Dolphins’ Baker ready for chance
Jerome Baker grateful for opportunity to be a leader in Brian Flores’ defense
Linebacker Jerome Baker may be one of the most lighthearted and funloving Miami Dolphins
players.
But even new coach Brian Flores’ dry sense of humor has taken some time for Baker and the Dolphins to get used to.
When Flores’ hard-nosed demeanor softens with a smile and a playful attempt at a joke to lighten the mood, Baker said he and his teammates are often left bewildered like a deer seeing headlights.
“[Flores has] a strict, hard, drill-sergeant type of vibe, but then he comes in and cracks a corny joke,” Baker said earlier this week. “Everybody is serious so it’s like, are we supposed to laugh or are we not?
“He’s a great guy. It’s definitely fun to play under him.”
As Flores navigates his first season as an NFL head coach, he has already identified Baker, a second-year standout out of Ohio State, as a player who could make a significant impact on defense.
Flores’ scheme thrives from multiple looks at each level of the defense, and Baker seems to be an ideal fit. Baker, who has been on the field for the majority of plays, has been the team’s best linebacker in training camp. Baker and cornerback Xavien Howard have separated themselves as the best players on defense through the first two weeks.
Instead of being a traditional downhill type of linebacker, Baker’s size, strength and quickness make him an ideal linebacker in today’s NFL, where players are still being asked to shed offensive linemen and make big hits on opposing running backs while being nimble enough to drop into coverage to cover shifty receivers in space.
“To me, it’s just an honor. They ask me to do [more], so that’s what I’m going to do,” Baker said of his new responsibilities.
“I go in and make sure I take care of my body,” he said. “I study as much as I can. I’m just very grateful for it. I definitely don’t want to lose that, so I just constantly work on it. I’m definitely grateful.”
While it was believed the Dolphins would run some principles of a 3-4 defense in addition to a 4-3 scheme, Flores’ base package seems to be the nickel defense in which five defensive backs hone the secondary, two defensive tackles have a hand in the ground, one or two edge rushers are ready to pounce from the outside and two linebackers are ready for action in the middle of the field.
Particularly at the linebacker position, Flores wants players who can play both the run and pass. Baker and newcomer Sam Eguavoen, a former CFL standout and offseason signee, have been working out with the first-team defense in this role. They have been playing ahead of third-year linebacker Raekwon McMillan and seven-year veteran Kiko Alonso because of their ability to defend in coverage.
“The game is evolving. Right now it’s a passing league,” said Baker. “You just have to prepare yourself mentally and physically. That’s pretty much this whole offseason, I’ve been getting pre
pared for it. I wanted to get ready so whatever they say, I’m just ready for it.”
Baker is also being asked to play some outside linebacker where he can rush the passer — a role that Flores has bestowed on a number of players at multiple positions.
Edge rushers Charles Harris, Nate Orchard, Tank Carradine and rookie outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, linebackers like Alonso and newcomer Terrill Hanks and defensive backs like T.J. McDonald, Reshad Jones and Minkah Fitzpatrick have also saw some action in this role.
Baker’s added responsibilities are a byproduct from his tireless work learning the new defense throughout the offseason and into training camp.
“This is a talented guy,” Flores said of Baker. “He can win a one-on-one pass rush. At the linebacker position, we’re going to ask him to do a few things. We’re
going to ask him to rush. We’re going to ask him to cover. We’re going to ask him to tackle, play in the run game. So depending on what we have called, he may have to win a one-on-one. He may be involved in a scheme or he may have the freedom to do either.
“That’s kind of some of the things — if a player’s capable of doing that — really offensively, defensively or in the kicking game, we want to give him that freedom. That’s the style of ball I like to play. Players know that, but they have to earn that.”
Baker started 11 of the 16 games he played as a rookie last season, producing 79 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, a fumble and a pick-six touchdown.
Heading into his second season, he is confident the Dolphins have the potential to become a formidable defense.
“We just have to play together. That’s the main thing is just play together, play hard, play smart, play fast. Just like with any great defense, if you play together, it all works out.”