On how training camp has been:
"It's been good. Every day's been a great day. Both sides of the ball, just feels good to be back playing football. You wait the whole offseason, you train, you get your body back right, get your mind back right. And then you get back around your teammates, back around your brothers, back around the people that you love playing football with and it's just exciting to be out here. I love being out here every single day with these guys and just enjoying doing what we love."
On the biggest difference between this season and last season:
"I think you kind of just find yourself, at least for me, I've found myself in a spot that is, okay, here's what I did last year. During the offseason I was watching film on just doing a self-study tape. And my offseason focus was how much better can I get at the things that I'm already good at, because I feel like often we lose sight of focusing on the things that we are good at because we want to put so much emphasis on the things we aren't good at. But you still have to sharpen both sides of the sword. So, I wanted to make sure I keep working at the things I'm good at but still working on those things that need to improve. And that's finding what that looks like on film, asking my coaches, what do you guys think I need to improve? Where can I make jumps? And then just emphasizing my film study, because I want to be able to go out there and just have everything just be second nature to me. So, it gets to a point where everything you do during the week should just be the tools you're sharpening. So, that way when you come to Sunday, it comes to game time, you're not worried about anything anymore, you're just playing free. You know what the calls are, you're not second guessing anything, you believe what you're seeing on film. Then you're just going out there playing with the talent you have, using the tools the coaches have given you for the week and then you're just going out and just making plays."
On the defense bringing positive energy:
"I think just everybody who we've brought back, having that ability to be under a system with the same guys for another year. There were guys on this defense who played for these coaches on a different team and didn't get to have that same chemistry. So, last year it was a, I don't want to say a trial year of course, but it was our first year under this system and we're still kind of getting used to things. So, now the offseason we're able to build and just continue stacking each and every single day. So, I think now that we've had the opportunity to play under the system, now this second year, playing under the system, we're all much more comfortable with each other. The trust levels are there from coach to player, player to coach, player to player and we just trust and understand that everyone's going to do their job and they've done a great job of bringing guys in and just adding to what we already have. And it's been big, great pieces. They brought a group of veteran guys who've just bought in right away. And I think that's been the biggest thing is that everyone's just bought into to what we want to do here. Everyone's focused on the same goal and we just want to be able to take things day at a time and just keep getting better and keep competing."
On WR Deebo Samuel Sr. and on what he can bring to the offense:
"Deebo is Deebo. We know him for the plays that he makes on Sundays, the things that he's been doing his whole career. For me, I've appreciated having him on the opposite side of me because I just know every single rep is going to be a rep to get him better, get me better. And I feel like that's what I needed was to have somebody like him who's going to push me and help me get better. We've done extra things after practice, whether it's walkthrough tempo, jog tempo, it doesn't matter. Just every single day, we both have the mindset of we're going to battle, we're going to compete, you're going to get better, I'm going to get better. And what I think he adds to the offense is just another weapon. He could take over a game, he's done it. So, I'm super excited to see him perform this year and just get back to just playing and level football the way he does, and I think whatever's happened in the past is the past. Him being here now, you could just feel the good energy, you could see the positivity in him, and he's just excited to be here and just ready to play and just help this team win."
On the coach's messaging trying to reach the same level of success as last season:
"Just those key moments, how disciplined can we be? Often, we were in positions where we beat ourselves with whether it was penalties, missed assignments, just not being in the right spots at times. So, the emphasis has really just been how disciplined can we be no matter how tired we are and just consistency. You could have a great first quarter, can you do that down after down, quarter after quarter and when it matters the most?
On adjustments made from last season:
"I think just understanding who I have to be for my teammates, and just what is expected of me here. And for me that's it, it's a challenge that I accept. They wouldn't have drafted me when they drafted me if they didn't expect something out of me. And I want to live up to that expectation, because one, I expect that out of myself and because I want to help this organization, help this team be the best it could be. So, every single day, whatever that looks like, I want to be able to do that for my teammates. However, I could help them elevate, however I could help them just be better in every area, I want to be able to do that. So, just sacrificing whatever it is to make sure that I can help, just put myself in a good position for this team because you do what you have to do for those around you and success will come. I always have said, with team success comes individual success. So, just making sure that I can do whatever I can for this team is what matters to me the most."
On mentoring CB Trey Amos:
"Yeah, absolutely. I think he's very mature, I believe Trey's 23, maybe 22. He's mature, he has the right mindset. So, just me talking to him isn't like I'm talking to a 18-year-old. He understands it very well and he brings something to his defense that we need and he knows that, the DB room knows that, we all know what his capabilities are. And just the way he's come in has definitely helped myself because I know that's another guy that is going to go out there and put it all on the line for the defense, for this team. So, just from what I've seen from him, he has the ability to do some great things. It just comes back to consistency and discipline. How long can he stay consistent and disciplined in what it is that he does? And as his teammate, I'm going to make sure that he lives up to his standard and the standard that we have as a team. And I know he'll do the exact same for me, even though I'm a year older, whatever, the standard is a standard. [LB] Bobby Wagner won't let me fall short the standard, but he also knows I won't let him fall short. The standard doesn't matter that he's been in the league for 30 years, I've been in league for two years [laughs]. And I think that's what makes this team what it is, is that what all have that same mindset, have that same mutual understanding of who and what we want to be and we're not going to let each other fall short of that."
