Q: Paulson, having looked at your career stats, you played primarily on one side for most of your career. I think in the joint practice yesterday against the Jets, they had you traveling around a little bit more with (New York Jets wide receiver) Garrett Wilson and whatnot. And I was just wondering, with regards to playing on one side and having this opportunity to maybe travel, how do you view this challenge and what are you looking for as far as what you can bring to that side if you are asked to travel?
ADEBO: Yeah, I think for me, obviously in New Orleans, I played a lot on the left side but that’s just because we had (New Orleans Saints cornerback, Marshon) Lattimore on the other side. So, we felt confident about having corners that can play either way. So that wasn’t necessarily a preference thing or me kind of choosing it. It was just kind of how things shook out. So definitely, I feel like I can play on both sides. And so, it’s not something that I focus too much on.
Q: Just to follow up on something (cornerback) Deontae Banks had told us, he said that you’ve been teaching him a lot of stuff that you picked up from Lattimore. I was wondering if you could share with us what some of those things are that you’ve been teaching him, as well as the other cornerbacks probably.
ADEBO: Yeah, I think just any time you get to play multiple years in the league, there’s certain things that you can pick up on, whether it’s tendencies, whether it’s different splits or different route concepts that you can expect out of different formations. So, I think that’s some of the stuff that I’ve been able to kind of share. And obviously, Tae has played a lot in this league as well. So, we kind of just see how we see different formations. What do you see here? What are you thinking about if a receiver is doing this to you? So, it’s a lot of just kind of back and forth, giving our perspectives on what we’ve seen.
Q: Back at Stanford, you had eight picks in just 22 games. Is this something that you’re looking to do again? Is that one of your focuses? And can you teach these guys that concept of ball hawking?
ADEBO: I think for us, we’re focused on this year. But we’ve been doing a great job throughout camp, just kind of focusing on that, getting turnovers. Obviously, turnovers are a big part of this game. And when you’re able to take the ball away from the offense and flip the momentum of a game and the energy that that brings in, that’s something that we’ve been definitely focusing on. And I feel like that coupled with getting fumbles and just being a tenacious, kind of nasty defense, getting after the ball, all those things are things that we’ve been looking at throughout this camp.
Q: And my question about playing with (inside linebacker) Bobby Okereke again, has that help your transition to this defense at all?
ADEBO: Oh, for sure, yeah. Just having somebody that has played in this defense, but not only that, somebody who has a level of knowledge and football wisdom that he has, I think being able to see how he sees the game, even going back to college, but after playing in the league for these couple of years and just really excelling, being an elite linebacker, the way that he sees the game, we definitely have conversations that end up helping me out as well.
Q: One more on the sticking on one side versus shadowing thing. When was the last time that you predominantly shadowed guys? Was it back at Stanford like that last year? Or I guess when was the last time you did that regularly, knowing that Lattimore was there in New Orleans?
ADEBO: Yeah, I think in Stanford a couple times maybe we played a big receiver, but we always felt comfortable of having guys that could cover no matter who the receiver was. And then in New Orleans, playing with Latt, that’s the number one corner, right? And we felt comfortable that it really wasn’t even just the corner, it was just about the nickel as well, which is kind of something that gets overlooked, I think, is having three guys out there that can cover whichever receiver. So we always felt comfortable about that and didn’t really worry too much about shadowing and just worried about winning your matchup regardless of who is in front of you.
Q: How easy is it to pick back up those instincts then when you haven’t used them for so long? Or maybe just like here and there, maybe even just in the context of this week with Wilson, how easy is it to sort of step back into that mindset and those instincts?
ADEBO: Yeah, I mean, for me, it’s always no matter who you’re guarding. The job doesn’t change. Obviously, there are guys who are very skilled and maybe they can do certain things better than other receivers, but your approach to the game as far as knowing that this is going to be your assignment, this is what you have to do, I don’t think it changes too much.
Q: Bruce asked you a little bit about Bobby just before. What’s it like playing with him? How has he changed since Stanford and how is he different now?
ADEBO: Yeah, I think he’s always been a very smart player. I think it’s just increased even more having this experience that he’s had, ability to diagnose plays before they happen, knowing what concepts we can expect, knowing what situations, what kind of plays are going to get thrown at us, situational awareness, I think all those things that he’s done. And then honestly being able to attack the football. I think he’s been one of the best linebackers as far as forcing fumbles and having that unique punch out, getting the ball back for us. So that’s something that I’ve seen him work on and something that has definitely carried over to the games.
Q: Does he seem comfortable in this defense?
ADEBO: Oh, for sure. Yeah, he seems ready to go. Yeah, I’ve seen him locked in and I’m excited for him.
Q: So you’ve been able to see this pass rush now from the other side of things compared to the offense. I’m curious, what impresses you about this pass rush and how do you think it’s going to create great opportunities for you guys in the secondary having so many guys that can get to the quarterback?
ADEBO: Yeah, I mean, it’s really a luxury having guys that can get after the quarterback, speed the quarterback up, get them off of timing. Obviously, rushing coverage is going to work hand in hand and so knowing that you have guys that are going to be able to get after the quarterback early and often that definitely allows you to play comfortable and free on the back end knowing that we’re working together and we’re going to get this thing done.
Q: And I know we’ve asked you before about Deonte and (cornerback) Cor’Dale (Flott) kind of battling on the other side. How are you kind of encouraging both of them as they’re kind of going through this process to just kind of help them continue to develop and just kind of teach them as they’re kind of going through their battle a little bit?
ADEBO: Yeah, for sure. I think all of us are competing against each other and so we’re always trying to help each other. Hey, what’d you see here? Why’d you play it this way? I like what you did here. Praising, criticizing, all of it. I think we’re just always trying to lift each other up and throughout the duration of a season, you’re going to need three, four, five corners, right? So, you don’t want it to be any type of drop-off. From that standpoint, it’s just making sure that the level is consistent, the standard is the standard no matter who’s out there and we’re all trying to lift each other up.
Q: I know you probably don’t go up against (wide receiver) Wan’Dale (Robinson) a lot because he’s in the slot a lot, he’s not the biggest guy, but what kind of problems does he cause a secondary with? He had 140 targets last year, which is kind of crazy. What kind of problems does he cause a secondary with some of his skills?
ADEBO: Yeah, I think him, he has sure hands and his quickness is unlike a lot of people that you will see. It’s very unique. His ability to sudden burst, get in and out of breaks, really challenges your technique and you really have to be patient and you really have to be sound because if you’re not, I mean, he could blow by you in a second and now you’re chasing him in a bad way. So definitely that quickness that he has and then I think he has an elite ability to sit down in the zones and know when to sit down and know when to go over linebackers. Reading the coverages as he’s running his route, I think that’s something that’s huge for him, being able to sit down in the zones.
Q: After these last two days, we were just asking you what it’s like to be back with Bobby. I’m sure you can imagine what it’s like on the other side of the ball when a quarterback and a receiver reconnect from their college days and (New York Jets’ quarterback) Justin Fields and Garrett Wilson are back together after their Ohio State days. I was wondering if just two days on the field going against them, you could see that kind of connection maybe more so than when a quarterback and a receiver connect for the first time in the NFL. Could you sense those two guys were on the same page?
ADEBO: Yeah, I mean, they’re a good team. They have a good quarterback and a good receiver, great receiver. So, they definitely have something good going between them two. But as far as knowing if they come back together, I wasn’t too familiar with their college days. But, yeah, definitely they have good players.
Q: You teed it up before when you mentioned your nickel and (cornerback) Dru (Phillips). I’m just curious your impressions of playing with Dru this summer and what makes him a great fit inside in that position because we all know the importance. It used to be they stick guys in the nickel and just make guys play. But now the importance has grown and grown and grown for a secondary.
ADEBO: Yeah, that nickel position is so key for a defense, I think. His ability to cover guys and then also get in on the run and play physical. Playing in that slot, covering, I mean, you talked about it. You’re covering guys like Wan’Dale. You’re covering the slots. You’re covering people that offenses are scheming open with motions. And you have to be able to know when to run with a motion, when to pass it off. So I think mentally he’s really impressed me with his ability to handle everything that we ask a nickel to do. Arguably one of the toughest positions, if not the hardest position mentally as far as knowing all the different checks that you have to do. And then also you’re basically a linebacker when it comes to fitting the run and knowing the run fits, but then also being able to cover like a corner because you’re out in space and you’re actually in more space. You’re in the slot. Guys can run all the way to the opposite sideline. They can run every route on you. So, I think his ability to cover, his lead quickness, and then his strength coming up and being able to tackle in the box is elite.
Q: You spent much of the summer going up against (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers). I’m curious how much going up against a receiver like that can help you maybe how it compares to some of the other guys you’ve faced, and what did you see from him on the flip side also?
ADEBO: Yeah, Malik has, I mean, he has elite quickness, his ball skills, I mean, his ability to track the ball, some of the things he does when the ball is in the air, late hands. I mean, he really is, you know, a complete elite receiver. So being able to go up against him, I mean, it makes it that much easier knowing that you’re going to face other guys week in and week out that aren’t going to be as good as him. So, knowing that you’re going up against one of the best of the best, that helps me in my preparation, and if he beats me on something, it shows me what I need to work on, or just that level of competition definitely helps me.
Q: Have you seen that much with, I mean, he’s young. I know you had (New Orleans Saints’ wide receiver) Chris Olave when you were in New Orleans, but how rare is that for a young receiver to be able to do some of the things that you’ve seen?
ADEBO: He’s definitely, young or not, he’s doing some things that doesn’t matter how many years he’s been in the league. I mean, he really is elite with the things that he does and his body control and catching the ball down the field and bursts. I mean, literally there’s not one knock to his game. Coming out of routes, running every route. So, you really do have to prepare for everything with him.