Jordan Poyer believes Miami Dolphins of past were prone to 'fold' facing adversity

MIAMI GARDENS - It's clear that new Miami Dolphins safety Jordan Poyer pulls no punches.

This is his 12th season in the NFL and he played the previous seven with Buffalo, where the Bills found much success against the Dolphins.

So what does Poyer think his experience can add to the Dolphins?

"I think just sharing the experience, you know, like I said, you know, playing against this team over the past few years, you know, you kind of, you get a sense of, okay, if you get on top of this team, they might fold," Poyer said.

Wow. Talk about no punches.

Jordan Poyer felt Miami Dolphins of past prone to fold

"And there's some teams that are, I mean, I'm just being honest, you know, so what is that?" Poyer said. "What is it that happens in those moments? So we're like, okay, we get hit in the mouth. You know, what happens in those moments? We're like, hey, we good. Let's bounce back. We're good. The game, it's a 60-minute game. It's a long game. So, you know, I've been in games where I've been up 24 points and end up losing.

"I mean, I've been in games and we've been down 21 points and ended up winning. So it's just continuing to just play, play the game. The game is gonna come down to the last series, the last play, so just keep playing, don't get stuck in that play that you didn't make or don't get stuck into X, Y, or Z of the past. You know, let's just keep playing, keep staying together. That's the biggest thing too, is being able to stay together."

Poyer is one of many new faces on Miami's defense.

Although Emmanuel Ogbah has returned and Shaq Barrett has shockingly retired, some new faces include: Kendall Fuller, Jordyn Brooks, Anthony Walker, Calais Campbell, Chop Robinson, Mo Kamara, Teair Tart and Marcus Maye.

Will Marcus Maye compete with Jordan Poyer to start?

Maye is a safety with some pedigree.

While it's certainly possible that Miami at times utilizes Jevon Holland, Poyer and Maye at the same time, does Poyer think the newly-signed Maye could cut into his playing time?

"I think there's always a competitive aspect to each season you go into, no matter if you are penciled in as a starter or not," Poyer said. "Every day you're out there competing against the opposing side of the football and then obviously the guys that are next to you. But I'm excited to have him as an addition of our group. I've seen him play, I think this is year 8 or 9 for him, I've seen him play. He played with the Jets for a little bit and now he was in New Orleans, had a really solid couple years out there. We're lucky to have him here so I'm excited to learn from him and compete with him and help his team with football games."

Poyer clearly believes the Dolphins need a tougher identity.

Buffalo has a toughness element on defense.

New defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver comes in from the Ravens, who have had a black-and-blue identity forever.

That seems to the brand Miami is going for on defense in 2024.

Poyer, 33, believes he's positioned well to contribute.

"I'm excited to be here," Poyer said. "I feel great. Honestly, I feel like this is healthiest that I've been in a few years. Last year, going into this season I wasn't all the way up to 100%. I feel 100% now going in. I know there's a lot of stuff being said about the age of me and whatnot but I'm excited to play. I'm excited to play football. It's a game I love. It's a game I appreciate. You know playing alongside my teammates, my coaches. It's given me a lot so I just want to give everything back to it."

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Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post . You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe . Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter . Help support our work by subscribing today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Jordan Poyer believes Miami Dolphins of past were prone to 'fold' facing adversity