Gase addresses Parker, Gesicki, Tannehill, but one topic he won’t touch. Two new Dolphins
If Adam Gase had remained Dolphins coach, DeVante Parker would not have been on the team this year, and Dolphins fans wouldn’t be seeing the blossoming of a player who has transformed from underachieving to the team’s potential MVP.
Now coach of the Jets, Gase and his team on Sunday will be charged with stopping a player with whom Gase grew increasingly frustrated last season, a player whose agent accused Gase of incompetence and said Gase “should make himself inactive.”
A source with direct knowledge said Gase lost some confidence in Parker, believing he could not fully grasp his offense. With Gase gone, general manager Chris Grier decided to give Parker a two-year contract to remain in Miami.
Parker has rewarded the Dolphins’ faith, remaining healthy all year for the first time in his career and producing 53 receptions for a career-high 854 yards and six touchdowns.
Does Gase ever wonder why Parker couldn’t stay healthy or be as productive when Gase was coach?
“That’s not really what crossed my mind,” Gase said Wednesday in a conference call with South Florida media in advance of Sunday’s Dolphins-Jets game in New Jersey. “That’s some of the stuff you guys have seen at certain points and stuff I saw a couple times, especially in 2017 training camp. I’m happy he’s been able to stay healthy and it’s working out well for him. That’s the player everyone was expecting when he was drafted.”
New receivers coach Karl Dorrell said Parker, who missed 11 games and many practices in his first four years, “has not missed a practice since I’ve been here.” Parker said he has done acupuncture and massages all season, which has helped with injury prevention.
“The things about him that he’s grown to understand, is that he’s become a better professional player,” Dorrell said. “He has heard me talking and preaching about study habits and watching tape and all those things and giving great examples of guys that I’ve coached in the past that have done certain things and that have had high success. I think he’s bought into that. He comes in and he watches tape. He’s really taken to taking care of himself off the field, making sure he’s ready to play by Sundays.”
Offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea said: “When you are available and you’re at practice, you’re going to improve, and I think that’s the one thing that he’s really embraced. And he’s done a lot to put himself in position to be at practice every day from his overall conditioning, his work in the strength program.”
MORE GASE
Gase, on tight end Mike Gesicki, whose selection in the 2018 draft was advocated by Gase: “Second year in the league, things slow down for you. He’s way more comfortable playing in a game. It looks a lot more natural for him. One of his really good games was against us [in a Dolphins win]. That wasn’t really fun to watch. He keeps getting better every week.”
▪ Gase said he’s happy for his former Dolphins starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who leads the AFC in passer rating at 113.9 and is 5-1 as a starter for Tennessee. Gase has sent Tannehill congratulatory texts after they have both won.
“I’m always looking at how he’s doing,” Gase said. “He’s doing a good job protecting the football, getting it out. That combination of him and Derrick Henry have been really good.”
Do they discuss what might have been in Miami? “There is no point of rehashing anything we can’t control anymore,” Gase said.
Would the Dolphins have been a playoff team if they had kept Gase and Tannehill and much of the core? “Irrevelant,” Gase said.
▪ Gase said linebackers Jerome Baker and Raekwon McMillan and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux have impressed him on Miami’s defense.
THIS AND THAT
Running back Kallen Ballage’s Achilles’ tendon injury — which landed him on injured reserve — isn’t a long-term injury, coach Brian Flores said, adding he could have returned if there were more games remaining. He’s expected to be back for the offseason program.
▪ Flores said Miami gave Eric Rowe a three-year contract extension because he’s “a versatile player, played multiple positions this year. He’s got good length, a good matchup for tight ends in coverage. Still has a ways to go from a run standpoint. We expect him to continue to improve; wouldn’t have done the deal if we didn’t expect that.”
Though Rowe has settled in at safety, Flores said he could play cornerback some in the future, as well.
But Rowe said he believes he will stay at safety long-term. “They like me at strong safety covering tight ends,” Rowe said. Of the contract extension, he said: “It’s great. I’m excited, blessed to be in a place I like. I see in the future it will be a lot better.”
▪ Linebacker Jerome Baker (chest), cornerback Nik Needham (groin), cornerback Ken Webster (ankle) and safety Steven Parker (groin) were limited in Wednesday’s practice.
▪ The Dolphins signed Giants practice-squad guard/center Evan Brown and former Eagles receiver Mack Hollins and cut two veterans: guard/center Chris Reed and injured cornerback Ken Crawley.
Undrafted out of SMU in 2018, Brown was on the Giants’ 53-man roster all of last season but didn’t appear in a game. Hollins was a fourth-round pick by the Eagles in 2017 and caught 26 passes for 351 yards in 28 games. He started three games for them this year and played in 12 - catching 10 passes for 125 yards - before being waived.
This story was originally published December 4, 2019 at 2:49 PM.
