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A crowd of reporters around his locker Nat Moore Jersey , Robert Nkemdiche was asked what he learned the first two years in the NFL.
”I learned I was terrible,” he said.
He was joking. Everyone laughed.
But, with a new coaching staff giving the big defensive tackle a clean slate, this is a big season for the former first-round draft pick to prove to the Cardinals that they were right to select him 29th overall out of Mississippi in 2017.
There have been no breakout performances, just a big play here and there – he returned an Eli Manning fumble for a TD last season – and there have been too many mistakes, including way too many offside penalties. In 17 career games, he has 12 tackles, four of them solo, and zero sacks.
He knows it is time to show he’s better than that or risk forever being saddled as a ”draft bust.”
If the mammoth player – 6-foot-4, 296 pounds – harnesses his raw skills and attends to the little things, maybe he’ll even find himself starting up front.
”I try to stay away from the analogies of guys who are busts because everybody has their own projection of how they see guys,” Cardinals first-year head coach Steve Wilks said after Monday’s practice Amari Cooper Jersey , the team’s first in pads. ”In a short period of time of being around Robert, I think he’s a tremendous player. I think he’s locked in, he’s focused. I think he’s doing well and I think he’s going to be a good player for us this year.”
Nkemdiche won’t call this a make-or-break season, but he has learned a lot about what it takes to succeed in the trenches at the game’s highest level.
”It’s a big step,” he said of this coming season. ”It’s not really technically pressure. It’s just me wanting to be good, me wanting to give back to these guys, and all the guys who put in work for me, and give back to the coaches, people who believe in me and really just resting that case and being the player I know I can be.
”There’s really no pressure, just `come on, take a step forward.”’
Nkemdiche has his quirks, including colorfully braided hair and a nose ring. He likes shopping at Goodwill.
Nkemdiche is not that stereotypical growling monster of a human that people believe play defensive tackle in this violent game. But he wants to be good and insists he is a severe critic of himself.
He blames his two unproductive seasons on injuries and ”some things I could have did better.”
”Just being a more polished player Demetrius Harris Jersey , as in the whole perspective and really just growing as a dude, as a person,” he said. ”It’s cool. Things have slowed down a little bit and it’s fun. I can actually see what’s going on. It’s not like a blur.”
He should take some solace in the case of Arizona teammate D.J. Humphries. The Cardinals drafted the big tackle out of Florida in the first round (24th overall) in 2015 but he didn’t even suit up for a game as a rookie- the Cardinals coaches were convinced he didn’t have the maturity yet to play in the league. But the next season he was the starter at right tackle and eventually was moved to the left side. Injuries limited him to five games last year, but he has evolved into the Cardinals’ best offensive lineman and anchors that unit at left tackle this year.
Wilks has said he doesn’t mind players with a few quirks, that he would ”let Robert be Robert” as long as he continues to work hard to get better. So far, so good.
The coach said after Monday’s workout that he’s encouraged.
”His commitment,” Wilks said. ”He’s trying to do it our way. Change sometimes is hard for everyone and I think he’s embraced that. He meets a lot with coach (Don) Johnson. His energy on the football field is phenomenal and he’s trying to pay attention to details. You just got to make sure he’s consistent and concentrates and doesn’t jump offside. That’s one of the concerns.”
So it’s details, details, details for Nkemdiche, and, most importantly, some production when he’s on the field.
”Do it on Sunday Jarius Wright Jersey ,” he said. ”When it’s game time, show up and play ball. It’s a very simple concept, just go out there and be a dog, be a disruptive force, play every play at extreme capacity.”
And don’t jump offside.
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The Tennessee Titans know their newest player very well with a scouting report coming from their new defensive coordinator and not the quarterback.
The Titans acquired linebacker Kamalei Correa (KAH-mah-lay corr-A-uh) from the Baltimore Ravens for an undisclosed draft pick Tuesday. Correa played the past two seasons for Dean Pees, who had been the Ravens' defensive coordinator before coming out of retirement to work for first-year head coach Mike Vrabel in Tennessee.
"Dean's very familiar with him," Vrabel said. "I'm excited to get to know him, kind of see what he can handle. Don't want to overload anybody, just get him here find out what he can handle. Take a look at him on Thursday potentially and then moving forward where we see him best being able to fit us and help us."
Correa was the 42nd pick overall in 2016 out of Boise State, and the 6-foot-3, 241-pound linebacker started four of his 25 games with Baltimore. Vrabel said Correa has shown versatility so far in his career playing on and off the ball, having had a good preseason with Baltimore.
The Titans are a bit thin right now at linebacker with Derrick Morgan not practicing since the team's second preseason game Frank Gore Jersey , a loss to Tampa Bay . Morgan also has not been seen in the locker room. Brian Orakpo just returned to practice Monday after hurting a shoulder July 27, and rookie Harold Landry hurt an ankle in last weekend's loss at Pittsburgh.
Inside linebacker Rashaan Evans has missed most of the preseason with an undisclosed injury.
"What we felt like was that he could give us depth at both spots," Vrabel said. "He could help us on fourth down, give us some rush, but also be able to spell some of those guys right now whether it be ... Derrick or Brian."
The linebacker had 20 sacks and 31陆 tackles for loss at Boise State, and he played with Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota in high school at the St. Louis School in Honolulu, Hawaii. Mariota said he learned of the trade from a couple of texts messages from people back in Hawaii. Mariota texted Correa congratulations.
"I'm excited. It's pretty crazy. It's kind of full circle ..." Mariota said. "To play together in high school to then have the opportunity to play together here at this level is something that's special. I'm excited to have him. I think he'll do well for us and hopefully make a difference."
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