Take a look at top quotes from Chargers new linebacker Troy Reeder, wide receiver/returner DeAndre Carter and tight end Gerald Everett's media availability on Monday.
Linebacker Troy Reeder
On signing with the Chargers:
"It was the perfect fit. I had some good times with [Head] Coach [Brandon] Staley. He reached out to me. I thought it was a good fit. It's right down the road from me. It's a defense that I really believe in. The culture and standard that I know he had set here was something really exciting after coming off a pretty successful three years with a team that I felt like was always as good as anyone. I wanted to play for another team that had just as good of a shot. What an exciting place this is with the people that we have in this building. I'm still getting to know everybody, but from afar last year, watching this team grow — they're dangerous. I'm happy to join."
On the 2020 season with Head Coach Brandon Staley:
"You know, his attention to detail. In three years, I've had three different defensive coordinators. They were all unbelievable guys. With Coach Staley, we installed an entire defense through virtual OTAs [Organized Team Activities]. It was his first experience being a defensive coordinator, but it didn't feel like it. He instantly just grabbed us with his attention to detail, the effort he was putting in — it was contagious to us. We felt like he took us to the next level, in terms of our defense. We finished No. 1 in a lot of categories. We were bought in to him. I feel that here, but more from a whole team, not just the defense. Guys are bought into him as a leader. This defense and this team, I think, is ready for the next step."
On reuniting with S Nasir Adderley, his college teammate:
"It's really cool. Nas [Adderley] and I played three years together at Delaware. I did my first two years at Penn State, where I was actually teammates with [DL] Austin Johnson, who is another free agent signing. Then, I played three years with [DL] Sebastian [Joseph-Day] and two years with [TE] Gerald Everett. There is some familiarity here, which is really cool. Reuniting with Nas is a really special feeling because it's two guys — we went to a small school where not a lot of people get this opportunity. To both be going into year four now, when sometimes it felt like the odds were against us, and be able to play for the same team in blue and gold — very similar to our college colors. It's very cool. I can't wait to get on the field and get working with him."
On his role for the upcoming season:
"We're kind of just taking it a day at a time. I want to make as big of an impact as I can in every phase. I started a lot of games for him at linebacker. I have a lot of experience there. I also feel like when I've been a full-time special teams player that I've been able to do that at a really high level. Sometimes, I've played that role where it's half-and-half. I've done all of those different roles in different capacities throughout my three years. We'll see. I'm just ready to work in however I can help the team the best."
Wide receiver/returner DeAndre Carter
On signing with the Chargers:
"A great situation. I wanted to stay home, stay on the West Coast. I've heard that it's a great organization. I'm looking forward to what we have going here; getting an opportunity to play with [QB] Justin [Herbert] and with all of the pieces that we have here. Just trying to go do what we have to do to win a championship."
On if he ever reflects on his journey to get to the NFL:
"Yeah, definitely. Every day that I get to wake up and come into a building, it's a blessing. I had a year, after my rookie year, where I was out of the league for the entire year and I was substitute teaching at a middle school in Hayward, California. A great experience, wouldn't trade that for the world. It teaches you to cherish the opportunity that you have and make sure that you take advantage of all of the opportunities that you have and just be grateful. The area that I was in with those kids, it was an underprivileged area with kids going through a lot of hard times and stuff like that. For me, it was just being able to be somebody that they can come to and feel comfortable talking to about what's going on at school and what's going on at home, and just being there for them."
On his return abilities impacting the decision to sign with the Chargers:
"I'm pretty sure that that was a big part of me signing here. I knew that they were looking for a returner this offseason, which, I'm assuming, is why they reached out to me. I'm just excited to get back there and bring some excitement to the special teams unit and make plays."
On playing alongside of QB Justin Herbert, WR Keenan Allen and WR Mike Williams:
"I've known Keenan for a couple of years. We work out with the same receiver coach down here in Southern California. Every offseason since I've been a rookie in the league, I pull up his target tape and watch it all the way through. In my opinion, he's the top route-runner in the league. I'm excited to be able to watch him work on a day-to-day basis. Mike Williams, a big body guy, a jump-ball guy that makes all of the plays. I'm happy for him with the contract that he just got. Justin's arguably one of the top quarterbacks in the league. Being so young, he has a great future ahead of him. I can't wait to play with all of them."
Tight end Gerald Everett
On the potential of 'having his best year yet' this upcoming season with Herbert as his quarterback:
"I think you have to have that mindset every year, no matter where you are or who is at quarterback. Remaining optimistic and having a pretty broad perspective on the game and on life, trying to do the best you can for your family, your teammates and the organization. I think we'll be pretty productive. With Justin being the great quarterback that he is, and having a surrounding cast in Mike [Williams] and Keenan [Allen], I think that we'll do pretty good. I think that it'll be a great year for us."
On playing alongside QB Justin Herbert:
"I'm ecstatic. A young quarterback that's arguably one of the best in the league. He showed some great promise, especially last year. We're going to try to build on that."
On 'growing' as a detached pass-catcher in the slot:
"Those guys on the outside have helped take the top off down the field, but me specifically, working out of the backfield and intermediately, I think that we'll complement each other and accent each other nicely. You can see me do a variety of things, from being in the backfield or on the hip or out wide. Whatever they ask me to do, I'm going to try to do it to the best of my capabilities."
On his decision to sign with the Chargers:
"Number one, interest. Number two, the terms. Number three, the potential — the type of team that they had last year and the caliber that we could have this year, as you guys saw with the offseason moves. I think that we'll do pretty well this year."
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