Q. So were you surprised at all by Darren or expect it or what?
DANIEL BELLINGER: You know, I wasn't really sure what he was going to do. Any time he was here he was super focused and locked in it. Wasn't sure what he was going to do, but happy for him and happy that he's happy with his decision.
Q. (Plane interference.)
DANIEL BELLINGER: Just focusing on what I need to do to get better. You know, of course I stayed in touch with him to make sure he was good and he stayed in touch with me to make sure I was good.
Like I said, always a great teammate to me, so I just focused on stuff I needed to do, to work on.
Q. How do you look the position now, given the fact you've drafted Theo and the tight end room overall.
DANIEL BELLINGER: Yeah, I think we still have a lot to do and a lot to grow from, but we're taking steps every day and getting better every day.
You mentioned Theo. Great young kid coming in and is going to help our team get better.
Q. They put a lot on your plate the first couple years have they told you they're going to streamline you moving forward, or are the going to continue to ask you to do all the things they've asked you to do?
DANIEL BELLINGER: Ask me to do the same stuff. Whatever they need me to do, I'm going to do.
Q. Notice a change?
DANIEL BELLINGER: I wouldn't say -- that's probably a question for them. I'm just going to do anything they want me to do. They want me to stick my head in the dirt, go out and catch a pass, I'm going to go out and do that.
Q. Last year when you came in everybody said you bulked up. This year what do you do to get...
DANIEL BELLINGER: Yeah, this year I've been focusing route running stuff more. Of course I needed to step up in every area of my game. Yeah, just been focusing our on the pass side of the game and taking strides that way and also taking steps in the run game as well.
Q. When you broke down your season individually last year and went into the off-season, did you have a checklist of things that you felt like you needed to work on differently than maybe what you did year one and year two?
DANIEL BELLINGER: Yeah, I just think getting on the same page with the quarterback. With the adversity we faced last year it was a mix of stuff that myself needed to be I guess more locked in on where guys were at and communicating with whoever was coming in. Whether it was a new right tackle, new left tackle, whatever it was, staying on top of that.
Really just taking steps in my game, like I said. Taking steps forward in the pass game and the run game.
Q. I know you're not an excuse maker, but may be you're not (Plane interference.)
DANIEL BELLINGER: Yeah, like you said, you can't make any excuses when it comes it that. Everybody faces it, every team. It is a step, it is a process. I think it just came down to myself being able to communicate more and being more in tune with my guys and being able to lock in to what we need to do and how we need to do it, no matter who is in.
But being on the same page.
Q. Darren was brought in to be a weapon, a main target in the passing game. Whatever happened last year with his injuries, and the whole passing game is what happened last year. Do you feel like you can be a bigger part of that? Is that something -- you've shown that at times. Do you feel there is more there for you?
DANIEL BELLINGER: Yeah, I'm ready to take a step. I am ready to take a step and do whatever they need me to do and do it better, you know what I'm saying? Anything they want me to do I want to take a step and get better and make sure they build that trust and confidence we been doing the last couple years, but take another step in that, take another step in growing.
Q. You've seen what tight ends can do in this league. Do you think this team, with you, can be that, can be a dynamic, have all the weapons, but then you can be a dynamic pass catching...
DANIEL BELLINGER: Absolutely. We have a very competitive tight end room. I think as a whole tight end room, including myself. I think we can take that step and be competitive with any tight end room in the league.
Q. What's holding you back physically now?
DANIEL BELLINGER: Nothing physically. Just kind of staying locked in mentally and watching Theo and Cage grow.
Q. You mean you're just getting rest?
DANIEL BELLINGER: I wouldn't say rest. Just kind of like letting Theo grow and getting more mental growth to Theo and Cage and everybody to take a step as a whole tight end room instead of just myself taking all the reps.
Q. What have you observe last summer about Darren, and what enabled him to be such a weapon last summer?
DANIEL BELLINGER: Well, I mean, he's just an athletic guy, super athletic freak, that no matter what age he's going to be, he's going to be that guy.
What we took from him, like I said, him being a great teammate, how he approached the game. That's what we took as a tight end room, and especially myself. Just taking how he did things off the field and focused and how he learned and saw football is the thing we took away from him.
Q. Can guys like Malik help you guys?
DANIEL BELLINGER: Yeah, Malik is a great player. See him making a lot of players out here. He's a great player and athlete, and I think he's going to be a huge, huge help for our team.
Q. Do you think the corps overall can be productive in your line?
DANIEL BELLINGER: Absolutely. Yeah, we still have a lot to do, but we are taking the right steps and the right progress to grow and I think we'll be there.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports