| August 11, 2021 Opening Statement: “Today will just be – we had a real good practice yesterday. The coaching staff felt really good about – it was one of those days, padded days, it was another one of the grinders. They went after it and we got some real good work done. We’re going to back it down today pretty significantly and now start getting them ready. You’re still competing against each other, but just kind of get their bodies back a little bit for this preseason game.” On the kicking position after signing K Zane Gonzalez: “You saw what (Randy) Bullock did the other day in that scrimmage, but really up to that point he has been pretty good. That was out at Ford Field, but this just brings us in a guy who – ‘Let’s get a look at him.’ He’s got a big leg and he’s a young guy. Everything’s about competition. Bullock knows that. He’s been in this league long enough, but we get a look at him and let Bullock keep kicking here and just see where it goes.” On if there is a point where he decides to sign a player based on experience: “That’s a good question. Yes, and no. I think if you really felt like that who our young guys are miles are away, just developmental-wise – They’re farther away than we thought and we need to do this. That can happen. I think we’re still – I know (Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes) and I are always thinking man how can we get some of these young guys up and going and how quickly can they develop to where we know we’re not doing them a disservice, but we’re also helping our team? We’re not doing our team a disservice as well. Brad and I aren’t in any type of panic mode or anything right now. Like I said, we’re just going into the first preseason game.” On how much player performance in preseason games affects their chances to make the final roster: “It weighs a lot. Sometimes I think of it like, ‘How much are the tests weighted versus the quizzes or the everyday homework?’ Certainly, the people that put out the work day in, day out, you know who they are. You can’t lose track of that, but yet, even those guys – if you do that every day, but then all of a sudden, every time the lights come on, those are red flags. You can’t ignore those, you just can’t. Now, you have to take into account, a guy does those things every day, the right things over and over in practice, but yet when you get in these preseason games, it’s too big. Well, how young is this guy? He’s a rookie. ‘Well, let’s see where he goes. Let’s give him a chance to develop. Maybe he can grow out of that.’ I don’t think you can ignore that. I think where there’s smoke, there’s fire. I think there is – I just think those things show. You have to – they have to be taken into account because that’s what Sunday is. It’s about the lights and the pressure and everything that comes with it and the guys that rise up.” On if he has set a schedule for the amount of time first-team players will play Friday: “We’re doing that tonight. We’re officially going to do that tonight. We have an idea. There again, we’re thinking a quarter, but that could be anywhere from 12 to 15 plays. Could be more, could be less. Then, there will be exceptions to that. We’re going to talk about that as a staff tonight. Exactly, ‘Who are the guys that may not be playing that we choose not to play because of whatever it could be?’ It could be they’re a little bit nicked up or we feel that way. Then even the twos and threes, the second, third group, the rookies, ‘How much do we want them to play? How much are we looking at here?’ So, we’ll do that tonight.” On updates on TE T.J. Hockenson and DE Da’Shawn Hand: “Both of those guys – there again – we feel like those are minor. Those we’re precautionary. Up to this point, you want all your guys to practice, but like (T.J.) Hockenson, he’s had a real good camp, and he’s been healthy, he’s been good. We feel like he’s going to be fine, but yet, we want to make sure we’re taking care of him, too.” On DE Levi Onwuzurike’s injury status: “He had a couple of things when he was at Washington that we wanted to make sure he’s good with. He’s kind of had a tight back and some things and so we wanted to just to get some clarity on where that was at. We’ve kind of sent him around to a couple of specialists just making sure, and everything seems to be good. We just chose that, ‘Let’s really think about rehab, strengthening, things of that nature this week. Then let’s get him fired up next week.’ You will see him next week. That is the plan.” On if there is concern about DE Levi Onwuzurike’s back: “You’re always going to have some type of concern, but yet, I would say he’s young, he’s hungry, he works. I think we’ve got good people around him to help him. I think that we know what we’re looking at now because we we’ve sent him a couple of places. I think he’ll be just fine. I think – you know what, I can’t worry about it. I think he’ll be OK. That’s what we wanted clarity on, that we think this will be fine and we’re ready to put him back into practice next week and let him grow.” On if DE Levi Onwuzurike’s back tightness affects his chances of playing Week 1 against San Francisco: “It hurts a little bit, but yet – it does. You miss out on a good week, week and a half of some work in pads, but yet, I would tell you there’s still time. There’s still time to get him there. He’ll continue to grow as the season goes. Look, we want him to develop, we want him to come along. That’s a reason we drafted him, but also, I don’t want this to be like we’re in a hurry to do something that he’s not ready for either. We’ll take this as it comes because he’s willing to put in the work. It’s nothing like that. He’s hungry. He’s mad at us that we sent him to somewhere else. He wants to practice and you love that about him. But also, ‘Hey, let’s take it as it comes. When he’s ready, he’s ready. If he’s not, he’s not.’ That’s alright, too, right now.” On RB Dedrick Mills and players stepping up as a result of an injury: “It’s an unbelievable opportunity for a lot of these guys. (Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes) and I both – our eyes are open. They’re open, we’re looking. We’re looking. Just show us something. Hell, you brought up Mills. Mills has kind of had a little bit of a – he kind of tweaked his groin a little bit and hammy. He’s been battling through it and hopefully he’ll be able to play in this preseason game. I’ve seen about – last three days, I feel like the lights come on for him. There are some runs he’s hit. He’s been doing some things on special teams. It’s encouraging. He’s not the only one to your point. We’re looking. If you want a job, we’re looking. I don’t care who you are, what you play, where you are on the depth chart, if you want a job, Brad and I are looking for it. We told them that from day one, and that’s the truth. We’re going to give you a chance.” On if he appreciates G Evan Heim’s grit as an Amazon driver and if he had any odd jobs outside of football: “I do appreciate that a lot because he’s moving along with his life. It’s like, ‘This is what I’ve got to do right now. This is what I’m doing and I’m not sitting around on the couch sulking. It’s time to move on and put your best foot forward.’ So, I do appreciate that. For me, odd jobs, I worked at a chicken shack when I was 16 years old. As a matter of fact, growing up all my life, I worked on our cattle ranch. My dad, one summer, I was like, ‘Dad, I don’t want to do that, man, and see if I can go get paid.’ I didn’t get paid for doing that job. That was like auto. Anyway, so I worked at a chicken shop, chicken shack and I learned how to clean chickens. I could do it blind over and over and I’ll never do it again. I appreciate everybody that does that type of work because it got old quick. That was my odd job.” On if he got free food working at the chicken shop: “As a matter of fact – OK so I did that for a while and finally one day he let me work the window, I get to work the window, the window was here. This is the top of the window, I stick my head through. That was awesome, but I did get paid better. It was good stuff.” |
