Welcome to the official Jets podcast, Ericalling here at One Jets Drive joined by Ethan Greenberg. We're gonna get into free agency right now. It is Thursday. The NFL leaguer actually commenced on Wednesdays, so if you're listening to this after Thursday afternoon, there could be a move or two
that Joe Douglas has made. With that being said, we gotta get to some news, and later on in the podcast, we're gonna give you a little bit of light a window to what's been going on here at One Jets Drive today because we want speaking to all the new Jets, including Trod Taylor, and to Rod Taylor, I got a chance to sit down with him, but let's start with greens Ethan Greenberg in the house. Ethan, from your perspective, what's his day like in terms of let's take people
behind the scenes. Oh sure, as far as the guys actually coming in, they signed their contracts, and then what happens From a content perspective, I think it's.
Kind of like hurry up and wait a little bit.
Because the guys that come to the facility, they have an itinerary and they have to whether it speak to coaches, Joe Douglas, personnel staff, take medicals, sign contracts like there's so much that goes on that we don't see, and then we just we wait and then those guys come to the studio that we're recording in right now, we interview them, whether it's podcast, whether it's one on one, whatever it is, get a little FaceTime, then get up on out of here.
Joe Douglas has been active at all fronts since last Sunday. He resigned two potential UFAs off the bat and Chuck Clark and Greg Zerline agreed to terms of a couple of his ourfas and Kenny Oboa and Jay Canson. He went the UFA route for Tarrod Tayler, John Simpson and Javon Kinlaw. He even to trade for Morgan Moses. Then there was a reported restructuring today of linebackers CJ. Moseley.
There are also two additions to that list including Thomas Morstead uh that happened throughout the week, and then the big defensive tackle from Arizona as well, who you go ahead of? Lucky FO two actually has a Jets connection because he played collegiately at Utah and his defensive line coach was so we're gonna have to talk to him
about uh lucky. But with all that being said, what do you think about what's been done here from Joe attacking every possible possible avenue and also with this restructuring reporter restructuring CJ. Moseley and also DJ Reid's been quite active on social media as well, so maybe there's something there. I don't know if he's been telling us something, but I don't think the Jets are done.
I don't think they're done either.
I think a lot of like cap analysts, like we've talked to Brad Spielberger from PFF in the past, and guys like him and who really take a look at the numbers when you look at restructuring. A couple guys had mentioned, you know, do you extend someone like DJ Reed now to try to free up more cap space this year? And I think that we kind of saw
that with CJ. Moseley, who this was I believe the last year of his contract and he gets a two year deal reportedly in terms of the restructure, which frees up some more money for the Jets this year to probably make more moves. Whether that's free agency, the draft, whatever the case may be. But I think that Joe Douglas has I think Jets fans were a little antsy early in the negotiating window, which happened two days before
free agency began. But I think when you look at the whole picture of what he's done, I think you have to be happy. You bring back to your point Zerline and Moristead, who were both essentially weapons for the Jets. Both of those players won the Jets games in twenty twenty three. Chuck Clark is interesting because I think that he was such a versatile piece in Baltimore. We just never really got to see it last year because he
tore his ACL. Then you add some big boys up front in terms of Morgan Moses and John Simpson and Javon Kin Long Lucky Fotso like the Jets right now going into the offseason, I think a lot of people would say, you're looking at the positions in which he filled.
So let's go right there, perfect transition segue, as we'd like to call into business. Jets enter the offseason with needs it offensive line, backup, quarterback, wide receiver. Then defensively, you'd start at defensive tackle and safety. Let's go to offensive line first. What do you make of the moves is Simpson and then Morgan Moses returning for his second stint with the je Well.
I think Simpson's really interesting because just speaking to him and doing some research, he was the first one to say like he didn't quite have the confidence he has now when he got cut by Las Vegas and then he kind of refound himself in Baltimore and he was in a left guard competition. He wins the job, then he gets a little pay day comes here, and I think that you can see it when you if you like.
I keep saying this, if you have highlights as an offensive lineman, like if you're laying people out, you're.
Probably doing something pretty good.
And he's a tone setter, so I think from that perspective, I think you have to like it, especially like.
It's a free agency.
It's hard to get I would say team friendly deals with good players, but based on the reported numbers out there compared to what some of his offensive line counterparts, that guard received seems to be like a Jets friendly deal. And then with Morgan Moses, but he was a Jet and he was great, and he seems to be great
for Baltimore. Frankly, I'm not quite sure why Baltimore was so okay with letting him go, And some people have said that on Twitter, and I think if you're a Jets fan right now, you think about where this offensive line could hypothetically be, Like left tackles I would imagine as a question mark guard. You would imagine Simpson Titman right guard. Let's say Avt for all intention purposes, and
then Morgan Mojes. I mean, you're shaping up to have a pretty nice starting five who get after it or agile and our tone setters.
Well, Avt's the chess piece. He could play left tackle. You can play all four of those spots on the line. The only spot that you're probably not going to put him at would be center. You're trying to find permanent home. I'm just wondering if the permanent home is right card and if there is a move on the horizon again Thursday afternoon, I guess it's a little bit after noon right now. It's the in the twelve o'clock range, either
in free agency or the draft. Also, you got some depth pieces there, Carter Warren, Max Mitchell, Wes Schweizer, of course Schweitzer.
Yeah, it's a tough twist.
Yeah.
Also, just I can't imagine what it's like for some of the like the Adam Schefters of the World, Ian Rapaport, Mike Carfulo, Tom pelisera like the Insider guys. Like every time my phone buzzes because I have their tweet notifications on, like, I get like a little jittery and I feel like I need to check it in case something happens. I can't even imagine what those guys are like right now.
I think there's a mindset change going on here for the Jets as far as what they want to do up front along the offensive line you talk to Simpson, I just feel like they want to get a little bit grimier, nasty, ear set the edge. And there's the guys in the past who've done some good things for the Jets, no doubt about it. But I mean, when you're talking about Simpson and Morgan Moses, thocial guys are
gonna get after you. And also, I think that what we've seen in the past from Aaron Rodgers is that yes, he can do anything, but he's especially effective with the play action game and the Jets have one of the best running backs in the National Football League in Brisall.
Yeah, they do.
And I think that if you're Brice Hall, you got to be really happy about this. Obviously, fans are going to say, oh, this is great for Aaron, also great for Breze Hall. I mean, you take a look at Pro Football Focus, John Simpson had nine big time blocks. I'm not quite sure what that means, but big time blocks. You'd imagine that that's a good thing. And you have he has highlights of laying dudes out and that ranked second among guards.
And then Morgan.
Moses, I believe, had like the third best run block raide on Pro Football Focus this past year among tackles. So I think, basically to your point that Jets are getting a little grime heer if they really start to attack the running game with Priese Hall. I mean, he gives Breesze Hall a sliver of daylight and he's getting a decent chunk of change. You give him a hole, we see what happens there. Like to me, I'm thinking
about that Denver run from this past season. He had a gaping hole to run through and now ended up in a touchdown. And we've talked about it so much, like he is so strong that if he really gets a full head of steam or a couple of yards of steam, it's going to be really difficult for defenses to bring him down.
Jets aren't done along that offensive line. Let's skill to backup quarterback. We knew that was on their radar starting in the off season as far as veteran quarterback was concerned. They gave Zach Wilson and his team permission to seek a trade to Rod Taylor, most recently with the New York Giants last couple seasons. The Jets make a move there to get a very capable backup quarterback.
Yeah, I think that if you're a Jets fan, you're obviously very familiar with Taylor, because the Jets played in this past year a little bit with the Giants. They played him in against the Browns the Texans. Like, I think that if you're a Jets fan, what you want, Well, first of all, you don't really want to see your backup quarterback on the field because you want Aaron Rodgers
to be healthy. But if for whatever reason Taylor needed to come in, I think you'd feel confident that he could not only play well, but win the football game the way that this team is structured, where the defense is so good, you add some pieces up front, like we're talking about.
I don't think the Jets are done either, whether that's.
The I was like the ticketing team is not on either, because there's a lot of noise here and a bell just wrung.
So I will say, like, let's take him behind the scenes, like there's a probably less than five feet outside of the studio to both of our rights, there's just bell, and if you make a deal, you ring the bell, and the bell's ringing right now.
Maybe they're excited about tyright.
About.
Yes, the New York Jets in twenty twenty four so very capable backup quarterback. I can't believe he's entering year fourteen already. With that being said, he's a guy who's still t mobile and one of the most accurate long ball throwers that I've seen in the league for a long time. So listen, you're in capable hands. If Rogers can't play. Now, if Rogers can't play, you're hoping for
is it just a couple of games? I don't even want to think beyond of course, all right, so you have a really seasoned quarterback room and maybe you add a young guy to the mix. And Day three of the draft, the Jets have three compensitory selections. We'll get to that later. So let's flip into the defensive side of the ball. A lot of movement defensive tackle, starting
with Kim Law. The connection there with Robert sala former first round pick of the San Francisco forty nine ers back in twenty twenty, so Salon knows exactly what he's getting his hands on. And then you don't just stop there. Fotwo comes in, big body, it's like six four, six five, three thirty five, So you're thinking about that guy can come in and be a run plugger and occupy space and a younger version.
So I think with kin Lawn FO two, these are like these are athletes. I mean you talk about Photo specifically, he grew up playing rugby and the Athletic put out this article on him that sheds a little bit of light about to his upbringing and.
The hardship that he had to deal with.
I would suggest that if you wanted like a glimpse or peak behind the curtain in terms of who Fotwo is, but on the field, like this is an athletic defensive tackle like al Woods. I think this is essentially the al Woods type replacement, like the run stuffer FO two is more athletic than al Woods is, especially at this point in both of their respective careers. Woods coming off a big injury and achilles injury at the twilight of his career, where Folks who's coming off his rookie contract
with the Cardinals. So I think the upside is there, And I think if you're a Jets fan, you have to kind of believe in Jeff Ulbrick and this defensive coaching staff that they're going to get the best out of these guys. Solomon Thomas to your point, or someone you mentioned, he had a career year in sacks in this defense last year. Same thing with Quinton Jefferson, who
reportedly agreed to terms with the Browns. So I think if you're a fan like Javon Kinlaw number fourteen overall pick, he might be thinking, well, you know, he didn't maybe play out the way that a lot of forty nine
ers fans were hoping this guy. I mean, I don't know if you saw him today, he was in the cafeteria downstairs, He is so long and so broad, and you would imagine that Aaron whitecomm the defensive line coach, it's gonna have a field day with this guy because he's he has the measurables that the Jets want in their defensive lineman. Now it's just about teaching them how the Jets want to do it and unleash these guys.
Any defensive tackle was gonna be happy playing next to a superstar in Quinn Williams, and the Jets have that luxury here. Let's go back to the safety position. Chuck Clark unfortunately wasn't able to play last year. We know he's been here rehabbing consistently. People have talked about what a good duty is, what kind of presence he brings to the locker room. So Tony Adams returns that free safety. He was under contract a lot of uncertainty elsewhere as
he started the offseason. But you don't even let Clark get the free agency. You re sign him and you're set up there.
I think with Clark, like how many guys I'm serious, like this is I'm curious in your wealth of knowledge in terms of being in the league for a long time, Like how many guys are as versatile as Chuck Clark because for those who.
Don't know Ravens flying here to the Jets, by the way.
Yeah there are, Yeah, there are a lot of former Ravens flying up by ninety five here. But with Clark, like, he's taking snaps at every single defensive position throughout his career, including like interior defensive line. So I'm not asking you, like, who are players that have done that in the past, but players who are talented and so versatile, Like I'm trying to think of guys over the last couple of years, and it's hard for me to name.
No.
They asked him to do pretty much everything, and he was central command for the Ravens and he's a guy who kept Kyle Hamilton off the field, which is crazy. If you really think about it. That speaks to the transition to the National Football League, and that's why you should be excited about it. A guy like kN Law not comparing these guys as far as positions are concerned, but sometimes it takes players longer to transition to the NFL.
There's familiarity here and Kim Law's coming off a career here with the forty nine years Hever Knights with the reunites with a guy like Sala, who Sala has said in the past, a lot of guys come here and they end up having career years. Quinton Jefferson a great example, six and a half sacks last year he signs with Cleveland Browns. Jets get younger, much younger at the defensive tackle position. Is this defense will continue to be nasty and salty in twenty twenty four?
Oh?
Say so, I will say this before we get to to Rod. Can you speak to what's out there? What's got your what's got your eye? What should we pay attention to? Because one of the needs that I talked about to start the offseason, the one position that Jets haven't addressed just yet has been receiver. We know they could have had another running back down the line. You got Breist, of of course you're Bob Kyle, but Israel Obana Kana very promising, a guy entering his second season.
But what else do you think potentially could be out there here and free agency that we should continue to monitor.
Well, So, just going on receiver alone, I think it was pretty quiet from the beginning, Like in the very early stages of the negotiating window, guys like Gabe Davis went and the most recent one was Calvin Ridley, who got a lot of money from the Tennessee Titans. Yes, Now, in terms of wide receiver, I mean we've talked about this. Maybe maybe this year's class isn't in terms of free agent class isn't as active as a lot of people thought because of the depth in the draft class, No doubt.
So if the Jets were to add people in free agency at wide receiver, the guys who still remain as of now twelve oh six, just making sure that who's available, Guys like Marquise Hollywood Brown, Tyler boyd Odell Beckham Junior, who it seemed like was definitely in the mix to becoming a Jet last season. And then there's other guys like if you go, I mean there's Michael Thomas, who's obviously dealing with injuries as of late. I just think that if the Jets want to add a receiver, they can.
I just keep coming back to that this receiving room is going to be in a better spot with Aaron Rodgers under center, regardless.
And I do think that.
We've spoke about this too, like Alan Lazard I think will be a much better player in twenty twenty four than he was last season for the Jets.
And Gibson and brownly give you a depth as well. So okay, let's go to tackle. Tyrone Smith's out there, Trent Brown is out there, David Bactieri's out there. What do you think. Are you surprised it's Smith being out there? And again he again he would fill the void and
left tackle. And obviously those three UFA's that the Jets had in the house, they're also out there, in fact in Brown, Billy Turner, and then a couple we haven't talked about a number of UFAs, including Jordan Whitehead the safety position going back to Tampa, but Ashton Davis remains out there as well, justin Hardy another guy. But let's focus on tackle.
Yeah, I think I don't know what the hold up is with Tyron Smith. I think it's kind of interesting. Obviously I'm not privy to those conversations, but you would imagine a guy who's still playing at an elite level, even though there are durability questions, would sign rather quickly.
And we're standing here, you know, this is now almost twenty four hours after officially, the new league year begins, which means that teams have had at least won three days to talk to Tyron Smith's representatives and try to work something out. Am I surprised that there's been a little no, little to no movement there a little bit.
I'm wonder what that means.
However, I will say I think Joe Douglas will end up signing a tackle period, because I think when you go into the draft.
You know, we know that we're going to try offensive line. But they got a starting guard and you got a starting right tackle.
Yeah, but like you don't want to be pigeonholed no draft.
So if the Jets do sign someone one of the guys that you just mentioned, Tyron Smith, Bactiari, Trent Brown, even a guy like Donovan Smith Okay, who I'm pretty sure is on record said something like it'd be cool to block for Aaron Rodgers. This is when he was with the Chiefs, like knowing that he was going to
become a free agent. I think that that there are just a lot of options there, and so if the Jets do sign one of those guys, then you go in the draft and you can be in a spot at ten overall, where you don't know how one through nine is going to play out.
So if you want to add a receiver, you go for it. If they're available. You want to add a tackle, go for it.
Well, if you sign a tackle, starting caliber caliber tackle over the next couple of days, maybe over the next few hours. I wonder if the play is to get another playmaker at the top of his draft, you can't go wrong in another offensive linement. Moses is interesting, Like people are wondering why did Baltimore part ways? I look at that is probably more of a cost cutting future move because he signed through twenty twenty four. They knew maybe at the end of the day, is he gonna
be on this roster in twenty twenty five. So Joe Douglas makes a move that's very smart, you know, and you get a guy who's gonna be starting at the right tackle spot. But as far as what he's done here early on in free agency, every possible avenue RFAs UFA's street. We didn't mention Isaiah Oliver. Guy's gonna come in and provide some depth in the secondary and can play multiple positions as well. The Jets have the best cornerback group in football who add to the mix, and
it's just as a depth piece trade, you know. So he's done everything the UFAs, but they're not done it, and they also have flexibility and whatever move that they make moving forward, you know, it sets it up for an interesting spot. Remember he told us in Indianapolis not too long ago that bottom line is, I like where we're at now, we're kind of seeing the picture unfold before us.
Yeah.
I think that obviously free agency crystallizes the draft. The one team that's actually on the Jets schedule for twenty twenty four that I think based on their free agent moves kind of paints their picture a little clear in the draft is Tennessee. You think about they have DeAndre Hopkins, they just added Calvin Ridley, they already have trailing I don't know what, so I don't know what their defense
is looking like. But to me, my uneducated opinion is that they would likely go tackle or defense and they're sitting there at seven. Last year under the same regime, they drafted Peter Skoronski in the first round and he's playing guard for them. Could they want to add someone to protect Will Levis or you know, depending on like, if there's a quarterback available, would they be open to
trading back if someone wants to trade up. That's the team that I kind of have circled right here based on their free agency moves at impact the Jets come draft time.
But even if they did, fashion new might be on the table, and one of those top three receivers might be on the table.
Exactly, which is why it all comes full circle to me, because if the Jets do sign one of these tackles we've talked about, you're in a good spot where you where. Let's say, for the sake of this conversation, if the Jets didn't sign one of those tackles, then all of a sudden, you're worried Tennessee's drafting a guy, and then maybe you have to figure it out what your solution is at tackle.
Afterwards, I thought, on and you're going to get a starting tackle and you're gonna starting guard, and free agency you've already done that, so maybe one more is in play and this line looks completely different again. But one guy is gonna be lining up behind the offensive line in the spring and throughout the preseason. Tara Taller hopefully he's not taking too many regular season snaps, but we had an opportunity to talk to him. For myself and Ethan,
We're going to keep you updated. Remember our apologies in advance because this was TAP twelve thirty Thursday, our free agency reset. At this point, Joe Douglas has been a busy man, and I can tell you right now the hall's buzzing down there right now. Hey, So how does it feel to Rod to embark on a journey with your seventh NFL team? Now?
It's a blessing. Each team or each city has been unique in his own I've learned a lot and I've grown as a person as a player, and thankful for this opportunity I have here.
What did you think when the season ended with the Giants? What was ahead for you?
Truly, I honestly didn't know. Finished off on a good foot, but yeah, you never know. The league changes day to day, week to week, so you really have to be at peace about what you put on the field. And for me, I'm a believer, uh so I think that God, God's timing is everything, so he'll find the right the right steps in the right uh direction for you, and I just trust trust them.
You've been through this before, no stranger of the process. What was it like this time around?
Wasn't that bad? Actually?
Obviously, listening to your agent, you're weighing out different different options. You're trying to see what makes the best, what's what makes the most sense, and ultimately thought that this was a great fit. Fortunately I don't have to move places, but excited about this, this journey here with the Jets. Have a talented roster, a lot of players that I respect from playing or just knowing alone in the years, and uh excited to get to work with these this group of guys.
You just touched upon it a little bit, but money talks. We know that you got to make a living. But what made the Jets attractive to you?
You look at the roster, very talented roster. I mean, obviously some injuries last year that you can't control. But I believe everything is in the house to be able to achieve what every NFL team is trying to achieve, which is a Super Bowl early right now. Obviously you never want to get into that. There's a lot of steps they got to get to that, but I believe that this team is capable of achieving that goal with with the with the right work to just.
Put in.
What do you see from them? Offensively explosive, group wide receivers. They compete their butts off, makes contestant catches. It knows how to stretch the field and just explosive playst's.
Specifically, I wanted to ask you about guys like Garrett Wilson Brew.
Yeah, I'm very I'm a big fan of Garrett as well as Breece. Too fast guys to electric, guys get the balls in their hand and it could be a big play.
Wait to heaven.
What's the mindset for you now at this point in your career, entering year fourteen, joining a team with the future Hall of Famer here and Aaron Rodgers coming back from the Achilles. You guys have a lot of combined experience when you're talking about being in that room together.
Yeah, obviously being able to assist Aaron at any capacity, but also staying ready for the opportunity if it presents itself well at the same time, being able to offer my leadership and my knowledge that I've accumulated over the years to the younger guys within the locker room. My goal is to just help any capacity that I can.
Over the years. What kind of interactions maybe have your head with Aaron and how much do you appreciate his game?
I appreciate his game. I've said this before.
He ranks very high on my list of quarterbacks, one of my faves. I haven't had a lot of interaction other than pregame conversations postgame conversation, but I have a ton of respect for Aaron. A big fan of his games and looking forward to being able to learn from him and and working alongside him.
Why A big fan of his game Just the way he.
Carries himself on the field obviously one of the in my opinion, one of the best passes of the football that the NFL has seen. And not necessarily the prototype that you see a lot of these guys that I was kind of conditioned to growing up, that you had to be a certain high, you have to fit a certain build.
He's kind of broke that mode and he plays the game the right way.
How do you break that mold when when you talk about.
A well, when I say that, I mean not from when I first came into the league, I was told that I was too short.
I'm six to one.
I don't know there's plenty of guys that have came after me, but I think it also starts with Aaron Rodgers Drew Brees not being the six four the six ' five stationary guy like can be as mobile as you need to, but also throw from the pocket, make plays, extend, extend plays as well too.
Just a big fan of his.
How have you been able to do it? Because you were a six round draft pick out of attack who had to wait his turn to actually get that first start in the National Football League where when you look at your resume now, most of your starts, of course came with the Jets division rival to Buffalo Bills.
Yeah, just staying committed to the process. My time in Baltimore, obviously I didn't get a chance to play as much as I want, but I had a chance to learn from a veteran group of guys. I walked into a locker room with ray Lewis ed Reed. Flacco wasn't necessarily a veteran at the time, but I learned a lot from Flacco and Kwam Bolden, a lot of a lot
of friends that I still have to this day. But I look back on that time and it was those four years prepared me for the opportunity that I had in Buffalo, and from there, I just, like I said, staying committed, not necessarily getting discouraged about the downs of the NFL season or of a career, but just going out and playing at a high level whenever you whenever the opportunity presented itself.
Man, you're so level hated. But when you finally had the opportunity to get a start, when you're out there with the Bills, and we were just talking about it before we started recording, what do you think about the play call? Because here you are, you're getting your first start in the NFL and just saying, well, actually we're going to line you up as a decoy. And I first played at receiver.
Yeah, I wasn't a big fan of that. I never spoke on that, but also it's part of the game. We try to throw a wildcat formation out there to confuse the defense. Ultimately won the game, and that's really what matters is winning, and that's that's really what my mindset is. I mean, stats, yeah, they mattered to the outside, but for me, it's about wins. And ultimately we won
that game against the Coats. It was a great feeling and it, like you said it, it sparked my career as a starter and very thankful for that time.
What makes for a successful quarterback in the National Football League Because you said, you're not a big numbers guy, because you're interested in winning and losing. But with that being said, I think one of the most impressive ratios that you've had throughout your career is touchdown to interceptions. And now you're joining forces with a guy like Rogers number one in NFL history touchdown interception ratio.
Yes, obviously, protecting the ball gives your your team the best chance to go out there and win. From a quarterback, you have to be a leader. You have to be able to perform on the pressure, and you have to be a guy that the team coaches, everyone organization depends on and can count on, and and crunch time on the field. As a person, you have to be truly the dependable person. And there's other factors that play into quarterback play, but I think those those three speak out to me.
How is your game changed over time from the guy who came out as a hockey and starting with the Ravens and now.
I think, if anything, I've just got better at the things that I do. Obviously being able, I've always been mobile. I've always been able to extend plays, never been afraid to push the ball down the field. Uh, the game has changed from when I first came into the league. Not to get too deep into it, but I like this. You see more of a spread offense. Now, you see more obviously air attacks. It was pretty balanced early on
in my career as far as just offensive approaches. But yeah, I think I've just had a chance to grow and get more comfortable with the things that I do and the things that I've done, and I'm looking forward to still building and shoppening those twos and just continue to keep growing as a player. I think each year, obviously you look back at the things that you've done good and you want to build on those, but you also want to attack the weaknesses of what you could have done better and.
Quarterbacks.
Each year you have to find ways to get better, and it starts with self reflection and looking yourself in the mirror.
How hard is that to start a new because I don't know if a lot of people could do what you've done throughout your career in terms of going to a new team and a new organization and picking up and then going to another team and another organization.
Yeah.
I want to say this too, but I think it really goes back to what I said about staying committed as a young kid Hampton, Virginia, having goals of get into this this level. You don't take anything for granted. You challenge yourself to be better, and ultimately you have to say so in that. I mean, you can you can go about the day. You can look at just being in the NFL and you could just be happy with that. But I'm always challenging myself to be better as a person and as a player, and that's just
who I am. And I take those those challenges personally and I attack them daily and put the work behind it.
What do you attribute to your upbringing you just talked about Hampton. Yeah, as far as what you learn there and what you carry with you.
Yeah, I'm the only child, so I spent a lot of time my parents, but also spent a lot of time playing sports. Hey you basketball, football, baseball, ran track. There's just a little bit of everything. But I also was fortunate to grow up watching Alan Iverson, Michael Vick, Ronald Cerry, Aaron Brooks, a lot of names from just guys from my hometown or the city over for the next city over, and trying to write my own story, trying to give something to a young kid back in
Hampton Hampton Roads, something to look up to. So, yeah, I had role models, but I'm also trying to create that opportunity for the next generation as well too.
How influential was Mike Vick with you in terms of maybe his guidance along the way, and he's a guy who had to stop here later out in his career.
Yeah, I learned a lot from Mike. We didn't meet until I got to college.
I grew up.
Knowing Ronald Cerry very closely, Alan Irverson very closely, and I watched Mike, but I didn't meet him until I got to school. But he's he's helped me along the way as long as as well as those other guys as well, Aaron Brooks, Irvers and Ronald carry Out. I thank them for my success, but I also just thank them for being who they are and and uh and
helping me throughout this journey. Someone that I could lean on and someone those people I could call any day and they pick up the phone and offer anything, whether it's just about life or about sports, to offer any of us anything they have to give to me.
The longer you're in the league, how small this will become. Because you've mentioned Ronald Curry a couple of times now he's Buffalo.
Even last year, UH our officeer coordinator Mike Kafka, we joked about it all the time. He was drafted the year before me, so he had. The longer that you stay in it, it definitely gets smaller. You see a lot of familiar faces, a lot of people that you've crossed paths with somewhere. But that's the that's the beauty of this business. That's a relationship business. Definitely at the you don't have to, but I think when you treat people the right.
Way that that.
That lasts and that memory goes a long way for a lot of people.
Give us scatter report what you're at at this point your career. Throughout the years, You've always been accurate that long ball. When you've talked about the ability to extend as.
Well, Yeah, I think I spoke to it.
Like you said, obviously an accurate deep ball passer still mobile and can extend plays. I think the true definition of a do a thread quarterback.
Defensively, you've gone against these guys. Very tough, okay, So so what's it like behind center liner up against this defense.
It's tough.
They create challenges, especially up front, but on the back end as well too. They have a we have a fast defense on the back end, and in a group of guys up front that can get after it. Linebacker position probably one of the best duos in the league.
And just have a lot of respect for for the guys on this defense.
So you're part of this free agency class and I'm gonna let you get going here in a second. What do you think about some of these big guys coming up in front of you and John Simpson walking in. You got Morgan Moses coming on board. Quarterback's best friend, right.
Yeah, I'm excited. I was spending time this morning, but I'm excited to get a play with these guys.
And lastly, staying in New York, you don't have to you don't have to pack the bags or anything at all.
It's the best city.
I appreciate your time.
Thanks,