(Opening statement) “I am excited to be a part of the Jaguars. I am a Florida State guy, a Florida boy. I am excited to get back in my home state and just represent it as well as I can and do everything I can to help this Jaguars team. I am hoping that everybody’s family and friends are safe during this tough time that we are going through right now, but I am glad to virtually meet everybody.”
(On being excited to play in the state of Florida) “Yes, it is big time. That is one thing that I am super excited about, just to be back in my home state and be a lot closer to what I would say is my fanbase that has been there for years, even back to people that watched me play in high school. I am super excited about that, and then my family is an hour-and-a-half away now, so they will be able to come and watch me play and be able to spend some more time with me than they have been able to the past seven years. I think it will be good. I missed a lot of time, I missed a lot of holidays, and I will be able to make that time up. I am super excited about that. I just had a daughter, too. She is four months old, so I am happy about that and for my parents to be able to spend some time with her.”
(On his relationship with Jaguars Offensive Coordinator Jay Gruden) “He is one of the biggest reasons I was able to have the success that I had in Washington and to be able to stick around there. The first year he got there, I was on the practice squad. I ended up being cut and put on the practice squad, but he talked to me afterwards for a while, after the last preseason game and told me what the situation was. He let me know from day one – [he said] ‘I know this is going to be a hard year for you. You are probably mad and upset at everybody because you got cut, but I want you to come back here because I know the type of player you can be. I know you are going to play a bigger part in the future here with Washington, and I know you will be able to have a great impact on this team and on the players on this team.’ He had that talk with me, and I really appreciated that. That was one reason why I ended up coming back and spending that practice squad year with Washington. It was tough, but having him and knowing that he had my back, it really meant a lot. Throughout this whole process and all my time there in Washington, he believed in me. He gave me every single opportunity that he possibly could. Me coming here to Jacksonville with him being one of, I guess, two guys — with [Tyler] Eifert also — being familiar with his offense. It is good for me and him to be able to help the younger guys be able to grasp this offense and know what Jay is expecting from his playmakers.”
(On what we can bring to the position group) “I’m a big lead-by-example type guy, so I think the biggest thing is just understanding how to be a pro and how important consistency is. That’s the only thing. I’m just coming in here and just trying to help these guys with that part and any questions that they have. I’m in a situation where I know this offense pretty well, so being able to help these guys get an understanding of the offense as I know it and just on the field being able to help however I can. Whatever the situation might be after camp and everything, I’m going to do whatever I can to help those guys out. I know Leonard (Fournette) is the guy, so whenever he needs a break, I’m trying to go in there and just pick up where he left off. The biggest thing is just for guys, especially young guys, to just learn how to be a pro and what it takes and the work mentality that you have to put in. Physically, everybody has what they have. You are what you are. But on the mental aspect, just how to approach the game, how to approach every single day and that’s pretty much it.”
(On Offensive Coordinator Jay Gruden’s system and if it’s player-friendly) “I know that Jay and his offense, he’s able to adjust to what he has. He’s going to do everything he can to help his starting quarterback out and help his guy out. I think Gardner (Minshew II), from what I’ve seen, just being in the meetings with him, he’s been on top of it pretty well already given that it’s been a little over or under a month that he’s had the playbook and learning it and everything. It’s also been good when we’re in those meetings, it’s players-only meetings so Gardner asked me a couple of questions here and there about what Jay is looking for or with a certain play call, how is he going to play it or what he expects the routes to look like, things like that that I’m able to help out with. I think, overall, he’s grasping it well. I think it’s going to be no problem for him to catch on to it, as well as the playmakers. I think it’s honestly if you put the time in to learn it, you’ll get it pretty well.”
