Locker Talk - Zaire Franklin, Laiatu Latu, Ryan Kelly, Adonai Mitchell | September 4, 2024

uh since last season ended how much have you thought about getting a rematch with Houston uh definitely has been on my mind for sure um but really just looking forward to getting back into the season getting back to Lucas o getting back to playing in front of our fans um it's going to be a good day on Sunday looking forward to it when you saw that it was this matchup week one at home the opportunity ahead what was your reaction um just looking forward a chance to right or wrong you know I mean obviously uh the week 18 game um it was tough if it was something to deal with uh had to grow through it learn through it but we got an opportunity to um get our get back um early on and uh play a division opponent early and open up the season one and0 same quarterback that you saw last year but different availability in terms of the wealth of weapons that he'll have within this offense with guys who are just healthy who weren't available in week 18 new additions to their roster what's the biggest difference you see offensively for them um I think you know just with a year of experience obviously uh with a playoff run um you know it's going to come with confidence it's going to come with um a different level of swagger obviously they got a talented young quarterback um who has an extremely bright future in this league and uh you know we got to do our best to contain them Ryan when you think back to week 18 to now where has this team shown the most growth how much how eager are you to finally kind of put some of this offense on display yeah I mean I think our roster's gotten better um top to bottom I think having a lot of key pieces back um obviously fre agent signed back and um you know we look back at what we did last year U the growth that we we made throughout the year I think uh just continue to transfer into you know April U we carried in through training camp and just getting better um you know playing with each other more um the more St we can give with each other I think we be better off and uh I know this team's got a high expectation so um starts today and uh they're excited for we're excited for Sunday Z mentioned that this is probably the closest team that he's been a part of since he's been here you are the most tenear cult how does this compare maybe to teams that you've been a part of or what is unique about this group and what you feel going into week one yeah I would agree I think it's um you know especially about the the Colts I think you know the way we um our philosophy is is the draft and kind of build from within and I think you all to see um a lot of the key players and you know some older guys um were guys that you were drafted a handful of years ago and um young guys start to make contributions as well and so I think that that um ultimately is easier to make a team off that right I think these guys um including myself you know been through a little bit ups and downs the last you know six seven years and um to see how close we came last year and then to see the team the team that we keep building on um the foundation that we're building on I think it's it's exciting and um the time is now latu we talked so much in the preseason about your level of excitement then how high is that level of excitement now because it's for real n I'm super excited but just definitely leveled out throughout the week and just you know taking you know each day as it is from the time that you guys came back into Camp to now where have you seen the most development how much has your confidence grown really just growing with uh each individuals in the room and just uh working on off of them in a pass game and a run game and um really just um like for me being a rookie and coming in just kind of getting to know the guys and how they play and that's been getting you know a lot easier for me this D line is a very tight-knit unit how do you describe the dynamic that there is I mean how much just you guys respect each other appreciate each other how much you learn from one another yeah I mean definitely it's tightnit um when we're on the field off the field in the meeting rooms you know in our little group chat whatever you know dudes cracking jokes all the time so you already know like everybody got each other's back in that room and that's that's a wonderful feeling you got the rookie down here just a Few Lockers away from you how excited are you for him to make his NFL debut I'm really excited you know uh he's he's a special talent you know and I mean I know he's going to come out be excited you know this it's his first shot in the league so I know he he's going to be ecstatic I'm ecstatic for him you know and he's I know he's going to do great how lethal is that chop he's got oh it's crazy you know this the way he like changes level mid Rush it's it's it's great to see ad what your level of excitement for not only your NFL debut but also to be able to do it at home within the AFC South I'm turned up it may not sound like it right now just cuz we about to go to practice and you know we still at work but I'm turned up that's all I can say being a kid from Missouri City Texas right like what's your level of respect for the Texans and what they bring in um me I always watched the Texans uh growing up it was always Andre Johnson AR and Foster uh then you know kind of When the Shine Watson had it going over there um you know it's that's home but uh you know that don't really mean nothing right now what has it been about whether it's how you've treated this preseason this training camp or the guys around you that have positioned you so well to be an immediate contributor to this offense um like you said just the guys around me just leaning on the guys uh leaning on the coaching staff um you know I feel like the coaching staff does a great job of just putting people in position to be successful and you know I feel like it's all up to the player at that point to kind of seize the moment and um yeah I just I just I just lean on all my guys around ask asked Shane about this asked Anthony about this when you have to be you know so limited in the preseason with what you're able to show you're pulling the reins back an awful lot what are you most excited for this offense to finally be able to put on display I'm just excited that you know we don't have to hold nothing back no more you know we could just go out there and play play football like the Colts and I'm excited to see what it look like uh you know of course it's it's a lot longer than college so it's going to be a full 17 weeks of football so I'm excited for every one of them