Washington Commanders cornerback Kendall Fuller addressed the media after practice on Aug. 16. Here is a full transcript of the press conference.
On how the defense performed the last two days of practice:
"Yeah, it was fun man. I think ultimately just being able to go against somebody different. You've been going against your guys for so long so to go against different guys, other different skill sets to prepare yourself and today was a good day. We had fun. We came out here competed, put some good film out there to learn from. Made some mistakes out there that we can learn from. So overall, I felt like it was a good week."
On positives he's seen from the younger DB's:
"I think just competing man. DB is one of those positions to where you go through highs and lows. It's a position where you gotta have a lot of respect for what you do on the field and you gotta have the utmost confidence in your ability. So just for the guys to come out and compete, guys make plays, you make plays and you just keep on lining up with that confidence and to see young guys consistently step up and just make plays from the ones, twos, threes, it was big. Good to see."
On how helpful it is to practice against a different team:
"Yeah, I love it because I mean, you just get out there and you just play ball. You just play what you see. And even that, that's a little bit different from a game because from a game, you got film that you can go out there and watch and stuff like that. But just from a technique standpoint, there's no film, no knowledge of what they do. You just line up, play your technique and trust that your technique is gonna allow you to make plays. So just being able to get out here and do that was definitely good for us."
On the progression he's seen from QB Sam Howell:
"He's been good. I haven't watched him the last two days just from being on different fields, but just making throws, man. I remember the other day he made an out route on me, which that pisses me off, but like, just to see him be able to put those throws in spots that DB's can't get it. I think the good NFL quarterbacks, that's what separates a lot of times college from the NFL. Quarterbacks can put the ball to where a defensive back, no matter how good the coverage is, you just can't get to it. So, to see him just have the confidence to make those type of throws, to throw 'em and things like that, it's been, been good to see."
On if he remembers the play:
"Yeah, I was, but it was one of those for me, nothing I can do better. He made a good throw and you make quarterbacks try to make those type of throws and he made 'em. So, to see him make those type of throws, that's gonna be good for us on Sundays."
On what thinks about Baltimore's offensive chemistry:
"Just good talent man. Just veteran guys. Even [Baltimore Ravens WR] Odell [Beckham Jr.], just going up with him, just certain moves that he makes at the top of his routes. If you have good coverage, he'll give you an extra move to kind of sell it. I think just them kind of just learning each other, feeling each other. You can definitely, definitely see it. I'm sure they're gonna have a good year, both good players [QB Lamar Jackson and WR Odell Beckham Jr.]. So, it was fun to get out there and go out and compete against them."
On S Kamren Curl:
"I always been a big fan of Kam man. He's just an overall good football player. He can make plays all around the field. So, for me it was nothing that I haven't expected from him. Nothing that I feel like he hasn't put out on tape over these last three years. So, for me, he's just coming out being the same Kam Curl and that's all we need him to do."
On if this the most talented defensive backs group he's been with:
"It is early right now. I think my second year we had a pretty deep group too, but ultimately all that'll tell once we get out there on Sundays and go out there and make plays. So, you know, preseason is good to prepare, but you know, nothing matters until you got there every Sunday and make plays."
*On if the defense grew closer practicing against another team: *"Yeah. I mean, anytime you go against guys that aren't your teammates, you got to come together and you just always giving each other encouragement, speaking positivity over one another. So, I think it definitely brought us together as a team and something that we definitely enjoyed."
On if the past 10 days have accelerated the progress of all the competition involved:
"I mean that's camp, that's what you want camp to do. You want competition, you want to get better. And I think, you know, having the preseason game, having these joint practices it allows for more competition, and allows us to get better. It allows us to go against the different offenses, learn things about us that we may not have known, learn things about other offenses around the league, so it's definitely helpful for us."
*On how missing the first preseason game affect his rhythm: *"Not at all. I don't think me missing one series is gonna really affect that. I've gone through I think my first and second year playing a lot in the preseason. Really your whole rookie contract, you play a lot in the preseason second contract, not too much. I think our first year here we didn't have preseason at all. I think that was COVID year and things like that. So, we definitely still have other games. I think really just to get your routine for pre-game and stuff like that. So, we've been practicing so much, having these joint practices, I don't think it'll affect it."
