Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson addresses the media following Wednesday's practice in Orchard Park. (Courtesy of the Buffalo Bills)
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00:00I would just say just guys constantly coming together.
00:28I feel like Rochester helped us a lot, just making us have to be with each other,
00:34even in our free time, you know what I'm saying?
00:36And even having like dinners outside of the facility together,
00:41like just bringing groups together.
00:42I feel like it's extremely important for us to continue to have that chemistry.
00:45And I see guys stepping up really all across the board, you know what I'm saying?
00:50It's definitely gonna take a little, maybe a little bit more time, but
00:53we definitely have those guys in our rooms.
00:56Is there anyone that has stepped up that you didn't necessarily expect it from?
01:02I like how T-Rap is kind of leading those safeties.
01:06And I feel like he's a quiet, reserved kind of guy, but I hear him being more vocal
01:11and just making sure that everybody is having the knowledge that they need to
01:15have to perform at a high level.
01:17How important has that leadership been for
01:20Taylor considering that safety, and you have that interest with Mike and
01:25the whole board, just having that leadership and that steady presence?
01:31I mean, it's important, you know what I'm saying?
01:35He's played a lot of ball, and even the guys that you just named,
01:38a lot of them have played a lot of ball.
01:41So it's just important.
01:43He's been here, he knows the system a little bit better than everybody else.
01:46So guys are watching him, guys are asking him questions,
01:49trying to make sure that they can figure it out.
01:51How much has your position kind of changed and evolved from the slot,
01:56not you personally, but the slot position in the NFL since you entered the league,
02:00even, because you see all these tight ends now, these hybrids, even golf.
02:04You see what teams are doing, spreading you out.
02:07How much has it changed or evolved since you've been in the league?
02:09Man, it's changed a lot.
02:12For our team in particular, just being able to play nickel and
02:17heavy sets is a big deal.
02:20But I also see it on tape that other teams are trying to do the same thing,
02:25you know what I'm saying?
02:26So it's definitely becoming more, I don't wanna use the word popular, but
02:31I guess that's the word, just having your nickel on the field.
02:34More like 85% of the snaps instead of, back in the day,
02:38I feel like it was 65% of the time, you know what I'm saying?
02:41But having that nickel out there, playing basically the whole game.
02:44That said, you get a guy like Daquan who comes in, and he's not the biggest guy.
02:48Yeah.
02:48Right?
02:49He's thought of as a slot, but he's also playing a little outside.
02:52The game's kind of changed, what can you talk to him about,
02:55about the way you have to kind of play it, your size of playing this game?
02:58Yeah, I would definitely say the mindset, you know what I'm saying?
03:01I played with guys in college at Weber State that were smaller,
03:07like much smaller than me, and had a mindset like no other, you know what I'm saying?
03:11So that alone is why I feel like I am the player, not alone, but
03:16one of the reasons why I feel like I'm a good player is because of my mindset.
03:20And I would just say everyone having that kind of mindset where it doesn't matter
03:24how small you are, I mean, people say this all the time, but
03:27it's really about your heart, for real.
03:29What do you see from Daquan so far?
03:31Man, he's a playmaker, you know what I'm saying?
03:33He's getting his hands on the ball consistently.
03:35I've seen it consistently for weeks at this point.
03:37So him just consistently getting his hands on the ball, and
03:40all we need is to make sure he's making them finish in place.
03:44And when he does that, it will be special.
03:47It's a different position group, but Joe Andreessen, that story's been kind of-
03:51Yes, yes, yes.
03:52What's it like amongst the teammates and everything,
03:54especially on the defensive side of the ball?
03:56Knowing that his position when he came in and showed up here and
04:00what he did Saturday?
04:02Wow, I say that was pretty special by him, you know what I'm saying?
04:06He's coming in and starting his first game, going against ones.
04:11You know what I'm saying?
04:11So it's like, they had their guys out there as well, and
04:14he comes out there and doesn't miss a beat.
04:16And I thought that was really special to see and extremely impressive to me.
04:21You know what I'm saying?
04:22I thought it was very impressive watching him go out there and fly around and
04:25just play with no fear.
04:26You know what I'm saying?
04:27I feel like that's our goal, is to play as fast as we can without fearing the result.
04:32Just playing fast.
04:34How much fun is it watching you on the sideline?
04:36You're done, you're done playing, you're on the sideline.
04:38You got some time to watch it kind of evolve and develop.
04:43I love it, but at the same time, sometimes I still be wishing I was out there.
04:47You know what I'm saying?
04:48When you start in a game, you kind of want to get a groove in it.
04:51You know what I'm saying?
04:52So sometimes it might take two, three series to get in a groove.
04:55But I mean, watching guys who don't usually have that opportunity to go out
05:00there and play, that's pretty priceless.
05:02You know what I'm saying?
05:03Just guys live out their dream, making plays at the biggest stage.
05:06Bobby Babbage talked about DeMarcus Ingram and
05:08how he over the last few years has added like 20 pounds of muscle to his frame.
05:12How hard is that as a kid to consistently year over year just adding
05:17frame to your body and the work that goes into that?
05:20I'm not even sure.
05:21Like I probably added 20 pounds since I got to college.
05:25You know what I'm saying?
05:26So that's been probably 10 years, over 10 years adding 20 pounds.
05:29So I don't know how he does it in the four years he's been here.
05:36You know what I'm saying?
05:36I feel like that's a testament to him and how he works in the offseason and
05:40just making sure that he's getting his body where it needs to be.
05:43What have you seen from him just in the last couple weeks,
05:45training camp, preseason, from Coach DeMarcus?
05:47Again, I say fearlessness.
05:48You know what I'm saying?
05:50Like playing DB, playing corner, playing nickel, you're gonna get beat sometimes.
05:55And it's about being able to bounce back from that.
05:58And I've seen him bounce back and just make plays,
06:01even when it seems like he shouldn't.
06:03You know what I'm saying?
06:03So just that alone, his fearlessness, I feel like is a huge factor for him.
06:08You and Cam have been the longest tenured DBs in the league on this team.
06:13What's your relationship like with him on and off the field?
06:16Me and Cam are really close.
06:18I talk to Cam every day.
06:19So he came to my wedding, that's my guy.
06:23Yeah, so at this point, we're like brothers.
06:26So I talk to him about family issues, same thing he does to me.
06:31So it's great to have a guy who I've known for quite a few years.
06:37When's the last time you played on the boundary?
06:40Like- Is that the only time?
06:41When's the last time you played on the boundary?
06:43Like even in a practice setting or anything like that?
06:46I mean, it depends.
06:48I'm not trying to say too much.
06:50But like, it just depends on the situation.
06:53I only ask because you take Jamarcus who's been playing mostly
06:58boundary since he's come in and now he's starting to kind of sprinkle in.
07:01How tough is that to go back and forth?
07:05As far as, you're saying boundary corner?
07:08Okay, I haven't played corner here, like literally never.
07:12You know what I'm saying?
07:13So I don't even know what it's like to be switching back and forth.
07:17You know what I'm saying?
07:18So I'm sure it's tough though.
07:20You know what I'm saying?
07:21Because it's a tough defense.
07:22Like I've only been here.
07:25But just hearing from other guys who come here,
07:27I would say this is one of the more challenging defenses.
07:30You know what I'm saying?
07:31So your mind has to constantly be going.
07:33And if you're switching positions,
07:35you got to make sure that your mind is on that position.
07:37Because there's been times where guys have said, in their head,
07:40they thought they were playing a different position while they were on the field.
07:44And they're actually not playing that position,
07:45just because they've been in that situation so many times, you know?
07:48Like everyone who's back out there,
07:51I understand Virgil is and Cole was too.
07:54Just what do you think about maybe the prospect of getting
07:59a few reinforcements back there in safety?
08:01And how much do you ever communicate with those guys?
08:06A lot, honestly.
08:07Like we communicate pretty much every single play.
08:09So it's very important.
08:11I mean, they're in the meetings.
08:12They're talking in the meetings as if they're in the game.
08:16So just them being out there in pads, I think, is huge for us.
08:19Getting some, eventually, when they're fully healthy,
08:21getting some live reps in practice will help a ton.
08:26Word intentional has come up a few times when you're talking about Greg Russo.
08:30Yeah, Bobby brought it up and Greg just brought it up.
08:32You've spent a lot of time with him in the defensive huddle over the last several seasons.
08:36How have you seen his approach to this year?
08:39Man, Greg, even last year,
08:43just as far as how his offseason was, we were both here this offseason.
08:48And I'm watching him just continuously just take a step every single day.
08:53You know what I'm saying?
08:53It's a marathon, not a sprint.
08:55And I just feel like he's definitely coming into his own.
08:57You see his, even seeing his shoulders and how broad he's gotten over time.
09:04It's just, he has all the tools.
09:06He needs to be a great, great player in this league.
09:09So I'm just excited to watch him,
09:11because I think he is going to be an extremely talented guy.
09:13He already is a talented guy, but I think it's going to show a lot.