André Davis has established himself as a dangerous and dependable receiver and one of the best kickoff return men in the NFL.
Wideout André Davis rejoins a loaded receiving corps in this third season as a Texan. He posted career numbers in 2007 when he recorded 583 receiving yards and averaged 30.3 yards per kickoff return with three touchdowns. Davis missed four games in 2008 with a finger injury. This season, he is ready to showcase his playmaking abilities as a deep threat.
1. How have OTAs been for you so far?
"OTAs have been going great for me so far. I really like the way coach (Gary) Kubiak has led them this year. I really think he is trying to make sure that everybody stays healthy and rested as much as possible. At the same time, he makes sure that our practices are very efficient and he gets in a lot of stuff in a shorter amount of time. I think the team is looking very good so far."
2. The offense comes back fully loaded. How much confidence does that give the unit heading into the season?
"It gives us a lot of confidence, but we have to make sure that we don't continue to look at what we have done in the past and rest on that. We are hungry for more. With the great things that we did last year, we have to continue to work on reducing our turnovers this year. We were one of the best teams in being able to move the ball, but a lot of times we ended up giving the other teams opportunities by turning the ball over. We need to take advantage of our opportunities to score points, instead of giving the ball back to them."
{QUOTE}3. There is a very deep group of wide receivers. How do you see yourself fitting into the mix?
"I want to continue to go out there and help the team in any way I can. Andre (Johnson) and Kevin (Walter) are the starters, and they have played great for us the last three years that I have been here. I want to go out there and push those guys. I think the competition that we have within the wide receiving corps continues to push everybody and makes us play at an even higher level. We all understand that we have different skill sets and we accept the roles that we are in, but we are never satisfied with that. We are always going to push Andre and Kevin for those starting roles. I think we all have dreams for being starters in this league."
4. What goals are you setting for yourself on offense?
"My goal is to be a starter. I want to play at the highest level I possibly can. We know that Andre is one of the best receivers in the NFL. He's got the spot locked up, and Kevin has been very solid on the other side of him. I want to let the coaches know that if anything ever happens to those two guys, that I can step in and play at the same level that those guys are playing at or even better. I want to have a healthy season where no injuries occur, so I can go out there and help the team win games."
5. What goals have you set for yourself as a kick returner?
"As a returner, I want to do better than I did last year. In 2007, I started returning around the second half of the season. Last year with my finger injury, I missed games and didn't get a full season as a returner. The main goal is to have a whole season as a returner and take my game to the next level. We have a great unit. Of course, there are dangerous players back there that we play against, but if our guys can stay on their guys a count longer, we can do some dangerous things."
6. When you look at the schedule, are there any matchups you are especially excited for?
"The New York Jets, Week 1, that's all I'm worried about right now. You do get a chance to look at the schedule and see the teams that you will be playing, but the way this league is, it's so hard to get wins in this game. You just have to concentrate on one game at a time. I'm just looking forward to that opening week and starting off the season 1-0."
7. What are your impressions of the new rookie class?
"We have a bunch of great athletes. I've been really impressed with Brian Cushing and his athletic ability on our defense. We have some great additions with our tight ends and our new DB's; they have been looking really good out there. I think as long as they continue to go out there and work and learn from the veterans and not make the same mistakes twice, they are going to grow leaps and bounds and help this team out."
8. Training camp kicks off on July 31. What helps keep you motivated during training camp?
"Prayer, a lot of prayer gets me through training camp. Physically, it is very tough, but I have been through it a bunch of times so I know I can do that. It's the mental battle of continuing to go out there as the days get very long and very tedious. I think with Coach Kubiak allowing the veterans to be able to go home at night, that helps me a lot because it gives me the opportunity to check in on my son, even if he is already sleeping. It also allows me to talk to my wife. It's nice to be able to be back in reality with them at night and then go about my business during the day. I think prayer and spending time with my family at night helps a lot."
9. With Father's Day approaching, talk about how much it means to you to be a father.
"I take fatherhood very seriously. I have a lot of fun with my son, Daylen. It really is a fun time to be able to come home and see someone who doesn't care about anything that you do, or what your job is – all he wants to do is love you and have play time. To be able to come home and see the look on his face when he sees me for the first time that day, it's a great feeling. I just want to make sure that I am setting a great example for him to follow."
10. Do you have any plans before training camp?
"This year, my wife's family is coming to Houston to experience the wonderful city that we have down here. We will do that during our player's week off and then I will be getting ready for training camp."
