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Speaker 1: I get everybody. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading

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Speaker 1: the Bengals Booth Podcast, the Leader of the Pack edition

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Speaker 1: as I sit down for an in depth conversation with

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Speaker 1: Bengals head coach Zach Taylor. Plus we'll hear from the

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Speaker 1: latest free agents to sign on the dotted line in Cincinnati,

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Speaker 1: defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins and offensive lineman Trent Brown. The

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Speaker 1: Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Core,

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Speaker 1: proud to be the Bengals official hr software provider, by

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Speaker 1: Alta Fiber, future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business,

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Speaker 1: and community to a new level, and by Kettering Health

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Speaker 1: the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is

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Speaker 1: the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now here's a

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Speaker 1: quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of

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Speaker 1: this podcast delivered write to your phone, tablet, or computer

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Speaker 1: by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest

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Speaker 1: thing since the first Thursday of the NCAA Tournament. When

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Speaker 1: I worked at Fox nineteen many years ago, I had

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Speaker 1: a buddy in the newsroom who pulled off the same

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Speaker 1: scam every March on the Monday before the start of

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Speaker 1: the NCAA tournament, he would start to occasionally cough. On Tuesday,

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Speaker 1: he hacked a little more frequently, and by Wednesday, you

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Speaker 1: would have thought he was on the verge of death.

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Speaker 1: As a result, our boss never questioned it when he

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Speaker 1: called in sick on Thursday, Yes, the first Thursday of

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Speaker 1: the NCAA tournament. Every year, it's one of the great

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Speaker 1: days on the sports calendar. Beginning at noon Eastern, there

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Speaker 1: are sixteen games spread out over twelve hours, and there

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Speaker 1: will be upsets, buzzer beaters, Cinderella stories, busted brackets, and

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Speaker 1: so much more. I can't wait. I just hope my

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Speaker 1: friend makes a quick recovery on Friday for roughly the

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Speaker 1: twenty fifth consecutive year. Now, let's get to football. I'm

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Speaker 1: going to read off a list of a few NFL coaches.

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Speaker 1: Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, Andy Reid, Sean McDermott, Sean McVay,

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Speaker 1: and Kyle Shanahan. Those six guys are the only NFL

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Speaker 1: head coaches who have been with their current team longer

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Speaker 1: than Zach Taylor has been with the Bengals. This will

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Speaker 1: be year six, and I spend time in Zach's office

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Speaker 1: this week discussing his staff, his players, and his performance, Zach.

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Speaker 1: The Players Association report card came out recently and your

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Speaker 1: players gave you an a. The report noted that ninety

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Speaker 1: eight percent said that you are efficient with their time.

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Speaker 1: What was your reaction and do you think it matters?

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Speaker 2: Well, we just try to be communicative here with the

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Speaker 2: players and make sure they understand why we're doing everything,

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Speaker 2: and if they have feedback, I'm always open to it.

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Speaker 2: Of course, you earn that feedback, you know, by doing

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Speaker 2: things the right way, and the guys I respect that way.

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Speaker 2: I'm always asking their opinion. So we feel like we've

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Speaker 2: got a good process that we've ironed out over the

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Speaker 2: last five and a half years, and we'll continue to

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Speaker 2: stick with that while also allowing it to evolve. You know,

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Speaker 2: you get to a point where you've got to keep

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Speaker 2: things fresh for the players. We tried to do that,

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Speaker 2: but we do try to manage their time as best

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Speaker 2: we can so that they can appropriately spend time with

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Speaker 2: their families but also be ready for the games.

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Speaker 1: On Sunday, following up on that, they ranked you very

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Speaker 1: high in willingness to listen. How difficult is the balance

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Speaker 1: between listening and trying to do what they would like

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Speaker 1: you to do, but also realizing sometimes you have to

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Speaker 1: say no.

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Speaker 2: Well you can always listen, number one, and you may

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Speaker 2: ultimately say no. But I do want to make a

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Speaker 2: point of not just the first words out of my

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Speaker 2: mouth saying no, kick around what the suggestion is. But

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Speaker 2: also oftentimes I can give them the reason why we're

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Speaker 2: not doing it that way, and maybe they didn't know it,

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Speaker 2: maybe they didn't understand it. Now they do, then they're

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Speaker 2: on board with it. So again it's just always listen,

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Speaker 2: take in what they're saying, and then make the decision

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Speaker 2: that's best for the team.

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Speaker 1: I went back and looked at the transcript of your

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Speaker 1: introductory news conference when you got the job here. One

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Speaker 1: of the things you said is we are going to

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Speaker 1: have a positive outlook every day. I feel from being

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Speaker 1: around here that that's one area where you've definitely succeeded.

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Speaker 2: Every team has their challenges, and I think it's just

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Speaker 2: about how you handle those challenges, whether you look at

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Speaker 2: them as problems or you look at them as opportunities

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Speaker 2: to work through something that maybe is difficult, but there's

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Speaker 2: always going to be a good outcome if you can

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Speaker 2: work through it and learn from it. And man, I've

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Speaker 2: learned from a lot over my time here, and there's

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Speaker 2: been some times where I maybe saw the negative in

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Speaker 2: a situation and I found a way out of it.

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Speaker 2: Mark Duffner early in my time here, when I was

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Speaker 2: really frustrated with the situation I was ongoing, said hey,

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Speaker 2: don't make a mountain out of a molehill. And because

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Speaker 2: you can. You can build a lot of mountains if

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Speaker 2: you really try to. And so that's something I've really

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Speaker 2: spent a lot of time assessing is this a real

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Speaker 2: problem or is this just a today problem that's going

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Speaker 2: to go way tomorrow. And so again, I think we've

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Speaker 2: found ways to navigate that kind of stuff.

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Speaker 1: How valuable is duff as a guy who's seen it all.

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Speaker 2: He's outstanding, you know, Duff. He's got so much experience

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Speaker 2: as a as a head coach, as a longtime NFL

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Speaker 2: assistant coach. He's seen a lot of different great teams.

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Speaker 2: He've been on difficult teams. He's been on a lot

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Speaker 2: of different people, He's managed a lot of different personalities.

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Speaker 2: So that experience is invaluable. It's oftentimes as a thirty

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Speaker 2: year old coach thirty five year old coach. I thought

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Speaker 2: I had all the answers. I thought I'd seen it all.

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Speaker 2: I had all the answers. And how wrong I was,

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Speaker 2: you know. And so you get a chance to be

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Speaker 2: around guys like Duff that are I'm not gonna say old,

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Speaker 2: they're experienced, and you want to draw from that experience

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Speaker 2: because he's seen some things that I've never encountered and

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Speaker 2: it can help me navigate through all that.

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Speaker 1: Now, you're a forty year old head coach entering your

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Speaker 1: sixth season here in Cincinnati. There are only six head

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Speaker 1: coaches that have been with their current teams longer. Do

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Speaker 1: you feel like one of the experiences of that's in

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Speaker 1: the league now?

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Speaker 2: It's it's a wild stat to think about. I do

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Speaker 2: feel like we've we've been through a lot of games here,

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Speaker 2: you know, if you just put the total number of games,

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Speaker 2: you know, whatever, it is probably somewhere in the hundreds.

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Speaker 2: But that's a lot of football games to be together

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Speaker 2: with his staff and a lot of these players. And

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Speaker 2: does it feel like I'm the sixth longest coach at

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Speaker 2: to play it?

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Speaker 1: Not?

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Speaker 2: Really, it doesn't feel that way because I'm still feel

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Speaker 2: like I'm young. So that's hard to believe, but that's

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Speaker 2: just that's just the way it works here in this league.

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Speaker 2: You know, when a quarter of the coaches are turning

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Speaker 2: it over about every single year, you know, that's that

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Speaker 2: puts you in the situation we're in today.

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Speaker 1: Why do you feel like you've been such a good

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Speaker 1: fit here?

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Speaker 2: I love it here. I love the way the organization

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Speaker 2: is set up where you get to speak with ownership

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Speaker 2: on a daily basis, you get to speak with personnel

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Speaker 2: on a daily basis. I think that's the communication that's

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Speaker 2: that's critical. I don't know how you operate without it.

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Speaker 2: And so we're always on the same page. We always

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Speaker 2: get to talk through every situation. We get to hear

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Speaker 2: everyone's opinion and find the best resolution for the club.

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Speaker 2: That's the ideal way to handle it for me. At

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Speaker 2: the same time, I love living in Cincinnati. I'm from Norman, Oklahoma.

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Speaker 2: My wife has lived in a lot of Midwestern Ish

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Speaker 2: type of areas, and so the community here is different

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Speaker 2: than a lot of places we live. There's a true

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Speaker 2: sense of community here. Whether you live in the West Side,

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Speaker 2: the East Side, Mason, Kentucky, whatever it is, it feels

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Speaker 2: like everybody's a Cincinnati and everyone's pulling for the Bengals.

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Speaker 2: Life is good when the Bengals are doing well and

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Speaker 2: the Reds are doing well, and it's our job to

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Speaker 2: make sure that people feel good. And so I really

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Speaker 2: love being a part of this community and it's what

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Speaker 2: I grew up with, and so I think there's just

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Speaker 2: feels like home to me, and we made.

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Speaker 1: A home here. What if anything has gotten easier over

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Speaker 1: the course of six years.

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Speaker 2: Doesn't feel like anything is necessarily easy. Everything is always

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Speaker 2: evolving and you're always trying to stay one step ahead.

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Speaker 2: But now that again I've got the experience of dealing

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Speaker 2: with a calendar or free agency or communicating with players

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Speaker 2: before training camp, you know, now I've accumulated enough notes

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Speaker 2: and made enough errors or done some positive things where

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Speaker 2: now I've got a chance to do a better job

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Speaker 2: staying a step ahead of maybe some issues that can

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Speaker 2: arise that have arised over the time of and they're

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Speaker 2: just one off issues obviously with with with a player

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Speaker 2: or communication or things like that. And so I take

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Speaker 2: a lot of pride in learning from my experiences there.

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Speaker 2: You can say maybe it's easier that way because because

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Speaker 2: you've accumulated the experiences.

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Speaker 1: For the first time in your tenure, you won't have

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Speaker 1: Brian Callahan by your side. You guys are your partner age,

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Speaker 1: You got a lot in common. What are you going

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Speaker 1: to miss about having him in the building.

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Speaker 2: Well, just so reliable, consist I think you know the

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Speaker 2: number one word to describe Brian as consistent. You know,

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Speaker 2: he was just a machine every day turning through the

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Speaker 2: tape and being prepared for me. He never knew when

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Speaker 2: I was going to pop in having to deal with

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Speaker 2: head coach stuff and he's gonna have to give me

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Speaker 2: up to speed and he'd always keep it right and

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Speaker 2: stride and so you know when he was also a

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Speaker 2: great friend of mine. He's been a great for twenty

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Speaker 2: years for me and so to lose that is tough.

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Speaker 2: But I think as an example of finding the positive

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Speaker 2: in the situation, it's it's time for him to move

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Speaker 2: on and go get a new opportunity. He'd done everything

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Speaker 2: he could do here, so it's time to go be

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Speaker 2: a head coach. And I'm very happy for him and Allison.

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Speaker 2: But now you look at the bright side, Okay, Pitch

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Speaker 2: gets a new opportunity and other guys get a chance

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Speaker 2: to step up. And step into roles that they haven't

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Speaker 2: been able to do, but they've been ready for. And

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Speaker 2: it'll be you know, a different way of looking at things,

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Speaker 2: a different way of operating. Change can be good if

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Speaker 2: you allow it to be good. And so I'm excited

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Speaker 2: to see new guys step into new roles and I

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Speaker 2: know that they'll do very well there.

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Speaker 1: What'd you think of Brian's emotional reaction when he spoke

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Speaker 1: of you and Mike Brown in the organization at his

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Speaker 1: introductory news conference.

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Speaker 2: Well, I mean, this place makes a really strong impression

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Speaker 2: on you, and I think you're not going to find

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Speaker 2: a coach that has left this building who wasn't affected

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Speaker 2: by Mike Brown and the rest of ownership and the

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Speaker 2: way that the Bengals do things here and how they

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Speaker 2: take care of their own and you know, their place

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Speaker 2: in the community. So you feel that, and you especially

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Speaker 2: feel that when you've been here five years, like Brian was,

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Speaker 2: and he felt like he belonged, he felt like he

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Speaker 2: was valued. You know, he and I had a very

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Speaker 2: close relationship. So you get in those moments where people

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Speaker 2: start asking you about it and it can get emotional,

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Speaker 2: you know, and I understand I've been through that myself,

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Speaker 2: and but again it's I know this placement a lot

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Speaker 2: to him.

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Speaker 1: You mentioned Dan Pitcher, who's promoted from quarterbacks coach defensive coordinator.

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Speaker 1: You also promoted from within with Brad Craig Thorpe moving

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Speaker 1: up to Dan's spot, but you created a new job

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Speaker 1: the past game coordinator, Justin Riscotti comes in. Was that

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Speaker 1: a matter of wanting to bring new ideas into the organization.

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Speaker 2: I think, you know, I think Dan's going to bring

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Speaker 2: new ideas. You know when you're in a role and

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Speaker 2: you were excited for an opportunity. He interviewed for a

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Speaker 2: lot of OC jobs over the last two years, and

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Speaker 2: so he always had to be thinking big picture of

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Speaker 2: what am I going to do if I get the opportunity,

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Speaker 2: And so that's going to be good for him to, Hey,

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Speaker 2: do that here. You know, Hey, I'll take a step

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Speaker 2: back to the spring and really let you take a

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Speaker 2: lot of ownership in the direction of the offense. And

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Speaker 2: he's ready for that opportunity, and I'm excited to see

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Speaker 2: how this thing can continue to evolve. At the same time,

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Speaker 2: with Justin's role, I'd always had my mind it would

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Speaker 2: be good to bring in another voice from outside the

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Speaker 2: organization just to throw some new ideas around. And so

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Speaker 2: it was a position that we had outlined, but we

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Speaker 2: didn't have to hire if we didn't find the right person.

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Speaker 2: And so we interviewed a lot of people. I was

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Speaker 2: going to be very comfortable not hiring anyone and just

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Speaker 2: just shifting roles throughout throughout our staff right now. But

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Speaker 2: when you interview Justin, it was a no brainer. Okay,

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Speaker 2: this is maybe I couldn't put it all in words

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Speaker 2: what exactly I was looking for, but when you interview Justin,

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Speaker 2: it was exactly what we're looking for. And the foundation

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Speaker 2: of the Vikings is the Rams. You know, their offense,

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Speaker 2: and so talking through a lot of the things they

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Speaker 2: were able to do in Minnesota that, you know, kind

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Speaker 2: of stirred my memory bank from my time in LA

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Speaker 2: that maybe we've shifted away from that would be good

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Speaker 2: now with where we're oute on offense to shift back to.

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Speaker 2: And so he's got he's got a great understanding and

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Speaker 2: ownership of all the things that they did. He was

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Speaker 2: with the offensive line in the last two years in Minnesota,

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Speaker 2: but that's not really his DNA. His DNA is playing

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Speaker 2: quarterback and being a part of the past game. So

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Speaker 2: I think it's just a bonus that he's been in protections,

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Speaker 2: he's been in the run game, and so he can

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Speaker 2: see and understand the whole picture, and I think that's

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Speaker 2: really going to help our offense.

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Speaker 1: When you have an opening or create an opening, how

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Speaker 1: do you go about finding candidates?

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Speaker 2: Oh, it's I've got sheets that I update every week,

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Speaker 2: you know, the coaching notices come out every week from

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Speaker 2: the league, and I always update where people are at

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Speaker 2: and look at other people's staffs and how they've structured

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Speaker 2: the staffs and people I'd be interested in talking to

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Speaker 2: in the future, and people that I think would fit here,

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Speaker 2: because really, I believe, I strongly believe we can take

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Speaker 2: the right person here and as long as they've got

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Speaker 2: a good background in football and can talk the game,

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Speaker 2: but they're a good person, we can help mold them

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Speaker 2: into a great fit here. And so we're always starting

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Speaker 2: with the people. They might be the smartest football person

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Speaker 2: I've ever met in my life, but they're not a

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Speaker 2: good fit from a personality standpoint of culture, then they

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Speaker 2: don't work here. And so we start with the people

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Speaker 2: and then and then find where we can fit them in.

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Speaker 2: And so We're always tracking. I'm always making notes and

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Speaker 2: counters I have with people that hey, maybe next year,

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Speaker 2: maybe five years from now, somebody always want to stay

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Speaker 2: in touch with, and there's there's plenty of people around

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Speaker 2: that I stay in touch with that if the opportunity

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Speaker 2: ever presents itself, we'll interview them and see if it's

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Speaker 2: a good fit.

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Speaker 1: Let's go back to last season. On day two of

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Speaker 1: training camp, Joe Burrow hurts his calf. You projected calm

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Speaker 1: and confidence externally. Internally, were you physically ill?

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Speaker 2: No, No, because you know, we thought we'd have him

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Speaker 2: back for the season, and you know, sometimes it could

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Speaker 2: be worse, you know, I think that's that's a comment

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Speaker 2: Joe and I made to each other several times over

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Speaker 2: that period. It could be worse. You know, something could

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Speaker 2: happen and we're done for the year, and that's a

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Speaker 2: really challenging situation. So you just again, it's an opportunity

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Speaker 2: for Jake Browning to have gotten a lot of reps.

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Speaker 2: Maybe Jake Browning played well when he came in at

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Speaker 2: the end of the year because he got all those

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Speaker 2: training camp reps, you know, and so it gave us

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Speaker 2: a chance to continue to make the playoffs and find

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Speaker 2: some wins on the stretch and give our team hope

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Speaker 2: and our community hope. And maybe that happened because he

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Speaker 2: got all those those reps and so there was no

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Speaker 2: panic from any of us, and that was genuine, you know.

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Speaker 2: And it was unfortunately that we started right out the

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Speaker 2: gay with two division teams with great defenses that are

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Speaker 2: very challenging when when you're a little limited, you know,

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Speaker 2: with the athleticism at that point. But we learned from

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Speaker 2: those games and continue to evolve as this season.

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Speaker 1: Went, as well as Jake ultimately played. If you knew

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Speaker 1: now what you knew or what you didn't know, then

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Speaker 1: might you have played Jake at the beginning of the

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Speaker 1: season as Joe got more mobile.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, that's that's tough for me to say. I think

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Speaker 2: when Joe Burrow is available in any capacity, it's hard

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Speaker 2: to turn that down, you know. And even the Rams week,

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Speaker 2: he didn't practice all week, you know, if he did,

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Speaker 2: he took a rep or two. Even the day of

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Speaker 2: the game. I was prepared to show up and Jake

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Speaker 2: take all the walk through reps, and Joe said, I'm

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Speaker 2: going to do this, you know, And he goes out

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Speaker 2: there and gives you enough to win the game, and

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Speaker 2: so I think that's that's a that's a it's always

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Speaker 2: a game time decision when when Joe's in a situation

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Speaker 2: like that, and it's not an easy one, you know,

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Speaker 2: to say we're gonna rest you or we don't want

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Speaker 2: to make this thing worse.

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Speaker 3: And so.

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Speaker 2: It's it's hard in hindsight to go back and say

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Speaker 2: you do anything differently.

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Speaker 1: He's never had a normal, healthy training camp in four

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Speaker 1: NFL seasons. How much of a difference would it make,

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Speaker 1: especially early in the season if and when he does.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I feel like I'm gonna jinx the situation here,

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Speaker 2: So I'm very careful.

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Speaker 1: But that's me pounding on what you know.

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Speaker 2: It's a time to create chemistry with with new players.

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Speaker 2: It's a time, you know, to get on the same

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Speaker 2: page with the new receiver and work through all the

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Speaker 2: kinks of of body language and timing and all those

340
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Speaker 2: things are good because it's really difficult when you show

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Speaker 2: up in the first game week to get that stuff.

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Speaker 2: Now you're into game plan mode and specific things to

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Speaker 2: attack this specific defense we're facing, and so there's not

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Speaker 2: nearly as much time to iron out the communication with

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Speaker 2: other players on the roster. And so that's what training

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Speaker 2: camps for training camps, not for creating some grand scheme

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Speaker 2: that's gonna you know, you're just trying to do the

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Speaker 2: basics and allow your guys to get back into the

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Speaker 2: fundamentals of football and assess new players and who's going

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Speaker 2: to make the team. And then as you get closer

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Speaker 2: to the first game week, you start to do more

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Speaker 2: game plan stuff. So it's good to have your quarterback

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Speaker 2: available as you're assessing in the roster to help with

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Speaker 2: that assessment in terms of their play.

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Speaker 1: Let's discuss free agency beginning with Von Bell. You referred

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Speaker 1: to him the other day as the ultimate standard setter

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Speaker 1: considering some of the leaders that you've lost, Joe Mixon

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Speaker 1: should have been a Wooshi DJ reader. How significant is that?

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Speaker 2: Yeah, he knows how we do things. I think that's

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Speaker 2: a big part of things. And again he just he

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Speaker 2: when I say standard setter, he does it by example.

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Speaker 2: He doesn't have to be yeller and screamer and demanding

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Speaker 2: that way of everybody. He's very clear with his communication.

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Speaker 2: But he's the guy who's the first car in the

365
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Speaker 2: parking lot, you know, and the players a lot six

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Speaker 2: am every single day consistently. He's always in the weight room,

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Speaker 2: you know, he's always leading the meetings, and so those

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Speaker 2: are things that young players can see and think, Okay,

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Speaker 2: I thought I was doing things the right way, but

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Speaker 2: there's a whole different level I can get to to

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Speaker 2: really be a pros pro, you know. And so you

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Speaker 2: hear that thrown out a lot. This guy's are pro. Well, yeah,

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Speaker 2: the technically they're all professionals, but there's a difference in

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Speaker 2: a guy who manages his time the right way, is

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Speaker 2: always prepared for every meeting before the coaches can't even

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Speaker 2: get there. He's on the field first, you know, going

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Speaker 2: through his own warm up before he gets to practice.

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Speaker 2: And those are the types of examples that are really

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Speaker 2: good for younger players to see that there's a whole

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Speaker 2: different standard that can be set when there's a veteran

381
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Speaker 2: showing you the way. That way.

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Speaker 1: Is that real leadership to you?

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Speaker 2: Yeah it is, you know, leadership is you doing things

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Speaker 2: the right way and so that when it is time

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Speaker 2: to speak up, it doesn't fall on deaf ears because

386
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Speaker 2: you're the guy who's maybe straight and now all of

387
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Speaker 2: a sudden you're yelling at another. Well, you're not always

388
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Speaker 2: doing it the right way. So I think that's where

389
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Speaker 2: leadership starts is by you set a standard for yourself

390
00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:04,320
Speaker 2: and you're always doing things the right way. You're always

391
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Speaker 2: prepared so that when you do finally speak, whether that's

392
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Speaker 2: a high volume of speaking or you pick your moments,

393
00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:14,600
Speaker 2: the players really perk up because they know here's a

394
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Speaker 2: guy who does everything the right way that I can

395
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Speaker 2: rely on asking me to do something different.

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Speaker 1: What do the additions of von Bell and Gino Stone

397
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Speaker 1: mean to Daxhill in Jordan Battle.

398
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Speaker 2: I think it's it's outstanding for those two young players

399
00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:29,879
Speaker 2: because you go back to Geno's time in college, he

400
00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,520
Speaker 2: played on one of the greatest defenses over a period

401
00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:34,360
Speaker 2: of time. You know, I think that what IOWA has

402
00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:37,359
Speaker 2: done consistently and how they get those guys ready to

403
00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:40,040
Speaker 2: play in the communication they have. You know, obviously Baltimore

404
00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,600
Speaker 2: has done a really good job as well, and so

405
00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:44,159
Speaker 2: he's been in that system for a while and so

406
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Speaker 2: you always saw the communication, You always saw the little

407
00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:48,960
Speaker 2: details of safety play with him that made things difficult

408
00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,520
Speaker 2: for us. So I have a high appreciation for the

409
00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:54,000
Speaker 2: level of play that he brings here. Same with Vaughan,

410
00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:56,119
Speaker 2: and so for Jordan and Dax to be able to

411
00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:59,479
Speaker 2: see that firsthand, I think will help to help their

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00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,800
Speaker 2: growth exponentially here and so I'm excited to see those

413
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Speaker 2: those young players continue to ascend.

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Speaker 1: Mikeasicki is nearly six six. He ran a four or

415
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Speaker 1: five fourth to combine with a forty one and a

416
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Speaker 1: half inch vertical. He had seventy three catches for the

417
00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:15,960
Speaker 1: Dolphins a few years ago. Have you had a tight

418
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Speaker 1: end like mikea Sicki?

419
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Speaker 2: I think We've had a lot of different styles of

420
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Speaker 2: tight ends over my time here, and Mike's a different style.

421
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Speaker 2: And so, you know, I think Tanner Hudson was able

422
00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:28,160
Speaker 2: to play really a pass game role for us last

423
00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:30,480
Speaker 2: year that really gave us some really good things and

424
00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:35,679
Speaker 2: passing situations. And Mike has that value. You know when

425
00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:39,600
Speaker 2: he's shown it repeatedly timetime again and even on the

426
00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:41,040
Speaker 2: tape last year. You know we can see in New

427
00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:43,679
Speaker 2: England's he's still got all that ability and so now

428
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Speaker 2: it's just a matter of opportunity for him, and we're

429
00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:47,119
Speaker 2: excited to give him that opportunity.

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Speaker 1: Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins gave the local media a very

431
00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:54,200
Speaker 1: entertaining news conference on Monday and claims that the first

432
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Speaker 1: thing he said to you was why the bleep didn't

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Speaker 1: you slide protection to me during a game where he

434
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Speaker 1: had three sacks against Incinnati? How did you respond?

435
00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:05,760
Speaker 2: Yeah, I maybe try to feel my way around that situation.

436
00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:09,639
Speaker 2: But he's he's a player who's made an impact on

437
00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:12,760
Speaker 2: every defense we've seen him playing. We've played against him

438
00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:16,680
Speaker 2: a lot over my coaching career. I think I've played

439
00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:18,720
Speaker 2: against him on every single team that he's been on

440
00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:21,320
Speaker 2: and always had a high appreciation. He's always come up

441
00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:23,640
Speaker 2: for us in free agency and it has always worked out.

442
00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,680
Speaker 2: But I think that he brings that better in leadership

443
00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:29,240
Speaker 2: and you like that fire that he's got from a

444
00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:32,520
Speaker 2: defensive tackle. So I'm excited to get him in the

445
00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:34,080
Speaker 2: building and give him to work with our guys, and

446
00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:36,240
Speaker 2: what he'll bring to the table I think will really

447
00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:36,960
Speaker 2: help our defense.

448
00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:40,960
Speaker 1: Interior pass rushers are hard to find in this era

449
00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:44,000
Speaker 1: with quick passing games. How crucial is it to a

450
00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:44,640
Speaker 1: good defense?

451
00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:47,000
Speaker 2: Well, it helps It helps the ends, you know, it

452
00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:49,600
Speaker 2: helps Trey and Sam and all those guys behind him

453
00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:53,200
Speaker 2: help with their one on ones because when you're focused

454
00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:55,399
Speaker 2: on a detackle and you're having a slide the protection

455
00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:58,000
Speaker 2: that direction and try to get all the help that way.

456
00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,240
Speaker 2: Then it frees up other guys and if they get

457
00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:03,000
Speaker 2: matched up one on one, then Sheldon wentz and so

458
00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:05,879
Speaker 2: I think that's he's gonna be a real asset for us.

459
00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:09,000
Speaker 1: This year. You've added Zach Moss at running back. He

460
00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:10,879
Speaker 1: had some big games for the Colts last year when

461
00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:13,440
Speaker 1: Jonathan Taylor was out one hundred and sixty five yards

462
00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:16,879
Speaker 1: against Tennessee won twenty two against Baltimore. When you watched

463
00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:19,560
Speaker 1: his tape, was there anything in particular that made you

464
00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:22,240
Speaker 1: think this guy is a perfect fit for us?

465
00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:26,240
Speaker 2: I do? I think that you know his style of running.

466
00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:28,880
Speaker 2: He's played in a lot of shotgun offenses, which which

467
00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,080
Speaker 2: we lean more towards the gun than underve. We've got

468
00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:35,360
Speaker 2: both obviously, but he's a very patient runner, and he's

469
00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:38,080
Speaker 2: patient and then he can explode through the hole. He's

470
00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,320
Speaker 2: got great lateral quickness, can make people miss, so if

471
00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:42,639
Speaker 2: you're really spreading him out eleven personnel, he's really a

472
00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:45,840
Speaker 2: good runner to make teams pay that way, and can

473
00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:48,840
Speaker 2: create his own holes by setting up defenders. And he's

474
00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:52,680
Speaker 2: got good hands coming on the backfield. His football a

475
00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:57,000
Speaker 2: Q is really high, which leads to, you know, efficiency

476
00:21:57,000 --> 00:22:00,199
Speaker 2: and pass protection as well, and so I just that

477
00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:04,240
Speaker 2: he's going to be a great value in that room

478
00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:06,479
Speaker 2: for us and a really good fit offensively for what

479
00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:07,040
Speaker 2: we want to do.

480
00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:10,919
Speaker 1: Some free agents commit without a visit. Others visit first.

481
00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:14,359
Speaker 1: When they visit, is it typically because you need to

482
00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:16,560
Speaker 1: know more about them or the other way around?

483
00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:18,399
Speaker 2: It can be two way street. You know, it can

484
00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:21,080
Speaker 2: be your working through deal with an agent and in

485
00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:23,240
Speaker 2: the meantime, you know you want to get the medical

486
00:22:23,359 --> 00:22:24,720
Speaker 2: or they want to come in and see what the

487
00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,000
Speaker 2: team's all about and meet the coaches, and so there's

488
00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:30,000
Speaker 2: a lot of different things and reasons for why a

489
00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:31,920
Speaker 2: player would take a visit before a green to a deal.

490
00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,920
Speaker 1: It seems like the theme of this offseason is explosive plays,

491
00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:39,600
Speaker 1: making more on offense allowing fewer on defense. Is that accurate?

492
00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:42,280
Speaker 2: Well, that leads to more points being scored and fewer

493
00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:44,760
Speaker 2: points being scored by the opponent. So that's a good

494
00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:47,200
Speaker 2: way to look at it. But you always want to

495
00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,400
Speaker 2: be an attacking style of team, and so the more

496
00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:51,920
Speaker 2: ways that we can do that on either side of

497
00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:54,399
Speaker 2: the ball, you know by putting pressure on quarterbacks or

498
00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:56,440
Speaker 2: by getting explosive plays in the run in the past game,

499
00:22:56,520 --> 00:22:58,080
Speaker 2: We're going to find ways to do it. And so

500
00:22:58,119 --> 00:22:59,639
Speaker 2: a lot of the moves you made this year or

501
00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:00,399
Speaker 2: get that direction.

502
00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:05,119
Speaker 1: Six of your games are against the Ravens, Browns, and Steelers.

503
00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:08,200
Speaker 1: Those three teams finished one, two and six in defensive

504
00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:12,480
Speaker 1: DVA last year. How specifically do you need to build

505
00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:14,760
Speaker 1: a team because of those six games.

506
00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,600
Speaker 2: You factor that in because you know the personnel you're

507
00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:22,280
Speaker 2: going to face that the scheme can always change because

508
00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:24,600
Speaker 2: coordinators come and go, they get head jobs, they get like, oh,

509
00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:26,760
Speaker 2: there's various reasons why that can happen. So you try

510
00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:29,920
Speaker 2: not to to build your team because of scheme you face.

511
00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,400
Speaker 2: But there's certainly players that you know you're gonna live

512
00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:34,119
Speaker 2: in this division for a long time to come, and

513
00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:36,760
Speaker 2: we can all name those players, and so you got

514
00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:40,440
Speaker 2: to make sure that you're equipped to defend against those

515
00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:44,000
Speaker 2: guys attack against those guys. It's very challenging division. So

516
00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:46,840
Speaker 2: we do factor that in and you know, we feel

517
00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:48,800
Speaker 2: like we've made some good moves, puts in a good position.

518
00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:51,920
Speaker 1: The draft is about a month away, does Duke and

519
00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:55,199
Speaker 1: the scouting department give you a list of guys to watch,

520
00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:57,639
Speaker 1: or do you kind of pick and choose the positions

521
00:23:57,640 --> 00:23:59,760
Speaker 1: do you feel are most important for you to watch.

522
00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:02,679
Speaker 2: They go through the whole list of it, you know,

523
00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:06,520
Speaker 2: in January and February, and at the appropriate time I

524
00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:08,200
Speaker 2: jump in. So I might not catch all of them,

525
00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:10,960
Speaker 2: but I might catch several positions. And so I go

526
00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,320
Speaker 2: into the combine with the good understanding at least of

527
00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:16,080
Speaker 2: several of the positions. You meet with those guys at

528
00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:18,679
Speaker 2: the Combine. This month is set aside for pro days.

529
00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:20,879
Speaker 2: So tomorrow I go to the Texas Pro Day and

530
00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:23,119
Speaker 2: get a chance to assess all the talent that they

531
00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:26,280
Speaker 2: have there. And then in April we always regrouped together.

532
00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:29,160
Speaker 2: Duke goes back through with the scouts and the coaches,

533
00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:31,479
Speaker 2: every single player at every position, and so you get

534
00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:32,959
Speaker 2: a chance to hit them one more time with all

535
00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:37,160
Speaker 2: the information we've gathered over the off season, over the Combine,

536
00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,720
Speaker 2: over the pro days. And Duke does a great job

537
00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:42,600
Speaker 2: of managing all that. And so for me, you know,

538
00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:44,359
Speaker 2: I look at the positions that I feel like we

539
00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:47,840
Speaker 2: really need and so that I understand the depth of

540
00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:51,240
Speaker 2: those positions, and so I watch players, so you know,

541
00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:53,800
Speaker 2: the information is always accessible to know how the scouts

542
00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:55,640
Speaker 2: think about them, and I can always call those guys

543
00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,240
Speaker 2: or look at the information in the system. But for myself,

544
00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:00,440
Speaker 2: I'll kind of go through position by position. I can't

545
00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:02,720
Speaker 2: do them all. There's not enough time for me to

546
00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:04,840
Speaker 2: go through every position, so I pick our needs and

547
00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:07,639
Speaker 2: for the positions I can't get through, the coaches and

548
00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:09,480
Speaker 2: the scouts usually give me the names that they think

549
00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:11,920
Speaker 2: fit us, and closer to the draft, I'll go through

550
00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:14,080
Speaker 2: and make my assessments as well.

551
00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:16,840
Speaker 1: I was talking to a draft guru at the combine.

552
00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:20,320
Speaker 1: He said, in this past happy era in college football,

553
00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:24,280
Speaker 1: he's become convinced that every draft is going to be

554
00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:28,640
Speaker 1: deep at wide receiver. Do you feel the same way.

555
00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:33,920
Speaker 2: I think that there's always going to be a great

556
00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:37,040
Speaker 2: depth of receivers, and it's just who fits you best.

557
00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:39,800
Speaker 2: You know, not every receiver fits every sole of offense,

558
00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:42,680
Speaker 2: and so there's always gonna be guys that are listed

559
00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:44,640
Speaker 2: as the one, two, three, four, five, Well maybe only

560
00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:47,600
Speaker 2: maybe only numbers two and four really fit what you're

561
00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:49,679
Speaker 2: looking for in the style of play you need and

562
00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:53,040
Speaker 2: what fits with your quarterback. And so again, yeah, there's

563
00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:55,240
Speaker 2: always a long list, and we always find the guys

564
00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:56,640
Speaker 2: that we think fit us best.

565
00:25:57,119 --> 00:25:59,160
Speaker 1: What's been the highlight of your off season so far?

566
00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:06,480
Speaker 2: Stepping away from Cincinnati Bengals football watching the Nebraska basketball team,

567
00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:09,080
Speaker 2: you know, it's We've watched every game, me and my

568
00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:12,400
Speaker 2: two sons and my wife. I took my oldest son

569
00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:14,480
Speaker 2: to Indiana. We went and watched That was the closest

570
00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:16,440
Speaker 2: we could get to go on and watching them play.

571
00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:18,600
Speaker 2: We'd never seen them play in person, so we drove

572
00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,360
Speaker 2: to Bloomington, down and back same night watching them beat

573
00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:24,400
Speaker 2: the Hoosiers. And now we're going to Memphis on Friday,

574
00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:27,399
Speaker 2: and so it's a lot of fun for me. We'll

575
00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:29,439
Speaker 2: get a chance to hopefully watch them win their first

576
00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:33,400
Speaker 2: ever March Madness game in the history of Nebraska basketball.

577
00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:37,160
Speaker 2: We've got a great team, but also my childhood friend

578
00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,280
Speaker 2: Kellen Sampson, who coaches at Houston. They play in the

579
00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:40,920
Speaker 2: game right after us. I'll get a chance to watch

580
00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:44,320
Speaker 2: them play Longwood, and then god willing, both teams will

581
00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:45,720
Speaker 2: play each other in the second round. I won't be

582
00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:47,120
Speaker 2: able to be there. I'll be at the league meetings

583
00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:49,960
Speaker 2: down in Orlando, but I think that'll be a cool

584
00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:53,120
Speaker 2: full circle moment for me and Kellen and to watch

585
00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:56,080
Speaker 2: my college team play against a really close friend of

586
00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:57,400
Speaker 2: mine in the second round of the tournament.

587
00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:01,040
Speaker 1: And since Kellen Sampson was your childhood buddy, we'll forgive

588
00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:04,480
Speaker 1: you for not rooting for Cincinnati. The Bearricats lose to

589
00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:07,439
Speaker 1: the Cougars yet again. As your kids are getting older,

590
00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:11,520
Speaker 1: is the balance of work and family easier, tougher and

591
00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:11,920
Speaker 1: the same.

592
00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:15,520
Speaker 2: Well, the easier part is they stay up later, so

593
00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:18,359
Speaker 2: during the season when I'm coming home late, you know,

594
00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:20,960
Speaker 2: the boys sometimes are awake when I come home, so

595
00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:22,399
Speaker 2: you get to chance see him, whereas early in my

596
00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:24,679
Speaker 2: career you didn't see him till Friday afternoon and that

597
00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,160
Speaker 2: was always difficult. So that part makes it a little easier.

598
00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:28,760
Speaker 2: My wife does a great job. I bring him to

599
00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:30,679
Speaker 2: the office, you know, sometimes during lunch if they have

600
00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:33,560
Speaker 2: a day off or anything like that. So it's always

601
00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:35,600
Speaker 2: a challenge, but that's that's the beauty of the NFL.

602
00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:39,600
Speaker 2: The off season is conducive to a really healthy family life.

603
00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:42,600
Speaker 2: You know, you don't have a lot of weekend obligations,

604
00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:45,000
Speaker 2: and you work during the draft during the weekend, which

605
00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:46,879
Speaker 2: is a lot of fun to be involved in. But

606
00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:50,480
Speaker 2: otherwise you get time to be stuck in traffic at

607
00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:52,320
Speaker 2: five point thirty on Columbia Parkway on the way home

608
00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:55,520
Speaker 2: to get to basketball practice. And you know, the summers

609
00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:59,320
Speaker 2: are really really generous for NFL coaching staffs, you know,

610
00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:01,920
Speaker 2: compared to call certainly, and the season's a grind, but

611
00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:03,439
Speaker 2: that's what we sign up for and that's what we like.

612
00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:06,479
Speaker 2: Our families like it. They love having dad who coaches

613
00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:08,960
Speaker 2: a team and they got the access they have, and yeah,

614
00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:12,600
Speaker 2: they live and die with every game, but I think

615
00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:14,800
Speaker 2: it's those are some things that they get a chance

616
00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:16,320
Speaker 2: to be a part of that not every kid gets

617
00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:18,320
Speaker 2: to be a part of. And so you take the

618
00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:20,000
Speaker 2: good with the bad, and there's a whole lot of

619
00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:21,439
Speaker 2: good when when your dad's coach.

620
00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:23,560
Speaker 1: In the NFL, you did spend some time in the

621
00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:26,920
Speaker 1: college ranks. When you see Saban get out and the

622
00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:30,359
Speaker 1: Boston College head coach become a position coach in the

623
00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:34,160
Speaker 1: NFL and Harbaugh leaving a national championship team to coach

624
00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:36,600
Speaker 1: in the NFL, do you feel like as a coach

625
00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:39,080
Speaker 1: the NFL right now is the place to be Considering

626
00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:41,680
Speaker 1: the transfer portal and nil and all the things that

627
00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:43,000
Speaker 1: are going on in college sports.

628
00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:45,000
Speaker 2: It's always been the place to be, you know, and

629
00:28:45,040 --> 00:28:51,440
Speaker 2: it's there is always a fearful aspect from college guys

630
00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:53,560
Speaker 2: that have not been in the NFL as a player coach,

631
00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:55,720
Speaker 2: because you have all these millionaires up here, and you think,

632
00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:58,680
Speaker 2: you know, how would they respond to me? But then

633
00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:00,640
Speaker 2: once you get here, you realize, man, and everybody's in

634
00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:02,440
Speaker 2: it for the same reasons. You know, everybody just wants

635
00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:04,360
Speaker 2: to win. They want to get better. If you can

636
00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:06,400
Speaker 2: help them get better in your clear throughr communication, you

637
00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:08,680
Speaker 2: can get along with all these guys. And so I

638
00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:10,600
Speaker 2: think once guys actually make the jump and they spend

639
00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:12,120
Speaker 2: a year in the NFL, they're thinking, why was I

640
00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,400
Speaker 2: ever hesitant to attempt to do this? Now a lot

641
00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:16,240
Speaker 2: of guys attempt to do it, and it's very difficult

642
00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:19,239
Speaker 2: to get in. But I feel like it's always been

643
00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:21,000
Speaker 2: the place to be because it's the highest level of

644
00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:25,360
Speaker 2: competition with the ultimate goals at hand, and the off

645
00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:28,560
Speaker 2: seasons are always very conclusive to a very healthy family life.

646
00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:31,840
Speaker 1: I've taken enough of your time. I greatly appreciated Bust

647
00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:33,880
Speaker 1: have left to the corn Huskers this weekend.

648
00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:34,400
Speaker 2: I appreciate it Dan.

649
00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:38,240
Speaker 1: Because of Zach, I will now be rooting for Nebraska

650
00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:40,920
Speaker 1: this Friday and its first round game against Texas A

651
00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:44,320
Speaker 1: and M. His alma mater is the only school in

652
00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:48,920
Speaker 1: a power conference that has never won an NCAA tournament game.

653
00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:52,800
Speaker 1: The corn Huskers are zero to seven all time, and

654
00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:57,320
Speaker 1: this is Nebraska's first March Madness appearance in ten years.

655
00:29:57,840 --> 00:30:00,600
Speaker 1: The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps,

656
00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:04,320
Speaker 1: proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by

657
00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:08,960
Speaker 1: Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business,

658
00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:12,520
Speaker 1: and community to a new level, and by Kettering Health

659
00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:16,000
Speaker 1: the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is

660
00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:20,040
Speaker 1: the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Last week on

661
00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:23,440
Speaker 1: this podcast, I talked to the team's first three free

662
00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:28,040
Speaker 1: agent editions this year, Mikeasicki, Gino Stone, and Zack Moss.

663
00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:33,280
Speaker 1: There have been two big additions since big both literally

664
00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:39,120
Speaker 1: and figuratively, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and offensive tackle Trent Brown.

665
00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:42,240
Speaker 1: Rankins was the twelfth pick in the draft coming out

666
00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:45,280
Speaker 1: of Louisville in twenty sixteen and has played for the

667
00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:49,000
Speaker 1: Saints Jets and Texans in an eight year NFL career.

668
00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:52,560
Speaker 1: As I mentioned in my conversation with Zach Taylor, Sheldon

669
00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:55,560
Speaker 1: was highly entertaining in a news conference with the Cincinnati

670
00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:59,080
Speaker 1: media this week, especially when it came to facing the

671
00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:02,840
Speaker 1: Bengals in Week ten last year, when he had three

672
00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:08,080
Speaker 1: sacks and nine quarterback pressures on thirty three pass rushing snaps.

673
00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:11,000
Speaker 1: For the most part, he was matched up one on

674
00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:15,240
Speaker 1: one against Alex Kappa without Ted Carris sliding in that

675
00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:16,480
Speaker 1: direction to help.

676
00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:20,240
Speaker 4: They didn't slide to me. I don't know why. That

677
00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:23,880
Speaker 4: is the first question I asked Zach when I met

678
00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:28,960
Speaker 4: him before I before I before, I said, any, hey,

679
00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:31,600
Speaker 4: how you doing anything else? It was like and again,

680
00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:34,600
Speaker 4: excuse my French, I speak freely, guys, You're gonna get

681
00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:38,240
Speaker 4: used to it. I said, why the fuck didn't you

682
00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:41,320
Speaker 4: slide to me? And we just kind of laughed about it,

683
00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:44,000
Speaker 4: and you know, he's, you know, he was like, you

684
00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:45,960
Speaker 4: know what, man, you know we probably should have. We

685
00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:49,440
Speaker 4: probably like, well, I'm glad you didn't. You know. I

686
00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:51,600
Speaker 4: even asked Ted like I think it was like midway

687
00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:54,160
Speaker 4: through the game. I was like, y'all, just what just

688
00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:57,040
Speaker 4: the game plan? Cool. I'm not gonna ask again. I

689
00:31:57,080 --> 00:31:59,360
Speaker 4: don't want I'm not gonna make y'all overthink it. That's

690
00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:01,760
Speaker 4: what y'all want to do, Let's do it. You know.

691
00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:04,320
Speaker 4: You know, me and Cap have had some battles for years.

692
00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:05,960
Speaker 4: He was in Tampa when I was in New Orleans,

693
00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:11,040
Speaker 4: so you know, just there's some familiarity there. So but yeah, no, listen,

694
00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:17,080
Speaker 4: I was very pleased with coach Zach Taylor's decision to

695
00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:19,760
Speaker 4: leave me one on one all day. It made for

696
00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:20,840
Speaker 4: a great Sunday.

697
00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:24,360
Speaker 1: Rankins has had many great Sundays in his NFL career.

698
00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:27,000
Speaker 1: He's had as many as eight sacks in a season,

699
00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:30,040
Speaker 1: which is extremely high for a tackle, and according to

700
00:32:30,040 --> 00:32:33,920
Speaker 1: Pro Football Focus, his pass rush win rate was tenth

701
00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:38,840
Speaker 1: best among interior defensive linemen last year, better than Jeffrey

702
00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:43,160
Speaker 1: Simmons and Justin Madabique, among others. With so many quarterbacks

703
00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:45,960
Speaker 1: getting the ball out in about two and a half seconds,

704
00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:50,000
Speaker 1: getting quick pressure up the middle is extremely valuable.

705
00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:52,280
Speaker 4: I just think the way this league is now, there's

706
00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:56,920
Speaker 4: not a lot of quarterbacks who stand twelve yards deep

707
00:32:57,480 --> 00:33:00,800
Speaker 4: in the pocket, you know, most guys you know, or

708
00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:05,520
Speaker 4: dropping back to nine, stepping up to seven or six,

709
00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:08,920
Speaker 4: you know. So if you have guys who can you know,

710
00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:11,640
Speaker 4: disrupt the middle. You know, if you ask a lot

711
00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:15,040
Speaker 4: of quarterbacks, you know, they don't like their feet getting

712
00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:17,560
Speaker 4: stepped on. You know, they don't like you know, when

713
00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:20,160
Speaker 4: they follow through guys helmets being in the way. So

714
00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:26,240
Speaker 4: if you got a guy who can you know, and again, guys,

715
00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:29,920
Speaker 4: I speak freely. So just if you got a guy

716
00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:34,120
Speaker 4: who can just be a good a person, you know,

717
00:33:35,640 --> 00:33:38,120
Speaker 4: to the annoyance of a quarterback you know, in the

718
00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:39,400
Speaker 4: middle all game long.

719
00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:40,320
Speaker 1: Uh.

720
00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:42,200
Speaker 4: It doesn't even have to again, it doesn't even have

721
00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:44,760
Speaker 4: to be hits. It's just again, if he's constantly having

722
00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:47,520
Speaker 4: to you know, take one hand off the ball to

723
00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:50,960
Speaker 4: to you know, push an old lineman you know, away

724
00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:53,080
Speaker 4: this way to get his feet out of the way.

725
00:33:53,160 --> 00:33:57,000
Speaker 4: I mean that's just throws off time and throws off rhythm. Uh.

726
00:33:57,040 --> 00:33:59,280
Speaker 4: And he's human. At some point he gets annoying, you

727
00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:01,720
Speaker 4: start thinking about out it. You know, it's just you

728
00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:04,360
Speaker 4: know it. You know, all that little stuff adds up

729
00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:07,000
Speaker 4: over you know, over the course of four quarters and

730
00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:10,960
Speaker 4: you know, being able to uh, you know, recavoc So

731
00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:12,880
Speaker 4: if you've got a guy who can do that and

732
00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:16,000
Speaker 4: I like to feel I can do that then yeah,

733
00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:18,800
Speaker 4: Like I think it matters in the sense of especially

734
00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:22,319
Speaker 4: if you've got good airbrushers, which we have here. It

735
00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:25,719
Speaker 4: allows everybody else to to to kind of eat. It

736
00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:28,040
Speaker 4: unlocks the key, so to speak. You know, when you

737
00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:30,720
Speaker 4: got that pressure up the middle and that constant force

738
00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:35,160
Speaker 4: pushing the pocket and being disruptive, it allows everybody else

739
00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:37,000
Speaker 4: to eat. It allows guys to play coverage on the

740
00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:40,080
Speaker 4: back end, allows guys to to be able to jump

741
00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:42,759
Speaker 4: things on the back end. Now now you're playing uh

742
00:34:43,560 --> 00:34:45,680
Speaker 4: faster because quarterbacks got to get the ball off faster.

743
00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:47,919
Speaker 4: So now you're playing on that. Now you can play

744
00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:49,799
Speaker 4: with more vision and different things like that. It all

745
00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:52,440
Speaker 4: works hand to hand. So you know, you know, just

746
00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:56,360
Speaker 4: being able to be that guy that can cause that disruption,

747
00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:59,239
Speaker 4: cause that you know, that force in the middle. You know,

748
00:34:59,239 --> 00:35:00,560
Speaker 4: I'll take pride in being that kind of go.

749
00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:03,879
Speaker 1: Rankins, who turns thirty in April, signed a two year

750
00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:08,200
Speaker 1: deal reportedly worth twenty six million dollars. He'll likely replace

751
00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:11,200
Speaker 1: DJ Reader in the starting lineup, but he's a different

752
00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:14,440
Speaker 1: type of tackle. For one thing, he's about thirty pounds

753
00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:18,080
Speaker 1: lighter and while Sheldon is known for his pass rushing ability.

754
00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:20,799
Speaker 1: He says he can help shore up the Bengals run

755
00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:22,120
Speaker 1: defense as well.

756
00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:24,240
Speaker 4: I think I can do everything at a high level.

757
00:35:25,840 --> 00:35:28,600
Speaker 4: You know, if you go back, you know to my

758
00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:32,000
Speaker 4: last year with the Jets. Coming off of that year,

759
00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:35,719
Speaker 4: people question could I rush the passer anymore? Everybody was like, oh,

760
00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:37,320
Speaker 4: he's a run guy. Now, like that's what he is.

761
00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:39,799
Speaker 4: He's a run guy. Like you go back, I mean

762
00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:42,799
Speaker 4: with you know, the Jets, my last year there, when

763
00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:44,520
Speaker 4: I was on the field, we gave up three point

764
00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:48,080
Speaker 4: eight yards of care and you know, going to Houston

765
00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:53,719
Speaker 4: we became the number six run defense in the league

766
00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:55,920
Speaker 4: or something like that. You know, with me playing a

767
00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:58,880
Speaker 4: lot of snaps you know of run defense. So you know,

768
00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:02,720
Speaker 4: I think, I think I do it all at high level.

769
00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:05,560
Speaker 4: You know, I think, you know, I think you don't

770
00:36:05,560 --> 00:36:08,560
Speaker 4: get this far in the league or you don't you know,

771
00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:11,719
Speaker 4: get the opportunities that I've had to be a guy.

772
00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:15,080
Speaker 4: And again, like the Jets didn't have to play me

773
00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:16,960
Speaker 4: on first second down. They could have went out and

774
00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:19,600
Speaker 4: got a big body and you did all that. But

775
00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:23,479
Speaker 4: you know, I feel like it's you know, I play

776
00:36:23,560 --> 00:36:26,399
Speaker 4: football really well. I don't just rush the passer really

777
00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:29,279
Speaker 4: well like I play. You want to line up in

778
00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:32,600
Speaker 4: twenty one person, they'll run power cool, It's fine, let's

779
00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:34,360
Speaker 4: do it. If you want to spread it out and

780
00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:37,239
Speaker 4: throw the ball over the park, just don't leave me

781
00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:39,279
Speaker 4: by myself all day. It's gonna get ugly. So, like

782
00:36:39,640 --> 00:36:41,720
Speaker 4: you know, I feel like I do it all really

783
00:36:41,719 --> 00:36:43,640
Speaker 4: well at a high level. So you know, I look

784
00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:46,360
Speaker 4: forward to continue in that trend, you know, and continue

785
00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:47,520
Speaker 4: to do that the rest of my career.

786
00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:50,640
Speaker 1: After adding Rankins to the d line, the Bengals signed

787
00:36:50,719 --> 00:36:53,879
Speaker 1: mammoth offensive lineman Trent Brown to a one year deal

788
00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:58,080
Speaker 1: on Tuesday. Brown, who turns thirty one next month, is

789
00:36:58,160 --> 00:37:01,680
Speaker 1: six eight three six day and says he expects to

790
00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:04,960
Speaker 1: start a right tackle. After talking to Zach Taylor and

791
00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:06,080
Speaker 1: Frank Pollack.

792
00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:07,520
Speaker 3: Well, the first and foremost, they said they believe in me,

793
00:37:07,520 --> 00:37:10,160
Speaker 3: They believe in my game, They like my game, and

794
00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:13,440
Speaker 3: they said how I play the game is everything that

795
00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:18,040
Speaker 3: they believe in. They feel like this was missing to

796
00:37:18,120 --> 00:37:21,200
Speaker 3: help them get over the top. So I was out

797
00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:23,279
Speaker 3: for that. I was excited about that, and I'm even

798
00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:24,680
Speaker 3: more excited now being here.

799
00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:27,319
Speaker 1: Brown is entering his tenth NFL season and was a

800
00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:31,080
Speaker 1: Pro Bowler in twenty nineteen with the Raiders. His calling

801
00:37:31,160 --> 00:37:34,680
Speaker 1: card is one on one pass protection, and he's versatile,

802
00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:38,520
Speaker 1: with roughly three thousand career snaps at right tackle and

803
00:37:38,560 --> 00:37:42,280
Speaker 1: twenty eight hundred at left tackle. In the past three years,

804
00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:47,080
Speaker 1: Pro Football Focus has graded Trent between eleventh and twenty

805
00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:50,800
Speaker 1: eighth in pass blocking among offensive tackles.

806
00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:54,480
Speaker 3: That's what I do best. I think that's why I'm here.

807
00:37:54,719 --> 00:37:58,480
Speaker 3: And like you said, you won't find another tackle in

808
00:37:58,520 --> 00:38:02,560
Speaker 3: the league or in game of football today that does

809
00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:05,759
Speaker 3: that better than me. I have a unique set of

810
00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:08,399
Speaker 3: skills and being able to play both sides that way,

811
00:38:09,320 --> 00:38:13,520
Speaker 3: and credit to God and my parents for that.

812
00:38:13,640 --> 00:38:16,960
Speaker 1: Brown will be reunited in Cincinnati with Ted karras They

813
00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:20,000
Speaker 1: were teammates in New England for two seasons, and Ted

814
00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:24,680
Speaker 1: gave Trent a glowing review on what to expect in Cincinnati.

815
00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:27,920
Speaker 3: He said he loved to hear He said that, Bro,

816
00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:32,040
Speaker 3: this is this is a great organization. It's like a

817
00:38:32,080 --> 00:38:34,880
Speaker 3: family over here. And I walked in the building this morning.

818
00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:36,960
Speaker 3: He was in the hot to getting ready to work out,

819
00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:39,960
Speaker 3: so he was like they even added to it him

820
00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:43,399
Speaker 3: being here on March nineteenth in the all season program

821
00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:47,080
Speaker 3: to start for another month. Almost that was kind of

822
00:38:47,120 --> 00:38:50,560
Speaker 3: like a huge thing right there in itself, just just

823
00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:54,480
Speaker 3: being being from where we came from, when people would

824
00:38:55,719 --> 00:38:59,839
Speaker 3: get out of there for a release. Any chance we had.

825
00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:02,640
Speaker 1: The addition of Brown could have a major impact on

826
00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:06,000
Speaker 1: the Bengals draft since it's considered a deep draft for

827
00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:09,440
Speaker 1: offensive tackles. Most of the mock drafts have the Bengals

828
00:39:09,520 --> 00:39:13,520
Speaker 1: choosing one at number eighteen. That's still a strong possibility,

829
00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:16,600
Speaker 1: but it's not a must with Brown slated to start

830
00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:20,320
Speaker 1: at right tackle. Now, if there's a great defensive tackle

831
00:39:20,360 --> 00:39:23,799
Speaker 1: available still a position of need, or a player at

832
00:39:23,840 --> 00:39:27,400
Speaker 1: nearly any position that is extremely high on the Bengals

833
00:39:27,440 --> 00:39:30,400
Speaker 1: draft board and somehow is still there at number eighteen,

834
00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:34,920
Speaker 1: their options are open. My thanks to this week's guests,

835
00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:36,759
Speaker 1: and that's going to do it for this episode of

836
00:39:36,760 --> 00:39:39,360
Speaker 1: the Bengals Booth podcast, brought to you by pay Corps,

837
00:39:39,719 --> 00:39:43,480
Speaker 1: Proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider by

838
00:39:43,560 --> 00:39:47,120
Speaker 1: Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home,

839
00:39:47,160 --> 00:39:50,400
Speaker 1: business and community to a new level and by kettering

840
00:39:50,440 --> 00:39:53,919
Speaker 1: health the best care for the best fans Kettering Health

841
00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:57,239
Speaker 1: is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. If you

842
00:39:57,239 --> 00:40:00,320
Speaker 1: haven't done so already, please subscribe to this podcast and

843
00:40:00,360 --> 00:40:02,160
Speaker 1: if you have a minute, give it a rating or

844
00:40:02,200 --> 00:40:06,160
Speaker 1: share a comment that helps more Bengals fans find us.

845
00:40:06,560 --> 00:40:11,120
Speaker 1: I'm Dan Horde. Thanks for listening to the Bengals Booth podcast.