HENDERSON, Nev.-The Las Vegas Raiders are clearly aware of the talent that Johnathan Abram brings to the roster. The time is now for Abram to take the next step from potential, to productive.
You can watch his entire press conference below, and read the transcript:
Safety Johnathan Abram
Q: It seems like a really physical camp so far. Is that kind of right up your alley the way you like to play football?
Abram: “I mean, it hasn’t really been that physical. We’ve gotten the pads on and got to have some contact, but other than that we’ve been doing a really good job of taking care of each other.”
Q: How do you like the system and how you are being utilized?
Abram: “Pretty good. Honestly, just trying to do whatever coach asks me to do, wherever they put me, trying to make the most of my role.”
Q: Have you always been able to pick up new schemes quickly, or is that something that you kind of has to work at when you got in the NFL?
Abram: “I mean, it always takes work. I had different coordinators throughout high school and college and up until this point now, so just spending time in the playbook and watching the film and seeing how he utilizes and applying the calls from the old system to the new system, just changing the language and pretty much that’s it.”
Q: Have you been able to put a process together to expedite learning a new system?
Abram: “No, you can’t cheat the process. This is a one, two, three step (process). Just doing what works for me, taking notes, writing things down, watching the film, making notecards, whatever helps me learn best.”
Q: How have you changed as a player since your rookie season?
Abram: “I’ve gotten older. It’s that simple. I went from 21 and I’m 25 now, so growth. That’s about it.”
Q: Is there a maturity level that comes with that as well, on the field and off?
Abram: “I mean, I think as you get older, you’re supposed to mature. I certainly think so.”
Q: What have been your first takeaways from the new cornerbacks you brought in with Rock Ya-sin, Anthony Averett, and Darius Phillips?
Abram: “All are really good players. They all came in to compete and they are doing a pretty good job of that.”
Q: In your time in Vegas, do you remember a time when practice was cut short because of rain like today?
Abram: “I honestly don’t ever even remember it raining in Vegas, truthfully. So, the rain that we’ve experienced the past couple days is kind of mind-blowing to me.”
Q: What’s the biggest thing that you hope as a defense you can take out of getting to play the first preseason game?
Abram: “Just getting out there for once, getting our feet wet, building camaraderie. Getting a chance to play with each other and fly around. Get to the ball, that’s the biggest thing.”
Q: Does the defense feel more like a reset or kind of a rebuild based what on what you’ve seen in your time here?
Abram: “I don’t even know what that means. I mean, the biggest thing I’ve noticed is, it’s a new system, got some new guys here, new coaches, so we are just trying to put all the pieces together and just get this thing going on both sides of the ball and on special teams.”
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