Christian Wilkins – November 3, 2019 (Postgame)
Download PDF version
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Postgame – N.Y. Jets
DT Christian Wilkins (transcribed by Ken Mendonça)
(How does it feel to get your first win?) – “This is definitely a great feeling to finally get our first win because of all the work we put in. It’s just great for everybody involved, from the coaches to people cooking breakfast for us. Everyone was just so excited and wanted this. It’s good to just definitely get it and great to be a part of because I know what we can do – the talent and just the ability of the guys we have in this locker room and on this team. We have a coaching staff who works tirelessly trying to get us right and trying to prepare each week and putting together the best game plan. It’s just good that we were able to put it all together and finally get a win.”
(Tell us about the Gatorade bath.) – “We’ve been planning it for a while, honestly. We just said whenever ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) gets his first win, we’re definitely going to Gatorade bath him. I know it doesn’t seem like much – we got our first win – but it means a lot and definitely for ‘Flo.’ It’s something he’ll remember. It’s something we’ll remember too, so we just had to show him some love, definitely getting his first win as a rookie head coach.”
(What about your first sack?) – “That was definitely a great feeling because again, it’s just like everything else just working so hard to finally get there and then to finally get to him, it’s a great feeling. I was glad to contribute to the win.”
Mike Gesicki – November 3, 2019 (Postgame)
Download PDF version
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Postgame – New York Jets
TE Mike Gesicki (transcribed by Anthony Gutierrez)
(What was different about today?) – “I think collectively as a team, we just played really well for four quarters. We were able to do it kind of how we envisioned this game going – playing as a team for four quarters in all three phases and came out with a win. It feels good.”
(What was Head Coach Brian Flores’ message to you guys after the game?) – “Just letting us know that we’ve been saying, ‘we’re close, we’re close,’ and today we finally put it all together. Obviously there are still some things to correct and get better on; but overall, we were able to get the win and it’s better to learn from a win.”
(You had a career high in receptions and yards. What was different about today for you?) – “Honestly, I think it’s just all about opportunity. I think you need to just keep grinding at it and working at it each and every day and knowing that whenever your opportunity comes, you need to be able to make the most of it. So, ultimately I appreciate the coaching staff and ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) and all of the guys out there that did their job so that we were able to let me do mine. Ultimately, we got the win and that’s kind of the biggest part of this whole thing because at the end of the day, none of that matters if we don’t come out here with a win. So we’re 1-0 this week and we’re moving on.”
Ryan Fitzpatrick – November 3, 2019 (Postgame)
Download PDF version
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Postgame – N.Y. Jets
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
(Fun?) – “Oh, yeah. It’s always fun to win and going so many games without one and the work that we have put in and the adversity we have worked through, that one’s pretty sweet.”
(Given the nature of what you’ve been through – seven weeks without a win – is it extra special do you think?) – “I think it is. To do it with these guys, the things that we’ve had to fight through and all the negativity that is surrounding from the outside looking in, the way that guys have decided to be positive, decided to practice well, decided to come to work every single day and work hard, that’s what makes this one so special. And it’s nice when something like that pays off and you could see the fruits of your labor.”
(And you personally, these are kind of the moments you signed up for, right?) – “Yeah, I love it. I mean, I had a lot of pressure on me today because my two boys were here and when we win, I bring my boys in the locker room; so I was tired of the puppy dog eyes when I was walking off the field with them not being able to come in the locker room. We were going to get them in the dang locker room today. (laughter)”
(You’ve been around a lot of coaches. What has impressed you about this one, Head Coach Brian Flores?) – “I just think he’s stayed on message. I think there’s been a lot of things that have happened, good and bad, as a head coach, that are out of your control, and the consistency that he has shown, who he is and what he’s about and why we are here, I think that’s been really impressive and guys are responding to that. I think that’s always a good sign for a head coach.”
(How different can everything be when you finally get the payoff for a week of work with a win?) – “It’s nice. I just feel like we’re trending right now, and we have been the last few weeks, so it’s nice to put a win in the win column. I don’t know what you want to call it. We could call it pre-Aqib Talib and post-Aqib Talib, maybe if you want to. (laughter) I’m not sure when jersey number they’re going to give him. (laughter). But you know, we’re trending in the right direction and guys are putting in the work and doing the right things.”
(You personally, the last three or four games have been playing better than you were at the beginning of the season. What’s been different for you?) – “I think overall we’ve just been a little more consistent. The communication is a little bit better. We have gotten in a good flow Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, of putting the game plans together and getting guys to really buy in and it’s nice to do that and then to see things work on Sunday the way that (Head) Coach (Brian Flores) put it in or the way that a coach saw it. That’s been nice for us, and I think just the fact that everybody is still bought in and there’s not feelings of guys hanging their head and mopey – everybody’s coming to work trying to win – that’s been a nice push in the right direction for us.”
(It seems like you’re starting to develop nice chemistry with WR Preston Williams, with WR DeVante Parker and you see TE Mike Gesicki come in. Do you feel that, have you felt that coming along for some time?) – “I have, and those guys on the outside are – they’re big targets, they’re physical guys and they do a nice job. They’re smart players so that’s just going to continue to get better and better, and then Mike coming along a little bit, he had a nice game today. He made some nice plays. That’s the kind of stuff that we expect from him every week and he’s just got to continue to put the work in and get better; but we’re making improvements and strides and in all areas and those guys are going to continue to put the work in, so hopefully we can continue to improve.”
(A lot of young players on this football team. A lot of new faces on this team that weren’t here last year and some that weren’t here at the beginning of the season. To go through what you guys have gone through and to come through and grind out a win today and walk in that locker room with a win, how did that feel to everybody?) – “It was – I mean these are the reasons, at least for me in Year 15 – that feeling – that’s why you still play. I know we didn’t just win the Super Bowl, but I also know that the things that we have gone through already this season and just trying to deal with it with a smile on your face and remaining positive and to have my two boys sitting there watching this, I mean, those are the lessons that are hard to teach in other aspects outside of sports and that’s part of the reason you still play and part of the reason it’s such a special win for us.”
(Why has this team, over the last month or so, been able to get better and better every week?) – “I think continuity, a little bit, just being able to play together for a little while. Again, guys buying in and I don’t know, maybe, the (Aqib) Talib factor. (laughter) I don’t know.”
(What did your boys do in the locker room when you won? What did they say when you won this game?) – “It’s just fun to have them in there. The excitement, the good things that happen, all the emotions – they see a lot of the bad things that happen when we’re not winning and people are asking them questions at school and my fantasy numbers aren’t very high for them. (laughter) So they have been through plenty of downs and it’s awesome to be able to experience the ups with them as well. Walking into that locker room with all the excitement is good stuff.”
(How do you build off this? How do you continue to keep this momentum?) – “I just think the message that’s been being preached about continuing to work and our coaches are putting in so much time and effort into our game plans and guys buying in, I think this only helps that. I think it helps going forward, just gives us a little kick in the butt a little bit, some extra energy and all that. But like I said, the last few weeks of practice, (it) just felt like this was coming. Buffalo we got off to a good start, Pittsburgh we got off to a good start, but this one here was more of a complete game by our team and sometimes you have to learn how to win and today was a day that we did that a little bit.”
(I know they were about three hours ago, but could you take us through each of your three touchdowns – what you saw and were those the primary reads on them?) – “Yeah, I mean that first one was so awesome because the play before was very similar. We threw a different route on Preston (Williams), and there aren’t too many that are exactly the way that you thought they were going to happen and that was one of them. So that was a pretty cool feeling. Then DeVante (Parker) made a great catch on his – one-on-one, give him a chance. Then Preston (Williams) on his second one – again, just big, physical receiver, beat the guy inside and made a nice catch.”
(Who presented Head Coach Brian Flores the ball and can you take us in the locker room and tell us what that moment was like?) – “He could probably tell you better than I can, but it’s just a cool moment because everybody understands the work that was put in and the work that has to continue.”
Brian Flores – November 3, 2019 (Postgame)
Download PDF version
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Postgame – N.Y. Jets
Head Coach Brian Flores
(How does it feel to win?) – “It feels good. The first thing I would say is players win games. We coach them but players win games. That group, they did a really nice job today. We didn’t get off to the best start; but like all year, we’ve dealt with a lot of adversity and these guys know how to deal with that and they came back and we played well after that slow start.”
(Does that make it that much sweeter having gone through what you have gone through so far this year, to get that first win, knowing what you went through?) – “Any time you win it feels good. That’s why we put in all the work. That’s why when they come in here, they work on really every day since April – this group got here April 1st. The group’s very different than it was on April 1st; but this team’s kind of starting to jell and bond and we have seen that over the last couple weeks. Today we put – we didn’t put it all together, it wasn’t a perfect game; but we played well enough to win. That’s what matters.”
(How about QB Ryan Fitzpatrick out there today? He really had it going out there offensively.) – “Yeah, he did. And really since we have inserted him into the lineup in that Washington game, he’s been a real leader. He’s been somebody who his energy, his enthusiasm, his toughness really – the guys feed off of it. He was definitely a leader today and kind of led the way.”
(What was it like with Stephen Ross after the game? It looked like he kind of gave you a hug out there.) – “Yeah, Steve’s been great. The entire ownership group – Steve, Tom (Garfinkel), Chris (Grier), Brandon (Shore) – they have been great. It was a good moment.”
(You’re the first Honduran to win a game as a head coach in the NFL. What does that mean to you and your family?) – “It means a lot. It really does. To represent my family and my parents and my aunts, uncles – really everyone I’ve been around – coaches, mentors – it means a lot because I didn’t get here by accident. I had a lot of help along the way. So my family and my coaches, mentors – it means a lot and I’ll keep working because that’s what they expect of me and that will never change.”
(We saw that Gatorade bath and your players jumping around you after the win. What does that kind of say with your relationship with them and how happy they were with this one?) – “I think they were excited to win. I’ve done this since – that’s what I love about coaching is building relationships and having fun out there. Those moments mean a lot more. I think that was the case today. I wasn’t expecting any kind of bath; but that’s what happened and it was a fun moment for them, a fun moment for me. It was something I won’t ever forget.”
(Big picture at the season’s halfway point – can you talk about maybe the areas you’re happy with that have improved the most and areas that still need work particularly?) – “Well, I mean the first thing I think of is we didn’t turn the ball over. At the end of the half – that’s not in the turnover bucket, but I’m going to call that one – on paper we didn’t turn it over, correct? On paper we didn’t turn the ball over so I guess we’re 1-0 when we don’t turn the ball over. So that’s a good start.”
(Can you talk about the contributions from your wide receivers – Preston Wilson and DaVante Parker – and then TE Mike Gesicki coming up with a big game. All three of those guys made big plays today.) – “I think Mike played really well, I think Preston played well, I thought DaVante played well, I thought the o-line played well, ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) played well. Offensively, we moved the ball. We did a good job from that standpoint. We could have finished a couple of more drives. There’s a lot to learn from this game just like every other game. What I don’t want is after a win, we need to come in and make the corrections and try to get better, and I guess I’ve got to have the complacency talk. I shouldn’t, but we’ll have the complacency conversation when we get these guys back and we want to try to string these together. String good football, good play, good execution, good practices, good everything, that’s what we’re looking to do.”
(This team has been grinding and you’ve been closer and closer over the last four weeks, had opportunities. Ahead in the second half of last week. So finally to get over the hump for you for the staff, for those players in the locker room to have that feeling of a win – and it’s a football team that needs a win – how important is that?) – “It feels really good. I feel good for – you mentioned our staff. These guys work tirelessly. (Defensive Coordinator) Pat Graham, (Offensive Coordinator) Chad O’Shea, (Special Teams Coordinator) Danny Crossman, the entire staff – they work tirelessly. There’s definitely no stone goes unturned. We try to find every advantage and it’s everybody. It’s (Wide Receivers Coach) Karl Dorrell, it’s (Running Backs Coach) Eric Studesville, it’s (Defensive Pass Game Coordinator/Cornerbacks) Josh Boyer. I could go on and on. Those guys do a really good job and I’m happy for those guys and I’m happy for the players. Again, players win games. But I think our coaching staff has done a good job putting these guys in good position and trying to put them in good position every week.”
(Your first win as a NFL head coach. It didn’t come easy, took a while, but how does it feel to you?) – “It feels great. The person I’m thinking about right now is my mom. She passed away in March and she’s been my good luck charm for a long time and this is the first season I’ve had in football without her. So she’s the person that came to mind. This one’s for her and it was a lot of fun and it was a great moment.”
(Was there a game ball? Did somebody get a game ball?) – “I got the game ball. I didn’t give it to myself either. (laughter)”
(Talk about that. The players, obviously, the love that they have for you, the respect they have for you.) – “It was a great moment. But, honestly, my thoughts are already starting to turn to next week. We’ve got a tough game on the road. It was a great moment.”
(When did you first think of your mom? Now? Right now? Or were you thinking of her during the game?) – “Well, I mean, right as I was walking across the field at the end. She was very special to me and it’s been a very different season, so it was a great moment.”
Brian Flores – November 1, 2019
Download PDF version
Friday, November 1, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(One real positive is the few penalties that you have. That TNT wall clearly has worked. Are you happy about that? Was there any guy over the last few years who said, “Oh, why do we have to run to a wall?”) – “Everyone’s got their different ways of showing how important those – from penalties to turnovers to communication to not blowing an assignment – everyone’s, you run a lap or you run to a wall or you just outright just yell at the guy. I think every coach has different ways to get that point across. I think from a penalties standpoint, I think that’s gotten across to our group. I hate to even talk about it because we’ll probably go out there and it won’t be the way it’s been the last few weeks; but there’s a lot of other things on that wall that we could a lot better job with – turnovers being No. 1 on my list. That’s the goal for this week, is to limit the turnovers and create some more and hopefully we can get that done.”
(It seemed like there was a few last week that DBs got their hands on and couldn’t quite bring them down. How do you kind of look at that where guys who don’t work on the J.U.G.S. machine a lot but those plays are still game-changers?) – “Like you said, they’re game-changing plays. Every turnover is, wherever it shows up – offensively, defensively or in the kicking game. We had some opportunities last week. Last week, we didn’t take advantage of them. They did and that ended up being the difference in the game. That’s the difference most weeks. I would say, I guess the silver lining there is that we did have some opportunities; but at the end of the day, it’s just a long foul ball if you don’t take advantage. We’ve got to do a better job form that standpoint whether it’s getting on a fumble or making a play on an interception or punching the ball out. There still are several opportunities and there have been over the past few weeks that we’ve got to take advantage of.”
(Do you think S Reshad Jones or C Daniel Kilgore have a good chance?) – “Both guys are really working but we’ll see. I think it’ll be tight for both guys. The injury report comes out in a couple minutes so we’ll see.”
(You guys obviously have the top waiver claim coming up and WR Josh Gordon was just released by the Patriots. Did you guys put a claim on him?) – “Those conversations are between (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and I and (Vice President of Football Administration) Brandon (Shore). I’m not going to give that information out in a press conference. They’re internal. We’ll keep them internal. Obviously we do work on everyone on the waiver wire, so it’s a daily thing. We look at everybody who’s been waived, who’s been terminated, practice squad transactions – we look at it all. Those guys do a really good job of (that) and our personnel staff. They do a good job of scouting through it all. You can basically – every guy that’s on that, we have a conversation on. Obviously we’ve talked about Josh and we’ll see what happens then.”
(After seeing S Bobby McCain at safety back in May, April-May, obviously you made the decision to leave him there even though he could play corner. With CB Eric Rowe, have you seen enough at safety – obviously he’s tackled well and done some other things well – have you seen enough to want to leave him there, or do you think he’s still a corner who you can occasionally play at safety when you want?) – “I think he’s a defensive back. I think it depends on the week. It could be a corner. It could a safety. It could be a nickel. It could be a linebacker some weeks. I think his versatility is important to us and it’s allowed us to do a few different things. I think he’s in a good place right now and hopefully he continues to grow in the position that he’s in now, but that could change very quickly. We’ve – clearly we’ve had some injuries at the corner position – and hopefully we can – what I know about Eric (Rowe) is whatever we need, he’ll do his best and try to give it to us. I love that about him.”
(WR Preston Williams leads the team in receiving and yards. WR DeVante Parker leads in touchdowns. You guys are getting contributions from WR Albert Wilson, WR Jakeem Grant and WR Allen Hurns in recent weeks. How do you like your receivers group where it is right now?) – “I like it. I think we’re gelling as a receiver group, as an offensive unit – quarterback, tight ends, o-line, backs, receivers – but that group, I think they’ve really done a good job. I think they work well together. They watch film together. They work out together. There’s a good rapport and working environment there from that group and a lot of other groups. Each one of them has their own skillset. Hurns is tough, reliable (and has) really good hands. Preston – obviously he’s made some big plays. DeVante is the same way. Albert is an explosive playmaker. Jakeem is explosive as well. We like them all. Isaiah Ford – he’s gone in there and made a few plays as well. I like the group, but we’re just continually trying to get better and improve.”
Ken Crawley – October 31, 2019
Download PDF version
Thursday, October 31, 2019
CB Ken Crawley
(Tell me about coming into a new situation like this and you don’t know your teammates, you don’t know the defense, the calls – how tough is that?) – “I feel like it’s kind of a little easy transition to me. They play a lot of man, so I’m kind of used to it. The verbiage is kind of different plus learning these new guys and stuff, relationship-wise. I kind of know a couple people here. I’m a fun guy to be around. I’m not that type of dude that comes in with a big attitude. I’m just trying to fit in. That’s it. And I’m just trying to help these guys. That’s it.”
(We hear a lot when we talk about continuity and familiarity. It’s usually with the offensive line. How does it work for the secondary? Do you guys have to be together or can your individual abilities kind of carry you forward?) – “To me, I feel like if you can cover, you can cover; but at a point in time, you need that rush. That rush complements the coverage. It complements the coverage. It works hand-in-hand. These guys, you work together, but sometimes the corners have got to bail the d-line out or the d-line has to bail us out. I feel like it’s not that far off. There’s a little stuff we’ve got to get fixed up, but it’s moving in the right direction to me.”
(Are you glad the Dolphins claimed you because they have – and not just having a job – but also the fact there might be opportunity for playing time on defense?) – “Yeah, it’s kind of crazy because I was talking to my agent and I was saying the ideal place for me to play right now and just help out and try to grow with the guys, is Miami. It’s crazy how God works and it came through for us, so I’m excited to be here. I’m trying to play whatever they try to put me at whether it’s special teams, nickel, corner, safety or whatever. I’m just trying to play and help these guys win.”
(How tough was it going to the guy who started 20-plus NFL games to not playing much this year?) – “It was tough, but my mindset is different. I’ve been through much (more) rough stuff than that. I’ve got a good head on my shoulders and I didn’t let that put me down. I would just come to work every day as (if) I’ve been the starter. Working, working my tail off, helping those guys get better, so I kind of transitioned to a leader role with those guys – helping them out (with) extra film study and just me getting better (with) scout team or whatever I can plug in just to help those guys.”
(When you say you’ve been through rougher stuff than that, what do you consider the biggest hurdle you’ve had to go through either in football or in life?) – “Just in life. I said life. I’m from D.C. I’m from the trenches. That and just growing up without a father, my situation with college and just being the only person in my family to go to college. I went to the University of Colorado and when I was there, we had two coaches and we didn’t win at all when I was there. It was kind of like a rough time and I wanted to leave, but I’m not that type of player to leave on my guys. Most of the guys when I left, they got drafted; so I was with a great group of guys. Chidobe (Awuzie) – he plays for the Cowboys. We’ve got Ahkello Witherspoon – plays with the 49ers. ‘P-Rich’ – Paul Richardson with the Redskins. We’ve got a couple of dudes. Just a great group of guys and just tough times. I went from D.C. to Colorado with one of my best friends, and it was kind of a different vibe. I had to adjust with those guys so it was kind of different. With me, I can get through anything, so it’s not new.”
(So by the time you were finishing up in Colorado, you had started to win, right?) – “No, I wasn’t there when they won. They won the season after I left. They won. They went to the Pac-12 (championship game).”
(So now you’re coming to a team that hasn’t won also. Is there something you can tell these in terms of sticking with it?) – “Just stick with it. Just come to work and get better every day. If it’s something that I learned with the Saints because I learned a lot – ‘Coach AG’ (Saints Defensive Backs Coach Aaron Glenn) – I learned a lot with him. If anything, I can just tell these guys route recognition, noticing formations and what’s coming on, third-and-short, first down, key plays and stuff like that. I’m willing to tell these guys and help these guys.”
(Two years ago you had an interception against the Dolphins. Is there anything that stands out today about that?) – “It kind of – when I got on the field in practice, it kind of brought back memories of going against them and then my last game before I played last week was against (the Dolphins) in preseason. I’m fortunate to be here. I’m just excited. I’m ready to get to work.”
(Do you ever have to sit with the d-line in the locker room in here?) – “At the Saints when I was there, the d-line was kind of like family so I’m kind of used to those guys. They’re pretty cool. (laughter)”
(Did you have a final conversation with Saints Head Coach Sean Payton when they released you after being around them for four years? What was that like?) – “I didn’t, but me and him are kind of close. We were kind of close. I talked to the whole d(efensive) staff and those guys. Those guys are still texting me. It’s just a business. We’re in a business, so I don’t fault those guys. They’ve got to do what they’ve got to do.”
Albert Wilson – October 31, 2019
Download PDF version
Thursday, October 31, 2019
WR Albert Wilson
(Take us to the Pittsburgh game. What were the emotions like, you guys up 14-0, you guys are grooving, everything going right. What was it like on the sideline for you guys?) – “It was a good moment. Everybody was feeling it. (There was a) positive mindset (and) just felt like everything was cooking for us. It felt like everything we’ve been putting on the practice field was finally coming to light and we kind of just stepped back from doing that and it kind of got away from us and it just shows how talented everyone in this league is. In just the blink of an eye, you go from winning 14-0 to now you’re down. I feel like it was a good thing, a good first half for the team, and for the team to go through this, I felt like it was something we needed to do. Now we’re planning for the Jets. (We’ve got to) come at it. We had a pretty good practice and we’re looking forward to moving on.”
(For you, how do you feel personally now coming back here? You dealt with some injuries. How do you feel from kind of a health standpoint and getting back in the flow?) – “I feel really good, just going out there day after day of just continuing to get better, continuing to get out there and run my routes and get more comfortable after these injuries; but yeah, I’m feeling really good right now.”
(You had the celebration after the touchdown with your teammates. How much fun is that for you to enjoy where you get those guys involved?) – “It’s great. It’s great. Like you said, get everybody involved and get everybody’s emotions in and just jumping around and just getting them hyped up. I feel like it did us justice. The defense started it off with an interception. They did it and I feel like when I did it – when I scored and (Allen) Hurns kept it going – I felt like that’s the energy we need and I’m going to just try to bring it every time I’m on the field.”
(You jumped up 14-0 in the first quarter. What positives are you taking away from that part of the game where you really jumped out in the first quarter?) – “Just the obvious that we’re able to do this. We’re good enough to be up in the first half 14-0 and the first quarter 14-0, just knowing the things that we are (capable) of doing. So we just need to continue to build on that, go out here and continue to have good weeks of practice and go out there and try to put on game film.”
(How do you feel about seeing your old coach on the other sideline on Sunday?) – “It’s a good challenge. We kind of know each other, so like I said, it’ll be a good challenge. I’m looking forward to seeing those guys. I wish them success, but I’m looking forward to playing them on Sunday.”
(Was that kind of a relief getting in the end zone because it’s been a little while for you?) – “Yeah, it has. Definitely. It’s always good to get in the end zone. That’s what they’re paying us to do, so to finally get in there, it was a great feeling. I’m looking forward to being there more.”
(Maybe the atmosphere on Sunday – we all know how Jets and Dolphins can be a rivalry game – but add the bonus of Jets Head Coach Adam Gase coming back and this team needing a win, what are you expecting on Sunday, just from the stadium and the crowd?) – “A lot of energy. I feel like they’re definitely going to come down here and just want to get a win because they were here. I feel like the fans want to see it. I feel like the players, we want the matchup. We’re looking forward to it. We knew this week was going to come since the day he signed (with them), so it’s nothing new to us. It’s another week. We’re looking forward to it and we’re excited to play.”
Brian Flores – October 31, 2019
Download PDF version
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(I know of course once a guy starts practicing he’s designated as a guy to return in one of the two slots which you have to use, so we saw yesterday LB Andrew Van Ginkel and T Julién Devenport walking around the locker room. They seemed fine obviously, just in terms of their gait. Are any of those guys – or DE Jonathan Ledbetter – are they physical able to practice yet where you just don’t want to make a decision yet on which two guys you’re going to activate or none of them physically able to practice yet?) – “I guess my first thought is their gait in the locker room. (laughter) That’s not the barometer we’re looking for. (laughter) That’s not really something I’m pinpointing as far as whether or not they’re going to get back to practice. (laughter) All of those guys you mentioned, they’re working well. We’re actually going to bring Davenport – he’s going to practice today and that’ll just start the clock. We’ll just see how this works. Obviously, like you said, we only have two guys we can bring back. Julién will be out there today. We’re excited to get him back out there. He’s been working as hard as anyone from a rehab standpoint, from a training standpoint (and) wants to get out there. We know that there will be some rust from not being in practice for a long period of time. We’ll try to knock some of that off and get him going. As far as the other guys, they’re still working their way back. Maybe if you see them jogging in the locker room, that’ll give you a little better barometer. (laughter)”
(I wanted to ask you about CB Xavien Howard as well and the thinking in that decision to shut him down for the year?) – “We just felt like that was the best decision for ‘X.’ He’s been dealing with the knee for some time. It’s something that, thinking long-term and his career and his future with this team, we just felt like that was the best move. Obviously, there was a lot of thought, a lot of conversation and we just felt like that was the best thing for him and for this team.”
(I know CB Xavien Howard is eligible, I think, for the last game or two of the season.) – “We’ll see how that goes. Look, any time you can play, that helps the team, that helps your confidence, that helps getting back into a football environment, that’s always good. But we’re obviously going to take a long-term approach and a long-term thought and vision on it. I’m not ruling anything out, but we’re going to do what’s best for ‘X’ and this team, this organization.”
(CB Xavien Howard has had some knee injuries in the past and some surgeries. Did you guys talk in-house about that and his long-term viability?) – “Yeah, we talk about past injuries. That’s just a small part of the evaluation of each player. Again, obviously whether it be performance on the field, production, injury history, the way they communicate, there’s a litany of things we talk about when we evaluate each player. Injury history is obviously a part of that. Yeah, that’s part of the evaluation and part of what goes into our decision making. In this case, to put a player on IR, to bring a player back, to sign a player, not sign a player, it’s all part of that process. We try to take a thorough approach. We do that in all cases.”
(Staying on the corners, how is CB Ken Webster? How’s his outlook for this week?) – “Ken, he’s dealing with an injury. He’s doing everything he can to get back. I think in a lot of ways with him along with some other guys, we’ve got to hold them back from themselves in some cases. We’ll see. It’ll be close. It’ll be close with Ken; but he’s doing everything possible to get out there.”
(Will CB Xavien Howard require surgery at some point and do you think by shutting him down now eases any concern in the future about his knees?) – “We’re not going to divulge any medical information on our guys. I think everything’s on the table. These things we discuss as an organization. I’ve had conversations with him, but those are internal discussions I should say. We’ll do what’s best for ‘X;’ ‘X’ will do what’s best for himself. We’re all kind of a part of that. There’s a few different routes we can go. At the end of the day, his long-term – there’s a long-term vision in place on really him and really all players.”
(You brought TE Clive Walford back yesterday. What sort of role do you see him having this weekend against the Jets?) – “Clive, I thought he had a really good preseason. (I was) really happy with how he played then and practiced and what type of player he was, the type of – what he brought to this team. Then he got injured, so that was unfortunate. His role is going to be what he makes of it. That’s the case for every player. He’s got a couple days here of practice. We had a walkthrough yesterday, so we’ll practice today. If he goes out there and has a good practice, then we’ll talk more about his role. If he doesn’t, then we’ll talk more about his role then, too. (laughter)”
(What are TE Clive Walford’s biggest assets that he brings?) – “He’s a tough kid. Football is very important to him. He’s obviously got length and speed and catches the ball well. He’s a good player.”
(You had mentioned a minute ago CB Xavien Howard will do what’s best for himself, which is what you would expect I think of any player really. But philosophically speaking not just about ‘X,’ how do you feel about players getting a second opinion away from team doctors?) – “I think that’s the right thing to do. The first thing that comes to mind is I’ve got family members who’ve been sick. Yeah, you get a second opinion, that’s what you do. I think it’s the right approach to make sure you’re doing everything, taking every step to make the right decision for yourself, your family and your personal well-being. I have no issue with that. I think players should take advantage of that. I think that’s the smart thing to do. It’s not just in this instance because it’s an injury. Any sickness, any illness, any situation where you can get a second opinion, a second set of eyes on it, I think you should do that. I know I do that from a football standpoint. Am I looking at this correctly? If somebody sees something else that I’m not seeing, I think that’s how you should approach really any decision, specifically any big decision. That’s just my personal opinion on that.”
(In terms of NFL starts, CB Ken Crawley is suddenly your most experienced healthy corner. Did you all sign him purely for depth or did you sign him thinking if he practices well, he could play a lot for us?) – “Experienced in that he’s been in this league, but to go into a new system it’s almost, it’s brand new. From that standpoint, yeah, he’s played games. We like what we’ve seen from him. That’s why we claimed him. But like anyone else going into a new environment, I’m sure he doesn’t even know where the practice field is. Someone’s going to have to walk him out there. He’s got experience, but in this system (and) in this building, he’s going to have to find his way. I have confidence that he’ll be able to do that, but this isn’t a – we’ll see what it looks like in practice today. Obviously we brought him here because we feel like he can help this team. I know and understand that it takes a little bit of time.”
(How important is it for you to have players in your secondary stay with the team and learn your system at least one season, two season, three seasons to really hone the defense?) – “In a perfect world, that’s the way it is. Unfortunately this isn’t a perfect world and people get injured. Moves are made. It’s our jobs as coaches to coach the guys we have here, and if we get new guys, we’ve got to get them on board and get them up to speed as quickly as possible; but yeah, in a perfect world, there’s continuity. You have guys who have been on a team for four or five years and they know what you’re going to say before you say it. That would be great. That’s not the case in this league because there’s so much movement. There’s so much transition year-to-year, but that’s part of the challenge and it’s part of the challenge of coaching. I enjoy that.”
(With guys like CB Jomal Wiltz, CB Chris Lammons and S Steven Parker, CB Ryan Lewis – these guys that you brought on this season – have you seen anything in there…?) – “You don’t know these guys by heart yet? (laughter)”
(I’m just trying to name everybody. Do you know them by heart? There’s been a lot of them.) – “(laughter) I mean, I’m pretty good. I can get them all.”
(With some of those guys in your secondary, have you seen some play and some signs there that these guys could be a part of the team in the future?) – “Yeah. I think it takes time. You can see things that we said in Week 1 or in the preseason that you felt like you weren’t sure if they fully understood it. They understand some of those things now. Those lightbulb moments that you have in Week 2 (and) Week 3, you’re starting to see it show up in games – not as much as we want obviously – but I think over time that continuity, it’ll show itself more consistently than it has; but it takes time and it’s one of those things where I think the guys you mentioned – (Jomal) Wiltz, (Chris) Lammons, Ryan Lewis – guys like that who have only been here a couple weeks, couple months, however long it’s been; I think they grow within the system. They help each other with the communication and they start to see how everything kind of fits. I’ve seen improvement for sure.”
(I was going to ask you about RB Patrick Laird and how would you assess his progress this season and are you getting close to the point where you might want to see what he can do on offense?) – “I think Patrick (Laird) has done a good job. I come in Tuesday mornings; it’s their day off and he’s in there getting a workout, getting a lift, watching film. He’s doing a lot of the things – a lot of right things I would say – from a preparation standpoint. From a preparation standpoint, he’s doing a lot of good things and he’s shown up in the kicking game for us. He did a good job out of the backfield in the preseason and I think he’ll be ready if we call his number. He’s always ready. Again, as the season progresses, if he does get an opportunity on offense, then he’s just got to take advantage of it, and I think he’s doing everything possible to take advantage of it. To me that process is very important.”
