New Dolphins coach Adam Gase sent his first big message: Perform or take a seat.
"I'm over discussing any of this stuff with players," Gase said, via the Miami Herald. "We're either going to start getting the job done, or we're going to make changes."
Gase began his benching fury on Sunday, telling right tackle Ja'Wuan James to grab some pine after the former first-round pick got burned badly on a rush that led to a strip sack on the Dolphins' final drive of the fourth quarter. If the Cleveland Browns had a competent placekicker, the sack would have cost Miami a win in their home opener. Gase knows his team could be 0-3 right now.
"We just want guys to do it right," Gase said. "Whoever wants to do it right, those are the guys that we're going to put out there. Talent's irrelevant at this point."
Gase wouldn't say whether James would get his job back after what the coach termed two "bad" plays. In reality, Gase might not have a better option than James.
The Dolphins offensive line has been abysmal through three weeks. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was under siege on Sunday against a Browns defense that lacks playmakers. What will it look like Thursday night against Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap?
Veteran players understand Gase's "perform or bench" ultimatum.
"In the NFL, if you don't do your job, they're going to find a replacement," corner Byron Maxwell said. "It's a lot of guys that want to do your job and want to do the right thing."
Added guard Jermon Bushrod: "They're going to make whatever decisions they want to make, they need to make. It doesn't make a difference how we feel about it. We're paid to play."
With a quick turnaround before facing the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football, exclusively on NFL Network, we'll see if the first-time head coach will make changes before the month is out.
"I think we've got a lot of improvement to make," Gase said. "The good thing is we get to line up and do it again on Thursday."
