Q. Obviously around here a lot of people are much more familiar with the two Georgia linebackers. Can you talk about what it is you liked about Devin Lloyd that inspired you to get back up into the first round?
TRENT BAALKE: Well, I think the same thing we talked about with Travon, the versatility. He does a little bit of everything. He can cover. He can rush the passer. He's very good against the run inside the tackle box and outside. So just a lot of versatility, and he's a culture setter. He's a great young man. He fits into what we're trying to build here, and we're looking forward to having him here.
Q. Was there a lot of negotiation going on with him in terms of whether you were willing to (indiscernible)?
TRENT BAALKE: No, I generally don't -- when we offer, we try to just do a fair deal. So there wasn't a ton of negotiating. We presented an offer, they came back with a slightly different offer and we settled right in the middle. If you want the player, you want the player. It doesn't pay to try to win every trade. It was a fair trade for both sides. We were just fortunate they were willing to work with us.
Q. For Trent and Doug, did you guys bring Devin in for an in-facility visit?
TRENT BAALKE: We did not, no.
Q. Interview at the combine?
TRENT BAALKE: Yes.
Q. What stood out about him as a person that excited you about him?
TRENT BAALKE: Well, we do a lot of work on these guys. It's not just a 20-minute meeting here or even a visit here. The scouts do a lot of work all year long on these guys, go in and talk to the coaches, talk to their high school coaches. We do a lot of research on these guys, and his character is impeccable.
Q. Trent, just in terms of the first-round grades you guys had on these players, was Devin one of the last players that you guys had as a first-round grade?
TRENT BAALKE: I'm not going to divulge the board, but obviously this was a draft where there was a certain number of guys that we had graded above the line and we were getting to the point where we needed to make a move. This was something that didn't just happen. We were considering this going into the draft. So we were fortunate enough that it worked out, and Tampa got what they wanted and we got what we wanted.
Q. At what point did you decide this might be an opportunity for us? At what point during the draft?
TRENT BAALKE: I think Coach and I looked at each other right around the Dallas pick, I think. I think they were picking 24th or -- we talked about it a little bit before that, but when it got to Dallas and Dallas picked the center, or I can't remember who Dallas -- who did Dallas pick? Tyler Smith, the offensive lineman. When we got to that, we felt, okay, we've got a chance here, we picked up the phone and talked to Tampa.
Q. Doug, obviously Devin's story, the NFL Network did the beautiful feature on it earlier this week about his fallen teammates and him being the captain of that Utah team. For you as a former player, what were your conversations with him that have made him the culture setter that you guys hope you are bringing in?
DOUG PEDERSON: You know, just understanding him a little bit more off the field and what he represents and what he stands for. I think are the types of guys that we want to surround ourselves with and bring into our building.
He fits that for us. As Trent alluded to, not only is he a good football player, but again, he's a high-character individual, and that's all part of this process that we look at when we dive into these players, and the stuff he does away from football is pretty remarkable.
Q. I know we will get the chance to talk to him down the line, but I'm curious what Coach Caldwell's take on Devin was? How high was he on his board?
TRENT BAALKE: Yeah, Mike was excited. Again, we talk about the process, and the coaches were heavily involved in this process, so not only was Mike excited, the entire defensive staff because it's another versatile player that plays the game with the mentality that we want to play the game with.
I think they're very excited.
Q. How well do you know Devin and Foye can work together and what do you think you have there now at inside linebacker?
DOUG PEDERSON: You know, I think from a football standpoint it's very similar to Travon. We've got to get them both in here and get them with the defensive coaches and really get them to start working with the guys on our roster currently. But I think that it's going to be a good relationship, just again, making that linebacker room a little bit stronger, a little bit better, and really helping the overall football team with the guys like Devin and Travon.
It's still a work in progress, obviously, with these guys, but we're excited to get them in here.
Q. Trent, how much of your thought process in selecting Devin was just the idea, AFC South has got Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor? How much does that play into your thinking when you're evaluating the value of a guy like this?
TRENT BAALKE: Well, I've always gone with the premise it's a big man's game, especially in this division. You've got to play physical football. You've got to win the line of scrimmage, you've got to win the front on both sides of the ball, and these two guys will help us do that. We've got a lot of other guys on this football team that can help us do that, as well, so we're looking forward to putting it together and letting the coaches get them in the best possible position, and you go play football.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports