Adam Gase – August 22, 2017
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Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(Now that the two days of practice with the Eagles are done, what do you feel was accomplished?) – “I thought today was good. It was toasty. I thought we got good work in, guys had to battle through. (It was) good competition on both sides. We’ll be able to take a look at the defensive side tonight, but on the offensive side of the field, we were able to see some good looks. It’s good for our guys to go against different DBs and linebackers and our front guys going against their d-line, it felt like home going against our guys. Those guys are getting off the ball and do a great job.”
(In terms of the C Mike Pouncey plan, what thoughts do you have going into this Thursday night’s game?) – “We’ll play it by ear a little bit. It’s going to be a lot of communication between me and him. Right now, we’re going to start the game with him and see how it goes. I just wanted to make sure I got my last confirmation from him that he’s ready to go and wanted to play in a preseason game. We’ll play it by ear. I’ll go by gut a little bit.”
(With T Jesse Davis, what has he done to sort of elevate himself from the practice squad to a potential starter?) – “I think he has just put his head down and kept working. We were actually talking about it probably about two weeks ago about how he has really improved in the weight room. His knowledge of the offense is as good as anybody else. It doesn’t seem too big for him. He gets in there and competes. I like the way he has been handling himself with a lot of the injuries that we’ve had and he has had to move around quite a bit. Last week he practiced at right tackle the whole week and we thought we were going to go with (Anthony) Steen at left guard and (Jake) Brendel at center, and then we kind of made a switch when (Kraig) Urbik went out. We didn’t want to have both our centers there playing together in that first group, so Jesse got thrown in there at left guard. He battled and knew what to do. It was very short notice for him.”
(Not today, because obviously you were with the offense, but through yesterday, what kind of camp has DE Charles Harris had?) – “I think it’s one of those situations when we get in the preseason, and we’re actually in games, he’s creating a lot of pressure. You just can’t get frustrated because you don’t have sacks. We’ve been talking about it as you can’t focus so much on sacks. We’ve got to think about pass disruption. Are we getting hurries? Are we getting hits? Are we getting sacks? Altogether, that’s what’s really the most important thing. If the quarterback has to get rid of the ball sooner than he wants to, that’s what we’re looking for. We might not always get home; but he’s feeling you rush. He’s doing that right now. It’s just we haven’t had the sack numbers, which for me, I really don’t care about. I want pressure on the quarterback, and I think he’s doing that. There are some things that are going to be a little bit of a learning curve. You see some of the run games that you see at this level, it’s different. You start seeing traps and whams and guys are starting to pop runs up the middle and you’re not really involved in the play, and then all of sudden you get the power run schemes. It’s going to take time. We’re going to have to keep developing him. We’re going to have to keep learning. When you’re in college, you see a lot of zone reads. You don’t really see the two-back offenses. You’ll see it more at this level.”
(To my untrained eye, S T.J. McDonald looks like an intimidating guy in the backfield. Would you say that’s one of the things he would bring once he comes back?) – “That’s a big man roaming around at free safety. When you’re 6’3 and 220 – I might be being nice there – but he’ll come downhill and reacts fast and he has no regard for his body. He has got good ball skills. He knows what to do. (He’s a) smart football player. With him back there, guys know that he’s roaming around. It’s a little different for him, because last year he was doing completely different … He was almost playing linebacker last year. To see him back there and the way he moves around is really impressive for a guy his size.”
(I know, obviously, training camp is advantageous for everyone, but there’s someone who might not need the work it’s DE Cam Wake, and yet, he says he loves it. What do you see out there from him?) – “That’s why you see a guy coming back year after year. When that stuff becomes … (When) you don’t want to do it anymore, that’s probably when most guys are … They don’t do it anymore. They retire. I don’t see that from him. I see a guy that comes out every day, he works hard. He goes as hard as anybody that’s on the defense and on offense. He’s always trying to get better. He’s trying to get in a rhythm with the d-tackles and when we do some things where him and other ends are together. He has a special knack to be able to keep coming back. He looks like a 25-year old kid out there running around full of energy and looking to get better every day.”
(Do you anticipate T Ja’Wuan James playing on Thursday?) – “I think so unless we have any kind of setback. I think we’ve got a shot to have closer to having our first unit out there. But I just don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. I’ve still got to talk to him, make sure that he feels good, and then we’ll get through tomorrow, which is only a walkthrough. But I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself after some of my experiences last year.”
(How would you describe sort of any internal conflict or discussions that you go through about the preseason, how many games there are, how long starters should go in each game, the risk of injury? How much do you think about that?) – “Zero. You’ve got to play. That’s how you get better. It is what it is. If they tell us to play four games, we play four games. When it comes to playing time and things like that, we kind of have our routine. Sometimes the flow of the game can change that, whether it be more or less. I know last year we were playing Dallas and we came off the field and I thought we were coming off a good drive and all those guys were like, ‘We’re not coming out. We want to go another round,’ so that’s what we did. When those guys communicate like that and they want to stay in there when we thought we were going to take them out, that was good to see from our guys. This last game, it was really the same thing. What we got was really what we were looking to get and Matt (Moore) went in and those guys stayed in another series. That was good work for us. It’s the same thing for this game. You always plan, ‘Alright, the third preseason game, we’re going to go into the half, we’re going to come back out, kind of get in that rhythm.’ It has been like that every year since I’ve been calling plays. I don’t even know how many times I’ve actually done it, because something good has happened at the end of the half or we’ve gotten enough plays. (You) just kind of have to be flexible.”
(In your opinion, would three preseason games be enough to prepare an NFL team?) – “I have no idea. Whatever they tell us to play, that’s what we’re going to do.”
(The defensive tackle job not manned by DT Ndamukong Suh, is it far to say that DT Davon Godchaux has passed DT Jordan Phillips and is there a chance that that could be turned around before the season?) – “I don’t want to say that he’s passed him; but I would say right now, we’re going day to day, and whoever plays better that day, that’s going to be the guy that’s going to be in the starting lineup. I know (Defensive Line Coach) Terrell (Williams) is making that competition live. Godchaux has played well and Jordan has had good days too, but maybe Godchaux has had a little bit of a better day. I think everything’s open. I know this, we’re going to play more than two d-tackles. We’re going to get those guys rotating in there and if we get less plays, that’s great. If we do a better job on offense this year to where we hold onto the ball a little longer to where those guys don’t play 75-80 plays a game, that’s ideal. But we’re going to need four guys rolling in and out of there to be effective.”
(So DT Davon Godchaux has been the starter for weeks, so he’s got a good string of day to day?) – “He’s done a good job day to day. (He’s) been consistent.”
(Talking about S T.J. McDonald. When he signed, he said that he knew there was going to be no leeway in any regard with you guys as far as going forward. What type of stipulations did you put for him and how has he done holding up his end of the deal on that?) – “The biggest conversation we had was I just told him to do right. Just do what you’re supposed to do, be where you’re supposed to be and you’ll be in good shape. When you get on the field, that’s the easy part for you – just play hard. He’s done everything that we’ve needed him to do. He’s been a guy that’s come in here and has fit in well with our locker room. I’ve really enjoyed being around him. He’s a guy that has a lot of football knowledge. We’ve talked … actually I’ve called plays against him quite a bit over the last few years – probably four years in a row, three years in a row, something like that. He’s been an impactful player for (former L.A. Rams Head) Coach (Jeff) Fisher for his entire career. Getting him here and being able to do whatever we can to help him get better, it’s been a good experience for us.”
(With S Nate Allen, this has been his second week working with S Reshad Jones. How concerned are you with their chemistry or communication?) – “When you have two guys that are veterans like that … All three of those guys really do a good job because they talk a lot. When they’re having film sessions, those guys are always together. They’re always figuring out ways ‘How do we work off of each other? How do we work off the linebackers?’ Plus having those two guys at linebacker too helps. When you have ‘L.T.’ (Lawrence Timmons) and you’ve got Kiko (Alonso), they know what they’re doing too. We’ve got some veteran guys back there kind of in that middle back half, that they are not afraid to talk to each other. Nobody’s going to be shy about helping the other guy out or correcting the other guy, or ‘Hey, I thought we were doing this.’ There’s not a lot of conversations that aren’t being had by those guys.”
(I felt like I saw some good stuff between QB Jay Cutler and WR Kenny Stills out here. What was your perspective on that relationship?) – “I think that whole group … Whether it be the tight ends, wide receivers, running backs, all of those skill guys, they are working a lot together. Their communication has been outstanding. Everybody understands that we were a little bit behind. I don’t know how many days it has been for Jay now. He’s just trying to figure everybody out, body language, what have we changed since we’ve been apart in Chicago. Our guys have really done a great job of going to him and talking to him. He’s done vice versa with him, of what he’s thinking and how he does certain things that are a little bit different. That’s really the biggest thing for us, they have to speed it up, which they are trying to do by having constant communication. Everything that happens that we are not sure on at practice, they are having conversations in our meetings and film sessions. They are talking everything out. Those guys have taken it upon themselves. They’re not waiting for me to say something, they’re not waiting for (Offensive Coordinator) Clyde (Christensen), they’re not waiting for any of the other coaches. They’re taking it on their own and they’re trying to make sure everything’s tied up pretty tight before we hit this next game. They’ll be doing the same thing leading into the first regular season game.”
(CB Cordrea Tankersley came out.) – “Yes, he was sick.
(How much would you say, obviously losing a quarterback is going to cause a little bit of a change. How much would you say it was a set back to where you were before QB Ryan’s Tannehill injury, for the offense?) – “I think the biggest thing for us was just there’s a few things that we have to move some pieces around with what we do schematically. It’s not a lot. I think really most of the things we had to get caught up was just Jay (Cutler) getting more comfortable in the pocket and then kind of understanding how our guys will play sometimes. When there’s a broken play, just getting used to everybody in that aspect as well. It’s really just trying to get used to the guys you’re playing with. I think that’s really the thing we were trying to speed up as fast as possible.”
(When you say CB Cordrea Tankersley is sick, do you mean illness or hydration?) – “It was just illness, as far as I was told.”
(With QB Jay Cutler, he sort of has a pocket presence to him or an ability to extend plays. Is that something you game plan for or you talk to the playmakers about?) – “it’s really a feel. That’s what I’m talking about with broken plays and guys getting used to playing off of each other. That’s something that (Bears Quarterbacks Coach) Dowell Loggains worked really hard on when we went to Chicago, just not staying back there. He came up with a lot of really good drills to really get (Jay Cutler) used to not just standing back there. Let’s keep moving around, let’s find the open lanes. If protection breaks down, let’s get outside the pocket, let’s not just take a sack and just stand back there thinking we have to hold onto the ball until somebody comes open. I really felt like that helped us a lot in 2015, especially on third downs. He would find ways to get out of a lot of things that are not great play calls and he would make it right.”
Cameron Wake – August 22, 2017
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Tuesday, August 22, 2017
DE Cameron Wake
(How do you guys feel like you measured up against the Eagles after two practices?) – “I liked today better than I did yesterday. I don’t know if it was getting into the flow or whatever it was but it felt good. We went out there, seeing a different color instead of beating up on our own offense the whole time, we got to beat up on other guys. I enjoyed it. It was good work and I think that will help us later on in the season obviously.”
(Are you excited about playing them in the stadium next door after having a couple of practices against them?) – “Well, I’m excited any time I get to get on the field and throw some guys around. So on Thursday night again, (it will be) a game atmosphere, more live action and being able to play the situations out, is that getting into the flow of things and kind of get a dress rehearsal obviously for later on. I think this is a good start and Thursday will be a good finish.”
(What do you hope to see out of the defense in the dress rehearsal?) — “Consistency. Get on the field, get off the field. That’s our job. Get the ball back to the offense and pick up where we left off from today. (We want to) get into a flow, get into a rhythm and the guys go out there and just run around and play and you do what got you here. So I’m looking for big plays from a lot of guys and obviously some of the young guys getting out there too, mixing it up as well.”
(Is there anything you saw from DT Davon Godchaux when you first got up close with him that told you like maybe he’s got the right mentality for this or anything like that, that tipped you off early on him?) – “Yes. It’s a mindset and this league, this position, it’s not always going to be about combine numbers, how far you can jump and how fast you run and all of that stuff that people see on TV. It’s a mentality that you’re going to get your job done at all costs, no matter what – no matter the situation, no matter the time, no matter if there’s two guys on you or not. In order to play this game and obviously play down there in the trenches where he plays, you’ve got to have that mindset every single play. It’s not a part-time thing. It’s an all-time thing. He definitely has that mindset and if you add some tools and some wisdom and some football knowledge into that, I think it would be a good mix.”
(Is there a little extra pep in the step when you’re going against another team?) – “Not really. My step’s always pepped.”
(You looked like you were bouncing around out there?) – “I bounce around all the time.”
(Are you a guy who needs training camp anymore? Do you think it’s something that advantageous to you or is it just something to get through?) – “I enjoy it. I like stress. I like fight. I like to grind. I feel like it separates people. Everybody is going to be great in shorts and shoulder pads, playing two plays, coming off of the field and going through the bags. That’s great; but what happens if you’ve got 10 plays in a row, it’s hot and you’re a little beat up. That’s going to separate the men from the boys. That’s going to show your true nature and again, I’ve spoken about it before, that’s what’s going to make guys want to line up next to you in the regular season or not. We all know. Everybody strapping up the pads knows if this guy’s going to be a wolf or he’s a sheep. Those are the kind of guys you want. There’s only one way to see it and it’s to add a little bit of fire. That obstacle is going to show you character. So to me, I enjoy it. Every day, I love stepping through the challenge, challenging myself and I guess re-establishing my nature with my brothers.”
(Did you learn something about yourselves this week?) – “I learn something about myself every week. I’ve never been a guy to shy away from an obstacle. I’ve never been a guy to step down from any challenge. I don’t look at myself like that. I’m not built that way. I always take things head on. So again, it’s just another one of those things that if I line them up, I’ll knock them down.”
(You seem to really enjoy training camp and have more energy. Do you think part of that is because of your long path to the NFL?) – “Well I think, that again, that was my nature from the beginning. I don’t know. Obviously hindsight’s 20/20; but if I hadn’t gone that way, would I be this guy? Other guys who kind of sashayed their way in, first round pick, all the bells and whistles, I didn’t have that. I had to grind and scratch and claw. I feel like this is a parallel to training camp. It’s not easy. I’m probably one of the oldest guys out here. I’m out here just doing what I feel inside, and if you put somebody in front me I’m going to get my job done. I don’t care how old – 15 years old, 25, eight Pro Bowls, two guys – it doesn’t matter. I’m going to get to my destination and that’s the same way I felt back before I got into the league. I’m going to do whatever I can, whatever I have to, to make it in this door. If you’re going to close it, I’m going to break through it. If you’re going to shut another one, I’ll open it. And that’s kind of like football. There are going to be guys in your way and you’ve got to get there. In camp, it’s hard and you quit. Or it’s hot and you quit. Or your ankle hurts and you quit. Those aren’t the guys that are going to make it through the things like today and make it onto a team. You’ve got to fight and you’ve got to continue.”
(There are some players in the NFL that have said I can play until I’m 45. You play against one of those every year. Have you ever thought I can do this for a long time still?) – “I don’t think too far ahead. I’m a next play kind of guy, so I look at the next game and how I feel today and address that. When I’m 36, I’ll think about 37. When I’m 37, I’ll think 38. I’m not thinking (about) 10 years from now. I’m just thinking about the next obstacle and defeating that and moving on.”
(Do you feel any different now than you did 10 years ago?) – “You know, it’s kind of like when you see your nephew or your grandma or whoever for the first time in a few years. You notice the changes in them much greater than you would notice in yourself. I see myself every day, so it’s hard to measure those things; but when I get on the field, I feel productive, I feel explosive, I still feel good. Like I said, if you’re looking at the obstacle down there, you’re going to miss the one that’s going to trip right here in front of you. So I just focus on the task at hand and take it day by day and year by year.”
Jesse Davis – August 22, 2017
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Tuesday, August 22, 2017
T Jesse Davis
(The opportunity that’s presented to you now would probably be unforeseen to anyone a month ago and now Head Coach Adam Gase is talking about you being the Week 1 starter at left guard.) – “Yes, I don’t know. He hasn’t said anything to me about it. I just keep grinding out here. The preseason is still a long ways away (from being) over, so (I) just keep doing what I’ve been coached to do. I’ve just been fortunate enough to get the opportunity to play.”
(How would you describe your strengths as a player?) – “(laughter) I don’t really comment on those.”
(You’re big.) – “Yes, I’m big and I can move kind of well, so that’s probably what I’ve got going for me right now.”
(You spent time here last year, is that correct?) – “Yes, I came here in the beginning of November and was on the (practice) p-squad. Just getting to know the guys, it’s a great group of people around here. This organization is just awesome and I haven’t been around one like it. It’s just been contagious, infectious. Everybody’s motivated. Everybody’s energy is high, so that’s really nice to be around.”
(When you hear the ‘next man up,’ you hear it and you hear it and you’re in that spot now. What’s that like?) – “I don’t really think about it too much. I just wake up every day and try to do what I can do to help move the team forward. I don’t think of it as, ‘Oh yes. It’s awesome.’ It’s a great opportunity. I hope I can hold onto it and really help this team out.”
(How much does confidence play a part? Like how much do you see yourself with the ones and you’re getting it done?) – “I don’t really look at it (like that). It’s game reps that build a little bit of confidence; but mostly just knowing that I’m playing next to my teammates, that’s the most I like about it. You’re not out there alone.”
(Since training camp started, what percentage of reps would you guess you’ve taken at guard as opposed to tackle?) – “Game reps?”
(Game reps, practice, yes.) – “I don’t know. I think it’s probably, right now, more guard reps than tackle; but I’m still getting tackle reps. This week’s a little different right now with bodies, but I can play still either side of the ball. Nothing’s really gone away from me yet.”
(What’s something that is a point of emphasis when you are at the guard position for you?) – “A point of emphasis is just everything happens faster. (You have to) get up in your pass set quicker, your hands have got to be quicker, you’ve got to see everything quicker and react a lot faster. It’s definitely a challenge, but I like it.”
(Before this year, when was the last time you played guard?) – “Let’s see. I played guard at the Jets last year. Not too much, actually. I got fourth quarter reps. It was a matter of just seeing what they needed on their team. I’m fortunate enough to be here. (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase and (Offensive Line) Coach (Chris) Foerster have really helped me a lot.”
Mike Pouncey – August 22, 2017
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Tuesday, August 22, 2017
C Mike Pouncey
(I was trying to figure out what your secret Instagram message meant. I think I know. I think were you asking to play?) – “No. Did (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase say I could play? (laughter)”
(No, Head Coach Adam Gase hasn’t said that yet) – “Well, I don’t know. He said he was going to let me know. We’ll see how it goes. But practice has been good. I feel great. Yesterday was really a confidence booster for me because it was the most reps I’ve taken all training camp. After watching the film, I was really proud of what I put on film. So I’m excited to see how it goes. I’ll see how Thursday goes when Coach Gase lets me know; but if it’s time to play, it’s time to play. We’ll see.”
(From your standpoint, it seems like the progression and the routine has gotten exactly perfectly according to plan. Is that pretty much how you would see it as well?) – “Well, I mean perfectly in some people’s eyes; but as a football player, you want to be out there every day. I think the plan that our physical trainers put in place has been awesome. Right now, we’re kind of on an every-other-day plan and it’s really worked really well because my body feels great. It’s reacting really well to it. So we’ll see how the rest of training camp goes.”
(Is the bubble wrap off?) – “I wouldn’t say that because I didn’t practice today, but I think the plan that we have in place is the most productive one. Obviously we joke around with the bubble wrap stuff – me and (Head) Coach (Adam Gase) – but I think they’ve done a great job of getting me ready to play if it was time to play and giving me enough rest time if my body was reacting the way it shouldn’t.”
(Young T Jesse Davis is getting a lot of reps with the ones. What have you seen from him?) – “I like Jesse. Jesse’s a strong football player at the point. He’s a smart guy. He really plays the game at a speed you’re supposed to play and I think he’s done a lot of great things for offense to deserve those first team reps. We lost a big piece with Ted (Larsen) going down with the biceps injury; but I think Jesse is going to go in there and fill in that spot and do a really good job.”
(T Jesse Davis was on the practice squad last year. When would you say you started really noticing him?) – “Well it’s kind of … The way the NFL is set up, during the season when a guy comes in late, we’re not in pads. You don’t really see … He’s running other team’s plays. He’s not running our plays, our techniques, so we didn’t really see what we thought we were going to see out of him until we got to this offseason and we started running our plays. He’s a guy that was dominating throughout OTAs and then once we put the pads on, you could tell it was a major difference for him. He’s a guy that loves to play in football pads and his game reflects that way.”
(What do you want to see from a guard playing next to you? What does C Mike Pouncey want from the guys standing next to him?) – “I just want a guy that’s going to go out there and play as hard as he can on every snap. Obviously when you’re looking at offensive guards, you want to see if a guy can protect one-on-one by himself because the guards are going to be the first and fastest way to the quarterback. I think he does a great job on one-on-one pass rush when he’s by himself and that’s going to get him into the starting lineup faster than anything.”
(You’ve made the reference to the bubble wrap. Have you been popping the little bubbles little by little?) – “(laughter) It’s starting to run out of wrap. (laughter) I won’t lie to you. We’ll see. If Thursday I play, then the bubble wrap is officially gone.”
(How are you feeling?) – “I feel great. I feel really good. (I feel) better than what I expected at this point, obviously, because of the extent of the injury; but it feels great to be back out there playing football. Like I said earlier, yesterday’s practice was a big confidence booster for me because we took so many reps. If we’re going on Thursday, I’ll be ready to play.”
(It’s tough to get that conditioning when you can’t work like you want?) – “I wouldn’t say that because every day I work out. Monday through Sunday, every day we have a plan of what we’re going to do. Even when I’m not on the football field practicing, I’m still in the weight room lifting weights and running around, so I think the plan they put in place has been great.”
(So you were pleased with what you did in practice yesterday. What grade would you give yourself?) – “You’d have to ask the coaches, but I always think I’m going to do good. An ‘A.’ (laughter)”
(What do you feel like QB Jay Cutler is doing well?) – “I just think he’s done what he’s always done. He gets the ball out really, really fast. He commands the huddle. We’re just appreciative of him. He’s a very smart player. He’s been in this offense so he really understands it. He’s the guy that’s making all the Mike points, setting the offense straight and he’s done a great job so far.”
(What have you learned about QB Jay Cutler’s personality and leadership style?) – “I mean it’s different than most guys but that’s Jay, and once you get used to it, it’s just part of it. I think what he does the best is just be himself every single day. He doesn’t change for anybody and no matter what anybody says, he’s the same guy. He comes in each and every day and works his tail off. He makes a lot of amazing throws during practice.”
Kenny Stills – August 22, 2017
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Tuesday, August 22, 2017
WR Kenny Stills
(On several Browns players not standing for the national anthem) – “It’s encouraging to see other people getting involved. I feel like it’s pretty alarming that we have a league that’s majority African-American and we didn’t have many guys that were getting involved. So I was pretty excited and encouraged by that. People are saying that they were praying for our country; I support that as well. I’m encouraged to see people getting involved and hope that they start taking the action and get involved in their community.”
(What went into your decision to not kneel anymore?) – “I talked about that before. I felt people were being distracted by the kneeling and not seeing the work that we were doing, and that’s what it’s all about. The narrative was going the wrong way and I just wanted to get it going back the right way, and I think the guys (around the league) that are kneeling, as long as they start getting themselves involved in the community and start getting to work, then people can’t really have anything negative to say about that.”
(Your thoughts on the two practices with the Eagles and how beneficial they could be.) – “It’s fun to compete against another team. It’s a little bit different because you never know how much they’re going to show being that we’re going to play them on Thursday, so I’m more excited about the game on Thursday and getting more reps and preparing ourselves for the first week of the season.”
(You caught a touchdown pass from QB Jay Cutler today. How’s the chemistry going?) – “We’re getting better every day, so we’ve just got to continue to work before practice, in the meeting rooms, after practice, and get on the same page. He’s a veteran guy and we’ve just got to go out there and make plays for him.”
(Is it just understanding where QB Jay Cutler’s going to place the ball or you conveying your routes?) – “I think (it’s) just more being prepared for the ball. He’ll throw it to anybody at any point in time, regardless of if you’re the first read, second read, so always just getting open and being ready to make a play for him.”
(What’s one thing QB Jay Cutler’s done that’s above and beyond just the meetings and getting out there throwing the ball with you?) – “Just the communication with us. Any time something happens, good or bad, he’ll come and talk to us. Just having that open line of communication for us, that’s the biggest thing. That’s how we get on the same page and that’s how we pick up the slack that we missed out on from (not having him here during) OTAs and the beginning of training camp.”
Adam Gase – August 21, 2017
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Monday, August 21, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(What did you want to get out of today, and did you get out of it what you wanted?) – “I think it was just being able to come up here and put ourselves in a different environment, go against different bodies, different skillsets for a lot of these guys. Our defense is close to what (Eagles Defensive Coordinator Jim) Schwartz runs here. Our offense is a different style. Just being able to (have) both sides of the ball being able to go against different guys, it’s just one of those things at camp where you can get a lot out of this.”
(What were the ground rules as to how much you hit?) – “We kind of just made sure nobody was getting any cheap shots taken on them if the guy wasn’t looking, just making sure we weren’t blowing anybody up. We were just trying to put a few rules on (the practice) to where we could avoid any kind of scuffle or start anything up, and just being able to come out here and get good work.”
(It seemed pretty peaceful out there.) – “Yes, guys were just going and they were working. It started heating up a little bit towards the end (of practice) when we were in full pads. I think guys were more focused on football than anything else.”
(How valuable is this trip from a team-building perspective?) – “It’s good. Last year when we got to go to Seattle and we went out early, we went on Thursday, seeing the guys being able to go out to dinner and each position group hanging out, and different guys hanging out that normally don’t, it’s a different feel for us than training camp because we’re at our facility. We don’t really go away. So this is a good experience for our guys and it’s good to get a chance to hang out and this is kind of all they’re doing right now.”
(What’s been the progression with C Mike Pouncey? Are you guys at full capacity with him right now?) – “I think we’re pretty close. I think today was really what it’s going to be, seeing him take four reps per period. We’ll figure out what we’re going to do on Thursday (in the preseason game). I’m going to talk with him; I want him to feel comfortable with whatever we decide to do.”
(So C Mike Pouncey won’t work tomorrow because it’s one day off, one day on?) – “You know me. I’m not going to get too far ahead. I’ll figure everything out tonight and they give me of schedule of what his daily routine is and I’ll check that tonight. Obviously, you’ve got better sources than I do. (laughter)”
(You seem to have out there today your offensive line, more or less. You maybe one guy short. So should it start to look better?) – “Now it’s trying to get Jay (Cutler) caught up, get those guys together and start working and figure out what are we going to do at left guard. We’re rolling quite a few guys in there. When (Mike) Pouncey’s in there, all of a sudden it starts looking like what we think it’s going to look like. We’re still trying to get Ja’Wuan (James) a little healthier than what he was last week, and I think today was a good step for him to get out there in full pads and just seeing how he feels. There will be an interesting conversation tonight just to kind of see how (Ja’Wuan) feels post practice and the next day. So I think we’re close. I think we’ve got a good battle going on there for that left guard spot, where we’ve got some options.”
(What do you recall most about your interviews with Philadelphia?) – “It was a good experience just to get around. I knew (Eagles Executive Vice President of Football Operations) Howie (Roseman), but meeting a lot of different people from the organization. Just the questions they were asking, kind of the culture they were looking to re-establish, and just a good day to have a conversation about all those types of things. (There were) a lot of questions coming up on things. Usually when you go in those interviews, something always comes up that you learn from that you have not necessarily prepared yourself for and you kind of have to think on the fly. I thought they asked a lot of good questions and it was just a good conversation going back and forth.”
(If I recall correctly, were the Eagles the first team that you interviewed with?) – “Yes.”
(So what happened? If the Eagles were aggressive with you initially, why did it all the sudden turn? Did they try to get a second interview with you?) – Well I had, it was (the Eagles) and then I had three other interviews and by the end of the week, (the Eagles) were still in the interview process and I got offered the job (with the Dolphins).”
(So the Eagles didn’t offer a second interview to you?) – “I’m not saying that. (laughter)”
(With C/G Kraig Urbik, is there any concern he won’t be ready for the opener?) – “Yes. There’s a concern there and there’s probably a good chance that he could miss the opener, and it is what it is. I know for (you guys) the sky is falling; but it’s football. This is what happens and we’ll adjust.”
(Does C/G Kraig Urbik need a scope?) – “Possibly.”
(T Jesse Davis, has he put himself into contention for that left guard spot and what has he done that makes him worthy of that spot?) – “Yes. I think his position flexibility. He’s a guy that’s been in our program for a minute here and he’s done a good job of finding a way to get better every day and I’ve really been impressed. He’s had to play a lot of snaps already, and to see – I think in both (preseason games) he might have played almost the entire game. He’s getting a lot of experience there. I like how our young guys are doing things. They’re all competing; they’re trying to get in there. They see a little daylight there, so I think they want to get on the field.”
(LB Rey Maualuga, what do you hope he brings to the defense?) – “Well he’s an experienced guy. We feel like he’s a guy that can help us a lot and we just want to make sure that when we put him on the field, it’s the right time. We want to get him ready. Where we play, it’s a little different environment for him with the heat. We just want to make sure he’s in good shape and we don’t want to put him in a position where he’s behind all the rest of those guys. When you get put in a position like he was, and it’s the first time it’s ever happened to him and you’re not really sure how to go about your business … You’re working out, but it’s still not the same as when you’re involved in a program. (Defensive Coordinator) Matt’s (Burke) familiar with him obviously from coaching him. Any time we can add an experienced guy like that this late (into the preseason), I think it’s a positive for us.”
(Where do you envision LB Rey Maualuga playing – inside or on the outside?) – “I mean, it’s probably going to be inside. It really is irrelevant; but we’re a three-stack ‘backer team. Three guys off the ball, so he’ll know how to do all of them. He already knows the defense. He’s been in it before.”
(You mention a lot of moving parts that need to come together for your offense so that the sky is not falling, can it all happen by September 10th?) – “Yes, absolutely. This is the NFL. That’s what they do. This is what these guys do. This is what they learn; they learn playbooks. You see guys move from team to team and all of the sudden they’re ready to go. We’re just trying to see if we can get as much cohesiveness as possible, as fast as possible. We had to kind of start over a little bit when Jay (Cutler) came in just trying to get him caught up to speed. We had to back off a little bit; but our guys handled everything in stride. They do a good job. They don’t get frustrated with anything. They just keep plugging along, keep moving and finding ways to get better.”
(It seems like every year you have a new quarterback, whether you’re a coordinator or a head coach. How do you keep adjusting?) – “I think the way that this system was built, which really started in 2011-ish when we went from option (in Denver) and all of the sudden we get Peyton (Manning) and we’ve got to change that up. It’s just an easy system to make some adjustments (to). We don’t have to change terminology. Everything is kind of … We can build it in within whatever we’re doing for that game plan. We’re going to adjust to our players. Whatever fits best for our players is what we’re going to do.”
(Having coached Eagles WR Alshon Jeffrey, who are the Eagles getting?) – “They’re getting a guy that you can basically throw the ball up and he’ll go get it and make the play. It doesn’t matter what the coverage is. (With) two, three guys on him, he’s made some incredible plays when we were together in Chicago. I think it was the first time I ever had a player where I’d call a play and just say ‘Throw it to Alshon.’ He’s a big-body guy. You kind of are surprised when you stand next to him. You always think he’s taller, but his arms and his wingspan are incredible. His ability to track the ball and go get it in traffic is really something that you don’t see a lot. He’s a guy that when you get in the red zone, he’s a definite threat, and he can be a game-changing guy. When he makes those explosive plays, they’re game-changing plays.”
(Who would you list as the candidates at left guard at this time?) – “Warm bodies. Whoever’s out there. Everybody. We’re rolling everybody through and we’re going to figure out who the best guy is. That’s why we’re going through the preseason. We’ve got two more games. We’ve got a bunch of practices. We’re going to figure it out and then when we step on the field in that first game of the season, then we’ll have the right group out there.”
(T Jesse Davis is a guy that to us seemed to come out of nowhere. How has he been able to improve?) – “It started kind of in the spring. I heard some guys talking about him. (Offensive Line Coach) Chris Foerster and (Assistant Offensive Line Coach Chris) Kuper were both saying the same thing of just keep an eye on this, and the personnel guys started noticing it. Then we got in pads and there was no fall off. Sometimes when you go from the whole offseason to training camp, there can be a change, and there hasn’t been. It’s really been an improvement. I think when you’ve got a guy that works as hard as he does, he’s trying to find ways to get better. I think he’s got a legitimate shot.”
(With WR Jarvis Landry, a lot of the knock on him has been his touchdown production throughout the years. Obviously, it’s a tighter area in the red zone. How do you get more production out of him when it comes to scoring touchdowns?) – “Well sometimes what happens is, when you play that position, you get taken away because of the position you’re playing. A lot of teams play double coverage. It doesn’t matter how many touchdowns you have, you get double coverage with the nickel and the safety just by the formation. That’s why we try to move him around quite a bit, to avoid (double coverage) and try to find some one-on-one matchups. A lot of teams are playing zone defense down there, that’s probably why you’re seeing a little more rushing touchdowns. Even though there’s three wide outs, teams are running it. You get the middle of the field open, zone, tight coverages. We’ve had a couple of shots probably to have some touchdowns where we’re a yard or two short. I’m not really too concerned about it because I think there are plays to be made there. (There’s) a couple of things we cleaned up from last year that we’ve talked about. There’s probably a couple of more touchdowns there. That’s the good thing about going into this season, I feel really good about all the skill players we have. I feel like any of those guys could score at any moment.”
(What are your impressions on S Nate Allen’s return to practice?) – “He’s done exactly what we brought him here to do. When we get him back there, his job is to make sure nobody gets over the top and if somebody gets to you, get them down. He seems to be in the right place (at the) right time. He does a great job as far as knowing his assignment. He can help other guys. It’s great having a veteran leader in that room, another one, and his special teams value is very high for us. We really put a big emphasis on that and the fact that we’ve got him, T.J. (McDonald), and Reshad (Jones) back there, it gives us a lot of flexibility. It gives us a lot of options, especially after T.J. comes back.”
(Is there any consideration to bringing back T Branden Albert to play guard?) – “I haven’t had that discussion with the personnel guys.”
(Two weeks with QB Jay Cutler now, where do you feel like he is? And do you continually ramp him up any differently just because the offseason was so unusual for him? He didn’t have the normal sort of throwing and all that?) – “Playbook-wise, I think he’s good. I think it’s more feeling the pocket, getting back used to that again. Really, a lot of it is alignment and his throws, his footwork, and just kind of (getting) his mind right on all of those things. He’s done a really good job of trying to make a few adjustments here and there. When you see a ball kind of not come out as clean as he’d like, he’ll make a little adjustment to make sure that doesn’t happen again. Just getting back comfortable with what he does, what he does well. I’ve got to make a couple of changes from the things we were emphasizing with Ryan (Tannehill) compared to him. Everyday, that’s why it’s a great learning experience for us and today was another one. We saw a few different coverages, some different fronts, some different looks, some different pressures. I mean everything he can see, the more we can put him out there, the better.”
(Any chance that LB Rey Maualuga plays Thursday in the third preseason game?) – “Zero percent chance.”
(You have kind of like a competition with Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke out there sometimes when you guys practice by yourselves. Do you have any of that with Eagles Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz? Did you guys kind of get after each other today?) – “I picked Coach Schwartz up when I was a GA at LSU and he was at Tennessee, so really it’s been fun for me to be able to communicate with him and kind of talk through a lot of things with how we wanted to get practice set up and what we wanted to against each other, if either of us wanted to see something or work on something for this practice. Coach Schwartz, I’ve always enjoyed being able to pick his brain. He’s got a lot of experience. He’s been through a lot. He’s seen a lot of things. He’s been with a lot of great coaches. He’s been a head coach. There’s a lot of good stuff that I can get from him and I’ve always enjoyed spending time with him and being able to discuss football.”
(Can you go over Thursday night’s game against Baltimore? What did you take from that film and what did you relay to your team?) – “I thought the first quarter was good, especially on defense. We only gave up 7 yards rushing – just wanted to remind you of that again because nobody asked that question last time. (laughter) On offense, we’ve got a few things to clean up. I thought Jay (Cutler) was smooth as far as getting (the offense) up to the line. (It was) a little bit different flow for our guys. He was going fast. But we made some plays, we had some penalties – a couple holding calls there in a row. (Jay) Ajayi took a shot there on the sideline so he popped right back up. That’s probably what he needed and just to kind of know that he’s alright. It was fun to call it and just kind of get those guys rolling a little bit. We knew we were going to go a few series and once that first group came out on both sides of the ball, we really struggled. We couldn’t get anything going on offense. We had way too many mental errors on both sides of the ball. (We had) way too many missed tackles. We had a lot to clean up with the younger guys, which is expected sometimes. It happens in training camp and we’ve got a lot of them and we’ve got to get them ready to go because you never know who’s going to be the next man up.”
Rey Maualuga – August 21, 2017
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Monday, August 21, 2017
LB Rey Maualuga
(What did you like about the idea of playing for the Miami Dolphins?) – “I’ve obviously been away for a couple of months, away from football. I was very familiar with the scheme of Coach Burke (Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke) and what he does. Just to come in and step in right away would be a lot easier to go off of his playbook instead of learning something from scratch.”
(What are they going to see from you when you get on that field?) – “Have you seen Maui from Moana? How crazy he is? (laughter) My strengths are coming downhill and taking on blocks and stopping the run and leading by example. If I come in and do all of that and show what I can do on the field in that aspect, I think everyone will follow and I think we can be that much better on defense.”
(I saw you doing a little work on the side. How anxious were you to get out there?) – “I’m very anxious. This is my first time to actually see the team practice and seeing the tempo and seeing the guys moving around here and there. Whenever coach is ready for me to get on the field, I’ll be ready. In the meantime, I’m just on the side working out with the strength guys and doing drills.”
(What have you been doing to get in shape?) – “I’ve just been back home in Cincinnati working out, staying ready and hanging out with my daughter. I’m doing things that people would do on their down time – swimming, eating, relaxing – things like that. But obviously she doesn’t start school until next week, so I really didn’t get to do all of that. With that, you can never prepare for the Miami heat. Cincinnati is somewhat humid; but the moment I stepped off the plane I was like ‘Oh my gosh, what did I get myself into?’ I’ve talked to some guys here and there and it takes some time. It takes a while to get adjusted to this humidity and heat; but hopefully it won’t take too long for me.”
(What is you’re ideal playing weight and where are you at now?) – “My ideal playing weight is somewhere in the 250s. I’m about in the 260s right now; but I don’t think that’s stopping me from practicing. I’m just going off of what coach is saying and whenever he’s ready for me to practice, I’ll practice.”
(What do you feel like you’re going to be asked to do? How was it explained?) – “I’m just trying to fill in wherever I can. They haven’t really said anything. They just said there’s a … Whatever they need me to do to help this team win.”
(You’re not nursing anything?) – “No, no, no. I’m not hurt. I feel good. I feel great. It’s just in due time, I’ll be out there practicing with my teammates.”
Nate Allen – August 21, 2017
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Monday, August 21, 2017
S Nate Allen
(What’s the key to your longevity and just doing it year after year?) – “Probably taking care of my body. I’ve got to give the good Lord thanks for keeping me healthy. I’ve been blessed to play for … this is going on eight (years) so yes, it’s been a blessing. Taking care of the body, that’s about it.”
(How difficult has this injury been for you to work your way back?) – “I’ve had some injuries before. The hamstrings and stuff like this, it wasn’t really anything that kind of set me back mentally. I just did what I had to do and it wasn’t too long of a process.”
(What were you emotions coming back here today?) – “Yes, like I was telling them, it was nostalgia. It brought back a lot of memories even when I pulled into downtown, just remembering, going, staying down there near some places you used to eat. It was good. I told them when I looked back, it was just was a great experience for me.”
(Is there any memory or two that sticks out on this field, coming out here today?) – “Not necessarily one. Five years, there was a lot of stuff happened out here. A lot of ups and downs. Yes, it was good though.”
(What are you better at now than when we saw you as an Eagle? What makes you a better player now?) – “I’m just wiser (and) more mentally in-tune to the game. I’ve just seen a lot now and I feel like I’ve been through different situations and just about every situation you probably can be in. So wisdom, probably.”
(How close have you followed the Eagles since you left?) – “Not closely, but I mean they’re on ESPN. You look and see, and I still talk to a few of the guys here every now and then; but not too many.”
(How is it going in Miami since you got there? Do you feel like you’re fitting in?) – “Yes, yes. Everything’s been good. (We’re) just building the chemistry and hopefully when the regular season rolls around, we’ll just hit the ground rolling.”
(The secondary’s undergone a lot changes obviously.) – “That’s kind of … There’s always change that happens around the league. We’ve got a good group of guys. We’ve got a lot of … a good combination of older guys and younger guys. So it’s a good combination.”
