Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, tight end Durham Smythe, safety Jevon Holland, offensive lineman Robert Hunt and wide receiver Braylon Sanders all met with the media today as the team held its seventh training camp practice. Check out the top quotes from their media availabilities.
QB TUA TAGOVAILOA
(On how he's developed good accuracy on his passes)
"I think that's the good thing about having OTAs is being able to throw the ball to (the receivers), work on timing with those guys and then some of the deep balls, you can kind of chuck one out there, see who can run under it, see who can't and then you kind of work your way back down from that. But like I said, we've all – in our quarterback room and quarterbacks across the league, we've all been playing the sport for however long ever since we were little. So it's something that almost comes natural to us."
(On what he's seen out of rookie wide receivers Braylon Sanders and Erik Ezukanma)
"I've been very impressed with them. They have very good ball-tracking skills. They're long and they're fast. They're fast for some pretty lanky guys. They'll insert. I think the hardest thing for them is just transitioning with hearing the play-calls in the huddle and knowing where to be. But other than that, they're very impressive throughout OTAs and throughout the first couple of days of training camp."
TE DURHAM SMYTHE
(On where QB Tua Tagovailoa has made strides)
"I say this every time this question is asked, and I've been kind of saying it over the last two years, because he keeps growing on a pretty linear path. It's just his grasp of the offense, his grasp of professional football in general. There's always a transition period, specifically for that position, so I think he just stays on this linear path of growth, and I think really the sky is the limit."
(On how he's developed in this league as a pass catcher and run blocker)
"I mean in this league, it's adapt or die. That's what it is. It's a year-to-year basis type thing. I think overall, everyone tries to be wholesome in regards to being able to produce in the run game and the pass game. But like I said, it's a year-to-year basis. You have to prove what you can do every year this time of year and then continue to prove it during the season. So we'll just roll with the punches there."
S JEVON HOLLAND
(On his advice to the rookies)
"Be who you are. You got here because you are who you are. Don't change because you're obviously a play-maker, you're here for a reason. It's the NFL. You're an NFL player. You're a professional. Be who you are, carry yourself with respect and pride, be confident and ball."
(On how he approached leadership when he was a rookie)
"My biggest thing was understanding the defense so that we all can be on the same page. It was never for personal gain. It was always because I want everybody to be on the same page, and if somebody doesn't know something and they look back at me, I don't want to be standing there not knowing what they have to do. I want to be able to communicate to them so that everybody is on the same page so that we're all moving forward together."
OL ROBERT HUNT
(On how he would judge his career so far)
"I wouldn't call myself a veteran yet. l think I still have a while to earn that. I mean, I don't know how to judge my career, man. I just want to be the best player that I can be. It's a short window that people get to play in the NFL and I want to take advantage of that and be the best player that I possibly can be and have as long of a career that I can."
(On how he feels OL Austin Jackson is playing)
"I think he's doing well, man. I think he's approached the offseason well himself. I think he's flying off the ball. I think he's playing good football – I mean, good communication and everything. I think he's playing well."
WR BRAYLON SANDERS
(On diagramming plays each night that will be run in the next day's practice)
"It helped a lot. Just going over the script the night before you come out here and do it at full speed; it helps you a lot because you hear the verbiage, you know exactly what he's talking about so you're in the right position when it's time to play."
(On his relationship with QB Tua Tagovailoa so far)
"Tua – he's the leader of this team. So whatever Tua says, you've got to listen to it. I'm just taking advice from him as far as the playbook and the little things, the little details will come with it as well."
