Transcript: Defensive Coordinator Shane Bowen

Defensive Coordinator Shane Bowen

August 1, 2024

Q: When we last talked, you talked about how guys need to separate themselves. It’s been a week at camp, but have you started to see that from anybody?

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, I have. I think they accepted the challenge going into the off-season, very pleased with how they came back in shape, ready to go. I feel like there's been good recall from the spring in terms of what we're asking them to do, and guys are making plays. They've shown up. It's been various guys as we've went here, but we're kind of starting to see guys show up, making plays, and give themselves a chance to earn a bigger role.

Q: What have you seen from your cornerback position? You guys just picked up a guy.

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, so we signed (cornerback) Mario (Goodrich). It'll be good to get him in here, get him working with the guys. Obviously, we added (defensive back) Breon (Borders) last week. I think it's a competitive group right now. We're rolling guys in, giving them all opportunities to go out there and compete. I think the biggest thing for them is day in and day out, play in, play out, the consistency. You see flashes from all of them, and then you see some things that they need to improve on. And again, we're early. We got time, but the clock's ticking. So hopefully those guys, that's one position they can continue to improve, continue to show that consistency, being reliable play in and play out, and one area where we can hopefully get some definition here in the next few weeks. I think next week versus Detroit is going to be a big tell for some of that stuff too going against some other opponents.

Q: It's interesting because you moved (cornerback) Nick McCloud inside. You moved (cornerback) Cor’Dale Flott outside. What was the thought process behind that, and what do you see from them in those spots?

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, I think with both those guys, there's versatility. So, just trying to find the best pieces for us as it relates. Nick's been kind of doing a little bit of everything so far in camp. He's been outside some. He's been inside some. He's played some money for us on third down. So, I think the thought process initially was let's put Flott out there. He hasn't really played out there at this level up to this point. He played a lot inside last year. So, let's put him out there and let him get his work there, and see what we got, see what we have with the versatility aspect of that, and that will continue to evolve with both of those guys as we kind of work our way through here.

Q: How do you think Flott's doing on the outside?

SHANE BOWEN: I think he's done a good job. Just like I said previously, I think all those guys, just the consistency. At that position, play in and play out. If you're not playing with technique, it's going to show up. And we got some good receivers over there right now that those guys are facing, and they got to assume, they got to anticipate, they have to expect every single snap that the ball's coming their way.

Q: Are you a believer as a coordinator that you and the middle linebacker have to be able to finish each other's sentences? Coach on the field and if so, where are you with (inside linebacker) Bobby (Okereke) now? Because, you can't have instant chemistry, obviously, you have to develop that.

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, absolutely. With that position, you want to be on the same page. You want to make sure that he sees things the same way you do in terms of concept, scheme. I think that will grow as we go in terms of why calls are being made in certain situations. But, yeah, you want to have that leadership from that position, obviously, because he touches everybody. The front, the back end, he's involved with all of them. But that doesn't go without saying, I want all our guys to have an understanding of why.

Q: Do you and Bobby have to spend more time together, just the two of you talking through things?

SHANE BOWEN: I would say things come up a lot more, just communication, and he's been around. He's a veteran player at this point, so he asks good questions. Questions that I want those guys to ask. But I think it's important for the entire unit to know why, like why are we doing this? Why is this called? Because when you understand the why, you understand the strengths of it. You understand the weaknesses of it. There's a little bit more buy-in. Like I mentioned in the spring, it's not the call, it's about being able to go out there and execute the call and why we're calling it and what we're looking to get out of each individual call.

Q: Do you have a vision for (safety/linebacker) Isaiah Simmons?

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, I've been pleased with him. Not really knowing where he was going to be after the spring. Getting him back in here, I felt like he's been ready to go, and he's taken strides in these first few weeks. Playing inside at Nickel for us right now on early downs. And then he's transitioned to a sub linebacker role for us right now on third down. But the versatility, it shows up. He's played in that role in college. He's been out in space a little bit. I think with what we're going to ask of him to do, he's more than capable, has all the skill sets to do that stuff. But I've been pleased with his progress up to this point. Hopefully that continues to evolve as we keep going here. But he's moving in the right direction.

Q: How do you balance if you're giving Flott reps at outside corner and really developing him there? How do you balance that with wanting to make sure you have your best 11 out there and maybe prioritizing having someone who has experience there and benefits?

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, I think that goes to the other guys. They've got to earn it too. Who knows who the best 11 are right now? I don't know that answer. I think we're working through that as we go. I think the opportunity for those guys to get in the rotation and get some of those reps with the ones, with the twos, the different matchups, everything that comes into play. I guess what we've got to do as a coaching staff is to be able to evaluate and get to that point. So, I think there's a fine line between saying nobody here has pegged anybody as the guy. That's not the case. They're getting their work. Like you said, it's more about development right now and us as a coaching staff, me, Rome (Defensive Passing Game Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach Jerome Henderson), working through this and figuring out where these guys stand, the areas they need to improve, and ultimately within our scheme, getting the 11 guys out there, being able to execute at the highest level.

Q: How much of that is figuring out that best 11 is because you're getting acquainted with them versus, ‘hey, it’s the NFL and the year-to-year things change so much’?

SHANE BOWEN: I think it's a combination. I think probably not as much me right now because I had the spring with them. I have a good gauge for where these guys are at and where they need to improve. But again, it's a year-to-year thing. There's a lot of moving parts. We signed a corner last week. We signed a corner yesterday. We're going to sign a corner Tuesday in October that's going to be expected to play on Sunday. It's the nature of the beast. So, I think with that, we're always learning, coaches, players, all of the above. I think all of us are just trying to get to the point where there's consistency and we can determine where that is.

Q: With (outside linebackers) (Brian) Burns, Kayvon (Thibodeaux), and Azeez (Ojulari), all those guys have proven they can rush the passer and have all done it from the edge. Do you see any one of those three guys have the potential to rush inside on the third down?

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, I haven't really done a whole lot of that. We'll kind of see where it goes. I think a lot of that's going to lean a little bit on where we're at inside too, how that competition shakes out with that guy opposite (defense lineman) Dex (Dexter Lawrence II). We've done it. You go back to our days in Houston, our early days in Tennessee, we've had kind of that in-between hybrid type player as a fourth rusher inside to help. So, we've got the ability to go to that. I think right now, my comfort level, I'd rather let those guys sort it out inside and see where that goes. And they're battling. That D-line competition is as strong as any competition on our team right now. I feel like we've got really good depth. And right now, as it stands, there's going to be some good football players that don't make this team in that room, and they're battling. So, it'll be interesting to see how that shakes out.

Q: How much of an advantage does (safety) Dane Belton have with that safety spot? He's been running with the ones all spring, and now all summer. And (safety) Tyler (Nubin), obviously, has a little injury where he hasn't been on the field.

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, I think obviously we want them all out there. We want them all out there practicing. It's tough to improve when you're not practicing. It is. And one thing I'll say for Dane is he's taken ownership of it, and he's fighting like hell to earn that job. Which he should. It's his job to lose right now. It is his job to lose.

Q: What have you learned about him as a player?

SHANE BOWEN: I think the instincts show up, the playmaking ability. I think he's smart. He communicates. You can't really tell a whole lot about the tackling and some of that stuff right now just based on where we're at. But he's made plays. This first week, he's showing up.

Q: (inside linebacker) Dyontae Johnson seems like a guy who is kind of making some strides.

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, man, I've been very pleased with him up to this point. He's doing a really good job. I think he's, again, fighting for a role. You know, fighting for a role. And like I tell those guys, those backup positions, special teams are going to be a vital part of that. But defensively for us, he's done a really good job for us stepping in there, and he's been productive.