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Speaker 1: What's up, everybody.

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Speaker 2: Welcome back to the Atlanta Falcons podcast now work Filmer Value.

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Speaker 1: Here Corey high Lady.

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Speaker 2: We are here at the twenty twenty six of NFL Combine,

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Speaker 2: one of my favorite events on Here Tory and we

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Speaker 2: got the chance to sit down with new Falcons general

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Speaker 2: manager Ian Cunningham and new head coach Kevin Stefanski. You're

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Speaker 2: gonna hear from both of them on today's show.

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Speaker 1: Yeat.

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Speaker 2: Ian Cunningham up first and against our conversation with Keviny

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Speaker 2: so a lot of great insight into their vision for

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Speaker 2: the team.

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Speaker 1: Let's get on into it.

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Speaker 2: We are sitting down with new Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham,

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Speaker 2: Will mcfad Andry mclaney.

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Speaker 1: Here.

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Speaker 3: Ian, welcome, thank you, great to see you.

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Speaker 2: So you've had kind of a couple of weeks now

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Speaker 2: a month to kind of dig in and evaluate your

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Speaker 2: new team. And I'm really curious, just like, where do

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Speaker 2: you start in a process like that, when you're getting

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Speaker 2: to know a new roster, a new organization.

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Speaker 1: Where do you kind of begin? Yeah, it's it's tough.

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Speaker 3: I'd say the one thing that I'm I'm grateful for

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Speaker 3: is to have that time in Chicago coming in really

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Speaker 3: day two of Ryan's tenure there, so I got a

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Speaker 3: chance to see what it was like and be a

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Speaker 3: part of that build. And so being able to come

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Speaker 3: here it allowed me to know, like, what's important now. Right,

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Speaker 3: Obviously there's things that I and we want to get

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Speaker 3: to down the road, but really wanted to hit on

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Speaker 3: one getting to know as many people as possible, obviously

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Speaker 3: the direct reports, but also getting things up and running

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Speaker 3: with our scouting staff right. Had to get into the

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Speaker 3: free agent meetings really quick, so we had to do

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Speaker 3: an accelerated version of free agent meetings. Really impressed with

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Speaker 3: our pro staff and they took the bull by the

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Speaker 3: horn and really has helped me while I had to

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Speaker 3: then transition into draft meetings right and making sure our

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Speaker 3: it crew and our analytics crew were kind of upspeed

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Speaker 3: with some of the things that I was looking for

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Speaker 3: that I was hoping that we were going to be

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Speaker 3: able to get. So you're trying to juggle a lot

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Speaker 3: of different things all at once, but knew what was

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Speaker 3: really important was getting into those draft meetings, and we

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Speaker 3: just got done with those last Wednesday and spent ten

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Speaker 3: days in the war room. Didn't really see the sun

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Speaker 3: much but it was fun. We had some great conversations.

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Speaker 3: So again, it's just trying to get to know as

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Speaker 3: many people set the processes up and hit the ground running,

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Speaker 3: and hit.

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Speaker 4: The groundruning y'all did do because the news of the day,

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Speaker 4: as he told nine to nine in the game earlier today,

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Speaker 4: expected to place the franchise tag on Kyle Pitts, expected

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Speaker 4: to release Kirk Cousins at the start of the new league. Here,

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Speaker 4: I kind of want to ask you about those two

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Speaker 4: decisions and how you paint to that. I'll start with

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Speaker 4: Kyle Pitts and the decision to ultimately place that franchise

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Speaker 4: tag and what that mechanism essentially allows y'all to do

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Speaker 4: as a front office.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, it allows us a little bit more time to evaluate, right,

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Speaker 3: Like I feel like when you get in these roles

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Speaker 3: right towards the end of January, you know, free agency

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Speaker 3: comes on you, you know, within you know, six weeks, right,

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Speaker 3: So there's not a lot of time, and then you've

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Speaker 3: got to kind of get to know the capsitchuation, those

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Speaker 3: sorts of things. So we use the mechanism that was

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Speaker 3: in place with the franchise tag to really just to

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Speaker 3: be able to maximize our time because we didn't want

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Speaker 3: to lose a player like Kyle's caliber to free agency.

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Speaker 3: And then with the Kirk with Kirk Cousins, just you know,

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Speaker 3: felt that was the best thing to do for him

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Speaker 3: and for our organization. I feel like we owe it

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Speaker 3: to him. Iow it to him to allow him the

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Speaker 3: clarity and understanding to know, like, hey, we are going

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Speaker 3: to move on, but give him plenty of time to

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Speaker 3: really get his ducks in order for his future in

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Speaker 3: his career and allow us the same same luxury.

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Speaker 4: And I think the big thing with Kirk and his

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Speaker 4: contract and everything is that I imagine y'all.

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Speaker 3: Are going to do a post junie correct?

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Speaker 1: Correct?

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Speaker 4: Can you kind of explain to everybody what that ultimately

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Speaker 4: means towards the cap and kind of what y'all need

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Speaker 4: to do in the mild.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, in the meantime, it really doesn't help us with

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Speaker 3: the finances this this offseason. It's really going to help

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Speaker 3: us with the finances moving forward, right, That's just the

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Speaker 3: the hand that we were dealt. I felt like that

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Speaker 3: was the best decision for us, and you know, made

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Speaker 3: sure that Matt and obviously Kevin were on board, and yeah,

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Speaker 3: we're gonna make that decision come I want to say,

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Speaker 3: March eleven.

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Speaker 2: And you know, I know during kind of Michael Pennix's

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Speaker 2: draft class, you guys were very focused on yeah, yeah, yeah,

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Speaker 2: So you know, I'm not going to ask him so

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Speaker 2: much about the strengths weakness his scouting profile events. Again,

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Speaker 2: you guys were locked in. But how important then, is

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Speaker 2: it to make a young quarterback feel comfortable, feel like

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Speaker 2: they have ownership of the organization, the offense, everything like that.

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Speaker 2: And how much are you guys trying to build that

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Speaker 2: up with Mike?

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Speaker 1: Oh?

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Speaker 3: Definitely, Well, we're we're that's first and foremost. That's top

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Speaker 3: of mine. I'm I'm glad that I had that luxury

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Speaker 3: to see that with Justin Fields. You know, that was

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Speaker 3: our intention when we first got to Chicago was to

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Speaker 3: try to give him as many resources as we possibly

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Speaker 3: could under the constraints of some of the cap that

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Speaker 3: we were dealt. And we tried to make some moves there,

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Speaker 3: and we're going to do the same thing here to

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Speaker 3: try to give him as many weapons as we can,

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Speaker 3: make sure that he has the protection that he needs

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Speaker 3: and also give him a really good defense so that

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Speaker 3: he doesn't have to be on the field much.

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Speaker 4: I want to ask a little bit just about you know,

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Speaker 4: we're here at the at the combine and the Falcons

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Speaker 4: don't have a first round draft pick, but have five

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Speaker 4: draft picks.

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Speaker 1: Overall.

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Speaker 4: It's not a lot in the grand scheme of things,

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Speaker 4: but something that you said in your introductory press conference.

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Speaker 1: Is like loving draft picks.

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Speaker 4: And I believe even in your first year with the Bears.

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Speaker 3: Y'all didn't have a first round correct, correct, but ended

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Speaker 3: up having well, we ended up eleven. Yeah, I said ten,

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Speaker 3: but we ended I think we ended up with eleven. Yeah.

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Speaker 4: So my question in that is is like, how do

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Speaker 4: you go into this this time period kind of using

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Speaker 4: your past experience not having a first round draft pick

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Speaker 4: that first year with the Bears. How does that kind

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Speaker 4: of guide you where.

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Speaker 1: You are right now with Falcons.

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Speaker 3: Yeah. One, it gives me a comfort level of knowing

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Speaker 3: that is possible.

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Speaker 1: Right.

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Speaker 3: Uh, we're finding ways. I've tried to give some people

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Speaker 3: in house to come up with some strategies again trying

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Speaker 3: to use as many resources as we humanly possible to

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Speaker 3: allow ourselves the understanding of how we can manufacture some

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Speaker 3: more picks. And it's funny enough thinking about it. You know,

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Speaker 3: when we were here, you know, a few years ago

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Speaker 3: with with Chicago, we made the decision to tray Khalil

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Speaker 3: Mack and that was here, and that was that allowed

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Speaker 3: us another second round pick there. So again, this is

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Speaker 3: probably when some of those conversations are going to be had.

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Speaker 3: I'm not saying that a deal is going to be done, right,

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Speaker 3: but I think it allows us to get in front

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Speaker 3: of other gms and other decision makers to kind of

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Speaker 3: broach some of those topics.

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Speaker 2: It seems, you know, as though the Falcons have been

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Speaker 2: kind of like right there up against the ceiling the

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Speaker 2: last few years, trying to get over the humping it

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Speaker 2: back into the playoffs. Given the lack of that first

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Speaker 2: round pick at this current time, does that create any

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Speaker 2: more of a sense of urgency for free agency as

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Speaker 2: kind of the vehicle in the avenue to improve the

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Speaker 2: roster more in the short term or where's your mindset

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Speaker 2: on kind of that?

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Speaker 4: No?

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Speaker 1: I feel like, yeah, good question.

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Speaker 3: You have to be disciplined, right, You have to be

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Speaker 3: disciplined as much as you want to, as much as

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Speaker 3: you want to, you know, maybe dive back into free

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Speaker 3: agency a little bit more like I said in my

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Speaker 3: introductory press conference, he don't want to mortgage the future either. Right,

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Speaker 3: you can't just look at things in a vacuum. You've

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Speaker 3: got to have a mindset on the future. And I

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Speaker 3: know that we're going to have more money at our

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Speaker 3: disposal next year. That's important to me. And we'll have

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Speaker 3: more picks at our disposal next year as well, but

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Speaker 3: seeing if I can be a little bit greedy and

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Speaker 3: maybe be able to get more picks this year as well.

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Speaker 3: So again, we'll find ways if it happens, it happens,

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Speaker 3: but we'll be prepared either way.

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Speaker 1: Something I find.

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Speaker 4: Really fascinating You touch on this at the beginning, and

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Speaker 4: I kind of want to circle back to it, is

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Speaker 4: you know, the way that this all is happening is

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Speaker 4: happening very quickly.

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Speaker 1: You were hired on.

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Speaker 4: January twenty ninth.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, agree, then.

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Speaker 4: We are now three weeks right or right later maybe.

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Speaker 4: And I think it's really interesting too, because you're having

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Speaker 4: to marry the philosophies of what you feel in terms

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Speaker 4: of roster construction, but also with Kevin Stefanski, that offensive staff,

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Speaker 4: but also a defensive group that is being retained. So

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Speaker 4: when you look at the grand scheme.

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Speaker 1: Of what you're trying to do.

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Speaker 4: How do you marry different philosophies, different visions to kind

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Speaker 4: of make a cohesive singular.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, good question. With with our first day, or actually

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Speaker 3: it was our second day, because the coaches were off,

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Speaker 3: it was important for us to get Brick and get

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Speaker 3: Tommy in front of our scouts really to go through

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Speaker 3: the roster, go through their vision what they look for,

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Speaker 3: and players what they want, and players how they want

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Speaker 3: to play offensively and defensively. That way, all of our scouts,

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Speaker 3: all of our analytics staff, our pro scouts could hear

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Speaker 3: what the coach's vision was. Fortunately enough it aligns just

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Speaker 3: in terms of the style of play that you know

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Speaker 3: i'd like. That makes it so much easier. But again,

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Speaker 3: I think that was really important just to set the

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Speaker 3: groundwork there. So now when we go into those meetings,

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Speaker 3: into free agency, into draft meetings, we're making sure that

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Speaker 3: we're looking for players that fit what we want to

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Speaker 3: be about and what the coaches are looking for. And

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Speaker 3: then as constant communication as we go, like I mentioned,

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Speaker 3: you know, sending Brick or sending Tommy players that piqued

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Speaker 3: my interests or guys that I think may they may

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Speaker 3: like or guys, hey, I just want to confirm is

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Speaker 3: this a skill set that you mean when you say

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Speaker 3: this linebacker or this corner or this receiver. So again,

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Speaker 3: it's just constant communication and getting to know one another

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Speaker 3: and making sure that's collaborative.

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Speaker 1: Yeah.

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Speaker 4: To follow up on that, Brick was actually talking in

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Speaker 4: his press conference and he was I said, down with

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Speaker 4: him and studio, you're talking about this idea of multiplicity

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Speaker 4: and how even kind of as he has gone on

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Speaker 4: the last year, he was like, I feel like there

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Speaker 4: are different styles, different body types, different ways to play

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Speaker 4: that can actually be inserted into what we're doing and

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Speaker 4: not feeling as rigid maybe as what I once felt.

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Speaker 4: Is that something that.

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Speaker 3: Oh, no question, I think that's what makes him one

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Speaker 3: of the best in the league. He makes our job

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Speaker 3: a lot easier because it's just just go get me

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Speaker 3: these types of players, right that that play. You know,

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Speaker 3: Brick talks about heartmind, fist, right, So get him those

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Speaker 3: those caliber players, those players that play with that style. Uh,

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Speaker 3: and he's going to figure out a way to get

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Speaker 3: them on the field and utilize their strengths. Yeah.

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Speaker 2: Defensively, I mean what they were able to do was

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Speaker 2: pretty astounding last season. But when you flip back over

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Speaker 2: to the offense, you've got some young, exciting players to

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Speaker 2: work with him, John Robinson, Drake London, and we mentioned

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Speaker 2: Kyle Pitts. Like what excites you about kind of the

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Speaker 2: young talent on this roster.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, those those names that you just mentioned, but also

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Speaker 3: the chance to add a competition to the roster at

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Speaker 3: those positions as well. I think that's just that's our

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Speaker 3: job on the personnel staff is to to add competition.

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Speaker 3: But I think competition brings out the best in everybody.

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Speaker 3: And also if if you're competing, then you have a

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Speaker 3: good chance to win a job and hopefully help us

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Speaker 3: win games. So I'm looking forward to adding to the roster.

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Speaker 3: We're looking forward to adding to the roster, and that's

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Speaker 3: one of the reasons why we're here in Andy.

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Speaker 4: A big reason too, is kind of this becomes a

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Speaker 4: touch point of being able to connect with players sometimes

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Speaker 4: for the first time, you're you're seeing them, you're meeting them,

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Speaker 4: you're interacting with them. What do you look for And

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Speaker 4: I know it probably varies by you know, position, and

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Speaker 4: well you need from a certain guy, But when you

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Speaker 4: sit down in a room with someone who maybe even

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Speaker 4: in your past experience, he's someone who like steps out

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Speaker 4: in your mind.

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Speaker 1: And what are the attributes of them that make that sense?

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Speaker 3: Yeah, Tori doing it like seventeen eighteen years. I'd like,

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Speaker 3: there's so many names, right, but I'd just say this,

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Speaker 3: like when you the scouts do a lot of work

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Speaker 3: on the road getting background information. Then once we get

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Speaker 3: into the room, they present that information to us and

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Speaker 3: try to be as unbiased as human possible, just to

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Speaker 3: kind of give the facts. And and then you pick

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Speaker 3: up on some of the things that they say. And

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Speaker 3: then when you get a chance to sit down in

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Speaker 3: front of the player, you're going through your you know,

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Speaker 3: remembering what the scouts said in the room, remembering some

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Speaker 3: of your notes. I look at those in front of me,

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Speaker 3: and you want to see if it if it translates,

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Speaker 3: if if it's like yep, that makes sense, yep. I

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Speaker 3: see what they're saying with a person, how they present,

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Speaker 3: how they articulate their thoughts. Some of the guys when

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Speaker 3: you see like they're pretty quiet maybe when they're talking

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Speaker 3: about themselves, but then you see them light up when

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Speaker 3: the coach puts on the film or when they start

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Speaker 3: talking ball. You see guys kind of get to the

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Speaker 3: edge of their chair. You read body language. You know,

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Speaker 3: those are the things that I like to just see

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Speaker 3: and try to pick up on. Again, it's just another way,

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Speaker 3: it's another touch point, just to kind of confirm what

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Speaker 3: you're seeing and what you're hearing. And fortunately enough, we

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Speaker 3: have more of those along the way. We have pro days,

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Speaker 3: we have thirty visits, we have potentially private workouts. So again,

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Speaker 3: you're just trying to make an educated guess when it's

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Speaker 3: all said and done.

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Speaker 2: I know it's probably been a while since you were

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Speaker 2: digging into the film day in and day out in

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Speaker 2: the scouting sense, but did you have a favorite position

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Speaker 2: that you really liked scouting during this time of year.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, most people would think offensive line. I

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Speaker 3: feel like that's where I kind of hit guys a

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Speaker 3: little bit too hard, especially early in your career. You

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Speaker 3: grow and you evolve. I think as time goes on.

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Speaker 3: I really like running backs, I really like tight ends.

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Speaker 3: I really like linebackers. I think sometimes just being an

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Speaker 3: offensive lineman obviously looking the defensive line is a good

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Speaker 3: one too, just because those are the guys that you

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Speaker 3: win against. But you kind of grade those guys a

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Speaker 3: little bit hard too for some reason. But yeah, I'd

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Speaker 3: say those are the three positions that I really enjoy evaluating.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, and how important quickly is it to kind of

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Speaker 2: be aware of your own biases as a scout and knowing, hey,

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Speaker 2: I like this or I don't like this, but that

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Speaker 2: may not factor into it at all.

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Speaker 3: Oh, I mean it's super important, right, And you're you're

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Speaker 3: constantly at war with your own biases. You're constantly at

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Speaker 3: war with your own philosophies and draft meetings, I remember,

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Speaker 3: you know, there was a player that I wasn't as

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Speaker 3: high on as a lot of our scouts, right, and

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Speaker 3: me showing get me, just telling them, being honest with them,

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Speaker 3: like I need you guys to help me on this

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Speaker 3: one because I don't see it and provide the facts

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Speaker 3: to back it up. And I'm going to counter that too,

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Speaker 3: and we're going to poke holes. But those are that's

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Speaker 3: what makes the draft room a special place. And I've

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Speaker 3: got to be able to show my vulnerability if I

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Speaker 3: expect them to show theirs.

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Speaker 1: Right.

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Speaker 3: So you're you're constantly at war with your own philosophies

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Speaker 3: and biases, and you try to find other ways to

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Speaker 3: help make sure that you're making the best decision for

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Speaker 3: the organization moving forward.

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Speaker 2: Awesome, Well, we hope there are a lot of great

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Speaker 2: decisions made this week. Yes, Ian, thank you so much

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Speaker 2: for taking the time to sit down with us, and

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Speaker 2: thank you guys, I appreciate it. We are joined now

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Speaker 2: by the Falcons new head coach Kevin Stefanski. Kevin, thank

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Speaker 2: you for taking the time at the combine.

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Speaker 1: And sit down.

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Speaker 5: Yeah, thanks for having me.

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Speaker 2: So you've had I think a little less than a

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Speaker 2: month about a month now in this role. You've gotten

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Speaker 2: to meet a lot of new people. You've gotten a

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Speaker 2: chance to look over the team that you are now

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Speaker 2: going to be taking over. What have you learned in

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Speaker 2: that time.

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Speaker 5: Well, learned a lot. And you know you're trying to

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Speaker 5: you're trying to do a bunch of different things in

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Speaker 5: those first thirty days, if you will, and you're trying

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Speaker 5: to hire a coaching staff. You're trying to obviously we

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Speaker 5: added I then about ten days after after I was

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Speaker 5: hired or whatever it was, and getting to know Ian,

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Speaker 5: getting him up to speed with our coaches and those

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Speaker 5: type of things. So trying to do a lot of

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Speaker 5: things at once, juggle a couple of things, if you will.

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Speaker 5: But and then also get to spend time with our

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Speaker 5: players and really get to spend time with to understand

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Speaker 5: the people. And that's what I've been trying to do,

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Speaker 5: some in person when the guys are in the building,

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Speaker 5: some over text, some over phone calls, and just get

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Speaker 5: to know our guys. And that's so important.

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Speaker 4: I asked Ian this question earlier today. I kind of

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Speaker 4: would love to get your opinion on it about marrying philosophies,

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Speaker 4: because you come in and you have some guys that

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Speaker 4: you bring in with be Tommy Reese for one, a

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Speaker 4: lot of the offensive staff guys retained, Jeff Ulbrick, a

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Speaker 4: lot of his guys, and then Ian Cunningham comes in

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Speaker 4: in Shawn Highland. And for your perspective, the early pieces

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Speaker 4: of marrying philosophies of all these different groups, what does

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Speaker 4: that look like and felt.

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Speaker 5: Like in the building, Yeah, very natural, it would be

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Speaker 5: probably how I describe it. Uh Ian is somebody that

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Speaker 5: I that I trust, that I respect. I think he's

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Speaker 5: got the right way about him. I think he's got

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Speaker 5: the right understanding of roster building. Uh So, just in

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Speaker 5: our conversations, which are many, you try to get a

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Speaker 5: feel for Hey, there's so there's no shortage of things

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Speaker 5: you can do. It's just okay, what are we going

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Speaker 5: to do? And I have spent a lot of time

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Speaker 5: with Matt and EEE and talking through all those things,

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Speaker 5: if you will. But really love how Ian thinks about

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Speaker 5: roster building and then when it comes to the coaches,

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Speaker 5: that that is an important piece of this, making sure

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Speaker 5: that your coaches and your personnel department have a great mesh.

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Speaker 5: And that only comes with communication. It only comes with

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Speaker 5: getting on the same page, which there's no magic wand

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Speaker 5: of that. It's just talking through everything. So one of

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Speaker 5: the things that Ian did early on when he was

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Speaker 5: hired was he had Tommy come in, and he had

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Speaker 5: Brick come in and speak to the coaches and talk

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Speaker 5: about what we're looking for, what are what our scheme

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Speaker 5: looks like, and the fit of players and the way

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Speaker 5: that we play, because not all thirty two play a

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Speaker 5: different style and believe in different things. And I thought,

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Speaker 5: I thought Ian did a really nice job of setting

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Speaker 5: it up where the scouts could hear from our coaches

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Speaker 5: and hear from what's important to them, and that dialogue

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Speaker 5: doesn't just happen once it happens throughout, But I think

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Speaker 5: that's an example of Ian doing doing a great job.

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Speaker 2: You kind of talk about that fit in the way

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Speaker 2: the players match. How did you feel that this roster,

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Speaker 2: obviously from the outside, maybe before you took his job,

397
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Speaker 2: looking at somebody like Jean Robinson and Chris Linstrom and

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Speaker 2: just the different options on offense and then defensively the

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Speaker 2: work being put in, saying with Jeff, like, how do

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Speaker 2: you view this roster being able to slide into some

401
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Speaker 2: of that?

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Speaker 5: Yeah, very excited about the roster in total. Like anything,

403
00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:05,439
Speaker 5: all thirty two teams are looking at the roster and saying, Hey,

404
00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:07,359
Speaker 5: we're gonna add here, We're gonna we're gonna try to

405
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Speaker 5: do this here. So there's always gonna be in any

406
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Speaker 5: given roster cycle, there's always gonna be a movement that's

407
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Speaker 5: gonna happen. But having said that, the core guys that

408
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Speaker 5: are here and what they believe in and how we

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Speaker 5: can try to maximize their talents, that's part of what

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Speaker 5: I feel so strongly about with this group. And obviously

411
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Speaker 5: having talented players is a great, great thing, but also

412
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Speaker 5: having the right mix of people, having the right people

413
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Speaker 5: in that locker room, you know something that I think,

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Speaker 5: and we've talked about this tour, is like culture. Get

415
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Speaker 5: that word culture gets thrown out around a lot. To me,

416
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Speaker 5: culture is just having the right people. And when when

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Speaker 5: you all of a sudden have the right people in

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Speaker 5: the locker room, you got the right people among the

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Speaker 5: coaches and you tap into it where you can push

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Speaker 5: each other from from a place of respect, then you

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Speaker 5: got a chance.

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Speaker 4: I have been wanting to ask you this since you

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Speaker 4: said it.

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Speaker 1: About an hour ago.

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Speaker 4: You were asked about in our local scrum with our

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Speaker 4: local media about you know, interviews over your career at

427
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Speaker 4: the Combine that have stuck out to you, and you said, well,

428
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Speaker 4: Matt Ryan aised his Now Matt Ryan is in the

429
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Speaker 4: room with doing these interviews alongside you and Ian. Can

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Speaker 4: you kind of take it into that room and how

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Speaker 4: Matt is on.

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Speaker 1: The other side of the chair.

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Speaker 5: Well, Matt's done a great job. But the funny part was,

434
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Speaker 5: as our defense was up yesterday and our linebackers talking

435
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Speaker 5: through some coverage on the board with the players, and

436
00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:24,080
Speaker 5: Matt was doing kind of what I was doing. As

437
00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:25,920
Speaker 5: they were talking about the coverage, we were thinking about

438
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Speaker 5: ways to attack the coverage. So Matt scribbling some plays

439
00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:31,479
Speaker 5: over there and very similar to me. So you are listening,

440
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Speaker 5: You're paying attention, but you know, you can't turn off

441
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Speaker 5: the x's and o's brains. It's just impossible.

442
00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:39,679
Speaker 2: Somebody in the building who I think also has an

443
00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:42,560
Speaker 2: amazing X and o's brain, who you got the opportunity

444
00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,160
Speaker 2: to play against for a few years in Cleveland when

445
00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:48,040
Speaker 2: he was in Cincinnati's Jesse Bates. Is he one of

446
00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:50,080
Speaker 2: the players you've you've kind of been in contact with.

447
00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:52,240
Speaker 2: How excited are you to now be able to work

448
00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:53,080
Speaker 2: with Jesse Bates.

449
00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:56,399
Speaker 5: Yeah, I've talked to Jesse. A really impressive person. Like

450
00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:58,480
Speaker 5: what you said, we competed against each other for a

451
00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:01,359
Speaker 5: bunch of years there. He also played in college for

452
00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:04,760
Speaker 5: Mike Elcho and Mike Elco believed or not coached me

453
00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,040
Speaker 5: when I when I was a freshman. Yeah, at Penn

454
00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,879
Speaker 5: Mike was a safety's coach before he left and went

455
00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:13,680
Speaker 5: on to his coaching career. Uh. And so we made

456
00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:15,960
Speaker 5: that connection, Jesse and I did. But uh, yeah, I

457
00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:18,840
Speaker 5: think the world of of Jesse, both the player and

458
00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:21,439
Speaker 5: the person. I mean as a player. Look, you know,

459
00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:23,639
Speaker 5: look at what he's done here as a Falcon. But

460
00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:25,480
Speaker 5: over the course of his career, he's just been a

461
00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:28,280
Speaker 5: guy that constantly is around the ball making plays. But

462
00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:30,320
Speaker 5: then the person that he is in that locker room,

463
00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:32,800
Speaker 5: like we were just talking about, just you know, just

464
00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:35,440
Speaker 5: as the right there has the right way about him

465
00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:37,720
Speaker 5: to push his teammates holistically.

466
00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:40,240
Speaker 4: When we were talking to Ian Cunning him about his

467
00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:43,600
Speaker 4: draft strategy, and not even just draft strategy, but roster

468
00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:47,240
Speaker 4: building strategy, he was talking about valuing the trenches, starting

469
00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:50,000
Speaker 4: at the line of scrimmage where you are closest the

470
00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,840
Speaker 4: ball and those those big guys up front. From your

471
00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:55,919
Speaker 4: perspective in these meetings that you're having, you know, every

472
00:20:55,960 --> 00:21:00,000
Speaker 4: single day with him, how does that kind of core philosophy.

473
00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:04,280
Speaker 5: Of show up well former offensive lineman, So yeah, I

474
00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:07,399
Speaker 5: mean all of us believe in that. We believe in

475
00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:11,480
Speaker 5: building through the trenches. Listen, Can you do it every

476
00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:13,680
Speaker 5: Does that mean you're all five draft picks are gonna

477
00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:18,760
Speaker 5: be offensive defensive lineman? Probably not, But I think at

478
00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:21,280
Speaker 5: our core and you know a lot of teams believe

479
00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:23,320
Speaker 5: in this. But you want to be strong along the lines.

480
00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:26,240
Speaker 5: You certainly watch the Super Bowl and you watch the

481
00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:28,520
Speaker 5: games that are being played in January and February. You

482
00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:29,720
Speaker 5: better be strong along the lines.

483
00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:32,639
Speaker 2: That's what is Bill Callahan going to be bringing to

484
00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,480
Speaker 2: this group. Obviously as immense respect from a lot of

485
00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:38,400
Speaker 2: people around the league, Falcons fans, what do they need

486
00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:39,119
Speaker 2: to know about him?

487
00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:41,280
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think he's the best in the business. You know,

488
00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,160
Speaker 5: I'm biased, but just if you watch what he's done

489
00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:47,280
Speaker 5: over the course of his career, I think the world

490
00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:51,160
Speaker 5: of Bill. I think one of his superpowers his player development.

491
00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,520
Speaker 5: And I've seen him take players and turn them into

492
00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:57,280
Speaker 5: all pros and along with the player and having buy

493
00:21:57,280 --> 00:21:59,480
Speaker 5: in from the player is obviously huge when it comes

494
00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:03,840
Speaker 5: to that. But Hill has already had an immediate impact

495
00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:08,480
Speaker 5: on our coaching staff just wealth of knowledge and just

496
00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:10,480
Speaker 5: the experience that he has that he can draw upon

497
00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:12,760
Speaker 5: when it comes to putting a run game plan together,

498
00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:16,439
Speaker 5: putting a protection plan together, and then ultimately getting the

499
00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:17,359
Speaker 5: most out of your players.

500
00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:21,040
Speaker 2: When you talk about wealth of knowledge within the coaching staff,

501
00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:23,399
Speaker 2: is that something you encourage kind of coaches to connect

502
00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:26,399
Speaker 2: with other coaches And do you connect somebody Because I

503
00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:28,639
Speaker 2: just imagine Jeff Ulbrick and Bill Calli and kind of

504
00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:31,560
Speaker 2: getting in a room together with the stories they could probably.

505
00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:33,520
Speaker 5: Share and it becomes who holds the chalk glass? Yeah,

506
00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:34,960
Speaker 5: you know, because I could do this, well, we could

507
00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:37,400
Speaker 5: do this, you know. So that's a fun part from

508
00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:40,520
Speaker 5: a just sitting there and listening to our coaches coach

509
00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:43,080
Speaker 5: one of them. You know. I love being on the

510
00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:45,840
Speaker 5: grass and watching our guys coach individual I also love

511
00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:47,760
Speaker 5: being up in the meeting rooms and hearing our guys

512
00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:50,679
Speaker 5: get on the board and talk through, you know, different

513
00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:53,679
Speaker 5: solutions to problems and when you can have that cross

514
00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:57,160
Speaker 5: pollination if you will, from an offensive defense, and really

515
00:22:57,359 --> 00:22:59,639
Speaker 5: that's how you grow as a coach. I really believe

516
00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:03,240
Speaker 5: all of us better be growing, you know, every single

517
00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:06,119
Speaker 5: year we're doing this. Coach Callahan, as you know, I

518
00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:07,800
Speaker 5: don't know what number year this is in the NFL,

519
00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:10,440
Speaker 5: but he has a growth mindset. He wants to get better,

520
00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:12,879
Speaker 5: so he's going to make sure that he pushes himself

521
00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:15,959
Speaker 5: and talks to guys like Brick and coaches along our

522
00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:17,400
Speaker 5: staff that can help him get better.

523
00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:19,439
Speaker 4: I want to go back to something you said at

524
00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:22,960
Speaker 4: the top about Tommy and Brick going in and having

525
00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:25,520
Speaker 4: kind of these meetings with the scouting department to be like, hey,

526
00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:27,879
Speaker 4: here's what we want, here's what we need. Can you

527
00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:30,119
Speaker 4: kind of give us a little insight onto what some

528
00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:32,800
Speaker 4: of the buckets of things that they were really valuing

529
00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:34,760
Speaker 4: in those conversations.

530
00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:37,000
Speaker 5: Yeah, you know, first thing I would tell you is like,

531
00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:38,920
Speaker 5: if there wasn't a time limit, they'd still be going,

532
00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:41,840
Speaker 5: you know, because you can talk about this forever and

533
00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,959
Speaker 5: and talk about well, I think the big picture that

534
00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,000
Speaker 5: we were trying to get across to to our scouts

535
00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,679
Speaker 5: and through our player to our personal department is what

536
00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:53,800
Speaker 5: are we looking for and what is a fit for us?

537
00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:56,959
Speaker 5: Because it's not a fit for everybody, And here are

538
00:23:56,960 --> 00:23:59,280
Speaker 5: the traits that we really value. Now, what you don't

539
00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:00,639
Speaker 5: want to do is discred I have a player and

540
00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:02,800
Speaker 5: say okay, here's the guy we need, and you describe

541
00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:05,320
Speaker 5: the number one overall pick you also have to have. So,

542
00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:07,199
Speaker 5: so what the coaches did a nice job of they

543
00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:09,200
Speaker 5: showed some examples of guys that were fifth round picks,

544
00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:11,720
Speaker 5: seventh round picks that that there was a trait there

545
00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:14,000
Speaker 5: that that would fit what we do. So not being

546
00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:18,280
Speaker 5: so you know, so unrealistic if you will, I thought

547
00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:19,960
Speaker 5: the coaches did a nice job of painting a picture

548
00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,840
Speaker 5: of players that have been acquired not just in the

549
00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:26,400
Speaker 5: first round, but later on or through free agency, that

550
00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:30,919
Speaker 5: you've seen their usage really is dependent on the player,

551
00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,600
Speaker 5: dependent on their skill, because what we're trying to find

552
00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:36,479
Speaker 5: is a dominant trait in our players just and if

553
00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:38,199
Speaker 5: you got one dominant trait, we'll find a way to

554
00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:38,760
Speaker 5: exploit it.

555
00:24:39,080 --> 00:24:41,560
Speaker 4: Well, it's interesting that you say that, because that was

556
00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:44,960
Speaker 4: something that touched a brick about during massage down with him.

557
00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:47,320
Speaker 4: Is kind of this idea of multiplicity and how even

558
00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:50,280
Speaker 4: within the defense last year and kind of the carryover

559
00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:52,280
Speaker 4: that he had this year, that he feels that he

560
00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:56,639
Speaker 4: doesn't have to have like a rigid like body type

561
00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,320
Speaker 4: in mind or a rigid thought in mind about what

562
00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:02,439
Speaker 4: like one position has to be. Is that kind of

563
00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:06,480
Speaker 4: like a changing philosophy of defenses across the league or

564
00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:08,600
Speaker 4: do you think that's kind of like a byproduct of

565
00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:09,120
Speaker 4: maybe what.

566
00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:09,800
Speaker 1: He has here.

567
00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,320
Speaker 5: It's a good question. I think over the years, you'll

568
00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,840
Speaker 5: find some coaches and scouts that have black and white

569
00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:17,439
Speaker 5: this is what I need. I need this player to

570
00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:23,040
Speaker 5: be this height plus, this arm length plus, which is fine,

571
00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:25,760
Speaker 5: but again, you don't want to be eliminating half the

572
00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:28,880
Speaker 5: draft of class. And I've seen plenty of exceptions as well.

573
00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:30,520
Speaker 5: Now there's the other cybe where you say, well, you

574
00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:32,600
Speaker 5: don't want a whole team of exceptions, and you've heard that.

575
00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:35,520
Speaker 5: But I think we want to be versatile on what

576
00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:37,760
Speaker 5: we do defensively. We want to have the ability to

577
00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:40,639
Speaker 5: jump into different looks if you will, play different coverages

578
00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:43,560
Speaker 5: if you will. So we're always looking for versatility and

579
00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:45,040
Speaker 5: that's our job. And I think Brick did a great

580
00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:49,320
Speaker 5: job last season of finding the talents of our players

581
00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:52,320
Speaker 5: and playing to their talents and not asking them to

582
00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:56,040
Speaker 5: do something maybe that doesn't highlight their ability.

583
00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:58,960
Speaker 2: When you then look at a player like Kyle Pitts,

584
00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:01,600
Speaker 2: who we heard today the expectation is to get the

585
00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:05,480
Speaker 2: franchise tag having for this year, What are kind of

586
00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:07,880
Speaker 2: the talents that he'll bring to your offense. You've got

587
00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:10,040
Speaker 2: a long history of getting production out of the tight

588
00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:12,800
Speaker 2: end position. What maybe makes him different and similar to

589
00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:13,960
Speaker 2: some of the players you well.

590
00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,399
Speaker 5: For physically very very gifted, and that's why you know

591
00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:18,640
Speaker 5: when you get drafted where he did in the first round,

592
00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:21,880
Speaker 5: it's obvious he's so physically gifted and the things you've

593
00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:23,520
Speaker 5: seen it on tape, it's not something that you have

594
00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:26,520
Speaker 5: to project. You've seen the plays of Kyle has made

595
00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,720
Speaker 5: in the course of his career with the ball in

596
00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:32,280
Speaker 5: his hands. I mean there's a versatility to how Kyle

597
00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:35,840
Speaker 5: plays and there's a matchup problem to Kyle, And obviously

598
00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:39,919
Speaker 5: that's we think very highly of him as coaches. You

599
00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:43,400
Speaker 5: watch the tape and there's things that are easily transferable

600
00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:45,720
Speaker 5: to our system. There's also a couple things that maybe

601
00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:47,280
Speaker 5: will ask them to do that he hasn't done before.

602
00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:49,680
Speaker 5: But this is a really, really talented player.

603
00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:52,240
Speaker 2: You mentioned kind of a matchup problem that you can create,

604
00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:55,359
Speaker 2: I imagine so defensively. You talked about the multiplicity, right

605
00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:58,560
Speaker 2: and the versatility offensively, are you looking for those guys

606
00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:02,200
Speaker 2: that can almost SIMPLI five things for the quarterback maybe

607
00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:04,080
Speaker 2: by saying, hey, look they're doing it to this guy

608
00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,399
Speaker 2: because we know he is a matchup problem, so use

609
00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:08,719
Speaker 2: him as an identifier of sorts like is that.

610
00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:11,600
Speaker 5: I think that that position and maybe maybe it's it's

611
00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:13,919
Speaker 5: both tight end and wide receivers. I think when you

612
00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:17,200
Speaker 5: have a guy that is is the defense is very

613
00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:20,480
Speaker 5: well aware of it will bring attention to them, and

614
00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:22,360
Speaker 5: you know it could be an X wide receiver where

615
00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:24,280
Speaker 5: they're always going to cloud the boundary because he's over there. Well,

616
00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:26,840
Speaker 5: that opens up opportunities for the tight end. For the

617
00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:29,280
Speaker 5: receivers on the other side, opens up possibilities for the

618
00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:32,400
Speaker 5: running back coming out of the backfield. So when defenses

619
00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:36,159
Speaker 5: pay special attention to one player, it opens up an

620
00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:38,200
Speaker 5: area for another player. It opens up grass, it opens

621
00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:41,200
Speaker 5: up space for another player. So certainly you've seen Kyle

622
00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:43,880
Speaker 5: in his career be able to line up all over

623
00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:48,439
Speaker 5: the formation, and that allows an offense the ability to

624
00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:49,879
Speaker 5: make the defense react to where he is.

625
00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:52,879
Speaker 4: How do you see cal kicks kind of landing in

626
00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:55,679
Speaker 4: the evolution of the tight end position since you started

627
00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:57,480
Speaker 4: coaching at back with Minnesota.

628
00:27:57,600 --> 00:27:58,600
Speaker 5: Yeah, even in.

629
00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:01,359
Speaker 4: That relatively short on a tom in the existence of

630
00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,159
Speaker 4: the game, it feels like the tight end position has

631
00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:05,600
Speaker 4: kind of grown exponentially.

632
00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:09,160
Speaker 5: Man, there's been some great ones over the years. There's

633
00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:12,719
Speaker 5: some really good young tight ends in the game nowadays.

634
00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:14,399
Speaker 5: And I think that the word I come back to

635
00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:17,800
Speaker 5: is versatility. You know, there's not many guys that can

636
00:28:17,840 --> 00:28:20,359
Speaker 5: block power with their hand in the dirt block of

637
00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:22,840
Speaker 5: six technique, Gronk being probably the last one that could

638
00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:25,120
Speaker 5: could do that. You know, teams just aren't asking tight

639
00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,359
Speaker 5: ends to do that nowadays, they're putting offensive linement out

640
00:28:27,359 --> 00:28:29,760
Speaker 5: there to do that. So I think what you're seeing

641
00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:31,919
Speaker 5: more of is the versatility of the players lined up

642
00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:34,000
Speaker 5: in the backfield, lined up in the wing, lined up

643
00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,680
Speaker 5: at it typically wide receiver types of positions, whether it's

644
00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:38,880
Speaker 5: outside of the numbers or in the slot, having the

645
00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:41,560
Speaker 5: versatility to affect the game in a bunch of different ways.

646
00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:44,400
Speaker 5: I mean, you've seen some guys that are handing the

647
00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:47,000
Speaker 5: ball to them, so I mean there's versatility to that position,

648
00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:49,719
Speaker 5: and I think Kyle's somebody that fits that as well.

649
00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:52,680
Speaker 2: We saw the versatility of Jean Robinson kind of on

650
00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:56,160
Speaker 2: full display this last year. How what is your kind

651
00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:59,280
Speaker 2: of thought process on him as a player, And then

652
00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:01,720
Speaker 2: we'll a question about a former running back of yours

653
00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:02,680
Speaker 2: here in a minute.

654
00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:05,280
Speaker 5: But yeah, Bijean, I mean he's just wired the right way.

655
00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:07,760
Speaker 5: I mean, every when I first got the job, everybody's like,

656
00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:09,640
Speaker 5: you're not gonna believe this guy when you finally sit

657
00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:11,080
Speaker 5: down and talk to him, and they're right. I mean,

658
00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:13,920
Speaker 5: he's he's a special, special type of person. Not to

659
00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:18,000
Speaker 5: mention he's also a great football player, but yeah, the

660
00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:20,760
Speaker 5: the desire to utilize him in a bunch of different ways.

661
00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:23,240
Speaker 5: I mean, the coaches were up on the board drawing

662
00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:25,760
Speaker 5: up a lot of things. And the truth is, he's

663
00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,280
Speaker 5: a great player right now and they've done a great

664
00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:31,120
Speaker 5: job of utilizing him already in his young career. So

665
00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:33,720
Speaker 5: trying to just add a little bit more into his

666
00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:36,000
Speaker 5: plate potentially and ask him to do a couple of

667
00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:39,080
Speaker 5: different things potentially. But but he's a great player already.

668
00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:41,520
Speaker 5: It's it's our job just to try to maximize what

669
00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:42,120
Speaker 5: he has in there.

670
00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:44,280
Speaker 4: Well, I guess I'll go ahead and ask good question.

671
00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:46,479
Speaker 4: Will and I both went to the University of Toga.

672
00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:49,000
Speaker 4: We were both there when Nick Chubb was there, and

673
00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:52,040
Speaker 4: we were curious, what is your favorite Nick chubb'story?

674
00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:52,800
Speaker 1: Have you coached him?

675
00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:57,280
Speaker 5: Oh? Man, uh, you know, one of my favorites to coach,

676
00:29:57,320 --> 00:30:00,800
Speaker 5: And really there's not much, doesn't take much to coach Nick.

677
00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:03,720
Speaker 5: He's I've said this before. There's high maintenance players and

678
00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:06,160
Speaker 5: low maintenance players, and then there's no maintenance players. And

679
00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:09,520
Speaker 5: that was Nick Nick. Nick did everything you asked, didn't really,

680
00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:10,920
Speaker 5: you didn't have to ask me. He just did it.

681
00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:14,200
Speaker 5: And the way he went about his business every single

682
00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:16,960
Speaker 5: day in the meeting room, on the field. Some of

683
00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:18,720
Speaker 5: the things he did on the field, I still think

684
00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:21,160
Speaker 5: about some of the plays that he had and the

685
00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:24,440
Speaker 5: running through arm tackles and just bursting at his size

686
00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:26,840
Speaker 5: was incredible. But the thing that probably comes to mind

687
00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:29,280
Speaker 5: the most is, you know, has this devastating knee injury

688
00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:31,000
Speaker 5: where we're not sure if he's gonna play again. I mean,

689
00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:33,120
Speaker 5: that was what just didn't know if he's gonna play again.

690
00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:36,560
Speaker 5: Sure enough, he plays and he plays well. And I

691
00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:38,840
Speaker 5: can still remember looking out of my office there in

692
00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:41,200
Speaker 5: Cleveland out in the practice fields early in the morning,

693
00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:43,680
Speaker 5: and there's one player in the field and it's Nick

694
00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:45,840
Speaker 5: Chubb and he's just running by himself with his helmet on,

695
00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:49,880
Speaker 5: holding the ball, running sprints for no one to see,

696
00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:53,280
Speaker 5: you know, And just the way he went about his business.

697
00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:56,600
Speaker 5: He was a consummate pro, did everything that was ever

698
00:30:56,600 --> 00:30:58,200
Speaker 5: asking awesome.

699
00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:01,640
Speaker 2: Well, I think that's all we got for you today, Kevin.

700
00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:03,440
Speaker 2: Thank you so much for taking the time. I know

701
00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:05,760
Speaker 2: you're really busy. You got a lot of a lot

702
00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:08,920
Speaker 2: more drafting are used to get to both media players

703
00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:09,800
Speaker 2: all that good stuff.

704
00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:10,239
Speaker 1: So thank you.

705
00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:11,040
Speaker 5: I appreciate you guys.

706
00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:13,480
Speaker 1: Thanks, Well, there we go.

707
00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:16,240
Speaker 2: We heard from Ian Cunningham, we heard from Kevin Stefanski

708
00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:17,160
Speaker 2: and Tori.

709
00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:20,240
Speaker 1: What was there was a lot? There a lot. Yes,

710
00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:21,520
Speaker 1: you really stand.

711
00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:24,040
Speaker 4: Out to you so for me, as you heard, I

712
00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:27,360
Speaker 4: asked them both this question about marrying philosophies with so

713
00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:29,880
Speaker 4: many different people coming from so many different things, and

714
00:31:30,040 --> 00:31:32,920
Speaker 4: retention and new faces and so on and so forth.

715
00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:35,640
Speaker 4: And I thought that both of their responses kind of

716
00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:40,120
Speaker 4: being the same thing about leading in with these coordinator

717
00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:44,680
Speaker 4: conversations with the Scouting Department was very interesting considering how

718
00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:47,480
Speaker 4: quickly that they're having to make all of these decisions,

719
00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:50,120
Speaker 4: how quickly they're having to move because let's be honest,

720
00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:53,760
Speaker 4: like Ian Cunningham has only been here since the first

721
00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:56,920
Speaker 4: full week of February, so you have to, I think

722
00:31:56,920 --> 00:31:58,480
Speaker 4: someone said earlier, you have to kind of put this

723
00:31:58,520 --> 00:32:01,560
Speaker 4: thing on a microwave, and so how do you do that?

724
00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,120
Speaker 4: And I thought it was really great that you had

725
00:32:05,360 --> 00:32:08,200
Speaker 4: Ian Cunningham kind of welcoming in the coordinators to the

726
00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:11,720
Speaker 4: Scouting Department and being like, Hey, tell us what you need,

727
00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:14,440
Speaker 4: tell us what you want. And I thought that Kevin

728
00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:18,680
Speaker 4: Stefanski kind of talking about how Okay, not only did

729
00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:21,040
Speaker 4: they tell them and show them, but they gave them

730
00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:24,600
Speaker 4: multiple options and different looks and guys that they've seen

731
00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:26,920
Speaker 4: who are fifth round draft picks, who could do what

732
00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:29,640
Speaker 4: they needed at whatever it is that they're talking about,

733
00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:32,880
Speaker 4: Ed Rusher Corner, whatever the case may be. And I

734
00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:35,800
Speaker 4: thought that that was a very interesting way and a

735
00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:39,000
Speaker 4: little interesting kind of tidbit of information that we got

736
00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:41,640
Speaker 4: out of this these conversations.

737
00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:43,720
Speaker 1: Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I thought that was a

738
00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:45,720
Speaker 1: really interesting party. This time of year, there's so.

739
00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:48,840
Speaker 2: Many crucial decisions being made for the franchise that everybody

740
00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:49,880
Speaker 2: has to be unlocked up.

741
00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:51,160
Speaker 1: But I think that's.

742
00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:54,120
Speaker 2: Obviously trickier to accomplish when you're just kind of meeting

743
00:32:54,360 --> 00:32:56,760
Speaker 2: people right first time during that same process.

744
00:32:56,760 --> 00:32:57,840
Speaker 1: But I think it was really.

745
00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:00,240
Speaker 2: Smart to get the coordinators in the room with the

746
00:33:00,280 --> 00:33:03,120
Speaker 2: scouts here directly from them, a you're powering those coaches,

747
00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:06,480
Speaker 2: but who are also really trying to marry.

748
00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:08,040
Speaker 1: Those two parts of the building.

749
00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:09,960
Speaker 2: And that is essential this time of year. So I

750
00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:11,720
Speaker 2: thought that was great. I know that's been something on your.

751
00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:13,520
Speaker 1: Mind for yeah, for a little bit of time.

752
00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:15,719
Speaker 2: Yeah, here's I'm glad that you were able to get

753
00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:17,680
Speaker 2: some good answers to that question. Yeah, I kind of

754
00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:19,920
Speaker 2: thought it was interesting what he and hunting him said

755
00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:23,680
Speaker 2: about the draft and just yea, his love of picks, which, honestly,

756
00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:26,240
Speaker 2: if there's like one thing I know about him so far.

757
00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:28,960
Speaker 4: Is that he loves the draft picks, which.

758
00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:32,160
Speaker 2: Hey, they're like taking as many bites of the apple

759
00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:34,800
Speaker 2: as possible. I think it's a smart way to approach

760
00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:38,760
Speaker 2: the draft where there is inherently a projection that you're

761
00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:42,200
Speaker 2: having to make, and projections can kind of pan out all.

762
00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:42,600
Speaker 5: Over the picks.

763
00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:45,800
Speaker 2: How many times have we seen miss prospects miss How

764
00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:47,440
Speaker 2: many times have we seen guys who were.

765
00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:49,760
Speaker 1: Picking the sixth round go on to become all pros.

766
00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:53,040
Speaker 1: So I do think that taking a bigger approach.

767
00:33:53,480 --> 00:33:56,360
Speaker 2: With a kind of quantity anoint that makes a lot

768
00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:57,360
Speaker 2: of sense to the topics.

769
00:33:57,360 --> 00:34:00,160
Speaker 1: When they have five picks, I'm curious to see what

770
00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:03,560
Speaker 1: that means for just this person. Yeah, but I liked

771
00:34:03,560 --> 00:34:06,120
Speaker 1: hearing you say, hey, let's take as many Well.

772
00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:07,480
Speaker 4: I thought it was funny too, because he was like,

773
00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:09,279
Speaker 4: I'm not promising that we're gonna have, you know, more

774
00:34:09,320 --> 00:34:11,640
Speaker 4: than five picks. We very we, very well may only

775
00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:14,480
Speaker 4: have five picks come draft weekend. But then he added

776
00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:17,520
Speaker 4: the but I hope not like that was so funny.

777
00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:20,040
Speaker 4: And then Kevin Stefanski and his local scrum that he

778
00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:22,360
Speaker 4: did with media kind of talking about like he was

779
00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:24,960
Speaker 4: asked about finding diamonds in the rough with only five

780
00:34:25,040 --> 00:34:28,160
Speaker 4: draft picks and he's like, only five draft picks right now,

781
00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:31,000
Speaker 4: and so it's like, Okay, they have an intention set

782
00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:34,759
Speaker 4: for how they want to go about draft processes, draft philosophies,

783
00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:37,560
Speaker 4: and I think when you have conviction about something like that,

784
00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:38,440
Speaker 4: it matters.

785
00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:41,960
Speaker 2: We got the days started with a little bit of

786
00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,320
Speaker 2: news Kyle Pits expect to receive a franchise tag.

787
00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:48,359
Speaker 1: Now, what did we hear from in Cunningham and Kevin

788
00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:51,120
Speaker 1: Stefanski that stood out to you about just why Kyle

789
00:34:51,239 --> 00:34:52,319
Speaker 1: is kind of part of the point.

790
00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:55,560
Speaker 4: I think it's exactly what Ian Cunningham said about how

791
00:34:55,719 --> 00:34:58,560
Speaker 4: the franchise tag and kind of using it as you know,

792
00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:02,400
Speaker 4: a machination of being able to take your time a

793
00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:04,759
Speaker 4: little bit in your evaluation. Because again, he's been here

794
00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:07,439
Speaker 4: for three weeks, like he's been in this position, he's

795
00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:10,319
Speaker 4: been having conversations, conversations with scouts for only a few

796
00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:13,799
Speaker 4: weeks like it. The ability to be able to kind

797
00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:18,080
Speaker 4: of put a pause on Kyle Pits while you are

798
00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:20,960
Speaker 4: actively trying to figure out what you have in him,

799
00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:23,040
Speaker 4: how you can use him, what a future could look like.

800
00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:24,960
Speaker 4: You don't have to make that decision in the first

801
00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:27,319
Speaker 4: three weeks on the job. You can kind of buy

802
00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:30,480
Speaker 4: yourself a bit more time with Kyle Pitts without worrying

803
00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:33,560
Speaker 4: about him hitting the open market and kind of getting

804
00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:35,799
Speaker 4: away and getting too far out of reach from you.

805
00:35:36,160 --> 00:35:38,000
Speaker 1: Yeah, I thought, if the league is going to provide

806
00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:41,440
Speaker 1: you with this option, then Falcons have done it.

807
00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:44,520
Speaker 2: Much only three times before this, use it and learn

808
00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:47,080
Speaker 2: about this player. Even though Kevin Koger is still the

809
00:35:47,120 --> 00:35:51,359
Speaker 2: tight ends coach, there are some new circumstances around him

810
00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:54,880
Speaker 2: with offense port Nator Kevin Stancy is head coaching, and honestly,

811
00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:57,520
Speaker 2: I'd like to see Michael Penix get back out there and.

812
00:35:57,440 --> 00:35:59,560
Speaker 1: See what that connection really looks like. And I'm sure

813
00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:02,680
Speaker 1: the coaching staffold too, So I think that there's a

814
00:36:02,719 --> 00:36:05,279
Speaker 1: few reasons why Kyle Fitzman stick around.

815
00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:06,280
Speaker 3: Awesome.

816
00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:08,440
Speaker 2: Well, we hope you guys stick around, because we've got

817
00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:11,920
Speaker 2: another awesome podcast from the Combine coming for you all tomorrow.

818
00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:14,319
Speaker 1: We're gonna be talking to a lot of national media members.

819
00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:15,759
Speaker 2: And you will be able to hear kind of that

820
00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:17,800
Speaker 2: compilation of conversations.

821
00:36:18,480 --> 00:36:20,759
Speaker 1: So again, keep a tune to the speed and we

822
00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:22,200
Speaker 1: will see you all again tomorrow