Cornerback Ken Crawley had a premonition early this season he might end up in Miami, and he's excited now that it actually has happened.
Crawley took part in his first practice with the Dolphins on Thursday, one day after being claimed off waivers from the New Orleans Saints, the only team for which he had played after arriving in the NFL in 2016.
"It's funny because my agent and I have been talking and we always were talking about a place like Miami, the Jets and stuff," Crawley said. "This was early in the season and I had a feeling that I'm going to be there, and if there's one place I want to go and grow with a group of guys that's up and coming, it's here. It's a perfect place, perfect opportunity. I'm excited to be here."
Crawley started 23 games in those three-plus seasons with the Saints after joining the team as a rookie free agent in 2016.
Ironically, his one career interception came against the Dolphins, as he picked off Jay Cutler in the end zone in the fourth quarter of the Saints' 20-0 victory in London in 2017.
Crawley is hoping for more interceptions and more starts with the Dolphins, though he first has to get acclimated to the defense and the way the team does things.
"Sure, absolutely," Crawley said about his goal of starting. "That's what I'm trying to do. If not, they can just plug me in and I can just help wherever. I'm just here to help these guys, help them grow, mature. If I have to play that leader role with those guys, I will do so.
"I'm pretty much a laid-back kid, so I've just got to get caught up," Crawley said. "That's my main thing. Stuff here is pretty easy, man-to-man. That's what I like playing. I don't think it'll be that difficult (to learn)."
With Xavien Howard on injured reserve and Eric Rowe having played safety the past two games, the 26-year-old Crawley is the veteran guy among the cornerbacks.
"I've played a lot of ball and I've played with a group of good cats and my old cornerbacks coach was actually a great cornerback coach to me, mentor, father figure to me, as I look at it," Crawley said. "I've been taught so much, so much, and anything I could teach those guys, I'm (happy) to teach them."
Crawley, whose DB coach in New Orleans was longtime Jets cornerback Aaron Glenn, had another reason to be happy Thursday.
He grew up in Washington, D.C., and is very proud of his city, so he was very much enjoying the Nationals' victory in Game 7 of the World Series on Wednesday night. He actually has a couple of Nats tattoos, one on his wrist and one on his stomach.
"I'm just representing D.C.," he said. "My Nats won. The city is back on the map, with the hockey team too. The Mystics (of the WNBA) won this year. We're doing good down there."
Baseball season now over, Crawley is looking to make the most of the second half of the football season.
He played one game for the Saints this season, but he's ready, willing and able to start contributing for the Dolphins.
"Obviously I'm going to miss my guys down in Nola, but I'm ready to start working," Crawley said. "Anywhere they can plug me in, I'm ready to play."
