Cornerback Derrick Roberson played at Rutgers with running back Ray Rice.
Cornerback Derrick Roberson entered the league last year as an undrafted free agent. He has been spending his free time reviewing film and dissecting plays with defensive back coach Ray Rhodes.
1. How competitive has this camp been for the cornerbacks?
"It's been very competitive. To be honest, we're pushing each other. That's the good thing about having depth, because we're pushing each other. With those vets being in here, even D-Rob, even though he's not able to play, but he's still in your ear telling you what to do or whatever. You've got Petey (DeMarcus Faggins), a veteran. You've got Fred (Bennett). We push each other."
2. How important are these preseason games to you?
"They're very important to go out there and showcase everything you've learned. As an old saying goes, 'The truth is usually seen, not heard.' You've got to go out there and let your play speak for itself, let your work speak for itself. It's very important for me, because I feel that the coaches are giving me an opportunity right now."
{QUOTE}3. How are you getting prepared for this preseason game?
"When I was in college, my coach had this thing where when you prepare the most you can for a game, the more comfortable you are in the game. If you don't prepare, you're going to go out there thinking a lot. Lately, I've been getting up voluntarily with Coach Ray Rhodes every morning around 6:30, 6 a.m. to go over film, go over basic techniques, watch myself and critique myself every day. I stay after practice, hit the jug machine and work on my catching."
4. How much have you been talking to your ex-college teammate and close friend Ray Rice?
"I talk to him sometimes. He tells me he's doing his thing. Right now, I know we're both in that crucial moment, so he tries to give me my space and I give him his space."
5. What is the most important thing you learned in your first year in the NFL?
"When I got here, I was taught to just sit down and just become a student of the game. That way, when you're out there, you're able to perform with more confidence."
6. What has it been like working with Ray Rhodes this year?
"Ray Rhodes is a player's coach. He's been there, done that, so he knows where you're coming from. He's there when you need him and he stays in your ear. He reminds you that, 'Look here: Every day, every down, you're fighting your butt off.' Basically, 'You're fighting every down; don't take a play off.'"
7. How did Rhodes get the nickname "Ray Bob"?
"I have no idea, to be honest. I'm hesitant sometimes to call him that because I don't know if he'd like that or not."
8. Which wide receiver are you most excited to go against this year?
"You've got Marvin Harrison, you've got Reggie Wayne, you've got Chad Johnson. To be honest, all those guys. I look at it as a blessing purely just to be out there and playing with any of those guys."
9. Do you have any pregame rituals?
"I listen to my music. I'm not trying to be uptight. I want to be relaxed. I listen to Lil Weezy; I listen to Wayne, T.I. and, to be honest, when I ease myself - this is a little secret though - when I want to relax myself a little bit, I listen to slow songs just to calm everything down."
10. What do you think is the key to surviving training camp?
"Taking care of your body, focusing. Drinking as much fluids as you can and learning from the vets, because obviously they're doing something right if they're here this long. That's what I do; that's all I do. I'm just trying to learn as much as I can and contribute to this game."
