FOXBOROUGH -- Sirius XM NFL Radio broadcast live from Patriots training camp on Sunday, with co-hosts Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan interviewing owner Robert Kraft, coach Bill Belichick, defensive ends Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones and safety Adrian Wilson.
Here are some of the leftover soundbites from Wilson, Ninkovich and Jones:
Wilson on the atmosphere with the Patriots after 13 years with the Cardinals: “I think they pay a lot more attention to detail here. To try to compare the two, I can’t really do that, but I can say here that the attention to detail is a must. Every day we go out there, we have a message and everybody buys into that message.”
Wilson on possibly growing into a leadership role: “Right now, I’m just in the background. They have great leaders here. Devin [McCourty], he’s pretty much the leader in the secondary. I just fall in line with him. I may comment here and there, but overall, it’s his secondary pretty much.”
Wilson on impressions of Belichick and if he’s surprised him at all: “He has, just with the jokes. There is a lot of individual teaching off to the side. He may see something and pull you to the side and make those adjustments with you instead of in front of everybody. There are certain things he wants out of certain players. He’s definitely a Hall of Fame coach.”
Jones on his work in the offseason program: “A lot of credit goes to [Patriots strength coaches] Harold Nash and Moses Cabrera, they did a good job. This is my first actual offseason being in the NFL; last year I was training for the combine and everything. … My biggest goal was just upper-body strength. I did a little lower-body strength, but my biggest goal was just focusing on how to use my tools. I have these long arms and you want them to be stronger. Just focusing on that core strength and just upper-body strength.”
Ninkovich on if anyone is flashing that should be on the media’s radar: “Tommy Kelly. When I saw Tommy Kelly and looked at him, I was like, ‘Man, you’re going to make me look small.’ He’s like 6-8, 300 pounds, and he can move. Him coming in, new surroundings, I think he’s kind of stepped in really well.”
Ninkovich on defensive coordinator Matt Patricia: “Every time I see him, I say, ‘How much sleep did you get last night?’ He’s one of those guys that is going to put in the work. He puts in so much work, spends time away from his family trying to put the best scheme and the best things for us to be as a defensive scheme to come out and have our best games against people. Matty P [is a] smart guy. Real smart. If NASA needs a rocket scientist, call up Matty P. He’ll come out and fix a rocket for you.”
Ninkovich’s 2006 draft recollections: Ninkovich told the story of how he had a pre-draft workout with then-Patriots linebackers coach Dean Pees in 2006, along with Purdue teammate Ray Edwards. So when the Patriots’ pick was approaching that year in the fifth round (136th overall), and his phone rang, he actually thought it might be New England drafting him. But it was New Orleans (135th) instead, and then the Patriots took offensive tackle Ryan O’Callaghan with the next pick. Said Ninkovich: “I had a good workout and knew I was on their radar. I thought I was coming here originally.”