Texans OTAs Thread

Quotes from Tuesday's practice:

Head Coach Gary Kubiak

Spoiler

(on RB Arian Foster’s injury) “(He) strained his calf; we’re gonna go get it looked at. I don’t know, it was the first play of team, so we’ll see.”

(on if RB Arian Foster’s injury is concerning) “It’s always concerning. Like I said, you’re trying to get better out here and work everybody. It’s part of football so we’ll see what’s wrong, see what happened.”

(on if RB Arian Foster’s injury is a strained calf) “Yes. That’s what this is, yes.”

(on what else is going on with the team) “I think I gave them too much time off. We had too long a weekend. But we got going again today and some young guys going backward today. Obviously we’re getting into a lot more stuff this week, so the challenge gets bigger. Got our hands on a lot of balls today, defensively. Had three or four picks; made some great plays. Just got to get back in the groove today. Like I said, some young guys swimming today.”

(on which running backs aside from Arian Foster and Ben Tate have caught his eye) “Well I think they all have, without me going through all four of them, I think all four of them have good running ability. I think the thing that’s going to be the key is how they pick up pass protections, how they play on special teams. But obviously you can see, we’re in shorts, they’ve all got some good run ability. So we’ll have to wait and see.”

(on OLB Willie Jefferson) “He’s doing some good stuff. He’s long, he’s thin. He can put on some weight. Reminds us of (OLB Bryan) Braman a lot when we got Braman started a couple years ago. So a lot of ability there and see if we can get it all channeled in the right direction.”

(on RG Brandon Brooks coming back for his second year weighing less) “He looks really good. And I talk about young players getting better, he’s obviously a guy who stands out right now. He’s been very good throughout these OTAs. The thing you hope for as a coach when you’ve all the sudden got a young guy and you say, ‘Okay. You’re the starter,’ which is basically what we’ve done with (RG) Brandon (Brooks), he starts acting like it. And he’s done that; he’s had a good four days.”

(on rookie T Brennan Williams) “Just trying to get him healthy coming off of that knee (injury) that he got in OTAs. Just trying to get him healthy. Basically resting him right now. Hope to put him back to work sometime next week.”

(on if young guys going backward is mental or physical) “It’s like total overload today, so I don’t know. Some of the easy things we were doing last week got real hard today. Obviously, we’re putting a lot of new things in. Having to remind them of way too many things today. But that’s part of it. That’s why we’re here. So we’ll catch them up. We’ll holler at them and catch them up.”

(on wide receivers Lestar Jean and Keshawn Martin) “(WR) Lestar (Jean) and (WR) Keshawn (Martin) have been excellent throughout the OTAs. They’re grown-up. They’re veteran players now. They understand the opportunity they have and I think they’re taking advantage of it right now.”

(on the potential of RG Brandon Brooks) “The potential is unlimited, it really is. He’s got so much. The thing is, he’s getting comfortable with what we’re doing. That’s the biggest thing right now. He acts like one of the guys now. He doesn’t stand out as a young guy now. He acts like one of the guys. So I’m excited for him.”

(on which young players have not taken a step back) “I mean, there are some guys I’ve talked about; I’ve talked about (WR) Keshawn (Martin), I’ve talked about (CB) Roc (Carmichael); (CB) Brandon Harris was looking really good until he had his little setback the other day; he got dinged out here so we put him through the protocol but could very well be back tomorrow. Did I mention (S) Eddie Pleasant? Eddie Pleasant has been a much different player right now than he was last year. (DE) Delano Johnson is a much different player than he was last year. Actually, (OLB) Braman. Braman’s getting a chance to operate as a starter and starting to act like he belongs from that standpoint. So it’s a big, big camp for him.”

(on who would be his backup nose tackle if the team had to play tomorrow) “The thing that we have is we have options because we can slide guys around. Obviously, bringing (NT) Chris (Jones) along. (DE Tim) Jamison will be back for camp. That’s going to happen in camp. The key is (NT) Earl (Mitchell) has turned into a really fine player. From there, we’ll figure it out.”

(on how the team is using OLB Brooks Reed) “Well, we’re not very flexible with him right now. He’s lining up inside and working inside. We think that’s important for his development, to get the reps there right now. Obviously, he can go back and play SAM any day, so that’s a good thing. (OLB) Brooks (Reed) is going to be a good player wherever we put him, whether inside or outside. So he’s having really good OTAs.”

WR DeAndre Hopkins

Spoiler

(on how he feels his progress is coming along) “It’s coming along well. I’ve still got a lot to improve on. I’m not close to where I want to be but that’s why it’s the offseason. So hopefully I’ll be ready by preseason.”

(on if he’s seeking advice from any other receivers than Andre Johnson) “All of them. Every single receiver out here because they’ve been in the system for a year. So why not?”

(on WR Keshawn Martin) “(WR) Keshawn (Martin), he’s a good player, so are the other guys out here, even the rookies. They all make you step up your game once you’re out there on the field.”

(on the biggest part of the learning curve so far) “Just the pace of the game. It’s faster than college even though ours was fast-paced at Clemson. It’s a lot faster.”

(on if he took a step backwards at practice) “I don’t think I took a step back. I think I could have done some things better. But effort-wise and just going out there, I had a few mental mistakes, but that’s going to come with being a rookie in Week 2. But I feel like I got better today.”

(on if being at OTAs is the best thing for his development) “Of course. You can’t become an NFL player by doing Combine stuff. So once you’re out here on this field and you see how everybody works and just get acclimated to the system and the way the coaches coach, then it kicks in, that you’re in the NFL.”

(on the NFL moving the Draft later in the year and young players getting less time with their new team) “Some guys pick up stuff pretty easy and some guys don’t. So I guess it’s a 50-50 by doing that. But the NFL, they have their own system. They pay me, so I can’t go against what they say or do.”

(on if it’s tough for the body to rest between performing at the Combine and joining a team for OTAs) “It is but that’s when you become a professional, once you know how to do all that stuff. You still treat your body how you’re supposed to treat it. You’ve got to be a professional off the field as well. But all that stuff, it weighs on you, of course.”

(on the expectation that he is going to be an offensive threat and what goes through his mind when a player like RB Arian Foster leaves the field) “Aw, man. He’s pressing hard. You like to see that sometimes, when guys come off the field wobbling, especially your leaders because you know that they’re going out there and giving 100 percent. I’m going to play my role. Wherever I can fit in, whatever I can do to help this team win, that’s what I’m going to do.”

(on if he holds his breath when he sees a teammate like RB Arian Foster leave the field with an injury) “Of course.”

WR Andre Johnson

Spoiler

(on his relationship with WR DeAndre Hopkins) “I just try to help out as much as I can with him and all the other young guys. I guess he gets it a little bit more because he sits next to me in meetings and stuff. Whenever he has a question or whatever, he’s right there to ask it. Like I said, all of the young guys that we have here have a lot of talent. It’s probably one of the most talented groups of receivers that we’ve had since I’ve been here.”

(On if WR DeAndre Hopkins still has a lot of questions for him) “Yeah, now with the practices and stuff like that going on it’s just plays that he sometimes gets confused with. He pretty much, most of the time, knows what he’s doing. Like I said, you’re going to have questions with the system being new for him and stuff like that. He’s not really out here making a lot of mental errors or anything like that during practice, which is a good thing. As time goes on, he’ll continue to get better and better.”

(on if he saw what happened to RB Arian Foster) “No, I don’t even know. It was when we were running a play and I just saw him limping back off the field. I don’t know exactly what happened. I’ll find out once I get in the locker room.”

(on if he holds his breath when someone limps off during practice) “I think if it was real bad, I think we would’ve known about it by now. I don’t think that it’s nothing real bad, maybe a strain or something. I don’t know. I’ll find out once I get in the locker room.”

(on if they think about injuries like that after working so hard in the offseason) “It happens. I went through that myself, in a game, going down without being touched. That’s just the nature of this business. Sometimes it happens and you just have to find a way to recover from it and come back stronger. I know how hard (RB) Arian (Foster) works, so I’m sure he’ll be fine. I don’t think it’s anything major or anything like that. Like I said, I think if it was anything real serious where he would have to miss a lot of time, we would probably know by now.”

(on the benefits of having QB Matt Schaub out at OTAs) “We just get to work on our timing and things like that. That’s something that we always try to work on and we try to get on the same page with different situations in games and stuff like that. Us both being healthy finally and being able to work out here together, it will help us out a lot.”

(on if he sees much change in QB Matt Schaub) “We’ve only been out here a few days. He’s working hard. He took a lot of criticism and stuff over this past offseason, so like I said before, he’ll be ready to go.”

(on how the defense has been playing in OTAs) “They’ve been playing hard. They made some great plays and that’s part of it. When you go against your team, one team is going to win and one team is going to lose. It’s going to happen every day, but the defense got the best of us today. The good thing about it is we have another day tomorrow so we’ll come back out here and get them.”

(on WR Keshawn Martin) “Keshawn, he looks comfortable. That’s one thing that sticks out. He looks comfortable and very confident in what he’s doing. I think he’s going to be a lot better for us this year.”

OLB Sam Montgomery

Spoiler

(on if it’s tough to adjust to the NFL, where players are bigger, stronger and faster) “You have one choice: either you get with them our you get out. So I’m definitely trying to progress with them and get with them.”

(on what it meant to sign his first professional contract last week) “It meant a lot. It meant that all the hard work has paid off but there’s still hard work to be done. It’s one of those things where you just relax a little bit still, you have stuff to do, responsibilities.”

(on if it was emotional to sign his first NFL contract) “Of course it was emotional, but really, I don’t have time to relax. I don’t’ have time to do that because I have to go practice tomorrow. I’ve got to compete with (DE) J.J. (Watt) tomorrow. I’ve got to compete with (DE) Antonio (Smith) tomorrow. I’ve got to compete with (OLB) Brooks (Reed) tomorrow. So it’s definitely one of those things where it might be a moment of relief but overall, it’s long work.”

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Kubiak's quotes from today:

Head Coach Gary Kubiak

Spoiler

(on RB Arian Foster’s injury) “He has a pretty good calf strain, and we left him in (the training room) today. He’s hobbling; he’s on crutches today and will be for a couple of days. He’s going to be fine, but don’t expect me to bring him back out here. We’ve got two weeks left, so we’ll just go to work on getting him healthy, getting him ready for training camp. It’s unfortunate, but we feel lucky, too. He didn’t do anything; just took a step. He’s going to be OK, but like I said, don’t expect to see him again (in organized team activities).”

(on whether RB Arian Foster could return to practice during the team’s minicamp June 11-13) “No, I don’t expect that. We’ve got two weeks left of the offseason, so obviously we’re not going to do anything to take a risk with him.”

(on whether he expects RB Arian Foster to be in danger of missing any parts of training camp) “No, luckily we’ve got, what, two months almost now before we get ready to go. It might have ruined Arian’s summer; he’s going to have to be here a lot, but that’s OK and he’s going to be OK.”

(on if there are any other health issues with the team) “No, we’ve still got the problem with (TE Phillip) Supernaw and (NT) Sunny Harris. They have not been back since they had their issue the second day. I rested a lot of older guys today, or veteran guys. I wanted to watch a lot of young players practice in different positions, with the first group and stuff, but other than that we’re fine.”

(on the status of S Ed Reed) “I had a long conversation with Ed yesterday. I think he actually got back to Atlanta on Saturday. We have him in a rehab program there in Atlanta. Next week, I think, is their (Baltimore’s) ring ceremony and going to the White House, so that’s pretty important for him to get that stuff done there. But he will be back here as we approach the mandatory minicamp and be here for the rehab process, so you guys should see him in, about a week.”

(on the play of the quarterbacks today compared to Tuesday’s practice) “They were better today. They struggled a little bit yesterday, especially in some seven-on-seven stuff, but that’s part of it, and come back today and were pretty darn good today. I actually let (QBs) T.J. (Yates) and Case (Keenum) split the team portion of practice today with the first group and held (QB) Matt (Schaub) out. I wanted to see those guys operate with our ones, and both of them, I thought, had a pretty good practice.”

(on the improvement shown by QB T.J. Yates) “T.J.’s career has been interesting because it was like, ‘Boom,’ at once, and so many great things happened that year and his confidence is sky-high. And then you come back your second year and play the preseason, not play but about 20 snaps in the regular season and it seemed like nothing went right in those 20 snaps. That’s part of being a backup quarterback, because you hinge on that confidence for long periods of time, so we just need to get him going again. He’s working hard, he’s doing good stuff, he’s getting pushed extremely hard. What is this, now, year three? So I’m expecting him to continue to grow as a player.”

(on RB Ben Tate) “Ben’s fine. Obviously, he steps up today and works as the starter, but Ben’s been working good either way. He’s had a really good offseason; he’s been here every day, and it’s an opportunity for him this next six practices to be the bell cow, so to speak, and that’ll be good for him in the long run.”

(on FB Greg Jones’ performance thus far in minicamp) “We’re not in pads, and obviously that’s where a fullback’s strength is, when you watch them in pads. But what we’re going to do is we’re going to be smart with him. He’s definitely going to be a one-a-day guy, maybe a one-every-day guy. I know what he can do; I know what he’s going to bring to this team and I want to make sure I get the most out of him late in his career. I’ve been very impressed with his mental approach and his professional approach to what he’s doing. That’s why we brought him here.”

(on NT Earl Mitchell) “You watch practice every day and Earl acts like a full-time starter. What year is Earl? Three, four, something like that? If it’s time to be a big-time guy, it’s time and Earl’s acting like that. That’s been big for him.”

(on what he wants to see out of RB Ben Tate in the offseason and training camp) “I just want him to be healthy, that’s the biggest thing. When Ben’s on the field, he’s productive. He needs to have a good offseason, which he’s doing his part and he’s done all of that. Obviously, now his reps are going to pick up, but to me, if Ben’s in one piece, Ben is going to be very productive for this team.”

(on what he told the team at the end of practice) “Oh, I don’t even know what I said. I forget from one minute to the next. We were just talking about a couple of things. I think what I was probably talking about was I told the guys that it says a lot about your team when the coach can sit down 12 veterans and watch you practice the way you practiced today. That’s a big part of what we do for a living. We’re going to have guys get hurt; we’re going to have guys miss games, and there can never be an excuse in what we do. So that was my message today, and I liked the way we practiced.”

(on rookie TE Ryan Griffin) “He’s doing a lot of good things. Doing a lot of rookie stuff, too, but he’s very talented. He’s getting a lot of reps because O.D. (TE Owen Daniels) is only going every other day. He fits the mold for what’s been successful with us, so we’re excited to have him.”

NOTE: The final two questions of Gary Kubiak’s press conference are not included in this transcript. Some of the recorded audio was indecipherable due to wind.

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JJ Watt appeared on Total Access tonight. You can see the interview here.

 

Quotes from Thursday's practice:

Head Coach Gary Kubiak

Spoiler

(on RG Brandon Brooks) “It’s been really good. The biggest thing is any time you’ve got a young player and you say, ‘Okay, you’re a starter.’ The best thing you can have happen is that you don’t really notice him. And that’s kind of what’s happened. He went in there, he’s done his job. He understands what we’re doing now. He’s got the tools of a big-time player. So it will all just be up to him. He’s come a long way. I think he’s very comfortable in his own skin right now in what he’s doing and feeling good about himself.”

(on Brandon Brooks being penciled in as the starter at right guard) “He’s right there. That’s his. He’s got to line up every day and earn it. I think he worked through it last year and at the end of last year I think he was playing that way so I think he’s earned the opportunity to be that guy, so we’ll see if he can hang on.”

(on the relationship between WR DeAndre Hopkins and WR Andre Johnson) “It’s good. I’ll tell you what, when I watch it, to be honest with you, I think (WR) Andre (Johnson) first just because Andre’s just always had such a load on this team of bringing on players and teaching and he’s got enough stuff on his own plate. But here we go again. But that’s what he’s all about and he’s done a really good job with the young man. He’s on overload right now, the kid, but he’s pushing and hanging in there. I think (WR) Keshawn (Martin) and (WR) Lestar (Jean) have come a long way, so it’s the best group of young guys we’ve had to work with and we’ve got to get them all in the right spot.”

(on any new injuries) “We’re fine. (LG) Wade (Smith) got nicked a little bit at the end of practice, got his elbow hit. But I think he’s fine. We’ve had a good clean week, other than the (RB) Arian (Foster) situation. We’ll take our time and get him healthy.”

(on the Texans’ secondary) “Well first off, we’ve got great leadership back there with (CB Johnathan Joseph) J-Joe and (SS Danieal Manning) D Manning. I’m real impressed right now with the young guys. When I look at (SS) Eddie Pleasant, what he’s become watching him. (FS) D.J. (Swearinger), obviously I’ve talked about him enough. (CB) Brandon Harris making plays out here every day. You see first-, second-, third-year players all the sudden start acting like five- or six-year players. And that’s the key to the team.”

(on what he’s seen from rookie FS D.J. Swearinger after two weeks) “Confidence. He’s got a ton of confidence. He just walks out here like he belongs and he does. I mean, he’s got a ton of ability. He’s a smart player. When the ball is close to him, he’s going to make the play. That’s the difference between a good player and a great player in this league is being in the right spot and making big plays when you get there. He’s got a chance to make those plays.”

(on if rookie FS D.J. Swearinger is getting more opportunities with FS Ed Reed not being at OTAs) “Oh, yeah. He’s basically a starter out here from the standpoint of what we do dime-wise right now and working with (FS Shiloh) Keo. But working with a lot of starter reps. But he’s going to be called on very quickly and he’s sure acting like he can do it. We’ll just keep our fingers crossed, keep going.”

(on if he notices the year one confidence level of safeties Shiloh Keo, Eddie Pleasant and D.J. Swearinger) “You notice a difference in their confidence with our defense and what they’re doing. When guys start to get that way all their athletic skill starts to show up. They don’t slow down, they speed up when they get confidence in what they’re doing. So that’s what you see.”

(on if there is a difference in the confidence level FS D.J. Swearinger has from that of FS Shiloh Keo and SS Eddie Pleasant in their first years) “I don’t know. I think there’s been an acceleration with (FS) D.J. (Swearinger) with the fact that (FS) Ed (Reed) is not here. So it’s been a quick push, so it’s showed up maybe a little bit quicker. Hey, that’s part of our business, that’s where we’re at, so we’ve got to get that done.”

(on having a player as great as DE J.J. Watt be such a standout in the community) “He’s amazing. I always worry about guys. I always tell them, ‘If you’ve got too much on your plate, let me know. I’ll help you because we’ve got to have you playing good football.’ He’s one of those guys that does so many things. I’ve never heard him complain one time. A special person, a special player, so we better enjoy it every day because they don’t come along like that very often.”

(on people concerned with the percentage of offense that went through WR Andre Johnson last year) “Tell them a big percentage is going to go through him again.”

DE J.J. Watt

Spoiler

(on being a more vocal leader on defense) “It’s been going well. I’m doing a little bit more talking than I’ve done in the past but like I said at the beginning, it all starts with my play. If I’m not playing well, nobody wants to follow me. I’m just trying to make sure I’m the best player I can be.”

(on what he has seen from the team two weeks into OTAs) “We’ve got workers. We’ve got guys that are committed. We have guys who come out here every day and are focused on getting better and that’s all you can do right now in this period, with no pads on. All you can do is focus on your technique and getting better.”

(on how NT Earl Mitchell has stepped up) “(NT) Earl (Mitchell) is playing great. Earl’s been a guy who got a lot of snaps last year. He knows how to play. He knows what it’s like to be in that starter role and he’s stepped in and it’s been seamless. He’s playing very well for us.”

(on if it has been said to him that this is his team) “In my exit interview after last season with coach (Gary) Kubiak, we talked a little bit about my leadership role and taking a new step forward but for me it’s more gradual. Obviously, I was very fortunate to be named a captain halfway through last year; just as I go, I’m just trying to take on a little bit more role each time. I’m a young kid and there’s a lot of vets on this team and I’m just trying to earn my stripes and prove that I belong and prove to the young guys what it takes to get here.”

(on if any of his offseason activities, including visiting Afghanistan helped develop his leadership skills) “Of course. I think it all helps. I think, any time that you have an opportunity to go see different power structures, different men in the military who have different ranks and you see how things work and the way people handle it, it’s definitely an advantage and it helps you in your own leadership capabilities.”

(on what he’s trying to improve on his game now) “I’m working on everything. I do a lot well but I can do everything better. There’s little things. There’s a lot of little technique things. I’m going to be seeing a lot of double and triple teams, just like I did last year, so just finding new ways to improve. I mean, there’s always ways to improve no matter how good you are, you can always get better.”

(on offensive coordinators scheming to stop him) “That’s good. I mean, I enjoy that. I’ve always said it; if you’re focused on just stopping me, you’re going to have a headache because you have to deal with (DE) Antonio Smith, (ILB) Brian Cushing, (OLB) Whitney Mercilus, (OLB) Brooks Reed, all those guys. I welcome all the challenges. I welcome every double team. I welcome every chip block. But I’m always working my tail off to make sure I’m prepared for that.”

(on the Houston Texans’ Super Bowl aspirations) “If there’s a football team in this league right now that is not thinking about a Super Bowl, then show me them because that’s crazy. Every single team in this team is thinking about a Super Bowl right now and we’re no different. We’ve been to the playoffs, we’ve won division championships. Logically, that’s the next step and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

(on being able to help in the community and play well) “It’s awesome. The way this community has embraced me, I’m trying to do everything I can to give back and show them that I appreciate them. And we have such great fans. Everywhere you go, you see so many fans and they’re so great and any chance I get, I’d much rather give back to the fans than play a video game or watch a television show. So instead of sitting on my couch, I’m trying to go out into the community and help every chance I can.”

(on if he is enjoying spending time with his team at OTAs) “Absolutely. I think that’s one thing about our team, we have great chemistry. The offseason stuff is fun. I’ve had a lot of great opportunities this offseason but on the field, that’s home to me. This is where I feel the most comfortable. This is where there’s no distractions. I just get to enjoy the game. I get to play my craft and be around my teammates. I’m having a blast and so it was a welcome sight for me to get back on the field. I enjoy it very much.”

(on the play of NT Earl Mitchell) “(NT) Earl (Mitchell) is playing great. Earl has played great in the past. He knows what it’s like to be a starter in this league. He’s playing starter reps and he’s continuing to grow and he’s continuing to get better. He’s getting more confidence and I think that’s the biggest thing.”

(on what the defensive line needs to improve on) “We have a very good defensive line but we can always get better. I mean, there’s a couple sacks we can get back, there’s some tackles we need to make. I think the run game, I think we need to shore up that run game, especially when we’re in our dime personnel when we’re in the run game, we want to make sure we shore that up.”

(on if there is a young player who has caught his eye in the last two weeks) “I think one guy who has stepped in very nicely is (ILB Darryl) Sharpton. Sharpton is playing well. He’s gaining some confidence out there. He’s playing good football and you can tell as the days go on, he gets more and more confident in himself and that’s what these days are for. That’s what these practices are for, gaining confidence.”

(on what it will mean to the defense when ILB Brian Cushing is back healthy) “It’s huge. (ILB) Brian Cushing is a player you love having out there because he flies around, he makes plays. He’s got a lot of energy and he’s a great football player and any time he’s on the field with you, you’re confident. I’m excited to get him back and we can’t wait to have him out here at practice.”

(on NT Earl Mitchell saying that he is the best teammate he’s ever had because he makes everyone want to be better) “That’s a great compliment. I appreciate it and I think that’s my goal. Every day that I come to work, I’m trying to be the best I can and hopefully I’m pushing everybody around me. I think on this team, nobody likes to be complacent, nobody wants to be comfortable with second place running sprints, whether we’re doing a lift in the weight room or if we’re out here at practice. We’re all trying to be the best. If I’m out front, I’m trying to (pull) everyone along with me and if somebody else is out front, I’m trying to catch them. That’s just kind of the way we work.”

(on the difference for him in receiving national fame in addition to local fame) “It’s cool, man. It’s pretty cool. I enjoy it. I mean, this is the type of stuff you dream about as a kid. You dream about all these things that I get to do now. But for me, at the end of the day, it all comes back to on this field and that weight room and working hard because as quickly; I guess it’s come over so many years, but it can go away so quickly. You work so hard. You work your entire life to build up something like this and it could be taken away so quickly if you don’t play well. I’m trying to make it last as long as possible so every single day I’m putting in the work.”

(on how special it is that he makes people around him better) “It’s very special. It means a lot to me. To hear a teammate say something like that, it’s very special. I can only hope I continue that for my entire career because that’s the ultimate goal. It’s nice to play good for yourself but when you can make people around you better, that’s what it’s all about.”

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