New Orleans Saints Cornerback Janoris Jenkins
Training Camp Video Conference with New Orleans Media
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
What's your early assessment of what you guys have been doing defensively? Seems like you guys have been flying around, get your hands on a lot of balls, whether it be individual or team drills, what's your early assessment of what you've seen?
"Everybody's trying to be on the same page. Trying to play the scheme. Know your leverage and just try to come out and dominate every day."
How beneficial was it for you to get those few weeks in with the team last season in preparation for the position that you're in now?
"It was a huge advantage. I got in last year, towards the end of the season. I kind of learned the defense. So when I got back, I just had to put it all together. And now I'm just moving fast and playing fast."
How important is it to you to be able to play fast and just being more comfortable with the defense? In what ways is that allowed you to kind of play faster?
"Just knowing where my help is. Knowing the defense in and out. Communicating with the safeties and the DBs just helps me play fast."
Was one of the reasons you wanted to stay is because you liked the defense you were in and you liked what they wanted you to do within that defense?
"Yeah, it was huge. I was in a defense before with St. Louis at the Rams with Coach Gregg Williams and I just felt comfortable here. The whole mindset here is win a championship, win a division and that's what I came here for."
Did you work on anything in particular this offseason, knowing the Saints' defensive scheme, you know, that tailors your game to what they expect from you here or anything?
"Yeah, just the basic techniques, fundamentals, making sure I come back in the best shape of my life. Slimming up a little bit and then just coming out to work."
I know the safeties on this team have mentioned that having two lockdown corners like you and Marshon (Lattimore) really is an advantage for them. Likewise, it just seems like you guys have a lot of talent stacked throughout this secondary as a whole. Is it one of the more talented secondaries you've been a part of, and how much does that free things up for you?
"Oh man, we stacked. We got to keep working every day. Marshon (Lattimore) is a very great corner, along with myself and we just feed off each other. And the safeties understand that what they have on our side is very special. So we just got to keep working and hopefully keep building."
Does playing opposite someone as talented as Marshon (Lattimore) and having two press guys I can lock down, shadow, do everything basically how does that help you and another guy like him?
"Oh man, it's really easy. I can just focus on doing my job. Go out there every play, my mentality is dominant, along with my opposite corner, Lattimore. And all we think is just dominate receivers and it all comes down to fundamentals and techniques. You've got to keep working them every day, every day in practice. You know, just get better."
Sticking with Lattimore, what do you think you're able to learn from him and he can learn from you in playing in the secondary together?
"Just the ins and outs of the schemes. We just keep talking about leverage, knowing where our help is, what can do and can't do in the coverage. And we're just going to keep learning from each other."
Jared Cook said the other day that they were really struggling with a lot of the new looks that you all were throwing at him. How many new wrinkles is DA (Dennis Allen) thrown in this offseason? How much new stuff have you taken on from a year ago?"We have got a lot of new wrinkles in, just to discourage the offense, not to hit the quarterback. Know what we are in when the coverage arises. Just moving around out there."
What do you classify as, like your biggest strength as a defensive back, like how would you like to play if you're in, like an ideal situation?
"Pressing man, man corner. Using my quickness and speed. I get my head on when I have to and when I want to. Just mixing it up in coverage, just quickness."
What have you seen that of Keith Washington II so far?
"Every day, he's getting better. He's learning. He's taking coaching, making strides. And like we always say, we're only weak as the weakest link. Nobody can be weak in the secondary, he understands that. We've been working, learning the plays, out there making plays. Good talent."
