Dave DeGuglielmo – September 3, 2019
Download PDF version
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Offensive Line Coach Dave DeGuglielmo
(Wanted to ask you about becoming the coach four days into training camp, that had to have been kind of a strange experience.) – “Well, you’re a writer. If you write here today, and write over there tomorrow, you’re still a writer. It’s just a locational thing. This is what I do for a living. It was different, but it wasn’t that…”
(What did you think when they said, “We need you to do this now?”) – “Again, that’s what I do for a living.”
(How did the job description change?) – “Well, I went from being an analyst – I wasn’t working with any of the players at the time. I was working more in a research role and kind of working with defense, then I went to working with offense. That’s about it. Working specifically the line – I wasn’t working with the line prior to that.”
(What did you see at the time that needed to improve and how has that gone?) – “Again, I was with the defense, so I really didn’t study what was going on, on that side of the ball. That’s something you have to ask the boss.”
(I imagine first day you took the job you saw, “These are things that need to get better?”) – “There’s always things that need to get better. There’s things to get better now. That’s an ongoing process. It’s just the way it is.”
(When you decided to rejoin the organization as an analyst, what went into that process?) – “(Head Coach) Brian (Flores) called me and he asked me if I could come down and help him out since I was sitting at home in Carmel, Indiana watching Big Valley every day at 2 o’clock. This is what I do for a living: I’m around football. He thought he could use my experience as a football coach. Again, more of it was on defense trying to analyze other team’s protections and how certain blitzes would affect blocking schemes. That’s kind of what I was doing up until this time. That’s what my field is: blocking people. In working with the defense, it allowed me to give them a different perspective.”
(This is your third stop here, right?) – “Yeah, I’ve been three times. I really like it here. I’m like a stray dog. They keep feeding me, I keep coming back. (laughter)”
(In terms of where the organization is, how does this compare to your previous stops, the state of the franchise?) – “Every time and every year is different. Obviously, each time I’ve been back here it’s been with different people, a different head coach each time. Every time is unique in itself. The fun part of the job is you get to watch teams evolve and grow and change. No two teams even within the same structure are the same year to year. The best part about coming back here is the support staff here and the people that run the organization day to day, the people that run the building. Those people are the same and they welcome me with open arms. That’s probably one of the best things about coming back here is that there are people here that take good care of you and you know you’re not going to some organization where you’re a stranger.”
(What is your reaction to losing your best player a week before the season starts?) – “Listen, (Laremy Tunsil is) a tremendous football player. There are changes all the time. If he had sprained an ankle, it would be the same situation. You just keep on working. We have a lot of good guys that are working hard right now to fit into wherever they need to fit in.”
(Is your assessment that T Laremy Tunsil is one of the best left tackles in the NFL?) – “He’s a really good football player. I’m not going to rank guys. I haven’t worked with all the guys. He’s a tremendous athlete, a special player. I’ve worked with him before and I’ll work with him again.”
(What’s your level of comfort with G/T Jesse Davis at left tackle?) – “I don’t know if he’s going to play left tackle. We’re playing around with different combinations and that’s one that’s been suggested, but I don’t know that anything specific is going to happen. It’s a work in progress, let’s just say that. We have some interesting parts that have come into the building and that’s part of the process.”
(G/T Jesse Davis equated to moving from right tackle to left tackle as, “You’re right handed. Have you tried looking at writing with your left hand and seeing how that looks?” Is it really that big of a difference? Could that be a difference for a guy like that moving to a new position?) – “I don’t know. Again, he still might be writing right-handed, so I don’t know. I didn’t play the game. I never played in the NFL. I’ve coached a lot of guys who have done a lot of different things. Again, it’s a matter of seeing how all the pieces play together. It’s not so much about finding one guy to play one spot. Even past groups I’ve worked with, it’s more about getting good players to play well together, not just getting good players to play good. If they play individually, then they’re not going to get anything accomplished. We just have to find the right mix and the right combination. I’ve been through that before.”
(We hear that a lot, that the big thing with the offensive line is the cohesion and guys playing together week to week and even season to season. You seem to be on the opposite end of that spectrum right now. What’s the challenge of dealing with that?) – “If you look back to New England in 2015, I rotated a whole bunch of guys – I didn’t, the head coach did – quite a bit. We had three rookies playing and we rotated a whole bunch of dudes. In one game, I believe we had 12 or 13 different combinations for every drive we had. Every drive was different for the entire game against Jacksonville. We were 10-0 that year. Is that a bad thing or a good thing? I don’t know. We just have to find – it takes time to find the right mix, the right combination. I equate it to the guy that invented the intermittent wipers. I say that movie with Greg Kinnear. He says, ‘It’s the exact same – they were trying to argue – that it was the exact same as it was before.’ But he found the right way to link up all that wiring so that we were able to get intermittent wipers. That’s the key. We’ve got to find the right wiring. It’s not about the pieces. The pieces are there and we just have to find it.”
(You watch a lot of TV.) – “(laughter) No, this was a long time ago. I thought it was interesting, because he took a sentence and he gave a bunch of words and he said, ‘When you say each word individually, they’re just words. But when you put them all together, it’s something special.’ It’s really the same thing. You just have to find the right places for these guys. They’re all working hard.”
(Do you have the parts to work with?) – “Everybody is working hard to try to show their best effort right now and show what their best football is. I’m excited to go into the season with the guys we have and we just go. We have to play.”
(How would you describe the challenge of trying to get your unit ready for Sunday with all of the moving parts and comings and goings?) – “In most NFL teams, there’s going to be some change every week. Sometimes it’s a little bit more change; sometimes it’s a little less change. That’s week to week for every team. Gone are the days where five guys played the same five spots for the entire 16 games. I haven’t seen it in a long time. I saw it when I was with the Giants. They played three years in a row together; all 16 regular season (games). I don’t know if that exists anymore. That’s part of the process. We teach conceptually. We cross-train guys. To be honest with you, I’d like to have every guy on the line be able to snap a football. Why? Why do you need a tackle to? Because you never know. You never know what’s going to be needed for a game to finish a game or play a game and you never know who the best guy is going to be until you give it a try, give it a whirl.”
(If I was going to show up on a Sunday and play the next Sunday, having just one week, I would probably want to be like a receiver or running back or a corner. To me, it’s like that might be the easiest spots to do that. How hard is it for a tackle to get through a game one week of playbook studying?) – “Again, you’re a writer. If I take you and make you a writer over there, you’re still a writer. It’s just you’ve got a new desk and a new phone number and you got to figure out how to dial out. Is there a code or do I just dial 9? It’s the same – They’re professionals. This is what these men do for a living. This is a job. I’ve had guys come in on Wednesdays and play that Sunday. That’s just the way it goes.”
(What’s the biggest concern with that?) – “Concerned? You’d have to ask them. They’re the ones that have to do it. But this is what we do.”
(T Julien Davenport showed me his hands and his arms. He looks good. He looks the part.) – “If we were doing a measuring test, that’d be fabulous. But I don’t think they’re going to measure us on Sunday. (laughter)”
(Form your study of T Julien Davenport, what do you think he can do better? How will you help him?) – “Again, I haven’t seen enough of him to give a full assessment. You can ask our personnel department. They do a great of analyzing everything and everybody. That’s kind of outside my – Right now, I haven’t worked with the guy. I don’t know much about him. I know what I’ve seen, but I don’t want to pass judgement on a guy – good or bad.”
(What about G Shaw Calhoun? Obviously, he’s played a lot throughout the preseason.) – “He’s a fine, young man. He’s working hard.”
(What do you view as G Shaq Calhoun’s strengths and things he needs to develop?) – “That would take a lot more than a short answer. I would say he’s doing – He’s adjusting to the professional game from the college game and he’s doing a good job. I’d rather not get into the specifics of it. That’s something that – then I start talking about what he does well and does poorly and either he gets a big head or the opponent says, ‘He does that poorly. Let’s go after that.’ I’d like to leave it at he’s – as we all do – has plenty of deficiencies, plenty of things to work on and we just have to keep working on them. He’s one of those guys.”
(What do you see the philosophical value of a left tackle being?) – “Philosophical value? You’re asking a guy that’s the – I don’t know if philosophy is my line of work. I’m a line coach. (laughter)”
(I guess a lot of us out here say, “That’s the most important position. You need to have that position.” As an o-line coach, do you look at the left tackle as that?) – “I look at it like this: when we line up on Sunday, there’s going to be a left tackle. So, we have that position. Whether it’s – I don’t know how to answer that. We’re always going to have five guys out there. Unless you’re New England and you put four on the field for a couple plays. (laughter)”
(Tony Wise was the o-line coach when I first covered the team from 2002-04 with Dave Wannstedt. I was here. Where were you then, 2002-04?) – “I was at South Carolina with Lou Holtz.”
(Tony Wise told me, ‘I can find a guard at the grocery store. I can go to Publix and find a guard, that’s no problem. Forget about guards. We’re not worried about guards. Tackles are a different thing.’ Do you agree with that or not so much?) – “I think all of these guys, at every positon, they’re unique creatures. They’re unique. They do a unique job. I don’t think – I know I sure as hell couldn’t do it. I tell them all the time, ‘I can’t do what you do.’ Whether they’re guards or centers or tackles – I think centers have been undervalued in this business for a long, long time – but I think they all have their unique value based on what you’re trying to do, what you’re trying to achieve. They’re all hard to find, believe me. That’s just how it goes. Take a look around. Everybody is fighting for the same guys. There aren’t enough of them in the world. Again, it’s a unique positon. It’s a hard job. I wouldn’t want to do it.”
(The guy C/G Evan Boehm comes from the Colts. You had him last year, right?) – “I did.”
(Looking at the highlights, C/G Evan Boehm looks a little nasty, which I like. In my opinion, we need more nasty around here. What are your thoughts on that?) – “We are in South Florida. We get after it down here. We go. I like the way Evan plays. I think he’s an excellent addition. I thought he was an excellent addition when I had him last year. I think he’ll add a little flavor to the group. They all add their own special flavor. I think that he has a unique style and I think that suits him. That may not suit every guy, but it suits him and how he plays. He’s a son of a coach, so he’s got a different perspective than a lot of guys do, because he grew up in the game. I’m happy to have him.”
(I wanted to ask you about QB Andrew Luck.) – “Does he play for us? He doesn’t play for anybody anymore, does he? (laughter)”
(He doesn’t. We haven’t talked to you since QB Andrew Luck retired. Obviously, you spent a year with him last year. What was your thoughts on when you heard he retired.) – “To be honest with you, that happened about the same time I got thrown into coaching the offensive line. I’ve got a lot more to think about than Andrew Luck. I did text him and he texted me back. It is what it is. It doesn’t affect me. I’m going to get ready for Baltimore and he’s not going to help me one way or another playing or not playing. It may affect us in November when we play them; but right now, that’s one of those things where – I enjoyed working with the guy for a year, but that’s all I got with him was a year. It was a good year.”
(In my opinion, you have a really hard job and we all have hard jobs. Yours to me, you’ve got your work cut out for you based on what you’ve been provided – the groceries?) – “Is it hard because I have to deal with you guys, too? (laughter) You could say that’s hard.”
(We’re actually nice people.) – “I know you are. I’m just saying. (laughter)
(Bill Parcells used to say the groceries and all that. I’m not sure we got the premium groceries just yet. How hard do you think what you’ve been tasked to do this year is?) – “Again, I don’t think it’s any different than any other year. Every year is unique and every year serves you up its own set of problems. Think about when I got here in 2017. That was a unique situation as well. My situation last year (in Indianapolis), that was a unique situation there. Every situation has problems and they’re exclusive to that particular – It also has benefits, great things that are happening. It’s hard to really say exactly how things will work out in the end. That’s the pleasure of the game is you work it. You work these guys, they work hard every day, they get into meetings. If they’re good pros, we’re going to get some good results. If they’re not good pros and they don’t concentrate on their work, then we won’t get a good result.”
(How would you describe what you want your offensive lineman to do?) – “I want them to be smart, I want them to be tough and I want them to protect inside, out. I want to make sure that the pocket is clean, so the quarterback can do his job. That’s what we need to do. Smart, tough and really make a concerted effort to protect the people that are going to feed you – the running backs and the quarterback. That’s how you’re assessed as an offensive linemen, as an offensive line coach. They have to understand that. Every day we talk about it. We have to build the perfect pocket and the only way to do that is through fundamentals – keep our hands right, keep our feet right. Do the basic things. Let’s not go outside of our – Don’t drive outside your lane. This is what we do. We’re Clydesdales, we pull the sled. We’re not dancing in the circus and putting on a show. We do a grunt’s work. That’s what they are. They’re doing the jackhammer. They’re picking up the jackhammer and they’re breaking concrete all day long. It’s not sexy, but it’s necessary for the building to go up. That’s what it is with these guys. They have to go to work, understand that they have a responsibility to keep the quarterback clean, protect inside, out, be smart, that means studying, and be nasty if you want to put it that way. (laughter)”
Patrick Graham – September 3, 2019
Download PDF version
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham
(So as far as what you have with edge guys right now, obviously you moved on from DE Tank Carradine. Do you feel there is enough with obviously DE Charles Harris and you added LB Trent Harris and the other guys you have in that group – DE Nate Orchard obviously.) – “Well, getting ready for Baltimore, it is going to be all hands on deck in terms of the edge in the run game and the edge in the pass game. So, we have a tough task in front of us in terms of preparing for those guys and whether it’s the backs, the quarterbacks, the tight ends setting the edge, we are going to do our best to get the guys on the team ready for that. We are going to just work it, work it, so that by the time we get to Sunday, we are ready to go.”
(Do you like the fact that you get Baltimore in the opener because QB Lamar Jackson presents such a challenge as opposed to having them in the middle of the season?) – “I just like having a job so I like getting ready for the opener (laughter). But whoever it is – every week is so different in the league. The opener, obviously there are some different challenges with the opener. There is less film in terms of what guys are actually going to do. Obviously as you go in the season, you have more in terms of tendencies and things of that nature. I am excited for us having our first game, our first game being at home, first time to compete. I am just looking forward to the challenge. Obviously the whole Baltimore offense presents a challenge, whether it is the offensive line, the quarterback, the receivers, the backs – the offensive coordinator, Greg Roman – he is great. He is one of the best coordinators in the league, in my opinion, in terms of how he schemes it up and Coach Harbaugh as the head coach. It is a challenge, it is a challenge. So, I look forward to it.”
(From a personal level, what is the level of excitement of your first NFL game as a defensive coordinator?) – “It is a collective thing so – I have been in the league, this is my 11th year I believe, so I am excited for every opportunity. I am excited about today, whether it is coordinating or not. We are trying to win today in terms of preparing, so I am excited about when I am done with this and get back in the meeting room and start preparing a little more. I am always excited. I’ve got a job and I love what I do.”
(What percentage of your looks and different variations on defense do you think you guys might have shown in the preseason?) – “I mean, I don’t know. We are game-planning right now for Baltimore for Sunday, so who knows? The percentage could be 50 percent, it could be 90 percent, it could be 10 percent. I mean, who knows? We are still in the process of game-planning for those guys. So, I know this – We are going to put out there what we think is best to win that game on Sunday and what we think is best for each situation, and we will see how it looks when everybody sees it, I guess.”
(What has you most excited about this defense?) – “Their willingness to come in and work every day and buying into what (Head) Coach (Brian) Flores has spoken about in terms of us being tough, disciplined, smart, and really the mantra of trying to get better every day. I told the guys that – we are trying to get better every day and there is evidence of that on tape, there is evidence in the classroom, evidence when you speak to them in the cafeteria and the football conversations going on. So to me, that has been critical and I think that’s what I am most excited about if because we get better every day, we’ve got a chance. We’ve got a chance.”
(The decision to move on from S T.J. McDonald – I mean I am not going to have you get into the reasons – but, it seems to me that it will provide some clarity at the strong safety position. I mean S Reshad Jones, do you think he is now your strong safety?) – “I think that however we deploy the guys – strong safety, free safety, backers – however you guys see those positions, Reshad (Jones) is a good football player. He is going to help us win football games and we are going to put him out there where we think he can help us most.”
(With S T.J. McDonald – I am curious, was the level of production not what you guys were expecting?) – “To be quite honest with you, right now my focus is on Baltimore and the guys that are here right now. T.J. did a lot of good things for us and worked hard, but my focus is on Baltimore. I am not smart enough to be able to think about last week and focus on Baltimore with (Lamar) Jackson, dealing with (Marshal) Yanda, dealing with the receivers, the backs. There is a bunch of stuff going on in my head and I wish I could give you more, but that is where my focus is.”
(What impressed you most about DE Nate Orchard this summer?) – “I mean, just again, it sounds cliché but the guy came in, he worked hard, he accepted the challenges we gave him in terms of being a physical player, giving us some pass rushing and he’s shown evidence of that. He has worked hard.”
(With CB Eric Rowe – it seemed like he flashed for you guys. Keeping him healthy I’m sure is a huge priority for this team. If he is in there and if he is able to contribute, what does that mean for this group?) – “I mean nothing is more important than — Coach Flores has probably said this – nothing is more important than the health of our football team overall. Individual players, the whole team, coaches, we’ve got to be healthy mentally and physically. I think Eric’s physical nature has shown up on tape. I know he is probably excited – you would have to talk to him, but excited about the opportunity this week in terms of preparing for Baltimore; but his physical nature, his ability to cover guys and be physical at the line of scrimmage – that is the stuff we covet and I mean he has been doing a good job of that for us.”
(When we spoke back in the spring, you had expressed confidence that your system would help benefit in terms of pass rush and generate sacks and things like that. Where do you stand in that regard right now?) – “Well, I think in our system – it is our system – our goal is to affect the passer. Whether that is sacks or pressure or whatever it may be – disrupting the throwing lanes for the quarterback – that is our goal each week to do that. So, how do we do that? We try to take advantage of the mismatches, just like the offense is trying to take advantage of the mismatches against us. So, that is the goal and we will see how it comes to fruition on Sunday.”
(What have you seen out of the preseason games and in practice?) – “We’ve seen – again, to go back right now, my mind is so far – I am on Baltimore right now. Not to be rude, but I am just thinking about Baltimore right now so what happened in the spring, what happened in training camp, I mean, that really doesn’t matter right now. It matters what we are going to do today in terms of game plan, tomorrow with the guys and what we do on the practice field; but there has been a lot of positive. Guys are buying into what we are trying to teach them, so I feel good about that.”
(To preface this is in the past, but forward looking – the Tampa Week – S Minkah Fitzpatrick expressed – not sure if dissatisfaction is the word, but just saying as fact that he might not be at that time in a position that suited his strengths. Do you feel like that issue has been rectified and that you have Minkah deployed in a way that maximizes his ability?) – “You’ve got to ask Minkah, but to me, the Tampa week doesn’t matter to me at all right now. All of my attention is focused on Baltimore. Whoever we put out there to help us beat Baltimore and the spots we put them at – That is what my focus is on.”
(So, what is your level of confidence for the Baltimore game then?) – “My level of confidence – we are still building towards it. For our defense and for all the players out there, we are trying to make sure we are putting all our guys in the right spot to be able to capitalize on their strengths and capitalize against their weaknesses.”
(Who are some players on this defense you feel the others players kind of gravitate towards and look towards for leadership?) – “I think the leadership element is probably coming from the play. We will see how it plays out throughout the season, but there are guys on this defense that have a voice saying those are the guys that guys gravitate to; but right now, with us focused on Baltimore – again, I don’t talk about leadership all that much. It will come as it comes in the locker room for those guys. The main thing is who is going to be the leader focused on Baltimore? I know our head coach is the leader of this team. I know that and I know that is who I am following. That’s the leader I am following. He knows how to prepare. I know he is going to put us in the right spot. So, that is the leader I am going to follow right now. In terms of leadership, that is what I’m worried about.”
(What are the challenges that QB Lamar Jackson presents to you guys?) – “I mean, Lamar Jackson is a dynamic player. People talk about what he does with his feet, but the guy can throw the ball. He is a dangerous weapon to deal with, with elite speed and having the ability to get the ball down the field, his ability to check it down, throw the intermediate throws. You can definitely see some growth from his rookie year to now with the limited time in the preseason. So, it is definitely a big challenge. He is not the only challenge out there. They have a good o-line, they are physical, they are tough. Guys play to the whistle with an edge. The tight ends, they block you – I mean block you better than most groups you have seen – and they come at you. They are not scared about it and they are not shy about it. They are willing blockers and they are good at it. The receivers, they block in the running game. They have got dynamic playmakers. There are a bunch of challenges, plus their coaching staff. From the head coach to the coordinators to the position coaches, these are all guys that have had success and are pretty good coaches and understand offensive football and understand – Coach Harbaugh understands the whole scheme of things having been a special teams coordinator and a head coach. I mean he understands it all. It is a tough challenge, it is a touch challenge.”
(It seems with that organization, the faces and the locker room change, but the system and the culture they have remains the same. Is that what you guys kind of want to build here? Something that is sustainable?) – “Right now, you have got to talk to ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores about that). Right now, my focus is on how we are going to get prepared for Baltimore. You have got to talk to ‘Flo’ about that stuff. My focus is on Baltimore right now and how we want to be out there on the field. I know we want to do this: we want to be smart, we want to be physical, we want to be disciplined. That’s what our head coach wants and that’s what we are going to try to do.”
(What is your general philosophy on a dual-threat quarterback and how you go about it?) – “Who isn’t a dual-threat quarterback? (laughter) I mean these guys, they present challenges because these guys are mobile and they can get out of bad plays or broken down plays. They can get out of that. That is one challenge. So you cover them, and here you go. You’ve got the rush, somebody misses a sack and oh no, now it turns into a scramble play. That is tough. Then in terms of the zone read, the quarterback stuff, that is a whole different challenge right there – the different options on that. It presents a challenge, but it makes you work at it. It is still football at the end of the day, but it is definitely a challenge.”
(When you look specifically at QB Lamar Jackson what stands out to you about him?) – “The growth he has had from year one to year two with the limited snaps I have seen during the preseason. I mean, the improvement as a passer, the improvement in terms of the reads, both in terms of the run and the pass game. I mean, I am assuming – this guy obviously has been studying his playbook, spent time with his coaches to improve and understand that he is a professional. As a professional, the growth you have to do in terms of putting in the time, that is probably the biggest thing that stood out to me.”
(What do you think – obviously, you had a whole offseason to learn these guys, but what are you most eager to see about your team in Week 1?) – “I want to see if we can do what Coach (Flores) laid out earlier. Can we be smart, can we be tough, can we be disciplined, and can we put the team first out there on the field? All of that stuff to me, you can see on the film and that is what I am looking forward to. See that – that is the growth I am looking for.”
(Is QB Ryan Fitzpatrick a dual-threat?) – “(laughter) Any one that can move is a dual threat to me.”
Chad O’Shea – September 3, 2019
Download PDF version
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Offensive Coordinator Chad O’Shea
(On other coaches he has learned from.) – “Obviously Josh McDaniels who I was with at New England does a great job with he offense there, so I was in a position as a position coach to see him work, and there have certainly been a lot of coaches, not only in the offensive coordinator position, but in the assistant positions that I’ve learned so much from that have really kind of prepared me for this opportunity.”
(Have you talked to New England Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels over the last eight months at all just for feedback?) – “I’ve talked to a lot of guys. Most importantly, I’ve talked to our staff here, and those guys have been so helpful. We have a staff that has done this position that I’m going to do this year, so I’ve really relied on their experiences, and it’s been so valuable to me to have those guys that I can talk with and continue to learn. It’s a daily learning process for me, and I’ve been one to definitely seek the help of our staff because it’s a strong staff.”
(Have you called plays at any level before?) – “I’ve had the opportunity to call plays in the preseason in New England; but that was the only experience that I’ve had in calling the plays, and then of course through the preseason this year. (Running Backs Coach) Eric (Studesville) did such a great job for us in the fourth preseason game, so I learned a lot from him that day. I definitely am very humbled, and I’m definitely learning every day, and I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of guys around me that are very good.”
(What is like – I take myself back 100 years where they had me calling plays in a high school scrimmage, and I realize that whatever amount of seconds you have to call a play, it’s so compressed. It’s shorter than you think, so what is that like for you – the speed of it, and also are you calling one or two or three plays in your mind at a time?) – “I think as we go through the week in preparation, that’s really where the call sheet is built, and what we try to do as a coaching staff is really go through every scenario that could come up. I would say by game day, the entire staff – I’m simply the messenger, and I’m the play-caller into the quarterback, but the work has really been done. We’re preparing and we’re putting those plays for those specific situations. And then there’s the element of adjusting during the game, that I think is so important to play-calling and offensive success – the ability to adjust once the defense may give you something slightly different than what you prepared for. That’s part of being good on offense, and our players know that, and our coaches know that the ability to adjust is going to be very important for us this year.”
(Speaking of adjusting, you lost your left tackle. You lost arguably your best wide receiver in the past few days. How does that affect the game plan? How does that affect your play-calling?) – “I think that one of the things that we pride ourselves on here together as a staff is using the guys that are in the room with us currently to their strengths, and finding things they do well. Certainly, that’s my job is to just walk in the room and use the guys that we have in the room – not worry about anybody that’s not there. Certainly, we have a lot of respect for the guys that are no longer with us as players and people, but our job is to use the players that we have, and that’s the goal every week. The guys that walk in the room that are playing for us that are active in the game, it’s our job to figure out what they do well and move the ball. We’ve embraced the change. We know that there’s a lot of change in the NFL on our roster and other rosters, and it’s part of the NFL. Rosters don’t stay the same, and it’s our job to figure out again what our players do best and move forward.”
(What does this offensive line do best?) – “I think that one of the things that we’re going to have to do is communicate well with each other here in these first couple weeks. These guys are going to be playing with each other for the first time, so I think that all of the things that we believe in fundamentally and all of the things that we believe in as far as the offensive line position and the other positions, we’re going to have to do really well in the first game. Good communication, good clean operation, good assignment – all those things are what we’re asking the guys to do. We have new players. I don’t know who’s going to be in there because we’re in the process of – we’re going to play the best five guys right now. By game day, we’re going to have the best five guys that help us win, and that’s true of all positions, too. We’re going to play the best receivers that give us a chance and the best running backs. We’re going to use different guys, and that’s part of our job as a coaching staff – to choose those guys that are going to help us on game day win. I don’t think anything’s changed for us as far as what we’re being asked to do as a coaching a staff. Regardless of who’s in the room, we’re going to do the best job we can of utilizing their strengths and trying to win the game.”
(Have you stressed in the past few days to QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and QB Josh Rosen getting rid of the ball that much faster?) – “I think there are certain fundamentals at each position that we’re stressing. What we’ve done is we’ve listed the core fundamentals at each position that we think that are the most important fundamentals at your position, and certainly with the quarterback position, there’s a number of things that we think are important. One is protecting the football. We’ve asked our team pass-offense-wise, not only the quarterback; but we’ve asked our team to try to play on time in the pass game. What that includes is the receivers getting open in a timely way, the offensive line giving a clean pocket, the quarterback having good anticipation and awareness of getting the football out. To single it and say that we’ve asked those guys to do one thing only, we stress that we need to play on-time in the pass game; but certainly, I would say all 11 are involved in that, too. Guys have to get open, guys have to protect, I have to a good job of putting them in the right play call. So I think that a lot of these things we see in the quarterback, they rely on so many other things to play the position.”
(I’m a little bit of a student of the game, and I’m wondering if you ever put in tapes of some of the more successful offenses through the years in the NFL to try to learn from that, or has the game changed so much that looking at Air Coryell or looking at “The Greatest Show on Turf” really no longer helps somebody like you?) – “No, I think that that’s something that we constantly do in the offseason and in-season. We’re constantly studying other teams offensively, whether it be college or NFL. We have a staff that kind of has certain things that they look for on a weekly basis of other things, other trends. We’re always trying to make sure we put our team in the best position to win, and one of the things that I think helps that is to have new and creative ways to do things. I haven’t hesitated to look at other things, whether it be in the past or in the present and say, ‘that’s something that could help us win.’”
(When Head Coach Brian Flores told us that QB Ryan Fitzpatrick would start, he said, “he gives us the best chance to win.” Why does Ryan Fitzpatrick give this team the best chance to win?) – “I think that Ryan (Fitzpatrick) – and this is just speaking of Ryan – he’s done a real good job with his leadership. He’s done a real good job with his communication. He’s an experienced player that has done a lot of the things that we want in a quarterback. He’s done well. I’m excited to see him play. I know that he’s going to rely heavily on the guys around him in this game, and they need to play well for him to play well. That’s important. It just doesn’t fall on him; but certainly, I’ve been impressed with his leadership and his overall consistency as a leader, and as a person, I think that that’s something – he’s had some ups and downs in training camp and through the offseason, but he’s really done a good job of having some mental toughness and being very steady in his approach and consistent in his work ethic. Those are things I think Ryan brings – great intangibles. I think that’s something that’s been really good to see in him.”
(What does QB Josh Rosen need to do to get on the field?) – “I think like all the players that maybe aren’t in the position they want right now as starters, or are in backup roles, what we’ve done with them here recently is we’ve sat down with them and said, ‘Hey, here are some fundamentals. Here are some things you need to improve.’ Obviously, it’s not just Josh. We have a number of players that are in that backup role. Josh is – as we’ve talked about – he’s still learning the offense. He’s doing a good job on all of the things that aren’t the physical the part of the game he’s improving on, whether it be his awareness on the field, his overall familiarity with the offense, his fundamentals that he needs to work on, just like all the other players need to work on. He’s in the same position a lot of other players are. There are just a few fundamentals we’re really concentrating on with him. There are some things that he can continue to grow and learn in the offense. I would say we’re pleased with his progress as far as that. He’s embraced our coaching. He’s embraced the offense. He’s trying to get better on a daily basis. He’s had a good week so far in his preparation and on the practice field, so that’s all we can ask.”
(Is it simple to say, we feel like QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is in a better position right now to lead this team to where we need to be? Is that fair?) – “What was your question? I don’t understand.”
(You mentioned leadership, intangibles being a huge part of it…) – “I think there’s a number of factors that go into that. I really do. I listed leadership as one of ‘Fitz’s’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) strengths; but certainly, do I think that the other guy lacks it? I don’t. I think that that’s just one of the things that ‘Fitz’ does well. I think there’s a number of things – like I said at all positions – guys are working on right now, and it’s really a long list for a lot of guys. All we’re asking him to do is try to improve and certainly, we all know he’s got a lot of ability, and we’re excited about him being on our roster. I’m glad he’s here. I think that ‘Fitz’ has provided some things because of his experience and his overall exposures to different defenses and his familiarity to the offensive scheme and some other things that have been helpful in his development years being a starting quarterback.”
(How would you describe what Offensive Line Coach Dave DeGuglielmo has brought to the table in his new old job?) – “’Guge’ (Offensive Line Coach Dave DeGuglielmo) is somebody that I’ve worked with in the past. Certainly, I have a lot of respect for the job that he’s done when I was with him in the past and certainly in the role that he’s in now. He works extremely hard. He brings out the best in his players. He coaches whoever’s in the room. I’m excited about working with ‘Guge.’ I really think we’ve got a great coaching staff here. We’ve got guys that have had experience in the position that I’m doing now, guys that have had a lot of experience on different teams, so really we have a wealth of knowledge that I can kind of lean on, and it’s been very helpful.”
(What do you see as the biggest challenge for the offensive line at this point with the state of things?) – “I think that whenever you have change in the offensive line, one of the most important things is we say, ‘just get on the same page.’ Communication is required. I think that that’s probably like it is at other positions when you have new players. It’s just the players that come in and embrace the offense, work hard and learn the language. The language might be slightly different, but the techniques are all very similar to other NFL teams, so it’s just a matter of learning them. Learn the language and being able to communicate with each other – that’s important to that position and important to other positions as well.”
(Just a general offensive strategy is getting the ball quickly to your playmakers. With this offensive line needing to develop tremendously, how important is it for you guys to get the ball to WR Albert Wilson, WR Jakeem Grant and some of the running backs as well?) – “I think that one of the things that’s exciting about this offense is that we do have a lot of guys that we want to get the ball to. I don’t know if all offenses can say that – that there’s a list of skill players that we have that we really want to try to get the ball in their hands, so that’s very exciting. There’s a lot that goes into that, getting the ball in their hands. Obviously, a lot of guys have to do their jobs for those guys to get the ball in their hands. The quarterback’s got to execute his job. The offensive line has got to execute his. I have to do a good job, or the staff has to do a good job of putting us in the right play call. At the end of the day, though, we have guys that I think have the opportunity to make plays with the ball in their hands, and that’s exciting. Again, it’s our job as a coaching staff to scheme those ways and get it in their hands. Regardless of who’s throwing it, regardless of who’s blocking, the task is to get the ball in their hands.”
Xavien Howard – September 2, 2019
Download PDF version
Monday, September 2, 2019
CB Xavien Howard
(On good players leaving.) – “I just say you control the things you can control. It’s the league. It’s a business. You’ve got to take it for a business, so just control the things you can control.”
(How does it impact the team when good players go?) – “It hurts; but like I said, it’s a business at the end of the day. It’s the next man up, so that’s how we’re going to take it from here.”
(Like recently, we’ve had LT Laremy Tunsil, WR Kenny Stills, LS John Denney, S T.J. McDonald, DT Vincent Taylor, LB Kiko Alonso – I could keep going. So my thing is, when Head Coach Brian Flores addresses, how does he explain it?) – “We’re moving on. We just take it one day at a time. Like I said, control the things you can control. That’s it.”
(You’re in the prime of your career, one of the top players in your position in the league. Do you want to be here?) – “Oh yeah, most definitely. I got drafted here and also they paid me here, so I want to finish here, too.”
(What do you think you know about the organization’s plan?) – “I don’t know the exact plan, but I’ve got to trust the process of what they’re doing – from ‘Flo’ (Coach Flores), upstairs, the front office, so just trust the process, I’d say.”
(It kind of reminds me of the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Browns. I don’t know how much NBA you watch…) – “I wasn’t born. I wasn’t born in ’76, so I don’t know about that era. (laughter)”
(What’s it been like getting acquainted with so many new teammates the last day or two?) – “They’ve been great. New faces in here. We all have one goal: we’re all trying to win. I’ll tell you that. We all came in – the people that he wants – so we’re just here.”
(Have you been able to put names with all the faces, or is that still a process?) – “I’m still learning some of the new guys, but some familiar guys I’ve been here with.”
Julien Davenport – September 2, 2019
Download PDF version
Monday, September 2, 2019
T Julien Davenport
(Have they told you if you’re the left tackle this year? If you’re the starting left tackle this year?) – “We’re working on getting the playbook down first. As we go along and I work to improve both sides, we’ll take it as it is.”
(What was your first impression of Head Coach Brian Flores and the staff here?) – “I really like the coaches. They seem like really good guys. Talking with them on the phone and then getting here yesterday and getting to meet them all, I’m excited for the opportunity.”
(What did either General Manager Chris Grier or Head Coach Brian Flores tell you their vision for your role this year?) – “(The vision is) to come in and help the team win. We’ve got things we’ve got to take care here and now, and we’ve got to do everything we can to put some wins in the win column.”
(I know you had ups and downs during the regular season. You played well in the playoff game. What have you changed as far as technique? Is there anything that you’ve done after self-evaluating last year to improve?) – “Oh yeah, definitely. Technique is something that you can never stop working on, so that’s a continuous process to keep honing in on things, and now I’m here with Coach ‘Guge’ (Offensive Line Coach Dave DeGuglielmo) and learning how he teaches things and getting ready to excel.”
(Have you made changes in your technique since last year to try to do something different?) – “Definitely. Honing in – I wouldn’t say too much different, but just making sure everything’s crisp and a little better. Footwork, finishing, your fits, hands, all of that.”
(How crazy is it getting here and having to prepare for a new team and you also have to prepare for a hurricane?) – “Yeah, I honestly forgot about that coming down here. I was – my first year in Houston, we had to deal with (Hurricane) Harvey, so hopefully, everything is A-OK down here. Hopefully the hurricane – as I heard – is going up the shore and not too much damage is done, but you can’t stop living. We’ve still got to prepare. Hopefully, as I said, everything is good for the whole of South Florida and even the coast as the hurricane touches the coast, so I’m praying for everybody.”
(Did you study former LT Laremy Tunsil’s film last year or this offseason?) – “I saw a little bit last year. I watch a lot of the tackles in the league, see how a lot of guys do it and as I said, try to see if there’s anything I can add to my game, anything that they do very well that I could see, that I can help myself.”
(How would you assess how you played last year?) – “As you said, ups and downs; but you can always get better, and I’m looking always improve. Could be a lot better.”
Evan Boehm – September 2, 2019
Download PDF version
Monday, September 2, 2019
C/G Evan Boehm
(So what has the whirlwind been like?) – “It’s been a whirlwind. It’s kind of like the winds out there with this hurricane coming in, I guess. It is just a lot of fun. It’s a lot of fun. I left Indy on good terms, but I am down here with a team that needs help and wants help and hopefully I can be that guy that steps in and helps out and help this offensive line in any type of way that they need me to help out in. There is a good group of guys in the o-line room, starting with Danny (Kilgore) being the elder and the leader of the group. He has done a great job so far of just helping all of the new guys out with the calls and plays and stuff like that. It’s still a whirlwind and we’re still learning on the run a little bit, but everything is going smoothly so far. We just have to get in there and keep our noses to the playbook for this week and learn as fast as we can for this game on Sunday.”
(Did you know any players on the team?) – “I went to college with Charles Harris. We are both from the Kansas City area, so I know Charles pretty well. Rob (Nkemdiche) and I were in Arizona together our first two years. I was in camp with Josh (Rosen) last year. So, I know three or four of them.”
(So, there’s a lot of shaking hands and nice to meet yous?) – “Yeah. And then I was with Ryan Kelly (in Indianapolis) and ‘K.D.’ (Kenyan Drake) and Ryan played together (at Alabama), so there are connections all over the place.”
(How comfortable is it possible for you to be in six days?) – “It is what you do with those six days. That’s how comfortable you can get. Hopefully we can get the wordage and verbiage down. What helps me a little bit is that I was with ‘Guge’ (Offensive Line Coach Dave DeGuglielmo) last year, so I know some of his calls that he makes. I know what he wants out of pass sets and footwork and stuff like that. I’ve still got to perfect that and master that kind of stuff. I’m good there now, but it’s just diving into the playbook and learning the rules of certain plays, if we’re going to the Mike, if we’re not going into the Mike, if we’re doing this, if we’re doing that. I’m just in the books right now, just going and studying as much as I can. Like I said earlier, we are on to Baltimore right now. So, having that game plan and getting to see ‘okay, these are the set of runs that we are running against Baltimore,’ just really helps me out to say, ‘okay, we don’t need to know that one right now.’ I can just focus on getting these (plays) but I will come back to this one in the future when I have time. Danny (Kilgore) and the other guys at practice today, they were in our ears the whole time helping us out saying okay and I’m like ‘Yo, that’s a new thing. What is that?’ And he was just like, ‘you’ve got this, this is the play it is.’ It went pretty smoothly I feel like, so we’ve just got to keep on getting better and building on top of days like today.”
(What do you think of Offensive Line Coach Dave DeGuglielmo?) – “I love ‘Guge’ (Dave DeGuglielmo). He believed in me last year. When Ryan (Kelly) went down for a three-game stint – he went down and threw me in at center after been there for two or three weeks and I don’t feel like we missed a beat. I started four games for ‘Guge’ last year – three in a row and then the last regular season football game on Sunday night against the Titans. So, having ‘Guge’ – I mean, he is a smart, very smart football coach. He knows what he wants and if he doesn’t get what he wants, he will let you know about it. He will get into you a little bit; but you know what? it’s that offensive line mentality you have to have. You have got to be perfect on every play. You can’t just have one of the five guys missing a block or doing something here or there or the play is normally not going to be right. I think ‘Guge’ is a great coach, and I love being in the same room as him because I get to learn more than just football when I am in there. It is going to be a good time.”
(Where did you spend most of your time today?) – “Meetings and with position coaches.”
(What position did you work with mostly?) – “Center and Guard.”
(Did you ever get to line up against DE Charles Harris in practice during your days at Mizzou?) – “No, I was always inside and Charles was always outside but we always had those battles when they came in on a little stunt or something like that, so we saw each other every once in a while. It was always fun, but Charles is a great player. We are back together – we said that last night when I saw him – we’re back and it’s like nothing ever happened. So, it’s going to be fun to watch him do his thing out there again.”
Davon Godchaux – September 2, 2019
Download PDF version
Monday, September 2, 2019
DT Davon Godchaux
(That was surprising news today we got about DT Vincent Taylor. I know everyone was surprised. Your reaction emotionally when you heard the news was what?) – “I mean, it was a shock. It’s not a secret – Vince came in the same year as me and we played together for three years. He was kind of like my best friend on the team. It was shocking but at the end of the day, I can only control what I can control. I don’t call the shots here. I just go by what they say.”
(How’s DT Vincent Taylor taking it based on your conversation with him?) – “I don’t know, I haven’t even talked to him. Once I talk to him, we will sit down and talk, maybe have dinner, pick his brain and see what’s on his mind.”
(Is there a possibility that DT Vincent Taylor might come back? They haven’t taken his locker placard down yet.) – “That’s a question to ask of (Chris) Grier – that’s the GM – and Coach Flores, the head coach. Like I said, that’s not my call. I just come in and I just play.”
(How did Head Coach Brian Flores explain what is going on?) – “He really doesn’t have to – I mean if he wants to come in and addresses the team, he is the head coach and he can do that. I just come out each and every day and prepare and do what I do. Come to my locker, get ready for practice, go to O/D (offensive/defense) meetings, go to meetings (Defensive Line) Coach (Marion) Hobby, (Defensive Coordinator) Coach Patrick Graham and ‘Coach Flo.’ I just – If he addresses it, he addresses it. If he doesn’t, he doesn’t. He’s the head coach.”
(A lot of turnover on the team – Guys are saying where are the showers? They don’t even know where the showers are because they just got here.) – “There’s a lot of new faces, but John Jenkins, I had a chance to train with him coming out for the draft. A lot of guys I’m familiar with. Gerald Willis, he’s from New Orleans. We were ranked number one and two in the state of Louisiana for defensive tackles. I know both of those guys very well. The other guys – we’ve got a lot of new guys around here, but they’ve got to adapt quick.”
(Who was one?) – “(Gerald Willis) was one, I was two. Gerald is a great guy … He’s a great guy to be around.”
(Is it at all demoralizing to see a lot of the top players on the team traded like we saw obviously with T Laremy Tunsil and WR Kenny Stills and many others this offseason?) – “It’s a business. I’m not surprised by anything. Tunsil was a great player for us, Kenny was a great player for us, Vincent (Taylor) was a great player for us. Guys like Akeem Spence, (he) was a good player for us last year. It’s the nature of the NFL. I always say not to put any emotions and feelings into business. You’re here today and you’re gone tomorrow.”
Raekwon McMillan – September 2, 2019
Download PDF version
Monday, September 2, 2019
LB Raekwon McMillan
(Do you feel like you’ve lost anything?) – “Have I lost anything?”
(In terms of rust – just from sitting out for the last four months, or were you out there today feeling, ‘I feel as good as I would if I hadn’t been out for a few weeks?) – “Yeah, I went out there today and felt real good. I got back out there with the guys and tried to lock back in and get back to where I was.”
(What’s going through – you’re not able to practice, you’re not able to be out there, so when you see all these moves being made and stuff, what’s going through your mind?) – “I’m not really worried about what’s going on on the outside. I just worry about what I can control and how I can get better.”
(And how do you think you guys are going to start the season? There are a lot of new faces in here.) – “It’ll be interesting. We’ve got a lot of new faces, like you said, but I think we’re bonding together as a team, and we’re going to put a good product out there on Sunday.”
(One thing Head Coach Brian Flores has said often and early is “selfless players.” He wants selfless guys. In this system, you have to kind of be that way, no?) – “Yeah, for sure, because you can be put in at any position, and the coaches expect there to be no drop-off. Wherever you’re being plugged in, you’ve got to go out there and you’ve got to be productive.”
(Does it take a certain mindset to be that type of player?) – “Yeah, for sure.”
(You can have the talent, but if you don’t buy into it…) – “Yeah. I feel like in this defense, you’ve really got to believe in yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself in this defense, then you’re not going to be able to play.”
(Do you have any sense of what your role will be? I assume we’ll see you a lot in three-linebacker sets. Is that your understanding?) – “I don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s just, like I said, I’m just trying to get my body back right and ready to go out there Sunday and play ball.”
(How’d it feel today?) – “It felt good. I’m back to 100 percent out there on the field, running around – just ready to go, like I said.”
(So you could play, physically, Sunday if needed?) – “Yeah, for sure.”
(So much turnover in the locker room. I overheard one guy asking somebody, ‘Hey, where’s the showers?’ You guys have so many new guys around now.) – “Yeah, we’ve got a lot of new guys looking for where to go and don’t know what they’re doing. (laughter) Half of the guys here that have been here for a while still don’t know what’s going on. (laughter) We’ll be all right.”
