Daryl has started talking, you gotta feel football season is almost here! | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Daryl has started talking, you gotta feel football season is almost here!

phinsphan4ever

Welcome to Miami Daunte!!
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Daryl feels quite confident in his abilities to shift to DE and produce. He's dropped his weight to 295 lbs. and is voicing his confidence.;)







Dolphins report: Inside slant
May 14, 2002





Notes, quotes, anecdotes | Strategy and personnel

It's only spring, but Daryl Gardener's mouth is in mid-season form.
Gardener has spent Miami's first two minicamps making the adjustment from defensive tackle to starting left defensive end. While it's hard to offer a definitive assessment of how the switch is going because all practices are non-contact, Gardener is happy with his progress.

"Put it this way: I'll be better outside than I was inside," Gardener said. "Just because of the different looks than I'm going to get. I'm going to have the opportunity to go out there and be disruptive. And by the Dolphins having enough faith in me to put me out there, they know there's not going to be any running game over there. So I'm comfortable with that, and I'm working hard to make sure I live up to what's been said about me."

Actually, Gardener has said more positive things about himself than team officials. Through eight games last season, Gardener was emerging as one of the AFC's top defensive tackles. Gardener, though, then was sidelined for the rest of the season with his second back surgery in two seasons.

In his first post-surgery news conference last December, Gardener bragged that he was a "modern-day gladiator" and that "there was nobody hotter than Daryl Gardener at defensive tackle." While such shtick is great for the media, it didn't go over well with Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt. Gardener already had landed in hot water for comments made before a 42-10 loss to St. Louis earlier in the season.

Gardener probably needs to live up to his words to have a future with the Dolphins beyond this season. Signed to an eight-year, $49.5 million contract extension in July 2000, Gardener is slated to earn $5.72 million in 2003. Unless he can finally stay healthy and produce at end, look for the Dolphins to part ways with Gardener next spring.

Because of the loss of 2001 starter Kenny Mixon and backup Lorenzo Bromell to Minnesota via free agency in the offseason, Gardener's move to end makes sense. But the wheels for the switch were put in place before the Dolphins knew they were going to lose Mixon and Bromell, as Miami signed Carolina defensive tackle Larry Chester to a five-year, $9.5 million contract.

Chester and Bowens will start, with Gardener shifting inside in passing situations. The Dolphins hope to sign a veteran end to compete with David Bowens and Adewale Ogunleye for playing time on passing downs.

The Dolphins unsuccessfully tried Gardener at end as a rookie in 1996. While he should prove solid against the run, it's questionable whether Gardener has the burst to get around the edge to pressure quarterbacks. For added speed, Gardener has dropped to 295 pounds. He also believes the fact opposing teams haven't seen him at end will serve to his advantage.

"What they don't know can hurt them," Gardener said. "When I come around that corner, they'll find out."
 
some times i wish he wouldnt voice it so loudly if at all as other teams use him as a motovational tool
 
opps kids hit the mouse button . just do it on the field and teach the other team a lesson ie st lambs we shouldve won that one too.
 
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