Tag: conference call

Duron Harmon is working hard so his teammates to know they can count on him

During a recent video conference, Lions new safety Duron Harmon explained what he is doing to be a player his teammates can count on.

The Detroit Lions secondary went through a significant overhaul this offseason, yet they appear stronger and deeper as a whole than what was on the field in 2019.

Among the new additions, Duron Harmon — whom the Lions traded with the Patriots for last March — could have the biggest impact in 2020 due to his leadership and scheme knowledge. Harmon played for seven seasons on the Patriots defense and he is expected to be able to smoothly translate into coach Matt Patricia’s scheme.

During a recent video conference with the media, Harmon mentioned that this is a defense that he is very familiar with, but also acknowledged that it has evolved a bit since Patricia left New England.

“So obviously there are some new things I’ll have to learn”, Harmon said. “I’m working as hard as I can to make sure I learn those things. To make sure that when I go out there, people can count on me. To know that I’m always going to know what I’m doing and that I’m going to do my job at a high level.”

While the MIKE linebacker typically gets a lot of the glory as they distribute the defensive play call, the single-high safety spot in Patricia’s scheme acts as the quarterback of the defense, making pre-snap adjustments and re-aligning players in coverage.

Harmon is expected to start at the Lions’ single-high safety spot this year.

One of the reasons the Lions secondary has struggled in the past two seasons is the revolving door at single-high. Glover Quin never seemed comfortable in the role — it’s much different than the free safety spot he played the majority of his career — Quandre Diggs was better suited for the slot than in center field, Tavon Wilson was more successful as a box safety, as was Will Harris, and while Tracy Walker can survive playing deep, he is an absolute weapon as a JOKER.

By being able to deploy an experienced single-high safety in Harmon, the Lions not only shore up the position but it also affords them the opportunity to use Walker more in the JOKER role and Harris as the third safety in the box.

Experience, intelligence, leadership. Harmon is exactly what the Lions need in the secondary.

After call with owners, NFL poised to move ahead with 2020 season

After a conference call with owners, the NFL is planning to move ahead with the 2020 season despite the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases.

While NFLPA leadership was hosting a conference call with the media Friday morning, the NFL owners were busy in a meeting of their own to discuss safety preparations for the upcoming season.

After a “productive call,” the league is planning to go forward with the season as scheduled . . . as of now.

Brian McCarthy of the NFL’s public relations department tweeted the following statement following the meeting:

NFL clubs met today via videoconference and received an update on preparations for the 2020 season. We will continue to implement the health and safety protocols developed jointly with the NFLPA, and based on the advice of leading medical experts, including review by the CDC. We will address additional issues in a cooperative way. All decisions will be made in an effort to put us in position to play a full regular season and postseason culminating with the Super Bowl which is the shared goal of the clubs and the players.

McCarthy did not provide any further details as to what the discussions entailed.

But for the 2020 season to actually kick-off, the NFL and the NFLPA still have to sort out a number of important issues, including how exactly to keep players safe throughout training camps and practices, the number of games that will be played throughout the preseason, and just how many players will be electing to opt-out of the year over concerns of the coronavirus.

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NFL coaches to join conference call to discuss COVID-19 protocols for season

All 32 NFL coaches are expected to join a conference call Monday afternoon to discuss COVID-19 protocols for a safe start to the season.

NFL training camps around the country are slated to begin in just a little over three weeks, yet with the rise of COVID-19 cases nationally, the start of the 2020 season seems more and more in jeopardy.

Conference calls with owners, player representatives and the NFL Players’ Association have happened recently and now it’s the coaches’ turn to learn the details of the protocols required for a safe reopening this summer.

All 32 NFL head coaches will be participating in a conference call Monday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. PT, according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini, who was the first to tweet the news.

The NFL has already canceled a number of events in light of the coronavirus pandemic, including the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, enshrinement ceremony and the supplemental draft.

The players’ union and the league still have to come to terms on the number of games to be played in the preseason, with recent reports indicating the exhibition scheduled could be cut in half.

This story is continuing to develop.

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Saints coach on Zack Baun: ‘I just know we got the right guy’

First-year New Orleans Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges is excited to work with Zack Baun, one of the team’s top 2020 NFL draft picks

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The New Orleans Saints coaching staff hasn’t been able to spend any time in person with the newest additions to their roster, but they’ve done all they can to welcome rookie draft picks like former Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun into the fold.

That’s a challenge Michael Hodges has embraced, which might be even more daunting considering it’s his first year on the job. Promoted from assistant to full-time position coach after Mike Nolan left for the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator job, Hodges has made himself available to Baun and his other players as often as possible. And he’s been impressed by what the rookie has shown him.

“It’s Saturday night at 10:30 and Zack doesn’t have anything else to do so he pulls up an old teach tape,” Hodges said during a recent conference call, referencing one recent example of Baun’s work ethic, “and there’s verbiage on there that explains what we’re doing. All of a sudden he’s getting a lesson than that he wouldn’t have gotten before because maybe I wouldn’t have had the reason to do it.”

Teleconference meetings can help a lot, but there’s no replacing a classroom-style meeting where more experienced players can offer pointers and react to their newer teammates in real time: “And when (Baun) has to answer a question and he feels Demario (Davis) right there listening to him and then there is feedback throughout the room, those are things that we’re missing. But we’re getting some of that even through these calls.”

Hodges reflected on a conversation with Saints general manager Mickey Loomis, saying, “We were talking about Zack and he has been an outstanding pro. For him to approach what he’s been doing the way he has. I mean, I just know we got the right guy and that (credit) goes to our scouting department. They knew all that stuff.

“When you talk about a makeup, this guy’s makeup is outstanding and then from an intelligent standpoint, man, he approaches it the right way. He invites being corrected. He’s already asked me how we’re going to schedule out the rest of the summer for meetings and so it’s been really impressive to see him.”

Baun broke out for the Badgers in his senior year, notching 12.5 sacks and 19.5 total tackles for loss in 14 games last season. While he predominately stood tight to the line of scrimmage and made his plays scrapping with blockers in the trenches, Hodges saw enough in Baun’s game tape to project him to a more-traditional role in the Saints defense.

Hodges continued, “Well, there was enough movement skills to say, this guy could play a different position besides Sam linebacker and I told Jeff (Ireland) very early in the process, when we watched him, I see Sam, Mike, boom. Like I wrote it down. It was the first note I wrote on him and really that aligned with other people’s vision as well. And it gave us the confidence to go get him where we did and Sean (Payton) agrees with it.”

Still, the rookie’s track to earning snaps is filled with hurdles. Baun has to outwork veteran starters like Alex Anzalone, Kiko Alonso, and even special teams captain Craig Robertson before he can run with Davis in the starting lineup (which typically features just two linebackers in New Orleans). That process is something Hodges expects to be cooperative. He just wishes they could get into it sooner rather than later.

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Michael Thomas calls Emmanuel Sanders ‘another great piece to the puzzle’

New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas is excited to get to work with Emmanuel Sanders, a talented veteran with two Pro Bowls behind him.

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The New Orleans Saints receiving corps got a lot better this offseason with the addition of Emmanuel Sanders, the two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver who boasts 11 playoff appearances in his career.

One player eager to get to work with his new teammate is Michael Thomas, the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions during a single season. Thomas spoke about what Sanders brings to New Orleans during a recent conference call with local media.

“I know he comes from championships,” Thomas said. “He’s played in championships. He’s won championships. He’s played at a high level for a long time. He’s a great vet. He’s played in some big-time games, so he knows what it takes. That was just adding another great piece to the puzzle and I can’t wait to see how it enhances our offense.”

One of Sanders’ children has a compromised immune system, so he’s taken extra precautions in light of the coronavirus pandemic. He hasn’t yet talked with Thomas personally, but the Saints’ leading receiver isn’t worried. Actions speak louder than words, and Thomas is excited to see what Sanders will be able to do once the Saints meet for training camp later this summer.

Sanders should be a significant upgrade for the Saints. The numbers he’s averaged in his career — 4.2 receptions and 54.8 receiving yards per game — would have ranked highly for New Orleans last year, where Thomas outpaced the next-best wideout by more than 100 catches.

On paper, adding a talented veteran like Sanders to the equation should only create more opportunities for Thomas. But he’s keeping any speculation on how defenses might cover him differently tight to his vest: “We’re going to find out. Like I said, I’m going to figure it out at the end of the day, but I guess history or things have shown that having another guy on the outside could help you do a lot of cool things. So we’ll find out.”

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Sean Payton says ‘I’m a big dummy’ for misspeaking on Drew Brees’ future

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton asked for a mea culpa after mistakenly saying that 2020 will be the final NFL season Drew Brees plays.

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New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton turned the NFL world on its ear this week during an appearance on ESPN, suggesting that the 2020 season would be the final year Drew Brees would play under center before riding off into the sunset. While Brees had not made the sort of public announcement Payton claimed, it sort of made sense given the quarterback’s contract structure (his 2021 base salary is not guaranteed, meaning it’s basically his choice whether to return after the 2020 season).

On Wednesday, Payton spoke with local new Orleans media during a teleconference call, and explained that his previous comments were a mistake on his part.

“I’m a big dummy, and the way I worded it was ‘coming back for his final season,'” Payton said, “I honestly don’t know if it’s his last year. That thing blew up on me. Obviously that was my fault, it’s not a big secret I let out of the bag. I think his plan is to take it year by year.”

So, that can be nixed, at least officially. The Saints would probably have to extend Brees again in 2021 to fit his contract under next year’s salary cap (it’s currently set to count for more than $36 million), while the figure is much more manageable if he retires instead (just over $22 million). Brees has said before that he’s been approaching each year as if it might be his last, and that shouldn’t change after the 2020 season.

But as Payton said himself in this conference call, the delay in Brees’ decision to return this offseason stands apart from each year prior to it. With opportunities to work away from the football field — whether in the broadcast booth or on a pre-game panel in a studio — it shouldn’t surprise anyone if Brees is lining things up for a smooth transition into his post-playing career.

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Danny Shelton uses Jiu-Jitsu as part of training regimen

New Detroit Lions nose tackle Danny Shelton told local media on a conference call that he uses Jiu-Jitsu as part of his training regimen.

New Detroit Lions nose tackle Danny Shelton had a conference call with local Detroit media and he mentioned that he uses Jiu-Jitsu as part of his training regimen — an impressive feat for a man who tips the scales at 330-pounds.

Shelton said he took it up around four years ago in California — training with members of the legendary Gracie Jiu-Jitsu family — and that it helps him with body control and close combat work, similar to what he’s asked to do in the trenches of the NFL.

“I feel it’s a different arena and it gets my mind off of football,” Shelton said in an interview before joining the Patriots two seasons ago. “I have fun with it. It’s nothing serious but at the same time, I love doing the training. Jiu-Jitsu – I love the cardio that it brings and just being able to push myself even further. It’s a fun sport and I love the training.”

After his first season in New England, Shelton tipped the scales at 342-pounds, but Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick wanted him to lose weight to improve his quickness. Shelton turned back to Jui-Jitsu to help him control his weight, and was down to 325-pounds ahead of the 2019 season.

“I felt a lot quicker,” Shelton said to the Boston globe. “I felt like he’s (Belichick) seen my goal this year as far as how much my weight plays a part in my approach to the season. We agreed on 330 as a good goal, and I’ve been maintaining that this whole offseason.”

Shelton would go on to have a career season in 2019, racking up 61 tackles and three sacks. This past offseason, Shelton has continued his Jiu-Jitsu training and the Lions are hoping the results continue as well.