Q. Josh, just tell us, what do you think a guy like Arik can do for the pass rush to just open things up for you and Travon?
JOSH HINES-ALLEN: Basically what you just said, open things up for us. He's a guy that can win a one-on-one. He's a guy that you have to focus on. So if you're rushing with him or rushing against him, he's going to do what he does. And he wins at a very high level as well. And I can't wait to get out there with him.
Q. Isn't it wild when you have something like that pushing up the middle, what does it do --
JOSH HINES-ALLEN: I love it. I'm excited. I dreamed of having a guy like that. Not saying that we didn't have one, but having a guy that did it at a high level and played in big-time games and having a guy with that experience rushing me. I've been praying and God's listening. And I think we're going to keep going up.
Q. As a pass rusher in a game, when you know he's there, does it in any way change your strategy at all with the moves?
JOSH HINES-ALLEN: Yeah, slide to him.
Q. What is the process like in terms of the games that you guys work together and building that chemistry? Do you have plenty of time between now and the Dolphins game to --
JOSH HINES-ALLEN: What's the question?
Q. In terms of the games you'll do with Armstead and all the guys, like working off of each other. How does that process work in terms of building the chemistry and how long does that take?
JOSH HINES-ALLEN: First and foremost, we have to win our one-on-ones. If we can win our one-on-ones, I'd rather do that, rush straight instead of rushing games. But even the games are a switch-up for the versus we're winning on. If I'm beating this guy outside and I know Arik is beating his guy inside, so now let's work on the games and work on the chemistry.
My thing is when we get to that point -- he's played a lot of football; I've played a lot of football -- get a communication, like, yo yo. We've already talked, week of, we're going to run this scheme, when we're communicating. If you're the 3, we're going to run this scheme. If you're the 2 -- yo yo yo. Give me a tap.
It's all trust. I know he's going to sell him inside or take it up high. And he knows I'm going to do my part. And we just finish on top of the quarterback. That's all it.
Q. Does he remind you of Calais because of his experience and size?
JOSH HINES-ALLEN: Yes, a little bit. He's a big human being who needs space, who can win also in little spaces as well. And with Calais, I think what me and Calais had, we had great communication. When you look back a lot of my games, me and Calais run a lot of stunts, if that's what you're saying. We ran a lot of games.
I was off for yo yo, we're not telling him what's going on, but we know instantly. I'm calling it. He's calling it. And we're getting off the field with a sack.
So if we can build it first we gotta win our one-on-ones. I know Arik can win a one-on-one here. Now we're really going to start giving it to them. Then we start blitzing, doing all these things.
But before we even get to that, it starts in the back end. I love those guys. Those guys are really, you know, they help us out. We need the quarterback to hold the ball first and foremost. So (indiscernible) games are not going to work if coverage isn't doing their job. And we have to get home. That's how we work hand in hand. I love those guys. I respect those guys. I love the way they work and excited for this year.
Q. How about Maason Smith?
JOSH HINES-ALLEN: I love it. He has that A factor, clean up little pieces here and there. But he's a dog. He's a legit one of those ones. And once he puts it together, he has all the wiggle in the world but he also has the power to pull somebody back.
And he's smart. He can play. He can run. He's physical. He has all the tools to be someone that I love to rush with.
Q. What is your main focus individually during this season, during camp?
JOSH HINES-ALLEN: To be the best person I can be not only for myself, but for my teammates as well, being someone that they can depend on. That's why I talk about the secondary so much; that they see me work. They see me play at a high level.
God only motivates them, man, if we can cover for one more millisecond, I know Josh, Travon, Arik, Roy, D Ham, one of us is going to get a sack.
So if we can just do this -- for me, it's just showing them that I can win, and I can win quick. So give me just that slight little bit, just working on that trust, if we can build that, we can rush anybody.
Q. A lot of those guys you just mentioned have been here now together for a few years. How have you grown together as a group?
JOSH HINES-ALLEN: Right now it's just working with the scheme. Now we're all in one group. So we hear the same thing. Coach Ryan is really harping on, we rush as one, we play as one, we stop the run as one so we can enjoy the pass rush.
So just being in the room with those guys, laughing with those guys, getting serious with those guys. Knowing those guys outside the building for years that's already built that relationship, but now learning together, asking questions together, seeing the way you rush together. Just doing all these things together just really makes that cohesive group that we need to play one for one, that we need to hold each other accountable, and that we love each other and we want everybody to be great because we want to be the best defense in the National Football League.
Q. Sounds like you're as excited going into a season as you've been in a while, right? Is that fair?
JOSH HINES-ALLEN: Yeah, right now I feel the best I've ever felt, being six years into the league. And we just got better all around me as well. But now it's more a team, more a championship feel, more bring everybody in. And once everybody is in, hold this standard to a high standard.
If I can be willing to do that, bring everybody along, man, we're going to be hunting for days, weeks, months.
Q. Going against Tristan Wirfs, very highly respected, got in there, got a couple nice plays in there, how does it feel to go against somebody different and have success?
JOSH HINES-ALLEN: Tristan, he's a heck of a tackle. I've been looking for this match-up for a minute now, getting back to last year when he played us, I think he had the best of me. That's still okay. I still had my rushes in there. But the totality of the game, I feel I could have done more. And he did a good job on working his craft.
So this time it was just to see how far I came in my preparation and my readiness, sticking to my plan and also being physical and fast, but also trusting that the DBs are going to do their job in the back end and the linebackers are communicating with us that we can play fast, get the alignment.
But it's not about him; it's about my preparation and my ready up here (Pointing to head). I can't wait to watch the tape and learn and get better. But it's a great start to something that's going to continue to get better.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports