Read the full transcript from T Patrick Paul's media availability on July 31, 2026.
What's the rookie supposed to learn from that last play?
Patrick Paul: Play your best football when it matters.
New person to your left in Kadyn Proctor. Just how do you get him up to speed, especially considering it's an entirely new position for him?
Patrick Paul: Kind of just helping him out with any questions he might have. Just speaking, encouraging him every day, just showing him how it's done. Trying to be a good leader for him, show him how we operate, how we do things and what our standard is so he can just follow along. And he's been doing that.
How do you get the chemistry? How do you, obviously you speaking life to him, that's going to help, but just from a chemistry standpoint, just what goes into to getting that right?
Patrick Paul: I think it's just the reps. Honestly, we're going to hammer reps every single day, full speed, getting after it. Each day, it's just going to keep building and it takes time building each day.
Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley have said they want to be strong in the trenches. Yesterday I noticed some good back and forth between you and Chop Robinson. Is that healthy? Does that show the trenches are growing on both sides of the line of scrimmage? Tell me about that exchange you guys had.
Patrick Paul: Definitely. I think it's – me and Chop have been going at it for three years now. That's my guy. We came in the same draft class, so I think the biggest thing is just competing. And me and Chop, we're always going to do that regardless. We're going to go 110% against each other because we're trying to make each other better.
How is I guess the battle on both sides of the line of scrimmage going? I mean, is either side winning? Do you see growth through three days from both sides?
Patrick Paul: Yeah, definitely. As an o-lineman, I think I'm biased and I think we're winning, but it takes 11. Just getting everyone on the same page, but at the same time just competing all together.
What is Kadyn Proctor's confidence level? He seems like he's pretty confident.
Patrick Paul: He's definitely confident. I mean, he's big as ever and he's fast. He's a great football player and he knows that. He's definitely confident, that's never going to be a problem for him.
One of the things that they said you're going to make a mistake, make it go fast. Have you guys noticed that no matter what, he's always …
Patrick Paul: He's full speed. I think that just comes from the way he was playing football in college to now. I mean Alabama, everyone knows Alabama. He's got it in him, for sure.
A message from a former teammate, Kendall Lamm told you to lead these men. What does that kind of assignment, that kind of responsibility mean to you in Year 3?
Patrick Paul: Coming from Kendall, it means a lot. That was my big-time vet when I came in. I got to lead them and show them how it's done by example and just doing it every day.
You mentioned Kadyn Proctor's size, 6'7, both of you on the roster. Is it the shoes or are you taller than him or what's the deal?
Patrick Paul: I think I grew a little bit. I might be 6'8 now.
Was there any rookie dinner with him yet?
Patrick Paul: No, not yet. Not yet. We'll wait on that one.
What did it mean to you for Aaron Brewer to ask you guys to be in the room with him when he officially signed his extension? And what was that moment like?
Patrick Paul: I mean, it was great. His family wasn't down here at the time, and we're his extended family, so we went up there for him. It was a no brainer. Had to be there for him, show him his support. It's well deserved.
Third camp now, I'm sure your first couple of camps are probably more singularly focused on fundamentals technique. You still do that I'm sure, but does your third year change in terms of maybe tinkering with drop depth or the way you throw a punch? Do you tinker more in your third year, or is it pretty much the same?
Patrick Paul: Definitely. I think there's going to be a little tinkering, different quarterbacks. And that's the most important thing when you're talking about that. Definitely tinkering to how Malik (Willis) drops.
You talked about you and Chop Robinson going back and forth. Does it help to have a rusher that you have like a little bit more familiarity with when you're working on individual variables and how you're trying to execute?
Patrick Paul: That's a great question. For that, I think it's just if you're going against someone all the time, right, you understand their moves. They know what you do, you know what they do. I think it gives more of a competition in that sense, because you're really battling. You're finding new ways to beat each other. So with that, I think it's just each day, trying to find different ways to beat each other, switching things up.
Does he ever say like, "Oh, that was new. I ain't seen that from you before?"
Patrick Paul: Definitely, we always talk about it in the locker room. You know it's a friendly banter, always.
Is the trash talk game already in midseason form by practice three?
Patrick Paul: Yeah, it's there. It's there. Slowly getting there.
Have you added anything to the repertoire?
Patrick Paul: We're gonna see. I need the pads to come on and then it's gonna get real.
We just saw De'Von Achane sign an extension, Aaron Brewer, Jordyn Brooks. I know we're way early for this, but does that ever creep into your mind, seeing the precedent that this front office is setting as you're entering your Year 3 and hopefully you get an extension at the end of it?
Patrick Paul: Yeah, definitely. Those guys, they balled their tails off. They definitely deserve it. And if you put in the work and put the film out there, you're going to get what you deserve. Happy for those guys, for sure.
Has there been any just funny stories from the running backs? Obviously, you guys are huge – you and Kadyn Proctor. Anything funny from them, just what it's like running behind you two?
Patrick Paul: (laughter) I think for them, it's going to be a big wall in their face, and then as soon as they see daylight, they just got to hit it. I think it's good.
