Miami Dolphins DE Cameron Wake: 'We don’t have complacent guys'

One of the hardest workers on the team, and one of the most respected edge rushers in the NFL, Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake could care less what pundits think of the Miami Dolphins this year.

Literally.

Wake was asked his opinion about some national media and sports betting sites listing the win total for the Dolphins at 7.5, meaning most casinos don’t expect the team to win more than seven games this season.

“I couldn't care less,” he said. “To me, the outside world - it doesn't matter if they're praising you or condemning you - it means nothing. Because the only people that go out there and have to make it happen are the guys who are putting on the Dolphins colors week in and week out. It doesn't make a difference either way.”

For Wake, who has a stellar reputation as a workout warrior, finding a weakness and working to improve that part of his game has been his modus operandi for years. Simply put, he outworks everyone. And when asked how the team can improve from last year’s performance, he doesn’t cut much slack for his teammates.

“Do more,” says Wake when asked how to improve this coming year. “It's simple mathematics. If you did X, Y and Z and we got to where we got to, now you have to go … start over … and do more. To me, everybody looks at everybody in this locker room and upstairs, look in the mirror and you know there is maybe an area that you can improve on. If it's on the field, off the field, sleeping better, eating better, whatever it is to make yourself even better than we were last year. Each man has to do that. And if we do that individually and collectively, I think that's how we make it happen.”

Wake isn’t satisfied with making the playoffs last year, especially with two lopsided losses to end the season. He doesn’t consider making the playoffs the goal that this team should strive for.

He wants more.

“Hopefully (just making the playoffs) wasn't the goal,” he says. “That was just a stepping stone to obviously greater things. Most of the guys who are still here know what that journey was like. We know what it took, how hard it was, every week, scratching and clawing, winning close games, the sacrifices it took day in and day out to say we only got so far. If anything, now you know what it took to get that far. Now what do we have to do to go even a step further to reach our ultimate goal? We don't have complacent guys. We have guys who are hungry and thirsty to do more. And they already know what it takes. It starts now.”

Confidence has never been a problem for Wake, and he doesn’t think this team, with the “New Miami” slogan, lacks in that area either.

“The reality is the guys in the locker room want to believe. And we'll go out and get the job done.”

​This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball