http://prod.www.dolphins.clubs.nfl....-Himself/38de9758-3f78-4236-96cc-8b77f875c319Having gone through the offseason program with his new team, quarterback Josh Freemanis happy with how things have progressed since he signed with the Dolphins in early April.
Freeman is feeling more comfortable with his new teammates and with his new surroundings, although that transition was made easier by the fact he used to play for Tampa Bay and he also once lived in South Florida.
What hasn’t changed for Freeman from the time he signed is his biggest goal, one he said extends beyond trying to resurrect his NFL career after he went from first-round pick in 2009, to Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback in 2010 to unemployed in 2014.
“The goals coming into this thing just continue on a day-to-day basis to try to get better,” Freeman said. “I had an old coach tell me, you just want to keep stacking great days one on top of another. That’s what I’m going to try to do, every day try to out prepare myself, try to outperform myself and give it everything I have. If that’s the mind-set going into it, then at the end of the day, regardless of the outcome, it’s going to be a good deal. I’m definitely fired up moving into minicamp and on into training camp. It should be fun. Very happy to be a Dolphin.”
Because of his resume, Freeman was one of the Dolphins’ more interesting free agent acquisitions of the offseason even though the Dolphins appear pretty set at the quarterback position with starter Ryan Tannehill
The day after he signed with the Dolphins, Freeman said he wasn’t about to concern himself with how he fit in the pecking order at quarterback but rather keep focusing on making himself better.
“My goal is to come here and become the best player I can,” Freeman said. “Talking with the coaches, they are just all about everyone trying to get better at football, develop as a football player. That’s my goal. As far as spots on the depth chart, that’s up to the coaches. Obviously, Ryan has had a lot of success. Matt has had a successful career. I’m coming into it with a very humble mentality, a beginner’s mentality. Coach (Bill) Lazor’s offense is one that I’m not really that experienced in. At the same time, quarterback is what I’ve always done and I have a lot of confidence in myself as a quarterback. At the same time, you come into it with a beginner’s mentality and just work (your) butt off.”
Working hard is just what Freeman did throughout the offseason program, with the biggest focus being on learning the Dolphins’ offensive system.
“The main thing coming into it was the terminology,” said Freeman, who had 25 touchdowns against only six interceptions for the Buccaneers in 2010 when he posted an impressive 95.9 passer rating. “Playing in different offenses before, there’s a lot of nuances, lot of crossover in terms of terminology. It’s being able to find a way to understand the plays and the numbers, the protections, almost in an instantaneous manner so that when you hear the play you start going through your checklist of things you have to be aware of, where the ball needs to go, how can get the ball into the hands of these playmakers?”
One thing that Freeman says helped both on and off the field is the rapport among the four quarterbacks on the Dolphins roster — Tannehill, Moore, himself and McLeod Bethel-Thompson
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“The guys in the room, from Ryan to Mac to Matt Moore, they’re all great guys,” Freeman said. “It’s a lot of fun to be in that room and then you’ve got (quarterbacks coach) Zac Taylor and also (assistant QB coach) Ben Johnson. We have a great room. The guys are very supportive of each other, very energetic. We get a lot accomplished, a lot of work done, then we go out and compete. Guys are pulling for each other to do well. It’s a very healthy environment.
“It’s a very smooth transition. Guys are great on the team as far as trying to include me when it comes to going to dinner or whatever activity. I’ve spent time living down in South Florida before, (have) quite a few friends. I don’t feel so isolated like you expect coming into a new city. It’s been fun, a lot of fun.”
Definitely not worth having around competing with Matt Moore for the 2nd string position...at worst 3rd qb
