Cornerback Adoree' Jackson
Q. We talked to you a couple of weeks ago about playing inside and it's still continuing to trend that way. Do you feel comfortable in there? Have they talked to you about it?
A: Yeah, just working on being versatile. What's great about this group is having (cornerback) Darnay (Holmes), (cornerback Cor'Dale) Flott, and (cornerback) Zyon (Gilbert) to be able to talk to and help me out while I'm in there and just trying to push each other to be better. So, it makes me comfortable, and then at the end of the day, just playing football, studying, seeing different splits, reading your different keys and different things like that. Just to try to slow the game down. We always talk about communication and just one person seeing something can help out everybody on the defense, vice versa with the linebackers and safeties, whoever it may be, so I just think that's helpful as well.
Q. What do you think about the idea of playing slot full time?
A: I said this like two weeks ago, it kind of makes me feel like Logan Ryan in a sense. Being able to play outside, then play inside and do different things. If it comes to that understanding or whatever it is to help the team to help the team and be selfless but at the same time just thrive in the role that I'm given.
Q. In the base you're going to still be playing outside. What are the challenges of playing those spots during the course of the same game?
A: Probably just breathing, just resetting. Understanding that you're not at corner, you're at nickel or vice versa. I think that's all it is but as I was saying earlier, just communication. Going out there and telling them 'This way' or 'that way' or I've got the linebackers or the safeties, we're all on the same page, talking, or we meet early throughout the week or throughout the day to help ourselves be able to play faster. I think that's really the biggest key, communication and just being on the same page with everybody on the defense.
Q. What do you see in both of the young corners individually?
A: (Cornerback) Tre (Hawkins III), I'm going to start with him. I just like his tenacity, how calm he is, how willing and eager he is to learn. He asks a lot of questions, very respectable and works hard. You can see a guy that probably didn't get drafted as high as he probably wanted to or as he planned or should've but goes out there and does his job and keeps doing it at a high level. Then with (cornerback Deonte) Banks, just respectable as well. Both of them are genuine guys. I think that just the talent – athleticism that he has is crazy to be able to see and watch him play. He has a lot of great tangibles, and I feel like both of them with their tangibles have the ability to do something great, but it's just up to them. You know, how they want to do it so we're just taking it a day at a time and I'm just happy to see them progress and get better each day. Coming in and wanting to learn asking questions and being respectable in a sense to where they obviously could come in thinking that you know it all because you make a bunch of plays but still trying to learn and still trying to get better, so I appreciate that a lot out of both of them.
Q. Is it surprising when you guys come out on the field and they're on the outside and you're in the slot?
A: I don't think it's surprising. You know about this league, it's all about competition and raising the level of competition. I was actually excited to see people push each other to try to be better and want to be better and then letting us be able to do different things on defense. To be able to see them come in and compete and play the way that they've been playing. I'm not going to lie, I tell them I feel like their uncle, and I'm just proud every time I go out there and see them play, see them work and just see them do different things. It's one of those things like when I was rookie, how would I want the vets to treat me? So now, it's me paying that forward to them. I just want to see them do things better than I did and not make the mistakes that I made so at the end of the day, I'm excited for them. I'm glad that they're doing great things because I want to see them be the best that they can be.
Q. You mentioned them being competition to you. How are they pushing you?
A: They have some tangibles that I don't have. Obviously, they're taller, longer frame corners, great in press and I really look at them to – obviously, I think it just levels my play. In a sense where I see them do great things like 'okay, I want to compete with them as well.' It's more of a you see them do something, so it's like 'okay, I just want to show that I can do it, too, or I'm still doing it.' I think they appreciate that a lot. It's not like we're coming in just loafing. Just trying to set the standard and show them it's not just one day. So, everyday you've got to come in and keep working, keep working. I think that's how they push me to show that at the end of the day, I am the oldest corner in the room and to be able to show them different things and show them how to do it, how to be a pro and then how to be able to keep doing it for as long as I have, which is going on year seven, to keep playing at this level.
Q. You know how it is to be a rookie playing that position. What do you think the process of having two rookies out there at the same time learning on the fly?
A: I don't really have any concerns about it at all. Like I said, they always ask a lot of questions, they always communicate, and they're always willing and wanting to learn. At the end of the day, we meet as a group throughout the week, throughout the day to be able to try to be able to go through different looks and disguises and different things like that. Then obviously, with this offense that we have, it helps us out a lot at getting different looks. Not even looks as in plays, formations but different types of receivers, different body types and skillsets so being able to see all those different things, it helps us out a lot. At the end of the day, they know how to play ball. The other thing is they've got effort. You've got to teach some of those things, and the things that you can't teach, they have already, so they things that you can teach, you can live with that and just keep going day by day.
Q. How much different is it playing the run when you're inside like that?
A: I don't think it's too much different for the fact that I know how to play to my help. Sometimes you've got to set the edge, sometimes you've got to be in the box, do different things. But just talking to the linebackers, Bobby (Okereke), Micah (McFadden), the safeties, X (Xavier McKinney) and JP (Jason Pinnock) when I'm out there to be able to help me or even Darnay and Flott, or (cornerback) Z (Zyon Gilbert). Asking them like 'how would they have done this, or if it was like this, what would you do?' It just always goes off communication. I think it's always going to be a learning scheme, and everybody fits and plays and runs differently. It's going to be how do I like to do it and what I'm comfortable with but at the same time doing it the way that (Defensive Coordinator Don Martindale) Wink and (Defensive Backs Coach Jerome Henderson) Rome, Mike (Safeties Coach) Michael Treier and Pop (Assistant Special Teams Coach Mike Adams) sees it.
Q. How much did the additions of (defensive lineman Rakeem Nuñez-Roches) Nacho, (defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson) A-Rob and (inside linebacker) Bobby (Okereke) help the defensive backs?
A: A lot. I feel like you think of a lot of great defenses, and you think of the d-lineman that they have to be able to affect the quarterback and then obviously stop the run. Then you think of the DBs who are able to be successful and make plays on the ball, they always have a lot of great help (from) d-lineman or linebackers. It's always a credit. No matter where your success comes from it's always someone on the team that you've got to pay it forward to and I think for those guys in addition, it's going to be helpful.
Q. What are you seeing for the wide receivers?
A: Like I was saying, the difference skillsets. I think it helps us to understand our strengths and things that we need to work on so I'm thankful for that – to be able to have those guys. Then be able to go against the tight ends as well to be able to change up different things and give you different looks so when it comes game time you've already practiced it, and you've did a lot of repetition. Then doing the walkthroughs and then just talking to them as well. I think that's one of the greatest things, not being selfish and not trying to hold back information and everybody just trying to get better this way or that way, or however they may see it. Iron sharpens iron.
Q. Have you given any thought to a contract extension here? How has the front office influenced playing here long term?
A: No, I'm just taking it a day at a time. I know it's been talks about it, but at the end of the day, God took care of it before, and he'll do it again, so I'm not really worried about what's going on. Just control what I can control, that's my attitude. How I show up to work and how I go out there and compete every day, I know everything will fall into place.
Q. When you say talks, are you talking about your agent and the team or from us?
A: No, not y'all. From my agent and the team.
