Carl Granderson speaks with the media following Sunday's Saints training camp practice.
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00:08 >> Everybody good?
00:09 >> Yep.
00:10 >> All right.
00:11 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:17 >> What's the biggest change you noticed in yourself this year?
00:22 I mean, I know you've been around for a while, but I mean,
00:26 what areas of your game are you still evolving?
00:29 >> I'd say the biggest change for me is mentality.
00:36 Don't get complacent, getting better each day and every day.
00:41 Just bringing the intensity to the defense.
00:44 My whole objective is to make my teammates better,
00:48 make everybody else better around me, and make myself better.
00:52 So that's what I'm doing every day.
00:55 >> I think DA mentioned what you weighed when you first came here,
00:58 what you weigh now.
01:00 Obviously, it's been an evolution to be more of a power player,
01:03 more of a run defender.
01:04 Was there a certain year or years where you took big steps in that department,
01:09 or that's just sort of slowly, gradually?
01:12 >> What do you mean by big step?
01:14 >> Like to make run defense and power a big part of your-
01:19 >> I mean, when I first came in,
01:24 I probably was like 250, and each year I gained probably 10 pounds.
01:28 So each year going into the offseason was to get bigger and
01:32 stronger to coming back for the full season next year.
01:37 So that played a huge part in stopping the run and
01:41 being physical throughout all 16 games.
01:44 So this year was more of maintaining and
01:49 come back, be more ready for the season.
01:54 >> How would you feel like Peyton Turner is in year three?
01:56 How do you feel like he's progressed?
01:58 >> Yeah, I feel like he's doing good out there.
02:01 His first step is unbelievable.
02:03 Peyton is playing with confidence right now.
02:06 And throughout the rest of the training camp,
02:10 all we're trying to do is build that confidence, so at one into the season.
02:13 So he need to keep doing what he's doing and come every day with it.
02:19 >> I was just out here, I was talking a little bit about Todd Grantham and
02:22 kind of giving the mentality of making plays.
02:24 Not necessarily worrying about being right, but making plays.
02:26 How does that play into maybe your play style as well as the personalities of
02:29 people in the locker room?
02:31 >> I mean, it plays a huge part, not overthinking.
02:35 Being on the field is like a split decision when you're out there, so
02:39 you ain't got time to think.
02:40 So he wants you to go out there, play fast, and
02:43 do your job to the best of your ability.
02:46 >> Do you feel like everybody takes that pretty well?
02:48 >> Yes, we gotta take the coaching.
02:50 If you wanna get to where you wanna go, you gotta trust in the process.
02:56 >> When you mentioned the responsibility of making teammates better,
02:59 number seven, Henning, you trying to make him better?
03:03 >> Yeah, my job every day is to come with it.
03:07 I gotta do a job and he gotta do a job at the end of the day.
03:10 So I'm trying to make him better.
03:13 That's the starting tackle right now, so he can first team reps.
03:17 So the best gotta go against the best, and iron sharpens iron.
03:22 So every day I'm gonna come with it, he gonna come with it, and
03:25 we making each other better.
03:27 >> What's he doing?
03:28 [INAUDIBLE]
03:32 >> So what he doing well right now,
03:33 he coming off that ball.
03:35 So in the run block, he's moving blockers, he's moving his feet pretty well.
03:40 He got that mentality.
03:42 He's just trying to mob people, so he's like a big bear.
03:45 So if you in his way, he gonna move you out the way.
03:48 >> I've seen you win on some passing sets though.
03:51 >> I mean, we making each other better.
03:54 I won some, he won some.
03:56 So each day we gotta come with a different mentality and
03:59 try to change up for the next rep.
04:02 >> That's a lot of pressure though on a player, huh?
04:05 He's almost still like a rookie in terms of experience and
04:10 the number one free agent was quarterback.
04:14 >> Yeah, so yeah, he got a big job to step up this year, staying healthy and
04:19 coming out there and taking them reps and to protect their car.
04:24 So that's a big job to do.
04:27 You can't let nobody touch the quarterback and
04:30 I think he's gonna do wonderful at that.
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04:34 >> And Kyle, you've been through several of these counts before.
04:36 How different is the heat to deal with this going around?
04:38 >> [LAUGH] Man, it's hot out there, man.
04:43 But it's preparing us for the season though.
04:47 Let's start off with a mentality.
04:49 Everybody's hot, trainers hot, players hot.
04:52 So this time around, we gotta do something different.
04:56 We can't keep doing the same things, getting the same result.
04:59 So we gotta lock in to the process, trust the process, and
05:02 then go out there and do our job.
05:04 >> What kind of advice do you give to a young guy that's practicing?
05:08 >> Say that again?
05:08 >> What kind of advice do you give to a young guy that's practicing?
05:13 >> I just say, man, just stay focused, stay with your head down.
05:17 It's gonna be a grind, but never give up.
05:22 Just continue to trust the process.
05:25 You're gonna have some bad days, you're gonna have some good days.
05:28 Don't ever get up and down, and just stay locked in.
05:32 >> What's the communication like off the field within the defensive line room?
05:38 A group that rotates so much, how important is it to build that chemistry and
05:41 communication, so they know who you line up with?
05:44 >> I feel like it's very important to have that communication,
05:49 because at the end of the day, we're a team.
05:52 It's no individual assets to this defense.
05:56 So we're a team, so throughout OTAs and camp and everything,
06:01 we try to bring everybody together so we can know one another.
06:06 We got each other back, so off the field, we go out to eat,
06:10 we spend that time together, and we try to build that chemistry.
06:13 So on the field, it just clicks.
06:14 >> So certain players have a style, and they're known for certain things, right?
06:19 And so in your early years, I think maybe people saw your great asset of speed and
06:24 agility and stuff like that.
06:26 And you seem to be working really hard on getting weight and building strength.
06:30 >> Yeah.
06:31 >> Was the speed, did people perceive the speed to be your asset because you felt
06:34 like you had a strength deficit, or
06:36 do you think the speed will always be your asset, you're just trying to get stronger?
06:40 >> Honestly, I don't really care about what everybody else thinks.
06:44 I just go out there and try to play hard and just try to have a motive.
06:48 Try to go every play, 100 miles per hour, not stay on blocks,
06:54 get off blocks, and win with technique.
06:59 That's the biggest thing that I'm trying to focus on right now, technique.
07:03 And continue to just to have that mindset just to come out and
07:08 destroy my opponent.
07:10 So speed comes with it.
07:12 I'm a little shifty too, but my number one thing is stopping the run so
07:17 we can have some fun.
07:18 >> Was there anything last year besides just opportunity that really helped,
07:23 clicked in for you or?
07:26 >> Really, last year and the last few years, it was all about doing my job.
07:33 Obviously, the opportunity presented itself, but my job was to play my role.
07:39 And that's what I came to work every day to do, play my role.
07:43 Be ready for the next man to come up.
07:46 And when they show time, you just gotta be ready for it.
07:50 So I was just staying focused, staying locked into the game plan.
07:55 And whenever my name was called on, I was gonna be ready for it.
07:58 >> A couple weeks ago, DeMario talked to us about some of his
08:03 off the field issues that he had in college.
08:07 You don't wanna talk about anything, they don't wanna talk about it, it's fine.
08:10 But did you learn anything from what happened when you were coming into the
08:14 league?
08:15 Was there a moment where it was like, I'll have my opportunity,
08:18 could be gone?
08:20 Just what have you learned from that?
08:22 >> Really, honestly, I heard about DeMario's story in college.
08:28 It's crazy, cuz I had a little incident in college as well.
08:32 My freshman year, when I first come into college,
08:37 I was about to be late for class.
08:40 And then I took a bike.
08:42 And I was like, I'm gonna borrow the bike and bring it back after class.
08:45 I didn't wanna be late.
08:47 So as soon as I got on the bike, made it to class, then that split second,
08:51 they called me like, hey, you took somebody's bike?
08:55 So I learned from that, everything could be gone in a split second.
09:01 And moving forward, that was a big learning lesson for
09:04 me because coming from South Carolina, California, moving into Wyoming,
09:09 I had to change.
09:10 I couldn't go into college the same person.
09:13 And I couldn't leave college the same person I went in at.
09:16 So I learned that you can't make the wrong decisions.
09:22 And there's always gonna be eyes on you.
09:24 So you gotta just stay focused and do the right thing.
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