Jarrad Davis on Virtual Meetings: "Like a Regular Day in the Building"
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Former Lions first-round pick Jarrad Davis, taken by Detroit general manager Bob Quinn in the first round of the 2017 draft, has not lived up to his potential on the field. However, he's taken on a big leadership role in the locker room.
With the offseason having being drastically altered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it's required veteran players to step up to the plate and be vocal leaders for the younger players on the team. And Davis has done just that.
Members of the Detroit media recently had a chance to ask Davis a variety of questions.
One of the questions posed involved finding out his thoughts regarding the virtual meetings that have become a necessity because of the pandemic.
Here's what he had to say:
“The coaches have really done a great job at figuring out how this thing works and getting it to us as players and making sure that we understand where we need to be and when we need to be there. It’s just kind of carrying it like a regular day in the building would be. It’s really cool to just be able to get on here and interact and crack jokes with the guys and also still be locked in and making sure we’re still learning the new material. It’s been exciting and it’s been a transition and something totally different. But, it’s been a good experience this far.”
The different times have called for different measures, and it's taken everyone on the Lions' roster a varying amount of time to adjust to all the changes.
Detroit head coach Matt Patricia has seen the adjustments made first-hand, such as with video conferencing being mandatory for meetings with his team, and he's had no choice but to embrace all of them.
However, he's found excitement in conducting the meetings in a virtual setting.
"I’m scrolling through trying to see everybody and just get caught up. It was really exciting; there was great energy," Patricia said. "The players were excited, I think, to see each other. Certainly in these times where maybe you’re used to seeing the same faces day-in and day-out when you get on a call with a hundred players-plus – it’s pretty cool from that aspect."
As we all attempt to tackle this new world -- i.e. without in-person meetings -- the Lions are trying to make the best of it.
And it's something the franchise will have to continue to navigate through until at least May 29, as a result of the NFL extending its virtual offseason until then.
The onus, subsequently, will remain on Davis and fellow experienced members of Detroit's roster to continue to get the first-year players up to speed with Patricia's scheme and ways.
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