Hear From Commanders HC Dan Quinn | Washington Commanders Training Camp Final Day (8-23-24)

it is good to see you guys and uh we went through that schedule of what was you know a typical week so it was good to go through that so let's get rocking and get started with the day so I think uh I'll start off by there's a famous quote the only thing constant life is change and that's in life but it's also in football too and uh speaking of that change want to thank uh Jan and Riley for their time here and we wish them the very best in their their next chapter so a lot of changes honestly since Adam and I arrived and uh there'll be a lot more you know in the future too so the one thing that cannot change and won't um is the way that we compete and that's in every single part of what we've done you've heard us talk through that from the time we got here and so that's literally what we stand for in everything to find those edges find those margins in all sorts of ways so um all that said John ready to get started so why the decision to trade Jan you know I think at the end we're always going to make the decisions um you know that are just rock solid and best for the team and uh this was one of those examples where we had an opportunity to do that and uh so that's that's why we did it how much of that how much did the performance of others maybe at similar spots contribute to the decision to then make that move I think everything's a factor when you're you know talking about evaluations of things you've heard us say this we thought this was a deep and strong group uh that had a lot of you know different guys and feature them in different ways but uh certainly at the end like I said just really matter of just hey here was an opportunity to go help the team and thought that was the best way to go about it hey Dan uh so obviously you and Adam are going through a lot of Firsts together next week with the cut down day will be another one how do you envision sort of the the whatever the final conversations may be how do you kind of see that going down and ultimately if there's a stalemate does what what happens then yeah no stalemates he he gets that one to go so um what I love is being you know a part of the process with him uh but that's Adam's call to go but the good news is you know we're you know all the the meetings together and discuss the players together and um it's the hardest part of it you know to whether you have to talk to somebody after you know releasing them or trade or however those you know conversations work um the important thing is we get a chance to you know give feedback to the player and where it's at but uh it's always the hardest part you know next week and into that process but uh it is part of it and uh as the evaluations go so much goes into it it's not one game or one quarter you know you try to use the whole body of work you know to put the best group available and I know we're done talking about the qb1 conversation in terms of competition but in terms of the rest of the room is there any other com competition going whether it's for the two or keeping three or how do you kind of view that yeah we we haven't uh we won't say you know in terms of how many but uh what I can say and what I have before is this is a really remarkable quarterback room that can also give energy you know to other parts of the team so um love the way that they have actually competed uh Ben that's one of the things that really stood out to to me and their support of one another so um like a lot of spots on the roster big decisions there you know as it goes down to you know how many and how to feature the guys but uh man I couldn't been more impressed by the group will qb1 play on on Sunday he will not Batman thank you yes thank you very much um first training camp here did it go the way you designed did well you happy with everything uh that took place yeah that's an awesome question chick I I was and uh all the way from the beginning I think some of the things that we had talked about in training camp of bringing you know the rookie class in early we got a chance to give them a ramp up um from the offense and defense and special teams portion we started in the Red Zone H knowing that was going to be an important part of what we did uh tons of competitions and we had an absolute blast as a team going on a couple four-day trips um first up to New Jersey practicing being together you know going to play the game same thing down in Miami I thought it was hot it was good to push one another in that space so I knew we'd have good practices against the Jets and against uh Miami no Robert and a lot of their staff and same thing with Mike and their staff so those were all I'd hope they'd be chick to see the guys compete this week around the NFL is always a hard one you know people are in weird spaces and you want to make sure the best version of them is not over trying and that's what I wanted to make sure as we're closing out the preseason and there's still evaluations to look at man best version of you but you don't have to do something way different or out of what's normal for you man like what does your best look like and how can we feature you guys in those spaces but I am pleased um as you're heading out of Camp um health of the team that's always the the number one which there are some you know that bangs and bruises that limited some time but the good news is um just about everybody's trajectory is is back on on track I know the roster is pretty fluid throughout the season anyway but for that receiving core do do you expect more changes there or are you kind of picking from that pool of candidates as you set your first 53 yeah right now um it's certainly coming from that group and if Adam has a chance to compete and think about who it would be and where to add um no tea leaves I'm I'm not throwing any tea leaves down right now Nikki but I would say that like that's true at receiver but like almost at any other spot too if the right moment is there for us to add for the team like we're just going to choose the team all the time when we can just knowing that's where our focus is that's where it's at but we are pleased with the crew and where we're at um but you're right there's it's not just the opening day and you're exactly right as roster moves happen and there's veterans and all sorts of things you know from the first week into week two and three I think that's where that fluid part comes in you know as you're going into week two and three one player think we've asked you about is it clevand frell can what's going on with him and is there any concern there going into the no it was good that he was able to get some practice in today and then we expect him to be full into next week he won't play on Sunday uh he had a knee that just got swollen with sore so just kind of held him out as some caution if this was a game he would have wanted to push to go for it we would have been in agreement that he would have been able to but we wanted to make sure man hit all the markers so he and Dante will both be back into things fully on next week both of them were asking for team reps today and we gave them the the double no yep no setbacks yep yep he didn't finish today but nothing that uh setting them back held them out on our own he nothing I mean just had something mind today it was nothing that is lingering into tomorrow he would play Sunday if he was playing but he is not also uh how do you juggle you know when you're when you're making roster Cuts veteran maybe good for the room but then at the same time a younger guy who you know when you start out this build like we love his potential how do you balance those two things when those hard decisions come down yeah that's that is absolutely where the art of this is and there's like a you know a razor Thin Line to stand on because really the way we kind of look at it now it's a 70 man roster you know that there's veterans that can go on practice squad and get activations up so we think bigger into that space and so sometimes those veterans at a certain spot if you needed depth that would provide at a a third let's call it at a position versus a rookie you know that we think is going to keep making the strides um but it's been a big change adding uh you know the veterans onto the practice squad where the your scope can go a little bit bigger um it's it's always a hard conversation you know to have for either ball player whether it's the veteran or the rookie but at the end of it just we'll always kind of decide on just you know the the competitive nature what we've seen and uh make the decision from there realistically how many spots are up for grabs in this last game I would say there's still quite a few not you know less than 10 but enough that um you know in the backup spot you know from different people there's definitely ones that we wanted to see and we'll feature some of those players in those roles I love some of the things that we're working on special teams but we're still obviously competing to find different people into different spots um but I would say yeah there's you know definitely the the back half is still very much um front and center and and getting another look so um it's a really cool week I've always loved this week in this game um there's people that are absolutely going for it in the hardest of moments I'm playing all the snaps and offense and special teams or defense and yes and so you really find out somebody's grittiness and willing to fight and um it is one of my favorite times to you get to see that type of competitive nature on display hey coach uh for sun for the Sunday game the final game for guys that's still trying to make this team yep how do you teach them to relax where they're not pressing too much and then what are some of the things that you will be looking at uh Sunday for those guys that are trying to still make uh this team yeah fortunately there's some some spaces maybe I've even seen that in practice this week where even before we get to the game and so I may pull a player aside and have that conversation you look tight you know in the way that you're going about it so the the ability to control what you can all right man is your effort and your performance but willing it and being tight about it isn't going to help you be at your best so it is a real thing and something that I want to acknowledge as opposed to say you know like oh don't worry about it or you know that's you know not a good technique so from those of us who have that makes you worry more you know it's kind of like don't drop the ball or don't miss the kick you know it's like just the opposite so I wanted to be front and center about it about controlling the things they can and also like the other acronym I use or ET expect the expected like it's normal to have these emotions right now like this game that you love so much is at hand and you want to keep playing and keep competing so like it's normal and expected to have those kind of emotions that you want at this batt however overt trying is a real thing and I wanted to make sure the best version of them is their past performance where they were really letting it rip and in that flow so I want to just keep an encourage them to be into that state but uh it's a real emotion it's so damn important they love the game so much um one of the hardest parts about releasing some of the players here is the conversations Adam and I have had with a number of these guys and um just disappointment there's something here that can feel it and they wanted to express that to us and so when you miss that op you could just feel their tension leaving the room not missing a moment or missing an opportunity and sometimes somebody can get wrapped up in that and that's my job to help them it's normal man like you want it badly of course you do like you love it but you're not going to be at your best that tight coach today is the last day of training camp so is there cool party right so so is there it doesn't sound like it what I'm about to ask but is there anything based on the current state of the team that is keeping you up at night right now and if so what are those things there's a lot and I would say um more of it is because of what's ahead you know over the next four or five days huge decisions you know for the team for the franchise for themselves and so making sure we've been really thoughtful about that but it is definitely the thing that keeps me up the most right now The Season's further away and just wanted to stay right here in the fight with everybody finding those moments what are we looking for in this game and we've had plenty of those conversations to individual players to say this is what we would like to see in this game Sunday night and we're going to give you some calls and give you some plays to go do that so that's what keeps me up uh because the connectivity of the team is what I'd hoped for the work ethic the mindset you know to really go battle I felt that come alive so making sure all the pieces to the puzzle can really fit seamlessly in that 70 man roster good afternoon coach good afternoon couple of special teams questions for you um it's been kind of largely thought that linebackers end of roster linebackers maybe had a little bit of an advantage from the Special Teams aspect being cover guys things like that with the new kickoff rules has that shifted it all to like the bigger safeties or or DBS or is there kind of still that that Arrangement there yeah I love the question because I think where in the old rule there were some people that were the bigger guys let's call it a big Lineback or a big defensive end a big tight end that you could put on kickoff return put him part of a good double team same thing on uh you know PT return to go do that this feels different in terms of speed and space and so I wouldn't be surprised if some teams instead of more of the bigger Lineback or the bigger tight end for special teams perhaps kept another safety another big corner or nickel another running back who has the real quick to go because that's what's been showing up to me the guys with the real speed and you've seen some of our guys who've made some of those big plays they play those positions and blocking somebody in space when they're running full speed and have it you know two-way go that's a hard block and uh that's why I think uh you may see a few more teams with a special teams player with the speed uh to go it's not that all that comment like Jeremy has been that for us anyway but I think that body type is one that is really going to thrive under the new kickoff and kickoff return rules and then with a new kicker coming in so late in the process obviously you have like his previous stats from where he was before this but is there any sense of like needing to maybe shift your practice plans to put more pressure on him to to see what you have in him I think coming in he's like the other guys is hey got to come compete to battle for it what we didn't do today without any timing with the guys to you know hey get in and get going so we want to get their timing with Tres and Tyler to work he'll certainly kick in the game and then into next week as well but um it was actually a real solid I thought for Adam to make sure we got extra in so now it's work with the guys today work on Sunday night then the next week so having Kade here early um was really a big Advantage excellent one-handed catch that 100% well coach you you've talked a lot about since day one knowing the player or knowing the person rather than the player and that's really where you've started from so with cut de looming you know how do you go into that emotionally because I'm sure it's not like a Christmas morning for you no it for sure is not I guess uh you know how would we want to be seen in that space you know it's a hard conversation uh walking into that room because you're not going in with good news and but what you do also want to do is give the player feedback you know if if you come back here these are some of the things that we would like to see moving forward if the player is not coming back here at least give them some things you know if they get another op somewhere else these are some things I think that could really really help you to move forward but I think uh any ball player want to know hey man just want to know where I stand and what you thought and so often times the conversations um seem like they're going to be really hard and then guys oftentimes show a lot of gratitude for the opportunity so each of it's different um but you worry a lot about all of them and you want to make sure every player we have a vision for what would that look like if they were here or even if they were somewhere else give them some feedback for that all right Dan came from Salsbury for this question when you were that's a long ride up that's sir somebody pay this guy's toll when uh when you were ordering wings from Sub Runners and watching football back at seu did you ever Envision that you'd be just over two weeks from coaching a season opener as head coach of Washington no 100% not I uh went to college um hoping that when I was done I would uh you know coach Elementary I mean uh coach high school and and teach elementary school then I got there and figured you could do this all the time um in college that's a good gig so I wanted to absolutely do that um um but no man I've uh loved football my whole life and uh I knew early on um that I was such a good player I'd probably get into coaching right after college okay so that happened early so even during my college Years um you know I sat in another position meetings I wanted just to learn and be around it and uh it's absolutely changed my life you know because every part of all the experience I've had of you know come from football and all the people that's had such a huge impact on me so no I probably wasn't um as thoughtful to say uh when I saw Gibbs and parcel's on the sideline that you know I'd be you know doing the same but uh it's pretty damn cool I can tell you that hey Dan uh of course ending on a Jaden question um over the last four weeks you've gotten to know him a lot better and learn more about how he learns how he takes things in stride what have you kind of learned about the way that he takes things in stride he talks to a lot of the Vets kind of what have you learned about how he processes things and then how that's going to help him moving forward yeah I think the processing part I've probably been uh most impressed with he has got rare mental quickness um processing mental quickness the the ability to make a quick decision to put the ball in the right spot the other thing that I admire about him he's an excellent communicator and uh he's easy to talk to any part of the locker room in and out but like the communication piece he's just he's easy to carry a conversation with about a topic we went through a lot of game situations today I'm sure you guys saw practice so tried to stress him and everybody out as much because we had the officials here I wanted to test our thresholds for times could we get this play done in six seconds what about if it was five and so so intentional you could just see him coming out uh to go and then he wasn't done competing I want to take all the you know carded looks for New England and going through it so it really doesn't matter what you know I think at the end what we've all found is like he just loves to compete and it could be on the scout team end of the game that moment Locker room um it is who he he is but uh I've learned a lot about him he's got uh rare you know like I said blend of confidence and humility but uh the processing and the mental quickness is really really sharp cost you $2 for it does it still counts as yours no yeah yep let's yep we can put him and and Dante uh pay all into the same space was able to run had a growing issue a couple weeks back that we held them but uh yeah he's trending everything in the right spot as we're getting into this game he won't play in the game but uh he will be full on for next week all right you guys have an awesome time I'll see you after Sunday night