Steve Wilks on the Team’s Mindset to Constantly be Learning | Press Pass

Uh.

I thought it was another good day of practicing pads col orchestrated practice to day where we had a lot of situational stuff, which I thought was great to try to create some true simulations of uh of game like football. So uh, I thought the guys did a good job uh going through those scenarios and getting better today.

And with that, I take your questions.

Guys, UH seem to be blitzing a lot out there. You are you pretty happy with the way you guys are timing that up? Is it meeting your specifications?

Oh? I don't. I don't.

I don't think we blitzing that much. Do you think we blitzing a lot more than we've seen in the past. Well, I I think, Uh, the timing has been great at times. You know, sometimes we're giving it up a little too little too early, but uh, again it's practice. We're working through the kinks. But uh, most importantly, I like just the effort, the way these guys are flying around, uh getting to the football, and our focus is always on

You mentioned a few times to the work that Javon has put in.

Uhs even since you've been here.

When when you watch the tape last year and then you watch him now, is he is he showing you more things just in terms of like having a a deeper tool box of moves and things that that maybe he hasn't shown in the past.

Uh.

I I think he's fresh. I think he's healthy. Uh.

You seeing a lot of explosion off the line. Uh, violent hands and really he's playing with a lot of confidence right now.

You know.

I love when I see him when the play is down the field and he turns and runs about you know, thirty forty five yards down the field. It's phenomenal just to see a man of that size move the way he does. So I'm happy right now where he is and hopefully can continue to progress. You work a lot of one on ones with the DVS, but with Amverry Thomas specifically.

Was he someone that you identified when you first got here, is maybe hadn't reached his potential and needed a little bit of best struggle?

Uh?

I feel like y he def definitely has the potent and it's not just so much one individual, but he needs to progress and grow from last year. I think he has the skill set and were just really trying to hone that and just pull really the best out in him along with all the others. So my time, particularly doing special teams, when I can grab one or two guys just to work on the fundamentals and technique is awesome. And then we have things that we orchestrate.

What are you seen in the area of takeaways a few of the defenders, I said, you know what, do a really good defense, You got to get the ball.

And I think.

Gibson's had a couple interceptions during camp and there might be two more, but there hasn't been a ton. But guys aren't getting their hands on the ball. What are you seeing in that area?

Well, I think number one, you can't really like stress it to the point where if it's not happening now we're close, it's gonna eventually show up. So Gibson got one today which I thought was phenomenal. H. But we are close to the ball. H. It's something that we emphasize and talk about in the meetings. We have takeaway circuits those kind of things. But I eventually feel like the turn takeaways are gonna come for sure.

A lot of.

Impression has been h DeShawn Jamison recy.

Very impressed, very impressed, and I think, uh, some of the receivers were talking about him the other day. He has definitely made strides from the spring and just came back and built on uh to his repertoire and just his toolbox. I think the one thing that he's doing with his technique, he's standing more square in his back pedal, which is allowing him to be a to see and visualize more of the field route concepts, see the quarterback, and he's doing a great job of breaking on the

So you see him doing a lot of good things.

How does a guy javers Ward said, he he's watching him because he's so patient at his back pedal and he's like learning from him.

Which was striking because Ward is quite.

Good and.

Since draft Urki, But I I mean.

Is that an area I Uh, I mean to cut you off. I don't think it's so much about number one. I'll say this, we can learn from anyone that's number one. And then number two, I think is more of the technique that they probably have played here in the past that they weren't used to stay in square.

So now he's seeing.

A guy that came out of college's probably taught that And those are the things that I'm bringing and when he does it, he does it well.

So those are the things that we're trying to get him to do.

And I think right now the times that he's in there, you see him progression and getting better and talking about money.

See how does a player like Jameson who played a big conference get passed over uh in the draft? And and were you instrumental in him and bringing him here?

First question? That happens every year, you know, Uh, A lot of guys bloom late. Uh, a lot of guys come in. There's different things based off their system, how they taught the technique and whatnot.

Uh. And then I would say this, John and.

His staff does a tremendous job and identifying certain guys down the line like Jamison and once we were able to watch him on tape with the scouts brought to us.

We're very impressed and wanted to get 'em in roa.

Ch just one or another. You've had a couple of patient practices behind you. Guys. Where do you think the chemistry is with you and your defensive players and getting to know them and then getting to know you and get comfortable with.

Your coaching style. I think it's it's work in progress.

Uh.

I think we're moving in the right direction and I think Kyle does a great job of that. And once again going back to how orchestrates practice, we we've done a lot of move the ball scenarios the last couple of days. So these guys are getting a nice feel for how I call the game, certain things that I

I've been here a couple of days.

But other linebacker competition for the for the base linebacker squat other than you know, dre and and Fred who's standing out there? And and what are you looking for from that position?

Consistency across the board, you know, it is the key for us at all positions. It's a tight race. You know, ob Berks is doing a tremendous job. Marcellino made a great play, uh at the end of the game and the practice rather and and then you also see uh Flan So uh. I like the mere fact that when when Fred and and Greenlaw take a day off, I feel like we're not missing the beat. So that's definitely encouraging. So I'm excited about the backups and now they performing.

How are the rookies are the draft tacks? How are they fitting equation?

Uh? I I think they making progress as well. When uh it's talking about Jalen the other day. Uh, he's so athletic, and that's what we loved about him coming out of Purdue. You know, could run conc covering the slot. But he had a couple of plays the other day that was phenomenal for just being physical coming downhill on the offensive lineman, using his hands. So uh, that's always encouraging because that's what we pride ourselves on being a physical defense.

So he been here in a couple of practices, but he've been able to formulate any kind of thoughts on how Taco Charlton's come in.

Well, i'll tell you this.

Taco came off the plane and it was just like making him play after play after play the other day. And Uh, I was very impressed with that because number one, we needed the reps. But uh, he got in and made it seem like he had been here for a week. So uh, he's still running the defense. Uh, it's still Uh, it's gonna take him some time. But when he's in there,

Michid Gibson having our interception to that was more like the curl flat area.

Hoo.

Farnger had another play where he got his hands on the ball, but that was from the single hogs. So how important is it for your safeties to be interchangeable in your defensive How do you feel about their.

Versatility so far? Uh?

I think it's very important based off what you just described because It could be any situation where Huff is down, Gibson is back and vice versa. Those guys do a great job uh of of really uh when they are deep in the posts, particularly Huff making plays on the ball. Now, he gotta finish that one today, uh. And I told him that on the sideline. I don't think he had to jump, but he's shown that range through our training camp and we just gotta come up with those big plays.

That's the competition going on.

The other side with Drake Jackson Clivin Barrel who will play opposite of Nick Gosa.

Uh.

I think that's exactly what it is. Its competition is tight.

And I would say this really for the whole group, and I mentioned this with the staff last night. We're really not gonna see u separation or a change until we go against someone else. So I'm excited about, you know here in the in a week, I believe it is that we go up to uh Vegas and play the Raiders, so we'll see exactly where we are at that point and hopefully guys can separate themselves.

Thank you.