Tight End Jordan Reed
On deciding to extend his contract prior to the season:
"Honestly I don't want to be anywhere else than here. I love it here. I love playing for the Redskins. I love all my coaches and all my teammates. I love this area, man. They gave me that deal and I took it. It was a solid deal and I'm just happy to be a Redskin."
On if there are areas of his game which he can improve:
"Definitely there's always areas in my game that I can improve on – definitely in the run game and the pass game as well. After the catch, I feel like I can be better. I feel like I can create more separation on routes. [I can] eliminate some of those penalties on holding that I was getting called for and things like that. I'm going to work real hard to improve on those parts."
On contract talks began and if he was concerned he wouldn't finalize the extension before the season:
"We've been communicating since probably after the playoff game. It was a little concerning when they signed [Josh] Norman and things like that, but they made the space and they gave me a good offer."
On if his concern was related to available cap space:
"Yeah, it was a concern when they signed Norman because of the cap room and things like that. I guess they made it work out and they were able to give me what my agent was asking for at the time."
On what he likes about Washington:
"All my teammates, man. The guys that are here, I love playing with them. My coaches, Wes Phillips, I've grown a good relationship with him. Sean McVay, we have a good relationship. That's huge for me just being comfortable and being around guys that genuinely care about you and vice versa and things like that. And then, you know what, this place – Ashburn – is a great little place and a safe area for my daughter to grow up at. There's good schools around here. Things like that."
On how his process of maintaining his health has changed since his rookie season:
"I just figured out a routine that was effective for me, and that was what I did last season. I went out to Miami this offseason and trained with Pete Bommarito for the last two months out there in Miami. That's where I trained for the combine at my rookie year. After OTAs is over, I'll go out to Texas and train with [undecipherable] out there at Trent Williams' gym. That's where I trained before at the season last year, and he helped me a lot and put a lot of muscle on me. His workouts are real hard so he was able to make practices and games easy, working those hot summers in Texas."
On how much better he thinks he can get:
"I feel like I can always improve, and, and I'm going to keep striving to do that. I feel like if I keep trusting God and keep working hard every day, I'll be the best that I can be. Hopefully I reach that."
On the team's expectations for the coming season and how anxious he is to get started:
"Real anxious, man. Everyone is really excited and upbeat about this team and what we can accomplish this year. We have got a lot of guys coming back off injuries – Junior Galette, Perry Riley – and things like that. Like you said, we just got Norman, so I think the sky is the limit for this team if we come together and play together, so I'm really excited."
On the reasons for his success down the stretch in 2015:
"I feel like Sean McVay was calling some great plays at the right time for us and things like that, and I was able to capitalize on it. And I felt like my body was starting to peak around the end of the season. I was feeling real fresh and explosive. I just want to, you know, as far as building on, like I said, I just want to keep improving on each phase of the game – run blocking and pass protection and pass catching. I'm going to keep working to do that."
On his chemistry with QB Kirk Cousins:
"I just feel like Kirk is a real accurate passer, man, he also can read the defense really well. He did excellent last season at doing that. I feel like I can create separation for him and get open, timing, where he needs me to be and things like that. I think those are some reasons why we were effective last year."
On if his health and durability were addressed during contract talks:
"I don't know much about that, but my agent told me mostly everything was positive. And, you know, when I talk to these guys nowadays, it really doesn't come up. I just want to move on and show that I can play 16 games."
On sharing a meeting room with TE Vernon Davis:
"I think it's a great opportunity for me. He's a vet that's been in this league and really produced at a high level for a long time. So, I'm definitely going to be picking his brain and trying to take things that he does well that I can use in my own game."
On the team drafting WR Josh Doctson:
"I'm really excited. I think Doctson is a great player. He was able to do some great things in college that I know will help us on this team. I'm just real excited. I'm happy for him and I'm ready to see him out there jumping over guys."
On what the contract changes for him:
"It changes a lot, man. It just makes me feel more relieved and things like that. I'm just able to take care of my family and make sure my daughter is set and OK… It's a life changing thing and I'm just real blessed."
On how he was able to take the next step as a player:
"Honestly, I feel like playing quarterback helped me out a lot – knowing which guys were going to cover me, being able to read the defense, things like that. Just having the feel for the game where I can feel guys, where he's leaning and things like that where I can get him to jump and overcommit… I think that will help me out a lot."
On what it means to be one of the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL: "It means a lot that the Redskins invested that kind of money into me and think that highly of me as a player and as a person. That means a lot to me. I'm going to show them that they made a good investment, and I'm going to prove them right in making me one of the highest paid."
