Defensive Line Coach Jacques Cesaire (8.6.24)
What has he (Quinton Jefferson) brought to this team? Because it seems like he’s almost instant leadership there, just how much has he sort of meant to that role since he’s got here?
“So that’s the reason why I brought him in the first place. I worked with him in Buffalo, talking about Q Jeff, and he did a great job. First of all, just doing the technique and doing it exactly the way we want him to do it. And also, he’s just a great leader. He’s played in this system for a long time. He’s played in the NFL for a long time. He’s a heck of an interior rusher, but he does a good job with those young guys, making sure that they understand the technique and how to rush in the NFL, but most importantly, how to rush to win in the NFL.”
The last two days, it looks like he’s had a couple of would be sacks when you guys are in team period. I know obviously, like lineman, it’s so hard to evaluate when there’s not contact, but just has he been everything I guess you thought you would for knowing him, that he’s gotten here in this system?
“Yeah, ever since I left, and I went to Houston first and I just kind of followed his career. I’m always following the guys that I’ve coached, their careers, and I just noticed, like, the older he got, the better he got. He was in better shape. He comes in, he takes good care of his body. And again, I mean, he’s just a dynamic interior pass rusher, a bigger body that gives us both that big body that can play the run and also twitchy enough that he can rush the passer.”
The new performance center. What benefits, do you think for your D-line specifically?
“First of all, it’s beautiful. All right, and there’s a lot of space in there. We got a lot of, you know, there’s great equipment in there for the guys and I think they did a good job. The (Jimmy and Dee) Haslams just in general, do a good job taking care of the players with the food, with the training, with the recovery and now with the weight room. It’s everything that we can ask for.”
How have you seen from Michael Hall here in camp? What do you need to see as he’s progressing?
“He’s doing a heck of a job. Just first and foremost, just rushing. I mean, he is an explosive rusher interior. You can put them on the outside, you can put them on the inside. There’s nothing that he can’t do as far as rushing. We’re still working through as far as technique is concerned, but I like the progress that he’s making right now. He’s probably one of the hardest workers out here and he gives great effort. So, I’m very pleased with where his progress is right now.”
How much is kind of the injuries you guys have had in that position kind of accelerated things for Michael to have to try to catch up and get ready?
“No matter what, it’s always next man up. Especially when you talk about defensive line, you talk about an attack front and the way we play and the violence that we play with, the speed that we play with. So, we always need fresh bodies coming in there. So, Mike has just done a good job as well as Jowon (Briggs) and some of those younger guys, you know, Sam Kamara, they’ve just done a good job of when their number is called, they go in there and they make the most of their opportunity.”
I know, obviously you weren’t here last year, but how much different will the pass rush be this year than what you saw in them last year?
“You know, I never like to talk about the previous year, whether I was with the team or not. I never really like to talk about previous year. All I know is what I have right now. And pass rush is probably one of the hardest things to do in the NFL. You know, the quarterback getting rid of the ball, quick rules that help the offense just a little bit. So, we just try and stay diligent with our communication, with the way we want to rush, rushing together, rushing four guys, rushing as one and just being tight with our games, tight with our one-on-one rush wins and just our overall rush plan. So, I’m excited to see what the guys will do this Saturday, but it’s an ongoing process. It’s never perfected. You’re always trying to work your craft.”
Do you have any update on Za’Darius (Smith)?
“No, I don’t ever talk about any of the players – regardless of whatever is going on with them outside of what they’re doing on the football field.”
Coach, is there anyone from your past make a player comparison with Myles (Garrett)?
“No [laughter]. Myles is one of a kind. And when you have a special talent like that and a freak athlete, the way he takes care of his body and a lot of people probably don’t know, one of the smartest football players I’ve ever been around and he just understands the game, understands how people are trying to scheme him up. And I’m really excited to work with him. I’m really excited to see what he can do this year.”
I know in the spring you mentioned you guys expect a lot more out of him still. How has he embraced that and then just getting to work with him in these practices? What have you seen in that regard?
“Yeah, I think Myles expects a lot out of himself. You know, I mean, just because he made Defensive Player of the Year last year doesn’t mean that he has to just kind of rest on his laurels. You know, he continually works hard and he wants more, so it’s my job to meet him at his expectation, at his level. You know, that’s a guy that is a special talent that understands what he can do and what he can provide as far as leadership and as far as the rush on our team. So, I know for Myles himself, he expects more of himself. And so, when you have a recipe like that, you have a guy like that, it’s a recipe for success.”
What does the attention he gets do for the other guys on your defensive line?
“Well, obviously he’s going to get a lot of attention. So those other guys, they got to go. They got to win their one-on-one rushes. We got to be right with our games and just overall, we just have to take advantage of the fact that a lot of offenses are going to gear the slide to him. So, the other guys have to start, they got to go, they got to rush, they got to rush with violence, they got to rush with precision. They got to just dent the pocket as much as they can.”
Alex Wright’s a name that’s come up, it seems like these last few months, just how have you seen him continue to get better? And what has been your first impression of him?
“Love him as a man. Great character, great leader in the room, hard, hard worker, rarely talks, doesn’t complain about anything. He just goes out and works. Wherever I put him, he has success, put him inside, outside. I mean, this guy is just, he’s another special talent that you got to utilize when he’s on the field.”
What about just his length? Like, I know that’s been something people have talked about since he got into the league, like how, how enticing is that for you as a coach to see a relatively younger guy who has that natural length to his game?
“Not only does he have great length, but I mean, he knows how to use his length, you know? And again, I’m really, really pleased with his progress and what he’s done and what he brings to the table, and I’m excited to see what he can do for us.”
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