Mm-hmm

... and by the way, Trayvon Walker had six quarterback pressures in addition to, you know, his sacking the quarterback, set the edge well.

And then, then, then when he recognized the play of the interior guys, I mean, Dickerson, Hamilton, and, and Armstead, I mean, they were knocking the line back.

Uh, Dickerson had a great quarterback hit in the second half on the guy.

And then of course, the play of the two linebacker, the other linebackers, Foyer with the interception played well, but jeez, well, Pete, the game that Ventrell Miller played, when you add up the snaps and participations, I think he had 10 tackles, a sack, and, and the forced fumble.

But when you look what he and Combs did collectively-

[laughs]

I mean, and, and, and I mean, I ne- I don't know if I've ever seen more of a bullet than that in, in real, real life.

How did you assess the line and the tailbacks in the running game yesterday?

Oh my gosh.

I mean, I don't think we can say enough about really the offensive line.

You talk about a group that, you know, through training camp had different levels and different people in terms of injuries and who was going to play and who wasn't.

When you look at what, again, you just said every offensive lineman, but the center, Robert Hainsey, either new player or in a different position, superb job.

I mean, again, keys to winning the game or to protect the quarterback.

They did that.

Was it Jacksonville is really good, Cleveland is really bad, equal measures of both? How do you assess Sunday?

Duff, explain why week one is so difficult, why it's the hardest week to win in the league.

Oh, my gosh, it is each and every week because you still don't really know.

The team has to play together.

You just mentioned the offensive line, that mesh, those guys feeling each other, understanding who can do what and counting on guys to do what.

That's critical.

And then when you play a team like Cleveland right now where it's a new head coach, you're studying Baltimore film, you're looking back in his – to see what he's all about.

They've got a new defensive coordinator, Mike Rutenberg, who coached in Jacksonville here with Gus Bradley.

How determined will Liam be to making sure that he gets off a fair number of plays in 13?

But go ahead and hit the idea of them keeping nine.

Well, I like the group.

I'm with Gerald as far as that's concerned.

I'm really impressed with how Cleveland has practiced, Ezra Cleveland, the last two weeks and the joints that he's had.

I mean, I think he's had his best, easily his best training camp practices the last two weeks, and that's where you want to be.

You want to see those guys ascending at this time as we're getting ready for the season.

And the fact that we've got Monheim and Milam, you know, they're They probably are disappointed.

Being that quick twitch pass rusher off the edge.

Quite a lot of new faces on this year's squad.

Yeah, you know, and you're right, Pat, and I think that that's, once again, a tribute to the coaching staff and personnel in terms of knowing their players, but also, you know, being open to evaluation and how – How can we get better each and every day? I've been extremely impressed by James Gladstone and his staff.

They constantly are.

studying the availability of players, whether it be professional free agents or, as we already talked about, the college free agents through the draft.

I mean, they are relentless in trying to get this team better each and every day.

And you see it in some of the moves that they've made.

We talked about the addition of Jelani Tavai when you look at Fala Lele.

How do you feel about this roster now that the 53 men have been decided on?

Yeah, so how good can this unit be?

Well, I think it can be pretty good.

And let me just say this to you.

How this group is is kind of how we're going to go.

I mean, the offensive line ability to protect the quarterback, to establish a consistent run game that they're working real hard to get done are major factors in how good this team's going to be.

I love the movement of Antoine Harrison to left tackle.

I think it's a brilliant move.

Somebody said, do you see him kind of playing like a hybrid safety linebacker role? And what are your expectations for Antonio this year?

So let's hit at least maybe two or three things, Duff, that jumped out to you, and then we'll do the same thing with Coach Ingram.

Well, I appreciate that, Joe.

I thought the defense had a particularly very productive day, and it started in one-on-one pass rush, the D-line against the O-line.

I mean – Vijay Green showed up in that.

Josh Hines-Allen put on a clinic down there.

Trayvon Walker.

I mean, I watched that, and, geez, they were impressive as heck.

Who do you think's on the bubble?

What did you think?

Well, shoot, what I loved, I'm staring at our defense, and I looked over and I saw him, I think it was a plus 40-yard touchdown, first snap of the daggone scrimmage on the other side of the field, our offense against the Tampa Bay Bucs defense.

I thought it was excellent.

I guess he had some sort of maybe shoulder bruise or something.

What the heck? Those things are going to happen.

This is a tough game played by tough people.

There's no way you can get around getting this team ready for ball, for game speed ball, without having some physicality.

But he's still getting beat out there.

Just go through it just for a second on the corrections that they were working on from some of the misses that they had Saturday afternoon.

Well, I mean, so you're 100% correct.

All the individual periods were still focused in on fundamentals, whether it was blockings, combo blocks, ball security, mat tackling, all kinds of good footwork drills and blocking drills, receivers blocking downfield.

But as Coach Ingram said, they spent time, I think, today and yesterday going through the corrections that they had to make offensively and defensively, whether it was – Again, in the run game or in the pass game, in terms of pass protection, whether it was finishing plays, all that was done.

And then they had some card periods where I think they were probably scripting plays that they may think they're going to see against Carolina or still install plays.

So there was some installation.

There was corrections.

Now, Dup, we're going to ask both of you guys, do you think starters will play Friday night? But first, jump in on the joint, just like Coach Ingram.

What's your thought there?

Well, I would say a couple of things first, and this is a great thing for you to pose to the listeners.

Nick is a veteran NFL quarterback.

I've defensed against him before, called a game against him.

He's a smart player.

He's won ball games at this level.

He's very familiar with the offense.

I thought 80%, 85% of that game, the defense was playing pretty well out there.

What's your thought on that?

Well, I'm in his corner.

I mean, I've watched him since the springtime, and I see a very determined, focused, hardworking, detailed player.

And I've seen him stay out after practice.

I've seen him come out early.

I mean, the consistency of his effort right now is admirable.

And so...

So what do you want to see in the Saints game, like player-specific and overall arching theme-specific?

Where are they right now at linebacker? And also, do you believe that snaps per game, is it going to stay the same, you think, this year for Lola Conner? Or is he going to dip off a little bit?

Well, you know, we'll see.

We'll see.

I would love to...

And I'm...

So let me answer the first thing.

I love the competition, the fierce competition that Ben Trumbiller and Branson Combs are going at it.

What else did you see today or you've seen in the first eight practices that either has blown you away, has excited you a little bit, maybe even disappointed you a little bit?

What's your general thought on the passing game to this point?

Well, fully agreed to you.

I, I think the passing game has got, uh, number one, starts with the quarterback.

I see, again, a continuation of what I saw in the spring.

A confident player, a guy that's directing the offense, a player that's, uh, seeing the field, has good vision, uh, getting the ball out and getting it out quickly.

Uh, he's using his legs occasionally when he needs to, and that's another real plus 'cause that will be a nightmare to the defense when he, uh, scrambles to not only extend the play, but to gain yardage.

Uh, so it starts with him.

I mean, how much of that stuff does happen on a daily basis? Are there constant meetings about personnel and maybe upgrading a position here or there?

Obviously that's a point that Liam Cohen is really driving to this football team.

Oh my gosh, there's no question about it.

And I, and I think that he's, I think he set a real good plan and process as far as that's concerned, you know, uh, You know, you mentioned consistency.

It's critical.

I mean, when you look at starting with our quarterback, the last six games of the season, regular season, he was 15 touchdowns, one interception.

I mean, wow.

I mean, that's top 10, top five quarterback play.

And probably the biggest question, Coach, is who is going to replace Devin Lloyd? Is it Ventrell Miller? Is it Branson Combs? Or could it potentially be somebody else?

What is one of the battles you're already zeroing in on?

Well, I think that a couple of them.

I mean, right now, you've got to know who's going to be the next edge guy.

I think, as Matt always talks about, affect the quarterback.

We've got to get help there from that front.

I would say the edge, the D-line, too.

I mean, our pressure last year, when we did pressure, was pretty darn good from linebackers, secondary, and the ends.

What if he's not that same guy, number one, coming back from that injury, Or number two, what do they do to make sure if he can't come back in time or if he has a relapse of whatever, what do they do at left tackle? Because is it really just, all right, we're going to go to Walker, then we'll see what happens? Or do you take Wyatt Milam and say, look, you've got to work out there?

I just simply say they have now put together a better roster and look like they have a better coach and a better plan going forward to win a lot of football games.

I don't think there's any doubt about that, and that's the key.

I mean, I would evaluate the evaluator, if you will, in terms of how this is all being written up right now.

I think let people flap their gums about what's going on.

I just think right now with what I see on this roster and what I think clearly more importantly than what I see is what – James Gladstone, Tony Buscelli, and Liam Combs here as a football team that's ascending.

It's got really good positioning across all their different positions.

Depth, pretty good depth.

But anyway, what do you think about the other divisional foes and how they did in the offseason? Well, you

It's awful hard not to get excited about what we saw from Trevor Lawrence over the last month and a half.

Boy, you're not kidding, Ryan.

I, I, I just, I will say this about...

You know, I, last year, you know, early on, I was, uh, my, my biggest critique as a...

Just looking at him and watching him, w- not- no- nothing to do with effort, but I just thought he was a little, you know, inconsistent.

Consistency was lacking.

Boy, I'll tell you, it's since the...

What do you see when you see this Jaguar defense?

But real quick, Duff, chime in on BTJ, because from a defensive point of view, this was very important for Brian Thomas Jr. to come out and make defenses become aware of him again.

So without a doubt, and I am so happy for him and pleased for him and our team.

This guy is on a mission.

I mean, he's come out each and every day and has come out early, stayed out late.

He's doing all the little things his coach mentioned.

He's catching deep balls.

He's catching short balls.

Jump in on that, Dolph.

He's been probably the biggest surprise in camp.

Well, I'll tell you, Rick, he's taken advantage of the opportunity.

He's showing up, at least the three days that I saw here in succession, He's making plays at basically every period and certainly on every day.

And I said, and that's how you get noticed.

And when you're up, what you, they're looking for playmakers.

They're looking for guys that are around the ball and he's hunted the ball.

I mean, he's been a part of past breakups or an interception, or he's at the point of attack.

How important is it in your opinion to get him back to running those routes, including screens, the way he did as a rookie?

Good role

player.

Yes, sir.

100% correct.

Yep.

And I'll tell you what, speaking of that now, they just signed this big boy in, and I think that's his name, recently.

I guess he came from Dallas, did he? He's a good-looking guy.

So anything you might have picked up on offensively as far as just what they're working on right

I mean, you don't want to throw maybe too much at these guys, but where are the rookies kind of at right now?

Well, I can share a few things with you.

First, I'd say that they're, you know, certainly more comfortable than they were about three weeks ago in terms of what to expect and how they're learning and the playbook and the installation that they've gotten in this OTAs and in the upcoming mini camp.

And not too long ago, you know, all we had was a three-day mini camp.

And this was back, well, I should say it was probably 25 years ago.

So let's say it was a while ago.

But anyway, those rookies came in with the veterans.

uh Kaiser to me is more of a foyer backup we'll see right I think Ventrell Miller and then Branson Combs I'm actually going to talk with him this week I'm scheduled to talk with him on Wednesday and I'm looking forward to that conversation because again every time we talk linebackers with Liam Cohen or Anthony Campanile or James Gladstone they always bring up Branson Combs who may be more involved there than some people believe