Josh Grizzard – May 24, 2021
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Monday, May 24, 2021
Wide Receivers Coach Josh Grizzard
(My question for you was about the receiver position group last year and they talked a little bit about some more freedom in their route-running – what they were able to do after the snap in terms of getting to where you need to be there, “I don’t care how you get there.” Is that kind of the same mindset this year or has that changed a little bit?) – “There’s pretty good carryover when it comes to that and having the freedom to win the route; but also to your point, having the same timing and tempo and sense of urgency that we know the timing of the play, we’ve got to get open and can’t take too long. It’s just really being on the same page with the quarterbacks and seeing it really through the same lens.”
(I wanted to ask about WR Jaylen Waddle. How encouraged or enthusiastic were you when that name was called a couple weeks ago and what has he looked like in practice?) – “I was excited. Just getting to know him through the process, I know that he’s a guy that we talk about being smart and tough and really loving the game, and we think he really embodies that. So to be able to add someone like that to the team was exciting. Then just in the limited work we’ve had with him, just like everybody else, he’s been locked in, working. I’m really excited for the direction he’s headed.”
(A quick follow-up, if I may. Do you envision WR Jaylen Waddle – I know his role will grow as he proves he can handle the work – but do you envision him as a slot receiver to start out?) – “Really for us, we look at these guys as the versatility for all of them to play anything. We can move them around based on the formation, so you’ll see different guys in the slot and outside. It’s just more the formation of it than actual like ‘he is a slot receiver.’”
(I wanted to ask you about WR William Fuller V. What stands out about his strengths when you look at the tape and, in particular, the speed. How might that impact the entire offense and help QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “Yeah, for sure. You named it. I think the speed is the one thing that sticks out, not that that’s the only thing he can do, but we look at him as a smart guy as well. He’s had some success in this league and especially coming off last season, the speed is real. It should apply pressure to defenses and with his ability to do that, it’s just another weapon for Tua and it’s been fun working with him and getting to know him. (He’s a) smart guy and like a lot of these guys, he kind of embodies what we’re trying to get done in terms of being smart and tough and loving to play.”
(I know at this point, almost every college and NFL locker room has a bunch of fast dudes; but in looking at the 40s it does look like you have a lot of really fast dudes. What’s your thought about the collective speed?) – “I think the play speed – so many times you see these guys, especially coming out, the time speed is something and then you look at it on film and it doesn’t really show up like that. But I think we’ve got some guys in the room that are true game speed, meaning that on the field, they’re actually that time. So again, it should apply pressure to defenses and having those, it definitely helps us and we’re looking forward to getting everybody together.”
(I wanted to ask you about the two guys who opted out last year – WR Allen Hurns and WR Albert Wilson. What are you seeing from them at this early stage? Have you talked to them about what they may have done during that year to stay in shape?) – “Absolutely. And even last year during the time they opted out, we were in contact and staying in contact with those guys and checking in on them, and everything went well for them. It’s good to have them back around. Both of them have a bunch of experience in this league and they’ve also had a good amount of success as well. So having those guys around and being a mentor of sorts for some of the younger guys has been good. And just to be back around them again, not being around them for so long, they’re both guys I enjoy being around and like I said, they have a bunch of experience in the league.”
(So they don’t look rusty to you?) – “No, they’re good.”
(I wanted to ask you what were some things that you liked from WR Lynn Bowden Jr. during his first season and where do you see him kind of fitting in with all the new additions that have been made this offseason?) – “What I liked was the fact that he came in here a little bit later of course than everybody else by nature of being traded, but then just to have that trajectory of not playing much to playing a pivotal role down the stretch and really the mindset that he had. In terms of what he brings, I think it’s similar to what we talked about last year. The guy’s a football player. He’s tough. He adds the flexibility of being able to do some of the things you saw last year of coming out of the backfield. It could be some Wildcat things. And it could be just moving around whether he’s outside or inside, so that’s been good.”
(What are the advantages of having a player like WR Lynn Bowden Jr. and WR Jaylen Waddle play more outside than inside? I know obviously you have your outside receivers, but what are things that those guys of their size and their skillsets and their speed level – what could they offer you on the outside?) – “Really, on the outside, it’s the ability like if you can run well, you can separate. So we look at both of those guys as being able to do that and again formationally, you can have a guy you call a slot receiver, but now he lines up on the outside and that might be for that week to exploit a matchup, a coverage, something that we think that we try to attack every week on how does this guy stack up against the guy he’s going against. And if we like those guys out there, then we have the freedom to move them out there and see if we can take advantage of it.”
(I wondered if you have seen WR Preston Williams over the last couple of weeks and how he looks to you physically coming off the foot procedure?) – “Yeah, I have. Trajectory is great on him as well. He’s in a good place with it and just being able to come back and try to get back on the field and try to get that thing moving in the right direction, but he’s done everything from coming in and working with (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle (Johnston) and (Head Strength and Conditioning) Dave (Puloka) and those guys to put himself in a position to really get his part of the new offense and find his role. I’m excited for him as well.”
