Reshad Jones – May 30, 2017
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Tuesday, May 30, 2017
S Reshad Jones
(What does this defense need to do to improve? I know that’s a broad question but you know what the rankings were last year. What do you think this defense needs to focus on to improve?) – “I think like every other defense in the National Football League, (you have to) stop the run first. We’ve got to be solid on the run and I think if we can handle that, everything else will be alright.”
(Why has stopping the run been a problem? Not just last year, but for several seasons in a row now?) – “For different reasons. Missed fits or missed tackles. It just varies. (There are) different reasons.”
(How much are you looking forward to getting the season going because of how your season ended last year?) – “I’m pretty excited. I watched the playoff run with our guys last year and I wasn’t out there, so I’m pretty excited to be back and to be able to help our team win some football games.”
(What was it like to watch that last year considering you’ve been here since 2010 and hadn’t made the playoffs and now they finally make it and you’re on the sidelines?) – “It was kind of brutal for me but I was happy for my guys that we made the playoffs finally and made that push. But it hurt for me.”
(At what point were you cleared completely physically to resume all football activities?) – “I think after I did my physical. I got cleared a little bit before that but then I got fully cleared after the physical.”
(When was the physical?) – “Last week?”
(So just recently you were cleared?) – “Yes.”
(How was the recovery? What was that like for you?) – “It was a long process. I was in a sling for a while. It was a long process. I’m back fully healthy right now, so I feel good.”
(Was that the toughest challenge you’ve had in your career you would say?) – “I believe it is.”
(How would you describe Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke’s leadership style and personality?) – “Pretty much like (former Defensive Coordinator) ‘V.J.’ (Vance Joseph). He coached under ‘V.J.’ They’re close friends. (It’s the) same defense. Nothing really changed for me. I think it will be fun playing under Coach Burke. He knows a lot too. He knows the system, so I think it will be fun.”
(DT Jordan Phillips was just up here and he was telling us how he needs to be better and how he needs to get more consistent instead of running hot and cold. What have you noticed about Jordan Phillips in the time that he’s been here?) – “A great talent. He’s got all of the athletic ability in the world. I think he can be as good as Ndamukong Suh. Like you said, he just (needs to) put the work in and he’ll be alright.”
(Has DT Jordan Phillips always been – I don’t know how much you interact with him – he’s always been very candid with us about how he needs to be more consistent. Is he like that when you’re around him or whatever defensive meetings that you’re in with him?) – “I think he demands a lot from himself. I think he knows his potential and he just wants to fully reach his potential, like all of us want him to do. Like I said, he’s a great talent. He has all of the athletic ability in the world. I think he can be a big force for us.”
(Obviously last year it was important for you to get that contract. What’s goal No. 1 for you going forward now?) – “Just do all I can to help this team win. Just be consistent, be the guy I’ve always been for this team and for this organization and just be consistent.”
(I know your place in the league, where you see yourself among the best safeties in football is something that’s important to you. Is that still the case?) – “Of course. I just do that to push myself, for me to be better. I always felt like I’m one of the best safeties in the league and I still feel that way. I just want to continue to do that and go out and prove it.”
(Building off of that, kind of an offbeat question. How does it feel when you’re introduced as Pro Bowl safety Reshad Jones and do you still consider yourself a Pro Bowl safety?) – “Oh yes, of course. Numbers don’t lie. My numbers are top of the line of all of them, if we look at the numbers. I don’t really worry about that now. The contract is behind me. Everything is cool. I’ll be here for a while. My main focus is to go out and do everything I can to help this team win some football games.”
(Do you like that title? How often do you hear that – Pro Bowl safety?) – “I hear it a lot. It makes me feel good. All of my hard work and dedication has been noticed.”
(What have you said to WR Jarvis Landry or might you say to Landry about the best way to approach and handle when there is a contract extension discussion?) – “Just continue to do the right things, buy into the system, be the leader that you are for the team and for the offensive side of the ball and just to continue to do things the right way and this organization will reward you.”
(When did you get that belief or conviction?) – “Last year, they just told me continue to do the right things. They’re just not going to do things two years before it was time. Everything was right. They kept their word and they made it happen.”
(How is your work with S Nate Allen turning out so far? The cohesion that you need to operate…) – “It’s going pretty good. He’s a veteran guy in the league so we complement each other well. He’s played a lot of football. I think he fits right in. We both played a lot of football and have a lot of snaps so it’s cool.”
(Do you realize you’ve had eight safeties start next to you throughout your career here?) – “I knew I had a lot but I didn’t know it was eight. (laughter)”
(What does it take to create that kind of chemistry with a new guy?) – “Luckily, like I said, I have a veteran guy in Nate (Allen). We both came out – this is our eighth season so we came out (in the same draft) together. I kind of knew him. He knows ball. It’s just bonding. Like this time, during OTAs, just take the time to kind of learn each other (and) get the communication down pat, because we’re like the quarterback on the defensive side of the ball. Basically, getting these reps out here is critical during this time in spring ball.”
(What other player that you’ve seen out here has sprung forward in your head as impressive to you?) – “Tony Lippett is looking good this spring. He’s making some plays. T.J. (McDonald) is running around pretty well. He’s another safety that I think, when he gets back – or whatever his situation is – he’ll be able to help us also. Right now, I think Tony Lippett is playing pretty good.”
(How important to you is your ability to stop the run and where does that come from? You almost seem to have a linebacker mentality against the run. Can you talk about that?) – “I just have a knack for the ball. I was always taught there’s only one football on the field, so get to the ball. It’s just my instincts (and) my God-given ability to be able to get to the ball like that.”
(How important in your mind is CB Xavien Howard’s growth to your group of defensive backs? And from watching a little bit from when he was healthy last year, just thoughts on how he played and where he could improve?) – “I think ‘Zay’ can be one of the top corners in this league. I think he still has a long way to go, but he’s progressing from last year until now. He’s learning different formations and how to handle different splits and things like that. I think he’ll be a tough guy to handle once he fully gets the whole thing and gets a couple more snaps.”
(After last season, CB Byron Maxwell was talking about how good he thinks this secondary can be. This was just before we found out that S Isa Abdul-Quddus wasn’t going to be back. Now that we know Abdul-Quddus won’t be here and to see the pieces that are in this building, where do you see this secondary ranking?) – “It’s early to put any rankings or anything like that; but I do think we have a good group. We have a lot of good pieces in Nate Allen we added and T.J. (McDonald). ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) is playing good and like I said, Tony Lippett is playing probably the best ball he’s been playing. I think we can be special. We’ve got the ball rolling in the right direction, we’ve just got to continue to put the work in and make it happen.”
(How much different is the culture this season coming into the second year under Head Coach Adam Gase as opposed to dealing with a rookie head coach, after what you guys were able to accomplish last year?) – “I think it’s a lot better than previous years because this is the second year with our head coach. The bond is there. A lot of guys hang out outside of this building. I think the camaraderie is better than it’s ever been, since I’ve been here. I think we’re building something special here. Like I said, I think we’ve got the ball rolling in the right direction. We just need to keep it going.”
