Chan Gailey’s plans for 2021, Jesse Davis’ best position & more from Dolphins coaches
Chan Gailey turns 69 years old in three weeks, so it’s natural to wonder about his future plans.
He was away from football for three years in what he assumed would be the start of his retirement before Brian Flores asked him to run the Dolphins’ offense in 2020.
Gailey hadn’t been asked about his vision for his time back — how long he planned on coaching, etc. — and if that vision has since changed.
Until Tuesday.
“It’s been very interesting with COVID and everything that’s going on,” Gailey said. “It has been so interesting this year. It’s been a challenging year in many ways. No, I don’t have a plan. I’m taking it really one day at a time right now. I just take it one day at a time. I haven’t thought about [2021].”
Whenever Gailey does retire again, Flores has some potential candidates on his staff who could possibly step in. The two most obvious: tight ends coach George Godsey and running backs coach Eric Studesville.
Flores in the past has praised Studesville as a possible future offensive coordinator or head coach in the league.
But it’s Godsey’s star which has really risen this year. The past month, in addition to coaching Dolphins tight ends, he’s worked closely with the quarterbacks on game days — even after QBs coach Robby Brown returned from the COVID-19 protocol.
Brown wouldn’t give too many details when asked about how his role has changed throughout the season, but did say there is “constant communication” among the offensive staff on Sundays.
He added: “Everybody’s got a role in what they’re looking for and what they’re doing. Nothing’s changed a whole lot there.”
▪ With injuries to DeVante Parker and Jakeem Grant, the Dolphins couldn’t afford any more bad receiver news this week. And yet, they got it Tuesday.
Practice squad wideout Kirk Merritt has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, meaning he either tested positive for the virus or came in close contact with someone who had. Receiver Andre Patton took his place on the practice squad.
With Isaiah Ford cleared to practice Wednesday, Merritt’s news is just one more data point suggesting Ford will play Sunday against the Patriots.
Here’s another: The Dolphins did not name Ford as one of their three protected practice squad players this week. They made the same choice with Antonio Callaway a few weeks back before permanently promoting Callaway to their 53-man roster.
The Dolphins’ protected players this week: tight end Chris Myarick, quarterback Reid Sinnett and long snapper Rex Sunahara.
Meanwhile, Mike Gesicki remained on the active roster two days after suffering a shoulder injury that put his availability for this weekend in doubt. If the Dolphins elect at some point to put Gesicki on injured reserve, he would miss at minimum the next three games.
▪ Danny Crossman brought perhaps the league’s best special teams unit Week 14, but the group didn’t look like it Sunday against the Chiefs.
Jason Sanders missed a 45-yard field goal and Crossman’s punt coverage unit allowed a long return for a touchdown. In a six-point loss, that 10-point swing might have been decisive — a fact not lost on Crossman.
“When you leave points on the field with a missed field goal or the other team is able to generate points, you’re really never going to be happy,” he said. “Of course, you’re always going to be disappointed.”
Crossman will probably have to work this week without his primary returner. Jakeem Grant’s availability against the Patriots is very much in doubt because of a leg injury. When Grant left the Chiefs game, Antonio Callaway handled return duties. Is that the plan going forward?
“We’ll look at it through the course of the week and see where we’re at,” Crossman replied.
▪ Jesse Davis can play every position on the offensive line — and just might this year. He’s already lined up at left tackle, right tackle and right guard.
However, it does seem that he has had his best games on the interior. So we asked Steve Marshall, Davis’ position coach, the following: Is right guard Davis’ best position?
“No, I don’t think so,” Marshall responded. “I feel very comfortable. Jesse has started games at left tackle, right tackle. Jesse works extremely hard. He’s a true pro. Processes game plans Monday, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I think he can function at all four [positions other than center]. ... I don’t know if I can say that right guard is his best position. He had a very nice game against Kansas City and I look forward to figuring out a way to beat the Patriots five, six days from now.”
This story was originally published December 15, 2020 at 11:29 AM.
