Defensive Lineman Dexter Lawrence II
July 29, 2021
Q: Is it strange not seeing Dalvin [Tomlinson] around?
A: Little strange. He was with me my first two years, but you know, he had to do what was best for him and I’m proud of him. He got what he wanted and he’s in a good spot.
Q: How much of an adjustment is that, playing together and suddenly you have to get used to a new guy?
A: Honestly, like, it’s not a big adjustment because like even the guys that – we added a few new guys, but you bring them in just like the same. You treat them like your brother. You help them get accustomed to the lifestyle that we know it is for the Giants, the culture that we’re trying to build and the chemistry. You keep that going. Stuff like that don’t die.
Q: Does [Defensive Tackle] Danny Shelton make you feel small?
A: A little bit. He’s a massive dude, but good personality. He fits right in. I’m excited to be able to work with him.
Q: What were a couple of things that you learned about [Head Coach] Joe Judge from last year, just the way he handles football?
A: He’s very intense, but I feel like he prepares us each and every day for the game. That’s his motto. That’s his mindset and it helps and it works. So for us, it gets us excited for practice. You know, we’re not just practicing to practice, we call it training, so that’s exciting because when you’re training, you’re getting better. So the mindset he sets for the team and he wants for the team is good.
Q: As tough is he is, is there any part that’s relatable with how he handles different guys and the culture?
A: Yeah. I don’t know anybody that doesn’t like him. He relates to guys. He listens to us. He respects us. We respect him.
Q: Where do you see this defense going this year? What do you think as a possibility for this group?
A: The sky’s the limit, for me. Anything is possible. Our mindset, our motto is to get better each and every day and that’s where we start, wanting to be great. My goal is to push everybody to get better around me while bettering myself. That’s kind of where our heads at. We’re taking it day-by-day and focusing on the little things that turn into big things.
Q: Dexter, you mentioned Danny’s personality a few minutes ago, how exactly does that fit in? I know you and [Defensive Lineman Leonard Williams] hit it off and you both are kind of fun guys.
A: Honestly, the group in whole, we all just bond and click. We can coach each other. We can pick on each other. There’s no hard feelings with anything because everybody is genuine. Like I said, he fits right in. He came in and fit right in. He even brought some character to the room, so it’s not a lot of – it’s not like an intruder came. It’s kind of like, it just fits like a puzzle was put in.
Q: You guys could have three first round picks going across there?
A: Yeah, we could.
Q: That doesn’t happen a lot.
A: Yeah.
Q: With Dalvin gone, do you see yourself next in line? They signed Leonard and Dalvin left and they know they still have you for years, you were a first round pick, do they need more from you now? Are they expecting more from you, that kind of thing?
A: I expect more from myself. My main focus is helping the team win games. Whatever I can do to help the team win games is what I will do. I push everybody in practice, the whole D-line, we root for each other. We want to see each other be great, so that’s the whole goal in the room is to help everybody be great.
Q: How can you can get better? Obviously, you could improve at everything, but where is your focus?
A: My focus this offseason was learning the position more. I know there was a lot that I watched myself on tape that I didn’t exactly know what to do. This whole offseason I worked on myself, I worked on learning my position.
Q: How do you go about that?
A: Just being around the right guys. I trained with a bunch of guys this offseason. Guys that proved themselves in the league pretty much and just learn from them.
Q: Did you try to get bigger or smaller?
A: You know, I was just trying to maintain and shape my body kind of thing. It’s kind of like, I’m to the point that I’m going to be big all my life. Just make it look good.
Q: You’re doing well with that.
A: And keep my sexy on.
Q: Do you think you’re a better big now?
A: From my first year, yeah. I’m improving every year.
Q: When Michael Strahan was here, a lot of people first looked at him as a sack guy. Later on, he would say, ‘I’m a complete player.’ I mean, do you want to be one in particular?
A: The goal as a D-lineman is to be a complete player. To do all you can, you want to play every down. So that’s your goal is to be that complete player and that’s what you work at, taking it stage by stage.
Q: Have you dumped [Quarterback] Daniel [Jones] as a roommate?
A: No. I can never dump him. That’s my guy.
