Head coach Dan Quinn runs down the team's philosophy

good for what's up everybody all right as we get started today you'll see some themes that practice regarding competition us going us going against one another so Monday is is really about what we call tell the truth Monday the things that we wanted to see from the game what' you emphasize what you like then today we call competition WN Wednesday we'll have some good on good work skills together to get sharper and sharper and uh that'll be all the way throughout the season then as we get into the rest of the week some of the themes will go but you'll see at practice today really a lot of good on good and that'll be the case for today and for tomorrow before we shift gears on Friday into preparation for Sunday night so all that said wanted to get it rolling with you guys but give you a little insight onto how we have a philosophy for the week each day has its own theme tell the truth competition tomorrow will be about the ball Friday you'll see a lot of things about finishing and some game management moments and end of the game play so each of the day just staying into that process for that day um just had a question about one of the guys that seems to have stood out so far in Pre Tyler Owens I me what have you seen from him both defense special teams yeah I've really been uh proud of the effort um that he's put forth when we were really saying hey looking for competitive plays looking for guys that were absolutely going for it it was uh cool cool to see um Saturday night him absolutely empty in the tank both defensively and on special team so he's really been hitting his strive and then with Johnny Newton are you able to uh explain a little bit more about what he's dealing with yep so um he has a dealing with like a a soft tissue injury on his foot not related to um his surgery and so he's off to the side doing work and we're fortunate that the I'm going to call it a preseason by is here because we're going to try to ramp him up towards the end of this week and hopefully end the practice for next week so um he's hit all the marks that we're wanting him to but we're just trying to make sure there are no setbacks he's worked like so hard so I want to make sure like we just don't miss one thing of it this week the practice times have kind of moved around a little are you starting to get these guys into week one mode is is is that the philosophy change close um the philosophy change is I wanted them to have the schedule of that of you know special teams meeting at this time this is when we're lifting walkthroughs to go with our same format of competing against one another so you're right in the fact that this is the flow of what an inseason Wednesday will look like tomorrow Thursday and into a Friday but as far as what we would do on the field you know we're not game planning on the next couple days but you're right that the schedule will mock what we'll do you know in the regular season weeks it's been a few years now with no roster Cuts till after all of Camp right now that you've gotten used to it I guess are there any drawbacks to that are there any times where maybe you're not getting to see everybody because you still have this big bloated roster no I don't I don't find the drawback in it because um I do think there's value in finding that last piece you know and so maybe the old days it was the fourth preseason game nowadays it's the third where there's more to see and I would say from the roster spot you know from the 40s through 53 and when we get towards the end of the week we'll talk about New England into next week and you'll hear us talk about a 70 man roster you know now that the practice squad has expanded and you have veterans you have call UPS so we kind of think in even in a bigger picture than the 53 so I don't find the downside to it because the number of the people that you have here are going to be some ones that you're going to want to continue to work with uh moving forward whether on the roster on the practice squad so no downside for me in in that space Hi coach um could you talk about two of the guys in their second Andre and KJ Johnson and what are you seeing from those guys through the training camp in the first two preseason games yes I think what you're seeing at defensive end and um we play out on the edge a lot we're really trying to bring um you know the speed and you know the edge setting ability and I've seen that from those guys as the edge players you know all Downs first second and third Downs the Special Teams roles for those guys but uh really more than anything I've just seen like their Relentless style their nature of how they want to go play um the play sty St is so important to us and both of those two have really embodied you know all I can do to make that happen and so I've been very pleased with both of them and about the offensive line what are you seeing there as far as people that's still being inserted there um what do you like about what you're seeing at this stage of the game what I do like is finding the versatility of players into this spot um you know if we use Trent as an example he's taking Snaps snaps at right tackle at left tackle we'll put him inside to guard working in that you've seen Paul from outside to inside so finding you know the versatility of who can be a swing tackle who could also play guard and Center so finding the versatility that's the really big key to this as far as combinations and people working together you just need more of that like always but uh I am pleased to see during this time of year you have to put guys into different spots because that's really the only way that you're going to know both in practice and in the game Dan you've described yourself as not patient I think um accurate when you're dealing with a rookie quarterback and you know the trajectory isn't necessarily going to be a straight line do you have to kind of get in a mindset of okay these are going to be little bumps along the way and and preach patience to yourself as you watch that development yeah I think it's not just at that position you know it's overall but I think you're on the right target to say anytime there's development there's you know marks that you go up and down up and down and so um not just you know related to quarterback but we're kind of growing you know things we saw better from you know preseason 1 into preseason 2 and again for this week so it's kind of part of that process so I would say that is one area I'm not as impatient because I expect those to take place so you may hear me use the term expect the expected there's going to be bumps there's going to be M turns that you need and quite honestly um you don't want them to but you know that it's an important part of the process coach I wanted to ask you about Bobby Wagner you had him a decade ago um having had him now for a couple months again is he still pretty close to what he was in Seattle and then just how has he evolved as a person in terms of what he's bringing to you in the locker room what a remarkable competitor he is and I think that was probably one of the first things um that I you know remember you know way back of meeting him um I was in Seattle two different times and it was one of the spaces in between that that the team drafted him so I got to start maybe when his second year with him and just the details that he would go to the the willingness to get it right and he was just always so consistent even as a second-year player you may have thought he' already been in the league four or five years so he had this consistency and professionalism about him that showed people they could really rely on him very early and now you see that he's sharing that information you know with others and if you were to sit in the linebacker room um you would see them asking him or what is that process like just the smallest of the details so what I have seen is just he's a remarkable tackler he's got instincts but uh all the really good linebackers who are good tacklers or safeties for that matter can play square and if you're watching the film of of Wags you rarely see him at a position and he plays square and he's a sure tackler but just it's the angles the tracking um it's like you you know probably watching like in basketball a good shooter or in baseball a good hitter um he is a remarkable tackler and he takes the right angles the right tracks to go to it and so um he's always been somebody that I look for in that example hi Dan um in less than a week you're going to have to make some tough decisions of who makes this team practice squad and who may go to another team right during this time evaluation wise what are you looking for because you kind of know the body of work y building up to this so what's the separator here these final days this may sound unusual but we're really looking for consistency because sometimes when a person can be into this spot or a ball player they could press you know to really want to show out or I want to make this play I want to do something to to stand out and so being tighter doesn't allow you to play better it just can make you a little tighter and more um anxious about the play so we're really really trying to make sure we're staying into the flow of how we do things and there may be some higher reps on a special teams portion or lower and higher on offense or defense so you'll see some shifting going on because there may be one phase of the game that um we wanted to see more than another so for instance let's say a guy played you know a lot of snaps last week on offense and defense he may play less that way and more on the special team side to have that evaluation come true so we're being as thoughtful as we can to make sure we're putting guys into the right spots to see if they can make those plays sometimes we'll feature some plays um not that the blitz has to go to a certain player or the ball has to go to a certain player but there are some moments where you want to feature some plays and if it works out that they get you know their opportunity to do something you have to I wouldn't say it's scripted but it's intentional and uh and the same way on the offense and defensive side there may have been somebody that played quite a bit on special teams and have really demonstrated their value there and then now playing them more on offense or defense so there's a little bit of a battle Rhythm that will go um customized by player you know every season every Camp is different so for for this year in your experience has there been a position group that's been more challenging to evaluate as you get down to cut down day I thought two of the groups that have really stood out to me just been consistent and deep are at safety and at tight end and uh just the practice habits the willing to go for it their you know battles on special teams so those have been two that have stood out to me of consistently high level effort guys supporting one another and so that's what you want as a coach where there's really challenging spots and guys really pushing it and I would say those are two of the positions that that jump out to me hey Dan when it comes to this being competition Wednesday you have tell the truth Monday you know what value do you see in kind of designating a day for a specific thing and how do you think that helps players back practice I think it can just help you lock into where you don't have to worry about the game you know you just lock into today the competing part really is it's us going against one another to really sharpen our skills and there could be a competition that's non scripted just a third down competition for instance you'll see today different down and distances the coaches the players all have to react into that moment but more than anything it's helping one another be at their best and that's what I like about it so if we can really compete against ourselves to whatever the pass bar was to see if we can take it further and against one another the whole room can kind of just lift and so you don't have to to go into the game in that space now like today is about getting better and worrying about us and the things that we need to do and then as tomorrow comes there'll be a big emphasis on the ball and it just allows you to stay into those pockets and if we do that right over the three or four days not only we will we be prepared we'll also be ready and I think there's a the difference between the two prepared you know you're organized you have it together but being ready man like I can't wait for this game I can't wait for this moment because I did all these things and then and so that's what today brings and then based on that you know there's a lot to get to a lot to sort out before week one but we are less than three weeks away at this point is it starting to feel at all like crunch time or how are you attacking the final weeks not yet um I actually do enjoy this week um it's a tricky one because emotions are at different spaces and it's one of the more challenging ones as a coach some may know hey I'm not going to play a lot in this game Others May know hey this is my real chance to go do my thing and and show these you know this organization you know one last time what I'm about So It's Tricky but I also love it because um as you go through it and it gets into the really hard moments in the game you really find out like who's about it and so I saw some of that in Miami on the sideline of when it got you know really tough you know who was really ready to smile and keep saying it bring some more on and so those are the moments this week and last week that I look for and they just kind of reveal themselves uh through the week and especially in the games along the lines of what Scott was mentioned too as far as you preach competition all the time have you been pleased with as you're getting down the stretch you you don't want to have to make tough decisions but I'm sure it's a positive because you have guys fighting for these spots have you been pleased with that compet competition level heading into these final few days of technically training camp I have and that's always been the goal to make sure when decision making time comes that there's some you've done all the work you can to really put your best foot forward uh we wanted to make sure we were always demonstrating that like that's what we're going to be about this year 10 years from now and on down the line to say like coming here this is what we stand for and knowing that it's not for everybody but for the ones that demonstrate that and show that or about that and like they're going to have an excellent chance to do well in this program Dan uh you talked about you had some of your younger players write down what they want to do better before games things like that what are some of the ways where your rookies you think have developed in ways that we can't see when we're on the field and how do you continue to push that development without overloading them with too much stuff to think about in their first Camp right we call them work on and so they have to you know put down something specific that you can measure to get better at and that could be you know demonstrated footwork could be something different about a specific pass route uh might be different you know tackling technique for somebody but each of the players have something that you'll see them that's part of their work on could be done pre or post practice and then so for instance today we showed some of those work on from the game in Miami you know here's a you know somebody that was wanting to work their footwork at the top of a route and then I showed that example from the game so I wanted to show the work on that you're doing it's making a difference in your play and so you can't have 10 things to do to get better but if you can lock in on like I want to get better at this one thing it makes it a lot easier to to hone in on that and that's our job as coaches to help them find drill work for that tape emphasis to to make it come to life this being Joe itt's first kind of run as defensive coordinator and obviously working with in the past what have you liked about the way that he's kind of handled this change and have you noticed any differences in him well I think first thing probably like he's got he's a remarkable teacher and so there's very few mental errors that are taking place out on the field so that's a good sign that not only is the teaching gone well but the learning has sometimes um you can do good teaching if it's a lecture and you think well I did a good job today and the learning is not so good then what I'm seeing is we've tested the Lear learning and uh it allows the guys to do their thing at full speed and if we can do that over and over again then your skills just get sharper and sharper to go Joe's done a good job of trying to figure out during offseason in training camp who could be featured manto man's not blitzing not who plays off who plays down there's some trial and error that goes with that you know to actually put yourself into the space to find out and make it hard and then okay I've gained the information now I can apply it so I think he's done a good job of that he's he's really organized has Clear Vision of how he wants to play the guys calling game so um he's off to a great start hey Dan um you in terms of differentiators when you guys make some Cuts special teams as always mentioned for for some positions when it comes down to that what is it like is it like hey this guy's good enough on special teams because what we like him somewhere else or this is a guy who excels on special teams we're not worried if he plays somewhere else what are some of the different characters there as you're looking at the yeah it's a good question Ben because I think it's um there's a little bit of both and so you'll hear special teams coaches or head coaches talk about the big four you know which is punt punt return kickoff and kickoff return and so to be a core four player boy you better be good in space and have speed you know because those fourth down plays on Punt and punt return the kickoff now and kickoff return ramped up can I make plays in space so there'll be some players that will have a featured role mostly on special teams now that could be one or two you know offensive players or defensive players where may they may not have a leading role on offense or defense then there's the player that has roles on both you know I may be a backup or a you know complimentary starter I'm you know playing 50% of the plays and then you may hear a guy we'll play them on two of the four I can play him on Punt and kickoff return so first level is the the Jeremy Reed of the world that's just established has it special teams value impacting plays then it gets into the player that's the complimentary starter that plays you know quite a bit but still has room for you know for at least two phases so the fun part what's going to happen in 2024 is which two of the phases have been let's call it somewhat dormant you know for a few years uh they are growing again and uh it's really cool to see it's still work in prog ress I would say and I think it will be a little bit fluid as it goes into the beginning part of the season but uh I am excited to see it and I think it's really good for not just the Jeremy Reeves of the world who you know make their mark on special teams but also just for the energy of the game The Players how we do things so I'm really pumped about it and then just I assume in theory guys like a Tyler Owens or a new if they're on the team probably are going to play teams they weren't High picks they weren't picks at all obviously when did were you coaches always come into the draft process late when did you start looking at those guys like what were your first impressions of those guys how long ago was that and how how does that go yeah because you're right that if they're playing a lot in college they're probably not playing a lot on special teams so the the rookie player that you're developing on special teams you have to remind them man this is just football this is just like making a tackle or you know running a route it's this is how you do it for the offensive players we spend some extra time on tackling to make sure we're not leading with our head we're leading with our shoulder because that's the person that we're trying to train even more they don't spend a lot of time on tackling talk about the wide receiver who plays on special teams like we don't want them leading with their head own a leverage hit with your shoulder so like today we had a big presentation on tackling and breaking tackles and we do it for the whole team not just for the defense because we recognize on the team side of things that's going to be there um we've tried to make sure we have a vision for every player you know that we bring in what they can do where their skills are it takes a while but coming in if you see a certain speed or a certain length you I think he could be a wing in punt I think he could you know be a returner I think he would be an interior guy and punt return so you try to find unique things and then make that come to life because quite honestly the rookies don't have a vision for what their special teams is going to look like it's up to us to show them what that Vision can be and look like and I think Tyler's done a good job of that and so of some others but as a rookie he's demonstrating that kind of speed and phys ality all right you guys have a great day