Greg Little and Dennis Daley reflect on challenging rookie years

[Sir Purr]

“It was tough, man, but it’s something I can definitely learn from and use for the future,” Daley said of his ups and downs. “It’s something he (Little) can learn from, too. It was a big learning experience for the both of us. Coming in, getting in a situation like that, me being a sixth-round pick, it’s rare that I would step in and play. I beat the odds. I just made something happen and I’m thankful for everything – the good and the bad.”


Both Daley and Little played their college ball in the SEC, the conference often referred to as “NFL Junior,” but the two agreed that it’s still nothing compared to the NFL. In the league, there are certain things you can’t get away with, and Little found out the hard way.


“I can’t rely on my athleticism so much, but relying more on technique,” Little said. “I did that more in college, but you’re not going to be able to do that even against a guy who people might not consider as elite. Everybody is elite.”


Daley agreed with Little’s evaluation of the talent difference between college and the NFL. And as a rookie, at times he felt he was at a significant disadvantage against the veteran pass rushers lined up across from him.


“Going against a lot of veterans that know how to work their game, they know how to counter off what I do,” Daley said. “I’m just learning, and I’ve got to learn mid-game and they’ve already got it in mind, like, ‘I’m going to do this if he does that.’ Going against the vets and seeing that it’s really, really different from college, there’s really a big difference in the players.”


Now with a bit of experience under their belts, Daley and Little are turning their attention to making progress this offseason. They don't yet know who their head coach will be or who might be added to the mix via free agency or the draft this offseason.


But Little and Daley formed a bond as rookies in 2019, and that will continue no matter the circumstances.


“Me and him were tight from day one,” Daley said. “When we both got drafted, I reached out to him and we were talking about the playbook we got. It was hella thick, so we talked about that and we’ve been talking ever since. We got here and we did everything together. We went out to eat, we’ll talk about our plays, what we’re doing for the day. We pretty much just push each other.”