DENVER BRONCOS QUOTES (5/20/15)
DEFENSIVE END VANCE WALKER
On how he is adjusting to Denver
“The biggest adjustment is probably the altitude. Outside of that though, everything is pretty good. We have a good group of
teammates. Everybody has been really helpful. Everybody is chipping in. I really like everybody.”
On what the team is looking for out of him
“I’ve always been able to play multiple positions, so I think it will be along those lines. I can pass rush as well. Really whatever I
can do to help the team. They haven’t really divulged too much of that. It’s just more of, ‘We need you to do this and we need
you to do that,’ and that’s perfectly fine.”
On if it is weird for him being with his third team in the AFC West
“Not so much as far as the Raiders. A lot of those guys that I was there with, they’re not there anymore—coaches and a lot of
guys that I played with. It’s nothing really there. As far as Kansas City, obviously it’s a big rivalry and it’s no secret that they let me
go for whatever reason. I’m always excited to play.”
On if his versatility attracted him to the Broncos
“The nose [tackle] can play three-technique or end. It pretty much has a lot of versatility in this system. The biggest thing is really
getting after the quarterback. That’s something that I like to do. I’m just looking forward to it.”
On DE Antonio Smith
“He’s a great guy. He’s one of those guys that you want to hang around and just pick up what he’s doing and what he’s talking
about. He’s been in the league for so many years. He’s just a great guy and he’s a great player as well.”
On going against QB Peyton Manning in practice
“It’s pretty amazing just from being around other teams and scouting him. Just his progressions and how he’s able to decipher
defenses, coverages and everything. He’s definitely the best at it. I’m happy to be on his side. He does a really good job at it.”
On the defense moving to a 3-4
“I just know as far as the defensive linemen, we’ve got a lot of new terminology and plays. It’s tough kind of forgetting what you
did in the past and doing what your coaches [ask] and what is required for the team to be successful. You can tell everyone is
starting from square one. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s a fresh start. The system they had here last year and even when I
was playing in Kansas City, the system that we’ve got now may be better suited for me and the other guys that are on the team.”
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On what Smith is like on the field
“He’s the same as [OLB] DeMarcus Ware. He’s a great teammate. Anything you’ve got questions on, you can ask him and he’ll
always his give you his best answer. We were just talking 10 minutes ago about a play that we get yelled at [for]. He’s just
helpful, really helpful.”
On Smith in the locker room
“He’s a character. We love him because of that. He definitely draws the best out of you, but he gets under your skin. You’ve got
to be able to go work every day.”
On getting to be teammates with WR Demaryius Thomas again (former teammate at Georgia Tech)
“Yeah. It will be like old times.”
On if he thought Thomas would become the player that he has become when they were in college
“I did. We all did. Back at [Georgia] Tech—I want to say that he came a year after me, and he redshirted his first season at
Georgia Tech. We had to go against him playing defense. Just the stuff that he would do, it just left us amazed. We always knew
he’d be on par with [Detroit WR] Calvin [Johnson] because Calvin was there with us as well. It’s not really a surprise what he’s
doing.”
On former Georgia Tech teammate and Pro Wrestler Roman Reigns
“I love him to death. He is a really good guy. He had a crazy side to him, but he was a really good guy. Same type of person as a
lot of the vets. A really hard worker. He knows he’s blessed and he’s always trying to outwork everybody.”
On what made Kansas City OLB Justin Houston effective
“I’d say his speed and his power. I’ve seen him just run guys over without much effort. It’s hard to do that in this league. A
combination of his speed and his power and his mindset. He’s always going for the ball.”
On what his expectations are from this defense since he’s signed here
“We have super high expectations. Just to be the best. We’ve got a really good group of guys between the D-Line, the
linebackers, the ends obviously, the cornerbacks and safeties. I don’t think I’ve ever been on a team more talented. We’ve got
really high expectations. We’ve just got to go out there and work every day to live up to those.”
On when he realized that his versatility would be a big asset for him
“I played more of a three-technique at [Georgia] Tech, and it wasn’t until I got to the Falcons where they wanted me to play nose
and put on some more weight. I did that, which wasn’t a problem. I was really good at that. It was really when I went to the
Raiders—they needed help and I was a three-technique there, but they needed a four-technique defensive end. When they put
me in there in practice, they realized that I might have been just as good as the starters if not better. They kind of stuck me
there. Just being quick, too. There are not a lot of guys that are 310 [pounds] and can move like a three-technique or an end. A
lot of that has to do with it.”
On if he is more comfortable inside or outside
“Inside just because I’m a big guy. I like to fight.”
On if there is extra motivation to playing the Chiefs twice a year
“No. I want to win every game. Obviously you want to win your division and conference. That’s over with. I dealt with that when
it happened. It’s an unfortunate situation. I can complain about it, but I’ve let it go months ago. It’s just something that I’ve just
kind of let go.”
On the importance of learning all three spots on the defensive line
“It’s huge. The biggest thing is if someone goes down or just you personally wanting to play more, if you can help the team, I
think it’s huge. You’ve got guys now in the league that there defensive ends are coming in inside and vice versa. Offense aren’t
used to that. They’re not used to seeing bigger guys at ends and vice versa. The guards can’t handle the speed. I think a lot of it
works in our favor.”
©2015 Denver Broncos Football Club. All rights reserved. The individual quotes cited in this document may be used for the purpose of news reporting and other
fair uses as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act. Duplication or posting of this quote sheet, in its entirety, or any other use of this material which is not a
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On how he becomes a good inside pass rusher
“A lot of it is natural. Even the guys that don’t have it naturally, you just to work hard at it. A lot of film study and watching film.
There are a ton of drills that we do that coaches can put you through. It’s just more of a mindset. You just have to be really
aggressive. You’ve just got to hate quarterbacks. That’s the biggest thing.”
©2015 Denver Broncos Football Club. All rights reserved. The individual quotes cited in this document may be used for the purpose of news reporting and other
fair uses as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act. Duplication or posting of this quote sheet, in its entirety, or any other use of this material which is not a
fair use as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the Denver Broncos Football Club.