MIAMI GARDENS — At the end of a weekend in which he cut almost half the players in training camp, swung two trades that netted a backup quarterback, made the largest plunge of any general manager in the waiver pool and constructed a practice squad, Jon-Eric Sullivan was making no apologies for the state of the Miami Dolphins.
“It’s always about getting better,” he said. “If you deem something is not good enough, then you have to address it.”
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Sullivan had just learned that the Dolphins had been awarded seven players off the waiver wire — more than double any other NFL team — among the series of moves that together say the Dolphins’ braintrust wasn’t close to being satisfied with the players they had in training
camp.
“If we sit on our hands so that it’s comfortable, then I’m not doing my job as a general manager,” he said. “ … We’re in a unique spot. We had to do some things in the spring that are unprecedented and so there’s cause and effect to everything you do.”
Sullivan touched on a variety of subjects during a half hour session with the media. Among them:
◦ At inside linebacker, the Dolphins waived last year’s starter and defensive signal-caller, Tyrel Dodson, in favor of second-round pick Jacob Rodriguez. Sullivan said Dodson was “very professional” when told the Dolphins preferred to part with him rather than keep him as a backup. It was the most surprising decision leading to the roster reduction to 53 players.
“T-Dod showed up, he was a pro, he competed,” Sullivan said. “It’s a very fair question, like, ‘Why would you move on from T-Dod?’ But I think it really just highlights how we feel about the young guys on the team.”
Dodson reportedly is joining Carolina's practice squad.
◦ Sullivan swung two deals in which he essentially traded backup quarterback Quinn Ewers in favor of Kyle McCord, who was deemed expendable by Green Bay.
“This is a performance-based business and it was not getting done at the level that it needed to get done at,” Sullivan said. “Quinn knew that. We had a lot of conversations. I think Quinn, if he was standing right here, would tell you that.”
Turning to McCord, Sullivan said, “I’ve always been a fan of his. I feel like, when you watch the kid play, he’s a ‘keep the train on the tracks’ kind of guy. I think he processes the game quick. I think he throws an accurate, catchable football.”
Miami Dolphins didn't expect Chris Bell to play until October
◦ Sullivan is pleased with the three receivers he drafted (Chris Bell, Caleb Douglas and Kevin Coleman). Sullivan revealed that the Dolphins did not expect Bell to have recovered from last season’s knee injury in time to play in the preseason finale last week.
“Our expectation was him probably getting back after the bye,” said Sullivan, referring to the weekend of Oct. 18.
Sullivan said Douglas “needs to be more consistent,” Coleman “has all the things that you want to see in a young receiver” and Bell “is different, man — guy’s 220, 228, 230 pounds and can run.”
◦ Sullivan challenged backup running backs Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II to spell De’Von Achane to preserve his legs and extend his career.
“The other two got to step up so that we have faith in those guys to spell Achane and feel like we don’t drop off.”
◦ Sullivan gushed about guard Kadyn Proctor, Miami’s top draft pick, saying when he gets his hands on people “and moves people off the ball, it looks different than everybody else. And he presents Malik (Willis) with a very firm pocket.”
Hal Habib covers the Miami Dolphins for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at HHabib@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: GM Jon-Eric Sullivan, on flurry of moves: Dolphins weren't good enough
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