Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley spoke to reporters on Thursday and discussed the return of Shaquille Leonard to practice, the young defensive backs, and much more. (Video by Jake Arthur)
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00:00 be here. Obviously we've had one practice where we went out there and the set up camp
00:06 is a little bit different as always you know when you have a new head coach with
00:10 Coach Sikins so it's good. We've had good meetings and really as I look back at
00:15 we've had a chance in the summer a little bit to look back at OTAs and
00:19 really pleased with the foundation that we have set. I think that last year we
00:23 executed at times well but there was some inconsistency. You just feel like
00:28 there's more of an ownership of the defense this year. You know just the way
00:32 they're communicating and talking some of the indicators things like that that
00:36 is showing up a little bit more so we really hope to continue to build on that
00:40 and then some areas of emphasis that we've had by watching film from last year.
00:44 Shaq is back so or at least on the field participating what does he mean to have back out there?
00:51 Well I mean for me you can see just how much of a leader he is and when he's on
00:56 the field it feels like it elevates everybody. The tempo, the energy, the whole
01:02 unit, there's you know the competition so he brings so much that even regardless
01:08 of his position and how he plays on the field so I think that really stood out
01:12 and that I know he's very excited to get back into the groove and he's done a
01:16 really good job even though he hasn't been able to participate much in practice
01:20 of picking up mentally so now he just needs reps.
01:23 I guess with defense it's no matter what the scheme is it's like pass, rush, and coverage, whatever.
01:29 Are you concerned or curious because you've got young pass rushers and the cornerback room is as young as it gets?
01:37 Right, well I mean that's always rush and cover work together I mean it's a you know a
01:42 commonly used phrase in the NFL so we have to generate that pass rush
01:46 obviously we've got some guys we feel very good about but we need more.
01:50 I mentioned it to you last year that the ideal situation is that eight guys that can rush the quarterback.
01:56 The fourth quarter rush is very important to have that and we got to develop guys so I will say this I know we've got some high effort guys
02:04 and a lot of times the rush if you look at all the tape on film when you look at sacks a lot of them come through second effort
02:11 so that part we know that we've got a lot of high effort guys and we've got some guys that can rush but how many?
02:17 That's what we need to find out.
02:18 What about corner?
02:19 So yeah you got corners on the perimeter we've got some young guys there we've had discussions all during after the season with Chris
02:26 and we kind of chose to look at this we feel like we got a good young cornerback group but you know we need to see out.
02:32 We had some signs in OTAs I thought where you could see their developmental level and you know their playmaking ability
02:41 so now it's just getting the pads on and you know how consistent are they day in and day out.
02:47 What sort of foundation does Kenny Moore set?
02:50 Just a true pro he sets the standard and the pace in that room and I think he sets the pace of the whole defensive unit
02:59 but no doubt about it there's things that we constantly show tape of him and how he executes and his technique things
03:06 and then say this is how we want it done just like this so I think that's probably the best way a true pro that sets the standard and the pace for the room.
03:14 When you say set the pace what do you mean?
03:16 Well just you know the play speed you know how fast it should look like how physical it should look like so you know that kind of standard.
03:25 As Shaq's coach how important is it that he's actually out here practicing from the first day this year because I mean it is still a new scheme for him.
03:32 Yeah it is but I mean he talks the language you know he's done a great job I mean he's here early in the morning one of those guys like that
03:40 in early leaves late meets with the coaches he is you know one guy that really wants to make sure he is the ultimate communicator out in the field
03:49 and wants to be that for this unit so to do that you've got to study a lot and he's done that so I think it's just a different feel with him out there
03:57 because of his competitiveness and his playmaking ability.
04:00 A lot of guys have a presence but not many like him I'm talking just his vocal nature on the field all that.
04:08 What does that bring you?
04:10 You know it's just like kind of like Kenny you know where the standard and the pace type deal he does that in the linebacker room and with the unit
04:19 and I think that you know there's a sense of confidence when he brings when he's out on the field players look back they see him
04:26 it's like okay we don't have to worry about what's going on behind us with him he kind of has that presence I think he in a way he brings a sense of calm
04:34 where guys can just focus on what they need to do and but I'm anticipating his energy to only even pick up more and more as he's you know getting back into playing shape.
04:46 Because he has to gain confidence in himself right?
04:49 Yeah I think he's always had confidence you know like coming off of I think that just where he's at and what he can do but I mean our training staff has done a tremendous job
05:01 and he has too committed to coming back from it so he does I mean it is early but he does surely look different.
05:08 Gus when it comes to the guys on the bottom of the roster fighting for the end of that 53 here in camp what is it that you want to see from them that makes them stand out?
05:15 Is it more consistency? Is it flash play?
05:17 Yeah I think that's the big part I mean you got to have the ability that they can count in your play after play so the consistent part of it
05:23 and then a lot of those young guys I mean we talked about it yesterday some of the expectations I mean special teams plays a big part of it
05:30 you know so they've got to take that part of it and elevate their game there so usually when it comes down to it for those young guys special teams play such a big part of it unless they're a starter.
05:40 What have you seen from Dallas Flowers? Chris Bell was way high on him the other day and obviously someone who had an opportunity to play.
05:46 I think Dallas is one of those guys where he's got the length, the speed and you look at him and you see the playmaking of it now it's just the consistency do we know what we're getting from play after play.
05:57 But I think he mentioned to me something back in OTAs talking to Gilly and Gilly kind of liked him and how he was and he's like that.
06:05 I think with Coach Milos he kind of grew on Milo you know as the season went on and I think that's important for Milo you understand him to play in the secondary he has to trust you.
06:18 And I think that's what Dallas did as the season went on I think there was a level of trust between those two.
06:24 Julian Blackman is playing a somewhat new position just how did that process kind of unfold and what do you think he kind of brings to the strong safety role?
06:31 Well so here's Julian playing free safety and we play him some strong and then Kenny Moore gets hurt we play him at nickel.
06:37 I think that experience at nickel has helped his overall game. I think that he has a better sense of what everybody's doing around him and the strong safety is a guy in our defense that is going to be around the ball a lot.
06:52 If you remember Seattle, Cam Chancellor just around the ball making tackles, defending the pass, utilizing his skill set you know that's where Julian is playing for us.
07:04 So I think him playing nickel last year gave him a better understanding because there's times it does feel like a nickel position.
07:11 Other times it feels like a free safety position. So there's a lot on that plate and his mentality is the type of person I can hang with.
07:19 Sometimes with the free safety when they move down into the box you worry about their tackling. Where is Julian in terms of him as a tackler?
07:27 Well that's where I think as a nickel, a nickel linebacker in our system is more at times can appear like an outside linebacker.
07:34 And that's what Julian played last year for us. You know played some nickel.
07:38 So I thought his tackling right there that kind of gave us an idea after watching him tackle in there that maybe strong safety is a good position for him.
07:47 Julian is dealing with a bit of an injury but it opens some more time for Nick Cross to kind of develop. What are you hoping to see out of him this year?
07:54 Well Nick Cross probably made his biggest jump in OTAs. I thought that you know you might see his full concentration in practice but then last year in walk through it was the focus maybe not quite where it needed to be.
08:09 And you know that was a teaching part to say hey the walk through is just as important we need your full concentration. There's no you know that's where players trust you that you know what to do.
08:19 Now in OTAs I think he put those two both together. I thought he had good walk through sessions. He had good practices.
08:27 And it felt like rather than being concerned how his teammates felt of him it was more of a concern how he plays and making sure he understands it.
08:36 So I saw a big jump in his maturity. Now it's getting carried over to training camp but I thought he made a big jump.
08:44 Shaq mentioned that he has to watch the tapes like see like where he really is. Are you collaborating with him on that? Like is part of the staff looking at it with him to say okay this is where you were at this point and where you kind of need to get to?
08:55 Yeah I think you know Shaq is one of those players that has great communication with all areas of the organization. So if he's working out all of a sudden you'll get a video tape of him working out.
09:08 You know say hey here's where I'm at and the relationship Richard Smith and him have developed is there is a strong strong sense of trust between those two.
09:17 And I think Shaq will go to Richard and say hey what did you think and Richard Smith as if you know him there's not a lot of BS to him. He'll tell him but when he says hey I like the way this is looking and how it's coming together.
09:29 But that's Shaq he's got great communication sense takes him. Me, Richard, the trainers and I think we all have a pretty good sense where he's at. So now really it truly is about just getting him reps.
09:41 and rest.