Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver spoke with the media following Monday's practice of training camp at St. John Fisher University.
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00:00All right, Ed, first day in pads, just, you know, how was it for you out there?
00:05You know, first day, first day, you know, a lot of animosity, a lot of frustration,
00:10and you pair that up with the heat, you know.
00:14Tempers flared a little bit, but I think it was a good day.
00:17Was it run deep enough for when you're not in pads?
00:20I think so. It's just like the tempo kind of been, you know,
00:25it's a little shaky, no pads on, you know.
00:28And, you know, over the days people have been tempo violating,
00:32and now you put the pads on and the tempo is wide open,
00:35it's like, okay, now let's go.
00:37And, yeah, I think it could come from prior days where, yeah,
00:40the tempo was a little shaky.
00:42Run defense looked pretty good on the 9-on-7.
00:44Did you think you guys did all right?
00:46Yeah, I think it was solid for the first day.
00:49I think there's definitely a big margin where we can get better,
00:53but, you know, 9-on-7 is 9-on-7.
00:559-on-7 is pretty much like this, always in the first day of pads, you know,
01:019-on-7, some really good things, some things not so good,
01:04but always room to grow.
01:06I saw you talk with Gable, working with him and other guys a lot,
01:09a lot of new faces.
01:11Do you look at yourself now like you need to thrust yourself
01:14into more of a leadership role?
01:16I was telling the young guys that today I was like, everywhere you go,
01:20even though I've only been here, but I can even say here,
01:23like in past years, everywhere you go people won't give you the game.
01:26I'm willing to give D.C. the game.
01:29I'm willing to give the young Gable the game.
01:31I'm willing to share what I've learned over the years with them
01:35to help them speed up the process because we all know later on in the season
01:39we're going to need those guys to step up and play big-time plays.
01:42The faster they get it, the easier it makes it for me to, you know,
01:47come out the game and have confidence in them guys to take care of their business.
01:51So as much as I can give them from what they can take in right now,
01:56I try to give them whether that's in the run game, pass game, or whatever.
01:59Just even as far as like mindset of how to rush, you know, things like that,
02:03I feel like it's my duty to give them the game early.
02:07And in terms of DeJuan Spoon, new to the team, what's he kind of like?
02:11We've seen him make some plays. What stood out to you about him?
02:14A playmaker, you know, simple as that.
02:17I'm surprised we was able to get him, you know, a player of that caliber
02:20who can go out there and make plays.
02:22I'm talking about from day one, from the first time I ever seen him practice,
02:25like he's just a playmaker, you know.
02:27Guys like that don't normally just float around, you know what I'm saying?
02:30So the fact that we was able to get him was big.
02:34Is there a player in particular who you think was most excited to put pads on today?
02:39I don't know. You know, it's always – I call them front runners.
02:44They act like they're excited, but they're really not excited.
02:47They're trying to psych themselves out, you know.
02:49A lot of offensive guys.
02:52I don't think – well, you know, everybody pretty much excited.
02:55Everybody had their little nerves, I'm pretty sure.
02:58Yeah, you're excited. Yeah, you're nervous.
03:00Yeah, you just want to get the first day of pads over with.
03:02You know, get the handle on, you know,
03:04and just feel what it feels like to actually be back playing football for real.
03:08Russo had a sack out there. What are you seeing from Russo today?
03:12Just the growth. Just the growth. What's this going on year four?
03:15Just the growth every year.
03:16Like everybody I've been playing with him, even A.J.,
03:20just the guys I came up with, just seeing them grow every year,
03:23seeing them leave one way and come back a different way, you know,
03:26knowing that they putting in work in the offseason and probably vice versa.
03:29You know, just seeing where they're at so early
03:32versus how much time it took for them to get to where they're at right now.
03:35So it's been good.
03:37Is there anything about Greg's approach that stood out to you?
03:41Just the way he's growing?
03:43You know, just like anything, I think what, Greg came out in three,
03:47came into the league, what, 20 years old, 21?
03:50You know, what do you really expect from a 21-year-old?
03:53You know, just getting more mature and learning how to be a pro.
03:56The same thing with me, learning how to be a pro.
03:58And he's picked up, I think, a little bit faster than me, so that's good.
04:02You talked about helping the other guys in the defensive line.
04:05Do you feel like you've taken on a different role in the defense as a whole
04:08with, like, some of the veterans who last year aren't here anymore?
04:10Do you feel like, are you more vocal?
04:12Are you changing anything about your approach?
04:14I wouldn't say I'm more vocal, I just have to be more cognizant
04:16because I'm a guy who smiles a lot, jokes around a lot.
04:19I just have to be more cognizant.
04:21And, you know, it's not a bad thing to be a fun, smiley guy.
04:25That lets the younger guys know, like, you don't have to be so serious all the time.
04:29But I also know that I can't mess up either.
04:32If I'm being that way, I know I have to be on top of my game.
04:35So I just try to lighten the mood up, help the young guys kind of relax.
04:39I know it's nerves, and I've been there before.
04:41I've been the first-round pick when everybody got eyes on you
04:44and how I can feel, how sometimes you can feel kind of lonely.
04:46And help them guys to understand, like, man, the coaches really want the best for you.
04:50And they'll just go out there and play, you know.
04:52Don't let the moment overwhelm you.
04:56I know this happened a few months ago,
04:58but why were you so happy to see D.Q. come back here in free agency?
05:02It wasn't that we really knew if the Bills were going to be able to keep him,
05:05but he's here, and that built-in consistency there on the defensive line.
05:09I mean, D.Q. speaks for itself.
05:11One of the best D-tackles in the game last year.
05:14Got hurt, came back and was still at the top.
05:17So having a guy like that, having a guy you can play with,
05:20and y'all know y'all been rocking for a couple years now,
05:23obviously I want to see him back.
05:25It just creates a habit, and I'm just used to playing with him.
05:28So, you know, I was happy to see him come back.
05:31What's next for you two as you continue to push each other
05:34to be the best versions of yourselves?
05:37For one, I just think the main thing is staying healthy,
05:41staying on the field, building that chemistry and just,
05:45I feel as if we can just stay healthy and stay, you know,
05:50one-two jab with the guys under us, you know,
05:53and just put it all together, we'll be all right.
05:56How much do you notice with DeMar being more like DeMar
06:00pre-what happened in Cincinnati this year?
06:03What did you say now?
06:04How much do you notice maybe personality-wise,
06:06DeMar Hamlin feeling more like himself or acting like himself,
06:10maybe more like what you saw early on?
06:13Who said he wasn't acting like himself?
06:15Plus, if I may ask you,
06:17does he appear to be more comfortable in himself?
06:20I don't know. I never noticed a difference.
06:22I ain't going to lie to you, so I don't know.
06:26What are some of the things that Coach West preaches?
06:28You have a new defensive line coach.
06:30I know he's been around as an assistant,
06:32but now that he's your line coach,
06:34what are some of the things that he's asking of you guys?
06:38I'll just say the environment he's created
06:43to where we can kind of speak our mind a little bit, you know.
06:49That's probably the biggest thing I can say,
06:51like just the environment is more coach or player friendly.
06:54I don't know if that's even the right words to say,
06:57but it's just, I guess, hmm.
07:00Can you describe his energy out there on the practice field?
07:03I mean, it seems like you guys are running, you know,
07:05across the field for him to start a different period,
07:08and he's definitely dyes up.
07:10Right.
07:11He brings a lot of energy, you know.
07:14Just like the coach-to-player relationship is, you know,
07:17with me and some of the other guys that have been there,
07:20it's way more like bouncing ideas off each other
07:23is more like I feel like we have more input a little bit.
07:27And, you know, I don't really know how to explain it.
07:30It's kind of hard to put it into words between him and Coach E,
07:33but I like his style.
07:35I like Coach E's style.
07:36I love Coach E's style, and I love his style, too.
07:38I know it's not fair to me, but you've got soccer feet.
07:42Is this a McDonald's effect, or is this something you've always done?
07:45No, it's definitely, he definitely rubbed off on a lot of people.
07:49I mean, and then I guess the science that go behind it, I guess.
07:52So, I don't know.
07:53Everybody else doing it, I kind of feel like it don't hurt
07:56when I don't wear shoes, so I just do it.
08:04Time to wrap it up?
08:06Yeah.
08:07Let's do it.
08:09Okay, quick question.
08:11On the rules and new guidelines with the union
08:13and the NFL Player Association,
08:15do you think this is a lot more helpful,
08:17help you to last longer without putting pads on?
08:21Obviously, two days and all of that.
08:23I think Russell Douglas is standing right here looking at me,
08:27telling me it's time to go.
08:28But, no, for real, though, I mean, guidelines and rules
08:31and whatever is whatever, what I'm going to do about it.
08:33But does it help you so far from last season?
08:36I don't really, you know, whether it help or hurt, like, you know,
08:40it's the rules are the rules, what you going to do about it.
08:42I guess you vote on it or whatever, but, I mean, the rules are the rules.
08:45So, just conform.
08:46The rules have been changing for forever, so it just is what it is.
08:49It's the day and age we live in.
08:51So, play the game.