Head Coach Jay Gruden
On if he has an update on WR Josh Doctson:
"Nope, I've got nothing for you. Same as yesterday. No update."
On if he will make adjustments to practice because of the heat:
"Yeah, it is a big challenge. I'm going to go out there and manage it myself. We'll have a normal individual period. If I have to cut back, scale back a couple of periods, I'll do that. You know, we'll have a short practice in the morning tomorrow. They're off Tuesday. They'll have a good work day on Wednesday. Thursday we'll get ready for the Jets and play."
On experimenting with Offensive Coordinator Sean McVay calling plays from booth:
"Yeah, it wasn't there last year for us to be able to do that. They just allowed that to happen this year. I thought that he should try it in the preseason. If he liked it better, he could stay up there, otherwise he can come back down on the field. So, just a trial thing. I think he's going to stay on the field."
On the pros and cons of McVay being in the booth:
"The pros are he can kind of spread out, get comfortable and have his worksheets in front of him, really think about the next series. There's a lot to that. He can see better – the coverage and all that stuff – upstairs. The cons are he doesn't get to talk to Kirk [Cousins] in person, in between series, settle the offense down if they need it, talk to me without the headsets if there's some things we need to talk about. So, I think the negative will probably outweigh the positives as far as he's concerned. I don't care either way. I think it went pretty smooth in the game against Atlanta. But I think he feels strongly about the ability to talk to Kirk and go over the plays next to him as opposed to on the telephone. It's just… whatever you prefer."
On if they have experimented with the play-calling process in any other way:
"No. The offense is put in. Once we get going in the regular season, we all have input on what plays are being put in on the offense. Then we have situational plays that we are going to rank, so it's pretty easy to call the plays. We know exactly what's coming and the quarterbacks know what's coming pretty much, for the most part. Right now, it's going to go through Sean and myself. Bill [Callahan] will have some input if need be, but it will be Sean and myself."
On LB Trent Murphy trying to find a natural weight:
"We are hoping that naturally since he's a young kid and a big-boned kid – his dad is ginormous – that he would naturally put on some weight with the weight room consistency that he has. And he has done that without having to eat overly too much. We want it to just come naturally. We don't want him to try to force the issue – eat all the protein powders and all that stuff and try to gain 40 pounds. We want it to come naturally through the weight room. I think he's at a weight that he's pretty comfortable with, right around the 270 range. And I think he can handle it with his speed, I think right around 265, 270, and if it comes naturally where he progresses and gets bigger and bigger to 285 to 290 then maybe we put him inside full-time. But right now we feel like with his size and his skill set, he is still best suited for outside backer."
On players noticing his added intensity during practice yesterday and if there is validity to that assessment:
"Probably, yeah. We were a little sloppy in a certain areas on offense and defensively they did pretty well, but the one thing we can't accept is penalties. Those are things that we have to really correct and we have to be on top of our assignments without question. That can't be acceptable. We can't just brush that underneath the rug, we have to continue to work and push our guys and let them know that we have a high standard around here. If they aren't playing up to it, then it is my job to get them to play up the standard that we expect. I think we have a pretty good group of veterans where they understand the standard that we expect, and they work hard to obtain that."
On if T Trent Williams' return allows the offense to do more:
"I think with the emergence of Ty Nsekhe, I think we feel pretty good about his absence. I never feel good about it because he's a first team All-Pro Bowler, and he's the best tackle in the game in my opinion, but if something does happen, we don't change our game plan without him because Ty has done such a good job. With him in there, you might see more smash-mouth runs to the left. You might see more certain things with his ability to get out in the open field. He's such a good player that we try not to alter our game plan but we do try to do things that he's really good at."
On having what the media has called a "calm" or "boring" camp:
"I think the big thing is we have our priorities set. We know what we need to do out here and that's just to work on football – study the game, work on our fundamentals and try to get better every day. All of the outside stuff takes a backseat when it comes to playing football and sitting in the meeting rooms. Really when you're talking about the amount of time that we're together – with meetings in the morning, walkthrough, meetings in the afternoon, practice, meetings at night and bed check – there's really not a lot of time for extracurricular fun, so to speak. We did see a movie last night, which was really awesome, but for the most part it's been business as usual, man. It's been non-stop, 24/7 football. The guys have embraced it. They accept it, they want to learn and they want to do good."
On DE Ricky Jean Francois providing free ice cream to children at camp today:
"He is that type of guy. That's an awesome thing – I hope he doesn't give the leftovers to [Chris] Baker [laughter]. He's a heck of a guy, man. It just shows you what type of person he is. He's got a great personality out here. We're lucky to have him, man. He brings a lot of energy to practice and he obviously brings a lot of energy to the fans and kids. That's a heck of a deal for him."
On if the "lack of drama" at camp has led to quiet confidence after last year:
"We swallowed a tough pill at the end of the year. We won the division, which was awesome. Without a doubt, we're all proud of that, but to get beat at home by the Packers is not fun and something that gave us all motivation to come back to work. You have a sweet, small taste of success by winning the division, but everything just gets wiped away when you lose in the playoffs, at home especially. That leaves everybody with a taste in their mouth and they want to come in to work right away and get to the OTAs, get to training, get to training camp and get the season started again. I think that's everybody's mentality."
On CBs Dashaun Phillips and Greg Toler:
"Yeah, it's interesting. Toler and Phillips… [Quinton] Dunbar had a couple rough plays, quite frankly they weren't all on Dunbar. He's done well obviously. Did I say [Kendall] Fuller? We've got an exciting group back there. Toler has really shown up in a big way. He really has. We signed him because of his coverage skills. Indianapolis, Greg Manusky had him as the defensive coordinator there and had a lot of great things to say about him. We're glad we have him. He adds depth to the cornerback room, and great, tight man-to-man coverage skills. At the end of the day, if you can play tight, good man-to-man coverage, it gives your defensive line time to get home against the quarterback, and good things will happen. He's proven to be a very good pickup for us, him and Phillips, and Phillips is learning. He was practice squad a lot last year. We activated him, did some things on special teams, but now he feels really comfortable playing nickel. He's competing with Fuller, and whichever one steps up and earns that right, we have two very good nickels."
On how RB Matt Jones can fill the role previously held by Alfred Morris:
"Yeah, you know, the one thing about Alfred was he was very durable. He was around week in and week out. That's the one thing that we have to be able to count on with Matt. And injuries happen in the NFL, but hopefully he's available for 16 weeks – very important. He can handle the workload and that's to be determined. We have total faith that he will. He works extremely hard in the weight room. He's in great shape, but only time will tell. We still have other backs here that we're going to give the ball to. It's not going to only be Matt Jones in the backfield. Chris Thompson will get a fair share and then whoever emerges as the No. 2 back, either Keith Marshall or the other guys here – Rob [Robert Kelley] – we'll see what happens."
On his preference between coaching from the field or from the booth:
"I always like to be on the field. I like to be with the guys, you know? Some coordinators like to be upstairs. They like to be away and have their thoughts. It's more calm. But I like the chaos on the field where I can calm everybody down and be in the middle of it."
On QB Colt McCoy's performance against Atlanta:
"I thought he did good. He had a great pass to Vernon [Davis] and unfortunately we didn't get it done. Couple good drives, some good throws. Colt's a very good quarterback. He knows the system and he's come along. He's very confident right now and eager to get an opportunity, but he also knows his role as a backup to Kirk and be a good backup for him. When his time is called – hopefully it won't be – but if it is, he'll be ready and I have total faith he'll get the job done."
On what makes a successful backup quarterback in the NFL:
"Well, first he's got to be a skilled player. He's got to be a skilled quarterback and he [McCoy] is. He can move around in the pocket. He can make all the throws. So that's half the battle. Then you have got to understand your role. Then you have to get better without the reps. That's the toughest thing. Kirk's going to take the majority of the reps, so as a backup you really have to study the game not getting any reps and that's not easy to do. But luckily he's got some experience. He's very supportive of Kirk, offers up ideas, and he gives the defense good looks when he has to. He does what's asked of him. He's a good leader. He doesn't complain or moan if he doesn't get a rep or what have you. He just does his job and tries to be as good as he can be."
Quarterback Kirk Cousins
On his hyperbaric chamber:
"Yeah, the chamber is in my room. We've got a couple of guys on the team who have chambers in their rooms. It's a pretty simple process, and it's pretty easy to move. It does a lot of help with recovery and just hopefully prolonging your ability to feel good."
On how he learned about it:
"I do all kinds of stuff in the offseason to try to help my body and get in the best shape possible. I want to play this game as long as possible so I'm trying to be very proactive in doing the right things. One of the many people I see for help along those lines recommended it and I read up on the benefits of it. I've only had it for about a year but I feel like it's been a tremendous help."
On how much space the hyperbaric chamber takes up:
"It doesn't take up all the space. It's big, but it doesn't take up all the space. There's still plenty of room. It's a good-sized room. But definitely a good help and it fits right in the corner and does the job."
On his mentality going into the second preseason game:
"I don't think the mentality changes a whole lot from game one to game two to game three to the regular season. Anytime I have the chance to go out there to play in a game, I'm going to prepare and I'm going to focus and be disciplined and detailed in my preparation and play inspired and do my job as long as I am out there to do it. That will never change."
On his first training camp as the starting quarterback:
"I think it was a productive two-and-a-half to three weeks. I think we got a lot of work done. We covered a lot of situations and got to see so many different players contribute and get a lot of experience and growth. It was a productive camp and hopefully we can finish strong here with the last couple of practices and get geared up for our second preseason game. It's been a great start."
On team chemistry:
"I feel very good about the chemistry of the team. I think we have a great group of guys, good people – professionals. They approach their job with the kind of professionalism that we need and we're just starting to build that understanding with some new players of what they do well and try to put them in positions to be successful."
On the benefits of the hyperbaric chamber:
"I think the benefits of a hyperbaric chamber probably are going to be seen in the long term than in the short term. But, much like any other habit that's a productive, healthy habit, you may not notice the results right away. I think it's just good for recovery and for helping heal and restore all kinds of issues that could be going on. Like I said, there's a few other teammates that have them and use them consistently and guys around the league. It's something that I think is very beneficial for one's overall health."
On the importance of having a good running game:
"Having a productive running game is very, very important. And that's kind of elementary to say but it's true. And since you asked me, I'll make that clear. Having a great defense, having a great running game, being able to control the line of scrimmage… the fundamental principles of football that have always been there are very important. Obviously there are ways around it. You can still throw the ball effectively, use quick game and other things, but you're going to be more consistent as a football team if you can control the line of scrimmage and run the football successfully."
On if there have been fewer position battles in camp this year:
"I think there have always been and always will be position battles in training camp. When they come in with 90 guys and cut it down to 53 – but really in my mind, it's 46 because those are the only guys who can actually dress and play on game day – you're literally cutting the roster in half. I've said to people, you know, imagine if we had two journalists here in this room and we said in three weeks one of you is gone and one of you is staying for the season and we're going to pay you a good salary but the other one we're paying this much [signals zero]. There'd be some stress. There'd be some competition and I don't care if they said, 'OK, you've been around for five years and you haven't.' No matter how safe you feel, you better bring it every day. So, I don't know anybody who feels comfortable and safe out there. We're all trying to prove ourselves. We've got three weeks of camp and then three more weeks in the preseason to make sure we're on that roster and then we've got to prove ourselves every week of the season otherwise we're going to hear about it. So, it's a high-stress, highly competitive business and it brings out the best in all of us."
On the importance of practicing in the heat:
"I think any elements you practice in, you can find value in. Whether it's a rainy day, we're going to have games in the rain. If it's a hot day, we're going to have early-season games in the heat. Who knows, we may play a late-season game in the heat – it's a part of football. You play in the elements, you have to handle the elements, and I think it's the sign of a mature, professional football team that can go out into any conditions and still put together a sharp practice that's very effective. I think we need to not make excuses for any poor performances. We have to always find ways to be productive despite what circumstances may arise."
On the key to having success in the run game:
"I think it's a combination – coaches know that they'll prepare well and get the right scheme and the right plays called, and then we as players have to execute properly. Each player on the field has a role in that. We also want to be able to run in favorable situations against advantageous fronts. I know for sure one of those runs the other night was a run that I easily could have audibled out of it and gone to a pass, but I decided to leave the run play on. It didn't work, and after the fact you're thinking maybe next time go to the pass. By no means is it bad play calling or we're not running the ball well, sometimes it's just that I can get out of the play and get us to a better play. That's the kind of thing that people on the outside may not realize. There are a lot of variables that go into it, but every one of us knows we have a job to do. We know what that job is. If we all do it the way we need to, I think we'll run the ball well."
On running up-tempo:
"I think the up-tempo has advantages in the sense that 1) if there's a challenge or a play where you don't want to give the other team time to think about something, you want to get up and run the ball, you want to have a mechanism to do that. If you feel like your offense is a little sluggish and you need to get out of a rut, sometimes going up-tempo can just get the juices going again. And if you feel like the defense is just kind of a little too comfortable or falling asleep and they're able to just kind of play front and coverage and not worry about what you're doing, sometimes getting up and playing fast can wake them up a little bit and catch them napping. So there's advantages in all different ways and I think it's an important part of NFL offenses. You have to have it. You have to be ready and it's one of many, many situations and preparational areas that we have to focus on in camp so that when in Week 4, 5 or 6 when it comes up out of nowhere, we know we've repped it and we're ready to do it and can do it at a high level.
On Offensive Coordinator Sean McVay calling plays from the booth last week:
"Well, I think it feels pretty similar while I'm on the field because Sean's still able to communicate in nearly the same way. When I'm on the sidelines, it would be very different obviously. Sean used to be sitting right next to me on the bench and now being up in the booth he would have to call me on the phone. That's the difference. I know Sean's still experimenting with it. I don't know come the season if he'll be in the box or on the sidelines but it's worth giving it a try. Obviously you can see things very, very clearly in the box that you can't as clearly from the sidelines and that's the advantage. That's the reason you would do it, not to mention the fact that it's a very sterile environment. You can be very organized. You've got all of your information right in front of you. So there's advantages to that. Obviously, the disadvantage would be the ability to communicate between series when we're on the sideline. So we'll have to weigh the pros and cons. Sean ultimately or Jay will make that decision, but I think it's worth exploring in the preseason."
On how it worked against Atlanta:
"For the small number of plays that I was in, I think it felt pretty good. Because I wasn't going back in for another series, I didn't notice the off-the-field sideline interaction being as important so it wasn't a true test, which is why I think it might be helpful to try it again for another game. I'm very pleased with Sean and what he's doing with our offense. It's so key as an offense to find an identity, find what you do well, have a bread and butter, something you can hang your hat on. And I think we're starting to get there. We're starting to feel that with the players we have and Sean's done a great job of just continuing to evolve the offense to our strengths and weaknesses. I feel very fortunate to be able to work with him and learn from him because who you are with and who you play this game with has a huge impact on how you play."
On his definition of success in the preseason:
"I guess there are different degrees of success. Coming out healthy is important. That's certainly successful. If we go down the field and throw five touchdown passes but I get hurt, I don't know that we would call that a success. If I don't throw a single completion but I come out healthy, I don't know that we'd call that a success either. There's a balance. We're trying to be ready for Week 1 but also get in a rhythm and find some completions and convert some first downs and move the football and hopefully score points, just like we would in any other situation. We're going to try to do that until they take us out of the game."
On the "lack of drama" this offseason:
"I've told my teammates that I'd like to be the San Antonio Spurs of the NFL, be super boring and maybe people at the end of the season just go, 'Wow, they really had a good year and no one really talked about it.' I don't need to promote myself. I don't need to promote what we're doing. We have plenty of people here who are very good at doing that if we play well enough. I just want to play football. I don't want to worry about anything else, and I found from playing at Michigan State and playing even before that, if you win football games, everything else takes care of itself. It's pretty simple. It's a pretty simple recipe."
