 How's the mini camp been going for you so far? It's been going well. I'm enjoying this process, enjoying being out here with all the guys, working every single day to get better. You know, we didn't have our best day yesterday, the first day of practice, but we were able to go to walk through, clean up some things last night and then come out here and improve one percent better every single day. That's what we talk about is just trying to get better at every single step that we do, every single process. So, you know, I was not going to say I was thrilled with today, but today definitely went a lot better than yesterday. How would you describe your leadership style? We've heard from Drake and John about that, but how would you describe your leadership style? Yeah, I would just say kind of about two things. One, about being vocal to kind of by action. You know, these guys see that, you know, I'm in the playbook 24-7, you know, I got it down pretty good. So, you know, when they're coming up to me, asking me questions and just being able to fire it off back at them real quick and then understand that I have a good grasp of knowledge of the offense. You know, that builds trust within, you know, the offense within all relationships within each other. Then by action, just going out there and executing the game plan, being able to go out there and stepping the huddle and say the play call with confidence, get to the line and make the right play call. So, I would say just in that way, that's how, you know, my leadership style is right now. Even when you're just surrounded by other rookies. I wouldn't think that would necessarily be an easy thing to demonstrate on day one, but does that come easily to you? Is that just natural? Yeah, that's just kind of how I've been, you know, throughout grade school, high school and college. You know, we're all young adults out here and playing a children's game and a game that we love. And so, you know, as a quarterback and, you know, that's kind of your role is, you know, naturally it's time to be that leader. And so, to be able to be and do that naturally without making it forced or, you know, making it too hard on other guys, I think, you know, that's what comes easy for me. When you say you weren't thrilled with yesterday and then even today, what weren't you thrilled about? The level of play, the guys not working hard, what did you think? Yeah, just execution. Just being able to get lined up, especially yesterday, you know, whether it was a legal formation, fall star, whatever it may be, pre-snap. You know, we talked this morning in the team meeting that, you know, teams are going to lose a lot of games. They're not going to win a lot of games. And what I mean by that and what coach means by that is that, you know, the pre-snap penalties is going to kill a lot of people in games. And, you know, a lot more people lose those games from pre-snap penalties and dumb mistakes and they do win games. So, you know, just coming out here and trying to be as perfect as we can, you know, that's where I feel like we can obviously improve it and get better on it. You talked about getting into the playbook and feeling confident in it. How did you kind of get a step up on that playbook? Yeah, I think we got the playbook about a week and a half ago. So just really diving into it, started off with just general information, formation, huddle, cadence. So, you know, for me in formations, I use poker chips. And that was taught to me by Jordan Palmer, my trainer, so just being able to use poker chips. I know Drake's my roommate right now and he's got him in his room using them because he trains with Jordan too. So just being able to use them, move them around, that's what helped me really pick up the base information of the offense. And then having meetings with Coach London every single day on Zoom, just learning the true ins and outs of it. And then obviously coming out here and putting it from paper to field, that makes it a lot easier to go out here and learn. Desmond, I forget where I wrote that quote, but part of when you had given them a plan, unseating a veteran quarterback, what went into that plan? Was that something that came up? No, I think what you're talking about is I was saying, you know, that's kind of just how my career has been in this football world from high school to college. In high school I started freshman as a freshman, started JV as a sophomore. Then I went to junior, I had two seniors above me. So I had to learn from them and battle with them to earn a spot. Then come to college. My red shirt, my true freshman year. And then I have a red shirt senior during my red shirt freshman year that I'm learning from and battling with. And then so I have to go beat him out to earn my spot. And then obviously continue to improve my game every single year throughout college. And then, you know, like I said, now we're here, where obviously, you know, there's not another younger guy with me, but a vet and older guy. And so, you know, I'm excited just really to come out here and learn from guys like Marcus, learn from guys like Felipe, not only from on the field stuff, but off the field. You know, we talk about leadership, learn those are, you know, two great guys to learn from leadership. So I'm really excited just to come out here and just learn from those guys. You're talking about just in terms of the we of things that needed to improve from day one to day two. But when you kind of looked at your performance from yesterday to today, what are some of the things as the leader, you said, hey, I need to kind of tweak that so we can have a better day too. As far as what, I'm sorry. Just in general, you were saying like there were mistakes that were made and you didn't want to make those again today from a we perspective. So I was just asking from my perspective, what do you say, hey, I want to adjust or make some mistakes from day one to day two. Yeah, I think yesterday there might have been about two play calls that I might have messed up in the huddle just, you know, first time hearing it from the helmet, giving it to a huddle and then lining up and running it. So just getting better from that standpoint and then footwork, some of the footwork is a little new to me. So just being able to really understand what's going on up front and then kind of match it up with my footwork in the backfield to be able to have timing with the wide receivers. That's something that I could continue to work on. That's something that I continue to work on right here after practice. And so that's something that I'll continue to work on. I'll make a fun question for you. Day one, day two, what are some of the fun things, you know, being that this is your first rookie camp? You're like, wow, that's kind of cool. Didn't expect that to happen. Not this so far, I think, you know. Or another thing you can tell us? Yeah, no, this is just football right now. So, you know, this is something that we love to do. This is something we signed up for. So, you know, wake up at 6 o'clock, go to bed at about 10 o'clock. And, you know, that's what we love. That's what we enjoy. Speaking of waking up at 6 o'clock, your teammates say you're the first one up and you're not necessarily quiet about it. What are you doing up so early? You know, I try to be the first one in the building. I think Vray will be me in here today. But, you know, just getting up, shower and brush my teeth, get in here, eat some breakfast, get treatment and get my arm right. And then get in the filming with Coach London or our other quarterback too. And so, you know, just being able to improve every single day. I mean, talk about leadership, talk about, you know, learning the offense and really mastering the offense. And that's what it takes to be the first one in every single day. Ritter, I just want to kind of follow up about the whole, take a quarterback's position. So, you said that how do you find that balance between, okay, I'm trying to learn from you because I've never been in the league before. Obviously, I can pick up some maybe some things that can help apply to my game and possibly get better. Versus, I'm trying to take your spot. Like, how do you balance that? Respect. I think that's the biggest thing. Coming out here, you know, Marcus is a guy that's played a lot of games in the NFL. Had obviously a tremendous college career. So, you know, you have to give respect where respect is due. And that's one guy that, you know, that I have to. So, just being able to come out here and learn. But just know at the end of the day, and he knows too that, I mean, it's obviously a competition or else we wouldn't be here. And so, you know, at the end of the day, too, it's not up to us who makes that decision. It's up to the coaches. So, if we go out here and we both put our best foot forwards and we leave it out of our hands and we leave it out of our hands. But at the end of the day, we're working not only to better ourselves, but to better each other and everything that we do. With a quarterback perspective, what's the advantage of having tolerance? If you look at, when you get to training camp, I mean, you're basically playing with, like, a bunch of NBA wings. What's the advantage of that? Being able to go up and get the ball. No, but, you know, being able to just make plays when plays aren't there to be made. You know, play scramble, down, break down, and, you know, it's a one-on-one matchup. Just trusting in your guys and knowing that, you know, maybe if it was a smaller guy that maybe he's not jumping as high or maybe they got a little bit of a matchup with a bigger corner, whatever it may be. But just having that catch radius and know that you're being able to throw it anywhere and then go make the play, I think that's huge. Who would you suggest out there among your teammates? Has anyone out there stood out to you just in terms of skill or what they've done out there? You know, I think everyone's kind of just put their best foot forward. I want to say there's one person, you know, other than, not one person other than, but just, you know, there's not one person out there who's really, you know, put their kind of been that, you know, oh my gosh, there's that guy. But, you know, we're going through walk-throughs, we're going through jog-throughs. So nothing's full speed. We don't have pads on. So, you know, it's kind of hard to determine that right now. But, you know, I love the way from offense, defense, and special teams, the way everyone comes out and works, the way everyone comes out and just is ready to ground, ready to go. How do you feel? Yeah, I would say it's like a fierce cannon, but a calm cannon, just ready to go off. But no, once I step on that field, it's almost like, you know, a flip switches, you know, throughout practice and throughout the, all throughout the week, you know, I'm obviously locked in focus and, you know, having a little fun with it, but, you know, once that Sunday hits, it's like a flip switches and, you know, it's go time. But, you know, just energetic and calm, cool, and collective, but also got a little ball of fire lit under me. How does that ball of fire manifest itself? Are you a trash talker? Are you on your teammates' hard? What's the... What's that like on the field with Desmond? I would say a little bit of, a little bit of juice before the game, just as far as music, you know, again, hyped up. But, you know, I just know what the moment is, what the stage is. Just know it's a football game. This is something that we love to do, this is something that, you know, we want to do and obviously, I want to win every single game and so, you can't go into a game. You know, one, thinking that a team is better than you. Two, thinking that, you know, you're not going to be out there, go out there and be the best. That's where you kind of, got to have a, a crooked mind sometimes. Because, you know, physically, mentally, whatever, you might not be the best player on the field. You got to tell yourself that. What are you, what am I listening to? What should I go to? Maybe a little young Doug, a little kind of, a little baby. Okay. What's up? I don't know. You might be asking for some bill, but it's... No Jack Karlo! No Jack Karlo! No Jack Karlo! No Jack Karlo! No Jack Karlo! No Jack Karlo! Yeah. I think he's a great guy. I mean, he's a guy that's going to help out our team. And you know, he's a worker. He's a guy that comes in and works every single day to be better. And so I'm excited that you know, he's with us. Are you a guy who will take that number 74 pick and kind of write that down somewhere and always remember it and try to use this chip on your shoulder? Or are you a guy that don't think about it again? Yes and no. At the end of the day, I was a second quarterback taking off the board this draft went so that you know everyone was slipping and you know a lot of wider sewers taking whatever it may have been I'm just blessed to have this opportunity to be out here play this game I love and a beautiful city a beautiful place beautiful facility so you know yes I am gonna take it and use it as a chip but no that's not you know something I think about every single day yeah that makes me think that you know whatever I'm doing I want to win it and that's just who I've been ever since I was a little kid to now it doesn't matter I want to win and that's what I not only try to you know feed on to everyone else and everyone on the team but try to instill that in them to that just go out there and be a winner like I said you know if there's one person on this team that don't think that they're the best person when they step on this field then we're at a disadvantage already so let's get the guys that think you know we're always the best like let's go be the best because we put in the work to be the best and then go prove what excites you most about this system and your fit within it? I think just the opportunity that you know that's in front of us for me and myself it's completely new system completely new everything and it's kind of funny I was at the senior bowl and it's kind of in a similar system to this and so coming in when you know talk about learning the playbook and stuff some of the stuff was a lot of similar and so for me to kind of start at the senior bowl and have a little introduction there it was really good and made it a lot easier for me to come here and pick things up really quickly yeah it's good he's big like we just talked about he's big and he's fast and he's smart and you know I think we're going to be able to grow our connection a lot more we have a common trader Jordan Palmer so we'll be out there this summer working together and just fine-tuning things so I'm excited to see where that goes excited to see where that you know not only relationship but brotherhood kind of continues to develop over the years uh no so we were supposed to but during draft prep process but it never got done but it was just kind of funny how you know things worked out that we were working with the same trainer and everything so it's a while it was probably about seven days so probably right at a week maybe five five to seven times once a day and so you know we were like I said we were just going through general information motions cadence huddles and then protections and then started to do defense ID didn't defense a recognition of how we ID our defense here and how things are broken down into film and then we slowly started getting the concepts and then next thing you know we were here so I was excited obviously there are a lot of things that come at you that you have experienced before and it kind of takes a little while for you to kind of figure out things out do you feel that being a father can in some way help you how do you feel like that can help you be a better football player? Patience. Patience for sure one not everything is going to be perfect you know that's who I am as a person I always want to be perfect in everything I do so when I make you know a little mistake or a little mistake is made about like you know that kind of gets under me a little bit so you know my baby girl laying she's definitely held me out with that a little bit is as far as you know her not staying on her schedule that she needs to stay on and stuff but no you know she's my daughter and I love it so yeah so that's probably number one is finding a place to live around here so hopefully we can get that done and then like I said I think a couple of the guys going out to California Drake I know for sure but I'm trying to get some other guys to come out there so we can get some working out there I haven't talked to Marcus yet so whenever he shows up for the maybe it's Monday whatever it may be that'll actually be my first time you know introducing myself to him meeting him for the first time so I'm excited now that's why I said not at all so I'm excited to meet him for the first time like I said he's a guy that I've looked up to for a while so I'm excited to meet him as a role model as a player as a as a teammate and as a competitor so I'm excited yeah I mean so far it's going great I'm just happy to be out here it's been a while since I actually got to play football so just being out here practicing getting better could actually be better Arthur was talking about how this is essentially a good time to check your mental and see how quickly you can install things how do you feel like that part of this two-day period is going well I think in terms of my mental I'm doing fantastic past two days just learning the scheme and getting better with the techniques terms of like different step that I have to adjust stuff that's different from college so little by little I think I'm getting up to speed with everything I mean I love it the plan is for me to get better every single day one step by the time so I'm here for the process I think it's a little different but it's not that big of a difference I'm just saying terms like steps that you have to take college I took different step I lined up a little bit differently so just it's the football in the day just a matter of getting the little details right how did you in college I was I was partially through the stands and two points two percent of time where now for 90 percent of time I'm in a two-point stand so it's just in the plan of on in the two-point stand that's kind of a little detail that takes to be a elite past rusher in the NFL I mean so there are very so few who are good at it yeah is it physicality is it a mentality what is it what do you think it takes to be a really good past rusher I think it comes down to consistency average pass which I can't do more part of time but consistent pass which I can do almost every single place so it's it really comes out to being consistent and working on your craft and studying studying the game I definitely do I believe so yeah I'm not hoping so I take a lot of part of how I approach every single day and I make sure I leave everything I have on the field every time I step on the field for me I was saying not taking the game for granted knowing that every time you step on the field you have an opportunity that don't not every single people get the opportunity to go out there so you can't take the game for granted so every time you step out there you got to give everything you have got to go with the speed of swipe and any any counter that comes with it there's always a you know I guess a science to whether or not certain skills that's my transfer from plan on Saturdays to Sunday what do you think one of the things that is going to transfer for you well I think it comes down to how I approach pass rushing and for me I always been about how I studied my opponent and translated into the on to the field and I think I'm agile enough I'm versatile enough to be able to do different things so as long as I keep that mindset and study my opponent the way I'm supposed so I think I should be fine moving forward I can do a little bit everything so whatever accident me at that particular time I'm ready to do it what's your mind and approaching expectations with that come with being such a high draft well I'm confident in my potential and I know that I'm gonna come in and put the work in I don't expect any handout I have to one of my coaches used to say you have to earn your keep so I intend to come out here every day and and work and trying to earn my spot advantage for having to be under somebody like Dean P's with all of the Hall of Famers that he's coached but also being able to play with the Deon Jones or even the Grady Jarrett guys that have edge and really played at the high level what could that be for you what positive could that be for you especially in your rookie season to be able to play with those guys yeah so I'll say as a young as a young player as a rookie there's a lot of expectation and knowledge that comes with it so having coaches that's been there done it before and veterans on the team I just want to lean on them kind of learn as much as possible because knowledge is power so the more knowledge I'm able to gain the better I'll be on the field you may have answered this already you know right after the draft but are there NFL players you specifically like to watch or study as you kind of get ready to now play in yeah I'm gonna study guys like Vaughn Militijic what Nick Bolster some of the guys like I said it comes down to being consistent those are the guys that being consistent over the years and I studied them a lot try to see different moves that they do try to incorporate that into my own game just just a sitting student in the game just trying to get better making that jump from Temple to Penn State how is that adjustment now going from Penn State to the NFL how's that kind of help well I'll say making it's not a similar transition but making a jump prior from Temple to Penn State there was a learning curve that happened along the way so now I'm sure there will be a learning curve that happened from college that NFL so I said so I'll say pretty much I'm expecting that learning curve and good and bad I can't let anything discourage me I just got to stick to what I know and that's put into working you mentioned that learning curve a lot of times rookies are sitting behind veterans and everything your draft status you see the depth chart here you're probably gonna get to play a lot of snaps how motivating is that that you should be able to play I mean I'm motivated to come in and get better improving my craft that's the first step that's where it started learning the scheme getting better so I don't want to look too much ahead I want to live in the present moment that's getting better mostly the playbook my my head was spinning the first day but I'm getting better and today was a lot better than the first day which is always good and it's just being able to take coaching and you know bringing that out to the field the next day we are so what has that been like for you getting to know the guys so yeah you know I have three good buddies already so it's super nice having them I told Desmond don't be so loud in the morning because he's like jumping around the room but he said he said he'll work on it or something but you know it's super nice you know we get to we go practice and then walk throughs and eat dinner and then we'll go back to the rooms and watch basketball and go over some film and talk about that so it's nice he just wakes up early and I don't know he's just loud so I had to tell him to quiet down it's like a bull in a China show I don't even know how to describe it I'm not sure I'd say I'm a dominant run blocker and I'm excited to showcase my game in the passing game as well I'm excited to contribute in any way that the coaches asked me to do and on special teams units on punting KOR KFC whatever they asked me to do and then you know on the line hand in the dirt and then split out wide blocking or making plays what's your mentality? Grady hardnose no one's gonna outwork me I've always adopted that mentality and I've always carried it from my high school years college years and so on and I feel like it's brought me success Is Lee Smith the guy you had paid any attention to prior to coming here? definitely Lee Smith Jack Doyle those are you know two dominant run blockers that I've always looked up to it was pretty cool watching Lee this last year in Atlanta and you know he's so technically sound he's able to do things a lot of tight ends can't do which is unique and it's special and you know which is what I'm trying to accomplish as well you foresee that being sort of your role with this offense I wouldn't put any label on it you know Coach Rags talks about positionless football so that's what I kind of I'm positionless whatever they asked me to do split out at the one at the two-spot hand in the dirt like Lee does I'll be ready to do it yeah it was like 40 minutes I'm not bad at all it was surreal it's super cool how everything has worked out you know high school the college to hear it's nice for my family and everything as well they will they'll be able to come to my games and everything yeah I definitely see some similarities especially schedule wise just you know being here all the time and that's that's a good thing I enjoy that I love football and you know getting better at it so by Georgia we were constantly going from meeting to meeting that's what we're doing here you know talking to different coaches and everything so it's nice I'm just trying to get better on my technical game and then get the playbook down as much as I can I was able to you know use the two weeks leading up to mini camp I got my iPad and I was able to just start going over the material and whatnot and then you know now I'm just trying to translate it to on the field we've heard some of the West Coast guys comment on the humidity here this week yeah put a man as to what's to come yeah I said this isn't anything yet yeah so Tyler was talking about that Drake was talking about that and it's funny yeah so this isn't really anything to me but I told them August just wait and and wait and you'll see I try to be a first first one in last guy out and that's what I've done these two days thanks to Desmond I'll be up early with him and we'll get over here around 7th and I'll be in the tight end room looking over the material and then late at night I'll be I'll be here and then we just make the walk back but I'm just trying to outwork everyone and just trying to be a student of the game that's what I really try to do and what if that's writing on the whiteboard you know writing my notebook you know making flashcards whatever I try to do everything I see myself as a leader on top of that definitely Desmond I feel like he and I have a strong connection already we're trying to bring guys along and I think it's going really well most interesting thing you know I don't know because you know you see him at Cincinnati we played against him I got to give him some crap for that but I just have a good buddy in him and not that I didn't think I was gonna have that in him but just right away we connected and it's nice having that. Did you talk before you guys got here? No we didn't. How have you seen him lead? Pardon? How have you seen him lead? Just vocally he's not afraid to speak his mind and then after practice we'll be going over stuff and he'll be organizing the receivers the running backs he has a good grasp on the playbook and he's confident which is always good yeah it's super nice having one of my good buddies from Georgia here he's actually my locker buddy over there so we get to hang out before practice together and then obviously we're in offense so we spent a lot of time together in meetings but it's nice because we're able to talk about all things outside of football and just talk about you know how we never we always dreamed of this but now it's here so it's super cool having him. You said your second day went really well where did you feel most comfortable? I'd say the playbook the first day you know to be honest my head was spinning and that's okay it's just being able to to learn from mistakes be coachable which I feel like I was and just carry carry those mistakes and improve on them which is what I did today.