Linebacker Bobby Okereke
Q. You were voted as a team captain. What does that mean to you? Were you surprised?
A: I think, honestly, that's one of the biggest honors that you can get as a player on a team. To be voted by your peers, voted by your teammates as a captain. Something I don't take lightly at all. I just think we've got a great group of men in this locker room; we've got great leadership all around and I'm just happy to add to that and do whatever I can to help this team win.
Q. What do you think you showed them in your relatively short period here to make them look at you that way?
A: I think just discipline, hard work, a lot of the intangible stuff that doesn't really take any talent. Just showing up and working and being a guy that they can count on.
Q. Were you a captain in Indy?
A: No, I was not.
Q. Have you ever been a captain?
A: I was a captain in college my senior year.
Q. So you take this seriously?
A: Yeah, very seriously.
Q. I think (Head Coach Brian Daboll) coach said that there were votes for 20 or 22 different players –
A: 22 different players, yeah.
Q. What does that say about the character of this locker room that that many guys have votes?
A: High character, very mature group. It speaks to (General Manager) Joe (Schoen) and Dabs and the type of people that they bring in the locker room. The Mara family, just the whole organization that they've got here. Just a very, very, respectable organization.
Q. Is it a – relief isn't the right word – but you can kind of see who the team is now? Then you get a practice and a little break then it's the real thing.
A: Obviously, cut day today, it's a tough day. Guys you've seen pouring blood, sweat and tears out on the field, transitioning either to another team, another career, or different opportunities. But yeah, it's starting to take shape, take form a little bit and obviously we'll get a couple of guys back tomorrow with the practice squad. But, what are we – 12 days out from September 10th, Week One? It's getting very exciting.
Q. You guys made a couple of moves late here to add to the defense. How important is that depth and what role do you have to play to get those guys up to speed, because for some of the them it's a different system?
A: I think that's the great thing – like you said, 22 guys being leaders. There are at least one or two strong leaders in every position group. Those guys (outside linebackers) Jihad Ward, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Azeez Ojulari – I know (outside linebacker Carlos) Basham, I forget his first name, but they'll bring him up to speed pretty quickly. We've got a very veteran team, a very veteran group and we're just excited about it.
