Today y’all were able to get Drew Brees to pull the ball down.
 
“I think every day it gets a little bit easier for us.  On the defense, we are starting to sync up and really understand what Spags (Spagnuolo) is asking out of each defense that he is calling.”
 
It looked like the offense really knew what was coming today?
 
“Yeah, I think we tried to scheme it up today. They’ve been getting a pretty good beat on us. So we threw in some things, just a couple of wrinkles to keep them on their toes.”
 
Are you enjoying the new defense that is being put in here?
 
“It’s a defense for linebackers to come down here and make plays. He (Spagnuolo) asks a lot of us. I think as a linebacker core, we are really advanced right now. We’re pretty much doing everything he is asking of us.”
 
Are you very dependent on that front four?
 
“In certain situations we are banking on the upfront pressure. It is just a gap sound defense. Everybody has a role. For us right now we are just doing our one eleventh. Everybody is just kind of learning their role in the defense and trying to master that.”
 
How different is this from what you played in last year?
 
“It is a lot different. This defense right here for the Will linebacker in my position is a downhill aggressive type defense. In Seattle, I was more of a fix all kind of guy.  Just kind of scraping over the top and making everything right.”
 
As a linebacker is that a role you prefer to play?
 
“For sure. That is the role that linebackers dream of. That is how you make plays.”
 
From a different stand point, what is it like coming out of TCU to now?
 
“It’s a lot different. It is way more advanced. You have to study. It’s like taking a test every time you go out to the field. You have to know how your opponent is trying to attack you and its helping us out a lot going against Drew (Brees). You aren’t going to find a better offense to get some practice against than Drew. He is going to mix it up for you.”
 
You have a lot of family in east Texas, Shreveport and all over, are you turning them into Saints fans?
 
“They are already loving it.”
 
Can you talk about joining a contender for a Super Bowl?
 
“It makes a difference. You feel like going into the season, it’s not a rebuild. It is a team that has a formula of success. It’s coming in and being a part of that defense. When you have an offense like us, it makes your job a lot better. You can go out there and just know that everybody is counting on everybody.”
 
 
 
New Orleans Saints WR Adrian Arrington
Media Availability
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
 
How are you feeling right now?
“I am feeling good right now. It is still early obviously. So far I have been doing well. Hopefully I can just continue to stay healthy and come out here and continue to make plays.”
What are the things you have worked on this offseason to prepare for the upcoming season?
“I already know the system, I have been in this going into my fifth year right now, so the main thing I was trying to work on was my lower half. (I wanted) to get my legs stronger just to endure camp. Camp is a grind.”
Talk about your chemistry with the quarterback staff.
“I think I have always had pretty good chemistry, I just didn’t get too many opportunities. Now that I am getting more of an opportunity, you are kind of seeing the chemistry I have had the past couple of years.”
Does your time here show that the Saints and the coaching staff have faith in you?
“Yes. That is one of the main reasons I chose to stay here when I had some opportunities to go elsewhere. They have kept me here and I haven’t really played much. They wanted to keep me around. We have had a lot of good competition come in here and I have been competing with a lot of good wide receivers. For them to keep me here, it shows they have confidence in me and they want to keep me here.”
With Robert Meachem gone, how is this camp different than in the past?
“The main reason is that I am getting in there with the first group now as opposed to before. Now I am getting in there and working with Drew (Brees) and we are getting our timing worked out a little more. It is just me getting an opportunity to come out here with the first team and make plays.”
Do you feel that injury is the only thing that can keep you off this squad this season?
“That is what I say. I know the things that I can do. As long as I stay healthy I think I can go out here and continue to make plays every day. As long as I stay healthy, I figure that I have a good shot of getting a roster spot.”
Are you tired of being patient?
“I am always tired of being patient. Just being a competitor, I always want to be out there. You always want to be out there and playing and showing everybody the things that you can do. I have been patient and I think this is my time now.”
What has made you stay with the Saints even when being offered other opportunities?
“The main reason is that I knew that they wanted me here. I like the guys here. I have always had good chemistry. We had a great wide receivers room. Like I have heard (Marques) Colston say before, it is a brotherhood. I just love those guys so much. I love the offense here. I love the system. As a wide receiver, what better system could you want to be in? That is partly why I chose to stay here.”
What about Nick Toon has stood out to you so far?
“For a guy his size, he runs great routes and has great hands. The main thing that I notice, for a guy his size, he gets in and out of his breaks real well. He is a smart guy. He is picking up everything real fast. He doesn’t make mental mistakes out there. He might drop a ball here or there but we all do that from time-to-time. The guy is a real smart guy, he is real sharp out there.”
Has Drew Brees ever taken you aside to provide motivating words?
“Not really. For the most part, I have been doing well so far. He hasn’t really had to say too much.”
Over the past few years while you were being patient?
“It was just kind of expected. He didn’t have to say much just because I knew going in that I was behind those guys. There was not too much to be said, it was just me going out there and fighting every day and just keep playing football.”
Are you approaching this as a last shot?
“I approach camp the same way every year. It is always a make-or-break year for me not being a starter. For anybody who is not a starter, you have to go in here year in and year out and show every year in the camp the things that you can do. That is how I look at it. I always put pressure on myself because that makes me perform better. I look at it the same as the past three or four years.”
 
 
New Orleans Saints DE Turk McBride
Media Availability
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
 
Your role could expand quite a bit with Will Smith being suspended for the first four games.  Can you talk about that?
“Right now, I’m just trying to get better.  I’ll find out exactly what my role is when Will’s not able to play those first four games.  My job is to step up.  I just need to step up well.”
 
Is the new defensive scheme a d-lineman friendly scheme?
“Without a doubt, it’s very d-line friendly, especially with the linebackers coming down here as quickly as they are.  They’re definitely helping us out up front.”
 
Can you talk about the defensive line’s need to get more pressure this year?
“I believe with the talent we have on the defensive line, we’re going to do our job.  Right now, we’re just trying to prepare to be the best.  I believe we’re definitely going to do that.  They’re expecting a lot from us up front, and I believe we’re going to achieve that.”
 
Sedrick Ellis and some of the others have talked about how the new system utilizes the defensive line and uses their talents.  Do you think that appears to be the case?
“Definitely, we move pretty much side-to-side.  It definitely gives us a chance to show our athleticism and how we can get upfield, so I definitely think it will help us in the long run.”
 
Is this a system where you guys are trying to create disguise and try to get to the quarterback from a different angle?
“We definitely have our own gaps that we need to attack, but up front after we attack that gap that we have, it is going to be a hard time trying to block us.”