DE TRAVON WALKER
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 2024
(On his assessment of today’s practice) “It’s been a good day. Tragic events, but it’s still all part of the
game.”
(On his takeaways from today’s practice) “I just say like a day like today, we’ve just got to buy into what
our coach has given us. He’s been to what we’re trying to get to, which is a Super Bowl. We just have to
trust the process.”
(On beating offensive linemen inside more) “I mean, obviously with me evaluating myself, just knowing
how I rushed throughout my first two years, I really didn’t take a lot of my inside rushes. I’m just trying to
balance out from my inside to my power to my edge rushes.”
(On his satisfaction level with his play on the inside) “I’m definitely happy, but obviously it’s still room for
improvement. Just go continue to keep working.”
(On expectations going into year three) “Obviously, like you said, big jump from year one to year two.
Obviously just to keep progressing and at this point in my career, just be consistent. Obviously, I want to
do what helps my team win game and obviously being consistent is number one thing.”
(On how the defense is fitting his skill set) “Man, the defense that we’re in now is, I feel like it fits me
great. We’re playing straightforward, and I feel like with me playing with my hand in the dirt, I feel a lot
more explosive. I feel like I can just play ball now.”
(On if he’s going to miss any part of dropping into coverage) “I mean, no, not at all. But the more you can
do, the more, the better. Whatever my team needs.”
(On working with Defensive Coordinator Ryan Nielsen) “Yeah, it’s been great working with Ryan. He’s
one of those guys that always gives the ‘why’ on why we’re doing something, so that helps make it a
little bit easier on us. Just going ahead and believing in him, and obviously he has the tape to back it up
with other players as well.”
(On his early impressions of DE Trevis Gipson) “Trevis Gipson—he’s been one of those guys that has
made some great plays and I feel like he’s going to be a great player as long as we just continuously, like I
say, be consistent. Stack days, get one percent better every day. He’s been doing good.”
(On what he’s seen from DE Maason Smith, DE DJ Coleman and some of the young defensive linemen)
“Man, Maason, he’s one of those guys. He’s getting everything, starting to click for him. Obviously
coming through OTAs, he had a little bit of learning process. He’s still learning the scheme, but he’s
definitely coming into that. And DJ, going into his year two, he’s been one of those guys that it’s clicking
a lot faster for him as well, He’s a very aggressive player. He likes putting his hands on people, so I feel
like this defensive scheme that we’re in now helps free him up a little bit as well.”
(On the impact of DT DaVon Hamilton returning this year) “That’s huge for the team and it’s huge for
him as well. Like I said, it’s always going to come down to consistency with everybody among the team
and we just got to keep elevating.
(On how he and DE Josh Hines-Allen help each other on defense) “Me and Josh, we basically talk about
everything. We discuss film together. We discuss just how we’re about to rush a certain player right here.
If we switch sides, he tells me how he just rushed him so I have a plan going into my rush plan with that
person. It’s just a lot of things. We do a lot of studying together, so I feel like our terminology a lot of
times on the field carries over. Now we’re trying to just bring we’re all one group now as a D-line. We’re
just trying to make everybody else a part of it so we can all flourish.”
(On what he thinks DE Josh Hines-Allen’s legacy will be) “Josh, he’s done some great things. Like I said,
it’s just beginning for him too. He just has to continuously elevate and continuously stay on the right
track, put in the extra work like he’s been doing. He’s on the right track. I feel like with him doing that,
it’s just going to keep taking him further and further where you want to go, in the right direction.”
(On if it bothers Hines-Allen that he is Hines-Allen’s son’s favorite player) “I don’t think it bothers him just
because like I said, he’s always took me under his wing ever since I first got here. Obviously, we’re always
competing with each other. But amongst us competing with each other, we’re just trying to make each
other better in the end.”
(On if he appreciates full padded live practices) “For sure. I mean, obviously coming into the morning,
everybody will be like, ‘man, we got—it’s another day in the office,’ obviously. But for me personally, it’s
just something for us to we have to callous our bodies to get prep for the season. We’re right around the
corner, we play next week, first preseason game. Obviously, we know we’re going to have to come out
here and put on full pads, even though we might not want to all the time—it’s just part of the game.
That’s where you come in and have to learn how to practice with your teammates and take care of each
other.”
(On if he feels the intensity increases in live periods of practice) “I mean, for us in the trenches, it’s
always kind of the same because we’re always kind of striking hands and things of that nature. But
obviously once we start going live it changes a little bit, but you still you still want to take care of your
teammate. You’re not trying to go in for the kill shot or something like a cheap shot. You just always want
to take care of your players.”
(On how he’s gained confidence towards the end of last season) “The end of last season, it just kind of
helped me play a lot more freely. Now going into my year three, it’s about me putting all the pieces
together from my year-one to year-two. Now I just want to now I feel like I’m able to just go out there
and play ball without as much thinking.”
HEAD COACH DOUG PEDERSON
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 2024
(On injury updates for S Andrew Wingard and LB Ventrell Miller) “Yeah, Ventrell just had
some hamstring tightness. He’ll be limited, but he’ll be out there. Dewey has the knee right
now and he’s going to be out a while. Yeah, don’t know the time frame yet, but he’ll miss
some significant time here in camp.”
(On OL Cooper Hodges injury) “Yeah, Cooper has the back still, just trying to calm it down
before we put him back out there.”
(On Hodges’timeframe for return) “It shouldn’t be. I mean, again, I don’t want to limit and
put him in a box, but we’re just kind of day-to-day with him right now. It’s getting better.”
(On S Andrew Wingard’s timeframe for return) “We’re going to talk some more about that as
a medical staff and find out and just see what his time frame is.”
(On if DE Arik Armstead is close to returning) “He is. Because he’s PUP right now, obviously,
he can’t get through any walkthroughs or anything like that with the team, but he’s
continuing to work and getting close.”
(On if it’ll be a full-contact practice) “One of two. Well, every day with pads is full contact.
Just tackle. I just feel like you get in those tight spaces, short yardage, goal line, the best
way to do it is just you come off the ball and you play it live. You tackle. Now there are rules
of engagement, too. We still protect each other and all that, but really, all that means is
defensive guys can tackle ball carriers. Other than that, we still protect, stay up, play fast,
all that.”
(On early impressions on DE Trevis Gipson) “Doing some good things. Obviously, Bill
[Outside Linebackers Coach Bill Shuey] is familiar with him, had him in Chicago. Big part of
why he’s here. But he’s doing some really good things, continuing to learn the defense.
You’re seeing him affect some pass rush with our tackles and has really been probably one
of the brighter spots with those backup-type guys on the defensive line.”
(On ideal play counts for backups on the defensive line) “One of the things you’re going to
see that’s going to be different – and this is what we did in Philly when I was there with
[Cleveland Browns Defensive Coordinator] Jim Schwartz – you’re going to see eight guys in
that defensive line. You’re going to see more rotational. You’re going to see guys in and out
of that, different combinations of guys, moving guys around. Will they get opportunities to
rush the passer? Of course, we’re going to put our best pass rushers on the field when the
time comes. But when you’re talking normal-down distance, you’re going to see a different
combination of guys. I think the year we won the Super Bowl, [Philadelphia Eagles DT]
Fletcher Cox was only about 65 percent play time that season because we had eight guys
that we were rolling through. That’s what it’s going to take. That’s why you’re seeing some of
these younger guys get more reps with the so-called starters, just so we can have answers
on everybody and the development of our younger guys. But when it comes time, you’ll see
Travon [DE Travon Walker] and Josh [DE Josh Hines-Allen] and Arik and whether it’s Roy [DT
Roy Robertson-Harris], DaVon [DT DaVon Hamilton], you’re going to see those guys. Jordan
[DT Jordan Jefferson], Maason [DT Maason Smith], whoever it is, you’re going to see those
guys in pass-rush situations.”
(On learning about the offensive line in goal-line situations) “Yeah, I mean, just the ability to
come off the football, and really, this is an area that we’ve talked about, short yardage. First
time we get to see it in this situation with the pads on. The physicality, the play scheme,
play design, what we’re doing. Again, we’re not scheming; we’re just putting in a short-
yardage goal-line type menu that we want to use during preseason. Definitely want to see
the physicality coming off the ball and seeing if we can move the pile.”
(On if CB Christian Braswell has stood out during camp) “He has. He’s done some nice
things, both defensively and special teams. Young player that is in that developmental
situation. We want to give him an opportunity, nickel defense, playing the nickel spot and
then on special teams. He’s been doing a good job. His name may not come up a lot, but
you watch him, and you see what he’s doing and he’s a good athlete and putting himself in
a good position.”
(On if he knows Armstead’s timeframe for return) “No, not necessarily. He’s getting close –
could be any day. Could be next week, could be three weeks from now, could be the end of
camp. But he’s getting closer. He’s getting closer.”
(On takeaways from observing the new kickoff format) “Didn’t see a lot. I thought it was
interesting. They worked the punter, the 12th guy a couple of times there. I think there was
some movement early. I think the Bears had some movement early. It’s going to be new,
right? I think you look at it, and obviously a shortened game, but you look at it and you just
try to see if there’s anything, when you watch it, any takeaways that we could possibly get
from it. Both teams didn’t show a whole lot. I think they were just trying to execute the drill
quite honestly. I don’t think the actual yard line moved much. I don’t think it got past the 30
much, the ones I saw. So, it’s going to be interesting. Everybody’s in the same boat, kind of
figuring it out.”
(On CB Ronald Darby wanting to sign with the Jaguars because of him and his thoughts
about having earned respect from players in the league) “It feels great. I just think as head
coaches you have to build those relationships and those bonds with the players. We had
Darby in Philly and he helped us win a championship. He was one of the reasons why,
obviously. To understand them, what they go through, and my experiences having played in
this league for a while, just knowing what they go through, understanding and listening to
players, I think goes a long way. Giving them a voice to some extent so they can voice things
to me. I think it’s important. I think all of that plays a factor in why guys want to be here or
the relationships that I have with players.”
(On if QB Trevor Lawrence improved ball security in the second half of last season) “Yes.”
(On how Lawrence can continue to improve ball security this season) “Yeah, the ball
security, obviously a big topic surrounding him. Look, I challenge him and all the
quarterbacks because this is how I was challenged in camp. See what you can get away
with now. See what type of throws you can make. Can I make that tight window throw? If it
gets knocked down, if it gets picked, okay, great, that’s fine, good for the defense, but then it
just reinforces certain things from a quarterback’s perspective. But maintaining
aggressiveness with the ball in your hand, again, trying to make those types of throws – not
careless, not poor decisions, throwing late down the middle, none of that kind of stuff, but
on-time rhythm throws, and let’s see what he can do. I put him in those situations, but at
the same time, I also want him to understand that if there was a throw to be made and he
hit back in the flat, then we can go to the film and we can look at it and go, ‘Hey, now we
have to speed up a drop, your eyes have got to be, let a play develop.’ There’s a lot of things
that go into it, and with camp right now, this is the time really to kind of experiment a little
bit with that kind of stuff. But at the same time, you just don’t want to be reckless or
careless with the ball.”
(On how Lawrence can improve ball security in the pocket fumble-wise) “Yeah, I mean, it’s
just awareness, pocket awareness, knowing where guys are around you, and when you feel
the pocket collapse, it’s two hands on the ball or keep it tight to your peck, whatever you
can do. Defensive guys are taught to swipe at the football nowadays, so we have to be more
conscious of that around the pocket.”
(On how special the upcoming stadium practice is) “It’s a great day. We do invite the
military and their families here, and I think it’s great to honor them and get the fans in the
stadium. It’s good for our new players who haven’t experienced that, to get over there and
practice over there and experience that. So, it’s a good day. It’s a really good day and I look
forward to it every year.”
(On if there will be special jerseys for stadium practice) “I believe so, yes. Yes, with the
military. Yes.”
(On how TE Evan Engram approaches his job) “He approaches it like a professional.
Practice is at 9 a.m. and he’s out there at 8:20 going through a routine. That’s what great
players in this league do, especially guys year in and year out that have had consistent
years and good years. He’s one of those. He works on his craft, and he wants to improve,
and he wants to show his teammates what it takes to be that pro and to get himself ready
for just a training camp practice.”
(On if the decision to waive K Riley Patterson before seeing K Cam Little in-game was a
testament to Little’s performance or out of respect for Patterson) “It was a little of both. We
know Riley and he’s made some big kicks here for us, obviously, and it’s an opportunity for
him to catch on now with another team and it’s an opportunity for Cam to feel the pressure
now of if you’re the guy, you need to be the guy. Cam’s done a nice job. I think he was 10-of-
11 the other day and we put him in some long-kick situations the other day. We’re going to
continue to kind of cultivate that, put him in those tough situations and let him feel that
type of pressure. But it’s an opportunity now for Riley to get picked up and continue his
career.”
(On how OL Anton Harrison is doing in his second year) “He’s been doing good up until last
week. He’s actually going to be in the [concussion] protocol. Yeah, so he’s another one.
He’ll be out for these next couple of days, but he’d been doing really good. He’s been
probably one of the more consistent offensive linemen so far this year. He missed a lot of
the offseason with the shoulder and the surgery and all that, but he came back in the right
frame of mind. He’s been doing some good stuff and going against Josh and Travon and the
guys are only going to make him better.”
(On if Harrison’s injury was sustained during practice) “Yeah, it was just during one of the
team periods to get hit. Yeah.”
