Jesse Davis – May 29, 2019
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Tuesday, May 29, 2018
G Jesse Davis
(How has life at guard been for you as opposed to playing guard and tackle last year?) – “Yes, it’s definitely a lot easier focusing on one spot. It’s the same as last year. I finished the season out at guard so I’m not shocked to be there; but it’s a lot better to be there rather than switching from left to right or vice versa.”
(When did you find out you were going to be a full-time guard? I think when we talked to you at the golf tournament, you weren’t sure.) – “It was actually Day 1 of OTAs. (Offensive Line) Coach (Jeremiah) Washburn called me up and he was like, ‘Hey, we haven’t told you yet.’ (laughter) I was like, ‘Well, I figured it would kind of come out somewhere.’ He said, ‘You’re going to get the right guard spot starting out.’ He said he thinks I earned it and they like what they see so far.”
(We always hear coaches say they want to get guys prepared for different positions but is it almost better to just say this is where you’re going to play and when a problem arises, you just fix it as it comes?) – “I guess to answer your question, it’s better off to have one spot and play that, that way they know exactly what they’re looking at and not be like, ‘Oh, I guess he had two reps at left tackle during that series,’ and not be like ‘He took all of them at right guard so he wasn’t facing adversity. He’s trying to do his job.’”
(What was your reaction when Offensive Line Coach Jeremiah Washburn says you’ve got the right guard spot?) – “I guess I was kind of surprised when he said, ‘You’re getting the start right guard spot.’ He obviously said I earned it and it made me feel good about my field of play during last season. Obviously I have a lot to grow and a lot to learn; but I was happy about it. I feel like I finally have a foot in the door somewhere, where I can kind of project myself into my career.”
(Are your wedding plans still going well?) – “Yes, they are. June 30th.”
(Head Coach Adam Gase said chemistry is the reason he wanted five guys running together a lot, like as much as possible. What do you think are some of the keys or the biggest key to actually getting chemistry right?) – “Obviously just getting those reps, especially right now with no pads on, it’s a lot different. Your hand placement has to be on point, like you’re passing off a guy to my right tackle or center. Just getting those reps and getting those timing things down – the timing steps either with your center or your tackle – and just going through practice and getting those reps are valuable.”
(You said that you were surprised when they basically announced that you were the starting right guard. Why the surprise?) – “I guess because I’m a younger guy and we’ve got guys coming off injuries coming back. I thought Ted Larsen was primarily a right guard and he’s had 50 (or so) more games than I do. I was kind of surprised in that aspect. Ted’s a great player. I’m glad they think that (it’s a good idea) putting me there and get my reps and we can win it that way and see who is better at that position.”
(Is it crazy to think about, because at this time last year, you were coming off and you were on the practice squad. You weren’t even sure of making the roster and now you’re a starter.) – “Yes, it was definitely a rollercoaster. You go from all of those injuries to getting those valuable reps to becoming a starter and kind of sitting back going, ‘Whoa. Things are happening pretty quick.’ Now I’m in a position to where I’m starting versus, ‘Am I a bubble guy? Am I going to be released here if they sign a different guy?’ It’s definitely a rollercoaster.”
(Was it a matter of getting a chance? What did you learn or do?) – “I think getting a chance and also believing in myself. I always asked ‘Can I play in the NFL?’ I finally got a game under (my belt) and I’m like, ‘This isn’t too bad. I can actually do this.’ Just getting that confidence and thinking what you can do.”
(What do you think about the offensive line in general? There have been two new additions – G Josh Sitton and C Daniel Kilgore. How do you see the line coming together? How good can this line be?) – “I think it’s going to be really good. Getting Sitton and Kilgore, they’re really good players – tough players. (They have) tons of games under their belts. They can teach our room a lot. We’re kind of relatively young in the room. Getting those two older guys in will help a lot. It will be crucial.”
(Have you seen any G Josh Sitton video? Is there anything that you’ve seen him do on film and you’re like “Wow. I would like to do some of that stuff.”) – “Yes, just about everything. (laughter) We watched a lot of Chicago film with (Head Coach Adam) Gase, so seeing (Sitton) and his game reps from previous years, he’s a great athlete. You wouldn’t expect it as a big guy, but he’s a hell of an athlete. He can move. He can do it all. You kind of want to take some of his aspects of games and say, ‘Maybe I can use this on a certain play,’ or if you’re struggling or something, because he has a lot of good things and good qualities.”
(G Josh Sitton said he might shave. He said he might shave his facial hair.) – “That’s probably because it’s too humid down here for him. (laughter)”
(Would you ever consider that or is that off the table?) – “Me? Shaving? No, I wouldn’t’ shave. But (Josh) Sitton? I don’t know. We’ll see.”
(So what’s the wedding planning been like?) – “Just hectic. (laughter) We’re getting so close to it, you’re just kind of like … All you want to do when you get home is do your own thing and watch film; but she wants to wedding plan. (laughter)”
(Did you argue about where you’re going on your honeymoon?) – “No. It was actually … We’ve never been to Hawaii and we thought Maui would be pretty fun.”
(Yikes. Are you aware what’s going on over there?) – “Yes. It’s a different island. We’re good. (laughter)”
(If it was Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke, he would climb the volcano.) – “(laughter) Yes, we’ll see how it gets.”
(The level of interaction the offensive line has with QB Ryan Tannehill, has he taken you all collectively as a group out for an outing yet? Just how much is there in terms of you guys interacting?) – “No, we haven’t actually done anything yet. Hopefully he has something up his sleeve though. (laughter) But no, just locker room stuff and on the field. Him being in the building, he’s a hell of a worker. I don’t think I’ve ever been in and not seen him in the building when I’ve been in here. He’s always doing something – rehabbing, getting extra (treatment), coming up to us with something like ‘Hey, we’re going to try this today or we might try that.’ It’s awesome what he does. He’s a great leader. He gets us all together and gets us all on the same page. I think it’s going to be awesome to work with him.”
(Do you get texts from QB Ryan Tannehill ever during the offseason?) – “No, I haven’t had any.”
(You obviously earned the starting job but what about continuing to earn the starting job?) – “Yes, that’s the thing is you have to hold it down. You can’t be like … You have to reinvent yourself every day. A coach told me that my rookie year and it’s always stuck with me. You can’t just come in here thinking that you’ve got something. You’ve got to come in here with an attitude and mindset that I’ve got to take that job every day. That’s why I’m the first one to see a mistake that I’ve made and I’m always hard on myself; but you have to have a fine line. You can’t beat yourself up because then you’ll forget the next play or something.”
(How much does confidence play a role in that because obviously the skills were there. As you said, it’s just doing.) – “Being in a game too, once you’re locked in, you’re locked in. You can think about the mistakes later; but yes, I just gained that confidence. You’re going against a guy that’s a pretty decent player and you’re like ‘Oh, we’ll see how this goes.’ You’ve kind of got to jump off that ledge and see what happens.”
(Was there a point – a time or a game – where you can point to where…) – “Probably my first start. I think (it was) Baltimore (on a) Thursday Night, under the lights. It was a pretty big stage. All of your friends are watching back home. You don’t want to make a mistake. I think it ended up being a pretty solid game (for me). I think I got bull rushed like 90 percent of the plays, so it wasn’t too bad.”
(How surprised were you by the C Mike Pouncey move and have you talked to Mike?) – “I talked to Mike when he left. I texted him and wished him well. Good for him. I think everybody deserves as much money as they can get in this league. I was surprised by the move and how quick it happened, right when we were coming up to OTA Phase I; but any more, nothing really surprises you too much in this league.”
(So where is the wedding?) – “Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. It’s on a lake. It’s like an Indian reservation. It’s really nice up there in North Idaho. You guys should Google it.”
(How did you choose that?) – “It’s actually about an hour and a half from where I went to college. It’s really pretty up there with the trees and a lake – a huge lake. I think (Brock) Osweiler has a cabin on that lake, so you should ask him about that. (laughter)”
