Jesse Davis – July 27, 2021
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Tuesday, July 27, 2021
G/T Jesse Davis
(How was your offseason?) – “It was good. I’ve been here.”
(How things have changed from a couple of years ago. Obviously coming off of 10 wins, there are now expectations for this team. Do you feel that? Do you feel like this team should be in the playoff mix in Week 18?) – “Yeah, I mean every team wants to get to the playoffs but right now, we’re just worried about getting better, trying to win the next one and seeing what we have to work with here.”
(This roster, as you look at it – is this a high-quality roster…?) – “Yeah, I think the guys that we have in place here, everyone is really talented. It all depends on how well we work together and how well we can put our game plan in place.”
(What do you think of the new facility?) – “It’s great. It’s a little step above the Davie facility. It’s really nice. (laughter)”
(Last summer you took about reading some books on leadership and trying to take that part of your game to the next step. Is there anything this offseason that you’re doing and how do you think that kind of helped your leadership?) – “Being put in a leadership role, for me it was just how well I could do it. Lead by example is how I try to be. I’m not a big ‘hoo-rah’ guy or anything. I didn’t really read anything on leadership this year. It was just more so trying to develop myself too and how to become a better person.”
(How excited are you about seeing the next step for the rookies last year? T Austin Jackson in Year 2, G/T Rob Hunt as he potentially changes positions. How excited are you about those two?) – “Yeah, those guys are really talented. They’re just well-rounded players and I’m excited to work with them. Seeing Rob work at a new position as well and seeing ‘A.J.’ (Austin Jackson) come into Year 2, it’s going to be fun.”
(How do you prepare for your own competition? You’re in Year 3, 4 or 5 and you’re in a year where you’re kind of fighting for a starting job, fighting for your spot there. How do you fit into that?) – “Obviously you know kind of where you’re at on the depth chart and stuff but I’m just trying to get better each day. You try not to make mistakes but don’t worry about making them either. It’s just how well you can improve day-to-day. Anyone can have a good day but it’s how you have two good days in a row that’s usually what I focus on.”
(What kind of things has Head Coach Brian Flores done to – encourage isn’t the right word – educate on the vaccine?) – “It’s just all about choice. Whoever gets the choice to get it or not get it, we’ll support it. That’s about all he’s said on that.”
(What positions are we honing in on this time? Are we working on the outside or are we working on the inside?) – “Yeah, we don’t know. We’ll see. It’s a mixed bag. I can play anywhere. It just depends on where they want me to play. I just want to be on the field.”
(Did you come in size-wise with an idea of where you wanted to be?) – “Yeah, I started at right tackle last year. My size as in my weight was like 315 (pounds). That’s usually kind of where I want to be and that’s where I came in this year was at 315. I felt like I could move very well at guard and tackle. It all depends on how well you can anchor. My strength has been improving, so it’s been good.”
(DT Christian Wilkins just said that he’s lost as much as double-digits in weight in a given day because it’s so warm out there. What about for you? What’s it like trying to stay hydrated and how much weight have you dropped?) – “Yeah, usually it gets hot. In the middle of camp it’s like eight to 10 pounds, sometimes 12 (pounds a day). It’s a struggle to try to fight off the cramps during the end of practice, but I don’t know. Each year I try to combat it and think I can do better; but it always creeps up on me and I’m cramping somewhere. (laughter)”
(Is there anything you can do to prepare for that?) – “Get IVs, get Pedialyte, water, whatever. Fuel, carbs, everything like that. You try.”
(How often do you get IVs?) – “It depends. It depends on my weight when I weigh-in in the morning. If I feel like I need one, I’ll get one. But I try not to. I try to do it the right way with all of the water and the Pedialyte.”
(I wanted to ask you your observations about T Liam Eichenberg from the offseason program. Has he tried to pick your brain at all?) – “Yeah, he’s done a little bit of that. I’ve worked with him a few weeks down here. He’s a squared-away guy. He’s well-rounded. He was coached well in college. I think he’ll do just fine.”
(I asked DT Christian Wilkins about what you can get accomplished when there’s no pads at a position that requires so much contact. For you, when you’re not in pads, what are you looking to get done out there?) – “You want to get your technique, your footwork, your hand placement. You try to work on your pad level now but it’s more so just trying to do the small things and not worry about trying to make collisions or move bodies. You want to probably have more pass emphasis and handwork and stuff like that.”
(You’ve been through this entire rebuild. Two years ago at this point it was certainly a much different circumstance. How rewarding is it now to kind of see it through and now you guys are in a good position?) – “Yeah, it’s been fun going through the first year to the second and now third with a new coaching staff. They’ve done a really good job of bringing in the right guys and the right coaches. Everybody has just been (coaching) really well. It’s been fun.”
(Speaking of coaches, you have a new one in Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre this offseason. Can you maybe describe to us what his style is?) – “Yeah, ‘Lem’ (Lemuel Jeanpierre) is fiery in the sense of work ethic and respect. He doesn’t want to yell at you or nothing like that. His individual drills are fast and competitive, and he wants to make it hard on you during that period so when you get to team, it’s a little more relaxed in that setting. He’s a good coach.”
(What’s it like to have actually played with Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre?) – “Yeah, I previously played with him in Seattle. I played with him and sat next to him in the room. We’re good friends. Obviously he’s my boss so I treat him with that respect as well.”
(Do you feel like your versatility – obviously it’s an asset which keeps you around but do you feel like it could be a hindrance to earning a starting spot?) – “I try not to think that way. I try to look at it as a way of I can play anywhere they want me to. I try to make it competitive for everybody in every position, so I want to kind of light a fire under everybody. I want a starting spot, that’s for sure. But I’ll play any position the organization wants me in.”
(What do you see in QB Tua Tagovailoa and the way he’s approached going into Year 2?) – “Yeah, you’ve seen a little bit of him at vet camp. I think he’s done a great job. I think he’ll be a good player.”
(The last couple of years we’re always asking about all of these young guys and you’re kind of mentoring them and taking them under your wing. But now there’s some more veterans in the room. Is there something that you’ve gleaned or learned from guys like OL D.J. Fluker, T Jermaine Eluemunor and some of the new additions in the room?) – “We’ve only had like a couple of days to work together, but I think they offer a lot to the table. There’s different aspects of their game that you can kind of take away. I haven’t really learned too much yet but it’ll be fun.”
