Opening Statement: “Well, we have got a really good day yesterday. Really, we’ve gotten a great week. The last three days that we’ve had padded practices, the day before that night practice, that day, the night practice, and then yesterday were outstanding. Just the work that we got, the situations we have got, the amount of reps. They’re hard reps. They’re under stress. They get tired, have to work with each other. You have got to stay on top of your fundamental. I just thought it was great work. So, I’m pleased backed way off today. Shells, hour long, a little bit in the red zone. Just get the blood flowing and then get them out of here.”
On the backup quarterback competition and how Lions QB Joshua Dobbs fit into the mix: “It is still open. And I see we’re going to start Dobbs this game. So yes, (Lions QB Jared) Goff’s not playing. So, we’ll start Dobbs, but they’re both going to play equal amounts is kind of the plan here between he and (Lions QB Luke) Altmyer.”
On what he needs to see from the first to the second preseason game to feel like the team is heading in the right direction for the regular season: “Well, you just need to feel like things are cleaned up, that you’re not making the same mistake twice. Some of these, particularly these young guys, these young players, like, OK, what did you learn from the last game? That’s really what you’re looking for. Is there growth when the lights are on? In practice, you can see growth. You can see guys getting better. OK, now you were under the lights Thursday night at Cincinnati, and now where’s it at? But yeah, that’s what you’re looking for. You just want to see the growth, man. Are they learning from this? And it’s not too big for them. And they can take the coaching to the field when it really matters in game time.”
On if his plans changed to play starters on Saturday because the team put in good work over the past few days: “It could. It could, but I’m not quite there yet. I just know I don’t see (Lions QB Jared) Goff playing.”
On why Lions QB Joshua Dobbs has not had many practice reps: “Well, I think some of it is – look, Dobbs is a bright guy. He’s played in this League. But also, man, just making sure we got him up to speed, being true to that. And also (Lions QB) Luke (Altmyer)’s a young player, but he’s promising and getting him, trying to soak him with reps. So, it was just kind of a little bit of that, but we’ll get a look at Dobbs here and let him go.”
On if he sees Lions LB Jimmy Rolder back at practice before the end of camp: “It’s probably unlikely. He’s doing well. I mean, he is progressing well, but I think it’ll be hard pressed to see him next week.”
On if he thinks Lions LB Jimmy Rolder will be ready to play by the regular season: “Yep, I do.”
On what he likes about Lions EDGE Eric O’Neill and where he sees his growth by this stage of camp: “He’s a guy that makes plays every day. He is, he’s pretty sneaky. He’s crafty. A little bit of him is what is he? And we’re still trying to answer that a little bit, man. Where does he really fit? What really suits him? It’s not stackbacker, but yet can it be on the line, kind of an OLB or is it D-end, like a rush D-end? I know this, he’s smart. He plays hard. He’s pretty crafty. He’s got some tools in his toolbox, he’s a rusher, and he just kind of makes plays every day. So, he’s another guy – it’s hard to ignore him. And I don’t want to say quiet. I think I’ve mentioned him before. I mean, you saw the interception the other day in that night practice we had, and he had a good rush. He had some good plays in the Cincinnati game. So, he’s intriguing and some of it is really fit, man. And special teams, by the way. He makes plays in special teams every day. So yes, we like him.”
On how much Lions LB Jack Campbell having the green dot is attributed to him playing most defensive snaps and how indispensable he is to the defensive: “Yeah, he’s just too good of a player. Here’s the good news with Jack. Jack is a big physical human being for the middle linebacker position, which means he can take a beat and then he can deliver a beating. And that’s hard in today’s game. So, to have a guy like him, I mean, he can take on a lot of reps. Not everybody can do that, but he’s too valuable. I mean, he does everything for us. There is a chance we pull back on some of these special teams reps because we do, we need him on defense and he’s not coming off the field. He’s just too valuable.”
On who would have the green dot if Lions LB Jack Campbell is not on the field: “You’re talking doom right now. Don’t do that. No, I mean, look, there’s a number of guys we like. (Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez) Rodrigo could take the green dot. (Lions LB Joe) Bachie could take the green dot. (Lions LB Trevor Nowaske) Now, there’s a chance Now takes the green dot. Now had the green dot the other day. So, we’ve got guys that can do that, but that’s not going to happen. I guess if his shoe comes off, yes. One of those guys can do that.”
On Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson getting extra blows in a game and how that could benefit him over a game and the season: “Yeah, we’d like to be able to do that. And you really just alluded to it. Some of the what went into that, the whys. He’s another guy. It’s hard to take him off the field because he does so much for us and he doesn’t get tired. He doesn’t wear down. He just keeps coming. But, we also know, man, if we can take some off of him, it’s only going to help. Not only now, but long term. So, that’s in our heads. Now, it’s a whole different story trying to get him off the field, but we’ll figure that out because he doesn’t want to come out. And that’s a good problem to have. It’s in our mind, and that’s why it’s important for a guy like (Lions EDGE) Derrick Moore to come on. He just got back and the good news is he’s gotten two good days of work. That’s positive, but he’s got a long way to go. He just needs reps. Derrick Moore needs reps, but we like what we see for the limited amount of snaps he’s had so far, but it’ll be big.”
On what he has seen from Lions OL Juice Scruggs playing at center as he has gotten more reps: “Yeah. Well, I think it’s been probably what you would imagine a little bit. He just got back and now he’s exclusive center and there’s been a little bit of, we have got to kick some of the rust off of here. We have got to get a little bit of that off there and let those guys work together. But, I did think yesterday was better. And particularly in a lot of that situational work to where they got to be on the same page with some stuff. And the rest of the old line, I think those only help. Like I say, Juice has played center, he’s played in real games. He’s suited for it. And it’s just really about he getting up to speed with (Lions QB Jared) Goff and some of our calls and then those being on the same page with the guards and everything. But, time on task. We have got time to get there. So, like I said, I see Juice playing in this game with that O-line. And so, this will be good work for them.”
On an injury update for Lions OL Ben Bartch and if he thinks there is time left for him to win a starting job in training camp: “That’s a good question. He’s in concussion protocol. So, he got dinged, I guess, a couple of days ago. And so no, it’s hard to say that. It’s real hard to say that over four practices or whatever, doesn’t mean it can’t, but that window is shrinking right now. So, the most important thing is for him to get to where he feels right again and to where he can go. He’s healthy, he feels good and he can start practicing and then we’ll see. But no, I mean, I think that window is closing quickly.”
On if he feels like he has the depth and body types at the EDGE position to mix and match based on situations: “I think all of those. Yeah. As it pertains to edge, I’m going to say all of it between the interior and on the perimeter because look, (Lions EDGE D.J.) Wonnum has had a really good camp. I would love where Wonnum’s at right now, man. He’s another one of these guys. He’s a smart football player. He’s crafty. He knows how to use his length. He’s got a couple of different rushes that are a little bit of a problem and plays the run. So, between that, (Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson) Hutch, I think (Lions EDGE) Derrick Moore, he just needs reps. That’s a good thing. And then we have got (Lions DL) Alim (McNeill), he’s been a terror in the middle and that hadn’t slowed down at all. That’s just kept coming. So, any one of those improved just a little bit. You get a little bit more press up there. And by the way, (Lions DL) Tyleik (Williams)’s having a good camp. You get a little bit more push up the middle or get an edge and flush the quarterback to Wonnum or I’m talking about half a yard, a step or whatever that is to Hutch or Wonnum, that’s good news. Wonnum pushes a little bit, he’s pushing the Hutch. Hutch pushes a little bit, he’s pushing Wonnum. So any little bit, and I think all of those guys are just going to elevate each other’s games. So, I like where we’re at.”
On an injury update for Lions TE Sam LaPorta: “So Sam, the other night, he got hit in the hip and it flared up a little bit. It’s a little aggravated, but we feel good long-term about him. We’re resting for a little bit here and letting it calm down.”
On if Lions TE Sam LaPorta’s injury could go into the season: “Well, I don’t know. I don’t know. I feel like we’ll be OK, but I don’t know.”
On why he and Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes are avoiding doing a total roster evaluation until the end of camp this year: “No, I mean, I think that we’ve kind of always been that way a little bit. Well, that’s not true. I know where you’re going. Normally we all get together with the scouts, coaches, in front of each other. We’ll go, whatever, once a week or after the first two weeks, then we go. But I think it was a little bit more just for efficiency’s sake and I see what I see. He’s getting what he’s getting, what he sees, scouts. And then, hey man, as this thing starts to get a little bit closer, let’s get together and kind of start kicking some things around. So, I think it’s a little bit of that, probably more efficiency. When you do those big meetings, man, those things go for four or five hours. And man, there’s a lot of things that – we don’t need to talk about (Lions T) Penei Sewell again. And so, I just think there’s some things to where this is just a better way to do it, because look, at the end, it’s about Brad and myself. And I know what I see. He knows what he sees and then us coming together. Now that being said, when I told you that the other day, probably 30 minutes later, I went up there and we were talking about it.”
On if avoiding doing a total roster evaluation now is to help keep a clear vision and separate those visions for himself: “Well, I think that helps, and I think that’s a little of it. Let’s not get – because you can get skewed. That’s human nature. If you’re in there with the coaches and you get nothing but coaches’ perspective, then that’s all it is and that’s the last thing you hear. And just like if I heard nothing but the scouts, you could be skewed by that a little bit. And so it just kind of keeps you independent and stay true to the film, what you see, what do you see in practice, and then go from there.”
On what it would take for him to bring back his hairstyle from 18 years ago: “Well, it grew out a little bit last year. I had it just a little bit. Boy, it’s not the same. I don’t know. I don’t even know how to describe it. So, I think I’m done with that. I think those days are done.”
On what he is doing to prepare for their international game in Munich verses Patriots game in November: “Yeah. So, I think it’s unique because that game will be one of these – we’re going to try to prepare here and get a lot of our game planned, get the guys ready. And then for us, we’re getting on the plane at night, call it Thursday night for a Sunday game flying, we land, we stay awake, and now we’re right into the next practice to get ready. And the players will have just a little bit of downtime the day before the game to kind of check the sights out and get a lay of the land and all that. But, they’re dealing with that too. The Patriots are going through the same thing. But, as far as – we’re excited to go over there because look, we’re Germany’s team too. So, we’re not just America’s, we’re Germany’s team. But, we’re looking forward to it. And (Lions WR Amon-Ra) St. Brown’s – he’s got lineage and heritage over there and that means something to us too. And so we’re pretty excited about going over there and playing. It’s going to be a home game for us.”
On if he has any words for German fans: “I think I just said it. We’re Germany’s team. We’re excited to go over there, and we want to represent and we want to show you about NFL football and the way that we think it should be played and put on a show.”
