WEBVTT - Press Pass: Decision Behind Mathis' Release

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<v Speaker 1>Several obvious he had planned to attend this week. He

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<v Speaker 1>seemed very surprised about his release. Does that square with

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<v Speaker 1>your perception? We were asked by his agent for a

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<v Speaker 1>release on multiple occasions, so we weren't going to come

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<v Speaker 1>to a conclusion in terms of a contract extension. We

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<v Speaker 1>weren't gonna extend any contract or adjust any contracts, so

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<v Speaker 1>we granted him what his agent asked for. So why

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<v Speaker 1>I just asked him to contract That conversation I'd gone

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<v Speaker 1>on for a long time so that it wasn't addressed

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<v Speaker 1>to us that that was going to happen. So that's

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<v Speaker 1>what That's what we did moving forward. So you don't

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<v Speaker 1>think he would have played this season under that, I

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<v Speaker 1>don't know. Men we went they obviously wanted a new contract.

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<v Speaker 1>We weren't going to give him a new contract. They

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<v Speaker 1>asked for the release or we released him. If you

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<v Speaker 1>said that you hadn't received any offers two years for Evan,

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<v Speaker 1>but was already forgiven towards holding him through August when

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<v Speaker 1>maybe a team suffers an injury on the offense, and

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<v Speaker 1>why didn't you be an asset? Maybe, but we discussed everything.

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<v Speaker 1>We just felt if he did not he didn't want

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<v Speaker 1>to be here. I want to. I want Evan to

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<v Speaker 1>get whatever he can get and I hope it works

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<v Speaker 1>out for him. And he was great for us in

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<v Speaker 1>the two year as we have him, and um I

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<v Speaker 1>like Evan a lot. If if he wants to get

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<v Speaker 1>a release, to see if he can get what he

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<v Speaker 1>can get better than what we released him. Change between

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<v Speaker 1>this year and last year. He was asking for the

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<v Speaker 1>trade last offseason as well, so why doesn't that They

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<v Speaker 1>didn't ask for release or anything to that standpoint. So

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<v Speaker 1>they were asking for release, So it's really release because

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<v Speaker 1>initially he activity he's playing in over They asked for

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<v Speaker 1>release on multiple occasions since the free agency started. To

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<v Speaker 1>be honest with Ryant was either regotiate him release, So

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<v Speaker 1>that's according to his agent, they they wanted to release

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<v Speaker 1>or we release. Any concern about precedent for other players

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<v Speaker 1>or may not be happy with it. Now we deal

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<v Speaker 1>with every contract on individual basis, So but you don't steal.

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<v Speaker 1>Other players might see what Evan does and try to

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<v Speaker 1>pull our Other players could say they're going to hold

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<v Speaker 1>out and get more money too. I mean there's there's

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<v Speaker 1>a catch twenty two to both of those sides. Of it,

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<v Speaker 1>So I haven't even around and packing back. We obviously

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<v Speaker 1>are down a good football player, but I mean we

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<v Speaker 1>were confident in the guys we have, and that's why

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<v Speaker 1>we made the decision we may what if you see

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<v Speaker 1>how the bar version of tobns that gave you more

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<v Speaker 1>confidence that you could move forward down. I think Alan

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<v Speaker 1>Barbar is an outstanding football part. He just got hurt

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<v Speaker 1>at the beginning of the year. Last year or whenever

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<v Speaker 1>he's had to play for us, he's played extremely well

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<v Speaker 1>for us, and I know we're excited about moving forward

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<v Speaker 1>with him, and then we'll see what happens at the

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<v Speaker 1>other position. Ducks an issue for you guys on the

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<v Speaker 1>offensive line last year. I mean I think that is

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<v Speaker 1>an issue for everybody this week. So that's just part

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<v Speaker 1>of the deal. So why did you choose the releasing

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<v Speaker 1>Wayne new deal Because because we weren't coming to a

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<v Speaker 1>conclusion in terms of him being here. So and why

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<v Speaker 1>not wait until after the manage for the mini camps

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<v Speaker 1>to see hopefully I was seeing if he could catch

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<v Speaker 1>on with somebody for the mini camp so he could

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<v Speaker 1>make a team. So I'm not going to hold guys out,

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<v Speaker 1>And I mean that's just not to deal if he

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<v Speaker 1>didn't want to be here and he wants to release,

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<v Speaker 1>We granted him his release, so we moved on. They

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<v Speaker 1>moved on. I hope things really work out for of him.

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<v Speaker 1>Great discussion of releasing for creatives he started now because

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<v Speaker 1>we were trying to see if we had draft options

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<v Speaker 1>and I mean trade options, you know, and going through

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<v Speaker 1>the draft and what conversations would happen then, and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>went through the league meetings. Didn't have any conversations or

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<v Speaker 1>no one had any conversations with us about offering us anything.

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<v Speaker 1>So we we felt we waited as long as we

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<v Speaker 1>possibly could to see if we could trade him. Were

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<v Speaker 1>you concertain that he might hold out for training care

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<v Speaker 1>Now that wasn't a concern at all. How would you

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<v Speaker 1>says his play last year on the field, I think

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<v Speaker 1>he played well, except he missed eight games, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>so it's in the eight games he was here he

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<v Speaker 1>played well. Do you feel like you're let a guard

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<v Speaker 1>as you were last year with hermans Any We really

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<v Speaker 1>did everything everything you want to do. We haven't changed

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<v Speaker 1>any place games or how we approach things in terms

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<v Speaker 1>of what we run for place and no wheler wheel.

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<v Speaker 1>We just we need a sixteenth body in here. So

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<v Speaker 1>we have sixteen offensive line and that's a number we

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<v Speaker 1>have in our ninety and we've we've been down a

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<v Speaker 1>body because Evan hasn't been here, but he was still

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<v Speaker 1>counted in your nineties. So it's just adding another guy

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<v Speaker 1>out there to add some depth to the guys that

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<v Speaker 1>we have and see how he fits into the mix.

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<v Speaker 1>Year obviously played some games and then wasn't it there

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<v Speaker 1>us Again? What does he need to work on to

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<v Speaker 1>make this? Just consistency? You know? At times, I think

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<v Speaker 1>Matt's play played really well for us, but I think

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<v Speaker 1>he needs to be more consistent, not just flash at times.

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<v Speaker 1>And I think he understands up. But I think we've

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<v Speaker 1>got some good competition going on there with him and

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<v Speaker 1>Andrew Gardner and Dennis Kelly and Kevin Graft and the

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<v Speaker 1>other guys that are at that position. Did the ankle

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<v Speaker 1>sprain that he suffered from the previous finale last year

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<v Speaker 1>kind of inhiboted starting off the year and when he

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<v Speaker 1>did get in there was it still who's yeah, Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>he was behind you know, it was a significant injury.

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<v Speaker 1>I think he actually came back a lot faster than

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<v Speaker 1>we probably thought he was going to come back, but

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<v Speaker 1>I think it uh speaks to his toughness. It was

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<v Speaker 1>like Matthews and Jason Peters weren't a really good fit

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<v Speaker 1>on the live side. That's but no, I mean no,

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<v Speaker 1>the fact that that Barber has played left barb throughout

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<v Speaker 1>the spring at Zach preparing for the possibility than that

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<v Speaker 1>now he hasn't played left guard throughout the spring. So

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<v Speaker 1>he's been the first team of coincidence. So I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>you guys, look at it. I mean, we can go

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<v Speaker 1>who's starting at corner today, and who's playing left guard today,

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<v Speaker 1>and who plays right guard today. It's I'll say this.

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<v Speaker 1>I know I say it over and over again, but

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<v Speaker 1>maybe I get this point across It's June. Whoever lines

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<v Speaker 1>up anywhere today is not an indication that they're going

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<v Speaker 1>to be a starter where they line up and when

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<v Speaker 1>we play in September. So I said that he is

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<v Speaker 1>more comfortable on the left side. Do you notice that

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<v Speaker 1>seemed to be a stronger point now, I mean, he

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<v Speaker 1>played well for us last year. I thought when we

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<v Speaker 1>played right tackle for lane, so we played all right

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<v Speaker 1>tackle all last year during preseason and then in the

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<v Speaker 1>first game and then obviously, but but he broke his

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<v Speaker 1>ankle in that first game, So, um, I think he's

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<v Speaker 1>comfortable and playing both sides. He may be a little

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<v Speaker 1>bit more comfortable playing left. That's a you know, a

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<v Speaker 1>conversation you can have with him. But I think he's

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<v Speaker 1>comfortable playing both sides an offensive right Tobin's played some

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<v Speaker 1>tackle that all those guys have Tobin as versatility they

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<v Speaker 1>you don't, I don't like. I mean, we like guys

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<v Speaker 1>like that, but you have to have that if you're

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<v Speaker 1>not a starter. Wh when you we dress seven guys

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<v Speaker 1>on game day, someone has to be a center guard,

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<v Speaker 1>someone has to be a guard tackle because that's all

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<v Speaker 1>you're dressing. So if you're not in the top five,

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<v Speaker 1>you need to have versatility in terms of your ability

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<v Speaker 1>to play. If you are only a one position guy

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<v Speaker 1>and you're not the starter, it's difficult to make that

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<v Speaker 1>game day roster just because we're going to take the

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<v Speaker 1>guy who's more versatility over you because you don't know

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<v Speaker 1>what you're what's going to go down on game day.

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<v Speaker 1>So everyone's yeah, he should being so important for an

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<v Speaker 1>offensive line. At what point was lately that side who

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<v Speaker 1>those starters are going to be right the lift ard

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<v Speaker 1>in order to build decomps, you should go in any year.

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<v Speaker 1>We'll see how it plays itself out. But I don't

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<v Speaker 1>I think our system lends itself to that. That's pretty

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<v Speaker 1>cohesive group to begin with. So um, sometimes during training camp,

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<v Speaker 1>you'd like to kind of narrow that down. What do

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<v Speaker 1>you think about the carriers comments that maybe last week

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<v Speaker 1>on to read I didn't really pay attention to the

0:06:40.880 --> 0:06:42.920
<v Speaker 1>carrier's comments last week. I heard he made somebody I

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<v Speaker 1>didn't listen to him or read him. So basically was

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<v Speaker 1>saying that you you know, you thought the team was

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<v Speaker 1>burned out at a kind of revisiting the comments he

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<v Speaker 1>made last year. Yeah, I mean I talked to the

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<v Speaker 1>rest of the players on our team. Malcolm Jenkins said

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<v Speaker 1>he felt the best in his entire career after playing

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<v Speaker 1>the most SAPs. So um, that's a minority opinion. There's

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<v Speaker 1>the major already of our players, you know would tell

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<v Speaker 1>you that they felt great at the end of the season.

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<v Speaker 1>There's even one player things that well. Yeah, but I

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<v Speaker 1>also know that you have to make your decisions based

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<v Speaker 1>on the whole group, not just one player, because if

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<v Speaker 1>I did it on one player, then the other guys

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<v Speaker 1>would feel bad. So you guys change it all after

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<v Speaker 1>you need of those comments that now practice changes because

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<v Speaker 1>hein situated that kind of the practices, you backed off

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<v Speaker 1>a little bit. Now we do the same thing every

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<v Speaker 1>year in terms of what we do from volume. It's

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<v Speaker 1>all based on science. So if you feel that way,

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<v Speaker 1>then it was for that's what his perception of it.

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<v Speaker 1>More than that was the real I don't know, you

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<v Speaker 1>have to ask him. Only here would feel comfortable telling

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<v Speaker 1>you if they felt we talked every day. I mean

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<v Speaker 1>they fill out a questionnaire every day, so I mean

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<v Speaker 1>it's something that we do on a daily basis. So

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<v Speaker 1>is there a timeline for Bradford even or is that

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<v Speaker 1>a training camp issue? Is there a timeline? Now we

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<v Speaker 1>haven't said any timelines. Do this again that I didn't

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<v Speaker 1>do it anyway, He's on the same type of schedule

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<v Speaker 1>kind of make the seven Yeah, no, no, eleven on

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<v Speaker 1>eleven th camp. Is there any difficult for the mini

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<v Speaker 1>camp here in terms of training on the field. No,

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<v Speaker 1>we just have afternoon sessions. We have a walkthrough in

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<v Speaker 1>meetings in the afternoon. Yeah. The difference, the only difference

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<v Speaker 1>is in the first part of OSPs. You have four hours.

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<v Speaker 1>During ot as you have six hours, and during minicamp

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<v Speaker 1>you have eight hours. But your time on the field

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<v Speaker 1>doesn't change. So are you interested in at vetter in

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<v Speaker 1>death at least someone on the offensive money, We're very

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<v Speaker 1>comfortable in the ninety guys we have here right now. Question,

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<v Speaker 1>you've talked about the need to reduce the X plays defensively,

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<v Speaker 1>what were the problems that left to those lessons? If

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<v Speaker 1>there's a million, I mean, sometimes it's just individual coverage.

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<v Speaker 1>Sometimes it's a past rush not getting home. Sometimes it's

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<v Speaker 1>a miscommunication. There's there's not There wasn't one specific thing

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<v Speaker 1>that you can say, it's this. If we correct that,

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<v Speaker 1>we'll be better at it. So do you think do

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<v Speaker 1>you think Bradford will be ready for eleven on eleven

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<v Speaker 1>and training can God? We hope. So