On Tuesday, July 30, 2013, Redskins OLB Ryan Kerrigan addressed the media following morning walkthrough at the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center in Richmond, Va.
.
On how he's feeling going into his third year:
"I'm feeling pretty good. I'm confident in the playbook and having the continuity with the coaching staff throughout my first three years has really not only helped me but has helped the whole defense come together. Not only be able to understand what we're supposed to do, but how to do it better and make better plays through the defense. "
On how much linebacker Brian Orakpo's return will help the defense:
"He's going to be huge really for the team as a whole and obviously for the defense. When you see what he does in the run game and see how he gets after it… Obviously everyone knows him as a pass rusher, but seeing him in the run game and now he's even covering a lot better. We've all improved in our pass coverage, but him specifically, he's improved a lot in his zone drops. He's the total package for our defense and he's going to pay a lot of dividends for us this year."
On if Orakpo's return will make Kerrigan better:
"Definitely. The offensive line will have to be pretty balanced across the board. Not only just 'Rak and I on the outside, but we have Barry [Cofield], [Stephen] Bowen and guys like that, and Kedric [Golston] and Jarvis [Jenkins] on the inside. That's what we want. We want versatility. And we've got that with all of the guys we have across the board upfront."
On if there are any creative packages featuring him and Orakpo:
"We have not installed them yet but I am sure as far as game planning goes, we will kind of mix things up a little more. We are both versatile guys who can play across the board numerous different positions. I'm sure will be moving around quite a bit."
On if he has to be aware of the rotating group of players at the defensive end position:
"Not in particular because their assignments do not necessarily change from Jarvis [Jenkins] to Kedric [Golston], from Kedric to [Chris] Baker. They all play the 4-I position the same no matter who is in there. I do not think it will change a lot for me personally. It will be great when we have all of our guys back in there."
On safety Reed Doughty:
"He's the consummate pro. Everyone always uses the phrase, 'You're one play away from being the starter' and that's been his M.O. throughout his career really. Guys go down with injuries and Reed steps in and makes plays. He doesn't miss a beat. There's not much drop off from one guy to him. And that's what you want in a pro. And obviously he's a great special teams player and he doesn't get – I don't think – the credit he deserves in the regard. But, a great special teams player and a guy that's always ready to step up defensively."
On the return of Orakpo:
"The defense as a whole will be uplifted even more with 'Rak being back. Just what he brings to the table in terms of his versatility and his ability to play the run and play the pass and cover in pass coverage, he's got the total package. He's going to be huge for our team."
On his Q&A session with fans in Carytown on Redskins.com:"That was fun. Danielle, the girl I interviewed, it couldn't have worked out better with how she responded to the questions. It was a blast doing it. I really still can't believe how perfectly it worked out with her."
On the biggest area of growth he has targeted for this season:"I need to be more consistent in my pass rushing. I'm working on developing more countermoves. After watching some film from last year and my rookie year, I would tend to work too much on the outside or right through the O-lineman, and this year I want to be able to have the option of going inside. That kind of keeps the tackle on his toes a little more, so I need to have that versatility in my pass rush game. If something's not working, I need to be able to work something else."
On how to go about improving his pass rushing:"It's just something you've got to drill in practice and this is the perfect time to do that because you're not game planning and you don't have a game to prepare for so that's what this is for. You're just practicing now, so it's something I've got to keep working on in practice."
.
.
.
