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Wednesday Media Transcript: LB Kareem Martin

Eric from BBI : Admin : 4/25/2018 1:24 pm
LB Kareem Martin
Media Availability, April 25, 2018
 
Q: How helpful is it that you will be playing in the same defense, even though it is a new team?
A: It’s been really helpful, especially in the transition. Coming from the West Coast to East, it can be really tough. Especially trading teams, not really knowing anyone. But having Coach Betch [Defensive Coordinator James Bettcher] here and having this defense, it takes a lot of pressure off myself, to having to learn people and learning a defense. So, I think it’s been really helpful for myself and I think it’ll be beneficial for the defense, me being a guy that they can lean on when they have questions about the defense or any of the schemes, I’m comfortable with answering any questions.
 
Q: Did you not know anyone when you got here?
A: No, I know a couple of guys. You got [defensive end Josh] Mauro, who I played with in Arizona. I’m meeting the guys here in the locker room, a couple guys trained back in Arizona, I trained at the same facility. But for the majority, I didn’t know much other guys.
 
Q: Give me a description of James Bettcher’s defense.
A: It’s a fun defense. We’re an attacking, heavy pressure team. We keep teams guessing. Make a lot of checks and we keep a lot of teams on their toes, we disguise a lot of things. It gets guys energized. You never know who’s coming, who’s dropping. I think that adds to it, to the success that we’ve had the past couple of years in Arizona. And we look to bring that here. 
 
Q: Is it the same defense you played in Arizona, or is it tailored to the players you have here?
A: No, its pretty much the same defense for the most part, yes.
 
Q: How much were you asked to cover as an outside linebacker last year?
A: It would depend on game-to-game, game plan. If we felt like it was a game where we needed more coverage guys, we would do that. But for the most part, it’s just a piece of the title. Like I said, this is an attacking defense, so he wants us attacking as outside linebackers. So, it’s part of the job title, but it’s not necessarily the main part.
 
Q: So, you rushed the passer more than you covered?
A: Correct, yes.
 
Q: Did defensive end Olivier Vernon reach out to you at all during the offseason, or pick your brain about what the job entails?
A: We’ve talked once we got into phase one a couple weeks ago. And since we’ve been on the field, I’ve been talking with him if he had questions, or things like that. But he’s a fast learner, he’s been picking things up. Kind of trying to learn a little bit of everything from both positions. But I’m here to lean on, for all the guys.
 
Q: Do you see the personnel here meeting with what Bettcher wants to do on defense, or do you think there is more work to do in the draft to add pieces?
A: No, I think what we have here will work great with this defense. We’ve got guys like Snacks [defensive tackle Damon Harrison] and like you said, [safety] Landon [Collins]. Those guys are phenomenal players and they can fit this scheme. Like I said, we’re attacking, and those two guys have the ability to do that. So, I think they’ll be really successful in this scheme.
 
Q: James Bettcher said he has never seen a player improve as much as you. What has that taken and do you still have a way to climb?
A: Sure, you always can get better. The moment you stop getting better, that’s when it’s over for you. But for me, it’s just been a lot of focusing and I realized that the more you can learn something, as far as the defense goes, the faster you can play and worry about technique. A lot of guys get slowed down when they can’t learn a playbook. So for me, coming in, it was like, alright, let’s get this playbook down like it’s the back of my hand so that I can focus on my techniques and to do different things. So, I think that’s probably the biggest piece of my improvement.
 
Q: How did you pick your number 96?
A: Well, I was hand in the dirt in college and my first year in Arizona, I had my hand in the dirt. And once I had it in my rookie year, it was like, why change it now just because I’m standing up? Pretty much a glorified defensive end anyway. Just a few drops in there.
Good stuff  
idiotsavant : 4/25/2018 8:22 pm : link
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