Saints safety Johnathan Abram meets with the media to talk about a variety of topics and what he's seen from Derek Carr.
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00:10 >> It's been quite an adjustment, I will not lie.
00:17 I'm originally from Mississippi, so I thought I was kind of used to the heat.
00:21 But being in Vegas where it's kind of just like dry heat to back to this humidity is
00:24 completely different.
00:25 It's sweltering, I will not lie.
00:29 Every day come out to feel your feet is just like soaked in water,
00:33 it's like you're walking in puddles.
00:34 It's like the craziest thing ever.
00:36 >> You left practicing in those conditions and playing, and
00:38 I mean there's a lot of dope games for this team this year.
00:41 How does that impact the- >> For sure, I mean,
00:43 it kind of gives you a slight advantage of me as far as just being in shape.
00:46 We're busting our butts every single day in practice, and
00:49 we're putting in a little extra work after practice, so
00:51 I'm certain that it's gonna pay off.
00:53 >> And how are you feeling at camp so far for you?
00:55 >> Pretty good, I mean, I'm adjusting, just trying to figure out and
00:58 find my place here.
00:59 So things are pretty good, learning the system, head down, just working,
01:03 that's about it.
01:04 >> How was your experience with the US Army?
01:07 >> That was amazing, got to go out to open our Japan, me and
01:10 Rokwon Smith got to do a bunch of play 60 camps.
01:13 So it was amazing time to come and just see the impact of families and
01:17 the troops who've been away.
01:18 Some of those guys haven't been home in three or four years, so
01:21 we kind of, it was like the bright spot of them being up there the entire time.
01:24 But some of those guys and their families,
01:26 they get up on Monday morning because they're dead head.
01:28 So they're getting up at four in the morning, three in the morning,
01:30 just to watch some of these games.
01:31 So just to kind of go over to interact with them,
01:33 I think that was like the highlight of my summer.
01:35 >> [INAUDIBLE]
01:43 >> Just to try to go out there and
01:44 just participate and play at a high level.
01:47 I mean, just to kind of just make sure no enemies,
01:50 just being in the right place at the right time, that's about it.
01:52 >> One of the more crowded competitions of guys at safety that we've seen in
01:57 a long time, how do you hope to distinguish yourself?
02:01 I mean, I know you probably wanna play multiple roles, but what area do you think?
02:08 >> I mean, I'll leave that up to the coaches.
02:10 I mean, my biggest thing is I just show up to work every day.
02:12 I mean, but like you said, we have a great room from corner, nickel, safety,
02:17 D-line, pretty much this entire team.
02:19 I think that was the coaches made that an objective point of what they've done.
02:22 And they wanted to load each position room with lots of competition.
02:26 And we're only here to make each other better.
02:28 So I mean, I think it'll work out in favor of the entire team.
02:31 But at the end of the season, we all know that you need all 53 guys.
02:33 >> What did you see from him this camp just to make a difference?
02:39 >> I'm not gonna lie, I've been very impressed with DC.
02:41 I mean, I've been with him, like you said, for the past four years.
02:45 And just some of the throws that he's making are really insane.
02:49 He's fitting the ball into some really tight windows because I mean,
02:51 we play a lot of man coverage here, a lot of quarters coverage.
02:53 So the windows and everything, they are pretty tight.
02:56 So just to see that, he's constantly getting better, because like I said,
02:59 we have a really great defense.
03:01 And we're only making each other better.
03:03 So it's competition on both sides.
03:05 >> I asked some of the guys that are seeing him for the first time, but
03:08 you've seen him practice against him for a while.
03:10 What is it that their card does that challenges defenses or
03:14 makes things difficult for you?
03:15 >> I mean, the biggest thing is he's gonna go up to the line of defense,
03:18 he's gonna diagnose what you're in.
03:19 And he's gonna do the best thing he can to put his offense in position to win.
03:23 So it's combat, it's like a hand-to-hand fight.
03:26 You give me this, I give you that.
03:27 You give me this, I give you that.
03:28 So he does a good job of that, checking the runs, checking the passes,
03:31 can-can away from certain pressures and certain looks.
03:34 He's gonna line up the fronts and everything.
03:36 So it starts from the head up, from the neck up.
03:39 And he's got that part, he has all the physical attributes.
03:42 So I think things are going really good.
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03:48 >> You've all been speculating about future campsites.
03:51 So you're gonna put in a vote for Napa, I would say.
03:55 >> Nah, nah, I'm actually, I'm enjoying being down here in New Orleans.
03:59 I mean, Napa, it's a great place.
04:02 It's a great time to go.
04:02 I would suggest that you go in the off season with your family.
04:05 >> [LAUGH] >> But no, I mean,
04:07 I think this heat down here, practicing this every single day, like I said,
04:10 it kind of gives us an advantage.
04:12 And like Coach said, it builds mental toughness.
04:14 So you have to be mentally and physically tough to go out here and
04:16 compete at a high level every single day,
04:18 considering the fact that it's hot, because it's hot for everybody.
04:20 >> You spoke a little bit during your intro press conference around why you're so
04:24 excited to join this team and be a part of this defense.
04:26 Now that you've been in it for a little while,
04:28 what's kind of your favorite, the thing that stands out to you the most about
04:31 the way that this defense operates?
04:33 >> Like Coach D.A. says, it's not about what you play, it's how you play.
04:36 And so that has been the saying for years and years around here,
04:40 which is why the Saints have had a really good defense for
04:42 the past couple of years.
04:43 And so just to go out here and see guys flying around,
04:45 just getting to the ball, practicing hard, it's very exciting.
04:50 It's very contagious.
04:51 And so it shows and it symbolizes why the Saints have been good on defense for
04:56 the past couple of years.
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