Raiders' S Marcus Epps Entire OTA Comments

Las Vegas Raiders safety Marcus Epps spoke today at the teams' optional team activity, and we have his entire comments for you.

HENDERSON, Nev.--Las Vegas Raiders' new free agent safety Marcus Epps spoke today from the team's optional team activities (OTAs), and he took his time with the media to discuss a myriad of issues.

We have his entire press conference below for you to watch as a video and read the transcript:

Safety Marcus Epps

Q: I've talked to you before about part of you being brought in is also the leadership. So, I'm curious, you're trying to learn a new system, they bring in a lot of new safeties, and they want you to lead that room. How difficult is that as you transition into being the wily veteran, learning the system and being a leader?

Epps: "It hasn't been difficult, really. I mean, for me, it's just about being yourself. Same thing I've been doing since college when I was voted captain and had to be a leader there. It's just really the same thing I've been doing my whole career; just being me, and wherever that leads, that's where it goes."

Q: There was a lot of rotation at practice today in terms of who was lining up with the starters. How has it been feeling things out with the guys in the room with you?

Epps: "It's been pretty smooth. I mean, even last year, I had games where I had to be back there with different guys at safety. So, the biggest thing for me is just learning my teammates, like you said, so that no matter who I'm in there with, we have that good chemistry and we're able to communicate well out there."

Q: I know it's so early and you're still kind of learning the defense, but what are some things you like about it and how your skill set fits into it?

Epps: "I mean, it sounds like we're doing a little bit of different things, but the best part about it is when you're in league for a few years, there's always carryover. There's always things that maybe you've run in the past, but I'm really excited about where we are. I feel like the defense fits my skill set really well. So, I'm just happy to be here and try and just continue to progress and get better every day."

Q: Sometimes Coach Graham’s system can be a little bit complex on the back end. Can you just talk about that aspect of it, and what you bring to the table?

Epps: "I mean, I always believe in my abilities and my skill set. I feel like I could fit into any system from a skill set standpoint. And then from a complex standpoint, it's just about making sure off the field, you're putting the work in, putting the film study in, and getting in the playbook and making sure that you're prepared each day."

Q: From the outside, the expectations where you were before are not the same necessarily as they are here. People don't necessarily expect as much of this team. I guess, how do you kind of view that? And is that something that you embrace?

Epps: "Honestly, I don't really worry about expectations outside the building. I worry about expectations inside of the building, and right now, it's only May, so I feel like the expectation right now is just continue to work each and every day and pick something to get better at each day."

Q: When you first got signed, obviously it was pretty early in the offseason, so the makeup of the secondary wasn’t as set as it is now. Now that the group’s sort of together, you know who it’s going to be for the most part, what kind of potential do you think the secondary will have to have a successful season?

Epps: "I feel pretty good about it. The best thing so far that I've seen is we're young, but it's a group of hungry guys. Guys who are putting the work in each day, getting extra work in. So, I feel pretty good about everybody's skill set that we have in there. So, the biggest thing is just continuing to learn each other, continue to learn how each other plays out there on the field. So that, like I said, we can make sure that we're communicating well, feeling each other out, and always on the same page back there."

Q: Reaching the level you reached last year and falling just short of a Super Bowl, how much does that drive you motivationally to get back there?

Epps: "Yeah, definitely. I mean, it still stings. But I think in this league, no matter your success or failures, you got to bring that same energy to work every day. If you want to succeed, especially in this league, it's very competitive and no matter if you won or lost, you've got to make sure you bring that same fire each day to continue to get better and to win."

The Raiders' offseason workout schedule is as follows:

OTA Offseason workouts: May 22-23, May 25, May 31-June 2, June 12-15

Mandatory Minicamp: June 6-8

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