Demetrius Knight Jr. on Shemar Stewart, the Bengals' Defense and so much more

Cincinnati Bengals On SI

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00:00No energy change. It all stayed the same. Everybody wanted to get after each other.

00:04And the high energy stayed the same on both sides.

00:06Have you had conversations with the coaching staff about what it will take for you to be a starter as a rookie?

00:10No, I have not. I'm just continuing to play my role on all special teams.

00:15And when my number's called, I'll just be ready.

00:17What have you learned from Logan so far?

00:19Pretty much everything. I'm a fly on the wall. I'm asking questions, you know, sending text messages, just everything.

00:26You know, same thing even if it's not football.

00:28So, you know, even nicer places to live and things like that, places to eat, things like that.

00:33So he's been very helpful and definitely an older brother to me.

00:37What was it like when you found out on Friday that Shamar was signing and that the rookie class was coming?

00:44Yeah, it was just like, oh, there it is. You know, I knew it was coming.

00:47It was no time to stress, no time to be worried.

00:51Once I saw it, it wasn't a sigh of relief. It was just like, there we go.

00:56So we're ready to work now. I sent a message right out there. It was clear on my story.

01:00It was just like, you know what time it is when you get back. And he was ready to go. He got back yesterday.

01:04Your situation was obviously more unique because it was like a league-wide thing.

01:07How stressful was that this offseason?

01:10It wasn't too stressful. I'm not a guy that's going to put my head in the media too much and worry about what's going on in my situation.

01:17I just let my agents, Buddy Baker and Tony, all those guys handle it over at ESG.

01:22And I just continue to work, put my head down and be ready.

01:25Would you describe this defense through the first, what, five days of camp, including one pad at practice?

01:30I would call us nasty. We're looking for any way to get the ball.

01:34We have all the answers to the test that Coach Al has given us.

01:38And we're learning how to put those puzzle pieces and put those answers together.

01:42So when those multiple choice quizzes come up in the season, we've got plenty of answers for it.

01:48You punch a ball out after the whistle, is it still viewed as a win?

01:51It seems like there's a lot of swinging going on.

01:53I would see it as a win because it creates muscle memory.

01:56So anytime the ball is in the near arm and you have a chance to punch it, just go ahead and make it a habit.

02:00A lot of screaming of finish from both Al and everybody else, the assistant coaches.

02:07It seems like the defense has been doing a lot of that in the first couple.

02:10Absolutely. That's what separates the mediocre teams and the good teams from the great teams.

02:17And, of course, again, we talked about having a Santa Clara standard.

02:20You want to be in Santa Clara at the end of the season, you've got to finish.

02:24You've got to be able to finish.

02:25Even when you do mess up, continue to finish the play because you never know when that guy.

02:29You may be that guy to come and save the play.

02:32If you miss it first and then run it down in the end zone and punch the ball out, it goes to the back end zone.

02:36We get the ball back, touch it back.

02:38So you never know what can happen until you finish the play.

02:40A lot of energy, a lot of yelling today.

02:42What was the cause, the root cause of it?

02:46Just the hunger and the pads coming on one, but definitely just being able to get after each other

02:53and truly sharpen each other in every way today.

02:55So being able to get after each other a little bit and not have to put hands on and be soft

03:01and not have to control each other, but truly get after each other with the full pads on like it will be when we get to the season.

03:06Is there someone outside of the linebacker room you've kind of leaned on to ask questions or seek advice?

03:12I pretty much ask everybody.

03:15I ask plenty of DBs.

03:17You know, I'm always talking with JB, Dejan, guys like that.

03:22Dax as well did this all season.

03:25Of course, the linebackers are my go-tos.

03:26Coach Hodges, everybody, Coach Moon.

03:29Pretty much asking everybody questions here and there where I can get some expertise,

03:33where I can continue to just grow.

03:36The cut-ups that I can look at just to, you know, continue to maximize my opportunity when it comes.

03:40Let's do this.

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