On QB Jayden Daniels and changes he's made since last season:
"Yeah, I think just the comfort level. He's not in for any surprises. He knows exactly what he's getting into each and every day. There is no competing necessarily like he was last year with [QB] Marcus [Mariota] going into this. So, I think everyone just knows it's his ship and we're trying to do our best every day to improve as a team but just his comfort level. He's always been so poised, such high confidence, but I feel like he's just taking another step. He's very efficient out there. He sees the game a certain way. He is talking to guys how he sees it, making sure everyone's on his page and not necessarily just how each individual sees the game. So yeah, I think he's taken even more ownership of this thing as he should."
On how Daniels' comfort level translates onto the field:
"I think the timing and anticipation that comes along with the being in a system another year, I think you can definitely see it out there. The timing, the confidence he has to kind of push his limits and training camp, offseason is about testing how far you can go. And so, I still think everyone's trying to push their boundaries, push their bodies to see how much better we can be individually so the collective gets even better. And that's why I don't, if a quarterback throws a pick or whatever, oftentimes it's sometimes you just gotta see how far you can go. If I slip on a route and say, let's see how far I can push outside a guy in terms of his leverage to see how far I can get back inside. So, I think training camp is all about push it, pushing your limits, teaching every day. And if we do that individually, we'll obviously grow collectively."
On staying active while on the sideline:
"No, I think it's kind of always been something, trying to find little advantages. I don't do special teams. I haven't done special teams for a few years and so I don't want to be that guy that just sits around when other guys are working. And so, for me it's a great opportunity to just really refine the fundamentals. You see me doing all the release work each and every day if you watch during special teams. That's how I start every practice, is to work on my stance, my starts, work on my press releases because I feel like once I'm into my routes, no one can really cover me. It's just if they get a hand on me early, that messes up the timing. So, for me it's always about just trying to find little ways to get better. I got a phenomenal coach and [Tight Ends] Coach [David] Raih who pushes me, encourages me, finds little things that we can improve on. So, I think I owe a lot of my success last year to him. And just for me it's just about the mentality of, I'm not just going to stand out there and just go through the motions. It's about how can I find a way to get better, and push the limits just a little more."
On Head Coach Dan Quinn giving him veteran rest days:
"I mean, you notice some guys had off days yesterday. I was kind of supposed to be in that group, but he's receptive to my feelings as well. I've always been a guy that kind of just wants to overwork himself. So, I need people like DQ to kind of keep me from myself or so I don't go too far. And oftentimes I've gone too far where it ends an injury or whatnot. So, DQ, the thing that's amazing about DQ and it's not just in this situation, he over communicates which a lot of coaches, when players are just left to their own thoughts, it's a dangerous spot. You don't know kind of the motivation, the quote unquote agenda, whatever it is. But DQ is very forthcoming in why he's doing something, 'You're not going to practice.' Last year in training camp, I did practice every day. During the season I didn't practice on Wednesdays, but I'm not going to practice every day in training camp this year. We had a long season last year; we want to have another long season this year. So, oftentimes I need people to kind of keep me from myself. And DQ has just been amazing at that."
On having the core of the offensive staff back for a second season:
"Yeah, I mean I think it is very rare to have the success that we had last year and that the whole entire coaching staff stays the same. Obviously, we had one or two changes here and there. But overall, I think it is rare. But at the end of the day, we are very fortunate as players to be in the same system a second year. Jayden's very fortunate to be in the system a second year, because it's hard just to start from scratch, even if it's the same system, it's a different caller. So, you gotta get used to a new play caller even if they're calling the same plays, sometimes the fundamentals change a little bit. The details changed a little bit. So, we're just glad everyone's back and not to talk about last year at all but we are very fortunate to be able to compete against each other right now with the same coordinators, same position coaches for the most part. So yeah, we're excited about the entire continuity of the group and we just gotta continue to get better."
On this training camp having a different feel with higher expectations:
"Yeah, I think the expectations of this team do not impact what goes on in the building. Last year, not many people chose us to be successful and this year maybe too many people are choosing us to be successful. And so for me, I think the message is how can we get better? I talk about it all the time with last year, if we started fast or started slow, it's about the continual improvement throughout the year. And we all have to be better. If we're the same team we were last year, we've let ourselves down enormously. And so for me, for the guys, it's just about how can we improve each and every day? How can we improve the timing, the communication, the blocking? Because at the end of the day, this year is a completely new team. I don't want to talk about last year really anymore. And so for me it's just all about how can we get better? How can this team improve? Because we got a lot of new players, I've been on really talented teams. I think this is a talented team, but at the end of the day, talent really doesn't win you games in this league. And so, for us it's about how can we better become better as a unit offensively, defensive, special teams and better as a team?"
On adding WR Deebo Samuel Sr. and WR Michael Gallup and on how they help Daniels:
"I think if you look at our skill group, it's a very diverse skill set between players. I don't think there's just a bunch of guys that have similar traits, similar skills. So, I think when you're able to have a bunch of varied talent levels, varied skill sets, it really allows the coordinators to kind of open up the playbook. A guy like Deebo, you can really do whatever you want with him as a chess piece. So, I think he's going to be a huge piece of our offense, really excited to see him going, especially when you get the pads on. Because I know you can feel his physicality without pads on, but I know he is going to take it to another level when we get the ball in his hands in the games or preseason games or practice. And Michael Gallup has been impressive, man. For a guy that missed last year to be able to come in, show his athleticism, really humble guy. Really love coming to work with him and really the whole group, really humble, just want to work. [WR] Noah Brown, phenomenal player. So, yeah, we're excited about that room."
On how the offense expands with Offensive Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury in year two:
"Yeah, it's a little bit of both, honestly, obviously going into last year everyone was learning the system, so it was very vanilla. Now you really want to take the next step in terms of improving the details. We're not starting on first base per se. We're starting maybe on second base in terms of the details and guys knowing the plays. So, really it's just fine tuning things, but also you can't be the same. We can't just roll out with the playbook week one and expect things to happen. There's gotta be new plays, there's gotta be a little evolution in the playbook, so I would say it's a combination of both."
On his offseason communication with Kingsbury:
"Yeah, I mean, I think it goes both ways. Kliff is very respectful of people's time in the building and out if the building. So, we talk a lot about soccer, honestly, outside the building but I'm texting him ideas, he's texting me thoughts. But a lot of our conversations and the thing that's special about Kliff is he truly cares about the person. So, a lot of our conversation is, 'How's the family doing?' I text him, 'Where are you at right now in the world?' Just things like that, but ultimately I don't think people realize how much of a grinder Kliff is. He kind of gives this persona of the cool guy, he wears the hat, he's always in the all black but in reality, the guy's here at three in the morning every day. He's always the first one in the building and he is always just grinding film. And so for me, I think he gets this persona of kind of this laissez fur attitude when in reality I couldn't be further from the truth."
On players coming from different walks of life but coming together for the team:
"Yeah, I mean, I think that's the best part about football. A lot of these guys I would never have had the opportunity to meet. And really, throughout my career you're not going to remember individuals games, but you're going to remember the teammates that you have each and every year, the bonds that you have, the stories that you have. And so, we got an amazing group of guys that really love the process, that love coming to work every day. And so, for me it's been so fun just to really get to know the guys and that's why I'm here in the offseason. It's not like I'm a guy that just wants to show up in training camp at this stage in my career. Part of the best part about this business, and honestly probably the best part is meeting your new teammates and working together and grinding through adversity, and training together. And knowing that he's not going to let me down. I'm doing everything I can and I let him down. And so, for me it's really about just enjoying the time together with the guys getting better and doing everything we can to be the best version of ourselves this year."
On the offense:
"I think we got a group that really loves being together, one. Guys that are trying to do everything they can to get better and a bunch of guys that have a really diverse skill set in the skill room. A bunch of guys that are different phases of their career, different talents, in terms of how coaches can use each of us. So right now, training camp is all about earning trust. Nothing is given in this league and you can't come in here, I'm talking about myself, that coaches are just going to draw things up for me on third down in the red zone and I'm going to pencil me in for X amount of targets and catches. Everything is earned each and every day in this league. And that's the best part about this league is you can't just come in here expecting anything. You gotta come in every day and grind and earn your reps, earn your plays that you're going to be on the field. And if you don't, you're just not going to play in this league. And so, for me that's what training camp is for, is earning the trust and my coaches and my teammates to go out there and execute when they need me to and get better with Jayden."
