DT Dalvin Tomlinson (6.7.23)
So how’s the transition to Cleveland been to now? Y
“It’s been pretty good so far. Got my new teammates, got learning my new teammates and stuff, learning the defense and building a little bit of chemistry out here on the field so far.”
What was your reaction when Za’Darius became your teammate again?
“Super excited. I used to joke about be joking with him, I was like he was going to miss me that much he had to come follow me out here. Super excited to have Z back out here with me.”
How do you feel about him kind of joining you occasionally on some of his inside snaps?
“It is going to be super excited. I guess because some of the similar stuff we ran last year in Minnesota together with me, him running games and stuff together and the chemistry is already there between me and him.”
I know it was a few weeks ago now, but how did you hear about the trade? Kind of take me through where you were and how you first heard the news and everything.
“You always hear rumors and stuff and I hope it’s a real rumor with this one. I remember I was at home on my computer and somebody texted me, we guys are Za’Darius, we got Za’Darius and I was just super excited. Yeah, we’re going to make some crazy stuff happen with this front, up front.”
And then just knowing everything he went through last year with the injury, how much do you think that he talked about it, but somebody who knows him and watched him play, how much do you think that hindered him down the stretch of the season?
“I felt like Z is a super tough person and he just kept fighting and just kept playing some great football throughout the whole season. And as long as he stays Z, I feel like he’ll be fine no matter what.”
You guys are out there and you are in the defensive line, the drills, you guys are competing and you’re getting a little chippy out there and competitive. What can that do for you as you guys are working to build that chemistry and really development for the younger guys too?
“I feel like if you don’t have that, you’re not going to build the chemistry all along with the younger guys, we just bring them in, little brothers and stuff and just teach them the roots and we all just keep working that chemistry and just having fun out here is the biggest thing. So as long as they’re having fun together, sweating together and grinding together, the chemistry is going to come along great.
Responding to that with maybe extra motivation when they win one of the matchups.
“Oh, yeah, most definitely. When you win a matchup, everybody gets to talking junk and everything and you want to re challenge somebody and then just it keeps going back and forth and I feel like it makes you better as a player, too, because you’re going your hardest every single rep.
Speaking of practice, how tough is it to not have pads on? My coach talked about you got to fight the contact, and he mentioned the offense and defensive line, how hard it is for you guys. So as a player, how tough is it?
“It’s super tough up front because, you know, everything we do is all about physicality. And up front, it’s just like you got to slow it down a lot and just focus on your steps and your hands and the small details. But you don’t have as much time to focus on in the season when you get past.”
Obviously after tomorrow, you guys break, but you guys will be going down to the green. Briar. As a veteran player, what does that mean to get away from here, to kind of come together as a team and take that trip in training camp? Like, how beneficial do you think it was?
“It’s super beneficial just because you and your teammates, I feel like you bond on a whole new level and it’s all football. You might have to be eating lunch and the young guy might be asking about different plays and schemes or how you play this play or this technique and stuff like that. So it’s just so, like you get that little bond before we get to come back here and just make us a better unit up front, across the board.”
Knowing how Jim Schwartz uses his defensive line, like, crashing it, does that get you maybe a little bit more excited to get the pads on and to ramp up into training camp, knowing that is waiting for you?
“Oh, yeah, most definitely. Just being a big, powerful guy, when they just tell you to go and explode off the ball, you get to use your weight to your advantage, I guess, at that point, and get to use all your power and you don’t have to just sit there and blocks. Super excited and I can’t wait for it.”
How amped up does get when you hear a defensive coordinator say he wants his defensive tackles to be Ferrari’s and not dump trucks?
“You do not ever hear that. So super ramped up for it. And like I said, I can’t wait to get pads on the training cap, and I’m super excited for this season.”
Do you feel like it it’s going to be a big change in systems from what you’ve been used to?
“Most definitely, just because I feel like with the systems I’ve been in, some of them been attack fronts, but it’s just a different type of attack defense. And I feel like this one is just the most aggressive as they get and just as a defense lineman and to be able to use all your power and explosiveness every single play is like dream come true.”
What’s kind of his one overarching message to the D line and how he wants you guys to play?
Just play fast. We’ll rotate if you get tired, but every play give it 100%. no matter what and just make sure we run it. We get to the ball and cardio is going to be a big thing for everybody.”
I asked you about the competition between the defense, but yesterday practice ended with some chippiness between the defense and the offense for you. What does that look like? I mean, how much does that play into your game and getting you excited to see these guys getting chippy out there with each other?
“Oh, yeah. I feel like that’s just the team building process right there and it just makes you that more excited with football. Because when we get chippy and we all competitors out here and we kind of compete every single play, and I said the competitiveness is going to make us better as a team and each player better with each play.”
What have you learned about Ogbo since you’ve been around him?
“Just how smooth he rushes. It’s crazy. Sometimes he’d be rushing and it doesn’t seem real or it looks like he slows down time in some of his rushes, yet he’s still moving super fast. So it’s like just watching his pass rush, and I know a lot of the stuff I’m not going to be able to do, but I’m going to steal some stuff from his arsenal with his pass rush.”
What’s it like when you look to your right yesterday and you see Miyles and then on your left you have Za’Darius and Ogbo?
“I feel like the sky is the limit with us in there together just throughout the season. I just feel like we’re going to be pinned up a lot of different schematics together with that front and yeah, it’s going to get crazy to go.”
To go off of that question. I mean, knowing you guys aren’t in pads and you don’t have contact. But do you get kind of excited thinking about what’s to come over these next couple of months since we’re not seeing the full picture of what that front can do right now?
“Yeah, most definitely. Just because I already know what Za’Dairus can do on the inside and just watching Ogbo and Myleson film, playing against them over the years and stuff like that, with all of us together and bringing our different skill sets together, I feel like I don’t know how to put it in the words. It’s going to be amazing.”
Have you and Myles been able to create that chemistry yet or is that still in the works?
“It’s still in the works for sure. I feel like we all had a whole anime discussion yesterday and I found out a lot of people watch anime. It’s in the works. And I think we got a couple of celebrations coming up, too. So keep your eye out for it.”
Going back to Jim Schwartz and his system and everything, how common is to find one that’s so simplified and straightforward? Have you played in one like that before? And how common is it today to find a couch like Schwartz?
“I don’t think I ever found a defense been a part of the defense that’s simplified, especially in NFL. It’s multiple defenses. It’d be a 3-4, 4-3, but it’s multiple defense. It depends on who you’re going to play. And this one is straightforward, just like, line up and goes and plays football.”
Another new defensive tackle here, Maurice Hurst. I mean, he’s a guy who’s dealt with injuries throughout his career, but seems like he’s out here every day going as hard as he can.
“Oh, yeah, Mo is a great guy and super great technician also, and he’s one of the guys who’s play in the system before, so he brings a lot to the table for us, just guys who haven’t played in it. He always have things we can use to get a little edge and technique and stuff like that. So he’s been one of our biggest technicians in this process so far. Mo is a big part of our deal on so far.”
Have you ever seen a defensive coordinator kind of put himself right in the middle of the field during drills? Like Jim Schwartz standing by the center and everything?
“Yeah, I had a few over the years, but Coach Sqwartz takes it to a new level. I feel like I feel like sometimes he might be the 12th man on the field.“
What are your early impressions of kind of his impact?
Yeah, he definitely brings the energy for our defense. And yeah, it’s just the attitude he comes in, the energy he brings, it just makes everybody that more amped up to go that much harder each day.