Here is everything Houston Texans safety Reed Blankenship said after day 14 of training camp, including how his style of play compares to fellow safety Jalen Pitre, his thoughts on the upcoming joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders and his experience with the Texans so far.
Question: On how his time with the Texans has been so far Reed Blankenship: "I think it's been great. I feel like we have a lot of fun. One of my main things coming in here was trying to be a voice on the defense, to be a communicator. I found out really fast, I think it was in OTAs, where it was one play and there was a check. I started checking to something and Azeez [Al-Shaair] was like, 'What's this guy doing?' And then he corrected me, but I'm like, 'Okay, there you have a communicator.' I just want to let him know that I want to be on the same page. We're going to work in unison, but we're going to get everybody lined up. It's been great. It's been fun. There's a lot of different personalities, especially in the defensive back room and I just feel like I can get along with a lot of guys and just keep the vibes high." Q: On his leadership and communication style Blankenship: "I've always lived by being a follower before a leader. Obviously, in Philly, I was fortunate enough to be a captain and there were a lot of people before me. I've had [Darius] Slay [Jr.], I had Marcus Epps; I had a lot of these older vets that led the way for me. I just want to sit back and watch how they lead, especially coming to a place like this. Obviously, there are established leaders and stuff, so it would be wrong for me to come in and try to step on people's toes. Obviously, I had success there in Philly. Coming here, I want to bring the same thing, but I'm not going to say, 'Oh, we did this a different way,' or, 'We need to do this because it worked here.' Everything's different. The organizations are different. Players are different. At the end of the day, you just want to be as smooth as possible. As I said, be on the same page. Communicate, be on the same page. At the end of the day, enjoy football and have fun."
Q: On his style of safety compared to S Jalen Pitre Blankenship: "I like to be up close and I wouldn't say in the trenches, but close to the trenches. I like to be physical and I know 'JP', watching 'JP', I feel like I am a bigger person than 'JP' is. No, I'm joking. But, you know, just the way he plays. He plays like he's way bigger than he is and it's just crazy. It's actually fun watching him on tape because he's flying around. He's truly a student of the game. I watch him every day, just watching past games, just watching film and I'm like, 'Man, this guy is truly passionate about what he does.' I try to be like 'JP'. I try to be up and be as physical as possible." Q: On the benefits of having cornerbacks that can do more than cover Blankenship: "Oh, it's great. I feel like every position has its sort of special part in it and obviously you think of a corner, 'Oh, they're just there to cover.' No, they're not. If you have corners that can hit, I mean, 'Sting', I've seen 'K3' [Kamari Lassiter] just come up and fill a run. It's crazy to see him do that. It makes you, as a safety, feel great. You don't have to sometimes be as fast in the run fit. They're not counting on you as a run defender to be up there close to the action at times, especially if you have, say, Kamari again. If he's down low on the line of scrimmage and there's a run to him, he's going to get the job done for sure."
Q: On the upcoming joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders Blankenship: "They're talented. They got the first overall draft pick [Fernando Mendoza]. I guess watching his first preseason game he had a pretty good debut. The talented tight ends, we played them in Philly last year, Brock Bowers is the guy and you hear lots about him. I feel like it's really good for us on the back end to go against talent like that." Q: On his free agency process with the Houston Texans Blankenship: "At first, I didn't really know what to expect. When things started heating up, especially here, I'm like, 'Why would a team that has a great defense to want me?' Being able to come here and be a contributor for a defense like this stature to want me, I don't know, it feels great. I'm ready to go and just ready to start playing with these dudes."
Q: On S Kamari Ramsey and S Jaylen Reed Blankenship: "Yeah, 'K-Ram', 'J-Reed', they're fantastic guys and great athletes. Especially 'K-Ram', he put on a show his first preseason game. You like to see rookies do that. Trying to get him out of his shell a little bit. He's a little quiet. He's doing a great job. He's starting to communicate a little bit more. I feel like just being around him more and getting him out of his shell lets him play with a little more confidence. Especially 'J-Reed', last year, dealing with some injuries, but at the end of the day, he's a baller, too. Preseason, he's coming downhill. He's hitting guys and I'm just trying to be a good vet to him. Trying to be there to answer any questions and if I have any questions, I'm going to ask, 'J-Reed' about stuff and 'CB' [Calen Bullock]. Those two guys, they're doing really good and having some really great camps right now." Q: On the potential of getting snaps during Preseason Week 2 Blankenship: "Yeah, I'm going to be nervous for sure. Obviously, it feels like I'm not a rookie, but new team, new environment, the nerves are going to hit a little different. I'm definitely excited to get the opportunity. Just have to go out there and just play ball."
Q: On playing with DE Will Anderson Jr. and DE Danielle Hunter Blankenship: "They both wreak havoc during practice and especially games. In practice, especially when we're trying to figure out different concepts in the back end, different routes that we get and then we flip to the end zone copy and see they already got a sack. It's like, well you don't have too long to cover, you just have to get in their way sometimes and let the front line eat." Q: On his experience in Texas so far Blankenship: "It's great. It's a different chapter in my wife and I's lives, especially having a little baby girl. She's changed how I view things now tremendously. It's crazy. I feel like it's hard to explain sometimes, especially the fathers out there who have a baby girl. Things change your mind. Like, everything flips. You just want to be the best version of yourself to her and to your wife for as long as you're here.”
Q: On the biggest lesson he has learned throughout his life Blankenship: "It started back home in Alabama where my parents raised me to be that finish to do 110%, regardless of what happens. You make mistakes, do them fast and just be confident and be humble. Just remember where you come from and how you got there. I'm a spiritual guy, so I wouldn't be here if God wouldn't have changed things in my life. He's given me challenges throughout the way and you learn from them. You can turn negatives into positives real fast and you just find the joy in everything." Q: On his journey as an undrafted free agent Blankenship: "You have to love football. Obviously, in college, you have to balance school, you have to balance football. When you come to the league, it's a job now and you're not surrounded by, I say young kids, college kids anymore. You're surrounded by men with families and this is their opportunity to put food on the table for their families. It flips your mindset, too. You have to love it. You have to show up willing to work every day. Obviously, being undrafted, you feel like you're the guy on the bottom of the totem pole and you just have to work your way up and just allow coaches to see that you're in the building, you're wanting to learn, you're asking questions, even if the questions aren't the smartest questions. You're still asking them. You're still wanting to learn. I try to value that as a rookie. I had great vets. You know, I had Slay, I had Marcus Epps, I had Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham. The list can go on forever. They showed us the way and showed us how to work."
Q: On if he has the same mindset he had with the Philadelphia Eagles Blankenship: "Just because you signed a second contract doesn't mean you can just take days off. You still have to prove yourself. They signed you for a reason. They signed you for what you can do, what they see that you can do in the future, not what you've done in the past. That's how I look at it." Q: On how the team manages DE Will Anderson Jr. and DE Danielle Hunter during practice reps Blankenship: "Yeah, sometimes if Will or Danielle get there, we'll let the play continue. Yeah, it's fun watching these guys go to work. Especially Will. It's crazy; I feel like he can shut down a practice quick and same with Danielle. It's honestly fun watching them play.” This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Everything Texans DB Reed Blankenship said following Day 14 of training camp