DE Alex Wright (8.23.22)
On what he learned the most from last week’s joint practices with the Eagles:
“It taught me just to play smart and play fast, along with the game because at training camp, we are always practicing against each other. Now we have a chance to practice against another team, and I get to see what that looks like not playing the game. It helped me out tremendously going into Sunday.”
On learning from working alongside DE Myles Garrett:
“I have. Ever since we first came from rookie minicamp to OTAs, he has always been the player-coach and the person who I can lean on if I have questions, whether it is on the field or off the field. If I am not asking questions, I am always watching his every move. If I have a question, he has never shied away from me. He is always the type to where if you have questions, just come ask him. He has always helped me and he has continued to help me so I am forever grateful for that.”
On the opportunity to get first team reps in practice last week as Garrett was away from the team due to a personal matter:
“It gave me a chance to adjust. That was one of my biggest checks on my little checklist, just being able to adjust to the speed of the NFL game, going against the ones and seeing how a true competition really is. With him being out, I had to tell myself and I had to build confidence. I am with the ones. I want to look like I belong with the ones. With him being out, that just helped me progress my game a lot more.”
On if the speed of the NFL game has started to slow down for him compared to when he first entered the league:
“I feel like some days. It is kind of like a teeter-totter balance. When I know what I do and when I am confident in what I do, I feel like it slows down, but when I start to panic a little bit, that is when I feel like the game is rushed. Me being a rookie, I just want to slow everything down and just calm myself down, and I feel like the game will slow down itself.”
On how he calms himself when in moments where the game seems fast:
“My college coach, he texted me – I do not remember the exact words – and he was just saying, ‘Do what you do. You know what to do. Do what you know to do. Be dominant.’ I just tell myself and I repeat it to myself, ‘You know what to do, trust what you do and everything will work out itself.”
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