Bryan Cox quote roundup: players are lighter, faster, and now have nicknames

Bryan Cox does not give too many typical coach answers. He is physically unable to say the word process, and will absolutely give specifics on individual players.

On the defensive line being fat in 2014

Asked who has impressed him so far in camp, Cox mentioned the oft-criticized Paul Soliai and Tyson Jackson. The two high priced free agents made a much bigger impact on Atlanta's cap space than on the field last season. However, both are losing weight and moving better than they did in 2014. Cox said that Soliai, Jackson, and Hageman are better conditioned than last year and are moving better.

Maybe everyone was just too fat last year.

Cox is a nickname type of guy

We knew that Cox liked nicknames during last Hard Knocks, after he gave Donte Rumph the unenviable nickname "cupcake."

Grady Jarrett, a player that has impressed Cox with his quickness and speed, has been given the nickname "truck driver." I guess Jarrett makes about $0.50 per mile. If you have not seen yet, Cox calls Vic Beasley "cornrows" for his, you guessed it, cornrows. Cox told Beasley that there are no good defensive linemen that had cornrows.

Impressive players

Jonathan Babineaux has provided leadership among the younger players. Cox calls him the problem solver. Wait, that could be another nickname. Jonathan "The Problem Solver" Babineaux.

Hageman told Cox recently that he believed he had become a man. Cox believes that Hageman has grown, and has at the very least looked good enough to be named a starter.

Kroy Biermann looks healthy, and Cox believed he looked better than all of last year. Cox made it sound like Kroy was still recovering last year from his 2013 season ending injury. That is a little weird he played so many snaps if the coaches did not think he was fully healthy.

The new defense

Differences between last year and this year? Dan Quinn personally assists Cox with working on hand placement and movement with the defensive line. Quinn really may be as fired up about football as he says.

Cox is preaching consistency with his group. "Consistency. Doing the same thing every day. Doing the same thing to the point that you couldn't mess it up even if you tried to."

Cox said the team has a good combination of size and speed, which means the players can "dance the dance." He called the defensive line depth "a lot better" but acknowledged that it could be better. He believed the team had better schematic fits than previous years.

The team is still working on their defensive line rotation, and it sounds like the starters will not be determined until sometime in the preseason.