Rookie minicamp thread

The Texans hold a rookie minicamp Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

They just wrapped up the first practice session of the day.

Our first injury:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Sam Montgomery left the first practice early because his back tightened up, Kubiak said. Said he'll be fine. <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Texans">#Texans</a></p>&mdash; Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) <a href="https://twitter.com/taniaganguli/status/332901584059117568">May 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Here's a list of the participants in the rookie minicamp:

Rookie Tryouts (11)
Jackson Anderson, LS, Duke
Marlon Brown, WR, Georgia
Adrian Campbell, T, Tarleton State
Javicz Jones, ILB, Mary-Hardin Baylor
Collin Klein, QB, Kansas State
Barrett Matthews, FB, Texas
Torlan Pittman, NT, SMU
Graham Pocic, C, Illinois
Adam Schiitz, TE, Emporia State (Kan.)
Baker Steinkuhler, NT, Nebraska
Ben Turk, P, Notre Dame

Veteran Tryouts (6) (NFL experience in parentheses)
Tyler Horn, C, Miami (Fla.) (1)
Deji Karim, RB, Southern Illinois (4)
Jon Opperud, T, Montana (1)
Roy Lewis, SS, Washington (4)
Robert Rose, DT, Ohio State (1)
Terrence Wheatley, CB, Colorado (4)

First-Year Players (7)
Keith Browner, DE, California
Jake Byrne, TE, Wisconsin
Cameron Collins, ILB, Oregon State
Delano Johnson, OLB, Bowie State
Case Keenum, QB, Houston
Nick Mondek, T, Purdue
Phillip Supernaw, TE, Ouachita Baptist

Draft Picks (9)
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson
D.J. Swearinger, S, South Carolina
Brennan Williams, T, North Carolina
Sam Montgomery, OLB, LSU
Trevardo Williams, OLB, Connecticut
David Quessenberry, T, San Jose State
Alan Bonner, WR, Jacksonville State
Chris Jones, NT, Bowling Green
Ryan Griffin, TE, Connecticut

Undrafted free agents (23)
Offense
RB Ray Graham (Pittsburgh)
RB Dennis Johnson (Arkansas)
RB George Winn (Cincinnati)
RB Cierre Wood (Notre Dame)
FB Zach Boren (Ohio State)
WR Andy Cruse (Miami (Ohio))
WR Alec Lemon (Syracuse)
WR EZ Nwachukwu (Texas A&M)
WR Mike Smith (Connecticut)
T Dann O’Neill (Western Michigan)
G Alex Kupper (Louisville)
G Bryan Collins (SMU)

Defense
DE Earl Okine (Florida)
OLB Willie Jefferson (Stephen F. Austin)
OLB Justin Tuggle (Kansas State)
ILB Ja’Gared Davis (SMU)
ILB Evan Frierson (Illinois State)
CB Johnny Adams (Michigan State)
CB A.J. Bouye (Central Florida)
CB Travis Howard (Ohio State)
S Orhian Johnson (Ohio State)
S Jawanza Starling (USC)

Special Teams
P Andrew Shapiro (Fresno State)

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/a...-tryouts/a943e31b-483d-4883-a30a-e8096d26764f

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Kubiak very impressed with DeAndre Hopkins. Also singled out Bonner. Said they know what they want to do w/ball before catching it. <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Texans">#Texans</a></p>&mdash; Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) <a href="https://twitter.com/taniaganguli/status/332904262306787328">May 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Hopkins had some very impressive catches. A nice one handed catch early in the session. Stared down Swearinger after one. <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Texans">#Texans</a></p>&mdash; Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) <a href="https://twitter.com/taniaganguli/status/332905019550613504">May 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Texans rookie minicamp flash? Hopkins' catches. /bunch of media saying all in unison "Did you see that?" <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Clemson">#Clemson</a></p>&mdash; Stephanie Stradley (@StephStradley) <a href="https://twitter.com/StephStradley/status/332901479495114752">May 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>One Hopkins catch looked like sure interception downfield on misthrown ball. Surprised he grabbed it. Also got one-hand catch behind him.</p>&mdash; Stephanie Stradley (@StephStradley) <a href="https://twitter.com/StephStradley/status/332901855388643328">May 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23texans">#texans</a> LB Sam Montgomery told me he tweaked his back during drills. Kubiak says he may sit out the afternoon session, Sam says he won't</p>&mdash; James Palmer (@JPalmerCSN) <a href="https://twitter.com/JPalmerCSN/status/332903470032105472">May 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Kubiak says he doesn't like the turf in the bubble after commenting on Montgomery</p>&mdash; James Palmer (@JPalmerCSN) <a href="https://twitter.com/JPalmerCSN/status/332903761498480640">May 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Trevardo Williams showed why he is a edge rusher, can lean and get low. Has good closing speed. <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Texans">#Texans</a></p>&mdash; PDS (@PatDStat) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatDStat/status/332905048898158592">May 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Jake Byrne stood out at tight end. Big target and Phillip Supernaw also looks like he has taken a step forward in development. <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Texans">#Texans</a></p>&mdash; PDS (@PatDStat) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatDStat/status/332905340150620161">May 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Former <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Arkansas">#Arkansas</a> RB Dennis Johnson is very fast. Looked explosive today at <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Texans">#Texans</a> rookie minicamp.</p>&mdash; Drew Dougherty (@DoughertyDrew) <a href="https://twitter.com/DoughertyDrew/status/332907665887985665">May 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Quotes from Friday's morning practice:

Head Coach Gary Kubiak

Spoiler

(onWR DeAndre Hopkins) “He looked good to me. It’s not time to play yet, but no, it was good. I thought all of our – obviously, you look at those nine draft choices that come in, so you’re kind of looking at them initially. I thought we’ve got a heck of a group. Our scouts put together a heck of a group of free agents and tryout kids. It’s very important to them. Unfortunately, the weather had us inside but we had a good start. We’ll come back here in a couple hours.”

(on what he thought of QB Collin Klein) “You know what, I think he’s come a long way. Because I know what he did in college and obviously I’ve talked to Jake (Plummer) and I know what they’ve been working on. The first thing that jumped at me is that he knew exactly what he was doing after coming out of a meeting so that tells you how sharp he is. Obviously, all that other stuff you can work on. Obviously, it’s a big opportunity for him and it’s a step in the right direction this morning.”

(on how big of an opportunity these practices are for QB Case Keenum) “Well it’s automatic for him now. That’s what I like. I think Case is fixing to be extremely competitive with T.J. (Yates) and Matt (Schaub). It comes from just confidence and knowing what we’re doing. You can just tell today, he comes out here with a bunch of young kids; but he was obviously the leader of the group today with everything he did.”

(on this being an opportunity for QB Case Keenum to get a lot of reps) “Yeah, it is. The rules are such that only certain guys can come do this. Thankfully, he was one of the guys that was able to come out here. I’m looking forward to watching him compete. It’s a different guy right now, but it should be. I mean, he’s got a year under his belt, so I’m very confident.”

(on why he decided to have a rookie mini-camp) “Really the reason I did it is because I can keep them here now. We bring them in, I’ve got them through the weekend, then we start Monday morning with all the guys that can stay. That’s the biggest thing. We’ve got a lot of spots to fill from the standpoint of young guys helping our football team this year. So it gives us a three-day head start.”

(on S D.J. Swearinger) “Very athletic. He can throw, too. I watched him before practice; in case we need him to throw. (He’s) everything we thought he was. Very smart player, adjusts to what we’re doing right off the get-go. Great ball skills and there’s an opportunity for him to get a lot of reps and help this team very early. So I’m just glad he’s here and working.”

(on WR DeAndre Hopkins) “(I’m) Impressed. Very impressed. Very competitive; that’s number one. We knew that. Tremendous hands. He’s got big hands. Has no problem with the ball, come out of a break; all those things we knew we were getting. But I loved the competitive nature I’m just watching him come out here and compete today.”

(on if WR DeAndre Hopkins made some of the catches during practice that he saw on his college tape) “Oh, yeah. The thing I like about watching guys like that, even watching (WR Alan) Bonner,is I like guys that know what they wanted to do with the ball even before they catch it. And you can watch (Hopkins) and Bonner; before they put their hands on a ball, they’re ready to go do something with it. We need to get better after the catch with our yards after the catch with our group and these guys should give us a chance to do that.”

(on what he wanted to see out of players this weekend) “We think we have a pretty good idea of what we drafted. So we’re just interested in seeing that. All the free agents that we brought in are guys that we did have targeted as late draft choices that we were able to get in here as free agents, so just try to go sort that out. We’ve got a few veteran guys here for tryout purposes. We just need to go evaluate and make sure we’ve got our group together before we start Monday with our team, actually.”

(on how QB Collin Klein performed) “It was good. I just said a minute ago, somebody asked me, the first thing that jumped at me is what he got taught in the meeting, he came out here and was automatic with. So that tells you how sharp he is. Now we’ll just go to work on all those things that are different for him. But I thought it was an impressive first time out.”

(on how he views his group of running backs at rookie training camp) “Well, I know one thing; if I was a running back in this environment, I’d be pretty excited because we’ve got two on our team. So somebody’s going to have to step up. Obviously, we’ve got some good kids back there working. What an opportunity for a free agent to be a part of this team.”

(on if he’s impressed with the group of players he has assembled at the mini-camp) “Yeah, I am. We thought a couple of them would get drafted. They didn’t. For me, that’s probably a blessing in disguise for not only us but maybe them when it’s all said and done with the opportunities they’re going to have here.”

(on the interest he had in CB Johnny Adams at the Combine) “All these guys are here because we had some interest level in them as we prepared for the draft. You never know how guys are going to get drafted but obviously he fits in that mold. We’ve got to go back and take a look at him but he’s got all the physical ability to do what we need to do to be successful. We’ll see. Hopefully he’ll take advantage of the opportunity.”

(on if CB Johnny Adams fits the mold of what the team is looking for from undrafted players) “We’re not filling any lines. We’ve got some good players out here and it’s going to make it even tougher because we can’t take all these guys into Monday. So it’s going to make it even tougher. It’ll be competitive. This morning was very competitive. I’m sure it will get even more so in the next four practices.”

(on how many players will come out of this weekend) “I don’t know. Obviously, after your nine (draft picks) and the guys that you’ve signed, you’ve got to look at all these guys that are on a tryout basis and if you think enough of them you can’t let them out the building because they’re going to end up somewhere else. But we’ve got some tough decisions to make over a short period.”

(on the fact that he can’t keep all the players from mini-camp, even if he loved them all) “No. If we loved them all, we can’t take them. Only 90.”

(on WR DeAndre Hopkins displaying his ability to catch and to go up and get the ball) “Yeah. No doubt. That’s what we thought we were getting. I love his competitive nature on the field, just watching him compete in every little drill that he did. We’re asking a lot of him but that’s why we drafted him that high. So we expect him to step in here and help real quick.”

(on S D.J. Swearinger seeming very confident) “Very much so. He handled himself like he’d been out here for a couple years. But that’s what he did at South Carolina. He’s the same type of guy.”

(on OLB Sam Montgomery leaving the field) “His back’s bothering him a little bit. He had some tightness in his lower back. You know, sometimes when you come on this turf and guys haven’t been working on turf, that can happen. We’ll see if he’s back this afternoon but he’s fine. He’s okay.”

(on if that’s why he hates the turf) “Yeah, it bothers my back, too. How about y’all?”

(on if the team will practice outside in the afternoon) “We’re going to try but it sure doesn’t look that way.”

(on how much you can tell when veterans aren’t out practicing with the rookies) “Well, I think you can tell right away from an ability standpoint. Do they fit? Do they have what you think they need to make this football team. But the thing you find out real quick is just how competitive guys are. We’ll throw a lot at them just to see how they study, how they walk out of the meeting room, come over here and do it. There’s a lot of things to work out but the biggest thing we need; when we get to Monday, have our group set and get to work.”

WR DeAndre Hopkins

Spoiler

(on what his thoughts were on his first workout of rookie camp) “Oh man, I loved it. I feel like we had a great day. We made a lot of mistakes in our first day out, a lot of rookies, but the guys that were here last year kind of helped us out, like (QB Case) Keenum and a lot of other guys. I feel, overall, it was a good day.”

(on working with Coach Kubiak and the rest of the coaching staff) “It was great. They’re a veteran coaching staff, so if you don’t pay attention, you lose them. They coached me up on everything, even the small things, one yard details, they coach me up.”

(on what he is trying to show the coaching staff) “Just that I’m a player. I’m trying to go out there and play fast and make plays.”

(on him going up to get the ball when it’s contested) “Yeah, that’s part of being a wide receiver. That’s what you want to do. You want to go up and get everything.”

(on making the same plays he’s used to, but now at an NFL practice) “It’s kind of normal. These guys, they’re in the NFL. They’ve been through the college process. You can’t get overwhelmed by being in the NFL. You just have to go out and do what you do.”

(on if it is easier said than done to not be overwhelmed in the NFL) “No, it’s not really. Once you get in here and hang with these people, you know they’re human just like you. You know you kind of fit in with them.”

(on if there were any butterflies for his first NFL practice) “Not really. Coach kind of coached me up before coming out here. I kind of knew what I had to do. I studied my playbook very well, so I felt good about coming out the first day.”

(on what he wants to work on right now) “Basically just to stay in the playbook, kind of being a student of the game and learning this playbook; it’s a whole new play playbook. That’s the main thing I need to work on, the playbook.”

(on if he is starting to get a feel of what NFL speed may be like) “Yeah, man. These guys, they’re not here for no reason. So yeah, you kind of get a feel for it from the start.”

(on the one-handed catch he made and if he is trying to bring the ‘whoa factor’ to his game) “I just do what I do best and that’s to catch the football. I try to do that no matter where the ball is.”

(on having a mentality that he’s going to catch any ball from day one) “I’ve got to. This is a great organization. They’ve stressed that they need another playmaker on the other side of Andre Johnson. So I just want to come out here and prove that I can be that other guy.”

(on the pace of practice) “It was pretty fast, but I’m used to it. We ran about 90-100 plays in college fast-paced, so to me it wasn’t as fast as I was used to in college, but it was up-tempo.”

(on what stuck out to him about the workout today) “Just the focus that the coaching staff had, and all the guys, they had that focus that everybody has the same goal and that is to win a championship.”

(on how quickly he was able to pick up the scheme and if he was pleased with his progress) “I was pleased. I made a couple of mistakes, but on the first day out, that’s going to happen. Overall, I felt good about what I did today.”

(on how nice it was to be out playing football again after being drafted) “It felt great just to put on the helmet. I’ve been doing a bunch of talking. I felt like a president almost, being up on podiums and talking. It felt great coming out here and just doing what I love.”

(on making the difficult transition from college to the pros at wide receiver) “I feel like if you study your playbook and you get in there and just try to be a student of the game, then it’s kind of easier. When you have veterans, like those on this team, helping you out, it makes things a lot easier. If you’re a guy, you kind of don’t have those guys as a rookie and having to do things on your own, but the Texans are a great organization and so there are a lot of people helping us out.”

(on if he has had the opportunity to talk to Andre Johnson) “I have. I got to talk to Andre and Matt Schaub and J.J. Watt. All those guys texted me and told me to come in with a focus and to be ready.”

(on if he’s glad to get rookie camp out of the way before he has to work with the veterans) “Yeah, I’m glad for that. I’ve got a great coach, who’s helping me prepare. I feel good.”

(on if he has sought out advice from anyone else about making the transition to the NFL) “No, I haven’t.”

(on the one-handed catch he made in practice) “Oh man, it was kind of just instinct. I couldn’t get my other hand on it, so I just put one hand up there and it stuck in there.”

(on if he has had a moment where he realized he is in the NFL) “When we started warming up, it wasn’t an easy warm up. Guys were out there huffing and puffing and like, ‘Man, this is kind of harder than the college warm-up that we’re used to.’ That kind of kicked in as soon as we got up here and started warming up. This is the NFL and it’s serious.”

(on if he is sure that he will be a starter this year based on his confidence) “I’m not sure about it. I just want to come out and fight for a position. Anything I can do to help this team win a championship, I want to do.”

(on if he expects himself to be a starter at the beginning of the season) “Of course that’s what I expect. I hope that’s what everybody expects.”

(on if everybody was excited to get started today) “Yeah, everybody was excited, but everybody had the focus. There weren’t too many giggles or laughs. Everybody had the focus. This is a job. This is not college anymore.”

(on being teammates with D.J. Swearinger who was a college rival) “That just makes it fun, having somebody that I was a rival with in college. We kind of grew up in the same hometown almost, close to each other. It’s just a good feeling to have somebody out there who when we look at each other like that, we know at the end of the day it’s all love.”

(on what he and D.J. Swearinger talk about now that they are teammates) “All kind of stuff. It’s locker room stuff, inside stuff. We joke around a lot.”

OLB Sam Montgomery

Spoiler

(on the speed of his first NFL practice compared to college) “Oh, yeah. It’s definitely faster. Something I’ve got to get used to, something I’ve got to get prepared for. But it’s a great learning experience. The coaches were great. Everybody works hard, everybody’s motivating each other so it’s definitely good to be out here in Texas for my first practice.”

(on if he could sleep last night) “No, I was too anxious. Too anxious to be out here.”

(on if he strained anything when he went off the field during practice) “It’s just a little back tweak. Just a little tweak. They stretched me out over there; everything looked good. Just come back out here the second day, go back at it and work hard.”

(on if he’ll be good to go for the second practice Friday) “Oh yeah, definitely.”

(on the experience to get to NFL and the motivation involved) “The motivation was already there. It definitely was something big that I’ve been looking forward to; a childhood dream to play for this state. It’s definitely one of the things I looked forward to today’s practice, just working hard and the fast pace of NFL football. It’s definitely something you’ve got to train and be prepared for.”

(on what it’s like having high school teammate S D.J. Swearinger on the team) “It’s definitely a motivational thing. Me and him help each other, push each other to maximize our potential so we can have the best output on the field.”

(on how his first practice went) “I thought my first practice went amazing. Very good day; fast-paced. I learned so much. A lot of stuff is being thrown in (that) I’ve got to get down.”

(on defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and linebackers coach Reggie Herring) “Wade (Phillips) and Reggie (Herring) are just like back at home, what I had with … the same type of feel. You’ve got good cop, bad cop sometimes and they’re just a great two coaches. I can’t wait to make plays for them and learn their scheme.”

(on meeting DE Antonio Smith) “Great guy. I definitely have got to get to know a lot more people, know their faces and get a feel for them. This is just day one but I can already feel the family atmosphere that this team has and what they’ve built here. I’m just trying to add on to it.”

(on how important it is that he and S D.J. Swearinger ended up in Houston) “It’s special. It’s definitely something that’s really special. I look forward to going to work with D.J. (Swearinger) every day and definitely have somebody down here that I know is going to push and motivate me to maximize my potential.”

(on his transition to outside linebacker from defensive end) “I feel like everything in life is a challenge but I feel like with the right training, the right focus and dedication, I can make the change.”

(on what defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and linebackers coach Reggie Herring have helped him so far) “Just different techniques. Keep your head up, work hard. Come to work every day with your ears wide open; you know, mouth shut and just listen. Eyes wide open.”

(on the tempo and speed of the first day of rookie mini-camp) “It’s definitely a totally different speed. That was something I’ve got to get used to. But with time comes experience. You can’t just expect to come out here and catch it in one day. So I’m just trying to keep a level head, keep my ears open and just learn everything on the fly.”

(on the biggest adjustment from college to pro practice besides the speed) “It’s definitely a technical game. It’s definitely something that you have to study and out of your quality time that you use in the outside world to be a professional in this game. So my respect goes to every last professional that plays this game because it’s 10 times more deep than just going down, hitting somebody and making a big play. It’s studying, dedication and focus.”

(on now being NFL teammates with former high school teammate S D.J. Swearinger) “It’s an amazing feeling. It’s definitely amazing. Being on the field with D.J. (Swearinger) is a blessing in disguise. Like I said before, I have somebody that can motivate me on and off the field to do the right thing, as well as to perform.”

(on his history with S D.J. Swearinger) “He’s like my brother. We come from the same place; Greenwood (South Carolina). It’s like having family on the team.”

S D.J. Swearinger

Spoiler

(on working to be a leader on the field during the rookie minicamp) “If you’re a leader when you’re
born, you’re a leader now. I just think me being the leader that I am, it’s just once I get comfortable
with everything, I think I’ll be a big leader.”

(on him making a promise that South Carolina would never lose to Clemson while he was there) “It’s something that I truly believed. With our class that came in my freshman year, we had a goal to not lose against Clemson. My senior year in high school, we watched Carolina get destroyed by Clemson, and that’s something we said wasn’t going to happen again, and we made that promise, and it happened.”

(on being reunited with OLB Sam Montgomery, his former high school teammate) “It’s very important. Both of us are from Greenwood (S.C.), putting it on for our city, and for us to play with each other again is great. It’s a blessing.”

(on how his first practice as a Texan went) “It went well. It went very well. I think I had a great practice. Getting out here in my Texans uniform, it felt great.”

(on what he liked and didn’t like about his performance in practice) “Just getting used to different calls here. It’s just a little different than South Carolina and the 4-3 (defense). You’ve got to get used to different fits in the run game; and with the free safety and strong safety, I’m used to lining up to the (wide side of the) field playing free safety, but now it’s a little different with that, so I’ve just got to get adjusted and I’ll be fine.”

(on being reunited with OLB Sam Montgomery, his former high school teammate) “It’s a blessing, really, because growing up together, playing high school ball together and then talking to each other while he was at LSU and I was at South Carolina, and then us ending up with the same NFL team is crazy. Like I said, it’s a blessing and I’m ready to play with him.”

(on what he needs to work on as he makes the transition to the NFL) “Just slowing down a little bit, slowing down and making sure to register all the plays the right way, doing everything the correct way instead of trying to go so hard. Just get everything correct and I’ll be fine.”

(on trying to go full-speed but not go too hard in practice) “There’s a difference between trying to do too much and going hard. I think I’ve got to settle down and not try to do too much, but do it the right way and do it full speed.”

(on his first practice) “It felt great to have this Texans uniform on, to have 3-6 on my back again. It felt great to get my first NFL practice out of the way, and I’m just looking to improve on my second one.”

(on if there is something special to him about wearing no. 36) “Oh, yes it is. My dad wore it; two of my uncles wore it; I’ve worn it all of my life – high school, college and then now out here, so it’s a tradition for me.”

(on how well he felt like he was able to understand the Texans’ defensive scheme) “I think I took it well. I want to be a sponge out here, soak up as much information as I can, and once I get out here, not have to think a lot. Once you’re out here thinking a lot, you seem to make mistakes, so I want to get knowledge that I can in the meeting room so that when I come out here, it’s just fluid.”

(on if the rookie minicamp helps him get a head start before the veterans come back for Organized Team Activities) “I wouldn’t say a head start, because the veterans know their defense, but I think this is a good jump, a good learning period for us to get a great start on our season and minicamp and OTAs.”

(on whether he had any butterflies in his stomach before practice) “Oh, no. No butterflies. It’s all ready. When it’s a football field, I’m all-go. It’s all go for me.”

(on him looking comfortable during drills in practice) “Like I said, it’s football, and once it’s football, I’m comfortable. There’s no jitterbugs or nervousness or nothing. I’m a football player and I’m here to play football.”

(on Head Coach Gary Kubiak’s comment that mentally, Swearinger looked like a veteran) “I think I have a very high football IQ and I’m a very smart player, so when I came out here and in the meeting rooms, that was very good for me. I caught on well, and when I came out here I felt very fluid and confident in the things that I could do.”

(on whether there was a moment when it hit him that he’s in the NFL) “When I put on the jersey and when I put on the helmet – yesterday, actually. It was like, ‘I’m in the NFL now. It’s time to work, time to step up my game.’ I’m blessed to be out here and I’m ready for this next practice.”

(on his impressions of WR DeAndre Hopkins’ performance in practice) “He made one big catch and then when he came back on the sideline he sort of stared me down, but it’s all good. We’re going to talk trash; both of us are from the 864 (area code), so we’re going to talk trash, but we’re good boys.”

(on WR DeAndre Hopkins’ claim that he scored on Swearinger once in college) “My sophomore year, his freshman year, he got me with a double move and scored the first – and only – touchdown of that game.”

(on whether he and WR DeAndre Hopkins talked to one another during the NFL Draft) “We did. We talked after the Draft, and like I said, for me, him and (OLB) Sam (Montgomery) to be on the same team, that’s crazy, but it’s a blessing and I’m just ready to play with them.”

(on OLB Sam Montgomery saying that Swearinger is like his brother) “Sam is older than me, but it’s sort of like I’m his big brother. I’ve got to keep him straight sometimes, but that’s my boy and we’ve got to take care of each other on and off the field.”

Nothing from Friday's afternoon practice. Hopkins and Bonner both suffered cramps during practice but they should be all right.