THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2023
(On having seven wide receivers on the active roster)
PEDERSON: “That’s the unique thing about the roster and how it’s constructed every year. You never
really go in with a set number, in your mind you might have a set number. Sometimes, you’re going to go
heavy in one position and you go light in another one or whatever it might be. It’s just how it worked out
this year and we’re excited for the seven we have with depth there and a couple on practice squad too.”
(On process of evaluating WR Elijah Cooks)
BAALKE: “I think like coach said, you never go into it to try to determine ahead of time how many you’re
going to keep in any one position. I think he’s a young man that just kept showing up. He comes to work
every day, he’s got a great attitude. He’s obviously got the physical tools, he’s 6’4” plus his long arms.
He’s got a great catch radius, and he was making plays.”
(On feeling pleased with the draft class that have made the roster)
BAALKE: “Well, first of all, it’s not my draft class, it’s our draft class. A lot of people had a lot of input in
what we did. It’s nice to see when they come in and they are who we thought they were in both ways.
They are who we thought they were as players and as people. They’re great people. They work their hind
end off and it was good to see.”
(On DT DaVon Hamilton being out for more than four weeks due to injury)
BAALKE: “Right now, he had a medical situation that was addressed. We put him on NFI so that’s a four
week. How long it lingers past that, we don’t know yet.”
(On growth of OLB K’Lavon Chaisson and OLB Yasir Abdullah throughout camp)
PEDERSON: “I think with K’Lavon, coming off of last season and the growth and potential he had from
last season going into this offseason, you see a guy that understands the defense. He’s great in setting
the edge in the run game. He gives you some really good pass rush and he’s a veteran player. For Yasir,
he’s just young, athletic, quick, still learning, very raw at the position. But he’s somebody that can come
in and give you a change of pace edge rusher. That’s what we’re going to see and use him in that
situation.”
(On if DT DaVon Hamilton is on the reserve IR or NFI)
BAALKE: “No, he’s on reserve IR.”
(On if putting DT DaVon Hamilton on IR is precautionary due to injury)
PEDERSON: “Yes.”
(On if any positions were hard to make decisions about)
PEDERSON: “Quarterback (joking).”
BAALKE: “Yeah, we told Trevor [QB Trevor Lawrence] that he was very close. He’s on the bubble (joking).
I think they’re all tough decisions to be honest with you. There’s a lot of guys that come in here, you got
91 guys working hard and putting everything they got into it. It’s never easy to make those cuts.
Obviously, some are easier than others, but we had a good group from top to bottom. We had a
competitive group and that day was hard, but we got 53 of them signed up and another 17 so we’re
sitting at 70 right now. We feel really good about it.”
(On when they knew CB Chris Claybrooks was on the exempt list and if it played a role in the roster)
BAALKE: “Well, we knew that was coming. That wasn’t something that was just thrown on us. We had
been monitoring it all along. We’ve been in contact with the league for some time on it, and knew it was
coming so we were prepared for it.”
(On how CB Chris Claybooks’ exemption impacted CB Christian Braswell, CB Gregory Junior, and CB
Montaric Brown’s roster spot)
BAALKE: “Well, we feel good about all three of them, obviously, good enough to keep them on the 53
and feel good about their upside. Greg Junior is competing for that nickel spot right now, Montaric has
done some very good things through camp and has earned that spot. Christian, a very talented young
guy. He had a little injury bug early on, so he missed some time, but really excited about his potential.”
(On why OLB K’Lavon Chaisson has been out of practice)
PEDERSON: “His significant other had a baby this week. That’s why he was excused.”
(On why DL Tyler Lacy didn’t dress in the last preseason game)
BAALKE: “He’s got a little hip deal going on right now. Again, we’re monitoring that and we’re day-to-day
with him, we’ll see where he’s at on Monday when he comes back in the building.”
(On injury update of S Antonio Johnson)
PEDERSON: “Again, not going to put a timetable on it. He’s progressing nicely, this weekend will be good
to rest it a little bit. He’ll still get treatment these next few days, but from a running standpoint we’ll see
where he’s at Monday. We’ll monitor it again, but I would probably lean towards not playing in the first
game just because the nature of the injury.”
(On if he believes they put together a winning roster)
PEDERSON: “We’ll find out. It’s a long season, it’s a long season. Obviously, we know we got the
quarterback. We feel like we got the skill around him and the pieces are there. It’s a long season and
injury plays a part in this game and I don’t look past today honestly. We’ll get through today and focus on
next Monday, get the guys back in here. The one thing I will say with this team is they’re in the right
frame of mind. They’re leaving today for the holiday weekend, eager to get ready and put training camp
behind us and start focusing in on the regular season. I’m excited about that, but as far as where we can
end up, that’s way too early to tell.”
(On comfortability of roster doing big things)
BAALKE: “Ditto coach’s answer. We feel good about the group we have. As coach said, it’s a long season,
a lot factors into a team’s final outcome. It’s a good group of guys, they work hard, they’re close-knit both in the locker room and outside the walls of this building. We’re looking forward to getting rolling in
a week against Indy, and we’ll take them one at a time from there.”
(On where the chemistry has improved amongst the team)
PEDERSON: “I just think the guys have been around each other now for a full season. They’ve been
around us as a staff, they know how we operate. I just think that’s where the confidence comes from and
the closeness of the group. You got the same leaders that are here and that’s huge. You’re not changing
a lot of those players out. It’s the same guys we worked with last year, they’ve matured one year, they
know everything about us and that’s where it comes from.”
(On having a strong collective group of receivers, running backs, and tight ends)
PEDERSON: “I would say that’s fair, with those positions that you mentioned. The running back room is
young, and we’re excited about those guys. TJ [RB Travis Etienne Jr.] has had a really good training camp,
Tank [RB Tank Bigsby] has really impressed, D’Ernest [RB D’Ernest Johnson] is a guy that came on, we
signed him in the spring and he came on and did exactly what we thought he could do and also be a
special teams contributor. JaMycal Hasty too. There’s a young group of guys, JaMycal is the oldest guy in
the room, so he’s the veteran in there and now Snoop [RB Snoop Conner] on the practice squad. We
really didn’t want to lose Snoop if we didn’t have to and we got him back. When you look at that group,
the positions are young, they’re energetic, there’s great leaders in there and there’s great veterans in
those rooms. That’s a hard position, if you’re looking outside the building, you don’t want to look too
far.”
(On feelings of roster being elevated compared to last year)
PEDERSON: “When you’re in this building and you know how we operate inside this building, and
working with Trent [General Manager Trent Baalke] and his staff, you understand the dynamics. We’ve
had draft picks and we’ve had the money to spend in free agency these last couple of years. We
understand the roster changes every year, but we needed to get better and we needed to get better in a
hurry. In order to put a championship roster together, that’s what you got to do. You got to take some
risks and go out on a limb sometimes with some of these players, but I say that to say this: you don’t go
out on that limb without the confidence that the limb is going to support you. The fact that we dialogue
every single day and we communicate and we incorporate the coaching staff and the personnel staff, you
can put together the roster in a hurry. We’ve been able to do that these last couple of years. We still got
to play and we still got to coach. A lot of things have to go your way. We’ve been really pleased with
where we are and how fast we’ve gotten there.”
(On if TE Gerrit Prince wasn’t signed due to roster numbers not lining up)
BAALKE: “Yeah, I think that factored into it. Gerrit’s a good, young player. He’s going to go on and do
some big things in this league. It was just a numbers game. It was keep four running backs, keep seven
wide receivers, or keep four tight ends. We went back and forth and just decided that was the best
course of action knowing there was a great chance that if he wasn’t here, he’d be somewhere else.”
(On if TE Gerrit Prince was wanted on the practice squad)
BAALKE: “Absolutely.”
(On TE Gerrit Prince signing on another practice squad)
BAALKE: “I think they look at opportunity too and what they’re dealing with ahead of them. That’s a
pretty good room as coach mentioned earlier. I think they’re all looking for opportunities on how they can get on the field and be part of the 53. If it’s their choice and they’d rather do that then be on a
practice squad, I think that’s what Gerrit looked at and we respected that.”
(On if the roster is looking at like a 58-man roster)
BAALKE: “Maybe today, but tomorrow that could change. Injuries are such a factor in this game and you
can never have enough good football players. We’re going to do everything we can to continue to look,
continue to build. We’re not done, you’re never done building the roster because things can change so
quickly in this business.”
(On difficulty in the department of only having one cut day)
BAALKE: “It does, I think our group did an excellent job of processing these young men. It’s a tough day
for everybody. There’s a lot of emotion involved and there’s a lot of people that have to be involved to
process 37 guys in one day. We were able to do that, a lot of hugging and some tears as they go out the
door. But that’s part of it, we all signed up for it, but I thought our staff did an excellent job of getting
these guys processed and taken as good care of them as you could’ve on the way out.”
(On message to the practice squad during practice today)
PEDERSON: “It’s the first time the practice squad has been here. A lot of guys, majority of the guys are
from training camp, some of the guys are veteran guys from last year. I just wanted to reiterate to them
that this is a great opportunity for them to continue to develop their craft. They’re responsible for
helping us win, not just the starters, but these guys are also responsible for helping the offense, defense,
and special teams win on gameday. They’re constantly being evaluated, it’s not a sigh of relief that
they’ve made it by any means. Yes, they are that ankle sprain or knee sprain away from being activated
or being picked up on another roster. They got to continue to work, that was kind of the message, and
they will. It’s a good group and we signed a couple of guys off other rosters as well. It’s a good mix of
players.”
(On if he’s glad to have TE Josh Pederson back on the practice squad)
PEDERSON: “As a dad, yes, I am. All the guys really, all the guys that we had in training camp. You want
them back, you want to keep them all as Trent said. We respect the decisions of those that want to move
on. In Josh’s case, he loved the opportunity of being here in camp, he wants to be here to continue to
develop and grow and learn this game. Obviously, it’s a great opportunity for him and he understands
that. Everyday you’re being evaluated and that’s the message to all of them.”
(On how staying on practice squad can help QB Nathan Rourke grow)
PEDERSON: “I think it’s important. He went through all the offseason stuff and training camp with us,
knowing our system and everything. Now he gets to go through a regular season with us, we know at
that position and what he did in training camp raised some eyebrows around the league for him. That’s a
good thing. At the same time, he’s in that room for a reason, we wanted him back for his development
and his growth. It’ll be a great opportunity for him.”
(On the challenge of going against a rookie head coach and rookie quarterback Week 1)
PEDERSON: “Well, we’ve been in this situation before when you’re going against, a new head coach or
coordinator, something of that nature. We know defensively with [Colts Defensive Coordinator] Gus
[Bradley], we played him twice last year and we know kind of what their structure is. Offensively and the
type of quarterback they are, we’ve got to look at a lot of film, we’ve got to go back and watch his
college tape, we’ve got to go back and watch some of the Philly stuff and what they did in preseason.
Just have a great plan as we practice next week and head into next week there’s obviously going to be some unknown. You’ve got to prepare against maybe some of the gadget stuff in the game and really,
you’ve just got to focus on your job. Just do your job, your responsibility, take care of the football as we
always say and come out on top if you can.”
(On WR Parking Washington potentially being on the trade block)
BAALKE: “He was never on the trade block; we weren’t actively shopping him. To answer your question
directly, there were several teams that reached out, but it wasn’t a situation that we felt comfortable
with or didn’t move the needle for us, let’s put it that way.”
(On where QB Trevor Lawrence’s skillset is at now relative to the end of last season)
PEDERSON: “He’s confidence right now, just the ability to throw the ball on time, he’s accurate, he’s had
a really good offseason, a really good camp, but I’ve seen that confidence, that growth, that maturity, in
a young player. He’s still a young player and he’s still learning the game but where he was a year ago to
today is really night and day. He’s so much further along, he’s understanding the game, how to play the
position the right way. [Quarterback Coach] Mike McCoy does a great job of coaching that into him and
all the quarterbacks. To me, it’s just that confidence, it’s that leadership ability that he possesses and
that’s encouraging. He’s continuing to grow, continuing to get better and he’s also one of the
quarterbacks that’s been in the conversation for one of the top in the AFC, as he should be. But he
knows he’s got to put in the hard work, and he’s got a great group of guys around him to help support
that.”
(On who the team captains will be this season)
PEDERSON: “Haven’t decided that.”
(On if choosing the captains is his decision or a team vote)
PEDERSON: “I let the team pick that. We’ll do two on offense, two on defense, and a special teams.
They’ll pick five then I usually pick the sixth one each week.”
(On the level of concern due to offensive line injuries)
PEDERSON: “I would say [OL Ben Bartch] Bartch played well in this last game and did some really nice
things. [OL Tyler Shatley] Tyler was obviously a little different situation; I wouldn’t say it was a injury
situation but he’s in a good place now and he’s been cleared to go and get back in there. We know [OL
Anton Harrison] Anton has missed a little time but he’s healthy and good. We feel really good about
where our offensive line is health-wise going into the regular season. So yeah, no concerns there, we just
keep grinding away.”
(On how important it was to bring back OL Blake Hance)
PEDERSON: “Very important. He is one of the guys that’s probably going to see some time this year and
a player that has versatility in the offensive line. Obviously, those guys are valuable.”
(On if he notices something specific about HC Doug Pederson’s success coaching tight ends)
BAALKE: “Well, scheme, eye, you answered it for me. Yes, yes and yes. In all seriousness, if you know
what you’re looking for it’s a lot easier to go looking. When you know what the traits are, what the
skillsets are, that you’re looking for at the position, offensively how you’re going to use that person. This
goes for any player; you want to use them to their strengths and try to minimize how you expose them
to their weaknesses. Coach does an excellent job at that, the staff does, so that’s with every position.
That’s why the collaboration between the coaching staff and the personnel staff has to be on point because if it’s not you got not fits and non-fits struggle to make it in any system, if they’re not in the right
system.”
(On if any defensive backs have emerged during training camp)
PEDERSON: “Well yeah, that’s why they’re here on the 53. You look at what [CB Montaric Brown]
Buster’s done and [CB] Christian Braswell back there and obviously you mentioned [CB] Greg Junior,
some of the young guys in the secondary. If you’re not willing to draft these guys, bring them onto your
roster, and coach them up and get them ready, or if you continue to go out and sign an older player to
your roster, how do these guys get better? How do they continue to improve? These guys deserve to be
on the 53 for the way they’ve performed in training camp, the way they’ve gone out and done their job.
We were able to keep guys like [CB] Erick Hallett II on the practice squad and of course [CB Antionio
Johnson] Antonio will be coming off his injury soon. So, these guys they deserve to be there but I love
having young players. The league’s getting younger, and these guys and we’ve got to give them time to
develop. I think sometimes we’re too fast to bring in the next guy and it’s something [GM Trent Baalke]
Trent and I are on the same page with. We’ve got to continue to develop our guys and give them an
opportunity to grow because one day they’re probably going to be starters for us. “
(On if there was more or less debate about the final 53-man roster this year)
BAALKE: “Well, quite honestly there isn’t a whole lot of debate, there really isn’t. I mean we talk back
and forth but a lot of it’s done over time. It isn’t like you get to that last day then you sit down and have
this big debate over who’s going to stay there. Coach and I talk every day, every day about different
players, the roster, he’s talking to his coaching staff on a daily basis getting feedback from them. We do
meet as a staff weekly throughout the process of training camp, but it isn’t one day that makes a
decision, it’s the length of discussions we have over time. So, the debates were minimal, I think we really
see these players very similar if not the same in most cases. In the relationship, in the decision making,
it’s very collaborative and I don’t know that I’ve ever been in a better situation from that standpoint.”
(On how tough it is to measure a player’s on-field success compared to practice)
PEDERSON: “You know it’s interesting because it just comes down to confidence in the player. So, they
look good during practice, and they do all the right things and sometimes they get in the game, and they
just feel unsure. They just feel like they’re just a step behind or whatever it might be. Then on the other
side, guys don’t look very good in practice but when the lights come on, they shine. It’s just hard to
figure it out. It’s one of those things where you have to make these subjective decisions and you’re
evaluating them on the whole process. This is why we always say we wear the ‘C’ on our hats because
we’ve got to continue to coach these players and they’ve got to continue to gain confidence. The only
way to do that is to continue to put them out there and let them go do it. It goes back to the earlier
question about the young players, you’ve got to trust that they’re going to do the right things. Are there
going to be mistakes made? Yes, there’s going to be mistakes but we minimize them, we coach them,
and they’ll be better for it.”
(On if DL Folorunso Fatukasi will be ready for Week 1)
PEDERSON: “He’s progressing well, and he’ll be back on Monday. He’s done some football work here,
just not with the team yet. He’s off to the side and I think Monday we’ll have a better picture as to where
he’s going to be going into next week.”
(On how important the first game of the year is for setting the tone for your season)
PEDERSON: “Well this year it’s very important. It’s a division game, it’s on the road and we didn’t fair too
well down there last year. Yes, it’s important to get off to a fast start, to try to win that first game and go play well. That’s why you have a week of preparation, to get the team ready to go, and you just go down
there with a lot of confidence and be ready for a good football team, particularly on offense with some
of their skill and ability and a big strong athletic quarterback, who we saw in the preseason is hard to
tackle. So, those are all the challenges that face us but we worry about ourselves, we focus internally on
us, get better every day and go play.”
(On if CB Tre Herndon is starting at the Nickel position)
PEDERSON: “Yes.”
