On the first day in pads:
"I mean, it's the first day of pads. Like everybody's geeked up. We all feel good and we're firing off the ball. Everybody has the extra step today and it's an exciting day for that reason. Putting pads on is real fun for sure."
On what drill stood out today:
"When we had our short yardage, goal line, run 10-play, run game period. Being able to know that the defense knows that we're running the ball and we have to push through that. That's just building the endurance, the strength and being united to be able to push through that and work through that. So, I thought those periods were pretty good today."
On how it has been playing the guard position:
"I really have grasped the position. I really feel comfortable at the position right now. I could be irreplaceable between guard and tackle if they need me to. But I'm really, really enjoying that inside being guard, physicality stuff. I think it fits my style of play better, and I've been enjoying the transition for sure."
On when he realized he would be playing the guard position and how it changed his training:
"I was talking to Coach [Ron] Rivera about it and, um I just told him, Hey, put me wherever you think I'm going to be the best in the world. He felt like that was the position for me and I trust in it and I'm feeling really good about it. When it came to the training aspect, I just worked on shorter sets, more physicality, faster hands when it comes to your punch. At tackle, you have a lot more space, a lot more room to battle. Guard, it's like instant boom. It's a brawl, so just getting used to that. But other than that, I mean, that was kind of the transition process."
On Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy having urgency in goal line situations:
"I mean, you know, line up, see what you're doing, call your calls, have enough time to do that and then also get the defense kind of flustered if you can. Not lining up straight or you coming off the ball real quick, that type of stuff. So that's my thought process between him doing that and being disciplined is a big thing with EB for sure."
On what he has seen from the offense using screens:
"I mean, I've enjoyed the screen game that we have. I think it's a really good package. You know, we have [G/T] Saahdiq [Charles], me, [C] Nick [Gates], athletic guys that can move out in space. Big guys. I think it's going to be very beneficial for us in the season and opening up drives and doing that type of stuff. So, I'm a big fan of screens. Hearing that, knowing that, it's big time."
*On his relationship with OT Andrew Wylie: *"He's been great, he's a great addition. He's been in this offense. Andrew is my guy, we've gelled. It's a great connection between me and him. We're on the same page and in this short amount of time, which is hard to do. So being able to have him and him knowing this offense like he does, it just helps us be better and grow."
On DT Daron Payne mentioning his athleticism at the Guard position:
"I feel more comfortable. I feel like I'm playing quick and, you know, Daron is Daron. He's quick off the ball, he is shifty, he's strong, he's big, so being able to hear that from him is great. We're just battling out there, so I think it's fun to watch the battles that we have between each other. So yeah, I feel more comfortable at Guard, so I think that's why I'm playing quicker especially in like pass and run and stuff like that."
On the mental part of playing as an interior offensive lineman:
"I love it. I mean, it's physical. That's why we play o-line. It's the physicality, to inflict pain in others when they don't want you to do that. I've really enjoyed it. Like I said, it really fits me and going forward, I just want to build on that and just make it something special."
On the practices being more intense than years before:
"Yeah, I mean this practice is definitely more intense. I think it's good and the aspect is it's really going to get us in shape for games. Like being able to do these long drives like we're doing replicates drives that we have in the games and being able to push ourselves and have a lot of self-talk and doing all that. I mean it's more physical and stuff like that. As the season goes, it'll die down obviously, but right now we're just building that endurance and all that stuff for the season. So, I think it's great. I think it's really beneficial for everyone."
