With the fifth year options coming up on both Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower, how do you see both of those playing out? I find it hard to believe they enter a scenario where both players are up at the end of this season.

I have to think they pick both of them up. It’s hard to imagine them picking up one and not the other, or neither of them.

I’d really love to see what Hightower could do now with a full season of healthy Mayo on the field. It would allow Hightower to play on the line more often, a spot where I think he’s best served jamming tight ends, taking on blockers and rushing the passer.

Chandler certainly has plenty of critics out there, but I think he’s undoubtedly a building block we want here long term. Playing defensive end in this system requires so much – you’ve got to set the edge, generate pressure… sometimes you’re standing up, sometimes you’re two-gapping, or sometimes you’re even sliding inside on pass rushing downs. It’s not an easy task.

So you can’t just look at sack numbers and compare him to the guys who simply have to pin their ears back and rush the quarterback every down.