Jay Ajayi – August 17, 2017 (Postgame)
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Thursday, August 17, 2017
Postgame – Baltimore
Miami Dolphins Running Back Jay Ajayi (transcribed by Ted Leshinski)
(Did it feel like it has been too long for you? How did it feel out there?) – “It was good, good to get back out there with the team. (It was) nice to get first reps of the new year.”
(Any hesitation getting hit for the first time out there?) – “No. Just running the same way I always do. Running hard.”
(They got you on the sideline.) – “It’s football.”
(How do you feel like QB Jay Cutler felt out there? How did it feel with him?) – “It felt pretty smooth. I felt we were moving the ball well. We shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times. We would have loved to (have) scored on those drives.”
Jay Cutler – August 17, 2017 (Postgame)
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Thursday, August 17, 2017
Postgame – Baltimore
Miami Dolphins Quarterback Jay Cutler (transcribed by Bruno Zayas)
(Was it like riding a bike for you?) – “A little nervous to get it going, but once we got out there it was fun. These guys are really talented on the outside, so they make it pretty easy for me.”
(What was the most challenging part about tonight for you?) – “I think it was just waiting – pregame, just getting out there and waiting for the anticipation of getting going. Once we got out there and (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) was in my ear, we started rolling around. It was fun.”
(How do you manage this situation with the clock ticking, the season is four weeks away, you have to learn a whole new set of teammates?) – “You have to immerse yourself as best you can, be around these guys constantly, ask a lot of questions, see what they like, what they dislike. It takes a little bit of time, but I think with this group they make it a little easier, because it is a younger team, but they’re really good guys that want to win, and they’re good football players.
(Were you surprised there were only a couple of series because with your need to really work with these receivers you might be in there a little longer?) – “Not really. I’ve played football before. These guys are … They’re football players. Once I know what they like, what they dislike, how they get in and out of stuff … I mean we’re playing football. There were no real miscues out there with them today. I think as we progress, we’re only going to get better and better.
(How do you gauge what the offense did tonight as far as you were missing two starting offensive linemen? You did have some penalties that wiped out some good plays.) – “I don’t think we’re into gauging where we’re at. We’re just trying to get better each outing. With the first group, we had a couple of penalties there that kind of took some momentum away, a few mistakes here and there. We’ll take a look at it tomorrow. We got a really good opportunity; we’re going to Philly, practice against them for a couple of days and then we get to suit it up one more time.”
(What have you thought so far of WR DeVante Parker as a target?) – “Really good player, really good player. I think the sky is the limit for him. He’s big, he’s fast. He can do a lot of different things, gets in and out of things, deep threat, knows everything we’re doing. I think that’s the fun part with these guys – with Jarvis (Landry) and Kenny (Stills) and DeVante – is they know everything. You just whisper to them something, and they’re good to go.”
(You’ve played with some good ones in your day. Does WR DeVante Parker remind you of anyone?) – “I think he’s kind of a faster Alshon (Jeffery) a little bit. He has got a lot of range, back shoulder, over the top. He has got great hands, but then he can burn you up if you get a little flat footed.”
(You and WR DeVante Parker have a good back shoulder throw rhythm going on?) – “That’s just him. He knows where the ball is going to go. He can feel the defender, whether he’s on his top shoulder or if he has got him beat. Some of these guys have a better feel than others, and he is one of those guys that knows where the ball is going to go.”
(When you took that hit at the end, were you looking up at the broadcast booth going, ‘Eh’?) – “No, I went over to talk to the doctors, and I said, ‘I think I’m good to go.’ I was kind of glad to get that one out of the way. (I) landed right on my right shoulder and didn’t feel anything, so Dr. (Mark) Bowen in Chicago, nice job.”
Adam Gase – August 17, 2017 (First two questions of postgame)
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Head Coach Adam Gase
Postgame – Baltimore
Miami Dolphins Head Coach Adam Gase (transcribed by Michelle Stone)
(What was your assessment of QB Jay Cutler?) – “I thought he was good. First time out, and it looks like we really weren’t apart for a year. I thought his tempo was really good. I think we have to get used to that a little bit, the rest of the guys, because he’s ready to go a little sooner than everybody else, but that’s going to take a minute, that’s going to take game experience. It was probably good for him to get hit and have to move in pocket. I thought he did a good job there, and he made some good throws.”
(Was the attitude going in just a couple of series, that’s it?) – “I wasn’t really sure. I just told the starters just be ready to go a half and then I kind of went off of that. Once you got enough pocket movement and we kept getting into those third-and-longs and we had that screen where he got hit pretty good, I was kind of like, “Well, he has experienced everything,” so I didn’t want to overdo it and plus I wanted to get Matt [Moore] in there with that first group.”
Adam Gase – August 17, 2017 (Halftime)
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Thursday, August 17, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase (Halftime)
(QB Jay Cutler, how’d he look?) – “He was good. We kind of got the tempo going and got comfortable. He had a couple really nice moves in the pocket, pushing up and making a couple guys miss. We had penalties on the play, so it was negated; but he felt good. He took a hit there on the screen. He’s having fun.”
(Had a little no-huddle with QB Jay Cutler. He likes that?) – “That’s kind of really what we’ve done in the past and he feels comfortable doing that.”
(First defense did a lot of good things. You had a couple loose balls they had out there, had the one takeaway by CB Xavien Howard. And then when your backup guys came in, quick change, played pretty good defense in those situations.) – “It was great to see the sudden change, guys stepping up and holding them to the field goal. The turnover was great and getting balls on the ground, that’s what we’ve been talking about. Let’s get it out and see if we can get it back.”
(The run defense looked strong out there by the first group?) – “(I) thought so. It’s hard to tell in a short period of time, but I thought they were trying to stay as tight as possible.”
(Blocked punt. Certainly a concern when that happens.) – “We had 10 guys on the field and our guys were trying to hold (the snap). It’s one of those unforced errors we can’t have happen.”
(What are you looking for in the second half?) – “Just seeing energy. We’ve got to make some plays. We’ve kind of got to get it going. We’ve got to put a drive together and then we’ve got to get some stops.”
Adam Gase – August 15, 2017
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Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(Why the decision to go walkthrough today as opposed to a practice?) – “We’ve been going pretty hard. The guys have really been working in some pretty extreme temperatures at practice and nobody said anything and just kept working. We had some guys banged up and fairly tired being towards the end of really, the last day of training camp, and I just thought it was a good chance for us to get work in; but at the same time, kind of rest them up a little bit and get them out of the heat just so we can freshen up a little bit for the game on Thursday.”
(Question about the two Jays. One, confirmation that QB Jay Cutler will be a go on Thursday and second just the status of RB Jay Ajayi returning?) – “I think right now everything looks like Jay’s going to go – Cutler – that’s going to mess me up. (laughter) And then Ajayi, I’m still kind of thinking about it. We’ll see.”
(How good was it to have RB Jay Ajayi back out of the protocol?) – “It’s been good. I think he was excited to get back out there. The things that he likes to work on, especially at this time of year, the passing game, he’s always wanting to do more. Losing … He lost of reps with the amount of time he missed. I know that’s one of his things. He wants to get out there and keep working on that.”
(What’s your reservation about playing RB Jay Ajayi?) – “Well I think we’ve got him slated down for 500 carries right now. (laughter) So we want to limit those. When you play that position and you’re used how we use him, we just needed him to be ready for the regular season and everybody kind of understands the drill with him.”
(Does the way you use RB Jay Ajayi in training camp change because of the injury now?) – “No. I don’t see it like that. I think it’s just more of I want to see where we’re at health-wise and what’s best for him. We’ve kind of discussed what our plan was going into it. Now I’m just trying to figure out are we good enough, like does he feel good enough for us to do that.”
(How’s RB Jay Ajayi looking?) – “He looks good to me. He’s been … He’s executing really well and we just want to keep giving him reps just so he can really have the whole offense down.”
(Can you let us know on C Mike Pouncey, C/G Kraig Urbik and T Ja’Wuan James? Which guys are likely or unlikely…?) – “I didn’t even … Tonight’s the night that I do that. So I’ll have more of an idea. I haven’t talked to Pouncey yet. I’m avoiding him. (laughter)”
(What do feel like you’ve accomplished during training camp?) – “Well it hasn’t been easy. We’ve had a lot of guys banged up and young guys have had to step up, which is … That’s kind of what we have to do. We’ve had some things happen that were unforeseen, but that’s the NFL. Guys have kept plugging along and kept finding ways to get better. I really liked how our guys have been locked in. They haven’t been distracted by anything that’s happened outside the building. They’ve done a good job of having that bunker mentality and focusing on the things they can control. That’s what we just have to keep doing. Moving forward, just worry about what you can control.”
(Correct me if I’m wrong. In training camp, you’re going over a lot of this stuff that you’ve already taught them in OTAs and in minicamps and so forth. So is one of the measures of success of training camp is whether you can stay healthy or not?) – “It’s just an unpredictable factor of the game. A lot of the injuries we’re having are things that you can’t control. We haven’t had a ton of soft tissue injuries, which really that’s the biggest thing you’re preparing for. A lot of our injuries have been ACLs, biceps, you know things that … It’s a part of football. It’s the worst part of it, but there’s nothing that you really can do to prevent it. You do everything you can physically in the weight room and try to prepare yourself and try to schedule practice right and not fatigue your guys to the point where their bodies are breaking down; but at the end of the day, training camp is meant to be hard. It’s meant to harden you up. It’s meant to get you in condition. So you’re not going to prevent everything.”
(What has CB Alterraun Verner shown you and what kind of camp has CB Bobby McCain had?) – “I thought Bobby’s had a really good camp. He’s done a good job. You can tell he’s getting … He’s so much more comfortable then he was last year. He really has a great feel for exactly his – the detail – his job. I mean he’s been very tight on coverage. It’s been really tough to complete any balls in the slot. And then as far as Verner goes, I mean for him to just jump in here and start competing the way he’s competed has been very impressive. He has fit in really well with us and I guess I didn’t really know how good outside he was until I had really seen him out here. He really has impressed me, being able to play corner as well as he has. He’s really tight in coverage and he’s got his hands on balls and being able to slide inside, I mean the value is high. It’s just tough to find guys like this.”
(I’ve seen some NFL coaches saying that they think that they actually get more out of joint practices than even some preseason games. What do you see as the great potential benefits of the Philadelphia trip?) – “Yes, because you’re in practice; but there’s a game feel to it, and it is very competitive. Really the hardest thing is to just keep everybody focused on what they need to do in practice to get better because they do know there’s no flags, you’re not going to get ejected from the game or fined, and that’s where it can get kind of messy and guys get in fights. If you can keep your guys focused on what you’re trying to do, it’s great competition. It’s fun for guys to go against somebody different instead of hitting their teammates. They’re going against a different team and a different style of ball. Like for us, we’re going to be doing Philly’s practice schedule and just for our guys to kind of have a different sense of what we do compared to what they do. It’s nothing but good experience when you get to do these joint practices.”
(Do you ask their coach ahead of time, if it’s happened already or in the near future here, ‘Hey I’d really like to run these drills a few times?’) – “You can ask that. When I had my discussions with (Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach) Doug (Pederson) I was like, ‘You tell us what you want to do and that’s what we’re going to do,’ because we’re going to them. I always kind of looked at it as we’re there, we’re going to do what they do, and it’s easy for us to adjust. If somebody was coming here, it would probably be more than likely we’d be using our practice schedule.”
(Do you tell them, specifically, these are the things we would like to work on or get achieved?) – “We all kind of do the same. It’s very close to the same stuff. Everybody’s working on the same things, especially (in the) third week of preseason you’re working on almost game plan-ish type stuff, so you’re getting those situations in and so there was nothing missing. If there was something missing, I would’ve just asked, ‘Hey, have you guys done this before or is there any interest in working on this?’ Usually you can make some kind of compromise there or change something around, but for what (Philadelphia does), it kind of matches up with everything we do.”
(Do you have a connection with Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Doug Pederson beyond being fellow coaches?) – “I’ve known him for a good amount of time. We were in the same division there for a while. I’m trying to remember when I met him, but I’ve known him for a while.”
(How live do you think you guys might go?) – “No, we’ll just be doing like normal practice.”
(Going into the second preseason game, what are some of the things you’ll be looking for from your team?) – “Well, it’ll just be good to get that first group out there for a little longer this time and see if we can get something going. That’s why it’s kind of nice that we’re playing Baltimore. It’s another tough opponent with a lot of good players. They’re going to be ready to go. (Baltimore Ravens Head) Coach (John) Harbaugh always has his crew ready to go very early and they’re going to be looking to work on certain things, and for us to be able to play them, that’s good for our guys.”
(With the offensive line, G/T Jermon Bushrod was the only starter that played last week. How much more of the first team do you think you’re going to get out there on Thursday and what do you hope to see from them?) – “Once again, I’m still trying to figure out who’s going to be available, but we should have more than what we had last week with that starting group. It’s just kind of getting those guys out there and getting rolling and see if we can create some holes, get in some kind of rhythm in the passing game, and get some drives under our belt. This is kind of still the starting point for us, so we’ve got a lot of time here between three preseason games. We’ve just got to keep getting everybody healthy and get them back out there and hopefully, by the time we reach the regular season, we’ve played together a little bit.”
(How has TE Julius Thomas been in camp and how prepared is he to offer something to the offense once games begin?) – “I feel like his camp has been about what it’s always been. It’s kind of about matchups for him. If he can get the right one, if it’s on a safety or a linebacker. I’ve really been impressed that he’s improved a lot in his running game. He’s a way better blocker than when I was with him last time. I think he’s provided a different perspective from a guy that was outside that had been with me before. He understands the offense really well and can kind of explain things to guys that maybe there is a misunderstanding or they don’t understand what I’m trying to accomplish in certain things, and he already knows. He’s been through it. It’ll be … I think for him, that’s probably a good thing. He just needs to be a part of it. He doesn’t have to do anything off the charts. He just needs to be one of those guys that when his number is called, he makes the play. When he gets the right matchup and he gets a one-on-one and we have a chance in the red zone, make the play, get the touchdown. I think that’s what he’s been working on and the good thing is it’s just another weapon for our offense and you just keep spreading the ball out and make it tough on defense.”
(I didn’t notice CB Tony Lippett out there. Can you update us on him?) – “So Tony tore his Achilles yesterday so he’ll be having surgery. That was obviously a little surprise yesterday halfway through practice.”
(So CB Tony Lippett is pretty much shut down for the season?) – “Yes.”
(CB Tony Lippett is headed to injured reserve?) – “Well, the way the rules are, it won’t be right away.”
(How does the loss of CB Tony Lippett affect the cornerback situation?) – “Well anytime you lose a guy who started every game for you last year, that’s not ideal. But that’s why we’ve collected the depth we have. That’s why we’re trying to get young players to go because this is what happens. We have to just keep developing these young players and that’s why every year we’re drafting a guy or when we get to college free agency, we feel like we found a couple of guys this year. We just want them to keep proving it to us. We feel like we’re pretty deep there and we just have to keep getting these guys better.”
(Is it fair to say that CB Cordrea Tankersley kind of moves up into CB Tony Lippett’s second team?) – “I don’t know if we’re looking at it like that. We’ve got a lot of guys that are competing right now. We’re just going to keep looking for the best fit for us. I like how our young guys play. Those guys just keep getting better and we’ll be in good shape.”
(Was CB Tony Lippett hit or did he step wrong?) – “He jumped up and then came down. No one touched him. That was it.”
Jay Ajayi – August 15, 2017
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Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Running Back Jay Ajayi
(Head Coach Adam Gase said he thought it was your first concussion ever. Is that correct?) – “Yes, my first concussion.”
(How did you react to it?) – “It’s new for me. I was just all about getting the information and then just making sure that I was healthy enough to get back on the field.”
(How long did it take you before you started to feel somewhat normal after that?) – “They said that, usually, concussions (take) 7 to 10 days (to recover from), so (after) about a week I was starting to feel like myself again.”
(How frustrating was it not to be able to go 100 percent, especially during camp?) – “It’s frustrating. You want to be out there with your teammates, practicing and grinding. It’s the time we’re all working on our craft to be better; but at the same time, it is better that it happened now during the preseason. We’re not at the regular season yet, so I had time to just make sure I was healthy enough to be back out on the field again.”
(Do you have any indication about playing in the preseason game on Thursday?) – “No indication right now; but I’m healthy, I’m good to go. I’ve been practicing, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I played on Thursday.”
(Do you feel like you’re behind a little bit?) – “No, I don’t feel like I’m behind at all.”
(Did you talk to S T.J. McDonald about the hit?) – “Oh yes, I mean that’s my boy. I’ve known him for a good amount of time. It was just practice. He’s a great, great tackler and he got me on a good tackle.”
(Do you worry about this moving forward? Has this ever happened to you?) – “No, I’m not worried about it.”
(What was the worst part about it all? Touch on maybe the worst symptoms you felt during this time off.) – “Just kind of the fog that you get, not being able to concentrate, those kinds of things that happen with concussions, so that was the most frustrating thing is that some days I would feel good and then maybe the symptoms would come back. So it was about just taking your time, being patient, going through the protocol, listening to the trainers, and now I’m back on the field. I’m happy.”
(Did you tell RB Kenyan Drake what to expect, because obviously he’s going through it now?) – “Yes, he just got put into the protocol I think. But I talked to him. He’s in good spirits. I guess he kind of saw what I went through so he should be encouraged by it. It won’t be too bad.”
(Are you playing Thursday and if not, are you upset that you’re not going to be able to play?) – “That’s (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase’s decision. I don’t know yet as of right now. I would be excited to play, get out there with my team, and get to go against someone else this preseason.”
(Do you guys get excited about playing in preseason games? I know it’s just preseason but it’s a chance to go against somebody else.) – “It’s great to not have to go against your own teammates every day. Obviously it’s in preparation for the regular season, so we need to get that nice little warm up, tune up for that regular season. I think getting a good series here, a good quarter here, and being able to stay healthy in the process is good for us.”
(How do you like having a quarterback with the same first name?) – “It’s been interesting. A lot of ‘Jays’ being called around (here) and we’re both looking trying to decide who’s talking to who; but it’s exciting to have him on our team.”
(What are your early impressions of QB Jay Cutler?) – “It’s been good. I’ve just gone out to practice the past two days. Being able to be in the huddle with him, it’s been really good. We’re just all working on executing and building that chemistry, just because we have so much time left until the regular season.”
(Can you talk about QB Jay Cutler’s familiarity with pass-catching backs? Does that excite you a bit?) – “Just his familiarity with (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase, in general, knowing that it’s not going to be too big for him because he’s already been in this offense multiple times. So for me, it’s just knowing that he’s comfortable in this offense and knows how to make it work and then everything is on us, the skill players, to create big plays for him.”
(Is there anything about QB Jay Cutler’s skillset or his personality, either way, that you didn’t expect that you have met him now and you found about him?) – “It’s my first time actually meeting him. I wasn’t familiar with him before. He’s a great guy, (he’s got) a really cool demeanor about him. You can tell he’s a natural quarterback and it’s been really good to build our relationship, build that chemistry on the practice field.”
Julius Thomas – August 15, 2017
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Tuesday, August 15, 2017
TE Julius Thomas
(How would you rate your performance in training camp?) – “I think probably about a B+. I think that getting back in the offense, starting to gel and connect with the QBs, learning the run game and all of that stuff, I feel like I’ve been able to pick it up as good as I probably could in a short amount of time. Just being able to get after it and work hard with the guys.”
(How is the chemistry working out with QB Jay Cutler? I know it’s been a short time but how is it working?) – “That’s going to be something that we’re going to have to try and get a lot of reps at, so we can make up for that lack of time working with Jay. But Jay is a really good quarterback. We’ve got some really good skill position guys, so we’ll find a way to make it work.”
(What do you feel best about what you can offer the offense this season?) – “I think just a lot of flexibility. I think that with my skillset and the things that I’ve had to do different since playing in this league, I give our coordinator a lot of things he can do to make defenses stick their hand, put them in a lot of positions where they have to declare what they’re doing early. I think just the added versatility probably.”
(What is the biggest thing you guys take out of going into the second preseason game?) – “You really have to focus on the process. That’s what the preseason is most for me. It’s understanding your game preparation. What are you going to do that day? What are you going to do when you get to the stadium? How do you get your mind right for the game? And then when you get on the field, try to make sure you take advantage of those reps. You’re out there saying I’m playing four games before the season, but how do we get the most out of what we’re doing? We’re going to just get that whole procedure down.”
(Do you guys get excited a little bit playing against somebody else or practicing against somebody else in the preseason?) – “It’s really good to have some different opponents. Going up against the same guys every day, not to mention that but they start to understand the way you do things. So it’s good to get some different faces in, some different defenses and really start building what we do and what we’re going to have to do throughout the season.”
(How much does a day like this mean? A walkthrough.) – “At the end of training camp, a walkthrough day is always appreciated. When you look at how many days out of the last three weeks we’ve actually practiced, it’s kind of crazy that our bodies are able to put up with that kind of beating; but it’s our game. That’s what we do to become prepared. We’re very thankful to have a walkthrough today.”
(What does the end of training camp mean to you?) – “It means another successful training camp. This is seven for me. The longer you play in the league, the more appreciation you have for it. It’s seven different times you were able to prove to yourself that when a lot of stuff is stacked up against you, you had to show that you have the mindset and the wherewithal to go through it, as well as signaling it’s getting time for the season to come. Your friends and family are texting you ‘The season is right around the corner;” but for us, we still have a lot of practices and a lot to learn before that happens. The end of training camp is the first step to that process of opening week.”
(Do you feel you have anything left to prove after … We saw the great success in Denver, and then Jacksonville. Do you feel you have anything left to prove?) – “That’s part of the mindfulness I’ve been working on is not feeling that I have anything to prove to anybody on the outside. I have a standard that I set for myself. I have to match that standard for myself personally every day and that’s to go out there and do everything I can to help my team play the best and be the best. I have to make sure that all of my focus is on doing things that I expect out of myself. I’m just going to play to prove to myself and meet that standard.”
(Do you have any particular goals in mind, numbers-wise or anything?) – “My only goals are to make sure that at the end of every practice, I know that I gave my best and that I did what I needed to do to get better. As far as goals and numbers, all of that stuff is outside of your control. There are so many things that are going to happen. I’m just going to focus on every day and making sure that when I lay in that bed, I did all that I could to be the best teammate and tight end I could be.”
(How much are you looking forward to doing it for real with QB Jay Cutler?) – “I mean we practice, we practice, we practice and it’s all preparation. Just like any coach will tell you, when we have game days, that’s for the players. That’s for us to go ahead and showcase what we’ve been working on and really get to see the result. I’m looking forward to it, for sure.”
(You spent a lot of time with QB Ryan Tannehill in the offseason. Was it a tough switch all of a sudden when he went down and QB Jay Cutler comes in?) – “It’s not something that we’re not accustomed to. As NFL players, we’re always having guys that are going down. We’re always having guys that are getting injured. It’s tough on us as far as the support we have for Ryan. To see him having to go through this and battle through that, that’s definitely the toughest part. But as far as understanding how to play with a different quarterback, I’ve played with several quarterbacks in my life now and we’re going to adjust and do whatever we have to do to help Jay and Jay is going to do that to help us.”
(What do you think makes QB Jay Cutler different from the other quarterbacks or what has impressed you about him since he’s been here?) – “I think Cutler does a really good job of making sure everybody understands the way he wants things to go. I think that’s super important for the quarterback position. We have to have an understanding of how he wants us to run the route, what he’s looking for and when, situationally. He’s done a really good job of coming in and letting us know, ‘Hey, this is what I expect. This is what I’m looking for.’ And that’s definitely going to help us move faster through the getting to know him process.”
(How do you see the opportunities for tight ends on this team, given the three guys you have on the outside?) – “The goal is to be a really balanced offense. When you have a lot of skill position playmakers around you, that makes everybody’s job easier. With our running game, with our receivers, that’s really going to give us tight ends an opportunity to make plays and do different things to go out there and help our offense perform at a high level. I’m looking forward to my opportunity to make plays. I’m looking for my opportunity to help others make plays, and we’re just going to try and get after it as a group and live up to the standards that we set.”
Adam Gase – August 14, 2017
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Monday, August 14, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(Have you talked to your DBs about leaving your running backs alone? It seems like twice now that the running backs have gotten dinged up from a hit.) – “I mean, it’s football. It happens. That’s why they’ve got pads on.”
(Do you have an update on RB Kenyan Drake?) – “No I haven’t even (seen him). I just swung by real quick to see (Tony) Lippett and I haven’t seen Kenyan yet.”
(With TE Julius Thomas do you think missing practice is a one-day deal?) – “Yes, he should be alright. His back tightened up. We had a couple of guys’ backs tighten up, so we’re just a little precautionary (with) some of our veteran guys.”
(With CB Xavien Howard, what have you noticed about him? In what areas has he grown since last season?) – “I think his confidence is really the number one thing I’ve noticed, where he’s recognizing certain formations, route stems, things that when you’re a rookie, you’re just trying to figure out what you actually have to do and now he’s been able to take that next step. It helps him really tighten up the coverage and jump a few routes every once in a while. That’s kind of the progression that you want young DBs to go through to where, let’s say you have a really good feel of what their job responsibility is, being able to play the route concept very tight.”
(As far as progression for CB Xavien Howard, I guess health would be number one; but after that, what do you want to see from Xavien?) – “I think it’s just to keep expanding on what he’s been doing. We see a lot of good things in practice. We see tight coverage, which (makes it) really hard to throw the ball on him. I just want it to transfer over to the game. He’s just got to trust his training and what he’s been doing every day and then when we get in a game and he sees the same thing, I want him to play the same.”
(One week in, where is QB Jay Cutler’s progression at this point and what do you want to see from him at this very early stage?) – “He’s pretty much got the offense down, it’s just more about timing. It’s more mental, just kind of that feel of when to turn the ball loose, getting used to the receivers, the d-line rushing. I guess (our d-line) is a good d-line to get used to getting in your face a little bit. It’s happening fast, so it’s probably going to be good for him at the end of the day when we start playing some other teams. Our d-line is tough to go against. They get back there quick.”
(Do you have a feel for whether QB Jay Cutler will play Thursday?) – “I’m trending in the area of yes; but we’ll see what happens the next few days.”
(Are you feeling good with the routine you’re getting into with C Mike Pouncey?) – “Yes, every time I see him that he’s out there, I can see how excited he’s getting. I just want him to follow what our plan is and I want him to try to sneak in two extra reps, because you guys have been around him long enough to know, he’s not one for just standing on the sidelines and watching. He likes being out there and he wants to keep getting better. I just think (he has to) stay on track with what we’re doing. I think he’s followed that to the exact detail that (medical staff) got planned for him and if he keeps doing that, I think we’ll have good results.”
(Is it unlikely that C Mike Pouncey will participate Thursday in the second preseason game?) – “You know what? I can’t say that. I still haven’t had that conversation with him. I know at some point, we want to get him out there in one of these preseason games, and it’s more (that) he wanted to do it just because that’s that final step for him. I’m not sure if it’s this week or next, so I’ll start having those conversations here in the next day or so.”
(What do you believe or hope will be the identity of your defense this year?) – “I believe we’re going to be a defense that’s going to be tough, relentless. The one thing that I would say that I want to see us do more is get our hands on balls and get balls out, get turnovers, turn into an opportunistic defense. I feel like we’ve done a lot of good things. We’re playing tight coverage in practice. We’re making it really hard on the wide receivers. I do feel like that front can cause a lot of problems, and the linebackers, the way that they run right now and what I’m seeing between Kiko (Alonso) and (Lawrence) Timmons, if we give them some opportunities, they’ve got great ball skills. They’ve got great ball skills for linebackers and if we can get some more picks and fumbles, that’s really what I’d love to see us take off on.”
(With the secondary, we haven’t really seen … there’s usually, especially in games, a breakdown where receivers are running free downfield. We haven’t seen that many breakdowns this training camp. Is it just chemistry developing or is it that you’re not calling for those offensive plays?) – “I think that second year in the system (is beneficial). Just remember, when you first come in a lot of the concepts are the same, it’s just the terminology and the words you’re using for certain calls in the back end. You’re thinking, and that is when you have those kinds of busts. I think year two in the system, these guys have been together longer than (us coaches) have been here, and I think they’ve picked it up and now we’re getting consistent communication. We’re not having those types of breakdowns. We’re not just having free runners. (The offense) has to work, whether the receiver has to or the tight end has to get open on (his) own, or if we pop a guy free, we really had to do something to almost fool them in that linebacker, safety area, to pop a guy free. It doesn’t happen a lot. I think it’s just that continuity of the system staying in tact and guys understanding what their job is.”
(How much growth have you seen from this time last year to this year from TE Thomas Duarte?) – “Once again, it’s a year one, year two (thing). When you see the same thing over and over again, when it’s like the seventh time he’s seen the install, you get it. You start to be able to kind of visualize it. (You) know what it looks like on a piece of paper, but now you’ve got to go do it, and you see more and more looks every day. One day it’s middle of the field open, one day it’s middle of the field closed, one day it’s man, so you just keep banking those types of coverages in your brain and then next time you see it, you know exactly what you should do. That’s experience for you.”
(WR Kenny Stills was third in yards per catch last year in the league. Obviously, if you would up the attempts, that might go down. Is there a fine line between getting him the ball more or just using him as that home run hitter?) – “I just think the ball finds guys that just run hard. In my experience, any time I’ve tried to get a guy a ball or get a guy involved, it usually doesn’t work out right, so we just keep telling our guys, let’s just get five guys running as hard as they can, do your job and the ball will find you.”
(How did Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke’s first try at calling plays go in the first preseason game against Atlanta?) – I thought it was smooth. ‘V.J.’ (Former Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph) kept him very involved last year. I felt like he had kind of done it before. It just didn’t seem like a problem for him and his energy level, positivity, the way he can think and correct, I think it was good for our guys. It was the first time out with those guys. They’re all trying to get used to each other and it’ll happen fast.
(With the offensive line, what’s your number? What’s your magic number in terms of where your comfort level is, how many guys you think you need on the 53-man roster heading into a game?) – “I’m not there yet. We’ll see. It’ll probably be different than last year. I’m assuming we’ll probably have some pieces move around, just because some guys surprised us a little bit in some other areas, so we have to figure out how we keep certain guys. (It may) look a little different. We probably have to be smart because how much is (Mike) Pouncey going to practice and it trickles down. I know (Executive Vice President of Football Operations) Mike (Tannenbaum) and (General Manager) Chris (Grier) are already kind of working that area. They’ve let me kind of stay focused on what my job is right now and that’s practice and corrections and working with the coaching staff, and they handle the personnel side right now. When we get to that point, we can make some decisions.”
