*TRAINING CAMP: AUG. 4 PODIUM TRANSCRIPTS
Special Teams Coordinator/Associate Head Coach Jerry Rosburg, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Marty Mornhinweg & Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees
Special Teams Coordinator/Associate Head Coach Jerry Rosburg
**What have you been seeing from the undrafted rookies, such as WR Quincy Adeboyejo and WR Time White? *(Kyle Barber) *"Those two players are different types of players, but I've seen good things from both of them. The thing they have in common is that they're both fast athletes. I don't see them as often on offense as I'd like to, perhaps, but on special teams, Quincy has shown – just in the time we've worked with him – that he's athletic enough as a wide receiver to play defensive skills as an offensive player. That's one of the hardest things – transitions for wide receivers, in particular – but offensive players in general, is to use defensive skills, because you have to cover kicks, and so forth, and be able to backpedal on kickoff returns, for example. He's an athletic player. He's ranging, he has size, speed, and we like those kinds of players. He's here to learn, so we're excited about him. He's going to be getting a lot of reps in preseason.
"Tim White demonstrated in the stadium the other night, his athletic ability in a variety of different ways. So, we're giving him a full opportunity to challenge for the returner job, and we've told him our mantra, 'The more you can do.' So, if you can cover kicks, and cover punts even, that would be an extra bonus, then he'd be … If he was a returner, he'd be irreplaceable, because he can do more things than just be the returner. All of our guys understand that at every position – even the offensive linemen that are trying to be active on Sunday. If you have more than one thing you can do, and help our team on Sunday, then you're more likely to be playing. Tim is in the same boat. He's trying to be our returner, but he's trying to be much more than that."
Are you starting to see a separation between the returner competition out here? Or does that have to wait until games? (Garrett Downing) "Well, we're going to have to ration reps. That's really the best way that I can think of putting it, because you can't practice all these guys in the same practice, all with the same number of reps. You just don't have enough reps. So, we're rationing reps probably more than we did initially, and we're basing those evaluations on what they do in practice – how they're catching the ball, their understanding of the return game and their skill level. The other part of it that I've tried to instill in all those players is that if you do well on offense or defense, whichever is your specialty, and you're moving up in the depth chart in that regard, then you're more valuable to us in special teams. Then we'll know then, that you can do other things than just be a returner. Those reps in preseason, as I've said previously, are going to be very valuable. Those guys are earning the reps in practice right now."
Can you talk about WR/RS Michael Campanaro? What you've seen since he's been back, and what you still want to see? (Shawn Stepner) "It's great to have Michael back. I see a lot of things that I saw before: He's a very quick, sudden athlete. The thing that I've noticed with him, because of the great work he's done in our weight room and [with] our training staff, is he seems to me he's added some mass. He seems more powerful to me along with the quickness he's always had."
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Marty Mornhinweg
Opening statement: "We are deep in camp, huh? I suspect some of the players don't even know that it's Friday. It is Friday, right? *(laughter) *So, that's where we're at. The guys are working hard on the field, in the classroom, great preparation. We have an awful lot of things in. We've got more things in – run, pass, situationally – than we would have in a singular game plan. You could imagine some of the younger players, rookies or their first time in here, they're mind-spinning just a little bit. They're hard-working preparation is getting done, and I'm already getting excited for Thursday. However, we have a lot of hard work and preparation from now until that time. Let's open it up to questions."
**How difficult has it been to try an accomplish things without having QB Joe Flacco out there? It seems that the offense is practically behind the defense. *(Jerry Coleman) *"Well, you know, that's hard to tell. We'll find out Thursday and then as we go through the preseason. We sure are getting a lot accomplished. By Joe's account, he's getting better and feeling better and all those things. When he's back, it'll be a good thing to get him back. From here until that time, we're rocking and rolling with the fellow we have here."
**What have you seen from QB Ryan Mallett? *(Luke Jones) *"He's been up and down just a little bit. He sure is a talented guy. So, if he can kind of get all that thing together … He's proven that he can play at a high level. Now, his challenge is to play at that high level really consistently, you know, stack all of these practices back to back to back. He's been doing an outstanding job in some segments. So, once again, his challenge [is playing at a] high level, consistently."
*What would the impact of a veteran offensive lineman do when you have a young group? (Jeff Zrebiec) *"We have the best personnel department; Ozzie [Newsome] and the fellows do a great job. So, anybody that they bring in I'm sure will help us in some way. It might be a big way, it might be a role, it might be a special situation. They've done a terrific job, and you see I'm skirting the question just a little bit on purpose."
**Is there any point where you say, "Man, I really need Joe on the field by this time to get the first-string offense where they need to be."? *(Ryan Mink) *"That's a good point and in fact … It must have been yesterday we had a little, a little bit longer than a brief discussion, about those types of things. Right now, personally, I want to be kept abreast of where we're at. The important thing is [that] there will come a time where we have a plan for him, and we're not quite there yet, and it may come pretty quick. So, we'll see. Maybe I'm hoping and wishing, but I hope that comes pretty quickly."
We asked you back in June about WR Jeremy Maclin, and obviously, you had a relationship with him. Now having seen him more extensively, how have you seen him grow as a player, compared to when he was in Philadelphia? (Luke Jones) "I don't talk much about [that], because it's a private situation about our meetings and so forth. But, the quarterbacks were kind of razzing me one day – must've been the first day that he was here – just a little bit, because on his first pass route, I went, 'Ah, jeez, smooth!' So, they still razz me a little bit. He's a smooth player. He's tough, physical, and he has a lot of great attributes. He's fast, physical, smart, and he has experience. There really is no substitute for experience – experience goes a long way. So, we're really happy to have Jeremy."
**Just to clarify, you said that you haven't got to a point where there's a plan for QB Joe Flacco. You meant a plan for how you'll get him back in practice and integrate him into what you're doing? *(Jeff Zrebiec) *"Correct, exactly right."
Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees
What have you seen from DE Brent Urban? The last couple of years he has had some injuries and played a little bit last year. Now, he is he trying to nail down that five-technique position. (Luke Jones)"I think he is progressing really well. The other night at the practice at the stadium, he had a couple really outstanding plays in the run game. Sometimes, it might go unnoticed because he didn't necessarily make the play, but he caused the play to be made. Sometimes, that is what the five-technique has to do, and our five-technique in this defense has a big role – a very, very big role. I think he is progressing very well. I think we just have to keep him healthy and keep him coming. The good thing about it is there is competition behind him."
S Eric Weddle is 32, and he is talking about how he still gets excited going to training camp. Can you see that? I'm sure there are a lot of older players that you might not see that enthusiasm when it comes to training camp. (Jamison Hensley)"You would probably be surprised about that, because I really have not been around a lot of older players that have not been enthused to go to camp. In all honesty, most of them know that coach [John] Harbaugh or any place else that I've been – which is one other place … Most of the time, the head coach is going to take care of you, and you are not going to get 1,000 reps like a rookie is going to get. Training camp is going to be scaled down a little bit for you [if you are a veteran]. I think what you see from, really, the vets is that you never know when it is going to be your last training camp. So, every training camp – same way as a coach – you do not ever know. As you get a little older … It is a lot different now for me than it was when I was 40 years old. You value every day, and you actually do get maybe more excited than you ever did when you were younger, because you kind of take them for granted. After a while now, this is like anything else. It is like, 'This is not going to last forever, and I really have to take it all in.' I think that holds true more for veteran players than you might think."
Specifically from S Eric Weddle, what have you seen?* (Jamison Hensley)*"He is the same guy who came in last year the day he walked in the door. Tony [Jefferson] is kind of the same way. Those guys have fit in. It is like they have been here forever. They are great in the classroom, they are great on the field, and they are good with the young players. Again, I have not been around a lot of vets that have said, 'I am not going to tell this guy how to play; I do not want him to take my job.' They are not like that, because they know at some point in time that guy is going to have to play. He is the same guy that we had a year ago, and I think even more so, I think he has a little more excitement too back there with 'Webby' [Lardarius Webb] and with Tony and with some of those other guys – Anthony Levine [Sr.]. I think there is a little bit of experience back there, and I think they are having a great time."
You have lost two nickel corners already [in CB Tavon Young and CB Maurice Canady]. How is that factoring in that competition for that spot, and how difficult in general is it to find a player to succeed in that role with that skill set? (Jeff Zrebiec)"Obviously, I am disappointed, because I thought we had two really good ones, starting out with Tavon, who we knew, and Maurice was really doing an outstanding job. But, I think we have some other competition there. We are just going to keep working a bunch of guys in there. It is always funny when you start out. It is like anything. [You say], 'Oh boy, we get some depth right there.' It can change in a hurry at any one position. The thing of it is, is that we will just keep rolling a bunch of guys in there until we find the right combination. It could be 'Webby,' it could be Jaylen Hill, or it could be [Brandon] Boykin. We could take one of the outside guys and move him in there – Marlon [Humphrey]. Who knows? It might end up being … We will probably take a look over the next four weeks at a lot of guys and figure out who we want that guy to be starting the season."
So you do want to give CB Marlon Humphrey some reps in there? (Ryan Mink)"It could be. We want to get everybody reps in there. It is not just Marlon. There is probably not a corner that at some point in time will not get reps in there, so we can look and find out, 'Will that be a good spot for him, or will that not be a good spot for him?'
I'll ask you the opposite of what we asked Marty Mornhinweg. It seems like the offense is behind the defense right now, and maybe a lot of that has to do with the fact that QB Joe Flacco is not out there. Do you quantify that when you look at film? (Jerry Coleman)"To be honest with you, I don't ever look at what the offense is really doing. All I do is look at when they run a play, do we fit the play right? Are we on the right coverage, are we on the right man? It does not really have anything to do … I don't even look at their scheme; I'm not playing them. It is just like if we get a matchup on Mike Wallace or we get a matchup on Jeremy Maclin, how are we playing that coverage or how are we playing that guy man-to-man? It has nothing to do with whether the ball is completed or not completed. That stuff is really irrelevant to us right now. We are not playing our offense. So to answer your question, I do not even watch them on offense to see what they are doing. [I am looking at] when they run a power play, do we fit the power play right with the linebackers and everybody that we have? If they mess it up, that is their problem. But, we are really kind of just evaluating us. I really don't have … It makes a difference, certainly, not seeing Joe out there. There is no doubt about that."
I guess I am asking if guys catch five or six interceptions in one practice, do you look at who is throwing the football? (Jerry Coleman)"Not necessarily. I really actually look at what was the coverage like on the guy. Because, that is still Mike Wallace running the route; it is still Jeremy Maclin. It is still Benjamin Watson. Are we in the right position to make the play? If we are really in bad coverage and they throw us a pick because it is way off, it really does not matter. What I am looking at is the coverage. Were we in the position to make that play no matter who the quarterback was or what the throw was?"
Have you been pleased so far with what you have seen in that regard? (Pete Gilbert)"Yes, I think so. A lot of it, too, we try different coverages a little bit that we did in the spring, and we always are kind of critiquing those. We will try some things and say, 'That might look good against this; that might not look good against that.' But that is what we are always evaluating, yes."
You guys have had tremendous success developing young linebackers going back for a while. How much do you like the youth you have in that group? You have OLB Terrell Suggs and LB Albert McClellan; ILB C.J. Mosley has been here. But there is a lot of youth and experience at different spots. How much do you like that group and the challenge of you an [linebackers coach Don Martindale] shaping some of these guys? (Jeff Zrebiec) "It is a challenge, but I do like the way the guys are responding, because they are all trying. The thing of it is – they see an opportunity for them to play, so they are going to practice really hard and they are going to make it competitive and tough on the other guy. It is funny that you kind of put C.J. in there as a veteran – what is he, [fourth] year? And he's the old man back there in the middle. But, it is always fun having those guys; it is always fun developing those guys. 'Wink' does a great job with them. We have kind of divvied some things up, too. We have kind of structured the defensive staff a little differently, and [defensive line coach] Joe Cullen is doing a good job too with some of those outside guys. It is fun watching those young guys play."
How have you seen DE Bronson Kaufusi progress this year? (Jamison Hensley)"He has a great motor; we knew that when we drafted him. That was the one thing that just stood out on film was that he just played hard all the time. You see it now, and I think the more he gets comfortable with what we are doing, because he really missed kind of a whole year … We are throwing a lot of stuff at him, but I think the more he gets comfortable, the more he is going to put pressure on other people to play. I like the way he is progressing. If he ever has a problem, it is because he is kind of playing something a little different than what he ever probably played before, which is true of every rookie out there. Again, I think he is progressing really well. We have a long way to go. We have not played our first preseason game yet, but the guys are working hard, and that is what you ask of them."
