Defensive Lineman Dexter Lawrence
Q. (Outside Linebacker) Brian Burns was saying last week he's getting to learn all the guys up front. He said, when I'm near Dex and we're doing something together, he's going to definitely have a plan. Is that in the early stages of trying to figure out -- some of the guys you know, but he's the new guy?
DEXTER LAWRENCE: I think it's natural. Right now, we're not running games or doing any of that and still rushing well. I think it's just natural -- just understanding the game. We are two smart players playing beside each other. We work along well with each other over there. I like him a lot. He brings a different dynamic to the line.
Q. He called you clever…
DEXTER LAWRENCE: What does that mean, smart?
Q. You're the clever one, you should know.
DEXTER LAWRENCE: Yeah, like I said, the knowledge of the game clashes well together. So, I think that's where that starts.
Q. Has anything changed for you going through a different defensive scheme?
DEXTER LAWRENCE: Yeah, just new terminology obviously. He looks for different alignments and things like that. I think the terminology is the biggest thing. Football is football at the end of the day. I think just learning that and just the philosophy that he goes by is different. That's all.
Q. How has it been to pick up the terminology?
DEXTER LAWRENCE: It's smooth. The first couple weeks (were) a little rough, but right now I think practice has been flowing a lot better for us. Everybody is just over communicating, which helps a lot. We're all learning different things, different things to look for before you get lined up.
I think it's smoothing out now towards the end.
Q. Have you seen a lot of adjustments or a lot of changes from last year in regards to -- obviously the defense is significant, but I'm talking more the program, some of the things with the way you're practicing and that kind of stuff?
DEXTER LAWRENCE: Honestly no. Coach Dabs has been smiling a little more. A little more happy walking around. He still tells his little jokes and stuff like that. I think he's still the same person, which is kudos to him. Obviously, people change in different situations, but I think he's remained the same.
Q. I asked (Jets Defensive Lineman) Quinnen Williams this yesterday, and I'll ask you today. Aaron Donald retired. What was your reaction to that? And now for the first time in ten years, the title of best defensive tackle in the league is open. Could that be you?
DEXTER LAWRENCE: Yeah, it could be. I've just got to keep working, working on my weaknesses and getting better with my strengths. It took me by surprise honestly. Look, ten years is a long time, but you know you expect more things like that, but he left the game on top. A lot of respect to him to what he brought. There probably won't be another one of him. A lot of respect.
Q. You touched on how you're still trying to find where your game is at. The difference you find as a pro from being a good player or a great player?
DEXTER LAWRENCE: Honestly, Coach Dre (Patterson) kind of shifted my mindset a little bit to work on things that I wasn't good at. That's the next step into being better. Kudos to him obviously to helping me think about things that I wasn't necessarily – you know, you go to your natural habits to do what you can do to improve in the game. More tools is what I'm doing.
Q. What is it that you're working on?
DEXTER LAWRENCE: Just speed rushes, things like that, using my hands a little more in my rushes. That are some things right now that I'm working on.
Q. Kayvon last week said that the D-line and the edge guys are working more together this year. Coaches are kind of picking spots. What have you seen, going back to when you talked about working with Burns, ultimately having those two groups working the same caliber, how much of an impact can that have?
DEXTER LAWRENCE: I think it's just us hearing the same things, not being independent contractors. We're all hearing the same things. We're all hearing, what's going to happen in this situation? Or what's going to happen in this situation? I think obviously it just makes sense, when you bring that thing together, everything starts clashing a little better. We mold into each other. Learning each other's tendencies. Learning who's next to you, learning talking, learning lingoes. It's just, when you bring the two groups together, it's just what's supposed to happen.
Q. Are you saying why didn't we do this earlier?
DEXTER LAWRENCE: Yeah.
Q. How did that work? Are you in the same meeting room now?
DEXTER LAWRENCE: We still have our two separate, but we come together on certain days to talk about the rush side of things.
Q. What do you see from being together?
DEXTER LAWRENCE: Like I said, it's just knowledge bouncing off each other everywhere. It's obviously a lot of talking. It's loud in there. But it's a lot of good work. That's the best part about it.
Q. That's a change from the past couple years?
DEXTER LAWRENCE: Yeah, we stayed separate.
Q. Do you think that younger guys, like Ryder Anderson, DJ Davidson or Jordon Riley, are ready to step in and be counted on the way they need to be counted on? There's no more Leonard Williams or A'Shawn Robinson – you'll have to utilize those guys...
DEXTER LAWRENCE: Those guys, they're really developing honestly. They're really picking up on -- Coach Dre coaches some hard things, but it's year two, three, and four for them, so they're picking it up pretty well, and it's showing on the field this OTAs. If they keep developing, there won't be a dropoff. I believe in those guys, and they believe in themselves.
