Tag: Anthony Weaver

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.

Jalen Ramsey: Anthony Weaver is moving me ‘back to what I do’

Jalen Ramsey says he’s excited for the chance to show his “full skill set once again” under new Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver.

The Miami Dolphins’ outspoken cornerback Jalen Ramsey is rarely unwilling to speak his mind, and has hardly made it a secret that he didn’t love playing for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio in 2023. When the team released Xavien Howard in March, Ramsey took a not-so-subtle jab at Fangio on social media, writing that he’d “never forgive dude” for using the duo incorrectly.

While Ramsey was unwilling to directly compare Fangio with new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver when he was asked by reporters earlier this week, he also made it clear that he’s feeling a lot more comfortable with his role heading into 2024.

“Last year was the only time I didn’t follow and only stayed on one side of the field,” Ramsey said Wednesday. “So last year was kind of a different year for me rather than this being different. This is like back to what I do, back to where I thrive and made impact and have a lot of fun playing the game.”

According to PFF, Ramsey was lined up wide at cornerback on the right side for 516 snaps in 2023 and he was on the left side for 85 snaps. His other 58 defensive snaps last season were split up among various other spots in the Dolphins defense.

By contrast, Ramsey spent 347 snaps lined up in the box, in the slot, or on the defensive line in his final season with the Los Angeles Rams.

“There are not many comps to Jalen Ramsey,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said Thursday. “So in that, thinking outside the box, finding different ways for him to thrive helps others thrive. … One offseason you’re finding new ways to get someone the ball. It’s the same thing as putting him in different places to be at the point of attack and utilize all of his God-given gifts. It’s a good marriage.”

It’s safe to say that Ramsey thinks so too.

“It’s been fun so far,” Ramsey said. “A lot of communication between [me and Weaver]. I think he’ll let me show my full skill set once again this year, so it should be fun.”

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Jevon Holland takes not-so-subtle shot at former Dolphins DC Vic Fangio

Jevon Holland says Anthony Weaver is a good person, which is ‘a complete 180’ at defensive coordinator.

Jevon Holland wasn’t sad to see defensive coordinator Vic Fangio leave the Miami Dolphins after only one season. When the news broke in January, the safety posted a video of himself kicking rocks, although he called the obvious metaphor a coincidence.

A few months later, Holland hasn’t changed his tune much. At Dolphins OTAs, the veteran safety said new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is a significant upgrade from his predecessor.

The not-so-subtle implication is that Holland thinks Fangio isn’t a good person. According to Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald, that opinion is shared by the rest of the Dolphins’ locker room.

Fangio, 65, didn’t take long to find another job after his stint with the Dolphins. Three days after parting with Miami, he was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles, whose players have come to the defense of their new coach.

“I don’t know what they had over there [in Miami]. But over here, he’s a great dude,” Eagles cornerback Darius Slay said of Fangio on Wednesday. “I heard great things about him because I used to watch like Aqib Talib and all them corners that used to play under his system. They always talked very highly of him.”

Evidently, not all cornerbacks who played for Fangio feel that way. The Dolphins’ Jalen Ramsey posted on social media that he “won’t ever forgive dude for not utilizing our full skillset” in his goodbye post for Xavien Howard.

What matters now for the Dolphins is getting on the same page as Weaver and so far, so good.

“He’s been great, man,” new Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks said. “He’s been a great leader for us so far. Very smart, high football IQ as you would expect. I’m excited to play for him.”

Weaver, 43, spent the last three seasons as the defensive line coach for the Baltimore Ravens and four years before that with the Houston Texans.

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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.