Will Lee III masters the interception with a punctuating play

The play was a manifestation of all the work all coaches, particularly defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley, have been working on with Lee since he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2026 draft. The lessons? Namely challenging the line of scrimmage and understanding the balance of being aggressive and when to back off.

“Coach Cooley’s working with him on those opportunities to challenge at the line of scrimmage, or when to play a little bit softer and kind of use the rest of your rush to your advantage,” explained Canales.

Coaches have taken a tapered progression approach not only with Lee but with all rookies, according to Canales. The transition from college to the NFL can be overwhelming if not modulated correctly. As such, coaches are asking their young guys, like Lee, to take on one thing at a time.