Jerome Baker – July 27, 2021
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Tuesday, July 27, 2021
LB Jerome Baker
(The contract, how did it all come together?) – “It was cool. Drew (Rosenhaus) did all of the work, honestly. It was cool. It was a fun process just to see how the business side works. It was cool.”
(I know last year’s 10 wins don’t guarantee anything, don’t mean anything. But that said, expectations have changed from where you were a year or two ago. This was a team on the cusp of the playoffs. Do you feel that you are now a playoff-caliber team, one who should be competing for that? Or at least one of the better teams in your conference?) – “I think right now it’s hard to say that right now just because it’s the first day. But our expectations for ourselves are high and it’s higher than what anybody else has for us. I think our approach now is to do what we want to do. We don’t care what anybody else thinks. We’re capable of a lot and we know that. Now it’s just about proving it. I guess that’s my answer.”
(CB Xavien Howard has been M.I.A a little bit. What is your reaction and what kind of reception did the guys give him?) – “I think we were all excited. ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) is a key guy on our defense – not just a key guy on our defense, but he’s a great guy to be around. We’re definitely happy to see him back. I think we’re all just happy to be around each other. Not just ‘X’ but everybody. We’re just happy to be here. It’s a new facility. There is a lot of energy in the building. We’re all happy to see ‘X’ back. We’re all happy just to be back.”
(What are your individual expectations and goals leading into this year?) – “I don’t really have anything as far as individual goals, how many sacks or how many tackles. I kind of take it as I just want to get better than I was year. I want to be a better player, a better person, a better everything. That’s kind of what I go into every year. I’m definitely excited. This is my fourth year so I’m excited.”
(You’ve seen the development of RB Myles Gaskin. What makes him able to embrace the opportunity he has now and your expectations for him?) – “Myles for him – it is very high. And it builds just off his work ethic. I was telling people last year it blew my mind he was working out, going hard on the day off. To me, it shows who he is. He works hard when nobody is watching; he works hard when everybody is watching. I’m happy for him. I’m excited to see him really come into his own. He’s going to be good. He’s going to perform well. He’s going to help our team. I’m definitely excited for him.”
(You’re going to be alongside LB Elandon Roberts again. You will be alongside LB Benardrick McKinney some. In terms of knowing the nuances of his game and developing a chemistry, was it all based on conversation and OTA work, or did you actually look at McKinney’s Houston tape?) – “I think now is when I’ll really start to figure out who he is and how he plays. It’s kind of hard to do in OTAs. It’s kind of hard to do in the offseason. It’s hard to do just film work only because we’re all different. Who he played with is different and who I played with was different. Right now is where we get our chemistry and really see how we work together. As far as a person, he’s a great person. We spent some time in the offseason. I’m definitely excited. I’m really just excited for this whole year. It’s going to be good.”
(Recently the team signed LB Shaquem Griffin and I’m wondering if you’re familiar with the adversity that he’s had to overcome throughout his life and what you think of him being able to have success both at the college level, and the NFL, overcoming the physical circumstances?) – “Yeah, I’m definitely familiar with him. We were in the same class. I was there when he did the Combine. Just seeing how he overcame just the little things for me was just very inspiring. Even today when I saw him, I didn’t think he was going to remember me; but we definitely embraced each other. I’m happy he’s a part of this team. I watched some of his off the field workouts, and just being a fan of a guy, I was always a fan of his. I’m definitely excited he’s on our team, and the energy he brings, he’s definitely going to fit in with us and help our team.”
(After getting seven sacks last year, what’s the ceiling for you as a pass rusher?) – “I got seven last year? Just get better than that, I guess. That’s the only thing. But I’m kind of one of those guys that, whatever they tell me, I’ll do it to the best of my ability. I guess last year was how many, seven? I just have to get better than that. Any way I can help the team, I’m down to do it, and that’s why I’m here.”
(You caught a lot of people off guard last year with how good you were defensively taking away the ball. Have you all talked about duplicating that, trying to prove that it’s not a one-year thing?) – “I mean, it’s kind of hard to be talking about it because it’s the first day. But yeah we definitely want to get better than we were last year. One thing about (Defensive Coordinator) Josh (Boyer) is he talks about the little things. It’s not about the splash plays, it’s not about interceptions or sacks. It’s about those little plays that really matter in between the games. I know that for a fact we want to focus on the little things and those big plays are going to come. We definitely want to get better.”
(Just thoughts on two young guys that are very talented – LB Jaelan Phillips and S Jevon Holland. From observing them in May and June, what thoughts do you have on each?) – “They are ready to work. I’ll say that about our whole rookie class. They are ready to work. They came in and they really – they definitely are ready to work. About Jaelan, the guy is in shape. He’s definitely in shape and he’s definitely ready to go. I’m excited. Those young guys, they come in hungry with a lot of energy. It doesn’t just help their class and the younger guys, but it helps the older guys. It pushes us, so I’m definitely excited to get it going.”
(Your mom is very famous, perhaps just as famous as you. I’m curious what was her reaction when you told her that you got the bag?) – “It’s funny because she honestly – she loves it. Sometimes I have to tell her to relax a little bit, but she loves it. My new contract, it didn’t just impact me but it impacted my whole family, it impacted my city. She was definitely happy. It was funny because the day I signed, she told me to take out the trash or do something at my house. She finds ways to humble me, so I’m definitely happy.”
(I’m going to ask a little more about the contract. It seems like it was a busy offseason for linebackers. Is the market kind of catching up to how valuable you guys are and maybe you’re a little under-appreciated?) – “I think now – just with Fred (Warner)’s contract, we are definitely seeing how valuable we are. That’s just the nature of the game. The game changes every few years, and right now it’s the linebacker’s time. I’m definitely happy for all the linebackers. Fred, he deserves it. We have a few guys that will have some big ones. I’m happy for all the guys, just the linebacker community we all have that little stick together mentality. So I’m definitely happy.”
(What I am hearing is that you kind of set the market for them? Is that what you’re saying?) – “If that’s what you want to say, I guess. (laughter) No, it depends on the team, depends on the guy. A guy like Fred, he deserves it. We have some guys that are coming up and I’m just happy to see those guys get paid. I’m just happy to see anybody get paid. This sport is dangerous, it’s hard, and to see these young guys get paid, there’s nothing like it.”
(Other than taking out the trash, what did you do to celebrate your contract?) – “I went out to eat.”
(Where did you go?) – “The ‘salt bae’ restaurant, that’s my favorite. What is it Nusr-Et or however you say it? That was pretty much it. I went out to eat. I definitely went out to eat. Other than that, I didn’t really do anything spectacular, I just went out to eat. (laughter) My parents came in town. This offseason was fun. My sister had a baby so I had that experience of just being there. She was down here, so taking care of her making sure she was all right. Other than that, it was just a normal day. Not a normal day, but just a normal day I guess.”
(Is there added excitement coming together as a team inside this beautiful new facility?) – “Oh yeah, definitely. There is a little bit more energy than usual. That’s just with anything. When you get something new, guys are just excited to be around. You’re trying to find your way, you’re trying to do the little things that you take for granted. It’s all new to you now, so the energy is definitely in the building. It helps with camp, because you need those little spurts of energy. It helps you get through camp. I’m definitely excited.”
(Is there anybody on the roster matching your energy?) – “Now that is going to be hard. (laughter) Nah. (Mack) Hollins, he brings it. I don’t know. It’s hard to match my energy. I come with it every day. Today is the easy day. It was easy. We didn’t really do anything too crazy. When you’re a week in, a week and a half in, that’s when you see who really can bring the energy. Right now, it’s easy. I don’t really count right now.”
(What the league did last year to make it through COVID, and that was before vaccines, do you fear that the NFL will struggle doing it again this year?) – “No. Even last year, I wasn’t – just the protocols we have, just the things we are going through, yeah you might not like it and you might have your own opinion on it; but at the end of the day it was to help us. I think as a whole, we all understood that it’s trying to help us. Now that the vaccine, the new facility and the protocols, now we know what works and what doesn’t work, we’re going to be fine. I don’t think any of us have any fears or anything to worry about. We’re going to be fine. Just stay healthy and be clean and we’ll be alright.
(You mentioned how the new contract also affected your city, your community. Explain that.) – “It’s just a lot more opportunities to give back for me. Just even down here, doing my community work down here, having my camp up there, I did the Boys and Girls Club Christmas in July. I just did that. For me, it was one of those things that I received more, now it’s time to give more. That’s just how I was raised and now that it’s come to fruition, it’s definitely going to be good.”
(I’m going to ask about the facility one more time. What does it mean from a player’s perspective? What does all of this shiny toy mean for you?) – “That our organization cares about us. That’s exactly what it means. They care about us. They want us to do well. It’s pretty much giving us all of the tools to do well. We appreciate that. Shout out to Mr. (Stephen) Ross. We appreciate it, we love it, and it’s kind of cool to say we’ve got the newest facility in the NFL, we’ve got the best one and we can prove it. That’s all it means, is they really do care about us, and they want us to do well, and they gave us the tools to do well. It’s our job to actually do well. I’m excited.”
