WR Dwayne Bowe
Q: How have these voluntary sessions gone for you?
BOWE: "They've been real helpful. Definitely getting guys ready for training camp. Guys are working hard together seeing the tempo and seeing what we need, where we need to be at when training camp approaches. I think it's a good thing for our team."
Q: Are you on a mission to help get this offense to another level?
BOWE: "I'm just trying to be a leader all around. On and off the field or whatever it takes. Staying late, doing extra or showing the guys how to do it. Even in the study room, I get in my group, staying later, just showing them how to do it and how to be in control of it. That's my main focus this year."
Q: Where is the chemistry between you and Alex Smith right now?
BOWE: "We're doing well right now. We only can get better with time and that's what OTAs are for – to come down with the timing and just be consistent and that's what you're working for."
Q: How does this connection compare to where it was last year?
BOWE: "Last year everyone was getting a feel for it. Now it's like a brother-in-law. He's doing great and that's all you can ask for."
Q: Is this less about understanding the offense and more about getting the reps in?
BOWE: "Definitely repetition and learning the concepts especially with the offense, everyday something changes depending on the defense. It's like going back to college. Every day you're learning something new, and you're trying to pass it down to young guys so they can be prepared."
Q: Where is Alex Smith at compared to where you guys were at last year?
BOWE: "Definitely peaking and rising. Definitely leading this offense and making tremendous strides on delivering the ball and putting it where it needs to go and that's all you can ask as a receiver from the quarterback and leadership to help this team win games.
Q: Have you thought of your goals or team goals for the season?
BOWE: "Not personally, but team-wise we always talk about winning the AFC West and winning the Super Bowl. After every break we do that. It's 'let's win an AFC Championship and after that a Super Bowl'. As a team collectively that's what we're trying to do."
Q: How do you develop that instinctive intuitive with Alex to progress?
BOWE: "It's working. Every day we come out here working hard and competing against the best DBs and the best defense in the league. Once you get through that within the league, with time you're going to become a good offense and that's what I am out here doing."
Q: Do you notice a difference out there after getting on a new diet?
BOWE: "I can. Right now I'm about 210 and I'm moving good and I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life in these OTAs and the way they've been going, it's only going to get better."
Q: In this point in your career, are OTAs more about physicality and not assignments?
BOWE: "It can go both ways. Like I said, every day is something new you've got to learn. If you're not here, you're definitely missing out. Me being here is a definite learning experience and it's getting me in shape also."
LB Dee Ford
Q: What's your comfort level like now as opposed to a couple of weeks ago?
FORD:"It's better, but I'm still learning. I don't feel like my head is spinning, but I still have a lot to learn. It's going well."
Q: What have you picked up from the veteran linebackers?
FORD:"I'm learning maturity. The pass rush is all about mentality (more than) just straight pass rush because at some point they're going to figure out what you can and can't do. So it's all about changing it up and deception. We talk about deception all of the time. We want to deceive the offense. It's just another level of mental training that I'm learning from Tamba (Hali)."
Q: Tamba Hali has compared you to Derrick Thomas. How do you react to that?
FORD:"I'm honored and flattered, but I don't know. I'm just going to keep doing what I do and hopefully I can prove it in games. It's one thing to say it in OTAs, but I have to prove it in some games."
Q: What about Joe Mays comparing you to Von Miller?
FORD:"That's an honor too. I don't want to think too much of it and get big headed because that's natural. But, it's an honor. I'm just going to keep doing what I do and try to perfect it."
Q: Is this what you expected it to be?
FORD:"This is home. This is definitely home."
Q: People talk about your first step. Is that something you learned or something natural?
FORD:"It's a little bit of both. I took the natural ability and applied some hard work to it. You can get more explosive. It's all about how you train and really just studying the science of the first step. I'm going to continue to develop it to get it even better. It's a little bit of natural ability, but I still work at it."
Q: Anything about NFL life that has surprised you yet?
FORD:"No. It's everything that – you know I listen to what people say before I got here. We've had tons and tons and tons of meetings about what to expect. I'm really listening and it's really everything I expected."
Q: Are you studying a lot since you've been here to grasp this defense?
FORD:"Yeah. I don't want to say football is my life, but it's what I do 90% of my day. It's just all about studying. If you really want to be great, like I said, it's more of a mentality than actually playing the game. You have preparation before you even step on the field."
Q: What's your dream as a pass rusher?
FORD:"I don't want to be touched. That's every pass rusher's dream. I don't want to be touched. I don't care if it's a busted block or if I'm that fast off of the ball. I don't want to be touched."
