Dolphins’ McDaniel addresses Deiter injury, Preston Williams tweet, Hill’s lofty statement

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tuesday that he doesn’t have concern about Michael Deiter’s foot injury.

He said he has no concern about “the regular season” regarding his availability. “We’ll see how the week plays out.”

Deiter has been sidelined since the second day of camp last Thursday. He missed nine games last season with a foot injury.

Deiter and inexperienced second-year center Cole Banwart are the only natural centers on the roster. Connor Williams, a left tackle for the Cowboys, moved to center for the Dolphins in the spring and remains at that position.

Meanwhile, McDaniel was asked his reaction to Preston Williams’ Monday evening tweet that “just want opportunity. #smh” — which means shaking my head. He suggested he wasn’t bothered by that and doesn’t “prioritize” what players do in social media.

Williams hasn’t received a lot of targets through five days of training camp but did make an impressive catch Saturday. Williams, receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. and tight ends Mike Gesicki and Adam Shaheen haven’t been targeted much early in camp.

Williams is competing with several others for the fifth and possibly sixth roster spots at receiver.

McDaniel, in response to the question about Williams’ tweet, said “one thing [that receivers coach] Wes Welker and I strongly connect on is we hold with a lot of responsibility preparing people and giving them opportunities. And it’s also they look at players that every time they’re on the field, it’s a tremendous opportunity for them and teammates they’re depending on and operate at a high standard. People care. People want to do good. I don’t hold much weight to all that.”

McDaniel addressed other issues before the sixth practice of training camp:

▪ On impressive rookie Erik Ezukanma: “One exciting thing about Erik is he’s learning a completely new language at a different tempo. The speed of the game, the pass rush. The quarterback doesn’t have that much time to operate at an NFL game. Nine times out of 10, a rookie receiver lines up 4 yards off the ball when they’re off the ball. That shows you how far they have to come. I’ve been very encouraged how he’s handled himself and how he’s corrected things. Mistakes are changing and they’re not the same ones.”

▪ McDaniel loves how his players have practiced without pads during the first five days of camp. Pads come on during Tuesday’s practice. He said wearing pads “helps evaluate the run game from blocking stuff, but I don’t expect it to change drastically the way we’ve approached technique on both sides of the ball.”

▪ Asked about Raekwon Davis’ weight loss, McDaniel said getting players in good condition was an offseason priority. “It wasn’t a straight mandate you have to go in and be this, that or whatever. It’s a play on my firm belief that players, like coaches and people, want to be their best. If you show them X gets to that spot — if they’re the right type of people you want on the team — they will get to that spot that best fits their physical prowess.”

▪ On what he remembers about the Dolphins undefeated ‘72 team, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season and will be honored the weekend of Oct. 22-23, McDaniel cracked: “I remember vividly 11 years before I was in the womb.”

Then he turned serious and reverential: “I remember like clockwork, Chris Berman, ESPN, the champagne bottles pop. What’s unique about that team is it carries annual credence when everyone fails to do what they did” every subsequent season.

He said what’s “overwhelming to me” is the 1972 Dolphins players are “bonded forever” and how one season can change how they’re viewed the rest of their lives. “It’s something we should be proud of, that we’re celebrating this team when we’re coaching it.”

Larry Csonka, a star of that 1972 team, met with McDaniel on Saturday and spoke with the team.

McDaniel said he never crossed paths with legendary Dolphins coach Don Shula, who died in 2020. “I wish I would have. It would have been an honor.”

▪ Did McDaniel have any issue with Tyreek Hill saying he and Jaylen Waddle are the fastest receiver tandem ever and is it a problem? (Odd question).

“It’s the guy with three yachts knowing what yacht to pick,” McDaniel said, indicating it’s no problem at all. “It’s very desireable, very fortunate.”

He said “when they have to be a fast electric decoy, they can do that. They’re not fast, they’re fast football players. That’s the coolest thing about that.”

McDaniel said “I’m definitely not going to say [they’re the fastest duo ever]. I’m definitely not going to say they’re not. That’s for them to prove.”

▪ McDaniel, asked his reaction to Tua Tagovailoa’s 65-yard bomb to Hill on Saturday: “The exciting part to me was Tua did it at the appropriate time. He read the defense. He did it with conviction.”

He said of the play: “That’s not the first time. It won’t be the last.”

▪ McDaniel announces (to his team) the fastest player in the previous practice every day and said “every time Tyreek isn’t the fastest guy on the team, I build it up with the team. I say... ‘congratulations, Tyreek, you’re third!’” on the fastest time.

He said Hill topped 23 mph at practice this week. “All this speed [talk] makes him go faster.”

▪ He said “this atmosphere in the building” provided him the opportunity “to be who I was” and his understanding is this is what “the team needed.” Of all the places he has been, “I feel most myself. It’s the feeling you can be your best self.”

He’s aware of every aspect of human interaction, saying if he simply nods at a player (who expects more from him), that could negatively impact their day and then McDaniel wouldn’t be doing his job and McDaniel would be upset with himself.