What to Expect from the Colts

Q. You mentioned Lou Anarumo, former Dolphins defensive back coach, went on to become DC with the Cincinnati Bengals. Now with the Colts, taking over a defense that was not good last year. What's the expectation for the defense with Anarumo now in charge?

SH: I would say there's there's guarded optimism. They have some legitimate personnel on that side of the defense. Their defensive line should be really good. I thought they underperformed like crazy last year, and so one of the things that Zaire Franklin and some other guys have told me, DeForrest Buckner as well, is that there's a more attacking style here and there's less thinking for those guys. So this is going to be a more attacking style for the front seven. And they're excited about that.

The guy that I think is the key piece to this is Laiatu Latu, the second-year player from UCLA. This is the most talented player in their front seven. I'm telling you right now, not even close. He's the most talented player. He just has to figure it out. He was Mr. Almost last year. I think he ended up with like four sacks. It could have easily been 10, but that's the league, right? It's like, it's about finishing. He didn't finish, but this year they're going to feature him and they're going to try to get him matched up. I am sure the Dolphins have watched the tape and recognize the potential there and what he can be. I would say mildly optimistic about the defense. I think it will be better, and it should be better.

THOUGHTS ON NEW DOLPHINS CB BRENTS

Q. What do you think the Dolphins are getting in JuJu Brents?

SH: Long, very, very long physically, right? 6-2. I mean, if you built a cornerback in a lab, he might look like JuJu. So he looks the part. He's not a burner. He's not a top-end speed guy, but that didn't matter so much with the old scheme that they played here, which was heavy, heavy zone. It was more about short-area quickness and those kinds of things. It was a good fit for that.

The problem is he just never was out there. But it wasn't just the injuries. The switch to the press man system wasn't a great fit for him. And I don't think Anarumo really saw him as a great fit for what he wanted to do. So that contributed as well. If he can ever stay healthy, I am dying to see what he can do with some playing time. I mean, I think in his first game, he was hurt as a rookie, I think in camp. He came in hurt from the draft, and then he got banged up again, missed several games to start the season. The first game he played, he came in and like within two plays had a forced fumble. I'm like, OK, this kid has instincts, you know, he can play. But I have nothing to base that on because it's just been so the the opportunities to watch him have been so brief and fleeting.

Q. Let me move on quickly to Shane Steichen, who has some similarities a little bit to Mike McDaniel in that he was a young offensive coordinator with a very good team. And maybe a little bit of an under-the-radar head coaching candidate before he was hired by the Colts. And as maybe another similarity is perhaps the views on him a little bit mixed in Colts fandom land.

SH: In terms of his personality, I think they're very different. Mike is thoughtful and introspective. Nobody's like Mike, right? There is something interesting in that their intelligence I think is on a similar level like Shane is. He processes like crazy, like he starts talking ball to you, and I I can't keep up. I'm like, wait, I'm still three thoughts ago. Man, like slow down. So I think they have that in common.

But the problem, I guess, when you're a great offensive strategist and you have all these ideas, it doesn't necessarily make you a good head coach. So for at least for Shane, but the questions then become, how do you deal with things in the locker room, how do you deal with, can you win, right? I mean, just in-game decisions, all these kinds of things that has nothing to do with can you drop an offensive game plan? So those are the questions that he has to answer.

And so when I ask people around the league, like, what do you think about Shane Steichen? They think, oh, high level offensive strategist, like elite. They love him. And then they're like, well, as a head coach, we'll see. And that's kind of where everybody is. Now, in his defense, he hasn't had any quarterback stability. And he's taken a little bit of a gamble here by going with Daniel Jones because I think he is the guy leading that decision as far as I can tell. But in two years, with a lot of quarterback changes, he's 500. So it could be worse under those circumstances and he's held his own. So I think this year is the year that kind of tells us more and gives us some clarification.

Q. You mentioned Tyler Warren earlier and you were like gushing and he was picked immediately after the Dolphins selected Kenneth Grant and there were some suggestions maybe the Dolphins would make a move for him. They didn't, took Kenneth Grant to address a need on the defensive line. So tell me what's got you so excited about this guy.

SH: I think he's everything that they claimed he was going to be. We always talk about what draft picks can be in theory, how they fill the need and how they're going to use them and all these things. And then at least so far, joint practice and preseason, there hasn't been a day where I'm like, you know, did they get it right? There hasn't been one day. There has not been one day.

His ability to catch everything is just fantastic. He has strong hands, and that's the one thing the coaches gush about, is like, sure, you want every ball to be perfect. But even if it's not, if he has to go down low and get it, if he has to go up high, reach across his body, if he gets his hands on it, he catches it. I mean, he just doesn't drop it. It's amazing, remarkable. And then the other thing is, after the catch, look, he is not going to be sort of this Sam LaPorta kind of player where, just a real impressive athlete per se. But he plays so powerfully that it's going to take multiple guys to bring him down if he gets a full head of steam. So you're going to see a lot of tight end screens, I believe. I think you'll see you might even see him in the backfield. I mean, all the stuff that he did at Penn State, it's in there somewhere. It's in the playbook. Yeah. So he is just a really impressive player.

Q. Do you have overall thoughts on the game and then your own gut feeling as to how this might play out?

SH: So it's tricky, obviously, because I think the weird thing is, it's funny, the weaknesses may cancel each other out here. So, like, I have questions about the Dolphins defense. Fair, right? And certainly the secondary. And it's uncertain. And I think that the Colts’ strength is, well, one of their strengths is their weapons, their offensive weapons. But then the quarterback is a question. So I don't know how all that's going to shake out. What is that going to look like? I don't know.

But I do think the Colts, when you throw in the running game, I think the running game could tip the balance here. Jonathan Taylor is healthy. He looks good — 1,400 yards last year. I think the run-pass balance is going to be the key. If they can do that and achieve that balance, and the defense holds up, I like the Colts in this game. But I don't feel great about it, OK? I don't feel great about it.

But I like the fact that they have they definitely tightened up their weakness, which was their secondary. I like Charvarius Ward going and matching up with Tyreek (Hill) or Jaylen (Waddle). The other side, we'll see. It might be a reintroduction to Xavien Howard, and we'll see how that goes. Cam Bynum, back at free safety, who has been all over the field in preseason. So I like the back end of their defense more than I have in a long time. And their defense up front has the potential to really be good. So a nice balanced roster, I think, with the exception of the questions at quarterback. I do really like the roster. So slight edge to the Colts.

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