Question: What do you think about the Bengals’ draft picks?
Adam Jones: I think we did a good draft pick with (first-round draft pick cornerback Darqueze) Dennard. The kid from West Virginia (third-round draft pick defensive end Will Clarke), I think he’s going to be a good kid. I know it’s early right now and we don’t have no equipment. A lot of stuff changes when you put equipment on, but so far, so good.
Q: The Bengals hired Paul Guenther as the team’s new defensive coordinator. How do you think that will change the game and the team?
AJ: I think we’re going to get a lot more subpackages. Pauly G. is very smart. He knows his craft. I think we’ll be good with him. I’m eager to see how good we can be and how good he can be. I think all the guys, we all believe in what he’s teaching and what his concept is.
At the end of the day, you’ve got to believe in what he’s saying first and I think he’s got everybody’s attention with that. I think we’ll be alright. I think he’s going to be pretty good.
Question: Are you doing anything different this year compared to last year to get ready for the season? Do you go through the same regimen every year or do you change things up?
AJ: This year was a little different because I started back squatting, so I think my explosiveness is off the charts right now. I know it seems like I’ve been playing for 20 years, but I was talking to my fiancee the other day and if you think about it … this is Year Eight for me, but body-wise it’s almost like Year Six. I was hurt two years, so my legs are still fresh. I haven’t hit that wall yet.
I think I’ve got another five or six more years in me, but I would say my explosiveness is off the charts, back like it normally was before I got hurt. The year I came back, I didn’t squat, so my explosiveness went down a little bit, but I think I’m back up under it now. I did my last set of squats the other day with 465 for six reps, so that’s pretty good. I’m only 182 pounds, maybe 185 on a good day.”
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