Bengals
When asked about the Bengals’ struggles on defense in 2024, director of player personnel Duke Tobin thinks they made a mistake by holding onto specific players too long and needed an “influx” of new talent.
“I think the expectation was keeping those guys together would net, and it didn’t. And maybe I needed to influx. Maybe I needed to change more of that going in, but we ran it back with a lot of guys, and it just didn’t come together,” he said via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Chiefs
During a postgame press conference, Chiefs GM Brett Veach spoke about being aggressive when acquiring players like WR DeAndre Hopkins, OT D.J. Humphries, and RB Kareem Hunt.
“I don’t necessarily know if we feel vindicated; I think we’re always aggressive, and it goes back to the leadership of Clark (Hunt). Clark does a great job of keeping… I’m super aggressive, and that can be dangerous. Having Clark’s leadership and guidance has been a blessing.” Veach said, via ChiefsWire.com. “It’s a great balance where he gives me the green light when he feels like it’s appropriate, but at the same time, we try to be smart and very decisive in what we do. At the same time, we have a good group here; we plan to be successful for a long time. We just have to be smart. It’s a delicate balance of being disciplined and aggressive. There is a fine balance, and it’s a complete group effort between my staff, Clark, and the coaching staff.”
Kansas City added Hunt mainly because of the injury to RB Isiah Pacheco, but Hunt has played an integral role in their run. Veach touched on his joy in seeing Hunt thrive back with the Chiefs after the ups and downs of his career.
“I am so excited. There is a kid that, obviously there, was a tough situation years ago. The kid has grown and learned, and he is so grateful to be here, and we are so grateful to have him. It is really a blessing for this to come full circle. For him to be out of this organization, and he did some great things with Cleveland, but it is always special to come full circle. To see him and the way he has grown and developed as a person, both on and off the field, is great. I am so happy for him; he has been so critical to our success. He is a phenomenal football player, and I’m blessed that it worked out, and he is back here, and hopefully, we will have continued success with him.”
Raiders
Raiders HC Pete Carroll says that he has no timeline on things coming together for the team, as they are currently in the process of rebuilding.
“It took us a few years to get to the very top of the last couple programs I was with,” Carroll said of his past, via The Athletic. “We’re starting right now and going for it immediately. … We’re going to start right now, (we’re) going to go after it and build this team as quickly as we can.”
“I’m not real proud of wearing this No. 73 on my back. That’s not what fires me up,” Carroll added. “It isn’t about accomplishing things to say you were worthy; it’s what you’re going to do next that counts. What’s the next thing up? (That’s what) drives me. … It’s about competing and proving that you have value and you have worth and you can add to it. I don’t care how old you are. And for anybody out there that’s old and wants to know how you do it, you freaking battle every day and you compete and find a way to get better.”
Carroll also mentioned his excitement about the opportunity to work with Tom Brady, suggesting he was greatly involved in the hiring process.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Carroll mentioned. “He could not be here (Monday) — he has a big job — but he has been a really exciting part of it,” Carroll said. “He is one of the great competitors to have ever lived, and for me, that’s a chance to understand more deeply where that comes from. This is his opportunity to put his stamp on a franchise. … He will continue to be involved, and we’re going to lean on him like crazy.”
Carroll told reporters that it is their “mission to build the team around the quarterback spot.”
“We happen to have the greatest of all time to help us,” Carroll said, referring to Brady. “And we’re going to lean on Tom as much as we possibly can. Because nobody has the insights that he has.”
Regarding the rest of his staff, Carroll noted that it’s early in the process but the team has started to talk with coaches about joining Las Vegas.
“I’m really looking for people that have been with me and that understand the philosophy to some extent,” Carroll noted. “I (also) want guys that have never been around me before so that they have to learn what we’re all about…But it’s all going to fall back into the same theme: we want ball people. We want guys that love the game. … In my history, I need people to keep me on track. As you can tell, I get pretty juiced up and I’m going to get going. I need people to keep me balanced.”
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