Byron Maxwell – May 31, 2016
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Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Cornerback Byron Maxwell
(On if he likes the responsibility that comes with being a veteran among a young cornerback group) – “It’s a responsibility that has to be accepted, regardless of (whether) I like it or not. It’s one of those things where you can get these young guys and you can mold them. And you can create something like we had in Seattle; something similar to that. I’m looking forward to it.”
(On coaches saying he has “starred” in practices thus far) – “I don’t know. I haven’t gotten too many … my hands on the ball. That’s kind of what I judge as a star, but sure.”
(On his battles with WR DeVante Parker) – “Yes. (Parker and I) have had good battles. He’s a great player. Not only him, (but WR) Kenny Stills and you have (WR) Jarvis Landry. Those three guys could be very special as a (wide receiving) corps. But yeah, Parker (and I) have had some good battles. He’s a strong kid and he can go up and get the ball too. (He has) good ball skills.”
(On how he has been able to use his press coverage skills in OTAs and if he is glad that’s part of the defensive scheme) – “Yeah, obviously. I pressed a little bit in Philly but I think that’s one of the strengths in my game and what I do. I’m looking forward to just going and pressing and playing that (way).”
(On if he has been using those skills right now with what the team is doing in OTAs) – “You can use them a little but you don’t have pads on so it’s a lot easier to get skinny. You can’t really punch him and get (as) physical as you would like. It’s a good way to train and work on your technique too, at the same time; because you can’t just rely on pads. You have to rely on moving your feet. That’s how you press. It is good work out there, right now.”
(On if he feels he has something to prove because he was traded) – “I always feel like I have something to prove but definitely, you’re the new guy in the locker room. Everybody is looking at you like ‘What can you do?’ They watch football just like everybody (else). The season I had just wasn’t … well, the beginning of the season. I always feel like I have something to prove. There are things on my list that I need to do; I feel like I need to do as an NFL player. It’s Year 6 so there is way more stuff to prove. I have a lot of years.”
(On his perception about whether others sold him short last season) – “Regardless of how it was sold or whatever, that’s what happened. As a player in the NFL, if your team is not doing well, you’re not doing well. That’s how I look at it and that’s the way it is.”
(On CB Xavien Howard and if he will fit in well with the scheme) – “I really do think he will. He’s athletic. He was born to be a corner(back). It’s a natural gift. You can see it in his hips and the way he moves.”
(On if he gives any tips to CB Xavien Howard and CB Tony Lippett on being a big cornerback) – “If they come to me and ask me a question, (then sure). I lead by example. That’s the best way to do it. If they ask me a question then I can give them feedback. That’s the best way of going about things. Obviously, if they ask me a question then they need the info. But if they don’t, just let them rock.”
(On how he uses his size to his advantage) – “Honestly, I get big at the top of the route – ball skills. I like to think of myself as a rebounder when the ball is coming – boxing out and just going up to get the ball. That’s how I think my game … when I think about it.”
(On trash talking with Head Coach Adam Gase) – “(There’s) a little trash talk in here. We do a lot of trash talking out there (on the practice field). It’s all good. It’s fun. We’re competing. When we’re trash talking, I’m like ‘Man, I can’t let (WR DeVante) Parker beat me because I’m going to hear Gase all in my ear.’ That’s one of the things we talk about – competing and everything. It’s fun out there. (Gase) gets me going.”
(On his bond with Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph and if he is the ideal skill set for him and his skill set) – “He works with DBs too so that’s always a good thing. You (don’t just) have (Defensive Backs) Coach Lou (Amaruno, but) you have Coach VJ (Vance Joseph) looking at you. You have (Assistant Defensive Backs Coach) Daronte (Jones). There’s a lot of eyes looking at your technique and what you need to do better and how to work at it. It’s always better, to me, when the defensive coordinator is also a DBs coach. Like I said, (Joseph is) always in the DBs room and he is always working with us too.”
(On CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu) – “He’s athletic. Early thoughts (are that he is) athletic. But it’s a long (offseason) and a long training camp. That will work itself out.”
(On getting your hands on the receiver in press coverage) – “Like I said, it’s all with your feet. Hands – that’s the extra on the punch that helps. Press (coverage) starts with your feet and your eyes (and) eye discipline. That’s where it starts with press, and you end at the top of the route (with) eye discipline. That’s the quickest way to get out and stay on top is eye discipline.”
(On what Head Coach Adam Gase says to him during practice) – “That’s between me and him. He’s definitely getting me going. That’s the key. When I’m out there, it’s in the back of my head. It really is, like, ‘I can’t let nobody beat me because I’m not going to hear the end of this.’ (laughter) That’s one of the things … That’s great though. That’s what you need. Iron sharpens iron. (WR) DeVante Parker is making me better. Hopefully, I’m making him better.”
(On whether it surprised him that Head Coach Adam Gase talks “trash” to the defense) – “Yes, because usually, you would hope the head coach doesn’t have a side (of the ball). But clearly he has a side, which is cool.” (laugher)
(On what else he hopes to achieve in his NFL career) – “Honestly, right now, I want (people) to say, ‘Whatever spot he went at, he helped the ball team. Wherever he went, he helped them win.’ To me, that’s the most important thing. When you leave the game, being known as a winner is far more important than any other self-accolades. That’s the most important thing right now. That’s what I want.”
(On whether he has surprised the wide receivers with his abilities so far) – “I don’t know. I don’t know what they thought of my game before this. We played (the Dolphins) last year (in Philadelphia), so I’m pretty sure they watched a good bit of tape. I don’t know what they think of me or what they thought of my game before I came here. I couldn’t answer that.”
(On T Branden Albert) – “I don’t know much about ‘B.A.’ (Branden Albert). I met him when I first coming out and I noticed he was a good guy. That’s about it. He was a cool dude off the field. But as far as on the field, I don’t know much about him.”
(On what excites him about this defense) – “Obviously, it starts up front. We have quality guys up front. We have a lot of depth, too. I’m excited about that – that front seven – and playing with the guys in the secondary, too. That’s one of the things (when) I think about the defense, and I think what we can be. Obviously, we have to put the work in – and it starts out there – but on paper and everything, I feel very good about it. I feel great about it.”
(On whether inexperience is a concern at cornerback) – “It’s one of those things … Sometimes you have to go through the firing (squad). That’ll make you, to be honest with you. Everybody was young at a point in time. That’s how I like to think about it.”
Jay Ajayi – May 31, 2016
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Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Running Back Jay Ajayi
(On how the running back room will replace RB Lamar Miller) – “I can only speak for myself and my objective is to be the starter of the team. That’s what I’ve been doing day in and day out – working to be that starter. I can’t speak on everyone else’s opinion, but I know that I want to be that guy.”
(On how much he has to prove this season) – “I know what I want to accomplish. Everyone else has opinions on what I can do and if I’m worthy enough, and I know how good I am. I know how great I can be. That’s my mentality coming in, day in and day out – to work, so that when I step out on that field, I can produce the way I know that I can and be the great back that I know I can be.”
(On how he is a better player in Year 2 than as a rookie) – “I feel like as a rookie, I went through a lot of things that some rookies haven’t had to go through such as the short-term IR (injured reserve) and not being able to go right away. Then coming back and actually put in positions to be on the field and make plays for the team. I think I definitely got to learn a lot through those adversities. Being able to come out for my first game playing and have success, that really helped me with confidence out there on the field. Now going into Year 2, having gone through a bunch of that stuff, I definitely feel more comfortable out there on the field. I feel like the game has definitely slowed down a lot more for me. It’s now (about) working on the details, working on consistency. That’s really what I’m harping on – being a lot more consistent with my game.”
(On RB Kenyan Drake) – “He’s bigger than I expected. He’s a big guy. He’s fast. I think that he’s going to bring talent to the room as well. I’m excited to continue to see him grow and see what he can do when we start really rolling in training camp.”
(On RB Kenyan Drake’s size and whether he can be used as a receiver) – “I just know for (his) size, he’s bigger than what I expected him to be. For his role, that’s what (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase decides. From what I’ve seen so far, he has been doing a good job.”
(On working with Head Coach Adam Gase) – “It has been really good. We started in April working with him, and it has been really great learning all (of) his offense and all the little details. It has been really fun. He’s a coach that makes you excited to go out there and play for him. He makes practice fun. It has been (a) really good time going out there, grinding with the team and getting better as a unit. We still have a long ways to go as an offense and getting where we need to be, but we’ve been doing well so far. We need to continue improving each practice we step out there.”
(On how he defines a great running back) – “I’d definitely say there are guys in the league that have done it the right way and have shown greatness at the running back position. I look at the way they play – and their style of running – and I try to take different things from those guys and add it to my game. For me, I know that I want to be up there when it gets down to it at the end of the season and be a guy that people say, ‘He did a great job for his team. He ran hard. He scored a lot of touchdowns (and) made a lot of big plays for his team.’ That’s what I want to be. I don’t want to be a hindrance to this team. I want to be a contributor, a guy that makes big plays for this team and scores touchdowns.”
(On which running backs he compares his style to) – “Guys like Marshawn Lynch is a guy that ran hard every time he touched the ball and made huge plays for that team. Time in and time out when he was called upon, he did his job. Guys like that … ‘A.P.’ (Adrian Peterson) right now … He has been doing it for years. When I talk about consistency, he’s a guy that I look at who is very consistent. You can count on him every game. It’s things like that I try to take and put it to my game (while) at the same time being a unique runner – being myself and having an identity of my own – and trying to go out there on the field and make big plays.”
(On the confidence G/T Branden Albert has expressed about his play) – “It gives me a lot of confidence. I’m excited for this opportunity. That has always been my thing – when I get the opportunity, I have to make sure that I take it, because opportunities can be very limited in this league. Hearing (Branden Albert) say that I’m going to hit it makes me want to work harder. When I run, I run for my teammates. I try to make plays, try to break tackles and make people miss for my teammates, trying to gain yards, trying to score. It’s all for them. Whenever I get a good run – and I come to the sideline – my teammates pat my back like, ‘Keep running like that,’ that just makes me want to run even harder. I feel like I’m a very selfless guy, and I want to make big plays and be a great running back.”
(On G/T Branden Albert’s health this offseason) – “Definitely looking at him, he looks lighter. I know from speaking with him, he says he feels a lot better than he has been in the past, last year. I think health is going to be a big key for how well we do on our offensive line. It’s been really great to have a lot of those guys back healthy. I know last year they were going through a lot of adversity (and) playing hurt. Some guys were out a number of weeks. I think as healthy as we can be on our o-line, we’re going to be a pretty good offense. It has been really good to have all those guys back out there (with T) Ja’Wuan (James) being back healthy, ‘Pounce’ (C Mike Pouncey) finally getting back out there. ‘B.A.’ (Branden Albert), he says he’s feeling good. It has been really great to have all those guys back on the o-line and seeing what our o-line should look like for the upcoming season.”
(On whether he believes one running back can carry the load in today’s NFL landscape) – “There are teams that do it one way and teams that do it another way. That would be up to (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase’s scheme (and) how he wants to get it done. I know that I can only focus on myself day in and day out and control what I can control, and that’s going to be my mentality and level of play. I’m constantly working on raising my game every practice, so (that) when my number is called – and (regardless of) how many times my number is called – I’m going to make big plays when that happens.”
(On G/T Branden Albert) – “I think overall, when you have a guy like ‘B.A.’ (Branden Albert), he has been playing in this league … Probably since I was in high school he has been in the league, and he has been playing at a high level. His leadership (and) those qualities are definitely needed out there (with) his strength in the pass game and the run game. He is one of the premier left tackles. He didn’t make it to the Pro Bowl by accident last year. We always want a guy like that out there on the field helping anchor down that left side.”
(On how he maximizes yardage as a running back) – “I definitely believe that … I pride myself on not trying to be brought down by one guy. Sometimes, the play isn’t always blocked up as best as it should be, and I feel like that’s when the really great running backs showcase their abilities whether it’s making guys miss, breaking and tackling and getting those yards back or making a big play out of it. I think that throughout my career – just from college up until a little bit last year – trying to break those tackles and make plays sometimes out of nothing, I definitely pride myself of being able to do that.”
Branden Albert – May 31, 2016
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Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Tackle Branden Albert
(On how he follows up on last season and carries it over to this year) – “Basically, towards the end of the season, I started coming back to the form I (had) before my injury happened. I started playing like the elite player I was playing before my injury. Now I just have to carry (it over to this year). Right now, I’m in the best shape I’ve been in in a long time. It’s the lightest I’ve been since I left Kansas City. As of right now, I’m just trying to keep continuing to get my body together and learning the offense and just continuing to work.”
(On how much lighter he is) – “I’m probably like 313 (pounds) right now.”
(On why he made the change to get lighter) – “Basically, I am getting kind of older. For the sake of my health and my joints and my knees, I just feel better. Right now I’m at a point that I’m strong enough to be lighter (I wanted to be lighter) just for longevity in my career.”
(On what he was thinking when G/T Laremy Tunsil dropped in the draft and if he knew much about him in college) – “I really didn’t pay attention to the draft. But watching the offensive tackles, I would try to pay attention and I just knew he was a great young player. When we got him I was like ‘It’s going to be a benefit for the offensive line.’ Well. the more the merrier, to be honest with you. It wasn’t … I know some people called me like ‘What’s going on?’ I (told them) ‘I’m the left tackle of this team.’ I wasn’t worried about anything. I’m trying to bring him along the best we can. The faster he moves along and the faster that his progress comes, and we get the five best offensive linemen on the field, we’re going to be the best offensive line we can be. That’s going to help this team out.”
(On how good the offensive line can be with the health of him and T Ja’Wuan James and the addition of G/T Laremy Tunsil) – “We can be pretty good but we have to put the work in. We have to listen to (Offensive Line) Coach (Chris) Foerster and other coaches: (Offensive Quality Control) Coach Kup (Chris Kuper) and (Assistant Offensive Line) Coach Wash(burn). And we have to stay healthy. That’s been our main problem. The big three: Ja’Wuan, C Mike (Pouncey and I). We probably played five games together in the last two years. We have to stay healthy somehow. A little bit of luck. A little bit of prayer. A little bit of extra work. Once all of us stay together healthy, I think we will be a pretty good offensive line.”
(On how much of an issue the health of the offensive line has been in the past) – “I think that’s been a key issue – all of us staying healthy at once. I went down. (C) Mike (Pouncey) was hurt at the beginning (of the season) two years ago. Then he came back and two games later, I get hurt. Last year, I finally come back. Mike (Pouncey), Ja’Wuan (James and I are) playing and I hurt my hamstring. Then I come back and Ja’Wuan (James) hurts his toe. Then towards the end of the season, all of us were banged up. But once we all stay healthy, we stay cohesive, and we find the right the five, I believe we could be a heck of an offensive line.”
(On if he likes the depth now up front) – “We have a lot of depth. Last year showed that we didn’t have (any) depth. Guys (were) forced to be put in bad situations and put in tough spots and try to make the best out of it. Some guys, at the time, were not equipped because they weren’t raised to be in a different position. They were rotating through certain positions and then, all of a sudden, you need to play right tackle. Well, the whole year they didn’t practice right tackle. So this year we have a lot of depth in a lot of areas (and) a lot of veteran players, so it’s going to be good for us.”
(On RB Jay Ajayi) – “I think he’s going to hit the holes. That’s his thing. He’s going to hit the holes. We’re going to open up the holes for him and he’s going to hit it. I’m not worried about him tiptoeing through the hole. He’s going to put his head down, find the hole and he’s going to get through there. We need someone else to step up in the running game too and run the ball. It’s our job to open up the holes and it’s his job to hit them. And I believe he will.”
(On if making the Pro Bowl had any special meaning) – “Of course. I battled through a real bad injury, which at the age that I was at going through that injury, a lot of people would have quit. Through all of that last year and people saying this and that about me – In the media and on Instagram and Twitter – (they) always have a remark about I can’t stay healthy and try to say I played half the season. I played 14 of 16 games and nobody gave me my credit coming back a week before the first game coming off an ACL, MCL and PCL injury. So of course it was gratifying. I’m happy about it but I would rather get wins and get my Pro Bowls at the same time.”
(On if he notices the injury anymore) – “Nope. That’s why I lost weight. In fact, right now I don’t feel it. I don’t notice it. (I’m) moving a lot better. I’m running around. I want to take my knee brace off but I’m not allowed to.”
(On who told him he can’t take his knee brace off) – “The training staff. I have to listen to what the training staff says.”
(On if quitting football ever crossed his mind) – “(Yes), at the beginning. In the third month of my rehab, I still wasn’t walking. Maybe at the fifth month of my rehab, I still wasn’t running. I said ‘How am I going to play in the first game and I’m not running yet at six months (after the injury)?’. But I was determined and I had the support of my teammates and my family. It was rough but I made it through.”
