Jalen Ramsey – July 24, 2024
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Wednesday, July 24, 2024
CB Jalen Ramsey
(I know this isn’t your first camp, obviously you’ve been through this ride before. But what’s it like for a player like you as you get to camp and just know what’s ahead with Day 1 and moving forward?) – “Just getting back in the swing of things, back in the routine, back with the team. That’s all it is. Yeah, sorry I don’t have anything else for you.”
(What’s your early impressions of working in this Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver defense?) – “It’s been cool. I’ve only practiced in it, what, three days now. It’s cool. It’s different than the defenses I’ve played in the past years which is a good thing, can be a really good thing. We’ve got to grow into it a little more to really give you a good answer.”
(What makes it Anthony Weaver’s defensive system different so far?) – “Well, the scheme is completely different. The scheme is different, the way he wants to call plays is going to be very different. Just some other things that we talk about, but like I just told him, we’ve got to kind of let it unfold before I can really give you an accurate answer.”
(Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver used the words “ultimate chess piece” in talking about you this offseason. What does that make you think, feel? Does that excite you that your defensive coordinator wants to use you in that way?) – “Yeah, of course. That’s exciting. I’ve heard that a few times in my career though, and that’s only really happened a couple times. So like I said, I’ll let everything unfold, and whatever is best for the defense at the end of the day, I’m sure – I hope is what position I’ll be in.”
(Being in that role, when you are in that role and they actually execute it, what does that allow you to do? What do you enjoy about that?) – “It allows me to showcase all of my skill set, all of my abilities. It allows teams to not always be able to dictate where I am. It allows me to be more involved in the game and the gameplan and not get bored out there on the field. Yeah, I think it opens up a lot of opportunities and plays for other people as well when I get to be versatile and do different things.”
(You don’t get bored, do you?) – “Do I ever get bored? (laughter)”
(You know what it’s like to be in a drawn-out contract situation. We saw your Instagram post with QB Tua Tagovailoa…) – “What Instagram post?”
(Or Twitter, I don’t know what it was. ‘Pay Tua,’ I think you had it on your scorecard. What kind of message do you have to him and how can you counsel him through this?) – “Man that’s his business, I don’t really want to get into another man’s business and his pockets. He’s got to handle that however he sees fit, however him and his agent sees fit. Obviously, I love having Tua (Tagovailoa) as a teammate. I love having him as the leader of this team, the quarterback of this team. So selfishly for me and I feel like the team, we all want it to get done. Whether it’s going to bother him or not, I don’t think so. But it could clear his conscience a little bit more and secure some generational wealth for him and his family. So I hope he gets every penny that he’s wanting, and yeah, it is what it is.”
(Are you feeling fully healthy now? And how long did it take when you came back last year to sort of get to 100% and feel that way?) – “Anytime I step on the field, I feel like then I’m fully healthy, otherwise, I just wouldn’t step on the field. Playing the game of football, you’re never at 100% when the season starts. So that’s like not a realistic thing to even say, but I like a 75% Jalen over 90% of the guys in the league. So I’ll take whatever I can get, but yeah, at this moment I feel pretty good.”
(Yesterday, S Jordan Poyer said that from the outside looking in, from an opposing player’s point of view, there was a feeling that if you got on top of the Dolphins, they would fold. That was the word he used, fold. What’s your reaction to that and does this team need to toughen up even more in 2024?) – “I don’t really have a reaction to it. I only played him one time when I was on the Dolphins and he was on another team, so, it doesn’t really do anything for me or move me in any type of way. Also last year’s team is different than last year’s team in a lot of different ways, including having him on the team now. I don’t even think you can really compare it in that way. I guess on paper, which y’all do, you could, but I don’t really look at it that way. We got to – this is Day 1, so we’ve got to build our identity. We got to go through of a lot of things during this camp, a lot of growing pains, hopefully some adversity, maybe even a couple of fights and good things like that to bring us closer. So we’ll see where it leads us.”
(How good can this team be and what are your expectations this season?) – “We’ll see. I mean through the grind, we’ll see how really good, or great, or whatever the case may be, will be. But obviously our expectations going into every season – I think if you asked anybody across the league, they’re going to expect to go out there, put a good product on the field and let that carry over to a lot of wins.”
(When it comes to toughness, either mental or physical, do coaches set the tone for that or do players set the tone for that?) – “I think it’s like an individual thing really. I mean for me personally, I can’t really speak for everybody, but for me personally, there is nothing that a coach can tell me that will make me want to play harder or not play harder. It’s just kind of who I am, in my DNA, that’s my identity when I step on the field. So I feel like I’m surrounded by a good amount of those guys, and the guys who we may be unsure of, or y’all may be unsure of, will hopefully get them to express that during this camp and build on it.”
(From the outside looking it, it seems like you and CB Kendall Fuller have similar strengths in terms of your anticipation and instincts. How is having two guys with those traits on the perimeter really help the defense?) – “I think we both have a lot of more strengths than just that to be honest with you. And again, I don’t even want to compare myself to anybody because I feel like I’m very unique in my own ways, but he is as well. So I guess – I mean we’re both going into Year 9, you can just say that. You can say we are vets and we’ve had some success, but we’re still learning though and we’re still trying to grow as well. These young guys, we’ve got to also keep up with them and do our thing.”
(You guys both jumped a couple of plays, I thought it was pretty impressive earlier out here today. I wanted to ask if that’s something that comes from seeing so many snaps in your nine years in the NFL?) – “Yeah, there were some young guys who were having good plays, too, out there though, but yeah, I would say so. The more you play, the more comfortable you get with the game, the more comfortable you get with concepts and knowing what you want to accomplish within the defensive schemes. So yeah, it comes with it.”
(From your vantage point of the play where S Jevon Holland got flipped over a little, does it look like he’s alright?) – “Yeah, he’ll be cool. I’m sure he’ll take care of himself. He’s a true professional himself, he’ll take care of himself. It’s football, things happen. He’ll be good.”
(You mentioned Year 9, you’ve done a lot in the league. Do you still have any individual goals or things you want to show?) – “Yeah, for sure. Usually I keep all that stuff for myself though, to be honest with you. That’s no disrespect to you, but I just keep that to myself, let that be my internal motivation. And then out here, it’s just really all about the team, like whatever I can do to help the team. But I like to feel like if I’m in the right positions and I do what I’m supposed to do and all that internal stuff and personal stuff I have going on, it’ll benefit the team if I’m doing it at an elite level like I know I can.”
