On DC Daronte Jones' defensive calls: "I can't tell you too much of the secret sauce. But just attack style, get guys off the spot. That's what he tells the d-line. And then, you know, be in your spots. That's the most I can tell you." On what's jumped out to him on their progress so far: "Just being able to line up and play the call. The bullets aren't flying right now. Obviously, a lot of the camp, or a lot of the time we've been here, we've just been in the classroom just learning the plays, but it's different when you have to apply it when you're on field. So, just doing that, knowing the checks, the different things, because Dorante has a great defense, but it's a complicated defense. So, just understanding that when the bullets are flying. On top of that, conditioning. You don't get ready for football until you play football. So, all that mixed together. I'm proud of the guys. We had little growing pains in the beginning. We're still working on it. Still got, what, like 40 something days to the first game. The real game. I'm proud of the guys though.
On what parts of his game are underrated: "I'd probably say my run game. I came in as a run defender. I've had zero sacks, so people forget that. I've worked hard and by the grace of God, He's helped me get better at the pass rushing aspect. The run game was what I hung my hat on at first. People forget that, because [in the] past I was a designated pass rusher in some defenses, but I'm really trying to get back to that playing style in the run, forcing edges, getting TFLs and stuff like that." On how Daronte is using his skillsets: "Just getting one-on-ones, attack style letting us go frontwards instead of backwards too much. We're still going to be dropping a few. And I'm cool with that because it keeps the offense on their toes. But, that attack mindset. He's talked to me, he's given me a lot of freedom and understanding, picking my spots, when to take chances and stuff like that, which I haven't, usually had in the past except for the Chargers. I appreciate that and I'm going to continue to hone in when I can take my shots and make plays." On how the o-line is helping him get better:
"I think it's a great offensive line. Very physical, vet offensive line, savvy. They're maulers. I'll speak to [T] Laremy [Tunsil]. I'll speak to [T Josh] Conerly [Jr.]. Physical guys that get their hands on you fast, have savvy ways to, deflect your moves and stuff like that. So, I'm having fun getting better, especially with Laremy and Josh too as well. Stout in the run game, so I think o-line's great. I mean, they're only getting better as well, just like us."
On Daronte helping put him in the best position to succeed: "He'll really hone in and tell us the plays when we can go. Alot of times, you got to guess and pick and read your keys and stuff like that. He really lets us know. He puts it in different categories. These are the plays where you can go straight. Pin your ears back and just go. And for you as a good player, you gotta understand how you can manipulate that and how you can play chess with the offensive line when you have those calls, those freedoms and stuff like that. Daronte, he does a good job of just departmentalizing each call so you can
know, all right, it's the run game. I can't be too crazy. I can't go too up the field. Oh, it's pass, now I can pin my ears. It's pass. I can fake like it's a run, but then I go. So, just understanding that."
On if he prefers to have that kind of freedom when plays are called:
"Yeah, I prefer that for sure."
On not getting discouraged early in his career and how he built up his sack game: "Just understand that each obstacle, each adversity is just like a test. I see it like a simulation, like, not good in it? That's where you got to work. That's the universe telling you that's where you gotta get better. And even if you're listening to fans, compartmentalizing and using it as motivation. Like, alright, I'm going to show you guys. And that's why whenever I celebrate, I'm so animated. I'm pointing. I'm talking to the crowd. I'm talking to the naysayers. It's just like, you gotta understand, you got to use that. We play sports. You have bad reps, you have good reps, but you can't hang your hat on the bad reps or else you're going to continue going down the slope. So, I feel like that was the best part for me. And I'm glad I went through that, to be honest, cause now y'all don't even remember that. I'm a run defender too. That's a testament to how hard I work and my ability to just close out the naysayers and just grind."
On the team chemistry and building off of the guys around him: "That's an underrated aspect of it too. Obviously, each guy has a different way they rush, and each guy has a different way how wide they rush, how tight they rush. If they get stalled, what do they do? So, as an edge, you got to rush in a way that you're seeing the whole picture. There's not seams for the QB to run, especially if you're playing a guy like a [QB] Jayden [Daniels] or a [Baltimore Ravens QB] Lamar [Jackson]. A lot of QBs now that just run. So, just rushing as a group, instead of having one dominant pass rusher. I'd rather have a group of a whole good pass rushers that know how to play and work together. That's what these first few days of training camp are, just working with guys. If a guy goes high up the field at the 3-tech. I can't go high up the field either, you know? I gotta wrap around, a natural. You won't even necessarily have a game up, but it's understanding that chemistry with the guys and what he likes to do and building off of it."
On how his basketball background has helped him: "I guess just reading and being more twitchy, and then setting and go. I feel like a lot of football players traditionally just boom, boom, go. And o-linemen, they study too. They have sets. They want to kick. So, playing and then going, stuff like that. Basketball has helped me with that. Changing paces, different levels and stuff like that. So, that's helped me. A lot of times I'll get off, other times I'll go slow, then get over. Basketball definitely has helped me, you know, break down. I didn't have handles going up though, so I don't know where that came from, but yeah."
On the intensity and efficiency of training camps so far: "It's very intense. We compete right away. I'm not used to practicing this early. [At the] Ravens, we didn't practice early. I got to get ready at 7:00 AM to cross chop a pass rush at 8:00. I feel like the intensity is right away here. Guys want to compete. Guys are hitting right away. We're not taking no field reps. I like that though. It gets you ready for the game."
