DE Myles Garrett (8.15.23)
So Myles, first of all, what happened with the foot yesterday? Everything okay?
“All good, got rolled up on and have some pain, but good. Got the guys looking out for me and wanted to be a little bit cautious with today, see how I felt out there. Moving well, feeling good, told me to just cool it for team and watch the guys work and they came out there with a lot of juice line energy. There were some good, some bad, but that’s to be expected.”
I’m assuming it felt good from going out there in the individual stuff the way you were talking?
“Yeah, individuals we’re exploding nowt. A little pain, but it’s to be expected.”
Was it a different foot than you had the dislocated toe on or the same one?
“Different foot.”
Any improvements from yesterday’s defensive performance?
“Came out and I think we’re flying around (with) a lot more energy, a lot more juice down the field because it’s for the ball and there were less mistakes. But those guys over there, they were in a position to win it big for a reason. They executed at a high level and make some big plays and hats off to them. We got to keep on executing and finish each play on top like we know we can.”
Why is their offensive line kind of the perfect team to kind of do this against for you guys as a defensive front?
“I mean, you want to see a lot of different looks as far as the offensive line just because that’s what you’re going to face. Not everyone’s going to set the same. They have a pretty unique scheme, at least compared to some of the other teams we’ll face in the league and it allows us to have some liberties we wouldn’t face against our own team and that gives us a different look and some adjustments that we weren’t able to really see when we were playing each other. The way they were setting, the way they were kicking allows for us to see if stuff was a little bit further down the line and prepared for the season.”
Myles, I was listening to Jason Kelce talk over there during his media session. He said that this D line was one of the better end to end D lines in the league. To hear that from a guy like Kelce. What does that mean?
“It means a lot. He’s seen a whole lot. He’s been around for a while, and he’s played against some really good ones. Definitely it’s an honor coming from him. We got to make the most of it. We appreciate the words, but we got to keep on putting the work in.”
It was your guys offense that was out there but when these skirmishes happen in these joint practices, is that something you can feel like building as the days get longer, the competition builds when you’re going against these guys for two days?
“It’s just usually going to get – the intensity is going to ramp up. The guys are passionate. They want to make plays, and you get in that mode where it starts to get game like and stuff like that happens. They’re very competitive as are we. So, it gets to a point where a guy starts to take it up a notch and we got to be able to lock in and bring it back down once those times start coming and start ramping up a little bit too much.”
Joel Bitonio was saying that there were some cheap shots both ways coming from the Eagles. Did you notice anything like that at all?
“I didn’t see cheap shots myself. I’m not saying that they didn’t happen, but I didn’t see any and I saw there were some skirmishes on the offensive field. Check in, and I know they’ll be better. I know the older guys. They have a lot of vets that will help them continue to practice the right way and have good habits, and we’ll do the same on our side. Fight is not going to start from just one side doing these things. It takes a little bit from both. So, we both need to improve and be able to get out here and get good work.”
How did you feel like the young guys got good work, especially guys like Isaiah (McGuire) and Siaki (Ika) and Ogbo (Okoronkwo)?
“Going against big time talent like they were, they’re getting much that you don’t always get to get. You’re going against Joel and Jed (Jedrick Willis Jr.) and Jack (Conklin) and Dawand (Jones), all those guys are really good, but that’s only one set you’re seeing. You’re seeing a variety of different skill sets from a different team who’s very talented, what they do. And that allows you to start adapting to what else you’re going to see in the league and starts to create a little bit of a variety of your pass rush moves and what you see really works for you and what works for you across the board instead of just one style.”
Myles, you guys are kind of still ramping up Shelby Harris, but to get him out there and see what he can do, what does he add to the D line?
“Passion. He plays with a lot of passion. He’s fiery, and right now he’s getting his feet underneath him and working his hands really well. He has a lot of knowledge of the game coming out and being able to do a variety of moves. And he’ll tell you that he’s not where he wants to be, but we know from how he spoke in the classroom and how he talks the game while he’s out there coaching up the younger guys. It’s just about him getting in that game-like form and shape.”
Myles, the Eagles led the NFL with 70 sacks last year, and they’ve sort of set the standard for what the prototypical D line should be. Do you feel that they are where you guys want to get to? And do you feel like with all the additions and Jim Schwartz that you’re getting there or close?
“I mean, there’s one style of doing it. There are many different styles of being an aggressive, production heavy defensive line. And we’ll find our own way, we’ll carve our own path and they’re just another really (a) source of knowledge for us to pull from as far as how to be coefficient and productive rushing the passer. But, we have different guys who bring different things to the table, so we have to play with what we have and I think we can be a very talented on line.”
How about Jordan Mailata? Going up against Jordan? And are you familiar with his story and his background a little bit? And if so, he just took such a unique path to get to the NFL. Do you find that sort of fascinating?
“Absolutely. He’s pretty young in the game. If you were to look at how long he’s been here and for him to pick up the game so fast and be where he’s at, I’m sure he’s proved a lot of people wrong, but he certainly impressed me and some others with how quickly he’s come along and he’s already got the size for it, he’s big as a house, but he moves really well. He’s athletic and he’s shown that on his rugby days. But you can’t help but marvel that this guy moving as well as he does, being as efficient as working with the lane. He’s gotten his technical prowess to a pretty high level, and I think he’s going to only continue to grow and grow as a player.”
Are you going to see (Lionel) Messi tonight by any chance?
“No comment.”
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