OFFSEASON PROGRAM PHASE 2 MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Monday, May 13, 2019 | Hoag Performance Center | Costa Mesa, Calif.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS CORNERBACK DESMOND KING II
On his offseason:
"I'm working on the daily things, the basic things. I'm just trying to learn more this year if I can. I've been going over some free safety stuff, some outside cornerback and just helping out the young guys now that they just came in, so I came out today and helped them out a little bit."
On practicing outside cornerback:
"I played outside corner in college. It's just something to make myself more valuable, moving around the defense to see where I can help extra and not just at the nickel spot. Like I said, I've been at free safety and now am doing a little bit of outside cornerback. I'm just trying to improve my value."
On the playoff loss:
"Yeah, I'm over it. I have a short memory, so I let negative things go by, let positive things go by and just move on to the next step. I think that's the only way that you're going to get better and do more positive, improve yourself with things by getting over the hump and not letting one bad thing linger on to the next. I think that's something that I'm pretty good at, just kind of moving onto the next step."
On takeaways from the playoff loss:
"Definitely being mistake-free. That's something in the playoffs after going the whole season — and having a good season — you can't look back at the season at what you did so well and think it's going to continue into the playoffs. That's basically a whole new season. You have to start over, do what you can do and be [thorough] about your job and what you have to do, being mistake-free."
On the secondary:
"I think adding [S Nasir] Nas [Adderley] to our secondary — it's always good when you add new pieces to it. He's somebody that can be a play-maker in the secondary for us and help out our defense and the team. I think what makes it so exciting for us is that it's a new person coming in that's hungry, that wants to get out there and contribute to the team wherever he can. I think that's what is going to build that fire for him, kind of help us — as he sees us, do the same. He's going to follow suit."
On the secondary's expectations:
"I think, as an organization, we have high expectations for everybody — even the coaches. I think we are definitely going to hold [Adderley] accountable. He needs to hold himself accountable, go out there and work."
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS CENTER MIKE POUNCEY
On his offseason:
"It's been awesome. I spent most of my time down in South Florida. My brother [Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey] and I train down there during the offseason. I've been back here since the start of [workouts]. It's been good."
On the offense:
"I just want to see where we can go this year. Obviously, this will be my second year in the offense, but coming into OTAs we have set a lot of goals for our offense. We finished at the top of the league last year, so we have stuff to build on. A lot of our guys will be attending throughout OTAs this offseason, so I'm excited to see where we can go as an offense this year."
On the offensive line in 2018:
"I think we played well. Obviously, at the end of the year, we struggled a little bit in the pass protection. I think our offensive line did pretty well with all of the different lineups throughout the year and all of the guys that we had go down. We played well for the most part of the year. We didn't play that well in the last playoff game. That cost our team."
On takeaways from the playoff loss:
"We know how teams are going to play us, especially the way that game went. They did a lot of twist games, a lot of pick-stunts and kind of picked us apart in the passing game. We got down by a bunch of points. It was kind of tough for our offense to come back at that point. That's stuff that we're going to work on throughout the offseason. We'll work on different sets and stuff and see how we can gel as a group."
On the importance of a rushing attack:
"As long as we can have our same running game from last year, I think we'll be alright. We had a really good running game. We did a lot of different things. Our running backs played really well. They broke a lot of tackles for our offense. If we can get those guys to have the same production and keep our running game the same, we'll do a lot better in the passing game, for sure."
On the energy in the locker room:
'It's just a part of the process. This is the first step to us getting to where we want to be at the end of the year. OTAs are big for everybody to get back into football, learn the terminology again, build the camaraderie throughout the teammates. The new guys will come in. We're excited to see what these guys can do on the football field when we get out there next week. This is just the first step to a long year. We're all excited. Obviously, we hated the way last year ended. It didn't sit too well with us. We have a lot to prove. We know we're not going to just go out there and win football games. It starts now. The better we got out here and prepare, the more prepared we will be when the season gets here."
On G Forrest Lamp:
"He looks awesome. We hope that he can come in and play. This is a guy that came in with a lot of expectations. I'll you, he's the strongest offensive lineman on our football team. Hopefully that can translate onto the football field, he can come out here during OTAs and can catch the coaches' eyes. He's a guy that we're going to need to play. He was a talented football player coming out of Western Kentucky. I know he had [an unfortunate] injury over his first couple of years. To see the way that he has come in this offseason, how strong he is, how ready he is to be on the football field, I'm hoping for him. I hope he can go out there, win a starting job and help our football team get to where we want to be."
On Lamp's strength:
"He's a strong guy. He moves a lot of weight. He squats really well. He can bench press really well. If he can do that on the football field, it's only going to help our football team."
On his chemistry with QB Philip Rivers:
"It's awesome. Phil and I hit it off on day one. He's an awesome quarterback. He's one of the best leaders that I've ever been around. His love for the game is just unmatched. He loves coming in each and every day. Guys love him around here. He's going to be a Hall of Fame quarterback. He played like it last year. We're looking forward to having the same kind of year this year."
On LB Thomas Davis Sr.:
"I had played against him a lot throughout my career. He's an awesome football player. I think he's going to do really well for our football team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. You know, he's one of those vocal leaders. He's one heck of a football player. He can guard tight ends, he runs around. If you saw him out here working out, you wouldn't be able to tell that he's been playing for 15 years, for sure. I'm not going to look like that in year 15. I won't be around in year 15."
On playing Miami this year:
"I pay attention to the schedule. That's going to be a big game for me. My family still lives down there. All of my family is from Florida. I'll be excited to get back, see all of those guys that I played with throughout my career. It's a big game for me, I'm not going to lie. I'm not one of those guys that says I'm not looking forward to it. That's one of the games that I'm looking forward to."
On his focus entering 2019:
"Just continue to build on [last year]. I feel like every year I've played in the NFL, I've had good seasons. For me, football has come so easily. It's just coming out and being a leader on and off the football field. Staying out of trouble, obviously, and just doing the right things, showing these young guys the way. This is my ninth season, so I've seen it all. I'm just excited to see some of the growth in these young guys because the talent has changed a lot in this league. These guys come in now and they're already ready to play football. It's changed a lot. We'll see how these guys do. It's going to be a big competition, especially along the offensive line. We want to build the best offensive line that we can be this year because we know with a good offensive line that you can go far in the playoffs."
On Offensive Line Coach Pat Meyer:
"Pat's awesome, man. He teaches different techniques. Obviously, he helped me get to the Pro Bowl last year. Without him, it wouldn't have even been possible. He's great. The guys love him. We enjoy meeting with him. We have long days and sometimes meetings get dragged out, but it's fun. He keeps our meeting room going. Guys respect the heck out of him. What he has done for our football team, a lot of guys can't do that in their first couple years as a head offensive line coach."
On Meyer teaching the linemen different techniques:
"My whole time being a football player, it was all about firing off the football on them. He's more about leverage, getting underneath the guys, lifting them off the ball. Not as much cocking back your arms, but getting your hands on first kind of like a defensive lineman. It worked for me last year. I had a heck of a year. I really enjoy him as my offensive line coach."
On G Dan Feeney and T Sam Tevi:
"Yeah, they're going to see it. It's a process when you're a lineman. It's hard to come in as a lineman and be at the top of your game. These guys are going to get better and better. Dan had his times last year where he struggled a little bit, but I love Dan. He's a heck of a football player. He's going to have a long career in this league. He's one of the strong guys on our offensive line. I think, this year, is just another year where he can improve as a football player, and get better and better. Sam was thrown into the fire last year. It was hist first time playing offensive tackle in the NFL [multiple games]. It's a different game. He did a heck of a job in the running game. He held his own in the passing game. He's our starting right tackle and we're happy for it."
On if the 2019 Chargers are one of the most talented teams he has been on:
"Oh, heck yeah. If you just look at our roster, we have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, but that doesn't say much. If you can't become a team throughout the year and don't play as a team, you won't win that many football games. Last year, our team really gelled really well together. We had a lot of time on the road together where we traveled and had to be around each other a lot. I think that helped our team a lot. We're looking forward to building on that. It will be the second year with all of us kind of being together with the same football team. I think we'll just be better and better each week."
On T Trey Pipkins:
"After he got drafted, I texted him, congratulated him and that I'm excited for him. He's going to be a big part of our lineup if he can come in, play as a young rookie and make the depth of our line even better. It's football, there's a 100 percent injury rate. You know throughout the year that guys are going to go down, so we're going to need him to play whether he starts from day one or comes in midseason and starts. He's a big kid. He's excited to be on the football team. He's excited to learn and is eager about it. He's already texted me about plays and stuff. We'll see. We'll come out on the football field and see what he can do next week, but I think he's a heck of a talent. He's long, rangy and really athletic. The thing about being a football player and being a good one is that you have to love the game. If you don't love it, I don't care how talented you are, you're going to go out there and get your [butt] kicked."
On Rivers' impact:
"Philip does a lot for our offense. He sets the stage for everything. He's the one making all the MIKE points. He's telling everybody what they have to do on each and every play. The times that he can't do it, I can go out there and help him, but we're always on the same page. We study a lot together. We make sure when we go through our blitz protection meetings that all of us are on-board with everything. Whatever Phil says, goes, pretty much, but the times that he doesn't make the calls, I'm out there to help him."
