Q: What was your reaction to Terrance Knighton's comment on you regarding the leadership in the defensive tackle group?
MB: I'm just trying to take new guys, young guys and do what the older guys did for me. Just help them along with the plays and stuff and try to get them to transition better.
Q: What is the biggest difference between where you were last year and where you are now as far as comfort level and familiarity with the playbook?
MB: It's very comforting when you know what you're doing. A year into it, you know the playbook. I'm fortunate to be in the same place where I don't have to learn new plays or anything. It's just really big knowing what you have to do.
Q: How much are you looking at this season as a continuation of what you accomplished last year?
MB: It's just real big in this environment, in this job, just to not take steps back and to keep on improving every day. You never want to take steps back and you never want to stay the same. You really have to go out with a different thing you have to work on and try to do that. I ask older players and younger players if they see anything and I work on that.
Q: What were your biggest takeaways from being a rookie last year?
MB: I just like being comfortable right now, knowing what I have to do. I don't really want to talk about last year because it's a whole new year now. I'm just coming back in and trying to work hard.
Q: How exciting is it to see another big guy like Vincent Valentine come in and what do you think about the idea of you two teaming up together?
MB: I just look at him like, 'Dang.' I was just in that process last year and I just try to do everything I can to help them become the players that they want to be. We just have to keep on working.
Q: What did you think about Matthew Slater talking about your maturity as a young guy?
MB: It's always good to hear older guys like that who have been here for a while talk about you like that. I just go out every day with the intentions of not letting my teammates down.
Q: What are some of the things you can take from a guy like Terrance Knighton who is new to the system but has experience in the league?
MB: I sit back and watch everybody on the D-line and watch things they do that I do differently, or things they do that I don't do, and I try to fix my own little moves and technique and stuff.
Q: Do you think your maturity and family life helps you in terms of handling responsibility here?
MB: Yeah, it does. It makes you not do dumb things because you have more than yourself to think about. I focus on my job because it pays the bills. My family, they look up to me because I'm providing for them and stuff. I just make sure I have a different look on things instead of being a young guy in the league and going through the different parts of being at this level. You hone in on what you need to do in the business aspect of everything too.
Q: Are there specific personal goals you have this year?
MB: Just to help the team, that's what I really want to do. That's what we're all here to do.
