Head Coach Dan Quinn

Opening Statement:

"I thought I'd share one quick story. Over the last few days, [General Manager] Adam [Peters] and I have visited with all of the rookies and it was a good exercise because driving in this morning, it made me think of the conversations from last year and, 'How's it going? Okay, I am still learning' and 'I'm getting there.' Like those kind of, there's some doubt, some belief, all of those things. And guys like [QB] Jayden [Daniels] and [CB] Mikey [Sainristil] had a remarkable year. And so, to think back that conversation sitting around that table like, 'We're going to get you there one step at a time all the way through.' Because it's easy to forget they were rookies in the same spot last year. But I also smiled because they don't know still what Adam and I know that they're about to make a big jump into going from year one into year two. And that's one of the biggest jumps and there's excitement in that. So, I thought of guys like [T] Brandon [Coleman] and [WR] Luke [McCaffrey] and Johnny [DT Jer'Zhan Newton] and TO [S Tyler Owens] and [LB] Jordan [Magee], [TE] Ben [Sinnott], [TE Colson] Yankoff, [DE] Javante [Jean-Baptiste], Dom [LB Dominique Hampton], all of them. I'm excited to see where they're going to go because they're ready to take this next jump and there's excitement in growing and learning and they're exactly where I'd hope they'd be going into this camp and eager to take that next stop and that next jump of where they're going to go. And so, seeing the nervous energy of the newest ones combined with the guys going into year two and the jump they're going to make, it made for an interesting couple days. So, I thought I'd share that with you, and we'll get started. Questions about the camp and getting rocking."

On WR Terry McLaurin's absence from camp and on how it effects minicamp planning and rapport for the offense:
"Sure, and the good news is lots of rapport has been built. And so, those are all the times and hours and hours upon doing that. Hey, sometimes football and business, they intersect and this is one of those times. Terry is a fantastic teammate and really puts in the work and spent a lot of time with them already this offseason. The business side of things, Adam [Peters] and their crew and Terry and his group, let them work through that. But in the meantime, lots of stuff to do and we try to customize as much as we can, who can do what? Who's in rehab? Who can do some things? Who can do everything? Who needs to see more during this time of year? And who do we need to see less? And so, this is one of those times you're really able to customize the script and the work to do that."

*On how Coleman has adapted to being moved around the offensive line: *"Yeah, really coming into it, because he had good versatility coming out of TCU, the move inside, he was ready to begin that process early. So, it started prior to him even getting to the offseason program. In his training, working on different sets to do that. So, he's a rare guy because he is got the width and the bulk to play inside, but the athleticism to play outside. But he's really locked in on the techniques that it'll take. And so, for the big guys, they don't get to fully express that until the training camp, just by the nature of their positions. But he's done an excellent job of just the timing and the footwork and the sets in that he can."

On if he's learned how to deal with situations like McLaurin's over the years:
"Yeah, I think it's why we all have people that can help on that side. So, I can have the relationship as the coach and the ball player and the man. And so, yeah, just keep a cool head about it and keep communication up, which Terry and I certainly do. So, I think the main thing, expect the expected, sometimes the business and football can get contentious and difficult, but it never has to be with the people that are inside the locker room and doing that. And so, I've learned that through the years and it is easy advice to follow."

On what he's expecting to see from T Laremy Tunsil and CB Marshon Lattimore:
"Yeah, like I was saying earlier, a little bit customized, who will do what, how much we'll get. And it'll kind of depend on the day as well, what we want to feature and where we're at. But yeah, they're both doing good and pumped they're here and getting rolling with us. So, I've enjoyed spending time with them here. Like for Marshon, when it's traded, it's in season, it's already intense and so it's in a different atmosphere. You get to have some good conversations and same with Laramy from the trade, they get him here. I got a chance to meet his family when he arrived here. And so, not every time you get to do that. So, I took that time to spend time with his son and his family. That was a good deal for me to get a chance to spend time with him. I got to know his why maybe before he even got here and got into the locker room."

On if Lattimore is a full participant this week:
"He'll get quite a bit, but I'll see where it goes after today. And do we need to see how much tomorrow? But yeah, I would say full participant going into it. What does that mean for everybody? A little bit different, but yeah, there's no restrictions going in."

On how this week has changed over the years and on what the overall goal is for the team:
"And it's a lot different and I think the change is good. Obviously, we're doing it to help the players and go to it. As some of you may remember way back, the mandatory camp came right after the draft. Two practices, two practices, one. So, there's five practices in a weekend. I don't know what load management, or those kinds of things would say about that nowadays, but it probably wouldn't be too favorable [laughs]. But I do know that you want to isolate the skills and see where we're at. And then the rookies have been here about one month. And so, for them and for the players that are going into year two, what's the learning like? Have you applied what we've learned in this time together so you can really let it go once you get into training camp. And so, there'll be a natural break that'll come up two or three days from now. And there there's almost like a 40 days before you get to training camp and having a real plan for what that looks like. But in this space, I would always like to see the newest players and their acclimation, where they're at. And it kind of gives you a little test, a little barometer where they're at mentally and regarding the playbook and that to do the whole factors physically, mentally, emotionally, all the things you have to pour into it. But it's a good, I would say just a good test. Where are you exactly with the knowledge of it all?"

On his minicamp goal for the team:
"Well, number one, always the health of the team. I love seeing the communication on all three phases because if we can get that part right, I know the contact and those things will take place, but you have to have the communication down at a really, really strong level. And so, I want to hear it, I want to feel that all the way through in all three phases, knowing that's kind of giving you information as the teacher that the student knows it. Oftentimes, we've all been in a classroom where there was good teaching that went on, but we don't know if there was good learning. Those lecture halls that we were for a long time and then, 'Okay, I don't know, I wrote some things down. I might have missed a half hour there somewhere' [laughs]. When the communication happens on the field, you get feedback as a coach this is happening. He understands that there's a good communication. So, that's what I like to listen for."

On DE Jacob Martin:
"Number one, he's got a lot of experience at some outside backer and being on the edge. We'll feature him more into that. He's got a good special teams background as well. Yeah, we'll feature him on the edge and outside linebacker kind of roles. And then on [special] teams, I really think it's probably three or four out of the core and he's off to a good start here. I really enjoy connecting with him, [DE] Deatrich [Wise], [CB] Jonathan Jones, JK [DT Javon Kinlaw], to name just a few, of getting to know them and who they are. And so, that's been an important part for me through this offseason."

On what McLaurin brings to the wide receiver room:
"Well, for a long time there's really, really high standards of what a professional can be. I can think back to one of the things he was working on last training camp, and I remember standing with Adam, he was working on low catches. So, they were either stationary or running catches that were below the knee. And it's that type of specific throws after practice that were down towards his feet, that's a pro's pro. Where he was finding the smallest of detail to get better at, not the catch that's right here. And he was already exceptional at tracking the deep ball and looking over his shoulder. So, I love when people are finding a specific thing – 'I want to work on that thing to get better at.' I think Terry, that was a clear demonstration of that. It may sound like a small thing, but that's really finding the edge to say what can I work on."

On what he wants the rookies to take away from minicamp:
"I want them to know that the process that they're going through is normal and I want them to fail successfully some, knowing that there's going to be mistakes and this is the only way they know if this technique that we're teaching is going to work. If you don't do that, you're really short-changing yourself because the way [Defensive Pass Game Coordinator] Jason Simmons may teach a specific technique may be new to them and then all of a sudden it just clicks and okay. But you do have to apply it and try it to go and at the end of it, I think you need to show them belief. I think that is powerful when you're seeing them do it. I don't think it can be just blind, 'Hey, you're going to be great.' And then not showing all the work that has to go into it. But knowing that there's a process that all the people have gone through and early they were guarded, I don't know what it's going to be like here. They're heard, okay, the people will look after you, meaning the other players to help you grow. And so, I think that helped knowing one of the questions I ask is, 'Who's made a big impact on you since you've been here?' And so many times you hear it's this player, this player. Sometimes it might have been somebody they sat next to in the locker room but not at the same position. And so, it kind of gives me a little test too, to know who's already making an impact as they're going. So, it is a question during these meetings over the last few days, but it's a hard process for them. They're realizing all of the reps matter. They don't get a lot of them, so when I can deliver, I'll get some more. So, it's step by step as it's going."

On any changes he's made to minicamp from last year:
"Not necessarily as much from last year, we're still working game management situations. We probably worked a little more third down and no huddle. And I would say maybe, because now we've been through to say we emphasized more of the third down this offseason, so that's probably a byproduct of that. Where last year it was, we're not going to miss one step of the installation, one step of that. So, maybe a little more customized this time around."

On what he's looking to see from the veterans:
"Yeah, that's onboarding as well. And we had talked about some of the guys who had come in, they're different than the rookies. This is their first year in the system and it's everybody else's second year. And so, over that time have they learned the standards we've set, have they learned the techniques that we want? And so that's why being a part of the offseason program is a good one because there's a lot of peer-to-peer coaching that takes place. I may say it or [Offensive Coordinator] Kliff [Kingsbury] may say it or [Defensive Coordinator] Joe [Whitt Jr.] in a meeting room or [Special Teams Coordinator] Larry [Izzo], but then it's like, 'Hey, here's what Dan or here's what Joe or Kliff are saying. And that's to me where the leading takes place, not just from what I say, but when they're sharing it from one another. I can remember a conversation with [LB] Nick Bellore earlier today that he had already connected with a couple of people about certain techniques or things they were doing and that lets me know that we're in the right spot to do things."
* On the defensive line meshing together early on:*
"Yeah, that's a good question and one they've been very intentional about. Even in the meeting times where there's so many times the front seven are all together, whether it's linebackers or d-line, all of them kind of doing things together. I like the way that Joe has split up a lot of the teaching, even in a walkthrough setting. 'This is the blitz package, it's all going together, these are the run game.' And so, they've done a lot together. And so, I have seen that mesh take place, but it was very intentional, I thought by the staff as well. And I think that's what it should be from if the staff are asking the players to improve, then as a staff we also need to improve because otherwise I think then we'd be shortchanging the players, myself included. So, elevating the players is also elevating the staff and if we can all do that together, then we can really go after it. But yeah, they were very intentional about meshing that together with the front."