Redskins Misc News & Info

[Krusheasy]

willams presser

T Trent Williams


On what he’s seen in his one-on-one practice battles with LB Junior Galette:

“A lot of speed, explosive, elusive. All the same qualities that made him one of the best pass rushers in the league.”


On if Galette has returned to where he was prior to his injuries:

“Yeah, you know, it happened so early. We didn’t really get a chance to go against each other. So I didn’t really get a chance to see him in action two years ago. I mean, speaking on today, yeah, he looks the same.”


On if getting his hands on Galette is the key to neutralizing him:

“I mean, I’m bigger than him. You know, he’s a smaller guy, so that’s the case with most guys. If we can get our hands on them we’re good, but it’s so hard.”



On what makes Galette a good pass rusher:

“He’s an eight-year pro, so he’s smart. He knows the game. He’s been around for a minute, so he knows how to use his rush to his advantage. I mean, he’s just a really good player.”



On practicing against different types of pass rushers:

“It helps me a lot. It’s a changeup. Having Preston [Smith] who’s a bigger body, probably a little stronger, a little longer, two totally polar opposite types of pass rushers. The changeup helps me tremendously.”



On if the offensive line boxes at practice:

“We do. I think Coach [Jim] Tomsula requires the defensive guys to do it a little more, but, yeah, we all do it.”



On if he notices any difference in the defensive line since they’ve been boxing:

“I mean, you can just tell Coach Tomsula has put his mark on all the guys. [They’re] so much more active with their hands and they’re getting off the ball, they’re pressing the point. They’re very strong. He’s teaching them how to use your momentum against you. A lot of things he taught Justin Smith back in San Fran, a lot of things he did well, it’s kind of shedding on the defensive line over here.”



On players standing out on the offensive and defensive lines:

“I mean, all the guys are playing well. They’re competing at a high level. I don’t know if it’s anybody that people don’t know about. Everybody knows how good Junior can be. Everybody knows how good Jonathan Allen can be. I think he’s showing a lot of promise. [Anthony] Lanier, he’s bulked up. I mean, even Preston [Smith] has gotten a lot stronger, a lot more certain in his moves. Joey Mbu came back in great shape. He’s coming off the rock pretty violently. It’s a number of guys up front who I think are having a pretty good camp.



On the first seven years of his career:

“It’s been pretty much a roller coaster. We’ve had some great times, we’ve had some bad times, but the good thing about football is every six months it all recycles and starts over. Everybody’s on a clean slate, everybody is 0-0. We have a lot of talent on this team, and we have a lot of confidence.”



On S D.J. Swearinger’s talk on the field:

"The minute he steps on the field, you can tell he’s a vocal leader, and he lets you know he’s there [laughter]. Everybody, from an offensive standpoint, I mean, he’s backing up what he’s talking, so it ain’t like you can call him out on a lot. It’s quiet out there, no music, sometimes you just get tired of hearing it and you just give him a little chatter back, but I mean for the most part, it’s nice, it’s clean, it’s healthy competitiveness and it’s what we need."



On DL Jonathan Allen:

“He’s really explosive off the rock. He learns quick. A couple moves that I would do and it would take a few times to catch on, with him it only works once and you’ve got to switch it up. He’s extremely strong so you have to be very mindful of playing with a good base when playing against him. He knows not to get past quarterback depth, which a lot of young guys make that mistake. You run them by pretty easy. I was just impressed when he gets to the depth of the pocket he turns his rush back into you. And like I said, he’s pretty strong, so it’s pretty eye opening. He’s making good strides, man, just being a professional for only a few days.”



On the last time he faced a rookie like that:

“I don’t really recall us having any highly touted defensive lineman as a rookie to come in.”



On players similar to Allen around the league:

“I mean, around the league, there are good guys, but you don’t really give them 100 reps in two days against them. They don’t catch on as fast because they don’t have as many times to see it. I think that’s what impressed me the most because he [Allen] didn’t have to see it that many times before he made his changes.”



On Buccaneers DT Gerald McCoy calling Williams the best tackle in the game and what Williams can improve upon during training camp:

“I mean, obviously it’s flattering when any one of your peers think enough of you to call you the best at your craft, but to me, I’m grading myself every year. I don’t really lean on outside sources to tell me how well or how bad I’m playing. Every year I’m looking at my film and I’m looking at a way to get better. I’m not really looking at things I did well. I’m looking at things I didn’t do so well. I can always be better technically. You can always play more consistent. That’s one of the things in this league, everybody is so good, it’s kind of hard to play at a high level every play. I’m crazy enough to think that I can do it, so I’m going to keep working until I get there.”



On how much his grueling offseason workouts are a mental test as much as a physical one:

“It’s all a mental test. I think the biggest kicker about it all is you don’t have to be there. So any time they tell me to go up that hill, I had the freedom to walk out anytime I want to. So I think having that heart and the mental toughness to stay there and go through it day in and day out, I think it definitely makes you tougher mentally and it gets you confidence in the work that you put in. It’s probably only maybe one percent of guys who will sit out there and do that on their time off. For me it gives me confidence, and like you said it lets me just focus strictly on football and not having to come in and get in shape or whatnot.”



On stability in the starting five on the offensive line and the next step in the group’s development:

“I think the next step is just running the ball more effectively, continuing to protect Kirk [Cousins] and keep him upright. I think when we can all put our hand in the dirt and move the line of scrimmage and keep the ball going downfield on the ground, I think that makes us more effective as an offense. [When] you can control the game, it takes a lot of pressure off the defense and it breaks your opponent mentally when you pick up first down after first down and you stay in third-and-manageables. It opens up the whole playbook. For us, I think the next step is being more consistent and running the ball.”


On what it takes to run the ball consistently:

“It takes a lot. Running the ball is a lot more than just the five guys up front. But at the end of the day, we are the engine to the car. We can be more consistent. With the experience, with everybody with another year in the offense, the right side is really young and the center – really young – and with the more experience they get, the better they are going to play, which is scary because they are already playing at a really high level. But I know from experience that in this league, the more you play, the better you get. I think it’s going to come with time and hopefully this season is the time to take that next step. That’s about it, man, and some luck – some guys staying healthy. There’s things you can’t control, but if we have the ball bounce our way and have all five guys every game, that will help us out.”

 

[Krusheasy]

roster moves

For Immediate Release

August 3, 2017



REDSKINS MAKE ROSTER MOVES



RICHMOND, Va. – The Washington Redskins announced today that they have made the following roster moves:


The Redskins signed the following free agents:

S Stefan McClure

S Tim Scott


The Redskins released the following players:

S Josh Evans

S Earl Wolff IV



The Redskins waived the following player from their Reserve/Injured list with an injury settlement:

DB Lou Young III

 

[Krusheasy]

gruden presser

August 3, 2017



Head Coach Jay Gruden


On if the approach of using defensive linemen interchangeably will change once the preseason begins:

“Well, I think that’s probably the approach, but, you know, hopefully some people step up in that role as starter. But obviously when you have five defensive lineman up on game day, they all play a lot – significant. So at the end of the day it doesn’t matter, but it matters to some of the guys who maybe have outplayed the other ones. They want to run out of the tunnel first. I think they all know that defensive line nowadays, it’s about substitution, staying fresh, playing hard and doing the best you can.”



On when the NFL began to shift to using defensive line rotations extensively:

“I think it’s become more specialized a lot. You know, you’ve got first and second down. You’ve got base, you’ve got nickel, you’ve got dime, and you’ve got all these sub packages now that people have to run in and out. You know, we might only have one defensive lineman on the field at one time. Sometimes we’ll have two, sometimes we’ll have four, and sometimes we’ll have five. So, you know, it’s a very specialized group now and it calls for a lot of substitution.”


On the alpha mentalities of LB Ryan Anderson and LB Junior Galette:

“Yeah, that’s what drew us to Ryan in the draft. He is definitely an alpha, which you guys say he is. He’s a leader, plays hard. Same with Junior. That’s the mentality you want your defense to have and the more of those guys the better. Josh Norman is definitely one. D.J. Swearinger, for sure. So we have a lot of guys that are like that. We have some quiet killers too like Ryan Kerrigan. He’s not a real talkative guy but he’s a really good football player and plays extremely hard and plays tough around the football that you like. So that defense, that type of personality is contagious and that’s what we want.”



On what it’s like talking to Anderson and Galette compared to other players:

“Well, Ryan Anderson is finding his way right now. Junior is trying to find his way back. So, both of them aren’t quite as vocal as they probably will be in the future if they’re starting to perform very well and play to the level that they think they can. You know, Junior’s trying to get himself back in shape and Ryan’s trying to learn the system and find a way to fit in. So, D.J. [Swearinger], Josh [Norman], those guys, they’re talking.”



On what he saw in RB Chris Thompson when Gruden joined the team in 2014:

“I think in this day and age, what I see, when I was in Cincinnati where I came from, we had Giovani Bernard my last year there as a rookie, and I knew what type of impact he had on third downs and pass protection and getting open on linebackers – especially in the red zone, also. I needed that role here, and Chris Thompson fit the bill. He’s fast, can catch the ball extremely well, and I thought he was tough enough in pass protection. So, it was a matter of keeping him healthy and see how he can handle that role, and he’s been perfect for it. You know, it’s a huge role for us. In the red zone, they double cover the tight end, they double cover receivers, but the backs are usually one-on-one and it’s a great matchup. Out in the field he’s got to pick up these backers in the A-gaps, and he does a great job of that and picking up safeties on blitzes. Then he can also get open and catch a checkdown and turn it in to a big play or a screen – and he’s running the ball very well. And that’s what you’re looking for, a guy with that type of stature who can catch, block and then run when he has to.”



On if S Su’a Cravens is in the same situation of finding his role and niche:

“Yeah, same thing, actually. Like I said, we drafted him last year and he played a 3-4 outside backer, nickel-type thing at USC. He didn’t really play in the whole or the half at USC, it was mainly around the football. We drafted him and we had visions of him being a safety, but he had never done it really. We put him at the linebacker spot and tried to blitz him, tried to use him around the football, and then this year we wanted to branch him off and play safety once he learned the system and how the NFL works. So far, it’s been a good project but we’ll see. He’s got a ways to go but I like his progress. I think he’s just going to get better and better."



On how RB Rob Kelley has improved:

"I just think his confidence in what we're doing. You know, I think his first year he was probably overwhelmed a little bit. He got very few reps, and, you know, he [was] probably pushing himself very hard to take advantage of those reps, which he did. Then he earned more reps and obviously became the starter. And now his second year, he's had a year in the weight room, another offseason in the weight room and the playbook, same terminology, same tracks, same runs, same protections, and [he's] just more confident. He's bigger, he's faster, and he's more confident."



On Anderson and DL Jonathan Allen's 'pro-readiness' coming out of Alabama:

"They played in a lot of huge games. The SEC, you can argue all you want, is the best conference in football and they played great competition week in and week out. Every game was a huge game for them, not to mention their record was what it was. Their defense was as stellar as it was. They got tons of turnovers. I think they scored a touchdown in like 10 straight games on defense, and they just had that mentality of running to the ball. They had other players on their defense that were very good also, but Jonathan was consistent in the middle. His junior year, he was a great pass rusher. He transformed his game to become a better run player. And then Ryan was just all around the football all the time. He was just a productive football player with sacks, takeaways, was good against the run, and both of them are very smart players, very attractive to us and luckily we got them both."



On if he sees his brother, Jon, returning to coaching at some point:

"It wouldn't shock me, no. I don't know why he would want to do that, he's got a pretty good job. But, I think Jon's got a passion for the game. There's no doubt about it, the way he talks and the way he prepares for the job that he has is second-to-none. He loves coaching, he loves preparing, and it shows in the job that he does. He does a great job. I don't know if he'll come back or not. That's a tough one."



On the ceiling for WR Jamison Crowder and if more will be asked of him this season:

“We don’t like to put a ceiling anywhere on any of these guys. I think he’s got great potential. He’s already played great for us and he is going to get better and better. I just think the sky is the limit for him. And the absence of Pierre [Garçon] and DeSean [Jackson] obviously has opened the door for a lot of guys – Josh [Doctson] and now Terrelle [Pryor Sr.] and Ryan Grant and Mo [Maurice] Harris when he gets back on the field. And then some of these rookies – Robert Davis is doing a good job, Zach Pascal. They’re showing up. Great opportunities for a lot of guys and hopefully they take advantage of them, but Jamison I think is a phenomenal talent both inside and outside and a punt returner, very valuable for us.”



On his impression of Defensive Line Coach Jim Tomsula’s energy:

“Well, you got me again, Chick, with another dazzling question [laughter]… Oh, yes, yes, give me a little hint here. ‘Well, he’s great energy, man. He’s sweating. He’s getting into it, man. He’s boxing with his guys. Man, it’s awesome. I love it!’ Is that what you wanted to hear? [Laughter]”



On the difference in WR Josh Doctson between his rookie year and this year:

“He’s practicing, that’s good. I think we saw the talent last year in spurts, but he didn’t get a lot of chance to really practice. He had that Achilles deal. We were trying to limit him, trying to get him on the field, it just never really worked out. He finally played against Dallas a little bit. We saw him [in] flashes, saw the talent, there’s no doubt about it, but we just could never really get over the hump as far as that injury to both his Achilles. I think he’s over that hump now, he’s doing a good job and now it’s just a matter of the rest of his body getting in shape and then playing. You’ve seen flashes of him out here already as everybody has. We just have got to keep him healthy and keep him working with Kirk [Cousins] and getting used to each other because that’s going to be the important thing, especially in the red zone. There’s a lot of throws that Josh can come down with that Kirk has got to understand that. He has got to trust the fact that Josh can make unbelievable catches and plays just if he’s given the opportunity. That’s something that Kirk has to have the belief in, and Josh has to make the plays and show him that he can do it.”



On roster moves with defensive backs:

“We’ll announce that afterwards… We’re just making sure they pass the physicals and all that stuff.”



On T Trent Williams diet:

“I think he’s talking to our nutritionist, Jake [Sankal], who is our guy. I’m sure they have had conversations. but Trent is a big boy and this is something that he wanted to do. I’m sure they’ve had discussions to make sure it doesn’t influence his weight too much on the negative side where he’s down to 280 or anything like that. I think he’s in a good spot weight-wise, as good a weight as he’s ever had around here, so we will see how it goes, but he’s in contact with Jake.”



On Fan Appreciation Day on Saturday:

“It’s a big day. We’re going to do a lot of situational work. It is going to be a big practice day for us and obviously when we have a big crowd around here, it’s more exciting for the players. But it’s a big day for everybody involved. It’s a chance for the fans to see where we are and how far we’ve come. It’s a chance for us to enjoy the fans afterwards, take some pictures and give our thanks to them. So it will be fun.”

 

[Krusheasy]

anderson presser

LB Ryan Anderson


On his transition to the NFL:

“I’d say it’s been pretty smooth so far, man. The guys I’m around – I’m fortunate to be around a great group of guys, helping me get acclimated, teaching me the ropes. So it’s been pretty smooth so far.”



On if Alabama helped him prepare for the NFL:

“It did. Practices there are a little bit rougher than here. We do a lot of banging around there, so it definitely prepared me physically and mentally for this grind I’m doing now.”


On his level of admiration for LB Junior Galette and when it started:

“I’ve been watching Junior since I was in like ninth, 10th grade, man. Just to be out there with him picking his brain every day, it’s been good. You know, hopefully I can learn a bunch from him, Trent [Murphy], Preston [Smith], Ryan [Kerrigan], all those guys. It’s going to help me down the road.”



On what he appreciated about Galette’s game growing up:

“You know, he was an undrafted guy. He worked his way up to the top. He’s an effort guy, you know, he plays hard. He doesn’t take many plays off so I respect that about his game.”


On if LB Ryan Kerrigan and other veterans have shown him the ropes:

“Well, those guys, they do a lot of leading by example, you know what I mean. So, it’s easy for a guy like me. I just watch them and I can pick up on a lot of the things they do. Like I said, they’re great guys, great leaders and great people.”



On the toughest part about his on-field transition to the NFL:

“The competition level. I’m not taking no reps against no freshman that are just coming in from high school. All these guys are good and they’ve got families to feed, man. So, you have to go hard every play out there. You just try to get your foot in the door and get your feet wet, but you’re going to have to earn it.”



On areas of his game in which he’s trying to improve:

“All of it, I mean, all of it. It’s going to come with time. Just have got to keep repping it and keep getting better every day at something new. “



On college teammate DL Jonathan Allen:

“Jon, he’s a guy that doesn’t talk much. He don’t like messing up, he don't like getting beat. That bothers him when stuff like that happens to him. He comes out every day and he just competes, man. He’s the type of guy that you want on your team. He’s one of my favorite guys on my team back then. He’s one of the guys that always got me going. Comes out there when I’m not feeling it some days, he’s the guy that always [said], ‘What you got for me today? What are we going to do today?’ So it’s good to have him out there doing it again.”



On if it helps having Allen around:

“Yeah, definitely.”





On if he’ll share specific goals for what would constitute a successful rookie year for him:

“No, I won’t share any of my goals, but I definitely have goals and the ultimate goal is just to win, you know what I mean? Just come in and find a role on the team and play my role to help this team win.”



On what he’d be doing at this time of year if he was still playing at Alabama:

“We probably would have just finished doing our conditioning test, getting ready for camp, getting ready to start camp today or tomorrow.”



On if there was more hitting and banging in Alabama practices than in the NFL:

“Yeah, I mean, at this level it’s all about protecting the players. At that level you’re developing players still. You’re bringing players out of high school, and you have got to see if they’re tough. You’re going to make them tough if they’re not. We do a lot of team run, a lot of blitz periods. It’s a lot of banging going on down there.”



On if he has thought about being a week away from the first preseason game:

“I try not to think about it. I try not to. I just take it day by day; I don’t want to get myself too excited or anything that would cause me to have any anxiety when I go out there.”


On how much pride the defensive rookies take in the Redskins going defense-heavy in the draft:

“They took us. Of course, they need us to come in and play. We’re just going to come in and do what we’ve got to do, man. We are going to follow the lead of the older guys and we are going to set the tone.”



On what he said to LB Mason Foster about the College Football Playoff semifinal between Alabama and Washington:

“There wasn’t much to say, man. Y’all saw the game [laughter].”

 

[skinsdad62]

hey krush , you know we post these in the TC thread dont you ? not that there is anything wrong with you posting them here too

 

[Krusheasy]

doesnt hurt to post them twice

i always post pressers & rosters moves here tho

 

[Krusheasy]

gruden presser

August 6, 2017



Head Coach Jay Gruden


On roughing the passer penalties and the difficulty of players not instinctively grabbing quarterbacks:

“That’s always difficult, especially when they’re on their way down if they’re getting pulled down. That’s going to be difficult, it will. To put a target on the quarterback, obviously we want it below their head and now it’s basically above their waist. But if you get low like that and you’re crawling at the quarterback, then you have to swipe his leg and pull it. It’s a point of emphasis and something pass rushers will have to deal with. But the hardest part is when they get blocked or they get cut and they are on the ground and they’re trying to get back up. That’s the hardest part.”



On how he instructs his players about that rule:

“Well, just like the officials came in and explained it to us. That’s the best way we can explain it. It’s hard to practice that because in the heat of the battle, like you say, it’s hard to say, ‘OK, don’t get the quarterback down by tackling him by the legs.’ As long as you go to a side and tackle like that, it’s OK. You just can’t do that [pull], right?”


On if it being game week changes the team’s plans for practice:

"No, we’re still in training camp, really. I think we’re going to handle today and tomorrow [as] training camp. Tuesday we’ll shorten down a little bit, Wednesdaywe’ll have a walkthrough, play Thursday."


On if he has any idea of how long the starters will play Thursday:

"Not yet. We’ll see how we get through the next two practices, see where we are."



On high-profile injuries around the league and if fear of them plays a role in determining how many reps starters get:

“That’s one of the great dilemmas you have, really. It’s how much you want to play them. You have got to get them ready. There is no substitute for practice and playing in some preseason games to get them ready to go, but again, that’s a risk involved in pro football. No matter if it’s a preseason game or not, injuries do take place. There’s a fine line there. There’s certain guys that will get probably a little bit more than others, but we will make that judgment when the time is right.”



On areas in which he told RB Chris Thompson to improve and if Thompson has done so:

“I have seen him get better. You know, Chris is a pro and I think the way he finished the year was pretty good at his craft. He was really a third down back for us but he did get some carries in critical times. First, second down, there is some feature plays we like for him in the backfield. But I think when you’re talking about Chris, you’re talking about taking care of your body in the offseason; getting a little bit stronger, just continuing to work on your craft. I’ve never had an issue with Chris. He’s one of the smartest players on our team. You’re always looking to get better and I think his way of getting better is to take care of his body in the weight room, obviously running and keeping himself in shape, which he has.”



On CB Josh Norman’s work ethic and what he brings to the defense:

“Yeah, I think he’s finding his niche as a leader and his work ethic is rubbing off on everybody. I mean we’ve got a lot of guys that work extremely hard, but when you sign a contract like Josh signed, you know, players can take it a couple different ways. But when they see how hard he works and how hard he prepares after practice, before practice – you see him with a soccer ball; that’s not an indication of what he does – but he works extremely hard. He’s a great player for us and he’s a great leader. He’s still finding his way, so to speak, but the intensity that he brings to the defense is excellent.”



On the steadying presence of LB Ryan Kerrigan:

“Yeah, you know, not a lot people talk about Ryan anymore. He’s just always there, he’s a mainstay for us and he’s a very productive player. He’s an excellent player against the run, which goes unnoticed sometimes by a lot of people. But he sets the edge extremely well. It’s hard to run to his side, and then his pass rush is still pretty darn effective. So, I think he’s still going to be a double-digit sack guy for us. Like I said before, he’s excellent against the run. I think he’s in great shape right now. You know, you want to try to hold him out of some practices, make sure you don’t put too much wear and tear on his body, but he’s going strong right now and he’s looking very, very polished and in great shape.”



On the secondary and competing against the receivers in the NFC East:

“We’re going to need the pass rush going effectively. How they mesh together is going to be the tail of how our defense plays, quite frankly. You’ve got [Bashaud] Breeland, you’ve got Josh [Norman], you’ve got D.J. [Swearinger] and you’ve got Su’a [Cravens], they are playing pretty well right now. We will see how they match up. You’ve got [Quinton] Dunbar that’s playing well. Kendall Fuller is doing a good job. We have other guys that are competing to try to get in the lineup. We feel like we have good depth on there but now it’s a matter of how they jell together when we start putting in all of the coverages, playing against different formations, different personnel groups and man/zone. How they jell is going to be the difference on whether we’re a great defense or a good defense.”



On WR Robert Davis:

“Robert has done some good things, not just catching the ball but blocking. I’ve been impressed with him. We’re trying to run the ball. Any time you want to be a physical, running football team, you have to have physical receivers to go in there and block safeties from time to time, sometimes even linebackers. Robert has proven he can do that. He’s not afraid, that’s for sure. He’s pancaked a couple guys already so that’s what caught my eye so far. Then he’s making his mark on special teams; he’s getting better on special teams. The other day he had a nice long touchdown catch from Colt [McCoy] and he’s doing good things in the passing game. Mentally, it’s all got to start to slow down for him but he’s getting there. He’s a big, physical, talented kid that we like.”



On what kind of camp CB Bashaud Breeland is having:

“He’s doing good… He’s such a competitive guy. He gets in trouble sometimes, he’s so overly competitive, but for the most part, I like what he’s doing, man. He’s doing his job, working at his craft, and he’s working with a new defensive backs coach with some new fundamental techniques and some new coverages. All the defensive backs are going through a little bit of a change right now, but I’m hoping that come game time against Philadelphia we get it all squared away and they feel really comfortable. I think he’s doing good.”



On T Trent Williams hosting the offensive linemen for workouts and the chemistry of the line:

“They’ve had great chemistry, I think, for a while, and it’s just getting better and better. I think they did that last year at Trent’s place and they did it again this year. They’ve got great camaraderie along that group. All those offensive linemen work together, they have to because they’re together so long. Coach [Bill] Callahan has a breakfast club, then he has morning meetings, then he has practice, he’s out there during special teams period, working with them after practice, then we meet again. So they better like each other, otherwise it’d be a miserable outing. I’ve been really impressed with Trent and his leadership, and his ability to bring all those people together under his wing and teaching them the ropes about how to be a pro, how to practice and how to prepare.”



On LB Junior Galette fitting into the system:

"He's got to find his way. You know, I think I mentioned it before, the sack production that he had at New Orleans before his two injuries was pretty good, you know? So if you can sprinkle that into our defense, we're going to use him – somewhere, somehow. I think the ability to move Preston [Smith] inside from time to time will help us so we can leave Junior outside, Ryan [Kerrigan] outside, move Preston around a little bit, when Trent [Murphy] gets back, move him around a little bit. But Junior's been very good against the run so far out here. He's been an effective pass rusher, and he's doing some good things. We’ve just got to hope the trend continues – gets in better shape, better football shape. He's in great shape already, but football shape he's got to continue to work at. You know, be able to play four, five plays in a row, 10 plays in a row, whatever it might be. But, we'll find a spot for him if he can still rush the passer. No doubt."



On if he’s considered carrying four tight ends:

"Yeah, I've thought about a lot of different scenarios, both outside linebacker, safety, corner, inside backer. I mean, we have some issues we're going to have to deal with as far as the 53-man roster. I think it'll all play out. You know, everybody's happy with everybody right now, but at the end of the day, people are going to have to perform in the preseason. They're going to have to continue to perform, be consistent performers out here on the practice field, and at the end of the day, we're going to have to make some tough decisions somewhere. Could be a tight end spot, could be safety, could be inside backer, could be outside backer. We don't know yet. We’re going to let it play out, let these guys compete, and we'll do the best we can picking the best 53."

 

[Krusheasy]

cravens presser

S Su’a Cravens


On if it feels like he ever left safety:

“No, I mean, it doesn’t feel like I left safety. It feels like I’ve played sort of a version of the position throughout my college career and a little bit last year, but it definitely feels good to be a solid, set position.”



On why he is happy to be back at safety:

“I just feel like it aids my skill set. It allows me to play in the open field. It allows me to make decisions to make decisions on balls in the air, and it ultimately allows me to be a playmaker and I like that.”



On if he had to do any special conditioning to get back into safety shape:

“I condition pretty hard during the offseason, so the biggest thing I had to do was just change my diet. Once I got the weight and dropped the weight down, the conditioning can remain the same. Like I said, I work pretty hard, so that wasn’t much of a change.”



On the differences between the defenses of Joe Barry and Greg Manusky:

“They’re both great defenses, but I just think with a guy like Manusky, we’re going to be a bit more aggressive. You know, third and short distances we’re going to send a little bit more pressure, whereas for Joe B., we’d sit in a Cover 2 or Cover 3. We’d really think things out and try to read routes more than we do with this defense – which is not reading the route, just reacting to what we see or just playing the defense that he calls.”


On differences in play calling by Manusky:

“If ‘Manuss’ likes a play, he’s going to see who he has out there on the field and if he likes the matchup, he’s going to call it regardless of if somebody thinks that he should be calling something else, and it just allows us to play on the fly.”



On his versatility and the difficulty of finding a position for players with his skill set:

“I think the college game and the pro game, they are different in a lot of ways but they’re starting to get kind of similar when it comes to the pass game just because it’s all matchup. In college it’s all matchup. You’re going to take your athletic tight end if they’re going to put a 250-pound inside linebacker on him, they’re going to throw the ball to him most of the time. In the NFL, you’re starting to see that now. You’ve got guys like Gronk [Rob Gronkowski], Jordan Reed, the tight end for the Chiefs [Travis Kelce]. They’re going to pick their matchup. They’re going to get an athletic guy out there. You need guys that are bigger than corners but smaller than linebackers that can move and be athletic in open space to guard them. I think guys like me coming from college, they’re starting to produce what you need, that ‘tweener’ role that’s kind of exactly what you need for the NFL, so it’s pretty good.”


On being “the guinea pig” in that role:

“It’s tough when it’s new because they don’t know how to play you or they don’t know what to do with you. So when you have a guy that’s not really a set position, it’s kind of like, ‘Oh, well, he can’t play either.’ But now you have offenses that are attacking that guy that you don’t really have to play in place now that you have that guy.”



On S D.J. Swearinger:

“He reminds me of Dion Bailey, the safety I played with my freshman year at USC. He was the guy that was always the spark plug, always loud, always communicating and talking. No matter what the period was or how the day was going, you could count on him to get an energy boost. He reminds me a lot of Dion.”



On how playing linebacker helps him at safety:

"It just helped me learn everybody’s responsibility, knowing run fits and knowing where everybody was going to be – whether it be a run or a pass – helps a lot. As safety, I’m behind everybody, so they’re trusting me to be in the position I need to be in. It allows me to play faster, knowing exactly what they’re going to do, where the D-line’s going to fit, so it helps me sharpen up my angles."



On having officials at camp:

"I mean, it doesn’t change anything. We’re going to play how we want to play and if they are going to flag it, we’re going to get flagged. I mean, if you saw some of the things the offense gets away with, you’d understand as to why we think everything’s a bad call. So, I mean, we know it’s an offensive league, so we’re going to play to the best of our abilities and let the refs sort it out."



On getting the defense off the field on third downs:

“I think that’s kind of why we’re getting a bit more aggressive on defense. We’re not going to sit back and let the offense take their shot and hopefully we’re in the perfect defense. We’re going to come after the quarterback, we’re going to get aggressive with receivers on the edges, and hopefully our talent is better than their talent.”

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Yay, can't wait!

 

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Trailer...

 

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[Krusheasy]

gruden presser

August 7, 2017



Head Coach Jay Gruden


On the confrontation between CB Bashaud Breeland and WR Terrelle Pryor Sr. in walkthrough:

“It’s been resolved hopefully. They just had a little argument. It happens. So we just cooled it down and stopped the drill for them and let somebody else take the reps.”


On how Gruden helps players handle their emotions:

“I think we’re all emotional right now. This late in camp, I think people get a little bit emotional from time to time. It’s no different. We’ve had some pushing and shoving with the linemen, defensive linemen, tight ends and outside backers, so it happens.”


On the latest on WR Josh Doctson:

“He had an MRI and will be day-to-day… A little, slight pull. He has a pulled hamstring.”


On how often there is pushing and shoving in a walkthrough:

“It doesn’t happen very often in a walkthrough, to be honest with you, but it does happen from time to time.”


On if he feels they “dodged one” with Doctson’s injury:

“Yeah, you just never know with the severity of these hamstrings really and some people recover faster than others. It’s just a matter of him getting in the training room and rehabbing it and taking the time and making sure he gets back 100 percent before he gets back out there. That’s the big thing is we don’t want this to be a reoccurring thing so we have got to make sure we get it right.”



On if last year’s injuries will affect their timeline for Doctson’s return:

“I think this is a different injury, a difference set of circumstances, so we will treat it accordingly.”



On what advice he would give to rookies before their first preseason game:

“That’s a good question. I think just play with your poise and, you know, be fundamentally sound and do the best you can with your assignments and then play hard. That’s all you’ve got to do, just play hard. They’ve been schooled up since OTAs – the majority of them, rookie minicamp – and have had a whole offseason and now training camp. They should be ready to roll. I’m excited to watch them all. You know, I think they’ve all shown they’re worth a roster spot, now it’s a matter of them going out and performing and showing what they have.”



On if there are injury updates on TE Jordan Reed or LB Preston Smith:

“No, nothing.”



On if there have been more hamstring injuries in camp this year:

“No, we have Jamison [Crowder], [Josh] Doctson. Spaight was a hamstring, that’s three. [Su’a Cravens] was cramping, I think. [Maurice] Harris was a knee… I think you look around the league and look at the injury reports right now, I think everybody has four or five guys with hamstrings or calves. We have a calf. This happens, guys are running a lot.”




On if he has his plan for the starters for Thursday’s preseason opener:

“No, I’m going to come up with that. I have a general idea but I’m going to wait and see how we come out of this practice here today. We’re going to be in shells today and then tomorrow we’ll be in shorts, so we should be OK, but I just want to make sure we have healthy bodies [and] who they are.”



On if S DeAngelo Hall will play in the preseason:

“I don’t have a feel for that yet. You know, he’s rehabbing and he’s very, very, very close. So, I like his progress. The trainers like where he’s at but we’ll wait and see.”



On C Spencer Long:

“He’s done a good job. He’s a strong kid, man, he really is. You know, he missed a day or two because he was ill, but he’s done a good job. He’s progressed along for it being his first time playing center, I mentioned that a couple days ago. You know, he’s got it down. He just has got to continue to work on his craft. He’s got a ways to go, like everybody else, does but I like his progress. I like him in there as the starting center, man, it feels good.”



On the foundation of his relationship with Breeland:

“We’ve been with him now – this is our fourth year together, right? – this will be our fourth year together. I’ve got a good sense of who he is. I really do. I think he’s a very competitive individual and he wants to be great. I have no problem with that. Sometimes he does get a little heated from time to time, as do a lot of other guys, as do I. So we just have got to channel our emotions and take it out on the other team, not on our own players.”



On if he and the team are excited to finally face another team on Thursday:

“No question. You welcome a game right about now. We’re excited about it. I think it’s good that we’re out of pads today. It’ll take the edge off just a little bit. We’re going to still have competitive periods here and there, but it’ll take the edge off a little bit. The big thing is I want to make sure they hit Thursday running. A lot of these young guys have been running a lot and working hard, so I want to make sure they have a full tank of gas come Thursday evening at Baltimore. It’ll be a great opportunity for them and hopefully they’re up to the task.”



On if confrontations in practice can be viewed as a good sign:

“Yeah. It happens. I would be surprised if there were any NFL camps that haven’t had a pushing and shoving match at all. We’ve had a couple of them out here and every year I’ve had a couple of them. Heck, it’s just what it is. It’s pro football. Guys are competing to make the team, competing to be the best they can be and sometimes they get a little edgy. So we just have to control it every now and then.”

 

[Krusheasy]

crowder presser

WR Jamison Crowder


On how he’s feeling:

“I’m doing better. You know, it’s kind of day to day. Yeah, it gets a little frustrating not being able to go out there and compete, but I think right now my health is the most important thing and just being ready for Week 1.”


On if he feels behind because of his injury:

“No, I don’t feel like I’m behind. You know, we did a lot in OTAs. Coming out here is pretty much just kind of really getting back into it, but I don’t feel like I’m behind.”


On the difficulty of simulating practice when training in the offseason:

“It’s tough when you’re training in the summer. It’s tough because the first day – the first couple days of practice – you can’t really simulate that through training. It’s always tough but hopefully next year I can try as much as possible to simulate practice. That was the issue last year, so like I said, I’m just trying to get healthy.”



On what he learned from recovering from his hamstring injury last year:

“It’s just getting back healthy. The main thing is just to try to be back and be ready for Week 1 of the regular season.”



On if he felt any lingering effects from his injury last season after he returned:

“No, I didn’t. You know, last year once I got passed it, for the regular season I was fine.”



On if he is doing anything different to train this year for a potential move outside:

“No, I didn’t do anything differently. It was just, you know, daily workouts, weight room, field work. You know, just to prepare myself to be a better receiver. You can’t really simulate taking on hits when we’re not hitting. So, I just did my daily routine, like I said, weight room and field work just to be a better receiver for this year.”



On if he is planning on retaining his role as punt returner:

“Yeah, as of now, I’m the return guy and I plan on and I hope that I can continue to be the return guy. That’s all I’ve heard.”



On the camaraderie among the wide receivers:

“I think the receivers, we’ve had a really good camp this far. As far as one on ones and making plays, just going out there and watching daily, I think that we’ve made a lot of plays. [Josh] Doctson has made a lot of catches, TP [Terrelle Pryor Sr.] has made a lot of catches, Ryan Grant, pretty much everyone across the board has made plays. Hopefully we can continue to do that throughout camp and then the preseason and on to the regular season.”



On the intensity level in one-on-ones between the receivers and defensive backs:

“That’s just how it is – camp – and that’s what you want, the competition. You want to make each other better. You always want to go against the corners hoping that they are giving their all, because whenever the regular season comes, you’re going against the ones. Those guys are going to be tough. I think that it’s a good thing to go out there and have that competition against the DBs and, like I said, we just want to make each other better.”



On if his role will be changing in the red zone this year:

“I mean, I don’t really see my role changing. I’m going to be in the slot if I’m healthy and can go. And I think that with the addition of TP [Pryor] and [Josh] Docston coming back and with [Brian] Quick, they have height, and then Jordan Reed. I think it’ll help us out a lot tremendously in the red zone.”



On what he’s seen from WR Terrelle Pryor Sr. so far:

“I mean, there’s been a lot. His size obviously and his speed for his size and his route running, I didn’t know how well he ran routes prior to him coming here. But once we started working in the offseason and out here, you see him running routes and he has really great routes, like a smaller guy, and then obviously his playmaking ability. So I look forward to playing alongside him, I’m excited and I think we’ll have a good year.”



On WR Josh Doctson and if he’s talked to him about his hamstring:

“I’ve talked to him. I don’t know much about the injury, how severe it is, but I think that he’ll be fine and be ready to play.”

 

[Caliskinsfan]

With Dale...

 

[Krusheasy]

gruden presser

August 8, 2017


Head Coach Jay Gruden


On injured players who will not play in the first preseason game:

“[Jamison] Crowder, [Josh] Doctson, [Jordan] Reed, obviously. Kendal Thompson still. Those four for sure. Fabian [Moreau], Montae [Nicholson], those guys for sure. I think that’s about it.”


On how long starters will play Thursday:

“I don’t know, we’ll see. I told everybody yesterday just get ready to play the game and then I’ll decide on the substitution pattern.”



On the next steps for CB Fabian Moreau and S Montae Nicholson:

“We’re going to let them see the doctor after the first preseason game and Larry [Hess] and hopefully we’ll get them in some more team activity starting next week. That’s the goal right now. We’ll see how they’re doing and get to the doctor, but that’s the goal is to get them started next week in some team and some one-on-ones and all that.”



On what Moreau and Nicholson have been able to do in practice:

“They’re been doing individuals and walkthroughs. They haven’t participated in any team drills or one-on-one matchup drills yet, but I think hopefully starting when we get back to practice they’ll start. That’s the goal.”



On if he’s concerned that LB Junior Galette might be “too fired up” to return:

“Why would I be worried that somebody is too fired up? I hope everybody is as fired up as Junior. I think everybody is excited to get back on the field. I know Junior is after two years. Obviously there’s a strong case for that. He’s put a lot of work in. I’m proud of the fact [of] what he’s accomplished getting his body right, getting his weight down, getting himself in football shape. He said it yesterday, he feels like he’s in as good of shape as he’s ever been in. Now it’s about working on his pad level, his hand placement and all that stuff. He’s on the right track.”

 

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Scot's on twitter if anyone wants to follow him

 

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cousins presser 1/2

QB Kirk Cousins


On the last two weeks:

“I feel encouraged by the growth of the some of the newer players, the receivers come to mind. I think they’ve played even better than they did in OTAs so that’s encouraging. The value of preseason games is you go against a different defense, and I think that helps us. To against the same guys every day in similar coverages, you’re probably not getting a total picture of what are we going to look like as an offense. So, we want to see some different looks, some different players on the other side of the ball. But overall, I think we’re at a good place, but again, it’s so early and it’s so hard to tell until you actually get thrown into the fire.”



On adjusting to receivers other than projected starters:

“It’s going to be a good test because I stood up here at the previous podium session a week or two ago and said the best quarterbacks as the players come and go around them, they continue to produce at a high level. And that’s certainly a goal of mine is to play well regardless of who’s in there. In this league, with how much attrition takes place, you’re not going to have the luxury of playing with the same starting receivers for 10 years. So, welcome to the NFL. I would love to have Jordan Reed, Jamison Crowder out there on Thursday night, but that probably won’t happen. So, I’ll develop the rapport and get to know these young guys even better. So I think it’s a good challenge. You know, do I want to play on MondayNight Football with the best players we have? Absolutely. But that’s not necessarily the luxury you’ll always have so it’s good work to have to play with whoever is ready.”


On the benefit of practicing against other teams in previous years:

“There is tremendous value in that and I would love to do that as much as possible. I wish that was all of training camp – just practicing against other teams. The value lies in the fact that it’s different schemes. You get very comfortable and accustomed to the other side of the ball when you’re going against them day in and day out. They know our hand signals, our code words, what we like to do better than any defense that we’re going to play during the season and vice versa. So it’s not a true representation of what Sunday afternoon is going to feel like when I know that corner inside and out because I’ve gone against him now every day for three years. I know what their blitz checks are so I already know before they’ve even given away the blitz sometimes. Those are the things that you don’t want to have the answers to the test before you take the test, you want to play it true and honest. When you have a brand new team come in here with brand new players, it really helps you get a better test of where you as an offense and as a group. There is a lot of value in that.”



On how much he wants to play in preseason games:

“I would like to play as much as possible without the risk of injury. Just like practice, I want to get as many reps on the practice field as possible. So there is never too many reps. There’s no such thing as ‘I was too ready for the game, I had too much experience,’ but I understand the need to pull a player when the value gained by playing isn’t there and where the risk of injury is much higher. I want to play a lot but I also understand that those games don’t count.”



On the difference in the Redskins’ defense:

“I don’t want to give away too much of our defensive philosophy or what I’ve noticed, but I do think there are differences. I think that it’s going to allow a Josh Norman – I think – to be more active and make more plays, I’d like to think. He’s been scaring me a little more this camp than maybe last year simply because of the coverage schemes and what he’s being asked to do or given the opportunity to do. Ultimately they know what they’re doing and I’m just trying to react accordingly. I do think that they’ve got a good group there. I think there’s some continuity there with the linebackers and their leadership. I’m excited about our defense certainly it’s a big part of us winning football games.”



On if he thinks about his contract:

“I understand that this season impacts my future in this league, but it’s not affecting me on a day-to-day basis. And because I played on a fourth year of my rookie contract knowing that I was going to be a free agent and then I played on a contract last year where I knew I would be a free agent after the season, now this year this is my third go around in that sense, and as a result I do feel like I know how to handle that. I understand that ultimately we just need to win football games and everything else will fall in place.”



On what he thinks he can get out of limited time in the preseason:

“There’s a lot of mechanics that go into our offense in terms of hearing a play call from the sideline with legitimate crowd noise. The warm-up process of going through a game to be ready to go from the first snap, which is the entire day, hours leading up to the game, it’s a good routine to go through. The blitzes we’re going to see, the way they’ll disguise their fronts, the play clock, substitutions from the sideline, you don’t have a coach only standing five yards behind you able to talk with you the second after you throw the pass… Having to stand on the sidelines for what could be 10 minutes before you get a chance to go back out there, all those things that are true of game day are not well-simulated in a practice because that’s not the way we structure practice. So the mechanics of how games process through is good to go through and is not the way practice is always structured.”



On purposefully trying not to “over-prepare” this year and if he feels better mentally:

“I think the short answer is, yes, I do feel better. I feel more confident. I think it was probably reflected when I was mic’d up. There’s just a greater relaxation, there’s a greater comfort level and ability to just be myself. If you mic’d me up three years ago, I just wouldn’t be in that place. My personality wouldn’t come through because, like I said, training camp was my Super Bowl. It’s not a time to be joking around. If you act like that every single day and never let your personality come through, that’s where I said the burnout can happen because you’re on edge all the time. As you get more comfortable and solidify your role and understand where you are and feel like you’ve been there before, you can relax, let your personality come through and just enjoy the game and play. I like to think there’s a balance there where I can be the best possible football player when I’m relaxed, but also locked in.”

 

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cousins presser 2/2

On the difficulty of learning how to extend plays during training camp:

“I get frustrated with practice because I want it to be as close to game day as possible and today had a bit of a walkthrough feel to it. The pass rush wasn’t 100 miles an hour and I want it to be 100 miles an hour because I want to feel Terrell Suggs coming off the edge and get ready for what it’s going to feel like in a real game. And so I dropped back and it was a three-man rush and nobody's really open because they’re dropping eight players, so I kind of tried to scramble and the D-Line pretty much gave up and the play was over and I’m like ‘No! Come chase me! I want to make this play happen and get work at that.’ I didn’t really get a great simulation of it because it’s practice and it’s not the real thing, so that’s where preseason games have value. We do need the scramble work, we do need to get better at that. We have made a couple plays, which has been encouraging, but we want to do it more and more and it is tough to simulate when they can’t hit me and you never really know when you were sacked and when you weren’t. It's a tough thing to practice”



On the mixing of defensive linemen and if he is facing a better pass rush in practice:

“I do think that my clock has been going off pretty quickly, and it’s the same catch with any play made in practice. Who are you cheering for? Every time there’s a big play made and the crowd cheers, you say, ‘Well, someone just got beat too and that’s not a good thing.’ Very much the same with the pass rush. You certainly want to feel them and want to feel like they’re coming and they’re making life tough, but you don’t want Trent Williams getting beat either. I think it’s been a good mix, it’s been competitive. I certainly don’t feel like we’ve just had our way with the defense by any means and that’s a good thing. There’s been a good rotation on the defensive line and depth is so important in this league. As you know, injuries end up having a big impact on who’s there at the end of the year and which teams had the best possible years, and I think that we have got to stay healthy but that fact you have depth and can rotate guys in should help guard against injuries.”



On the last time he felt this relaxed going into a season:

“I certainly don’t want the narrative to become that, ‘Kirk’s so relaxed, he’s got this. He’s like Aaron Rodgers out there – just chill like he knows what’s going to happen next.’ That’s certainly not how I feel. I definitely feel like I’ve got to go out there and prove myself and the season is a grind. I guess compared to previous years, I guess having experience has built confidence and has helped me to have a little more – whatever the word is – a little more confidence. But I’ve still got a long ways to go. When was the last time? I don’t know. I feel like it goes back a ways because even in late college it was a grind and was certainly – as I’ve said before and alluded to – trying to chase the next goal and never really felt very safe or comfortable. But certainly senior year of college had that little more stability in my role and I had been in the role and had been a captain and was kind of my second or third time around the block, so that helped.”



On what that confidence can do for him:

“I’d like to think it will make playing the position more fun and less of a grind and I can just enjoy it and truly live the dream. We went to the concert the other night at FedExField and I said, ‘You know, growing up I’d pull up to a venue like this for a sporting event and I’d say, ‘Man can you imagine being the guy playing in there? What a thrill, what a dream, I can’t imagine being that guy.’ I said, ‘I’m pulling up right now thinking that same thing about the band that’s playing, and yet, when we pull up in our bus for a game, I just don’t feel that way.’ And I think it’s partly because the game is such a challenge, it is such a grind. It takes everything I have to be successful and as a result, I just treat it like, ‘That’s my job, I have got to go do that tonight,’ you know what I mean? There’s nothing fun or cool about it, it’s just I have to go get the job done. I’d like to think that the longer I play, you can appreciate the fun of it more and just relax and enjoy it. I think I’m hoping to get there as I continue to play and get better, but it’s a process.”