DE Olivier Vernon and K Austin Seibert (8.23.19)

DEFENSIVE END OLIVIER VERNON

 

(On Cleveland’s defensive line)

“We have new faces every year on the team, so for a unit and the defensive line right now, it is just basically all of us working cohesively as a unit and playing off of each other. We still have things, of course, to fix, but the biggest thing is just learning each other and being able to play with each other”.

 

(If he saw DE Myles Garrett also closing in on the quarterback when Vernon recorded the sack)

“Yeah, I sure did. You know, Myles is going to do what Myles [does]. Right now, it’s just everybody else, we just all have to make plays together man. Do your part, you know, at the end of the day everything is going to pay off”.

 

(On if tonight’s preseason game was a glimpse of how Vernon and Garrett can play together)

“I mean I look at preseason as basically getting back into your fundamentals, and then getting back with the communication. Then you’re getting back into conditioning and getting back into football shape before the season starts. Whatever else happens just plays on itself man. We’ve just got to keep working at it.”

 

(On if he thought tonight was a sneak preview of things to come)

“As long as we keep playing together and keep building off of that, that’s all I can say.”

 

(On if it is a welcomed challenge that Head Coach Freddie Kitchens expects the defensive line to be the strength of the team)

“I mean when it comes to the foundation of a football team you have your offensive line [and] you have the defensive line. That’s basically the foundation – you want your offensive line and defensive line to be strong. That’s the biggest emphasis right now and all we can do is keep building.”

 

(On if he and Garrett will feed off of each other)

“I mean, yeah. Myles [Garrett] is a phenomenal talent. He reminds me of Cam Wake. Obviously, Myles is his own person, but the talent that we have – and it’s really the size of talent is the guys that are working and putting in that work. There’s a lot of stuff people don’t really see in practice. So, as long as the guys just keep working, working, working – we’re not trying to stay stagnant, just keep building – that’s all we can do.”

 

KICKER AUSTIN SEIBERT

 

(On if he has had any frustrations during training camp)

“Yeah, there has been frustration – rookie coming into camp. A big learning experience as well. If you don’t go through adversity, you’re not going to be a better kicker. You just have to go through that adversity head-strong, put your head down and grind. That’s what I do.”

 

(On if it helps going into a game knowing you’re going to get all the kicks)

“I treat every kick the same. Just want to go one-for-one. That’s what I try to do on every kick.”

 

(On if he has made any adjustments since the beginning of training camp)

“No, my mental mindset was fine. Sometimes your technique fails and you’ve just got to figure it back out. We ended up doing that – just working and putting your head down.”

 

(On if the kicker competition has brought out the best in him)

“I think so. I think we brought out the best in each other, because there’s a lot of competition in the NFL going on right now in camps. Greg (Joseph) and I are both very good kickers, so we’re both pushing each other to make kicks.”

 

(On if he noticed quarterback Baker Mayfield watching him kick during practice)

“Oh, yeah. Baker used to do that at (University of Oklahoma) too. He used to talk right in our ear.”

 

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