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Zach Sieler – June 5, 2024 Download PDF version

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

DT Zach Sieler

(Since Christian Wilkins has moved on, who is in line to be the NFLPA rep?) – “I don’t know who’s in line. I know we had a couple of guys last year that were alternates. So I don’t know if one of them is going to want to take that role on, I think a couple will.”

(Who are those alternatives?) – “I can’t think off the top of my head honestly, but I know I know them. Everyone has done a great job here and Coach McDaniel does a great job with them to make sure we are talking to everybody and on the same page.”

(LS Blake Ferguson is one.) – “That’s it, yes. He’s done a great job. I know he’s excited. I think he’d be a great representative for us.”

(What has it been like working with this group?) – “It’s been great. It’s been awesome learning Coach (Anthony) Weaver, his system, how he sees defense, playing with these guys behind us and kind of building as a unit this offseason. It’s been great all around honestly. ‘DBs’ talking, I’m hearing them loud behind us. The linebackers are really communicating upfront, and then us upfront as a D-line kind of working together and learning to play off of each other.”

(Have you been talking to any of the new guys?) – “Yeah, it’s been great. (Jordyn) Brooks has been great talking to him. He’s obviously directly behind me, so he’s always talking. (Jordan) Poyer, it’s cool to hear him back there relaying calls, which could affect us or not affect us each play, which is really good to get that communication back down.”

(Have you hung out with them outside?) – “I have not. I have a little busy. I have a little 11-week-old baby. My wife and I have been a little busy. It’s been great to get to know him, and I’m excited for camp. Being here with those guys and being here this season. Hopefully we can get back to those Thursday night hangouts.”

(With this defense, how helpful is it for you that you’ve been in the Baltimore system? And is it much crossover compared to what you’ve done in the past?) – “That was five years ago and a couple of coordinators ago. Some things have kind of triggered in my head, like ‘Oh yeah, I remember that call,’ or ‘I remember how that was played or what we looked for when we did those reps.’ So it’s been really cool to kind of circle back to that as a veteran and kind of take it with a different perspective. I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s why we’re doing that.’ Sometimes as a rookie or young guy, you don’t really know what’s going on or why you’re doing something, you just have to make sure you’re doing it to the best of your ability. Especially me, I was obviously not in the best spot in Baltimore just from a growth perspective. I wasn’t growing at the rate I should’ve been, so it’s cool having grown down here, learning football more, playing better to come back and circle around to play in this defense is a lot of fun.”

(There is supposedly a lot of rotation. How does that impact you from a chemistry standpoint? I know you and Christian Wilkins, you guys didn’t need to talk to know what you guys were doing.) – “We didn’t, and there’s nothing that beats that. Raekwon (Davis) was the same boat. We could get out there – I was with those guys for three or four years. It’s going to take time, make sure we’re talking on and off the field, hanging out and getting to know how those guys see ball, how they want to play and how we can play off of each other. And building that rotation will help, too, with keeping each other fresh and ready for the fourth quarters and stuff like that, long drives.”

(Are you expecting a lot of early season attention? We know Christian Wilkins isn’t going to be there. We don’t know if LB Bradley Chubb or LB Jaelan Phillip are going to be there. Do you think offense are going to really hone in on you early in the season?) – “I don’t know about that. I’m not other offenses. I think it’s going to be a – I mean, there’s 11 guys. There’s a lot of guys out there that can make plays. I think we’re going to do a great job, kind of like Omar (Kelly) asked, with the rotations and kind of rolling guys through in different packages and whatever we’re doing. I think it’s going to help really making ourselves multiple on defense.”

(How would you describe defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s personality and approach?) – “It’s been really cool getting to know him. Obviously being a former player and also him coming from Baltimore – I see a lot of crossover from that and that Baltimore mindset. It’s been cool circling back to that and kind of feeling him out and just again how he views football and how he is off the field, on the field. Building that rapport with him has been really fun.”

(Does it help that he’s a former player?) – “It’s great having a former player as a coach. It could be any level, even if you’re playing high school. I tell this to guys that I talk to that are younger – high school, college, it’s still the same game. The coaches are going to coach the same. If they are good, they are going to coach you the same way. Obviously, there are some bad eggs here and there, but’s always good to have a coach that’s played. I know defensive line coach (Austin) Clark played and a lot of other guys have played prior to coaching.”

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