Jalen Davis – June 4, 2019
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Tuesday, June 4, 2019
CB Jalen Davis
(There are a lot of undrafted corners who have gone on to success with the New England Patriots. Was this a fact you’re aware of? Have coaches mentioned this?) – “They just go on the fact that if you can play, you can play. If you can play, you’re going to be out there. So that’s all I’m trying to do, just show them that I can play and show them that I can just be out there and running.”
(You have a lot of young guys obviously competing for a job at slot, also on the boundary opposite CB Xavien Howard. Are you excited about this? Do you feel like it’s an open competition with the eight or nine of you?) – “Of course I’m excited. Everybody is excited. (It’s a) new season, new year just to prove yourself to the coaches, to the players. That’s all we’re trying to do, just prove ourselves to everybody so we can just get better. That’s all we’re doing.”
(What was the feedback you’ve been getting from Defensive Pass Game Coordinator/Cornerbacks Josh Boyer as far as what he likes, what he wants to see?) – “Just keep going off of my instincts and just keep showing my ability to play on the football field.”
(How much of an encouragement was the Jacksonville game to you last year where you got an opportunity and you made plays? Had that given you even more confidence that you can play at this level?) – “Yeah, but once again, I know my ability because I know what I can do out there on the football field. I was confident being out there and showcasing my skills.”
(Do you make a point to take every interception to the house?) – “Of course. (laughter)”
(Even if you have to run back to the next play or what?) – “You still have to go all the way, 99 (yards).”
(How many picks do you have so far, I guess through 10 practices, besides the one today? Any others?) – “That’s the only one, today.”
(Have you been pleased with how you’ve done through 10 practices?) – “Yeah. I’m pleased with how I’ve done, but I still need to improve a whole lot. I need a whole lot of improvement from myself.”
(Which of the young corners have stood out to you? We’ve seen you make plays, CB Cornell Armstrong, CB Jomal Wiltz. Who has stood out to you?) – “Everybody is just out there making plays, so you can’t just name one person because everybody is out there making plays each and every day. If somebody is making mistakes, they learn from the mistakes. That’s what we’re doing.”
(How much slot, how much boundary for you over these practices? Has it been some of both?) – “They just have me all over the place, so I’m just trying to show where I can play at.”
(Are you comfortable with both?) – “Yeah.”
(I’m doing something on players between year one and year two. A lot of guys will tell you year two is better because I wasn’t training for the Combine going into your rookie year. How does it feel for you? How different is it when you can work on football as opposed to training for the Combine?) – “It’s better because when you first get in here, you don’t know the speed of what’s going on and what’s happening. The second year, you’re more developed and you know what the practice speed is like, the speed of the practice and meetings and all of that type of stuff. So you get way more comfortable during the second year.”
(How do we see that out on the field?) – “Just playing faster. That’s all that is.”
(Then comes this defense where you’re all over in different places. How do you deal with that when you have so many different assignments?) – “Get in the playbook.”
(Is it tougher than normal, than what you’re used to?) – “No. A play is a play, so just learn them.”
(What you have here at corner, it seems like a bunch of young, athletic kids who were playmakers in college. What’s your read of the talent you have here at corner with a bunch of guys who are awfully young?) – “I’d say we have a lot of talent over here in the cornerback room. We’re just trying to showcase it out on the field.”
(WR Preston Williams, just covering him – have you had much opportunity to observe the skills he has?) – “Yeah. Preston is good. He’s going to be a good receiver.”
(Is it the size, the speed?) – “Size, speed, release moves off the line. He’s good.”
(WR Trenton Irwin, the Stanford rookie – any thoughts on him? Have you gone up against him at all?) – “Yeah. He’s nice. He has a lot of wiggle in him. I like that.”
Jerome Baker – June 4, 2019
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Tuesday, June 4, 2019
LB Jerome Baker
(Today, Head Coach Brian Flores was talking to us. When your name came up, he was talking about how you are taking more of a leadership role this year. What gives you the confidence to do that?) – “I have one year under my belt. I’m really just trying to do my job and set the example. I’m really just doing my job to the best of my ability and just taking ownership of it.”
(Have you always been a leader throughout your high school and college career?) – “I look at myself as a leader. I want to lead by example. I don’t want to say it with my words, I want to lead by example.”
(You know how much Head Coach Brian Flores values leadership on this team, don’t you?) – “Yes, I do.”
(One thing that’s come up is your role this year. It seems like you may be asked to do more of a pass rush role. How do you embrace that?) – “They ask me to do a lot of different things. I’m really just taking ownership of that, just being versatile. Whatever they tell me to do, just do it to the best of my ability. If it’s pass rush, that’s what I’m going to do.”
(Your pass rush skills, how would you assess them? You had the three sacks last year. You have the speed. How would you assess your skills in that area?) – “It’s just a work in progress. I’m just out there with (Linebackers) Coach Rob (Leonard) and constantly improving and trying to get better in all aspects of my game.”
(Your comfort level playing in a 3-4 – obviously, we saw you a ton in a 4-3 outside. What’s your comfort level in a 3-4 as an outside guy?) – “Football is football. It doesn’t matter what the scheme is. You have to go out there and make plays and just get to the ball carrier. That’s pretty much what I’m doing, just out there having fun.”
(Did you change your body at all this year? Anything you do differently?) – “Yeah. I got in the weight room a lot. That was my main thing, just working out as much as I can and hopefully improve so it pays off in the season.”
(Did you put on any weight?) – “A little bit. I’ve been a little heavier today. I’m just trying to keep it and be consistent.”
(What are you up to now?) – “Today I weighed in at 227.”
(Had the staff wanted you to be a little bigger without it sacrificing speed?) – “They just want me to be healthy and make sure it’s the right weight. (Head Strength and Conditioning) Coach Dave (Puloka) can definitely do a good job with that.”
(How great was it to have S Reshad Jones back?) – “It was definitely great when you have a player like that. He brings that leadership, so it was definitely good to see him.”
(How much stronger do you feel now?) – “I feel like a new player, honestly. I feel stronger, feel faster. I just have to take that into the season and constantly improve.”
(Have you always been a weight room kind of guy or not?) – “Yeah, I go in there. But this offseason, it was like a main focus of mine. I definitely took that, this offseason, to heart.”
(How do you look back on your rookie year?) – “It was a learning experience. It was definitely fun. (I’m) just trying to take that next step this year.”
(What’s a main lesson you learned as a rookie?) – “Just because you’re a rookie, that doesn’t mean you don’t say anything. Last year I would know the call, I would know something and I just wouldn’t say anything because it was an older guy. This year, just speak up what you see. If you’re wrong, at least everybody is on the same accord. I just kind of took that to heart.”
(It sounds like you hit the perfect balance because you’re talking like a veteran but you’re still a very young guy.) – “Yeah. I love being a young guy. I like that hunger, I like that edge, so I’m going to definitely always keep that.”
(In a couple of days, you guys are going to get a break. I’m sure you’re looking forward to that as well. What are you going to do with your time off?) – “Just really soak in the playbook and enjoy my family. Just see my family as much as I can before we go into the season and just really appreciate them.”
(You’re not going to go diving with sharks or climb Mount Everest or anything?) – “No, I’m not going to do that.”
(What excites you about this defense?) – “We’re young and hungry. That’s the main thing. We’re young and hungry. The coaching staff is so versatile, so you have to know a lot of positions. You never know where you’re going to be at. Just young, hungry and being versatile.”
(Take me a little inside that scheme. Is it more tricky, are there more positions to learn or a lot of plays? What’s it like?) – “We just have to learn the concepts. (Head) Coach (Brian Flores) will really move you around pretty much any position if you learn the concepts. You can just tell if you really want to play, that you have to learn multiple positions.”
(I’m doing something on the difference with players between year one and year two because a lot of times, you talk to the players and they say year two I was here training as opposed to training for the combine. I was doing football activities. For you, what’s been the big difference?) – “It’s definitely that. You can just sit in one place and just focus on your training. For me, that was a big difference. I didn’t have to travel. I didn’t have to go see different teams. Just kind of sit wherever you want to be at and work out and just enjoy yourself there. That was definitely a bonus for me.”
(Tell me about the traveling and the working out. How many teams did you visit? How much time were you working out?) – “I probably visited five teams, and it was all in a span of a week. Pretty much, I’d go home, change, go on another flight. It was flight, flight, flight, back to back to back.”
(What teams did you visit?) – “San Francisco, the Chargers, Jacksonville, Broncos. I think that was it.”
(This year, what have you been doing? It’s been working out. You’ve been with the team.) – “I took one trip to Bali. After that, I kind of just stayed here and just worked out and just kind of enjoyed Miami.”
(Let me digress and ask a stupid question, how was Bali?) – “It was amazing. It was definitely beautiful. It was just the culture of it was beautiful. I definitely had fun.”
(When you’re here and you’re doing football activities, when you get out there on that field, do you feel more confident? Do you feel better because you’ve been here? How does it make a difference? Where do we see that manifest itself?) – “You’re just more confident. You’re ready for football shape. Combine shape and football shape are two different things. You definitely feel ready for that and you kind of just take that on and be consistent. It’s another break, so you have to make sure you stay in that shape. You can definitely feel it out on the field.”
Christian Wilkins – June 4, 2019
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Tuesday, June 4, 2019
DT Christian Wilkins
(How goes it for you out there?) – “It’s going pretty well, honestly. I’m loving each and every day, honestly. I’m just living the dream right now. The NFL, so far, is everything I could’ve asked for, could’ve hoped for. I’m literally getting paid to play the game I love so much, so I couldn’t be in a better position knowing I’m not working in an office. I am, but I’m with another 90 other guys, get to show up to work every day in sweatpants, so it’s pretty awesome. I’m living the dream right now.”
(I know it’s only been a few weeks since the draft. How far have you come the first time you stepped on this field to today?) – “I definitely see and feel an improvement. The first day, everything was real fast and you’ve got to adjust. You’re going up against guys who’ve been in the league so long. You’re throwing things at them that they’ve seen before. It’s kind of a challenge, but I love the challenge. I feel like each day I try to come in with the mindset to improve. Not to be the most down-to-play on the field, but have the mindset I’ve got to improve and get better every day.”
(Other than every guy here was almost an All-American, a really good college football player. What is different than the last few years for you out on that field?) – “You just said it: this is the best of the best. There are going to be times where I might slip up and do right and lose or even when I do my best and it’s just a stalemate. It’s part of the growing process and the growing pains. I’m loving it and enjoying it. It’s pretty awesome.”
(In college when you slipped up and you didn’t do your best, you were still the best player.) – “Exactly. And there’s times where you can mess up and still make the play. Now, you can’t make as many mistakes. As you get better and better and as you improve, now you’ve got the best of the best, the air gets thinner and that margin of error gets real small, too, so you can’t make as many mistakes. You’ve got to be on it from knowing your job, executing your job and playing at a high level.”
(Who are the teammates that’ve helped you out the first month?) – “There’s a lot of those guys. I really like Charles (Harris). He’s been a good vet for me so far. The same with Akeem Spence. I love those two guys. Just as far as in my role, they’ve been helping me get adjusted. Akeem is an older, savvy vet who’s always teaching me little techniques and things like that, so I really like him. Seeing how certain guys work like Bobby (McCain), guys I’m earning respect for, I have a lot of respect for (them) and seeing how they work is really commendable. They’ve been there for me since I got here.”
(Do your personal expectations rise as they ask you to do more like, “This is a first team rep, go do that?”) – “The expectations I have for myself are always higher than anyone can have for me. Wherever they want me to play, whatever situation they want me to be in, my job is to go out there and dominate and play at the highest level I can and to contribute and do my job so that the team can be successful at the end of the day. That’s what I always keep in mind when I go out onto the field, when I’m studying at night. I’m like, ‘I’ve got to do this so the team can be the best that they can be.’ That’s always my mindset.”
(How do you feel you did today?) – “It was honestly like a backyard football day kind of with the rain. You’re playing out there and it’s slushy. I feel like I did pretty well. It was fun. I had a good time. I try to improve on something each day.”
(How different was it? Was today almost like the first day because everybody is here? How different was that? Was it like another first day?) – “It’s not like we had too much time off or anything in between. We’ve been still going at it. Yeah, it’s kind of like that, but we’ve been working for this last month. Really, it wasn’t too different. But you’ve just got the mindset, ‘Okay, this is all the mandatory portion and we’re getting after it. We’re going to be grinding. There’s a little bit more time that we can spend here now.’ As far as a practice standpoint and practice schedule, it’s all been the same. That wasn’t too bad or anything.”
(You mentioned DE Charles Harris. Has he helped you with the expectations of a first-round pick, because he was a first-round pick?) – “He holds himself to a high standard and so do I. I try to watch the things he does and pick and pull the good things that he does and listen to him, because he’s a really intelligent guy that works hard not just on the field but off the field. He’s a guy that I look to for a lot of different things. Just little things like where is a good place to live or who’s the best chef around so I can get good, quality meals. Just little things like that, he’s always there for me and always helping me with.”
(In the last five weeks when you haven’t been on the field, what have you been doing to get better?) – “I’m constantly working on my body, doing little recovery things and studying a lot so I can get this playbook down. The more I study and the better my body feels, I feel like the better I’ll be out there on the field. All of my focus at all times is essentially back to football, improving my game and craft so that I can help the team at the end of the day.”
(The tackle and the end role, both of those roles I know you played them at Clemson, but is there anything that’s carried over here in the first couple weeks?) – “No, because I’m not on offense yet and I’m pretty upset about that. (laughter) I need to get some offensive touches. We’ll see. That was later down the line. I’m just messing (around). It’s tougher, yes, because it’s the NFL and the jobs they’re asking me to do, but at the end of the day it’s still football. I’ve still got to get in my stance. It’s all about alignment, leverage, technique, playing with your hands, doing those little things, eyes, hands, feet. It’s still football at the end of the day, but it is a little tougher, because it is the NFL and guys are better. If you take a wrong step, it’s tougher to recover. Little things like that. As long as you’re on it, it’s not too terrible, but it is tougher, because it’s the NFL, like I said.”
(Are you all settled in personally?) – “I’m still figuring everything out as I go a little bit. (I am) trying to learn the area and really get to know my teammates. That’s the biggest thing.”
Reshad Jones – June 4, 2019
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Tuesday, June 4, 2019
S Reshad Jones
(On running in practice.) – “We are going to run in games so I guess it helps out.”
(Are you excited to be a part of a defense where you can do multiple things?) – “Most definitely. I’m excited to be back. I’m excited to be here with my teammates, learning the defense. There are a lot of packages and a lot of stuff I have to catch up to, but I’m excited about it.”
(Why were you not here for the rest of OTAs?) – “I wanted to take time to get physically in-shape and ready to play a 16-game stretch or longer.”
(Was your shoulder a big part of that?) – “Yeah.”
(And the team was okay with that?) – “Yeah, me and Coach (Flores), we spoke about it.”
(We saw a lot of your videos whether they were on social media, Instagram or whatever. Was that to kind of show the work that you were putting in and to prove to the fans out there that …) – “I don’t really have to prove anything to anybody. I’ve been one of the best safeties in this league for a long time. I put the work in year in and year out. That’s my pattern. That’s what I do. Every year, I put the work in. I post videos up the previous year, the year before that and every year so it’s the same thing I do year in and year out.”
(You not being here, do you think it was a little overblown by everybody?) – “Yeah, most definitely. Me and the coach, we had communication. I know you guys have to write stories and stuff like that but me and coach were communicating. Voluntary mean voluntary so I took the time to get physically ready to play a 16-game stretch coming off a surgery in February.”
(What is it about this defense when you get out there, the differences and changes?) – “It’s just a lot of movement and a lot of packages. Guys (are) playing different roles. (It’s) fast paced. It looks exciting so I’m excited to be a part of it.”
(I don’t know if you pay attention to some of the media things that are put out there but your name is apparently coming up in trade rumors and trade speculation. Have you noticed that and just kind of your thoughts on the matter?) – “I’ve seen it and I’ve heard of it but I control what I (can) control. I’m in great shape. I’m still one of the best safeties in this league and whatever happens, happens. I control what I (can) control. I’m here, I love this city, I love the fans. I’d love to be a part of the Dolphins organization.”
(Do you think there’s a certain level of respect that should be given to you given what you’ve accomplished in the league?) – “I mean the numbers speak for themselves. Respect? I earned that. I earned my stripes in this league. I’ve done everything possible. I’ve been a two-time Pro Bowler. Everything you can possibly imagine. It doesn’t faze me. I put the work in year in and year out and I’m here to help this team win football games.”
(We saw you sitting and watching a lot of practice today trying to figure out everything that’s going on. Was that tough?) – “A little bit but I’m catching up pretty fast. I’ve played a lot of snaps in this league, a lot of football, so I catch on pretty quick.”
(How would you describe your relationship with Head Coach Brian Flores?) – “We’ve had minimal relations, minimal talks but I know he’s a straightforward guy. He kept it real with me, once we were communicating about me not being here and different things like that. I know he comes from a winning program so I’m excited to be working with him.”
(How would you describe your emotions this offseason as far as everything you’ve had to deal with?) – “I mean coming off of surgery, I had been through it. I’ve had two of my labrums (repaired). Two, three years ago, I went through the same surgery. I feel pretty good now. It’s the same thing for me, pretty much.”
(What percentage do you think you are health-wise?) – “I’m not 100 percent, but I’m close.”
Brian Flores – May 29, 2019
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Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Would you mind if you could talk a little bit about the edge rushers, LB Andrew Van Ginkel, what skills you’ve seen from him that you saw at Wisconsin? A couple of others guys at that position or not at that position, specifically edge rusher-type like LB Tyrone Holmes. Thoughts on a couple of those guys if you could beginning with Van Ginkel.) – “I’ll start with Charles Harris. I think he’s really doing a good job for us in the classroom, on the field. He’s smart. He’s hard-working. He’s got a lot of ability. We’re pleased with where he’s at. I look forward to working with him some more. You mentioned Van Ginkel. He’s young. Those guys, it’s funny, they’ve only been here under three weeks, so they all have a long way to go. Andrew for sure, he’s done a good job. He’s done a nice job. He’s got good speed, he’s instinctive and he’s got a play-making knack that he showed in college that we liked. Hopefully that translates.”
(Sticking with defense, what went into the DT Adolphus Washington signing?) – “We saw a young man who’s got some versatility, got some pass-rush ability, does some good things in the run game. He’s had a little bit of production in the league. We felt like he would be a good addition to our team.”
(What’s the biggest thing when you watch LB Adolphus Washington’s tape that stood out to you?) – “There’s a lot of things. He’s got good length, he’s got some athletic ability, he’s got decent strength. I thought there were some things to develop, things to, I thought there was some potential there to help us.”
(The starting cornerback job opposite CB Xavien Howard, is it safe to say CB Eric Rowe is in the lead right now at this early stage and what do you want to see as far as those guys?) – “I just want to see all of them compete. That’s really what I’m looking for. Eric, Jomal (Wiltz), Nik Needham, the whole group. I think they’re all doing that. I think they’re all working hard. I think they’re all learning the defense and working on their techniques, their fundamentals. It’s still very early. There’s still a lot of time for that competition to develop. We’ll see how it shakes out come training camp.”
(Do you anticipate – I know it’s early – CB Xavien Howard moving like he did sometimes last year with the top receiver and if so, how does that impact the other quarterback?) – “I think it’ll be game-plan based. If we want to put him on a specific matchup, we can do that. That’ll be really the same for everyone on defense. It’ll be game planned to put them in the best position to do the things they do well.”
(And the other guy, if he has to move sides, how does that affect his job if CB Xavien Howard is shadowing?) – “It’s what he’s got to do. If that’s the game plan and we’re putting Xavien on a specific player, then whoever the other corner is, we’ll get him there.”
(Do you find that the undrafted rookies that have made your teams over the years share common threads whether it’s the hunger factor or whatever it is? Do you see a common thread in the guys that have been successful as undrafted rookies?) – “I think the thread for players who make it in this league are tough, they’re dependable, they’re consistent. I think they’ve all got a chip on their shoulder whether they’re undrafted, drafted, Canadian League or AAF. To me, that’s the thing that they all have. They all have toughness, competitiveness. That’s what it takes to be successful in this league.”
(Could you discuss your value of the fullback? You guys drafted a fullback. I’m just curious, do you see that as, can you just discuss the value of what you see?) – “I think it adds a competitiveness, a grit, a toughness, to the team. We want to run the football. I think having a lead blocker clear the way helps that. I value that position. I think it brings a toughness, a grit that I think I like in my team.”
(Is that because the way the league is going the other way, there’s a counterpunch to that or do you think you always valued that?) – “Quite honestly, I played linebacker and I’ve had to deal with fullbacks. It’s not always the easiest thing to do. Wherever the league goes is where it goes; but personally, having dealt with a lead blocker, it’s not an easy thing to deal with.”
(We by now know you value very much competition. You’ve placed a high premium of players competing throughout the spring. You have a player who we believe can return next week after not being here in S Reshad Jones. He’s been a starter here for seven, eight years, whatever it’s been. Is he going to be a starter when he comes back or is he going to have to work up the depth chart to get that starting job back?) – “I think everyone’s got to work to start in this league and on this team. I think there’s no doubt about that. I would say there’s no sacred cows, not in this game. I think you have to earn what you get. That’s the case for everyone on the team. I think I’ve said that over and over again.”
(With QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and QB Josh Rosen, you’ve got two guys at very different points in their career. They seem to be very different quarterbacks. What do they have in common? Where do you see similarities with them as quarterbacks?) – “I think they’re both smart. I think they both have leadership ability. I think they both build relationships with their teammates, which I think is very important at that position. I think they’re both good players. I’m happy to work with both guys. I look forward to working with them as we move on.”
(Do they both have chips on their shoulder?) – “I believe so. I do. I think they both love to play the game. I think they both love to compete. I think they both want to win. I think they want to help this team win. I think they both have chips.”
(How can CB Bobby McCain help you guys?) – “Like everyone else on our defense, I think he does a good job of communicating. These are the things that’ll help us. If you do a good job communicating, you tackle well, we defend the deep part of the field, we set the edge. I think Bobby can do a lot of things from a communication standpoint, from a tackling standpoint, from a play-making standpoint. He’s been very good so far.”
(Before last year, CB Bobby McCain was mostly slotted into the slot and then he played some boundary, a lot of boundary, last year. Do you see that versatility where he can move around or is he, to you, a nickel slot corner?) – “I think he’s smart enough definitely to move around. He can play corner, he can play safety, he can play nickel, he can play a variety of positions. He’s a smart player and a guy who’s made a lot of plays in this league. We’re looking forward to working with him.”
(What have you noticed about QB Josh Rosen throughout OTAs?) – “Again, this is under three weeks. He’s smart. He’s got a big arm. He’s talented. He’s got some leadership ability. But he’s got a lot to learn. There’s no doubt about that. This offense, it’s not an easy one to learn. There’s something new every day. He’s improving, he’s getting better every day. I like that. I think that’s the case with a lot of the guys we have on this team. That progress is what we’re looking for on a day-to-day basis and I’m seeing that not only from Josh, but from a majority of the group.”
(Do you plan to have a depth chart of starters when you break for summer after next week?) – “No, I don’t. I think it’s way too early to pencil in anyone. You get into training camp and you kind of have an idea, a thought process of what it may look like, but to pencil guys in, I think it’s … Anything can happen. You guys have followed enough of this to know that things happen quickly in this league. You can pencil them in, but you have to be ready to adapt anyways. You might as well live in a fluid world. It’s a fluid business. It’s a fluid game. You’ve got to be able to make adjustments in-game and it’s no different for us as an organization and a team. We’ll be flexible, for sure.”
(When you chart out your offseason, are you on-track where you thought you would be at this point in the offseason?) – “I think we’re moving in the right direction. I think it’s important that we finish strong. I think we’ve got two weeks left. I talked to the team about this yesterday when we came in: we’ve got two weeks left and we need to finish strong. It’s like anything, you can play well for three quarters and if you don’t play well in the fourth quarter, a lot of times it doesn’t work out. That’s the challenge to the group these next couple of weeks is to finish strong. To answer your question, yes. But you can play well up to a point and then it doesn’t work out, so you need to finish strong.”
(What have you learned about this group so far through this process?) – “They’re tough. They give great effort. This is a smart group. This is a mentally-tough group. We’ll see once the pads come on how physically tough we are. But I imagine we’ll be that, too. I think they don’t back down from challenges. I try to challenge this group on a daily basis and they respond. It’s not perfect every day. Again, it’s an imperfect game, but they work hard, that’s for sure.”
(How has the transition been for you from leading one group to leading the entire room?) – “It’s been good. I enjoy what I’m doing. I love coaching. I’m passionate about it. It’s just a bigger group I get to impact or try to impact. Messaging is important. Challenging them is important to me and being demanding is important. I think that’s how you bring out the best in people. I love being in front of a big group. It gives me an opportunity to impact more people.”
(You mentioned DE Charles Harris before. Is he closer to being a veteran football player or a football player dealing with first-round disappointment? Has he shaken his past? Is he moving on?) – “I think he’s working hard. I think he’s doing everything we ask. I think this is a smart guy. I can’t say enough good things about him. He’s the kind of guy we want in the building. Honestly, I don’t care about his past. I care about right now. That’s where I’m at.”
(Is DE Charles Harris going to be full go for July with the wrist? He’s had a glove on his hand when we’ve been out there.) – “The injury report, you guys know when that comes out. (laughter)”
(We’ve seen elements of your culture whether it’s the time or the wall. How much of your culture do you feel like you’ve established at this point in the offseason?) – “I think it’s ongoing. I think of something new every morning, quite honestly. But I can’t give it all to them every day, so I try to give it to them in bits. We’re trying to build a culture that’s about improvement, it’s about hard work, it’s about competition, but it’s also about honesty, it’s also about humility. I think those are core values of mine that when you’re not doing those things, that’s when I get a little bit upset I would say. Specifically from an honesty standpoint, from a respect standpoint, from a humility standpoint, I think those are important values you have to have. That’s part of my role as a leader of this team.”
Adolphus Washington – May 29, 2019
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Wednesday, May 29, 2019
DT Adolphus Washington
(How much nicer is it to join a team with so many former college teammates – LB Raekwon McMillan, LB Jerome Baker, even T Isaiah Prince?) – “It’s always good reuniting with your old teammates. They’ve been helping me out a lot since I’ve been here, letting me know where to go, what time to be at meetings, being on time is late and all that stuff. (It’s) kind of like it was at Ohio State, so I’m kind of used to it.”
(What do you think you bring to this team as a pass rusher?) – “I feel like I can help them out in any way they need me. Play the run, play the pass – whatever they need me to do, I’ll help them out doing it.”
(How much catching up do you have to do coming in at this time of the year?) – “Not much. The defense is – I can’t say simple – it’s complex, but it has a simple way of doing it. Especially playing d-line, we don’t have to worry about coverages, worry about routes and all that stuff. We just get the person with the ball.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores was saying this morning that he likes what he’s seen from you, he thinks he’s seen potential. How do you think he can maximize your potential here?) – “I have to work for it pretty much. I have to go out there and prove myself to my teammates, to the coaches, let them know that they can trust me and I can go out there and play.”
(How would you describe that period of time when you were waiting for that phone call?) – “Definitely stressful, but I always kept faith. I have good people in my corner that keep me motivated and all that stuff. I was down but I’m okay. I finally got a job.”
(What made you want to come here?) – “They gave me the phone call, I had a workout and we’re here now.”
(Tell me a little about your position room. There’s no real old-school veteran there. It seems like a lot of young, hungry guys. How do you kind of approach or what do you see in that room?) – “They added another young, hungry guy. I’m going to go in there and compete just like those guys are doing. We’re just going to make each other better.”
(Do you expect that when you guys go 3-4 that you might be doing some end and have you done that much in a 3-4?) – “My rookie year with Rex (Ryan), we played a 3-4. I played some end, so I have some experience with it, but (there is) always room for improvement.”
(Obviously you’ve only been here for a few days but what have you seen from DE Charles Harris?) – “Good leader. One of the guys, he was just over there working with me going over some plays and stuff. He had no problem helping me. No ego, none of that, so overall a good guy from what I’ve seen so far.”
(DE Charles Harris is a guy who seems hungry to have a big year. Have you seen that from him?) – “Definitely. Definitely seen that from him this year.”
Charles Harris – May 29, 2019
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Wednesday, May 29, 2019
DE Charles Harris
(Head Coach Brian Flores was speaking very highly of you today, learning linebacker. Has it been a boost in the arm for you in terms of a new challenge?) – “It’s been cool. Any time a player gets to expand their football I.Q. and learn different things, it’s always exciting. It’s exciting and makes you appreciate the game a lot more, the intricacies of it from all corners. It’s definitely exciting.”
(Should this system and how they’re going to use you maximize your skillset do you think?) – “I think so. I definitely do in all areas. I definitely do.”
(What has been the most challenging part about this defense and learning it?) – “Nothing has been challenging so far. It’s just like any time you install something new, you’ve got to learn it, get it down and get comfortable with it. That’s all you have to do is (learn) it like the back of your hand.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores said today that he can’t say enough good things about how you’ve impressed him since his arrival. How would you describe your approach to having a new coaching staff?) – “Just doing the fundamentals, making sure that you are doing everything on the field and off the field, giving him no reason to call you in, no reason to call you out or anything like that. Just make sure that you’re doing your job in all areas and make sure that you take care of your business.”
(We saw you putting in extra pass rush work after practice. Can you talk about why you do that and what you’re trying to accomplish?) – “Yeah, we’ve just got different techniques and different schemes, getting down to details. Like I was saying earlier, when you learn the intricacies of the game, it makes you want to be better at it. You don’t ever want to be in a situation where you didn’t do the little thing right for you to get that sack or you didn’t do the little thing right for you to break on the ball or something like that. You want to make sure you’ve got all the details down and be the best player you can be.”
(Have you studied tape of New England’s defense in terms of guys who have played the hybrid role you have?) – “We always watch film on New England. Not too much, but we just watch different film across the board. Obviously we have a New England defense, or our coach came from New England, so it’s only right that he throws in things like that. But across the board, we watch all different kinds of players, different schemes, different players. I think he wants to give us a well-rounded perspective and not say ‘we have to do this,’ which is great. He gives multiple perspective of different teams and different options.”
(Have you looked at the LB Kyle Van Noy role or the DE Trey Flowers role when he was there in terms of on tape, something that you would be doing similar?) – “Really we look at it schematic-wise. We haven’t looked at it individually, like ‘I look like him or I play like him.’ Nobody wants to box themselves in. I don’t think any player wants to be, I don’t think the coaches want to get into that mind frame of boxing themselves in. I think that ‘P.G.’ (Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham) came in and kind of ridiculed us for having that boxed-in mindset. ‘I play like this or I heard we have to do it like this.’ He’s like ‘no, be a football player.’ If anything, he’s probably broke the chains, broke the shackles and was just like, ‘play ball.’ I don’t think anybody wants to box themselves in. When we watch film, we focus it from the scheme and try to get the whole, try to do it from big to little, get the call down and then get to details of how to do it.”
(What else has stuck out to you about Head Coach Brian Flores so far in your time with him?) – “I’d just say intensity on a daily basis. There is no fall off, no drop off, no change. Every time he comes in, he’s on time, he’s intense. Intense means he always gives you a takeaway. Every day he gives you a takeaway on how he exemplifies himself as a man. He’s not just teaching us football, but he’s teaching us life skills. I think that’s the biggest thing. The things he doesn’t say are the things that go the most noticed.”
(What are some of those life skills?) – “Just about being a man. The trifecta, that he often talks about. We’re going to keep that in-house about what the trifecta is but just teaching guys about being mature, being mature at this stage of the game and how every single practice really does matter and how every day of your life matters. If you practice like you do your life, you’ll take every day for what it is and make the most out of it. That’s what we are trying to do and when we are on the field, you kind of see it.”
(In those times in which you’ve rushed the passer from a standing position throughout your career. What are some of the advantages that, that can create?) – “I just think it’s different because every time a tackle sees somebody standing up, they are thinking that he could drop or he could rush. I think if you give him two versus just one with your hand down, where (he’s like) ‘I know he’s coming or I know he’s doing this.’ It’s not simple. I think it’s pretty simple in regards to the tackle thinking either he’s going to drop or he’s going to come at me. It just gives you the other 50 percent, the other 50 right there. That’s everybody.”
(How close are you to full strength with the wrist?) – “I’m not really sure. I’m not really sure. I say that because I haven’t really tested it. I’ve just been doing my workouts every single day and getting evaluated whenever I go into the doctor. I’m waiting for her to give me the green light and after that, we’re on.”
(Any team drills have you done, or has it mostly been individuals?) – “It’s been mostly individuals. Team is kind of like, it is what it is. Just taking mental reps, taking mental reps.”
(As far as being ready for the start of training camp, is there any doubt in your mind about that or is that a question health-wise?) – “I’m just taking it one day at a time. I just take it one day at a time and I’m just doing my thing and making sure I’m doing everything I can every single day to maximize.”
(What’s your confidence level out here right now? This is kind of symbolizing a fresh start for you with a new coaching staff and new defense.) – “I think it’s very high. Across the board, I feel like the whole team, Coach ‘Flo’ (Flores) tells us every single day that we should be growing in confidence. I think that’s every player, every coach, every staff member, we should be growing in confidence in regards to the team. If you put in hard work, and we’re all out here working every single day. I think as a team, we are building. We are definitely building.”
Josh Rosen – May 29, 2019
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Wednesday, May 29, 2019
QB Josh Rosen
(What is your comfort level the last couple of weeks and at this point today?) – “I don’t know overall but I think (it’s) much better than when I got here and better than yesterday. This is kind of the track. I couldn’t really give you a frame of reference but (I feel) pretty good. (I’m) getting there.”
(What are some things that let you know that you’re making progress?) – “I’m just thinking about less things pre-snap. Formations and motions are less of a worry and I’m worrying more about what the Mike (linebacker) point is and where I’ve got to go with the ball. I’m just trying to narrow down as many things as I can pre-snap.”
(How many things do you have to put together now to really make sure you’re where you want to be?) – “Still a lot. (laughter) Less than it used to be, though.”
(What have your early impressions of WR Preston Williams been?) – “Really good. He’s very talented. He’s that big body that the NFL receivers are sort of based off of in that one-on-one position. He’s a big body, a really talented guy with great hands and I’m really looking forward to developing with him.”
(Are you getting to the point where you’re knowing even more receivers, their tendencies and what works for them like WR DeVante Parker and WR Kenny Stills? Or are you still just in the early stages here and not quite there yet?) – “I can’t give you guys the playbook on our guys. (laughter) But we’ve got a really good, athletic group of guys. What’s really cool about it is they’re all good at specific things. Kenny, Jakeem (Grant), DeVante and we’re waiting to get Albert (Wilson) out here. Everyone is really good at certain things which makes for a very dynamic group.”
(We saw today that you went up against the first-team defense with the first-team offensive line. Getting that integration with the first-teamers, what has that done for you and your confidence?) – “Good. Any rep is an opportunity to rep it one more time and get better and more consistent. Obviously I’m very gracious to go with the ones, but whether I’m with ones, twos or threes, I have to treat every rep like it’s a game.”
(How is this offense different than anything you’ve ever run before?) – “It’s actually kind of similar to Coach (Mike) McCoy’s in Arizona because he was with – it’s a long tree – but I think he was with (Josh) McDaniels in Denver and that tree kind of flows here. There are a lot of differences but some things are a little bit the same. It’s still a steep learning curve but I think it’s maybe a little bit softer than if I came in cold feet from college.”
(What’s the most challenging part of it?) – “They just put a lot on the quarterback. Operationally, when all of the responsibilities are sort of under one roof and it’s all under the quarterback, once you do get it down, you can go very quickly. But the thing is, you have to get it down and I’m in that process (now). You see Tom (Brady) at the line of scrimmage and he’s orchestrating traffic and he’s doing everything super fluidly because he’s been in the offense for so many years. You can only kind of hope to get somewhere close to that fluidity. But yeah, this offense puts a lot on the quarterback and it’s a challenge that I enjoy.”
(How can you get comfortable with an offensive line out here and when does that start happening?) – “I don’t know. I don’t think you really get comfortable with a particular line. It’s kind of just (with) any line in there, you have to get comfortable in the pocket and learn how to move. A lot of it has to do with the feel of the game. Sometimes you’re really running the ball well and you can sit in there for a while because the d-line is a little tired. I don’t really know how to answer that question specifically.”
(Out here, there’s really no way to tell how the offensive line is doing or is there?) – “Oh yeah, there’s always ways. No one is hitting me but you can see if someone is free or if I have a full pocket and I should have sat in there for a little longer. There are definitely ways you can tell, even without pads on. These guys are battling upfront, even in (May).”
(When you’re going up against the defense, their multiple look upfront whether it’s 3, 4, 5 or 6 guys on the back end and 5 guys in the front, how hard is that for you to perform against a defense like that with so many multiple looks?) – “I don’t know if I’d say hard. It’s just more to learn and digest and we have a lot more to break down in film because we’re playing a pretty complex defense. I think it’s a lot nicer to see it now as opposed to December and experience it for the first time.”
(How do you think that helps you get prepared as a quarterback going up against a defense with multiple looks like that?) – “I think it’s just that. You hopefully don’t see it for the first time at the end of the year and you’re seeing it and breaking it down in OTAs.”
(In general, are there cornerbacks that you stay away from in this league and that you would throw to a guy on the other side because this guy is so good?) – “It’s all situation-specific. Who’s your guy and who’s their guy? Whether we have a specific thing to attack them. I would say you’re just always aware of what the matchup is, whether it’s on the inside or the outside, a corner, nickel or linebacker. That’s part of the game. That’s what the NFL is. It’s matchups. That’s kind of a nuanced question that I couldn’t give you an answer to.”
(But as you said, you’re aware of who the top guys are?) – “Yeah. And I’m aware of our receiver’s skillset as well. I would take our guy in a matchup against someone with one route and not another even though it’s the same guys. So it’s all kind of about skillsets and very situation-specific.”
(QB Ryan Fitzpatrick just told us that he’s the most critical of his footwork when he goes and watches film. What do you look at and say this is what needs to get better with yourself?) – “Just recognizing defenses. Like I said, there’s a lot more on my plate so just operationally, getting more fluid, getting my Mike points done a little quicker, getting everyone set and calling out protections. The Mike points is definitely something new that I’ve had to learn and continue to get better at but just kind of operationally, playbook-wise right now.”
(It’s been nonstop for you over the last two months work-wise. What are you planning on doing when you finally get some rest and relaxation this summer to sort of refuel and do something enjoyable?) – “I’ll probably go back (west) and see some family for a little bit. I think I’m probably going to lay pretty low this summer and not do anything too crazy.”
(No Seadoo’ing?) – “No, I don’t think I’ll be getting on a Seadoo anytime soon. (laughter)”
