FLOWERY BRANCH -- Here's what Falcons outside linebacker Vic Beasley had to say after working out on Tuesday:
On the offseason program:
“It’s going good. It’ started about two weeks ago. We’re off to a good start. I’m excited about what this new team has to offer. It’s good to be back here working with my brothers.”
On the young defense:
"There’s always room to improve. As players that have been under coach (Dan) Quinn for these past two years, we have to be leaders out there for the young guys coming in we have to try to be mentors as much as we can.”
On drafting Takkarist McKinley:
“I’m very excited about Tak coming in here. I think he’s a great addition to our organization and our defense as a whole. I’m excited to get to work with him and I look forward to it. It will be pretty cool."
On their different personalities:
"He’s a very emotional guy from what I see from the draft. I’m excited to see him here and be able to work with him. I think we’ll clash pretty well.”
On Dontari Poe:
“He’s a hard worker. He’s probably one of the strongest guys on the team. I just seen him in the weight room and he works extremely hard out there on the field.”
On mentoring McKinley:
“I've kind of embrace it. I knew this day would come as I continue to prepare as a player and try to become better as a player. Then having Dwight (Freeney) last year mentor me will definitely will help me become a better mentor to this team.”
Advice for McKinley:
“Just come in and work very hard. Be on time for meetings. I just try to ….my main focus is to be a mentor for him. I’ll lead by example and hopefully he’ll follow my footsteps and see me as a mentor and then just become a better player by watching me.
On the post-Super Bowl psyche of the team:
“The morale of the team is great right down. We were obviously devastated about that loss that we had in that last game. But it’s on to the next season. We just have to continue to move forward. Matt (Ryan) is a great leader. We just try to watch him and he’s been doing a great job after the Super Bowl.”
On the Navy Seals:
“I’m pretty sure they’ll be coming back here soon because they did a great job last year. Coach Quinn just wants us to work hard right now and focus on becoming better players right now.”
On how the defense can get better:
“It’s exciting. We’ve got all of the talent in the world. It’s all up to us and what we put in on the field. That will be what we get out of it”
On his hug jump from year one to year two:
“You have guys like Deion Jones and DeVondre Campbell. Those two guys really stand out to me. They played exceptionally well last year and they came along as the season went along. With this offseason program that we’ve got, I’m pretty sure that they’ll be ready to go by the time the season comes.”
On how different has offseason been after his breakout season:
“I have to continue to work. There is always a jump that I can make from year one to year two and year two to year three. You know, just watching Freeney last year did help me a lot. He’s a 10-year plus guy in this league and he continued to work hard. I’m going to continue to push myself in that direction."
On how many sacks he will have next season:
“No. Those will come. I’ll just focus on becoming a better player and being a leader for my team."
On new defensive line coach Bryant Young:
“B.Y. is a cool guy. He has a switch out there on the field. You know, I respect that. It’s exciting. In the season, I know it will be an exciting time to work with him. I can already see it right now.”
THE FALCONS 2017 DRAFT
MUST READ PROFILE: Falcons top pick McKinley makes name for himself
2017 Falcons report card: Falcons earn a B-plus
NFC Champs add a pass rusher, quality depth
1st rounder: Meet defensive end Takkarist McKinley
3rd rounder: Meet linebacker Duke Riley
4th rounder: Meet offensive guard Sean Harlow
5th rounder: Meet defensive back Damontae Kazee
About the Author
