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Freedom! Dolphins LB Jerome Baker describes new coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense

david furones, south florida sun-sentinel
·4 min read

Dolphins linebacker Jerome Baker has seen his share of different NFL defenses in five seasons in Miami.

“Three or four,” he counts, noting that two of the systems he played in were similar.

As the latest change comes in the team going from Josh Boyer to Vic Fangio at defensive coordinator, Baker has noticed one thing in particular that stands out.

“It gives me some freedom to just go out there and just play ball,” said Baker, who is coming off the third 100-tackle season of his career. “Sometimes I ask, ‘What’s the rule on this?’ And he kind of gives me like, ‘It’s not really a rule; it’s kind of a go play ball.’

“Things like that for a player, just to have that freedom — I’ve been playing ball for a long time — so it’s one of those things of, ‘I know what I’m doing.’ He gives me the freedom to make a play, and I’m excited for that.”

What’s an example of something a defender has the freedom to do his own way under Fangio?

“Simple things like alignment,” Baker said. “Some instances it’s not just an exact thing; it’s kind of however you feel you can get your job done. … It gives you the freedom of you don’t have somebody looking over your back or trying to make sure everything is correctly right. Some guys play a different way and just that little freedom definitely helps.”

Baker was a third-round pick in 2018, initially playing under defensive coordinator Matt Burke in ex-coach Adam Gase’s last season at the helm. As the Dolphins went from Gase to Brian Flores, Patrick Graham was defensive coordinator in 2019. It was then Boyer in the three years that followed, the first two while Flores still oversaw the entire operation.

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Fangio, with 19 years of defensive coordinator experience and three as a head coach before he turns 65 in August, was brought in to fix a 2022 Miami defense that finished the regular season 30th in takeaways, 27th in pass defense, 24th in scoring defense and third-down defense and 18th in total defense. This despite having a talented group, albeit one devastated by injury last season.

“He just shoots you straight and he’s not going to sugarcoat it,” Baker said of the experienced Fangio. “He likes things the way he likes it, and so far it’s working out.”

Fangio’s scheme will incorporate a variety of zone coverages, a switch from the press-man and high blitz rates of Boyer. In each of the three seasons Boyer led Miami’s defense, the Dolphins ranked in the top three of blitz percentage, so expect that figure to drop with Fangio more selective in sending extra pass rushers.

“As needed and when I want to — versus having to,” Fangio said of his general blitz philosophy at his introductory press conference.

Beyond Fangio, Baker also returns with a new starting inside linebacker alongside him. The Dolphins signed former Titan David Long Jr., and Elandon Roberts, playing with Baker the last three seasons in Miami, went to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“He fits right in,” Baker said of Long. “His personality, everything he does, he just fits right. I’m excited. He came in and he just strictly just wanted to work and just get each other better. And man, he’s been doing that. Communication has been on point, so I’m excited.”

With defensive additions such as Fangio, Long and star cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Dolphins, Baker understands expectations are rising in Miami. As the team charges through Phase 2 of its offseason workout program before opening organized team activities May 22, though, the focus is on the present.

“Mike [McDaniel] does a great job of just keeping us focused on what we’re on right now,” Baker said. “And that’s the offseason and just getting back to football and how we do things. But of course, you look around the room. You can tell we have a talented group. We had a talented group last year, but we just added more guys, guys got more experience.

“I don’t think we said it out loud what our expectations are, but you can just feel the energy of our expectations are high. And that’s why everybody’s here and we’re already working. We’re all locked in.”