Mike McDaniel – August 31, 2023
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Thursday, August 31, 2023
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(Obviously things can change. With RB Jeff Wilson Jr., I know Monday, the thinking was that it wasn’t too serious and he could have played. What happened to him or what subsequently was determined to require the injured reserve placement of Jeff Wilson Jr.? And do you expect him back in October or November?) – “Those timelines are individualized and we kind of let the people go through the requisite rehabilitation. Really, it was kind of a sneaky situation for Jeff Wilson because it was a midsection injury compounded by some finger issues. Then really, we just made the assessment that he couldn’t protect himself and really be himself the way we know him to be. Time is the best healer. Knowing Jeff, his true passion in life is to play this game so he’ll do everything he can. I definitely wouldn’t be surprised if he would make a return this season. But we’ll let his body tell us.”
(Knowing RB Jeff Wilson Jr. the way that we do, how did he take that news? Was he crushed? Did he take it in stride?) – “I think he understood exactly the thought process. His injuries are not ideal for someone that in their job description, someone’s trying to tackle them every play. I think he just wants to be back on the field himself as the best version of himself, which he’s capable of doing. It’s one of those things that through our conversation, he totally understood where we’re coming from and he’s just focused on when he is back on the field, how he’s going to be prepared, like the true professional he is.”
(How ready physically and mentally do you think the rookie RB De’Von Achane will be when the Los Angeles game comes?) – “We shall see. I think it’s sooner rather than later. In regard to next week, we have four opportunities to sharpen our axe, as it would be. I would expect him to get some prep work before that game. Timelines are always fluid. But with regard to him, I think him and his teammates are very confident in his competitive play and he’s been playing football for his whole life. The good news is he got a ton of reps in the spring and training camp, so I’m not too worried about that with him.”
(Same thing for RB Salvon Ahmed. I know you said he’s day-to-day, but is he on track to be able to return to practice next week?) – “I would anticipate seeing him today in practice, and if not today, if there’s any whisper of a potential setback, then the beginning of next week. We were being very deliberately cautious with him as he has proven his growth on the field, both in practice and the preseason games.”
(And DB Elijah Campbell avoiding injured reserve, are there encouraging signs that he can return sooner than anticipated? And same thing for CB Justin Bethel?) – “Yeah, that’s kind of the reason that they’re not on injured reserve is you’re expecting them sooner rather than later, in the first quarter of the season. Exactly what game, what time, will be to be determined but we feel like they didn’t necessitate any sort of injured reserve consideration after doing our due diligence.”
(Can you talk a little bit about WR Braxton Berrios and what you saw with him throughout training camp and now what you expect out of him heading into the season?) – “I think the league is very aware of him as a returner and he proved to us every practice in his opportunities why that’s the case. From a coaching perspective, what’s been real fun to watch is his development and ascension within the offense. He’s always been a good football player, but at this time in his career, he really understands the timing and spacing of this offense. Especially for a first-year player, I think it did help that he was in a similar system with a guy that I worked with in New York. I think there’s a rapport that has been developed with the quarterbacks and him that makes me excited for the upcoming future. I know he’s excited, as I can see his smiling face every day in team meetings.”
(Was there a factor that stood out in the decision to keep TE Julian Hill over the young tight ends?) – “Yeah, I think it speaks more to what we think about Julian than less of Elijah. I prioritize earning your position at work, and (General Manager) Chris Grier does, too, so that was an intense competition that you get a lot of moments to evaluate. It wasn’t a crazy distinction. Again, it’s not to speak lowly of Elijah. It’s really about Julian’s ability to really come from a small school and develop each and every day to the point that we thought that he earned the trust of his teammates and the coaches of how he competed and how he fit within the team. But that was a close competition. But, again, it’s an inexact science, the whole draft process in general. You can go one or two ways when you’re making those type of decisions and we are steadfast on allowing the players, while they’re here, to make those decisions for us.”
(You mentioned in the past all the clerical, non-football aspects that come with being a head coach. Now that you have a game plan to draw up and get to go put a whistle on and coach football, how pumped are you for the first regular season game next week?) – “It never gets old. You feel that same momentum build just because it’s such a long process. You’re identifying things that you can work on, you’re identifying the people that can best put players in position for success, then you’re going through free agency and the draft, then you’re practicing religiously day-in day-out for this opportunity. So there’s a lot of buildup. Every year, Week 8 feels pretty similar. Every year, Week 1 feels pretty similar. You get used to the habits that come with the NFL grind that is the NFL season. But there’s still that build up. There’s still that unique feeling that you get Week 1 where it’s like, wow, this is this is why you do it. There’s a lot of hours comprised of preparation from a meeting room standpoint, from all the things that are required of an NFL player, coach and team, and then it’s just a culmination of it. So it’s a pretty exciting process that never gets old.”
(A follow up about the locker room. We got in there yesterday for the first time this season. I’m going to assume you like your process of mixing up groups. What did you see either obvious or subtle as a benefit of doing that last year?) – “Well, I thought that every team is different. So I try to look at everything from a clean slate each and every year. And what I did feel from my own really educated guesses, and then from exit interviews from the players is that the desired effect was to intermingle the team to have the team more connected. One of the big things that goes on in the life of NFL player is you’re constantly funneled with your position group to different things during the day. Whether you’re going to a group meeting, and you generally sit next to each other or close to your coach, or then you go to a position meeting, which is just your position. On NFL Sundays, position groups don’t win games. Teams do. So the more that you can get connected to your teammates, the better. If you really accumulate all the time spent in the locker room at your locker, if you accumulate that at the end of the season, it’s a ton of time. So guys know more about each other and that’s kind of the whole idea behind it. You invest in your teammates, while not on (phone) screens. And fortunately there as coachable as you guys are. (laughter)”
(Do you personally do the seating chart or does somebody else?) – “I do.”
(Do you take anything into account?) – “Oh, a lot of things. And what I did learn this year is that there’s not a decision that I can make – it’s like not in my body – to just copy and paste. So there were different things that inspired certain locker room assignments. It was very different knowing all the guys so much better than I did last year. So there’s different impulses and directives that I don’t even tell those guys why. So I think I’ll stop at that.”
(You talked a little bit about RB Jeff Wilson Jr. and RB Salvon Ahmed and RB De’Von Achane earlier. RB Raheem Mostert is the other guy in that room and he’s been pretty healthy this offseason. What have you seen from him as he prepares for a healthier year than maybe he had last offseason?) – “Outstanding focus. I couldn’t highlight a guy in a better light. He’s someone that’s directly heard a ton of noise for months and months and months. It’s almost like every day that it’s loud, you see extra focus, and that epitomizes the journey of an NFL player. We’re in a very fortunate business to be able to do the things we do on the stage we do and be compensated the way we are. However, it comes at a cost, and that’s a lot of people having opinions that directly or indirectly relate to you, and you can’t control that at all. I think the sooner that you open your eyes to that, the better. So to have a guy like Raheem, who I’ve had such a cool journey with, and to watch him work, is the exact thing that you have to do in this business at some point in time. Look, we’re all earning our day to day and not entitled to anything, and he shows exactly that with how he carries himself. I’m so proud of him as a professional. Just another reason why I have such a strong human connection with that player.”
(I know last Sunday you were waiting to inform QB Mike White and QB Skylar Thompson who would be the No. 2 before you let us know, but there’s also some kind of unclear spots in term of left guard, starting safety and cornerback. Have you made decisions? And if so, are you able to share that with us?) – “That’s why we practice. You can look at one of two ways; you can look at it like, ‘Oh, there’s some unclear circumstances with the position,’ or you can look at is as, ‘Well, there’s a couple guys, at least, at those positions that are deserving of one spot.’ So it’s not typically the way you draw it up, but at the same time, it’s not necessarily a bad thing either. Those things, they can go all the way up into the season. There can be rotations, or it can be solidified today, tomorrow, the next week. You just go with the best intent, and we’re fortunate to have a roster of depth. It’s not because there’s lacking in our particular situation that that’s the case. It’s more that there’s competition that’s very, very close, and you want to do right by the team and the individuals.”
(How do you want these guys to approach these next three days off? Do you tell them, “Get off your feet?” Some of the guys said they’re going to keep on working, because they don’t want to ratchet down to ratchet it back up.) – “I think that it’s a balance of both. First and foremost, I want to protect the team, and that goes along the lines of everything. That’s kind of why I use that phrase, because part of protecting the team is to make sure that you’re in the premier spot to go through the rigors of the NFL season, and that’s tailored to each and every person. There are some guys that are worn out earning the job that need the rest. I think that’s player to player, but I think overall, the only way you can kind of surmise that is how your game and where you’re at affects the rest of the team and each and every person within the organization and the fan base. You hold that responsibility in high regard. It’s case by case. Some guys do need to stay off their feet, because of the rigors. Some guys need to stay in shape, because that’s their edge that they’ve built up on and they don’t want to lose.”
