Panthers Live Press Conference
[Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] Hey, heat. Good luck. [Music] Heat. [Music] Hey, Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Good afternoon. Welcome back. It was great to get back out on the field, continue what we’ve been working on. Um, you know, just some of the carryover from the spring, talking to the guys. Uh, biggest difference is just I think, uh, the collective care of the units. Um, talking, the communication, a lot of talking out there. Defense was hard to go against today. Just, um, just a lot of just communication, lining up properly, um, attacking the ball. So, a really good day there. Um, offensively, we got going a little bit, too. Um, but you know, defense made it hard uh throwing the ball down the field a little bit sometimes. Um, which which is good, which is what we expect. Um, also just the focus of this group. You know, it’s it’s a very uh serious, very focused group. Um, they’re intent on just continuing to come together. We’ve talked about that collectively, just how quickly can we come together and play football as one. Um, and that’s really the goal right now of training camp. And, you know, I think the last part of it is the competition that I’m looking for in practice. you know, the competition within each position group, which we’ll be able to get into here a little bit. Um, to see guys battling all the way through the depth, you know, for um for for places on this team is really exciting to me. And it elevates the practice. It elevates the uh energy. Um, it elevates the intentionality and guys just really, you know, trying to find their best and making each other better as a as a result of that, which is going to be our goal. So, um, I’m excited about just getting it started off. energy aside, did you have to remind Princely and everybody that you got to take care of teammates after that last play where he got his hand on Bryce? Absolutely. A really close one. A great rush. Um, exactly why he’s here, you know, is to be able to affect the passer and um just came really tight around that corner and kind of nicked Bryce, you know, on the arm right there. The ball comes out and that’s really not what we want to see. I want to see that first part of it though and uh just the great bend and flexibility and power that he has in his rushes. So, even some of the veteran guys, we come up at the end and they’re like, “Hey, don’t back off of that. Just be smart at the top.” Okay, this is all of us. We got to take care of each other at that moment. Um those decisions down the field, the decisions in the pocket. So, yeah, that’s that’s something that we we had to talk about. Dave, how do you handle that though when you know guys are trying to make a play and trying to do something but not trying to do too much? With a lot of grace, with a lot of understanding. Um this is a violent sport, a violent game. These guys are getting in their stances. They’ve been working on all their pass rush techniques all summer. they go through a great individual and they’re smacking the crap out of the the bag which we have the ball kind of positioned in a place to attack the elbow of the quarterback and so you know it’s it’s that hardwired training and you have to just be able to have the presence of mind right there in those moments. So describe your feeling walking out here your second training camp versus last year when you didn’t know a whole lot. Oh, it feels great. I just honestly it it really starts with the players. Um I think it’s more just they understand the expectation of what a great practice looks like for us uh from start to finish. the transition in between, everybody’s moving around. Um that when you’re not in, you’re talking football. Um and all those things are happening, you know, and so um it feels a lot different knowing that I have a group of leaders, um that have my back, you know, and that that understand the expectation that myself and the coaching staff is looking for. Dave, you you bring up the leaders, Josie Juul, that got released. What how was that situation handled from your perspective? How long did you kind of know that this could be a possibility? And then also what was the conversation like yesterday? Yeah, I mean we had to adhere to the normal concussion protocol which we did. We did all that. Um and for us to talk about Josie, you talk about a leader. Um guy didn’t say a lot. When he talked, people listen. Um the toughness, the character, the aggressive style of play. Um always making plays on the ball, you know, throughout his career. the reason why we brought him here. And um and I think for me as a first year head coach last year to have somebody that I could point to who really exemplifies the type of effort, the type of physicality, um the character, he’s a nononsense guy, you know, he’s um he wants guys to just look at the truth of what it was, get to the bottom of it, and fix it. And he was always at the heart of those conversations. So, it’s a big loss uh definitely for us from that standpoint, you know, and then um as far as the rest of it, we just kind of had to take it at, you know, at Jos’s pace and and with all the specialists that were working with him, you know, uh Dan and Brent, you know, worked with the agent and talked to them and we felt like this was the best outcome right now, uh with the first, you know, and most important thing for Josie is getting healthy, you know, and um getting him to a place where he can make that sound decision on, uh playing football, which he wants to do, you know, or or whatever is after that. So, um, I’m proud of the fact that we just had upfront conversations throughout the whole time and, you know, that’s what I appreciated about the interaction. To follow up on that, um, when we talked to you in March, you were kind of glowing about the signing of Roboom. Um, you obviously drafted Trev. What’s the outlook for those two guys as you head into this second summer? It’s great opportunities for that whole group. You know, you start with those guys. Christian obviously had like 136 tackles or something last year, played on a playoff defense. uh really played probably the best year of his career, you know, last year and for us to be able to have him here is huge. Um but you talk about a guy like Claude, uh Cherilus, you know, Jacobe Winman, um uh Bam Martin Scott, you know, Stevie, uh Namora coming in from, uh Fresno State, and then you know, John Ratigan. It’s a it’s a really talented young group. Um they’re very athletic. They got aggressiveness to the style of play. They fit what we’re looking for. So, it’s a great opportunity for those guys. What do you know about Bryce today that you didn’t know this time of year ago? Um, I don’t know. I don’t know that I’ve I see anything new necessarily. Um, my expectation for Bryce is to lead this team, which he never stopped doing all throughout last year, even with the challenges that it presented. Um, but he just came right back in and, you know, from the moment we went out there for center quarterback exchange, it’s like his familiarity with the system, you know, his his command of everything is just like we just picked up where we left off in the spring, you know, to to be able to push our concepts and our systems forward, which is really the goal is can we master this so we can add little nuances. And so I feel like, you know, coming in with the type of rhythm and the type of command, uh, gives us a chance to continue to grow those things. What start does that give you having the being in the second year now of this of this system? Yeah, it just really, you know, having guys being in the system now um for a while just gives us a chance to continue to push on the most important parts of it, the effort part of what we’re trying to get. A lot of times when you have a bunch of people thinking, the whole thing kind of slows down a little. It’s very mechanical, very methodical. And what I’m feeling out here are guys who understand what we’re doing. And I can always tell by the speed of play. the faster we’re playing, the more I know they understand what we’re doing and where they need to be on any given whether it’s defense, offense, or special teams. So, I I really feel that jump with this whole group. What’s the next step for Bryce and how does he take it? Um, honestly, we look at like short-term goals. We look at just the command like we talked about. Um, owning the whole system and I think really just allowing us to have the nuances, the compliments of all the different things. As we master a concept, there are things and answers that come off of it. So, it’s how quickly can we get to that point as a group and then we can continue to just push the envelope and find new things. Dave, Demani had that pick earlier in practice. How much has he kind of grown from last year coming in as an undrafted guy to being a guy who’s competing for a starting job? You know, he’s got a knack for the ball. It started last year, you know, so he shows up again on the first day with an interception on a ball that was slightly overthrown there and he went, you know, from the middle of the field and made a great play on that. Um, but I think again, uh, it’s kind of goes to the same thing. It’s watching him communicate. I think if you’re asking for one specific thing, it’s watching him talk. He’s got to be connected with the corner, the nickel, the calls that are coming with motions and all those things. And I think that’s probably the biggest growth that I see from Demani is his level of comfort um, in our system to be able to talk loudly. You know, I think sometimes the guys kind of, you know, sheepishly will whisper something out there, but when you can hear them loud and they own it and they’re demonstrative, you know that they really have grown, you know, to the understanding of the concepts. Can you give us updates on the timeline with Tommy and Bobby and Sam? Yeah, Tommy. So, Tommy’s got kind of going to have to progress week to week uh for us. He’s doing great. Um, I want to say he’s ahead of schedule, but I just know we’re going to just take this thing as it comes, but right now he’s making great strides. Um, he looks strong in his rehab and all that. Um, so I’m not sure exactly timelinewise. I wouldn’t say Tommy’s going to be back soon, like within the next couple weeks. Um, but, you know, I I think three or four weeks or something like that as we evaluate it, uh, could potentially be there. And then, uh, Bobby Bobby got he got imaging and all the things. It’s a hamstring. Um, he did some stuff. I saw him out today before practice. He was down there running, changing direction already, so he’s already starting on a pretty good curve, so I hope to get him back pretty soon. Uh Sam Martin’s kind of in the same world that way, you know, so it was it was something we have to be precautionary about. We don’t want to throw him back out there. Um they didn’t clear for us right away, so um but I think he’s probably on a similar timeline. Finally want him. Yeah. Did did a lot today. Yeah. We’re just honestly being smart with uh DJ. you know, he’s he’s had a couple of different things. Obviously, he came in with the quad injury and um so we’re just having to make sure um that we’re able to progress him into camp the right way. So, we’re going to be smart about DJ. He’s going to be a big part of of what we’re doing. What about Dan? Yeah, Dan. Dan’s progressing back from a calf. Um so, again, I I don’t know exactly the the specific timeline for Dan. Um but he is doing some on ground stuff. I wouldn’t say he’s at the same markers as Bobby and uh and Sam, but I think he’s probably right behind them there. So, we hope to get Dan back in there. Successful season look like this. Uh yeah, just weekly growth, you know, and right now our focus is having a great camp, you know, for me it’s owning the system and working ourselves into condition to where we can be ready to play week one. um that’s the focus, you know, and I think with this group, you know, with um just talking to the guys in in the in the team meeting with the group that we’ve brought together, how quickly can we play together? How quickly can we communicate and show that style of football that we want that we want to put out there? You know, and I think that the sky’s is the limit for this group, you know? I think that um this is going to be a very competitive team. Um I don’t think people are going to want to play us by by the style of football that we play. Um I’m expecting that. My expectations are really high for this group. they are every year, you know, and and we’re going to shoot for as good as we can get. My language to the group is I want to make sure we maximize the talent in this room. That’ll take us as far as we need to go, but that’s going to be our focus. You mentioned communications in the secondary. How quickly is Trayvon kind of become a voice back there for all those guys? Yeah, he’s a veteran player. He cares. You know, if he’s not on the field, he’s standing right next to Ronaldo Hill, um our our safeties coach, and they’re talking about concepts that just happened. They’re talking about run fits. they’re talking about adjustments and he’s just so into it, you know. Um, and I can’t talk about him without talking about Turk Wharton, you know. The guy’s just when he’s out there, he’s the Energizer Bunny, and when he’s on the side, he’s always talking technique, hand placement, footwork, with the veteran guy, with the young guy, and it’s just it’s just the guys that we love who are just they have a passion for football, a passion for their craft, and I’m really excited that they’re here. Energy. Do you feel less pressure to bring the energy this year or produce energy out on the field than than you did a year ago? Um, I I wouldn’t say that. I think my my mentality is to just try to make sure that in the meeting when we get our day started that we have the right mindset that our focus is in the right place. Today is the most important day we have. It’s the only one we have. Can we maximize these days? You know, and especially with the acclamation period, you know, as we ramp up these practices, when we start now, the opportunities are fewer and far between. And so we have to maximize the work. We have to maximize the individual drills, the seven on seven periods, the team periods, which are a lot shorter right now. When you’re in there, maximum effort. Let’s get ourselves into game shape. The only way to play fast is to play fast out here on the field. Practice is everything. And so, um, my job is to just keep those guys locked into that mentality. And I know it gets more challenging as we get deeper into camp, you know. So, right now, everyone’s excited, everyone’s fired up, and they feel great, you know, and the and the goal for them is to have that recovery so they can keep playing at full speed. Um, so we can keep throwing practices like we did today. All right. Thank you. Dave [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Hello everyone. How we doing? How we doing? one story like who has like the craziest like little offseason like something like go somewhere crazy experience something if anyone has something that’s like my I for sure got something that’s the best here anyone I know someone’s got something these last couple months I saw turtlene hatch like live life what a beautiful thing anyone else what are your story here we go here we go me I don’t got no I don’t you know saw you on the boat. The Minnesota lake day. Yeah. Yeah. No. Yeah, exactly. I It was That was fun. Going out to going out to the lake with the guys was fun. Got to have a couple days away from away from here, away from kind of where anyone was at. Just being able to meet like a neutral site is always fun. So, uh I say that was that was a highlight for me. You don’t like water cuz you weren’t cool or whatever. I’ll be all right. I’ll be honest with you. I don’t mind water. I don’t like being like I don’t like sitting around like being wet if that makes sense. Like I don’t like like seeing like after you get out the water like you know like the your clothes like your shorts is wet. Like I don’t like that feeling. I’ll be honest with you. So that’s that’s why so uh the end of practice uh Princeley it looked like he he kind of jarred the ball loose. Um, do you guys have to have a conversation after that? Um, I mean, I didn’t have to say anything, but um, you know, that’s that that’s competition. It’s football. You know, obviously, you know, there’s some some, you know, some some etiquette stuff in in football, but young guy getting after his first day out here in training camp. Um, and shoot, we want to see those plays on Sundays. Um, you know, I he’s a competitor. We’re all competitors. Uh, we want to be getting each other better. So, you know, obviously we’re, you know, we want to take care of each other practice and all that, but uh, I love what he’s doing. I love what he stands for. Um, you know, we’re he he’s on my team at the end of the day, so see him do stuff like that is is is great. Um, so we we love the competition. You uh targeted Hunter quite a bit. Um, he’s obviously coming back after a year away. What have you noticed about him working with him the last, you know, I guess I mean I guess during the offseason program. Yeah. Yeah. Just seeing his um, you know, he has such a great feel for the game um, versus man versus own. He just has a great great knack for getting open. He understands concepts, understands defensive leverage, um does a really good job at the top of routes creating separation, giving indicators, uh really friendly and easy to throw to as a quarterback. So, um you know, super excited to continue to to build chemistry with them. Bryce, I saw you after those first couple of throwing girls kind of pump up the crowd that’s not there. What what’s uh what’s the vibe like without fans here at training camp and how do you guys kind of make up for that? Yeah. Um you know, we we just got to bring our juice. You know, obviously we love the fans. We love support. Um and you know, for us, fans aren’t there during the season obviously. you know, we we have to make sure that, you know, we’re we’re we’re bringing our own energy. Um, you know, there’s enough competition between all of us just to to stay focused. Um, and any day is a blessing to be out here. Um, I mean, I play football for a living. You know, I’m I’m super blessed. I’m super grateful. You know, we’re all living our dreams. So, um, you know, just just leaning on that, having the positivity, um, with that, um, and just understand it’s a privilege to be out here. So, I think just, you know, having our that energy within ourselves is is big. I also saw that uh Mike, Jack, and and JC were really near near you guys. The quarterback drills early. What was what was that all about? Yeah. Um competing, you know, again, it’s uh they’re great competitors, great players. Um and right now training camp is is, you know, we’ll be a team on Sundays, but right now it’s offense versus defense. So, we’re going back and forth with each other. Just want to make each other better and make the team better. Said yesterday he thinks there’s a a vibe about this team. Thinks y’all could surprise some people. Folks like Dan Patrick have said that. Are you kind of picking up on a similar vibe, too, that uh this team’s ready to take the next step? Yeah, I mean, we have confidence within ourselves. Uh we understand that that comes from training camp, though. Um you know, I believe in everyone in the locker room. We all believe in each other. Um but we have to put the work in. Um we know that this is the time to get better, to continue to grow as a team, to um continue to to forge our identity um and to carry into the offseason. I mean, to the regular season. So, um you know, we we feel great. We’re confident, but also we know we have a lot of work to do. So much was made of the of the continuity year two on a day. Could you sort of Is this where you really start to feel that at training camp that sort of where everything’s just a little bit faster maybe than it was last year? Yeah. Um I think all of us as a as a team um you know having a having a year last year and then going into this year of just just buying into to the culture, buying into to coach’s message, um you know, buying into to everything that he presents to us on a day-to-day basis. Um, you know, we’ve we’ve already bought in and now it’s just making it our own and that’s something that coach always stresses. Um, you know, which is big for us. We’ve had that experience now. So, um, you know, obviously having the same coaching staff with just who this coaching staff is. Um, you know, we’re super grateful for them to be here. Um, what they bring. So, uh, you know, we’re we have a lot of work to do, but we’re grateful for it. What do you see different in Dave as he starts his second season that wasn’t there last year? Um, no. I mean, he’s he’s he’s the same consistent guy. um just like he was last year every single day from the first time he addressed the team to the last. He’s the same person in meetings in the practice field. Um and from a player standpoint, you really respect that consistency. You know what you’re going to get from him. You know what what it is he stands for. Um and that’s a reflection of the entire entire coaching staff as well. Um they do a great job of just being the same person every day. That’s all you really can ask for um as a player. So, you know, I think that it it just speaks volumes that now that you know, we’ve been around them longer and longer, they’re staying the same level of consistency as as teachers. What did you learn about him being able to make the tough call to bench you two games in last year? Yeah, obviously he’s he’s going to do whatever he feels like makes the team better as the same thing I want to do. Um, you know, we’re all Panthers first and um, you know, we’re we all are bought into the organization. Coach Reich said you ran into him on the street Monday night or something. Tell us about you. You were in a car apparently called Yeah. Yeah. I I was just randomly saw coach Wright which was really cool. Um, you know, I I I I always have a ton of love for Coach Reich. Uh, you know, we we we still keep in keep in contact. Um, you know, that was who, you know, who drafted me, who who was the reason why I’m here, which I’m super grateful for. Um, so, you know, it was it was great seeing him. He had his guys, too. I’m super happy for him um at at his spot as well. Has he given you like any advice that you’re able to share? Uh, just support. Um, you know, same thing. He’s he’s uh he’s been a coach for a long time, so he understands just how it is. is um he has a lot of respect for this coach and staff and the unit and just organization as a whole. So um just always supported um which I I super I definitely appreciate. How much has team kind of relied on you to get ready for his first NFL training camp? Yeah. Um you know I think that I appreciate him for just wanting to have open communication, open dialogue. Um you know he’s someone who always wants to talk, always wants to be on the same page, always wants to learn from uh from anyone from other receivers um coaches. So, um I think we’re we’re relying on each other as we all do just within the team of you know we we give each other that comfort to to have confidence and to go into the year how we want to feel and then you know right now obviously in training camp is is when we continue to earn that. What’s your take on on flag football being an Olympic sport? I don’t think we’ve asked you about something you would ever entertain. Yeah, I think I think it’s awesome. Um it’s really cool to see obviously it’s great to see um the game expanding both men’s and women’s um you know especially younger levels. is really cool to see. Um, so seeing the Olympics is is Yeah, it’s really cool. The chance to in your case or anyone’s case to represent the country and try to be a part of it. Yeah, I mean I think you know for anyone I think anyone would say that’s obviously that would that would be a huge honor for anyone. Olympics is always um you know it’s a it’s amazing event. It speaks for itself. Um so yeah I think it’s a great opportunity. Obviously you’ve done this a couple of times now. you know what to expect and like you said you have the consistency with Dave but just where is your confidence level at heading into discount purchase the last couple years? Yeah, I’m I’m super confident. Um again that that comes from just this building. Um being able to rely on my teammates, coaching staff um who’s around me. Um that’s really what I get my confidence from. Um and I’m I’m grateful to to be a part of the organization. You and JC there just like J. Yeah. Yeah. Again, just just competitors. Uh it brings the best out of both of us. Appreciate you guys. Good. now aware I’m sure you were aware at some level but of of Jos’s situation and kind of how that all played out. Uh yeah, I think obviously a lot of that is probably behind the scenes that we don’t know. Um but I was kind of more just on the side of um take worrying about him as a human, you know, and him going forward. So I think that was kind of the first thing on my mind. Um, that’s just something that it’s a little bit bigger than football. So, as far as the how that goes with the contracts and all that, it’s just it’s it’s a lot bigger. Um, a lot bigger than that, for sure. Maybe not how you wanted to get here, but really elevates your spot on this defense. Could you address that? Uh, yeah. It’s like you said, it’s definitely not the way. Um, that’s just how football is though, you know, and like I said earlier, you care about him as a human first and foremost and it was great to get to know him and hopefully um continue that relationship and maybe play again together someday um once he heals up. So um but I’ve I’ve been in this role before so it’s not something that’s new to me. So I’m I’m excited to kind of take that opportunity and run with it. So what have been your first impressions just coming into this organization? I know you have familiarity with everyone, but just in terms of what Dave Canal and Dan are trying to do, too. Yeah, I think the first thing I noticed was the culture that we’re trying to build um and how they really tried to get guys um in here this off seasonason and then the the rookie draft class that really fit that culture and um kind of build on what um last season ended with and and moving on from there. For sure. Were kind of attached at the hook today. I know it’s only been one day, but how much are y’all leaning on each other now that Joseph’s been here? Yeah. Uh, I love Trev and I’m excited to play with him obviously and we have a great room. Um, I’m excited to have all those guys for training camp and kind of see how the the season shakes out that way and um that’s kind of the like I said with football there’s guys that’ll be in the room and out, but um I’m just excited to play with all those guys in there this training camp. That was his number last year. Was there a conversation about that or did he move on? Yeah, no, he uh he wanted to move I think 32. Well, I know 32 is his college number. Um, 56 isn’t necessarily something I’m super attached to, but it was available, so I just went with it. So, 56 is great. No, they uh I’m not probably too much of the flashy type to get a single digit as a linebacker. Um, but 56 56 is a good linebacker number for sure. I’ll take it. You had a big year last year. Uh, what was the key to that? and what how how would you describe your game or what you bring to this defense? Yeah, I think last year um just making the most of my opportunities and staying healthy the whole season. Um football’s very physical game, so to be able to play a full season and play two playoff games and come out healthy was was huge for me. And that’s been uh knock on wood that’s been consistent throughout my career. So, um I think I’m just excited to see what my role will be and where I can fit um as a leadership role being the green dot right now and um hopefully making the most of that opportunity just like I’ve kind of done in the past. I haven’t been necessarily given any opportunities. Just kind of had to kind of take these and and run with it. You mentioned being in this situation before. What’s the process like when you find out in a hurry you’re going to be in that role and and how do you adjust to that on the fly? Yeah, I think what’s been nice is early in my career I was a backup and it’s really it’s really hard to be a backup and prepare every game like you’re going to play and then not seeing the field. So to prepare like a backup but prepare that you’re going to play I think during OTAAS was just something that I’ve done kind of my whole career. So um it’s still football. This is a scheme that I’ve played in for this will be my sixth season in so I feel comfortable in it. So, I’m excited to uh like I said, see where my role is that way. Christian, back on the Joy thing, did he talk to you individually? Did he address the team at all yesterday or how did you find out? Uh, yeah, he he told me um in the morning, I know his big thing is he didn’t want it to be um a distraction, which whatever he he would have done, I think it’s a big deal to not have him in the locker room. So, it’s not like it was a distraction. Kind of a maybe a disappointment that he’s not going to be around for a little bit. Um, but I think he handled it about as best as anybody could. I don’t obviously know the ins and outs of kind of what happened, but um, nothing but respect for him and I think that kind of goes for the whole team and the organization. So, what’s been your impression on the young edge rushers you guys have brought in? Uh, I’m excited to it’s it’s been fun seeing him OTAAS. Um, I’m excited to see him without with pads on. um kind of in that live setting um just because yeah they’re very explosive and I think they’re gonna make a lot of plays for us. You’re coming from a franchise of pretty much a perennial playoff team. What’s the vibe? I know you’ve only been here since March, April. What’s the vibe though around this this franchise? Uh, I can tell that they’re we’re really hungry for success and I think um we’re willing to sacrifice a lot to get that success and um I think it starts you’re not going to win against Jacksonville today but I think the mindset’s been you know you got to take it one step at a time and got to string together a few good days and um before you know it the season will be here and we got to be ready to roll. Good number of former Rams are here on staff and on the roster. How has that translated at all in terms of that that atmosphere and attitude you’re referring to? Yeah, obviously the familiarity has been been awesome for me and for those guys, but I think to have guys that I mean everybody here is the best in the business. Um, every single team around the league that’s the best in the business. So, it’s really about coming together as a team. So, no matter where you come from, it doesn’t really matter. It’s it’s what we can do this year and how we can come together as a team. saw you and Mike Jack over by the quarterbacks pretty early. Bryce kind of indicated like maybe a little early trash talk. Is that kind of what that was about to start practice? Yeah. Yeah. Trying to get in the head a little bit. Um, we was we was catching the ball where they was warming up so they can get used to throwing it to us. So, yeah, it was Yeah, it was it was a fun little fun little warm up. Bryce asked us about our off seasonason, but you became a father during the off season. Tell us about that. You had your first Father’s Day. Yeah. Yeah, it was best thing in the world. Best thing in the world. Um, I tell people like growing up, uh, I always like thought being drafted or going to the NFL or NBA would be like the best feeling, but you know, I first held my baby, that was that was the best feeling in the world. And, um, yeah, it’s just fun to go home every day to her and see a smiling face and, um, yeah, just make make life a lot better. Changed you in any way? Uh, not really. Show g me a little different perspective on life. Um, of knowing things. That’s what’s really important. Um, and just trying to, you know, lead lead in the right footsteps for her and, uh, give her a good example. You sleeping well, get a lot of sleep with her. Yeah. Yeah. My my girl, she she’ll take her to the guest room so she ain’t waking me up all through the night. She know I got to get up early. So, yeah, I’ve been getting some good sleep. Saw Cory Thornton rotate in there by Jack a couple times around. What have you seen from him? I know it’s only day one training camp, but going back to the offseas and all that. Um, really just consistency. you know, Cory came in at OTAAS and, you know, did a good job the whole camp. Um, he came back and that’s that’s what he earned just just the right to get in there and mix it in with the ones. Um, he I think he did a good job today, too. You know, we’re going to go back and watch the film, but Cory just been real consistent in his technique and his preparation and um, you know, I think he going to be a good player for us. JC Dave Canal said earlier that y’all would be a team that nobody wanted to play uh, soon. What do you think about that? I mean, I’m I’m I’m right on board with them. You know, that’s just mentality um how this team is going to be branded. You know, a physical football team where win, lose, or draw. You know, like when you go in there and see the Panthers, it’s going to be a physical football game and you’re going to be hurting afterwards. Um and that’s just attitude we got to have and that’s got to be our brand of football when we go we travel and play. JC, heard you telling team like you’re waiting on the catch. Was that trash talk instruction? Making me look bad. Nah. Nah. Just a little fine trash talk. A little fine trash talk. How motiv how motivated are you guys as a defense just to flip the narrative, you know, erase the stats you see out there about defense of one of the worst last year? Yeah, super motivated. You know, anytime you you attach to that defense, you know, I tell the guys all the time, got you got to take that personal. Like even when we out here having fun, talking trash, like last year was last year, but you know, we still on the wrong side of history. And we got to have that in the back of our mind every day and uh prep the right way so we can come back this year and put good stuff on tape. Let Demani make that kind of play, you know, showing off the range there. Dave talked about, you know, how good he is as a communicator. What’s impressed you the most about his growth and into year two? Just what you said, the communication. Um, playing above the aces and those because it’s hard for a lot of young guys to do that. They just try to do exactly what the coach say so they don’t get in trouble. But Demani, you know, he he came out the SEC. So, you know, I expected him to, you know, be a high level player and he turning into just that. Um, communicating at a high level, making plays, and I think he’s just going to get better and better. How low was that yesterday to learn about Josie? Yeah, man. First it just it just hurt as a person just seeing him go through that, you know? I didn’t really even think about the football side of it um immediately. later on in the day. I did because he a hell of a player, but just as a person, he he a great guy and you want you want him to be okay. So, you know, we just sending prayers up for him and you know he going to come back strong. Christian just told us he was wearing the green dot today. Early impressions of him. I mean, it went smooth today. I mean, I don’t watch the linebackers too much, but we’re not in pads yet, so you can’t really feel them, but um the communication and stuff in the huddle was was A1 and I feel like everybody got the call around the defense and we played fast. is are you coming into this camp with the most consistent you’ve had since being in the NFL? Say one more time. Is this the most consistency you’ve had across a team coming into a camp? Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Um for myself, just coming off a year where I I finished pretty much healthy um and getting a full offseason to train and rehab and then with the co same coaching staff being back um on the defensive side of the ball and getting coach Canales back, you know, it’s a lot of consistency and I feel like, you know, we got a program now and uh we understand what we here to do. You talk about you were able to stay healthy last year and you kind of changed things last offseason to now be able to get to that spot. You make any tweaks as far as just your recovery this offseason to make sure you can maintain your ability. Um yeah, I mean I went back to the same training facility and tried to do the same exact thing. You know, we did some of the same workouts. Um just try to stay with the same program because it worked for me. Do you enjoy days like today? Are you itching to get the pads back on? I’m a corner, so even with the pass on, it don’t it don’t change much for me. Like we can’t we can’t tackle or anything even when we have pass on. So, um we got to cover anyway. But yeah, I’m excited to get it on just to it’ll make the energy of practice go up a little bit more. You see different about Xavier one time? What are you seeing different about Xavier? Just more confident. Um you know, always going into year two, you got a little more confidence. You you understand what you know, your coach is looking for. Um you understand how the NFL game is played because it’s so different from college. So, um, just seeing him practice fast is is the main thing I see from him and I’m excited to see him year two. You said got a program now. Just from your point of view, is there a difference between having a team and having an established program? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, now guys know what you know what what coaches expecting. You’re not learning a whole new like it’s the same language in the meetings. Um, same same practice schedule, same camp schedule. Like you’re kind of used to it. So now you can just focus on the football part and getting better each and every day. a franchise that kind of needed some stability like to have an off season where there’s no GM change, no coaching change, no quarterback change. Yeah, I mean it’s it’s good in anything you do when you got, you know, stability and um you got the program that you you working and running. So yeah, we we definitely needed that. Tell us about your new car back at mini camp. Tell us you got to come see it, bro. You got to come see it. You got to come to the parking lot. Where are we going to meet? Parking lot. Come back there. Y’all see it. It’s the coldest one in the parking lot. Y’all know which one it is. Good. Good. Appreciate y’all.
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