Tackle Ereck Flowers
June 15, 2017
Q: The coaches have talked about your fitness improving. What did you do to get in that shape?
A: I just worked out, ran. Practice doing sets [weightlifting]. That's it.
Q: Different diet? Or any kind of different workout?
A: I've been watching what I eat.
Q: How much have you dropped?
A: I dropped a few pounds.
Q: Do you know many?
A: Not right now in particular, but I have dropped some weight.
Q: What about body fat and things like that?
A: I don’t know that yet.
Q: Have you seen a noticeable difference when you're out on the field?
A: I feel good. I feel better, I feel a little quicker. I'm just looking forward to continuing it.
Q: The coaches have said that technique is very big with you. Do you feel that you have gotten better at things?
A: Yeah, I have gotten better, but then again, we're not in pads so it's not real. When it's in the game, that’s when you really see the difference.
Q: What parts of your game do you think have gotten better?
A: I think I've been getting better at hand placement. Then again, we're out here with no pads, just helmet, and jersey. You're just working, but it's not the real thing yet.
Q: How's your footwork?
A: It feels better. It feels a little lighter.
Q: Was there a target weight they gave you after the season?
A: No.
Q: How different was this offseason from your past offseasons?
A: I'll probably say this might have been the smartest I've worked than any other offseason. I'll probably say that.
Q: Why do you say that?
A: Just from diet, to the specific things I've targeted in the weight room.
Q: How come you stayed here this offseason?
A: Why not?
Q: Were you limited last offseason because of the ankle injury?
A: No.
Q: Is everything feeling good now?
A: Yeah, everything feels good.
Q: How personal do you take the criticism that comes to offensive lineman in general and you in particular?
A: You can't really look into that. You just keep going to the next play and the next thing.
Q: How critical are you of yourself?
A: You got to be critical of yourself. You got to look at it and try to improve.
Q: What did you see when you reviewed last year?
A: I see different things with my technique I wanted to improve on and I think I have been improving on it.
Q: [Head Coach] McAdoo has said several times that the playoff game was your best game. Do you agree with that?
A: I probably have to watch it again. I try to steer away from [the past]; I'm trying to look forward to now. Practices I see now, and my hand placement.
Q: What was your reaction when they didn't bring in another left tackle in the draft of free agency?
A: Same as always, continue to work.
Q: Did it mean a lot that the organization is showing confidence in you?
A: Yeah, just continue to go out there and work. That's all I'm thinking about.
Q: Any current of former players that you talked to in the offseason that helped you out?
A: Not really. No, not really.
Q: You and Bobby [Hart] are pretty close, how much did that help with the two of you working together in the offseason?
A: Yeah, it works because I guess its competition. You know, you want to play better than him, he wants to play better than me. We push each other.
Q: Did you guys have fun with it?
A: Yeah, we always have fun every day.
Q: Have you boxed against him?
A: I haven't boxed against Bobby.
Q: Why did you take up boxing?
A: I've seen a lot of guys do it. I tried it, it's pretty good.
Q: Has it helped you in any way?
A: Yeah, I think it's helped me.
Q: Boxing or kick-boxing?
A: No, just regular boxing.
Q: Do you think it helps with things?
A: Hand quickness. Hand placement, practicing punching.
Q: Rocking the red hoodie in the 93-degree heat. How are you handling it?
A: I played in Miami, I've been in Miami my whole life. So, it's not as hot as I feel it is down there. It's not bad to me.
Q: Was it a weight loss tactic?
A: No, I like to sweat when I come out to practice.
Q: When we talked to Bobby, he said that despite the doubters that he thought that you guys were young enough that you two could be the future tackles for this team. What makes you believe that, assuming you do believe that?
A: What makes me believe that? I mean, what's the point of being out there if you don’t believe in yourself.
Q: What are your plans for the summer?
A: Continue working out. Continue to try to get better and get ready for camp this season.
Q: Are you going to be here, or are you going home?
A: I don't know.
Q: Does it feel like a grind?
A: It's a grind. I love it though. It's fun coming in every day and continue to get work.
Q: You got veterans here that are on flights to get out of here, you spent so much time here this offseason. For you, are you going to stay here or are you looking to get away?
A: We'll see.
Q: The team added some guys, but the offensive line is intact. What does that say to you?
A: What do you mean?
Q: The same five guys on the offensive line could likely be starting next year.
A: That's always a good thing. You build chemistry and then you just got to get out there and continue to work and play this year.
Q: How much time did you spend reflecting on what happened on and off the field?
A: Short-term memory. That's what coach says, on to the next play. So I'm not worried about last year.
Q: Do you regret still some of the things that happened last year?
A: No.
Q: Any interactions with Eli [Manning] that have encouraged you?
A: I haven't really seen Eli. I think he does his camp, they did a camp with receivers and people go off and do their own thing.
Q: Out here over the course of three days, there's no interaction with him?
A: With Eli? Eli is the same dude every day. Gets the plays off clear and runs the show.
Q: Do you think the best is yet to come from you, the fact that you're only 23?
A: Yeah, I believe that.
Q: Does anything that happened the last couple of years take a confidence hit?
A: No.
Q: Did it go as you expected the first two years? Was is harder of less hard?
A: I don't think there is any player that doesn't look back and see what they could've done better.
Q: What is your relationship with Coach Solari like?
A: Great.
Q: Was that an issue with you in the past?
A: No, never had an issue with Solari.
Q: No with [former offensive line coach] Flaherty
A: Flaherty? No, there's never been an issue. Flaherty taught me a lot when I got here. I mean, he's been here for many years, for a reason.
A: What makes me believe that? I mean, what's the point of being out there if you don’t believe in yourself?
Hard to think that will not affect the regular season. Excellent interview, especially these As:
Q: How different was this offseason from your past offseasons?
A: I'll probably say this might have been the smartest I've worked than any other offseason. I'll probably say that.
Q: Why do you say that?
A: Just from diet, to the specific things I've targeted in the weight room.
Q: Is everything feeling good now?
A: Yeah, everything feels good.
Q: How personal do you take the criticism that comes to offensive lineman in general and you in particular?
A: You can't really look into that. You just keep going to the next play and the next thing.
Q: How critical are you of yourself?
A: You got to be critical of yourself. You got to look at it and try to improve.
Q: What did you see when you reviewed last year?
A: I see different things with my technique I wanted to improve on and I think I have been improving on it.
I, for one, am encouraged about Flowers. You can tell by the way he has remade himself physically, that he worked his ass off (literally). Hoping it pays off for him.
Quite frankly I don't care about his motivation to improve. If it was a matter of pride and seeing himself flailing away on tape, great. Perhaps he's tired of seeing his fatness in the mirror and in a vain attempt wants to look better, great. Or maybe it is a purely selfish reason in coming to the realization that he has millions of reasons to improve, awesome. Certainly he isn't stupid or at the least his advisors aren't. I'm sure he has seen a highly touted 1st round draft tackle sign for a $1MM/yr prove it deal in Fluker. He also is aware that an aging pro-bowl tackle in Whitworth is still fetching $10MM/yr. Regardless of his motivation, I'll be rooting for him to get the job done.