Anthony Walker Jr. – July 26, 2024
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Friday, July 26, 2024
LB Anthony Walker Jr.
(What was the review on the playlist?) – “Oh it was a little bit of everything, trying to make sure everybody felt like they were home. I told them I was going to take them to practice and bring them out of practice, so I hope I did my job.”
(Tell us about the orange jersey performance yesterday and how you feel you’re fitting in and blending in overall?) – “Obviously, I think a lot of guys deserve it. I think we’ve been practicing really hard as a team. Defensively, offensively, special teams wise, a lot of guys getting better every day. Obviously, it’s only, what, Day 3? It feels like 23 – that sun adds a couple. (laughter) I’m thankful. I’m thankful for the opportunity. Last year I thought it would be almost the end for me towards the end of the season with the injury and everything, so to be out here, I’m grateful for the opportunity. I can’t overstate that enough just knowing that the game was almost taken from me. So just thankful for that and ready to keep working.”
(Tell me about the mental approach of coming back from an injury. How much of it is mental and how much of it is physical?) – “The game of football is all mental, for real, for me. Obviously, the physical part that’s just what it is when you play football, but as you get to this age and you get to the backend of your career, it becomes more and more mental. Just the daily grind – the day I stop loving the daily grind is the day you guys won’t see me out here anymore. I love coming out here with my teammates competing and getting better. Like I said, just opportunity – the opportunity to win as a team and opportunity to use the gifts that God has given me.”
(What did you think of QB Tua Tagovailoa out there today in 11-on-11s? He’s always the focal point, he didn’t practice yesterday.) – “He made a throw today, I was like, ‘Dude.’ It’s a play that the Mike linebacker – I’m just happy that I wasn’t in. (laughter) But the Mike linebacker should be there, but he threw the ball before I think Tyreek (Hill) was even out of his break. You see what he brings to the table, you see what he means to this team, how he pumps up the offense. They know when he’s out there, it’s just a different feeling. They love everybody, we love all the quarterbacks, but it’s a different feeling when (No.) 1 is in there, and I think the guys feel that.”
(Kind of piggy backing off of that on how this offense can stretch you vertically and create that space on the second level, how have you taken from that for your three days of practice, just how much space you have to defend against this offense?) – “I think I had to run 40 or 50 yards yesterday to defend a play, but I told (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel), the middle of the field is closed down while I’m in there. I take pride in that, and that’s what he prides himself on. He broke that down to us in OTAs. This is how the Mike linebacker plays, showed clips of Fred Warner just owning the middle, and I take pride in that. That’s my job, and us as linebackers, we take that challenge. Obviously, when you’ve got the speedsters out there, the ‘DBs’ are already stressed enough, so we don’t want them to have worry about covering the shallows as well. As long as we can take away the middle of the field and let those guys stay on top, we are doing our job.”
(The tipped interception, I think it fell through your hands. What are you kind of feeling after that?) – “Yeah, got to make the play. We’ve got to make those. The ball is so precious in this league. The more turnovers you can get, the more opportunity to set your team up for success. Any time we’re able to get hands on the ball, we got to come down with it. Obviously, I missed an opportunity today.”
(You’ve been with him for a few months now, Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver, how would you describe his coaching style?) – “I think you can tell he played the game. He played the game at a high level, and he understands and respect the grind that we go through as players, but also takes the approach of that he’s the coach and this is his show. I think from Day 1, I felt that from him, that confidence that he has as a coach, but also the understanding that there are going to be mistakes as players and that we’re going to keep learning and keep getting better. It’s a new scheme, but we’re all getting better from it. I think that he takes that approach every day. You love playing for a coach like that.”
(You’re coming from a really good defense in Cleveland where Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz is there. How would you describe the difference in styles of scheme? You both probably do a lot of blitzing but in different ways.) – “We always said that the Ravens were very exotic – they had a lot of looks for us when we were playing in Cleveland and playing those guys two times a year. Now being in it, I see why. You want to show a lot, but it’s the same for us. You want the offense to look like it’s 1,000 looks, but defensively, it’s very simple for us. I think that helps us. (Jim) Schwartz was a great coach, he has a great scheme as well. Obviously 3-4 and 4-3 is a little different, but at the end of the day, they are all about the same thing – stop the other team from scoring. It’s defense.”
(The front office made a big push to improve the linebacker position with the collection of players you have here. Does this compare to anything you’ve had before or is this the best collection of linebackers you’ve been around?) – “Oh, don’t get me doing that. (laughter) No, this is a great group. I think I put this 1A-1B with – I had a group in Indianapolis with me, Shaquille Leonard, EJ Speed, Zaire Franklin, Bobby Okereke, guys that are all starts and all captains for their team. I think that was a special room as well, and I think we’ve got a similar type of a group of guys as far as the leadership and all guys being able to play, step in and play big role for this team.”
(I saw you guys going against TE Jonnu Smith in one-on-ones today. What has he brought to this team?) – “I’ve known Jonnu (Smith) for a very long time. I played against him twice a year for four years when I was with Indy. He’s very special talent and explosive with the ball in his hands, and that’s any way you can get it to him. I saw him get a jet sweep today, I was like, ‘Alright, we’re just installing stuff now. We’re getting bored on Day 3.’ (laughter) But again, he’s a very unique talent at that tight end position, pretty much can run like a running back, catch like a receiver and then get down and block like an o-linemen. So a very special talent.”
(He was telling me about how he finishes his runs in the end zone when he catches a ball. Do you like talk to him like, “You were down, I got you down right there?”) – “Always. He’s always down, don’t let him tell you… He’s just running for cardio at that point. (laughter)”
(What’s it like to be back in South Florida?) – “It’s hot. (laughter) My dad was at practice today. He hasn’t seen me practice in the NFL before. He was like, ‘Hey man, how is it?’ And I’m like, ‘It’s hot.’ I haven’t practiced here in 12 years – since my last senior year of high school practice. Getting back used to that, obviously global warming is a real thing I’m assuming because it’s hotter. (laughter) But definitely just happy to be out here, be home. Like I said, my dad’s first time seeing me practice in the NFL is very special. Being able to have family come out every day is very special, so I’m thankful for that.”
