Brian Flores – August 17, 2021
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Tuesday, August 17, 2021
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Obviously, from the top of the draft you came away with a very good player with WR Jaylen Waddle, came up with an extra first-round pick than you had when you started the process. I’m just curious with the Falcons coming in tomorrow, how tempted were you and General Manager Chris Grier, were you tempted at any time to sit at three and select TE Kyle Pitts? Did the fact that you have a good tight end room contribute to you ultimately not going in that direction?) – “We’re excited about the draft choices from this past year. Obviously, a lot of work went into that. Chris and his staff, along with our coaching staff, a lot of evaluations, a lot of meetings, a lot of interviews with players. The state of the current roster goes into some decisions but at the end of the day, we try to pick the best player available and we are happy with the guys we selected. I’m sure that Atlanta is happy with the guys they selected as well.”
(We had just never asked you about TE Kyle Pitts and whether he was a consideration at all for you and Chris Grier in going through the process?) – “We are focused on the guys that are on our roster. Coaching them up, helping them get better. That’s where we’re at.”
(There was a report that WR Allen Hurns is going to need or has had wrist surgery and it is going to take about three months to recover from that. What can you tell us about his situation?) – “Yeah it’s unfortunate. Allen was having a good camp. A vet player who brings leadership. We are going to end up placing him on IR at some point. Unfortunate. I won’t call it a freak play but that’s pretty much what it was. It’s pointing in that direction with all the information we have so far. He’s disappointed, we’re disappointed. That’s part of the game and we’ve got to move on and continue to practice and get better with the guys that we have.”
(Are any of your receivers who have been out recently, DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, Will Fuller, Albert Wilson – do any of those have a decent chance to practice against the Falcons?) – “All those guys will be out today. We will see about tomorrow. They’re day-to-day and they’re all working to get back. Those have become pretty competitive practices; I shouldn’t say pretty competitive, they are very competitive practices. With guys who have been out, you want to ease them back. If they are back, I wouldn’t expect too much out of them. But getting closer, I would say. Just taking it one day at a time.”
(With LB Jaelen Phillips, you guys had him practice in the first joint practice and then scaled it back. He didn’t play in the exhibition game. Is there a regression or is this a management situation? Where is his status for practicing this week?) – “Jaelen will be out there today. Again, when we are trying to work guys back, we just want to take our time and not have any setbacks. Jaelen will be out there today. We plan on working him in against Atlanta whether it is both days, the first day. We will talk through that. Again, he’s doing everything he can possibly do to get out there. As a young guy, he needs reps but at the same time, we want to be smart with our plan to bring him back. We are working him back in.”
(How do you start really making cuts? What is this day like for you and is it going to be tough to find the five guys that you need to cut it down?) – “This day is always a tough day. At the end of the day, you just have to be honest and transparent with guys and tell them truth. You understand there is going to be some disappointment but we have to do what’s best for the team and we have to make the cuts.”
(With the running back rotation, is there an advantage to having a physical runner to start off like RB Malcolm Brown? Does that facilitate things later for RB Myles Gaskin, RB Salvon Ahmed?) – “We like all the backs. They all bring something a little different. Malcolm is a little bit bigger, has more what you may consider a power back. Myles, kind of a change of pace, good quickness, can get out of the backfield in the passing game. Salvon has got good speed and can get out of the backfield. A lot of different qualities. I thought they all played well in the preseason game but just trying to come back today, have a good practice, have a good week of practice against Atlanta and just continue to improve on a daily basis.”
(There were a few moments in the last game where QB Tua Tagovailoa was able to use his feet and sense pressure in the pocket to avoid pressure. How have you seen him develop in that area and how good do you think he does in that?) – “I think that’s part of quarterbacking; stepping up in the pocket, sliding in the pocket to give yourself better throwing lanes. I think he does a nice job of that. I think he’s got a good feel for that. He’s aware of that. We have good rushers in this league so you are going to have to step up and slide and find or create some throwing lanes which he is able to do. We just need to keep repping it, keep getting repetitions on it. Some of that is understanding the protection and where there will be some step-up lanes. Seeing the front. Seeing how the front is distributed. If there are three guys over there then my step-up lane is probably over here. I think that comes with repetition. Down and distance. There’s a lot that goes into that and I think he’s definitely improving in that area.”
(RB Myles Gaskin mentioned earlier this offseason that he wanted to work on his conditioning and durability so he can play more. Do his issues with that in the past factor in whether in the preseason or regular season?) – “I think Myles is in good condition. He can go. I think we are going to try and use the backs situationally that best fits their skillset and what’s best for the team. Myles can play on first down, second down and third down; but depending on the call, depending on the situation, we may put another player in there. That’s the case really for all positions. We try to put the best 11 guys that fit what we are going to do on that particular play. I think the entire team knows that. Myles is a team guy so he’s going to do what’s best for the team. If we need him to play 60-70 snaps, he has the ability to do that as well. There’s a lot that goes into that and at the end of the day, it’s doing what’s best for the team and us as coaches trying to put the players in the best positions really, situationally.”
(I’m aware that you are trying to disclose as little as possible in regards to who’s calling plays but I wanted to ask about Quarterbacks Coach Charlie Frye being the voice in Tua’s headset. What is the thought process in having the quarterbacks coach or a former quarterback as the last voice that Tua hears in his ear before calling the play?) – “I think, as far as the beginning of that – well let me just answer the question. I think when you’re a position coach and you spend time with a player every day, you kind of have your own language, your own conversations about different plays. ‘Hey, remember we talked about this like this or remember we saw this in practice.’ That’s a different relationship or way of speaking than it is with a coordinator. I know that because I’ve been a position coach and a coordinator. The idea behind Charlie giving the play call is that one or two things that they’ve talked about in their room specific to the quarterbacks, that just makes sense to me and I think that’s pretty reasonable. That’s why we do it that way. I know (you guys) asked about the play calling. Look, obviously you guys haven’t been up in the coaches booth but this is what happens; somebody is watching the front side of the play, somebody is watching the backside of the play, somebody is watching the coverage, the rotation, somebody is watching the fronts, so there is a lot of dialogue. At the end of the day what happens is somebody gives Charlie the call and Charlie says, ‘hey Tua, wristband 33.’ It’s not six people talking to Tua. You may think, but that’s not what happens. Maybe that’s too much information. (laughter) That’s what it is, it’s ‘wristband 37.’ That’s the information that the quarterback gets. On the headset, the coaches are saying, ‘hey backside end is doing this we might want to call wristband 38.’ That’s kind of how that goes. (I was told) to explain that. (laughter)”
(Question for you: QB Tua Tagovailoa doesn’t hear the coaches’ communication. He hears what’s coming from Charlie, that’s it?) – “Wristband 12.”
(And whatever to look for?) – “Whatever that call is, ‘hey, remember we talked about seeing this that or the other thing. Go.’ There’s not 12 people talking to the guy, that’s just not how it goes. One guy with a button. I assume everyone knows that but maybe I shouldn’t.”
(What’s the reason for keeping the actual playcaller’s identity a secret? What do you gain by that?) – “We just try to keep things internal. I guess my question would be, what do you gain by that?”
(We know who is responsible for the play.) – “I know who is responsible and that’s kind of where we go.”
(Do you think your opponent gains anything?) – “They may. They may.”
(In the headset era for quarterbacks, have you worked under any other system other than the one you just described about wristband 33? Have you been a part of any other systems and what did you gain from using this system as opposed to any other?) – “I’ve been in some other systems, yes. I think at times the headset communication goes out and you can miss part of the call if there is a longer call. It is better to say ‘33’ and then they can read it and give it. So you don’t miss, that doesn’t become an issue, which is probably the No. 1 reason we have gone to this system. That makes sense. Headsets, they go out. I think that was a league-wide issue this past week.”
(Is LB Vince Biegel’s absence at all related to the Achilles last year? I know he was in a boot. Is he going to come back any time soon or is this a serious setback?) – “He’s taking it day-to-day. We’re hopeful that he can get back as soon as possible. But yeah, he’s day-to-day and he’s treating and rehabbing and trying to improve on a daily basis.”
(I asked you a few weeks ago about G Durval Queiroz Neto and you said that you wanted to give him an opportunity to compete in training camp. What have you seen from him? Do you think he’s getting closer to that point where he gets an opportunity?) – “Yeah, he’s doing well. Definitely making a lot of improvement. He got banged up a little bit last week but he’s pushing through it. Like everybody, bumps and bruises and he’s just trying to work through a few things. He’s having a good camp and we’re excited about hopefully getting him in to the game this weekend.”
