DeVante Parker – July 29, 2017
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Saturday, July 29, 2017
WR DeVante Parker
(It’s only half packs, but how did it feel to get a little more physicality out there?) – “It felt good competing with the defense and seeing what they’re bringing and us competing with each other, going back and forth, it’s a good thing.”
(I think on Day 1 you had that 32-yard touchdown catch. What was it like to start off your camp and what do you remember about that play?) – “It was a great way to start off camp. I felt like I can go up and attack every ball that comes my way, and I don’t think anyone can get it from me. I just go up and high-point it. It’s the way it goes.”
(Who did you work with this summer to stay in shape? Who did you work out with?) – “I worked out with this guy named Adam. (He) stays out here in Davie about 10 minutes from here.”
(Did you throw with QB Ryan Tannehill at all before camp?) – “Yes, we threw with Ryan a little bit and also (Minnesota Vikings quarterback) Teddy (Bridgewater), so I threw with both of them.”
(Where do you think your comfort level with this offense is compared to last year?) – “Comfort level, it’s all the way up now compared to last year. (It’s my) second year learning this offense and I’m comfortable with it.”
(Is there one example where you’ve said, ‘I’ve got this. I’ve done this thing better than I have in years past.”?) – “Of course. A lot of things.”
(Anything specific you can tell us?) – “No. It’s a lot.”
(Did you have any fun during the summer, during the offseason? You get away? Any trips or anything?) – “Yes, I went to the Bahamas for a weekend, and I went back to Louisville for a week and then I came back and started working out again.”
(Bahamas – any fishing or just chilling at the pool? What’d you do?) – “I didn’t do (any) fishing. I’m not good at fishing. I just went to the beach, that’s it.”
(What’s different between this training camp as opposed to your first two in the league?) – “I’m playing a lot faster than I was. The first year I came in, I was playing fast; but then I got hurt. This year, I’m just playing a lot faster and know the plays and everything well.”
(How has your mental approach to the game changed these last couple years entering your third year?) – “It’s changed a lot. When you’re healthy, you just feel a lot different. You feel like no one can guard you. You just go out there and play hard.”
(What kind of mindset do you think does it take to be one of these dominant wide receivers? You obviously want to be one of them. What does it take?) – “It takes a great mindset. You want to go out there and feel like no one can guard you. That’s how you have to play. Just go out and play hard every play.”
(Do you feel like no one can guard you? Is that how you feel?) – “That’s how you have to think, feel in your mind that no one can guard you. That’s how you got to play.”
(How does that translate to the field?) – “It’s a mindset. You just go out there and do it.”
(QB Ryan Tannehill said earlier this year that this is the most talented skill position he has had since he has been here. What do you see when you look at the talent of the skill positions of this team?) – “There’s a lot of talent at skill positions that we’ve got. There’s just a lot of talent everywhere. We just bring that to the field. I’m looking forward (to it).”
(Do you think the offense going to be very difficult to defend because of the weapons they have – WR Jarvis Landry, you, WR Kenny Stills, RB Jay Ajayi?) – “I think so. It’s a lot of people to have to choose to pick to guard. (There are) a lot of us out there at one time, so it’d be difficult.”
(In what ways do you and CB Xavien Howard challenge each other and make each other better?) – “We try to get physical with each other, tell each other good job. It’s good competition with me and him. We just go at it every day.”
(QB Ryan Tannehill expressed to me that he has more confidence, more trust, more excitement about what he has seen from you since last season ended. When you hear all that, what goes through your mind?) – “I’m glad to hear that from the starting quarterback, to know he’s talking about you and he sees me healthy. I’m healthy now. His trust in me grew a lot.”
(QB Ryan Tannehill also spoke of you being, obviously, so talented but that at times obviously, when you were injured he said you were a Ferrari with four flat tires at times. As you look back now, how limiting were all the things you went through – foot, hamstring, etc.?) – “It was a lot of things limiting (me). I couldn’t do certain routes like I wanted to, because I couldn’t run at full speed and that was bothering me. This offseason I had to work on that and make my legs and everything stronger.”
(Did you do that through anything new as far as new drills or new conditioning work?) – “Just a new work ethic. Things in the weight room also – leg strength.”
(This is the best you’ve felt since when?) – “Since I first got here.”
(What about food? I tried changing my diet, I ate the exact same thing every day – fruit and oatmeal for breakfast, salad with chicken … You don’t need to know all that, but I’m curious about your diet. What are some foods you’ve discovered or are your favorite foods now? What are you eating all the time?) – “I eat pears, some potatoes and salad and some type of meat.”
(And you’re what weight-wise now?) – “Weight-wise, 210 (pounds).”
(The same as last year?) – “The same.”
