Colts
Colts TE Tyler Warren says that he wants to be a tone setter on offense, even when the ball isn’t in his hands.
“That’s the name of the game in football is violence,” Warren said, via the team website. “When you can do that and be willing to be violent, and then add the technique and the fundamentals that go into it, that’s when you become really good. It’s a violent sport so you gotta have violence when you play.”
Technique and fundamentals certainly are important, but often the most important thing as a run blocker is just a desire to do it.
“It starts with the willingness,” Warren continued. “If you got the technique and you know how to block someone but you don’t want to stick your nose in there and do it, it’s not going to do you much good. So it starts with being willing to do it and put your stuff up in there, and you add the technique and fundamentals to that. And that’s what makes you an effective blocker, in my opinion…It starts with understanding how football works. I can’t do anything by myself on this field. There’s 10 other guys on the field for a reason. You can’t do anything that’s going to help you without somebody next to you and other guys around you. That’s what I really love about the game and how I try to approach it. It has nothing to do with me. I’m a part of a unit and a part of a team and we got one goal, and that’s to win games.”
Jaguars
Jaguars VP Tony Boselli believes that the strong communication amongst team executives, including HC Liam Coen, will lead to success on the field this season.
“You know, core values is something that’s thrown around a lot of times, but if you were to think about, you know, what we want to make sure its in this building and that’s clear, concise communication. Because that’s how you build relationships. That’s how you build relationships built on trust, is through strong communication, direct, honest communication,” Boselli told Jaguars senior writer John Oesher on the EVPodcast.
“He’s world class at it. He’s certainly set the bar for me for something to go chase as a communicator. He’s really good,” Boselli said about Coen’s communication. “Liam is a great communicator. I think a lot of people in this organization, saw that the other day when he presented the whole culture and how we’re going to operate. I mean, you can see a leader in our head coach that has strong convictions, and has the ability to communicate that clearly, both at an individual level, but in a group setting. To understand like, hey, this is how we’re going to operate. This is our commitments. This is how you know the style of play we’re going to have. And so I think one of the things that we want to make sure throughout the building, throughout our organization, through our locker room, how we operate from coach to coach, coach to staff, players to coach, players to players, player to staff, all the things vice versa, is that there’s open, clear lines of communication. Because I think one thing that we all believe is that’s how you start building really good relationships, which done the right way, it’s going to help us win football games.”
Titans
Titans players were asked about the first overall selection of QB Cam Ward, including G Peter Skoronski, who was asked how Ward could win over the offensive line.
“Nothing but his job,” Skoronski said, via the team website. “It’s simple, just do what he has to do. We have faith in him obviously – he was picked No.1 for a reason. We have faith in him, and if he just works hard, which I trust he will, there’s nothing magical (he has to do). Just doing your job and being accountable and being consistent, and that’s all it will take. We have trust in him and that will only continue to build as we get to do stuff and get into camp…The arm. Obviously, he has a ton of experience under his belt, five years, which I think is a great thing. … He did an unbelievable job at Miami. So, excited to see how that translates and what he can bring to us and make us better.”
Also asked about Ward was TE Chigoziem Okonkwo, who said the team is hopeful about what he can bring for years to come.
“You see all the great teams, they have quarterbacks who have been there for a long time,” Okonkwo said. “With Cam coming in, we expect that from him, and he is definitely going to do it for us. He brings that element of a dawg – you have a dawg at that position. I’ve seen the viral video of him and Shedeur (Sanders) training and you see the things he says, the way he carries himself, he just has all the intangibles that you want at that position. And those are the things that really carry you at that position, because that’s the hardest position to play in the league. So, you really have to have the mind for it. Just a real chill, calm personality, Calm dude. I think it’s perfect to lead a team … We’re all very excited for him to come in.”
A true veteran presence brought in by the team was former Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett, who has learned about Ward from his best friend and former teammate, S Quandre Diggs, who is a cousin of Ward and has connected the pair in a group message.
“I am very excited about Cam being able to come on board,” Lockett told reporters. “When I was in Seattle, I got a chance to watch him a lot when he was at Washington State. Me and Quandre Diggs are best friends, and have been best friends for a while, and he always used to talk to me about his cousin, even when he was leaving Incarnate Word, and going to Washington State, before Miami. Obviously being in Seattle, I got a chance to see his highlights all the time and saw him do amazing things there and then at Miami. So, just being able to team up with him and do my part, I am definitely excited for that. He’s definitely a cool dude, and super eager. He cares a lot about being great, and cares a lot about football.”
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