 Last week, but now that you've got even another lead, how much more comfortable are you just feeling, literally, the route to route, the plate of play? Stay steady progression. Just trying to get faster, immensely physically. Recognizing defenses. I know I keep repeating that, but that's a day-to-day thing. Coach Pease does a great job of changing it up, so it's kind of keeping us on our toes, so to be able to react faster when we match up, that's something that we try to do every day. Some of you, Jesse, before he said that, literally, maybe it's just him being a coach and not wanting to get any specifics, but he's just like, everything can be written back. Like, do you feel like that, or is it more home-down for you, of where you think it's going to happen? I mean, I definitely feel like I've been trying to take that step in a more mature role and getting back to how it was feeling when I was feeling like I was on top of the world. So to get back to that feeling is something that I'm trying to get in, I guess you say, maybe, you know. When was the last time you felt like you were on top of the world since you started practicing? I would say year three at Florida, that's when I was feeling just at my best. Do you expect to play much in the preseason? Is that your choice or their choice? You want to play a lot just to get live snaps? I definitely do. Learn something from not playing in the preseason last year that makes you want to be back this year? Two snaps in the preseason last year? Yeah, that's something Coach Smith, I don't really have the leeway to make that call, but I just go out there and perform whatever he does, call my number. How is the comfortability with Marcus at this point? I know timing and reps and where are y'all on that spectrum right now? I think we're slowly getting to it. Like you said, there's more reps and timing. A lot of camp lift, a lot of games during the year, keep going on relationship on the field and off the field. So I do think we're moving in the right direction. I have a problem with your part of the pattern, so the worst part is having to sing. He said the stage went first and they got 25 seconds in. Do you agree with that? Definitely, they were trying to read the lyrics. That's the whole point. So you can't read them, you just gotta spit or sing or rap or whatever. But I would say the best group is Leroy and Fisk. Yeah, they came out there with the piano and they killed the whole scene. But they were the best rookies I feel like. Who played? Leroy was on the piano. It's an interesting guy on your team. He was performing right in, so I'm a little biased towards Leroy. So they feel like it's more like easier or if they stop at the go, they do it again? We don't haze. We just boo you, you ain't going to sit down. And then you gotta redo it again. Maybe that's, but no, we don't haze. How did that go for you last year? I was a backup singer with Tremble. Singing, I'ma buy you a drink with T-Pain. Yeah, I was just a backup. We got booed too, but I didn't have to redo it. Did you have the auto tune? I was the auto tune. Yeah, I brought the T-Pain out. I brought that part. Is that the range of your miracle talent basically? Not many people get to see that side. But I've retired from singing. We can pick up things that we like to see. I'll pick it up as fast as I can be on track. I'll say man is starting with our room. We're just in unison. We're all working together, seeing different things, helping each other out in different looks and coverages. So we're working as a team and working as one. So to be able to do that, I think that's helping our room. He's probably older than me. Or close to, probably the same age. But I'm young and I'm always still learning knowledge from everybody else. I feel like I'm a big sponge. I'm always asking questions. He's doing the same thing, asking questions every day. Trying to get better. I'll say that he's definitely turning up our competitiveness. So it's making us better. I feel like when it gets hot and people get tired, we're bringing each other up to compete at the high level. Transition of the B-flat frame still. So we're working that tired in. So if I can see them out there, I can see them in from one on one. Are there any things you've seen from him? Okay, maybe to cover up this way. Make it better. Have you all had conversations with him? Certain little things. Maybe it's nitpicking, but we don't take it that way. We don't take it a sensitive way. We're just working and trying to be the best. I'm sure it was I. I would say it's a little more toasty I hear today. So that kind of makes things a little more difficult. But it's our job as a player to bring each other up and keep a competition high. Well, Felipe is taller than me actually. Yeah. I think so. They're both like six, seven. No, no, no. Me and Felipe are the same size. But Jon is taller than me. They don't care. What is that, dude? Does that help you in some ways, too? Because they maybe see things different like a six, two, ten? I mean, their height doesn't have any matter to anything. We're just going out there competing. Perks are brought to that room just because they spent time with Arthur before. Yeah. Perks brought that mentor side that we've needed from last year. Not, you know, discouraging our crew from last year, but just from him having previous knowledge from arts offense in Tennessee, you know, he kind of helps us in different things, seeing different things. Because, you know, he's heard those calls before. How do you fix the biggest difference between this team and last year's team? We're not, you know, we're not comparing. You know, this is a new team. We're not comparing last year and this year. We're just starting new, starting fresh and coming out with a new face, new quarterback and, you know, ready to compete in, you know, come September 11th. We're sorry. Next, next Friday. Sorry. Sorry about that. One of my favorite parts of practice is watching you and Justin Hill work together. It almost seems like from the outside looking in and y'all speak the same language. And you kind of misspeak to your connection with him and how it's grown on the course of this last year. It's definitely grown from being a young kid who he was trying to tell me where to line up to. Now he's trying to help me, you know, learn how to, you know, beat certain defenses. So just our relationship has grown from being a young kid, you know, kind of stepping into that mature role and be able to, you know, speak a different language, I guess you'd say. Just working as one. You know, we're all on the same accord and to go out and perform and, you know, handle our business. That's what we want every play. Felipe is in great shape. That's all I got to say. But, yeah, I might tip my hat in here. Did you ever talk to Felipe when you were here? And as far as, like, about him ever making a move to receive her tie down back when you guys were at the bar together? Did that ever come up? This is always competition love. At the end of the rep, you know, we always shake hands with everybody. You know, it's a good rep and we'll get another one. I think it's growing, like, you know, in camp, we're getting a lot of reps. So, you know, both relationships are growing and, you know, only time it's up. You know, I know, we've talked already a lot about the Commonwealth Strip this year, in terms of yourself. Was there an event during the first ten days or so, eight days of practice? You're just like, that really stood out to you. And, yeah, this really is definitely the case. Is there a moment that is really different for you? You're just like, yeah, I'm seeing this better. Like, yeah, I just want to, there was one, like, sequence for a moment in the first eight days that's really told to you. In competition, you know, you know, you're dealing with the DBs or the safeties or the linebackers. So, just competing every day, you know, not looking at the minute things, just going out and competing and trying to win. I'm not talking about team or me. For you specifically, I want to say anything specific. You can ask anybody. I'm on JV right now. I'm on JV. It's some really good guys on varsity. But I'm at the top of JV. We ask you anything of the best of anything. Is the answer always going to be a tight end? Most likely. I was blessed to be sparse about it. So, I'm a dual marine athlete. So, that's what I wear. Does Mike call you and say, what's up? No, that's not how it works. Not there, not there. You're hitting these guys every single day excited to go strike somebody new. But, you know, it's great to go home well. We started, you know, practicing some looks for Detroit. So, you know, we're excited for next week. A couple weeks in, what's the biggest thing you've learned so far in this transition to NFL? I'd say just being firm on the details. Everyone's really good out here. Everyone's here for a reason. Everyone's talented. So, you have to be, you know, locked in and focused on little details like first steps and whatnot, because if you don't, you're going to get beat. What do you learn from Kyle Pitt so far? Kyle's been awesome. He's a great leader. And he's been able to help me in the passing game as well as the run game. He's strong in both of those, obviously. And, you know, I'm really blessed and fortunate to be in the same tight end room as him. One of the best tight ends in the league. So, you know, it's been really good. How cool does it feel like you're in your hometown area getting to go to training camp with the Falcons and not be too far away? Yeah, it's awesome. I have my family here just about every time they can be here. So, I get to see my, give a little hug to my niece after practice and my mom and dad and sister. But it's great. I get to play. I know a bunch of people here every single day. I get to say hi to some friends that come. And it's a blessing. How nice is it to have that familiarity with Justin Schaefer on the line as well and just you guys? Yeah, I played hundreds of snaps with Schaefer. And we're actually rooming together in the dorms. So, we're having a lot of fun together. And we play, you know, when we sub in, we're near each other a lot. So, a lot of communication. And I know his techniques, when he has to pull around me and stuff like that. So, it's going well. He was saying that he was a little bit nervous. One of the rookie-hacing things besides the helmet was singing. Yeah. And so, he had his song performance. He said it took him a week. Have you performed yet? And what was your song? How to go? That's a great question. I did perform. Tyler and I went the first day to knock it out. We sang and we talked to Art about it. And we were like, can we knock it out, please? It had been hanging over my head for a little bit. But we sang Lean on Me. And we probably got 25 seconds in. And you hear some booze. And then if you hear a little bit of booze, then the whole group of 90 to 100 people start booing. And you kind of sit up there for a second. And you know it's time to go back to your seat. So, it wasn't our best showing. I think I was kind of carrying the team. And Tyler was a little quiet. You know, I don't have the best voice. But yeah, I'm just glad we got it over with, honestly. What happens to Rookie, though? I mean, like, do you have extra, like, if you don't do well? Or is it just your, their prod went up there and did it? I hope there's not another consequence. I haven't found that out yet. We haven't been through every rookie. But right now I think I'm done. And that's what I'm praying for. But yeah, I'm just happy it's over. Do you see Jordan and Nikobi? Who do you think was better? I didn't see Nikobi. I saw Jordan. And it didn't surprise me. He's a character. And he had a great voice. A little dancing I saw, too. So that was really funny. And just last question for me. Like, just how overall you feel like physically? I feel good. You know, obviously a little banged up from the two surgeries I had earlier this year. But I'm working on the plan they have set up for me with Jake and the training staff and Coach Art. And they're helping me through it in a plan to get 100%. What have you seen from Felipe? And just kind of how impressive is that from your perspective to be able to make that transition? Yeah, it's extremely impressive. He's selfless. He's a team player. Whatever they ask him to do, he does it to the best of his ability. 100% effort every single time. He doesn't whine about anything. He just goes out and does his thing, which I think is really cool. A lot of guys would be against whatever they're asking of him. But he goes out and he makes plays every single day. And it's really cool to see. It's well documented. Arthur Smith loves his tight ends. I mean, what's it been like to work with him? Yeah, it's been great. Coach Smart was more of a defensive coach. And Coach Art, he's been really hands on with the tight ends, giving me tips and what I need to work on every single day. And it's really cool because he'll see me on a rep and then he'll be able to correct me or give me some insight. I want I should have done better right away. So it's awesome. What's it like being in this offense where your skill sets may be going to be more utilized and that kind of thing as well? Yeah, it's exciting. We love to roll 12 or 12 personnel, 13 personnel, lots of tight ends on the field, different sets, different movements and whatnot. So there's a lot of opportunities in it. It's all about just being, like I said, just firm on all the details in your footwork and your steps and whatnot. And we can have a lot of success. Step up. So I think it's a collective group going to rush. You said you guys worked together? No, no, I'm saying like in OTA. When we were in OTAs, we worked on that during the OTA show. And we were all a little more familiar with each other? Yeah, yeah, exactly. That's another thing is we're more familiar with each other. We know what our skill sets are. We know what one person can do, what other person can't do and things like that. So that's a big why too. What can you do? I mean, I feel like, you know, I got long arms. I can work off my long arms. I'm very powerful. I feel like I have strong. I've gotten bigger. So those are the things I feel like a lot of strength. When it comes to, you know, we were talking earlier about you being the quote unquote older guy in the room. You've been here a year longer. But with AK and Zangelo, how do you see them kind of assimilating to what y'all are doing? Yeah, I think they both have done a good job already. You know, those two are fast learners. You know, they've been in college for four years. They understand kind of what they need to do. I think for them, you know, it's just understanding, you know, the more details in the defense, you know, not just about what they're doing, like I said, but what everybody else doing. But like I said, I think both of them have done a great job, man. AK and Zangelo, they play fast. They go, even when, you know, they make mistakes, they're still going full speed down the field and trying to make plays, which is great for us. Can you notice any differences in between the quarterbacks, like just any tendencies yet, or anything that you can tell on the defensive side? Not really. I'm really just focused on what the defense is. I don't really focus on the quarterbacks. I think they handle themselves. Now is kind of the point in camp where it's like, all right, the energy is maybe worn off from that first week, but you're still trying to, you know, grind through it. I mean, have you seen that kind of shift of like, all right, we're really in the grind here? Yeah, yeah, definitely. But I also think guys have, you know, yesterday we had a little bit of chill practice and now I've seen guys ramped it up. So, you know, coaches are giving us the opportunity to come in on some chill days and then come and give it our all the next day. So I think today was a good day, you know, us coming out and competing, you know. I love the fact that, you know, some days offense won, some day defense is. That's what the game is about, you know, going at each other. How much does the defense win versus offense? You asked, but I hope to ask you. I think the defense win more at times, but I mean, it's like you said, depends who you ask. Going into next week with it being a game week. I mean, how excited are you to just kind of like, prepare for a team and hit someone else? Yeah, yeah, I'm super excited. I think, you know, you wait, and it felt like off season is so long compared to college, so it's so exciting to go out there and play against another team. You know, you're playing obviously against your teammates, but you're not really hitting, you're not really, you know, taking down the quarterback, you know, and you go to next year after next year, you know, you could celebrate with your teammates, you know, you can have fun, do all those things, and I'm excited, I'm really excited. What are you trying to maybe show or prove in camp right now? Like, what are you kind of trying to showcase? I'm just trying to, you know, build that confidence up and be the best player I can be. You know, I'm not here to show both for anybody else. I'm just here to show what I can do, you know. I know what the, why I can do for the team. I know what I can do in my ability, and I'm excited to show it up. You talk about that confidence. I mean, a lot of the defense, at least from our perspective, looks like it's playing with a lot more confidence. Yeah, yeah, for sure. Do you feel that? Yeah, yeah. I mean, last year you had a lot of young guys going out there and playing. You had a lot of guys in their first time in this defense. So there's a lot of adjustment going on. You know, you got a lot of guys who understand the defense. They're in their second year. They can play fast. They can do a lot of things, and they have confidence in themselves to make plays. Because if you do it enough times, then you know you can do it.