rookie Cam Smith. Unfortunately, Ramsey missed significant time to start the season while Smith was rarely given an opportunity to see the field.

The Dolphins secondary struggled mightily late in the season, especially in open-field tackling, as they were decimated by injuries most of the season.

Cornerback is one position that can’t get enough depth. They’ll always be highly sought after in the first round no matter the quality of a particular class. This class, in particular, doesn’t have a surefire top-10 selection like Jalen Ramsey or Sauce Gardner, but there are certainly five to 10 guys who could make a case for going in the first round.

Here are five cornerbacks who the Dolphins should consider selecting if they decide to go that route.

Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver explains how he’ll use the blitz in Miami

New Dolphins defensive coordinator shares philosophy on blitzing.

When the Miami Dolphins hired Anthony Weaver to be their new defensive coordinator earlier this month, they made him the third person to hold that title in three seasons with Josh Boyer being fired after 2022 and Vic Fangio parting ways with the team after 2023.

With Boyer and Fangio, their philosophies differed quite a bit. The former brought pressure frequently, often leaving his secondary on islands, while the latter was a bit more reserved in that area.

Still, under Fangio’s tutelage, the Dolphins had the most sacks in a single season in franchise history.

Now that Weaver’s in charge, how much will we see Miami send extra rushers? The new defensive coordinator got into it in his first media availability.

“Blitzing is truly – it’s got to be calculated and not reckless,” Weaver said. “I’ve been around both guys. I’ve been around guys that just call it and let’s see what happens. Let’s throw flies in the windshield and see what sticks. Then I’ve been around guys that have been more calculated in that, and I believe you have to be calculated and not reckless in blitzing. Because when you do blitz, you’re obviously leaving your under coverage and secondary vulnerable. So whenever we do blitz, it’ll be with intent.”

You have to have the talent to blitz, and we won’t know exactly what this Dolphins defense will look like on the field for some time. But, if they return the whole group of starters from last year, they could certainly break that single-season record again.

Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver shares how he’ll use CB Jalen Ramsey

Miami’s new DC gives a glimpse of what we can expect from Jalen Ramsey in 2024.

Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver has been around some extremely talented players during his time as a coach in the NFL.

From guys like Kyle Williams, Mario Williams, Marcell Dareus and Jerry Hughes in Buffalo to Calais Campbell, Justin Madubuike and Justin Houston in Baltimore, Weaver has seen some of the best in the game up close and personal.

However, Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey may be the best player he’s ever been given the opportunity to coach.

The seven-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro is entering his second season with Miami and is hoping to be healthy going into the year after suffering a torn meniscus in just his second training camp session with the team in 2023.

During Weaver’s first media availability on Thursday, he was specifically asked about Ramsey, and he seems ecstatic to have him around.

“I mean, it’s Jalen Ramsey, come on now,” Weaver said. “You talk about prototype corners, he is that. Size, length, speed, competitiveness. The thing about him is I think he is your ultimate chess piece. So to have him just sit outside and be a field corner or boundary corner or something like that is a detriment to him. We got to find ways to move him around where he can be most impactful. We’re committed to doing that.”

Ramsey’s usage was a sticking point for many last year, as Vic Fangio refused to match him up with the opponent’s top weapon, even when the cornerback was asking for the assignment and could clearly do more for the team than whoever was tasked with guarding them at the time.

If Weaver allows Ramsey, one of the league’s best at the position, to shadow the likes of Deebo Samuel, D.K. Metcalf, Stefon Diggs, Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams, who the Dolphins are expected to see this year, the team may have more success than allowing whoever’s covering that side of the field to draw those matchups.

New Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver had incredible reaction to seeing Jaelan Phillips

Miami’s star LB has impressed his new DC already.

The Miami Dolphins have made a big change this offseason, replacing Vic Fangio with Anthony Weaver as the team’s new defensive coordinator.

Despite being hired earlier this month, Weaver is already in the building putting in work and mingling with the guys he’ll be leading this offseason.

One guy Weaver will get to mold is linebacker Jaelan Phillips, who has been around the building while rehabbing from the torn Achilles he suffered late in the season.

Speaking to the media for the first time on Thursday, Weaver shared his incredible reaction to seeing Phillips without his shirt for the first time.

“I saw Jaelan Phillips with his shirt off the other day, and he made me want to go put a sweater on,” Weaver said. “That guy is chiseled.”

Phillips’ physique has been impressive since he entered the NFL in 2021 as a first-round pick. Last year, a photo from OTAs made its way around the fanbase through social media, and let’s just say that Weaver likely isn’t the only person to feel that way when looking at the former Miami Hurricane.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CsovZIegOgv/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=75350ebf-82a2-49e3-a3b3-90d4898868d7

It will be very interesting to see how Weaver uses Phillips when he’s fully recovered, but that might not be for some time.

Dolphins to hire former Titans OLB coach for the same role in Miami

Miami adds another defensive coach to their staff.

The Miami Dolphins, after hiring Anthony Weaver to be their new defensive coordinator, are continuing to build out their defensive coaching staff before the start of the new league year in March.

According to the MMQB’s Albert Breer, the Dolphins are hiring Ryan Crow as outside linebackers coach.

Crow had been with the Tennessee Titans since 2018, holding defensive assistant (2018-19), assistant special teams coach (2020) and outside linebackers coach (2021-23) roles during his time with the team. He was let go after Tennessee decided to fire head coach Mike Vrabel.

During his time with Titans, there was some crossover with Dolphins David Long, who played for Tennessee from 2019-22.

Crow will be taking over for Ryan Slowik, who was a candidate for Miami’s defensive coordinator job. According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s David Furones, Slowik will remain on the staff but in a different role.

What influence will Anthony Weaver have on the Dolphins defense?

What will Weaver’s arrival in Miami bring?

The Miami Dolphins have hired former Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver as their new defensive coordinator after moving on from Vic Fangio after just one season.

Weaver played in the NFL for seven years as a defensive lineman himself, and now has over 10 years of coaching experience. This will be his best opportunity to show what he is capable of in a coordinator role.

Weaver’s first chance as an NFL defensive coordinator was with the Houston Texans during the 2020 season. If fans judge the Weaver hire over this singular season, they will not be impressed. Weaver’s defense ranked near the bottom in every statistical category, and not a single defensive player was named to the Pro Bowl.

However, the Texans, in 2020, were in shambles as an organization. Head coach Bill O’Brien was fired after an 0-4 start which was preceded by many questionable roster decisions in the offseason. The Texans finished with a 4-12 record, and Weaver was hired by the Ravens as defensive line coach the following season.

A positive trend about Weaver’s resume is his history of bringing the best out of talented players. The first example of this came in 2013 when Weaver was the defensive line coach for the Buffalo Bills. This Bills defensive line produced Pro-Bowl seasons from defensive end Mario Williams and defensive tackles Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus. Buffalo’s defense finished second in the NFL in sacks with 57 on the season.

Weaver had the privilege of coaching legendary edge rusher J.J. Watt on the Texans from 2016-20. Watt was unfortunately on the back end of his prime and struggled to stay healthy. 2018 was the best season Watt had with Weaver on the coaching staff, recording 16 sacks as he was named an All-Pro for the fifth and final time. It could be argued that Weaver helped squeeze the last bit of All-Pro football that Watt had left.

Weaver has spent the last three seasons in Baltimore where he has built an impressive resume worthy of head coaching consideration. Weaver spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach to John Harbaugh. The Ravens had a dominant defensive line a season ago, featuring breakout star defensive tackle Justin Madubuike. Madubuike recorded 13 sacks in his fourth season, more than doubling his career best, as the Ravens produced a league-best 60 sacks in 2023.

Another interesting storyline on the Ravens in 2023 was the resurgence of former Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who was coached by Weaver for three years in Houston. The former first-overall pick was listed as a linebacker for Baltimore, but his role was consistently on the edge, and he tied his career-high with 9.5 sacks. Three out of Clowney’s four highest sack seasons came with Weaver on the coaching staff. In fact, Clowney has never been named to a Pro Bowl without coach Weaver.

It’s difficult to predict what exactly Weaver’s scheme will look like since he doesn’t have a long resume as a defensive coordinator. He has been involved in a wide variety of defensive schemes during his career. Since he tends to bring out the best in linemen, it is likely the pass rush and stuffing the run will be focal points. This should be an easy transition for the Miami front seven since Fangio’s scheme featured heavy rushes and pursuit.

The Ravens ranked 25th in the league in blitz percentage this past season. According to Pro Football Reference, the Ravens blitzed on just 21.9% of the time. This wouldn’t be much of a change for the Dolphins’ defense, as they blitzed an almost identical 21.5% of the time.

On the other hand, Weaver’s 2020 Texans defense blitzed quite often. They ranked seventh in the league in blitz percentage at a 35.9% clip. This leaves a bit of a mystery as to how much emphasis will be placed on the blitz in Weaver’s scheme.

Considering the personnel on the Dolphins, it is likely Weaver will lean toward the scheme Mike Macdonald used a season ago in Baltimore. Weaver’s defensive line was dominant enough that the Ravens could occasionally utilize linebackers in coverage. A scheme like this will address some of the issues that the Miami secondary faced last season. Remaining in a 3-4 defense would still make a lot of sense if the roster doesn’t drastically change.

Hopefully, the Dolphins are able to work out a deal with defensive tackle Christion Wilkins in order to pair him and Zach Sieler with Weaver. Considering the season Madubuike just had in Baltimore, it should further incentivize the front office to keep Wilkins around. Linebackers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb will also be major players in the pass rush once they are able to return from injury.

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who worked with Weaver on the Cleveland Browns in 2014, discussed player development being a cornerstone in the continued success of the franchise. Numerous players on the Dolphins front seven displayed a relentless pursuit of excellence last season, many of them posting career years. Weaver is undoubtedly the right coach to take the drive of these players to the next level.

While Weaver will almost certainly bring the best out of the pass rush and run defense, the Miami secondary was the main concern during the late-season collapse. Cornerbacks Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey will hopefully both be healthy to start the season, allowing Weaver to focus on the development of last year’s second-round pick Cam Smith.

After a long search that included numerous interviews with candidates, it seems like the Dolphins have found the right coach for the defense. Coming from a well-run organization in Baltimore, he will be a key component in keeping the Dolphins in championship contention. Weaver is the right coach to take the drive and development of these players to the next level.

Ravens hire Doug Mallory as defensive backs coach

The Baltimore Ravens have reportedly found their new defensive backs coach after losing Dennard Wilson to the Tennessee Titans. According to 247 Sports’ Matt Zenits, the Ravens are expected to hire Michigan defensive analyst Doug Mallory to fill the …

The Baltimore Ravens have reportedly found their new defensive backs coach after losing Dennard Wilson to the Tennessee Titans. According to 247 Sports’ Matt Zenits, the Ravens are expected to hire Michigan defensive analyst Doug Mallory to fill the vacant role.

Mallory, 59, will replace the highly-regarded Wilson, who coached the unit for one season before leaving to become the defensive coordinator of the Titans. Mallory will now work under Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh after working under his brother Jim Harbaugh for three seasons with the Wolverines.

Mallory was with the Atlanta Falcons for six seasons before his stint in Michigan, serving as a defensive assistant from 2015 to 2016, defensive backs coach from 2017 to 2019, and as a senior defensive assistant and defensive backs coach in 2020.

Mallory will join a new-look defensive staff for the Ravens under new defensive coordinator Zachary Orr following multiple coaches being hired away this offseason, including defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, assistant head coach and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, and Wilson.