Q: Deon Grant is back?A: Yeah. That's always a great thing. I've been pushing for him to come back. I think he's a key asset to the defensive team, made a number of plays for us last year at the safety position. It would be a blessing to have him back on the field with us.

Q: Can you guys employ the three-safety scheme again?A: Perry Fewell. It was his mastermind of an idea. We were just the ones who went out there and executed. It involved a lot of communication. It involved a lot of practice, a lot of communication and a lot of study time.

Q: How would you describe Deon's locker room presence?A: He's a definite leader, on and off the field. He was one of the older guys in the unit. He's been around. He knows exactly what it takes to win games around here. He's a very, very smart player, extremely smart. He wouldn't only help the defensive backs, he would help the defensive line, the linebackers, anyone he could help, he would obviously help.

Q: Were you telling the team to bring him back or recruiting him back?A: Both. I knew what he meant to this unit and I also knew how he helped me out last year. He helped me out a lot last year. Having him back is a plus for the whole defense and for myself.

Q: He came here thinking he was going to start and then lost the position right before the season.A: Yeah, he was a professional about it. He was a professional about it. I don't think it was the best situation for him. In my eyes, I definitely see him as a starter, but he knew his role coming into the season and he played the best ball that I've seen him play in a long time. Like I said, we had a (number) of players, but every time he was on the field he made something happen. That's all you can ask for.

Q: Are you, Kenny Phillips and Deon Grant as good as safeties as any team can put on the field?A: I think it's going to be a great fit for us. A lot better than last year being that last year there was a lot of mental gymnastics going on out there. I consider myself a smart guy when it comes to football. Obviously, it wasn't easy for me. There was a lot of communication. It took a lot of study time, a lot of shifts and motions and adjustments. You always had to think on the go and you had to do a lot of thinking. It wasn't just a one-assignment technique. I think it's definitely going to be a better unit.