Jaylen Waddle – July 23, 2024
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Tuesday, July 23, 2024
WR Jaylen Waddle
(I asked WR Tyreek Hill about you guys. You, QB Tua Tagovailoa, and OBJ (Odell Beckham Jr.). The four of you guys working together. What’s your excitement level about that combination working together?) – “It’s exciting. Anytime you have a lot of playmakers on the field added on to the amount of playmakers we had last year is going to be crazy. It makes it fun. It’s going to be fun and exciting. Plays everywhere to be made. It’s going to be good.”
(Did you see QB Tua Tagovailoa today? If so, what was your interaction with him like?) – “Yeah. I chopped it up with him earlier today. It was pretty regular. We saw each other two days ago. So it wasn’t anything crazy.”
(What’s it say about his character that he didn’t want to hold out, that he wants to be here WR Tyreek Hill says he expects him to practice?) – “Yeah. He’s going to be here. He likes being around the team, the guys and he’s going to be out there practicing, playing, doing whatever.”
(Do you get concerned that it might be a distraction the longer the contract talks are going on? He’s an emotional guy, is that a fear that maybe it becomes an even bigger thing than it is right now?) – “No. Tua is one of those guys that really loves the game, really likes being with us out there. I don’t think it’s going to be a distraction.”
(What are one of the goals for you this season? For yourself personally as you continue to grow in the game?) – “Just go out there and just continue to be myself. I really don’t have goals. Just go out there, play consistent football, make plays when they call my number and go out there and compete.”
(How does WR ‘OBJ’ (Odell Beckham Jr.) kind of help all of you guys get open?) – “Man, I think OBJ is going to be a great addition. He’s got a lot still left in the tank. He’s going to go out there. Feels like he has something to prove, and he’s going to prove it. We’re going to help him prove it too.”
(Have you guys gotten all together and worked with QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “Yeah. We were all in town in the offseason. We all got together and linked up.”
(WR Tyreek Hill mentioned that you guys were going to work on trying to sustain drives and not just get the home run every time out. What does that mean to you—that approach?) – “Yeah, kind of. I like to score, so whichever comes first. One-play drive, 11-play drive. We can do it all. We’re going to try to do it all.”
(What is this time of year like for you guys? Especially you going into year four?) – “Yeah man, it’s time to go. Play, practice, be consistent every day. It’s going to be a fun time, a fun camp. All of us just going out there and competing.”
(Did last season leave a bad taste in your mouth with all the injuries, and then the Kansas City game? Does it make you hungry?) – “Last year is last year. We left that there. It’s a new team, a new year. We got a lot to prove.”
(What can your tight end combination of Durham Smythe, and Jonnu Smith give you guys situationally? Like third-and-1, goal line, red zone, seam route. What are the situations they can help you guys in?) – “A lot. It’s definitely going to put the ball in a different playmakers hand. Not just have the ball go to me or ‘Reek’ (Tyreek Hill) the majority of the time. Just going out there and extending the defense. Making them have to play honest defense.”
(Have you checked out the speed of this rookie running back and what have you seen?) – “Yeah, Jaylen (Wright). All of them Jaylens (laughter). We can run, it’s just in the name. Of course, that’s another playmaker that we’ve got. Thanks for adding him.”
(You don’t have a way of differentiating the Jaylens?) – “Everybody has kind of their nicknames. I think we’ll have to come up with a nickname for him because we have the same initials. So, it’s going to be a nickname-driven team for sure with all of these Jaylens.”
(WR Tyreek Hill just told us that QB Tua Tagovailoa doesn’t want to miss his window. Is there a sense that this team is built? Is this your window to go and win at the highest level this year?) – “Not really. We’re not like a old team. Obviously past years are past years. But it’s time we go out there and really showcase our abilities and make a run for it.”
(Why do you think this year will be different?) – “Another year. Another year under our belt, another year with (head coach) Mike (McDaniel), another year with the offense. A lot of our core guys are back. We’re trending in the right direction.”
(You signed a big deal this offseason. What has changed for you in your personal life over the past… we will call it three, four months?) – “Really nothing honestly. Nothing at all. Nothing.”
(No big purchases, no new house, new car?) – “No. Nothing. I’m telling you.”
(No businesses?) – “Not yet. I’ll let it sink in for a little bit. Nothing at all.”
(You’re not on the defensive side of the ball. But LB Shaq Barrett announced his retirement. Did you get to know him at all? Were you shocked by that news, or did you kind of have a feeling it could happen?) – I didn’t. I really didn’t know Shaq like that. I know he was a great player and had a great career, so happy retirement to him. We talked maybe once. But great career.”
(The NFL and NFLPA have discussed adding an 18th regular season game. We would kind of like it if there were two byes. How do you feel about that potential setup?) – “There would definitely have to be two bye weeks. My personally, I would hope there will be two bye weeks if they extend the season. Maybe one less preseason game. Or maybe even cut out the preseason. I don’t know how they would do it. There would definitely have to be something added on. A bye week, cut out a preseason game, or something like that.”
(Is 18 games too many, or is that a fair amount for players?) – “Depends on what they take away. It just depends on what they take away. If you’re going to add, you’ve got to take away something. I would hope.”
(Is there anything that you appreciate that you didn’t coming into the league? Either the work, or the mentality, or anything?) – “I would say the time. I was just talking to my people the other day, ‘we’re going into Year 4.’ It seemed like just yesterday I was coming in.”
