Wide receiver is a big topic with fans, and in talking with executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta and going over, kind of, gameplans as far as free agency, how much do you think you can address wide receiver as far as free agency goes? (Jamison Hensley) "There are a lot of good players available in free agency, and [salary] cap-casualty-wise. [We're] going through the Draft receivers now as we speak, and there are a lot of good receivers in the Draft. It's really pretty much been like that every year, but this is definitely a good year. So, yes, [I'm] excited about it, and I'm quite sure that we can address all of our needs – and that's what we're in the process of trying to do right now."
We talked to executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta a little bit about T Orlando Brown Jr. and his status, and obviously, he said we're early in the process, we're still figuring things out. You from a coaching perspective, would that be a concern having him back without … Would you be concerned with him not kind of wanting to be at right tackle? Does that present any challenge to you? Or knowing the guy and knowing his make-up, are you quite confident that even if he was back, everything would be fine? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Yes, definitely that [latter] part of it. Orlando [Brown Jr.] and I, we have a great relationship. He's a guy who wants to win; a very competitive player. [He] has a lot of pride in his game, so to speak. [He] works really hard and competes. I love him as a player; I love him as a person. Whatever the situation dictates, however it plays out, I'm sure he'll be at his best next year. I'd be counting on that, and I'd trust him to do that."
We also talked to executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta about QB Lamar Jackson and sort of the [contract] extension issue. He [Eric DeCosta] talked about how they had a very productive meeting. As a coach, do you feel like you play a role in that as well? Maybe not directly in the negotiations, but sort of talking to Lamar about his long-term future and the vision of the team? Do you consider yourself integral in that process, I guess? (Childs Walker) "Not really – we talk life, football, building the team. We spend a lot of time … Lamar [Jackson] and I have had a few conversations when he was here in person after the season, in our meeting leaving, and on the phone a few times since, just in terms of … I try to include a lot of players, especially veteran players, but especially your quarterback – in the team-building process, for sure. And that's very important I think for him to be onboard and understand what we're trying to do with the offense, what we're trying to do with the personnel, how we're building things schematically, those kinds of things. I want his input all the time. So, that's what we talk about. I'm very confident that the other part of it – the business part of it – will be worked out in the best possible way for everybody, and Lamar [Jackson], and his people, and Eric [DeCosta] – they'll figure all of that stuff out. That's not the nature of our relationship."
I was wondering if you could shed some light on the "spot and choose" [overtime rule] proposal that we've been reading about, and how that came about, and what you really like about that proposal? (Ryan Mink) "How it came about? It's been around for a number of years. I think since the early 2000s really, the idea kind of first came up in the, I don't know, analytical circles – wherever they are. (laughter) It was brought to my attention by [former running backs coach] Matt Weiss a number of years ago when they started talking about overtime in 2010, 2011, 2012 when it was changed. I know he thought it would be the best thing way back then. It was definitely way before its' time. It still may be before its' time – I don't know, we'll find out. We like to be kind of progressive in our thinking here. It's not always the case; sometimes the league is a little more protective. We feel like it's kind of a move back toward tradition. It's an opportunity to make either sudden death, or if they wanted to, the other proposal is the idea of a basketball-style overtime – which is fine with us. We think the main thing is the 'spot and choose' aspect of it is to make it fair. Any luck involved would be the bounce of the ball, not the flip of the coin. I think that's something the fans would appreciate. While it's really intriguing and fun, there's a lot to it strategically. It's a very simple concept. Easy to understand I think once you get your arms around it. It's a lot fewer lines in the rule book, I can tell you that. We crossed out a lot of … there's a lot of red lines through rules that are presently in there, and I think that's always a big plus. It makes the game a lot easier to understand. Once you decide who has the ball, I think every fan can understand who's going to be the winner and what it's going to be based on. We're really excited about it, and hopefully it'll pass."
I kind of asked executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta this earlier. So, there are a few layers with it, if you'll stick with me. When you talk about talking to QB Lamar Jackson about building the team and what you would like, is there a shape to that? Is it, "We would like a big physical receiver?" Or is it, "We need more production?" And then whoever Eric DeCosta gets you, it's on your coaches to figure out how to use them. It's sort of like the chicken and the egg – what comes first? (Aditi Kinkhabwala) "Well, that's not probably the best analogy, because it's not 'either or.' It's multi-layered. There's a nuance to it. What's a better analogy? You could talk about the onion and the layers of the onion if you want to use a metaphor. Or we could talk about the fabric in a blanket or something like that, like this sweet shirt I'm wearing right now. (laughter) The fabric of all the elements are intertwined. They tie together, and you have to put all those things together. It can never just be one thing; 'We want this type of receiver,' or, 'We're going to run this type of scheme.' You try to put all of the elements together in the best possible way. You have to be flexible and patient and see how it plays out, what type of players are going to be available [and] what type of scheme and specific plays and specific rules within the routes actually are successful for us. As we start to build the thing in the offseason program, what we're good at, where guys developed, what routes they run well, how it ties into our run game, where we're throwing the ball, what route combinations, who goes into what spots when – those are all things that are multi-faceted and multi-layered that go into building an offense at this level. We're not just slapping a playbook on the table. We know that from the standpoint of the passing game, we need to develop it to the same level that we've developed our run game. We've spent the last two and a half years or so building, probably, one of the most creative run games in the history of the National Football League, to be honest with you. I don't want to over dramatize it, but it'd be pretty hard to argue against that. And probably the most successful. So, we're certainly very happy about that, and now we want to bring that pass game along as well. It's hard to do everything at once. There are a lot of factors involved, and certainly personnel, to your point, is one of them. Certainly, execution, precision [and] reps. We didn't have the reps last year in the offseason that we're going to hopefully get this year. I hope someone brings that up, because that's kind of important. Those are all things that go into it, so absolutely. We're thinking about all of those things. Lamar [Jackson] and I talk about those things to a great extent. It's a good process."
This is somewhat related to the reps in the offseason that you mentioned. Every year, there's a little bit of turnover. I can't remember a year where your coaching staff has turned over so much. I know the coordinators are there, but so many new faces. Obviously, offseason reps would be really nice, but as the head coach with this fairly new staff, what are your biggest challenges? (Bo Smolka) "I don't know if there is anything that is a challenge. It's just kind of how we operate. We're working. We're in here working every day. We're building every part of our team. Offense, defense [and] special teams – all the elements within that. So, we talk. We have a process to what we do. We try to get on the same page in terms of concepts, terminology, how we view things, how we're going to teach routes [and] how we're going to teach progressions within the routes, and that goes for every aspect. Defensively, we're building our defense. We're looking at our three-deep zone, our two-deep zone, how we're running our zone tools within those versus different routes. It's a pretty high-level discussion, as I would hope … I don't know if people necessarily think about it too much, but the guys are working at a really high level. So, we want to make sure that we're on the same page. Then the opportunity with the new coaches, as you mentioned, to add ideas and kind of perspectives on things, that's a great vehicle for growth and to expand and kind of even fine-tune our football. That's what we work really hard to do on the coaching side."
You were just talking about this a little bit, but some of the new coaches, wide receivers coach Tee Martin and pass game specialist Keith Williams – I wanted to get your thoughts on what they can bring in terms of working on that passing game? With having so much turnover on your staff, do you embrace bringing in some guys with recent college coaching experience that can kind of give you some different perspectives and maybe some fresh eyes? (Luke Jones) "Sure, absolutely. Those guys are just great coaches. I try not to think too much about where guys come from or the other dynamics that come into play and just try to get absolutely the best people for the job, that fit what we're trying to do, and that can help us be the best football team that we can be. I'm really, really happy with the way it went this offseason and our ability to do that. Things really fell into place for us, for whatever reasons. I prayed a lot about it, maybe that was the reason. [That's where] I would probably give the credit, if I want to be absolutely honestly about it. These guys are really good people and they're excellent coaches that fit where we're at in this time. [Wide receivers coach] Tee Martin, he played in the NFL. He's been at different high-level colleges. He knows a lot of wide receivers in the league right now, because he's been recruiting them over these years. He just came in and did a tremendous job on his interview. Well, we did it over Zoom, but he did a tremendous job with that. It was just a good fit. We loved a lot of his ideas, his style and the way he coaches. [Pass game specialist] Keith [Williams] was another guy that was just, in a different kind of way, really exceptional. Of course, he has a big picture understanding of football and has coached in college for many years, but lately, he's been coaching the best wide receivers in the league. In the offseason, they go to him. They go to Omaha [Nebraska] of all places to find him to work on route running – OK? That should tell you something. (laughter) I understood why when we had the chance to talk to him and really dive into the way he teaches the routes. So, that's going to be something he brings to the table across the board [to the] wide receivers, tight ends [and] running backs, in terms of the way we run our routes. So, I'm excited about that. The rest of the coaches are also … If you want me to talk about any of those guys specifically too, I'm happy to."
I was wondering, there has been some talk this offseason about the possibility of WR Miles Boykin maybe shifting to tight end. I was just wondering if that was anything that you guys as coaches have talked about if that's a possibility? (Ryan Mink) "I don't know. I try to put my arms around what that even means. Someone says move him to tight end and it's like, that's it? If we were having that conversation in the staff room, I'd need a little more detail on that to understand what we're talking about here. Are you saying that he's going to run some of the routes that the tight ends run? Well, he already does that. He did that a few times last year, and I think that's something that we can definitely expand upon just depending on who's here. He runs those routes, those tight crossing routes over the ball, seven routes, deep over routes, spot routes underneath, shallow crosses, inside seam routes – he runs all those routes very well. So, yes – he'll be running routes like that, but I certainly wouldn't call him a tight end. Absolutely, Miles Boykin is a wide receiver; he is not a tight end. I wouldn't put him in there as a tight end. He's 225 pounds, maybe? Those tight ends are usually a little bigger than that. He's not really a tight end body type per se, but his size can give you a great presence inside if that's what those people are talking about. Those kinds of routes that he can run in there are definitely things that he's capable of doing, and I know that he wants to do."
Are there certain position groups where you feel you need a veteran in the room? When you look at your wide receivers, you talked earlier about young wide receivers in the draft. You have some young wide receivers; is that a place where you want a veteran? Is the offensive line? Or does it not really matter? Is it that you just need good players and who cares what their experience is? (Aditi Kinkhabwala) "Again, it's not 'either or.' It just depends on who's available and how it shakes out. It's just not black and white. You can chase something all you want, and it might not be there for you. It starts with having good players; that's really where it starts. You have to have guys who can play. I don't care, you can be a veteran leader and a veteran presence, but if you can't play, you're a coach – that's what you are. (laughter) So, yes – you have to be able to play. So, it starts with that, but having veteran players definitely is valuable. We've seen that; Steve Smith [Sr.] came in and added so much, Mark Ingram [II] … We can go down the line with veteran leadership that we've had here, or we've brought in over the years that has been extremely valuable. You love to have those guys, but you have to have good players that can make plays – that's the bottom line."
How accurate is the evaluation of the Draft prospects watching their virtual Pro Day compared to the Combine in the past? (Ximena Lugo-Latorre) "We'll find out. The scouts have done more with the virtual Pro Days. I haven't gotten to that stage yet myself. I'm watching the tapes still, and that's where I'm at in the process. Once I get through the tape and get my rankings, then I'll go back through the virtual Pro Days and watch those. If necessary, I'll watch some of the interviews for specific guys. So, I'm kind of on the top layer of looking at everything, where the scouts, they dive in and look at those things. It's probably not as good as the Combine, I'm guessing, but it'll still be good. It'll be what it is. I have a lot of confidence in our scouts. They'll have a really good handle on some of the details you're talking about – how guys move, how big they are, how their frame looks. They'll have a good handle on that stuff."
I know a lot of season ticket holder fans are asking, because their bill just came in the mail. Is there any hope for fans in the stands? Anything on the news of the capacity yet? (Donna Jean Rumbley) "I've heard nothing about that, but I'll go on record saying that it's absolutely going to happen. I mean, come on. That's a no-brainer to me. Unless something crazy happens, and you can never say for sure in the world, but as far as COVID-19 is concerned, just look at what our scientists have done. We have the vaccine. It's killing it; the vaccine is doing a great job. I say killing it, it's killing the virus, I guess. I'm not really … I didn't like science that much. I didn't enjoy it, but they say it works, so I'm onboard. It's time to get back to work. It's time to get back to school. It's time to get back to practice. It's time to get back to life, period. That's my statement on that. So, let's go."
With many changes on your coaching staff this year, when those positions become available, did inside linebackers coach Rob Ryan reach out to you guys? Do you guys reach out to them? How does that process work in replacing coaches? (Kevin Richardson) "It's both. That's a good question. Everybody is different. Some guys … I've known [inside linebackers coach] Rob [Ryan] for a long time. So, that conversation … We talk from time to time; that's an easy call to make. I called him, but I probably had heard that he was interested before I called him; somewhere, I can't remember who told me. Probably Rex [Ryan], I don't know. (laughter) But there are other guys you don't know. I had never met [wide receivers coach] Tee [Higgins]. I had never met [pass game specialist] Keith [Williams]. So, I just reached out to those guys kind of out of the blue, and they were interested. So, it's just different for every guy."
You talked about trusting in the scouts as you evaluate players and you get ready for the draft. How important is it to rely on those guys, who that is there job and they're looking at that, and not allow outside influences whether it's someone getting infatuated with a player who may be within the organization but isn't a scout [and] isn't diving into it as deeply as they are, to influence your position in your Draft? (Rob Maaddi) "It's an interesting question. I think it depends on who that 'quote unquote' outside influence is. If it's somebody that's on the marketing side … If it's [Ravens editorial director] Ryan Mink, I could care less what Ryan thinks. (laughter) But we have a lot of fun talking about stuff, right, Ryan?" (Ryan Mink: "Always. Always.") (laughter) "But if it's [owner] Steve Bisciotti and he's invested interest and he's thinking about it every single day, I have a lot of interest in what he thinks, and so does [executive vice president and general manager] Eric [DeCosta]. So, I don't know what an outside person would be. The coaches have a big influence, [and] the scouts, of course. Everybody has their role. Finally, you have the decision-making level that ultimately goes back to Steve. We should always acknowledge that it's the owner that ultimately is the point of the operation, but Eric makes the call. [Executive vice president] Ozzie [Newsome] has a huge influence in that. I like to think those guys give me a big influence on that as well. That's your decision-making team as far as who you take, but everything leads to that point when you have to make a decision."
How is T Ronnie Stanley progressing, and what are your expectations for his availability come this summer? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Yes, I expect him to be back. It sounds good. I saw him in here last week, and he said he was doing well, and [head certified athletic trainer] Ron Medlin tells me he's doing well; he's on schedule. He's had two surgeries, so that's part of it, and he's doing great, so I expect him back. But if not, as you all know, we have a left tackle who can play left tackle until he gets back. So, we're in good shape."
Jeff Zrebiec [The Athletic reporter] took my injury question. I was going to have an injury question. Well, as far as TE Nick Boyle; have you gotten any updates on Nick? (Jamison Hensley) "Nick [Boyle], too. Nick is doing great. Nick kills himself, just like Ronnie [Stanley], and Tavon [Young] is doing a great job. I see those guys in here rehabbing, as well. So, all three of those guys, I would say, are on track for at least training camp. I actually think … I can't give you timeframes. I haven't really asked that question too specifically, but I think that OTAs [organized team activities] are not out of the question, either."
Since Houston Texans head coach David Culley took both of these jobs under his purview, could you just outline the differences between what wide receivers coach Tee Martin is going to do and what pass game specialist Keith Williams is going to do, with Keith Williams being the pass game specialist? (Jonas Shaffer) "You're talking about the responsibilities of [wide receivers coach] Tee [Martin] and [pass game specialist] Keith [Williams]?" [Reporter: "Yes."] "Right. Well, Tee Martin is the wide receivers coach. Tee is in charge of the wide receivers – everything they do. He's completely responsible for those guys – that it fits into our offense. [Offensive coordinator] Greg [Roman] coordinates the offense, but everybody's got input in every aspect of it. We try to work cooperatively. Keith is going to be involved with all the route running. Obviously, wide receivers are a big part of that, specifically. We work really hard. As I mentioned, those guys meet … I don't sit in all those meetings, but I organized all the meetings, and I get reports, weekly, on where we're at and the specifics that we're doing in the meetings, in terms of making sure that we come to the best possible way to teach every element of the pass game the way we want to teach it – what's best for our team and for our guys and this offense. So, that's something that's being discussed with a fine-tooth comb. Those guys are hashing it out every single day, which I love. The best way to describe Keith's role would be he definitely has a lane, and that lane is going to be precision and fundamentals that he's going to be focusing on, in terms of the way we run routes, get off the ball, beat press. But of course, Tee is going to be coaching that, too, and so will [tight ends coach] Bobby [Engram], and so will [running backs coach] Craig Ver Steeg. I think he [Keith Williams] has got a specific lane, and that lane is going to run into those three guys' neighborhoods, and they'll be working together for our guys to play the best football that they can. So, it's a little … I'll say this, it's a little creative. It's definitely a different way of doing it. I don't know if too many people have tried this before. But to me, it fit the coaches that were available. I really wanted to bring both of these guys in for their specific abilities as coaches and be as strong as we could be. And this is the way it made the most sense for me to do it, so that's how we're doing it."
So, Houston Texans head coach David Culley, when he was with you guys, did he only work on the passing game coordinator side? His purview was tight ends and running backs, as well, but he spent most of practice with the wide receivers. So, with pass game specialist Keith Williams, he can float between the different areas during practice? (Jonas Shaffer) "I don't know why you're comparing David Culley to [pass game specialist] Keith Williams; I don't really understand …" [Reporter: "Just because they have the same position, the same title."] "They don't. David's title was assistant head coach/pass game coordinator/wide receivers; Keith is pass game specialist. Now, those are not the same, and I tried as best I could to put a title together that would reflect what Keith is doing. Dave had his title; he had his responsibilities. They were what they were. He did a great job. Now he's the head coach of the Houston Texans, and that's awesome. It's a great thing, and I'm really proud of him, and wish him the best except for when he plays us. But Keith's role is different; it's unique. It's not a role that's easy to compare. I don't know of any other staff in the league that's got that kind of a specific type of a role, because I think Keith is a very unique coach. And I'm just really excited that we have him on board to contribute, and I know our players are excited about it, and it's going to make us better."
Part of the whole wide receiver equation this offseason is evaluating the players that you have already. WR Devin Duvernay seemed to really flash last season. And WR James Proche II, he didn't have a lot of offensive snaps, but in practice looked really good. Can you just give your evaluation of those two young wide receivers and the growth you foresee for them? (Ryan Mink) "Yes, I expect those guys to do really well, going forward. They did well, to your point – just as you said. But that's not going to be the end. I don't think you look at that right now and say, 'Hey, this is who they are.' We've got a growth mindset for our players and definitely, especially, [for] these rookie players who didn't even have an offseason last year. I can't wait to get these guys back in the offseason program in April, which we really need to have. The Phase Two and the Phase Three aspects of it, and the minicamp, [are] critically important for the development of players, especially young players – the passing game more so than anything. If you want to have a passing game in this league that actually can attack defenses, and can be successful and make the game exciting, you better give guys a chance to grow, and develop and get good at it. It starts with quarterbacks, then it's receivers, tight ends and running backs. So, pass protection, as well – technique and assignments. So, that's really critical. But those guys, they work really hard. They're going to make a big jump. I really expect both of those players to make a big jump, in terms of their skill set. How they do with it, remains to be seen, but I fully expect them to play really good football for us next fall."
As we look at the way these next six weeks or so, seven weeks, unfold, what is one thing that you really do miss, that can't be replicated from this whole process? And what do you think is one thing that's actually better? (Aditi Kinkhabwala) "I'm not sure what you mean." [Reporter: "Well, just no NFL Combine; restrictions on Pro Days; you can perhaps have longer interviews with players. What's one piece that you can't replicate, like I said, and what's one thing that may actually make the process better than it's been in the past."] "You can't really replicate seeing guys. There is value, as an evaluator of an athlete, to see them in person; to put the movement skills with the size. It's kind of like Malcolm Gladwell, with the 'Blink' idea; the 'thin-layering' idea; 'thin-slicing,' I think he called it. It's been a while since I read that. But when you see enough players … Like the old scout – the baseball scout – who used to go out … Like the Clint Eastwood movie, right? You know it when you see it, because you've seen it so many times before, and you know something that's different and unique. There is value in that, so that's probably the biggest thing we miss. Yes, the interviews are probably the thing that's kind of cool, because the 15-minute interview is really not that great. I don't even know how great that is at all. Maybe that's something that'll change. Maybe we won't do interviews at the Combine in the future and just do virtual interviews in the future. That's what I'd vote for. Those Combine interviews are just torturous. So, this will be a better way to do it. There's my answer. That's it. That's the question, right? That's the answer." [Reporter: "Excellent, thank you. And I love the 'Blink' reference – appreciate that one. Next week, I want a 'Tipping Point' one, OK?"] (laughter) "['What the Dog Saw']; that's another good one. Malcolm Gladwell is getting all kind of 'pub' [publicity]."
I worked out with head strength and conditioning coach Steve Saunders several years ago, so I know his impact and what he can do. You guys were among the first organizations to bring in somebody of his expertise and put him in that role. He's been there now for about five years or so. What has been his impact on the team and what he's able to do for the guys? (Rob Maaddi) "That's a great question, and you know, because you worked out with him, how it's not an easy one to answer, because what [head strength and conditioning coach] Steve [Saunders] does is so unique and so good, and all his guys. Functional strength is one way to describe it. He talks about balance is strength; that's one interesting thing that I learned from that. In terms of all the unilateral-type of lifts we do, that are about balance, body control, small muscle groups, awkward positions that you get put in, to develop strength, I think, that really go a long way toward staying healthy. Because doing a squat or doing a bench press, like we used to do … You'd bench twice a week and squat twice a week; do legs and upper body, those four-day-in-a-week cycles and all that. It's so much better now. It's so much more advanced – the way people are doing it. With Steve, I think Steve is on the cutting edge of that, and, really, the results speak for themselves, when you look at how far we've come in the last five years with injury prevention. We were a very strong, physical team at the end of the year, production-wise, performance-wise, and we've been a healthy team (knocks on wood), as well. And I think that goes to how hard our guys work. And when Steve motivates guys, they work hard – we require that. We don't bring in guys who don't like to work, so it's really not a problem. But also, the types of lifts they're doing have been really instrumental – I know, I believe this, 100% – in keeping our team as healthy as we can be."
You mentioned earlier, the importance to you and the players of those April and May gatherings. If I'm not mistaken, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell last spoke of those remaining virtual, long-term. Is that different? Is that open for negotiation? Will you have those? (Mark Viviano) "I hope he's not talking about that; I hope he's talking about other things. And there are some things that can be virtual that would be good, but if he's talking about not practicing our players, that would be a colossal mistake. How many young quarterbacks do we have in the National Football League, right now, that are starting? And how many are going to be coming into the league in the next three or four years? And if you think you can just go to training camp and develop as a quarterback, that's fantasyland. And those quarterbacks are not going to be able to line up and play successfully and have any chance against the defenses they're going to be playing against and move the ball down the field. That can be really ugly football – I promise you. You see when quarterbacks go out there who aren't prepared or just aren't good enough or not ready, how that looks in games. There will be a lot more of those games if you put those young quarterbacks out there without the proper preparation, and that goes for the wide receivers, the tight ends and all those guys, and the offensive line – no matter what [Browns center and NFLPA president] JC Tretter says. It's fine for him; he's been in the league [nine] years. Just like [Buccaneers head coach] Bruce Arians said, these young players need to come in, they need to learn how to … Just like he had to when he was young. You need to learn where the pressures are coming from; you need to work on your footwork. And to go off somewhere on your own and pay your own money to go somewhere and think you're going to train and get yourself ready when you're a second-, third-year, fourth-year player, that's unfair, and it's wrong. So, the quality of the game is really important. The quality of the product, if you want to look at it from a business standpoint, is really important. NFL fans are accustomed to seeing really good football, and they're not going to be OK with these young players not being prepared and not being ready to go out there and be successful; not to mention the fact that we want to talk about player safety. We sit in there, we watch these tapes, and we're told by the doctors that we need to use these terms – well, we give them the terms. But they want to see this taught; they want to see the technique that way; the want to keep the head up, the eyes out; tackle the right way; block the right way – [I'm] 100% for it. That takes practice. That takes work. That's not just something that you just snap your fingers, and all of a sudden, guys know how to do techniques. As Malcolm Gladwell will tell you – 10,000 reps. It takes thousands and thousands of reps to play the game at this kind of a level. Sure, when you're a veteran guy and you've played for 10 years, you have those reps under your belt. But when you're a first-, second-, third-year player, fourth-year player, you do not have those reps under your belt. And it's most true for the quarterbacks. These are the guys who drive the game and make the NFL game what it is – make it different even than the college game. Guys like Tom Brady, and guys like Peyton Manning, they all had this opportunity. To deprive these young players of that, as I said, would be a colossal mistake."
