Texans OTAs Thread

The Texans begin organized team activities on Monday. They will practice May 20-21, 23, 28-30 and June 3-6.

We'll see how the rookies do now that have to go up against veterans. Can Hopkins continue to shine like he did in rookie minicamp?

Brian Cushing and Ed Reed won't participate as they are still recovering from injury.

The Texans signed two tryout players, RB Deji Karim and C Tyler Horn, after the rookie minicamp. They cut RB George Winn and T Dan O'Neill. The Texans currently have 89 players on the roster. They can add one more player before reaching the 90-man limit.

 

Quotes from the first day of OTAs:

Head Coach Gary Kubiak

Spoiler

(on the status of OLB Brooks Reed) “He’s fine. Brooks has been fine for two-and-a-half, three months, so he’s doing good.”

(on the status of ILB Darryl Sharpton) “Sharpton’s good. He’s back to work today. We’re kind of going to be a little protective with him, keep him out of some special teams drills and stuff, but he’s back to work. (CB) Brice (McCain) is back to work on kind of a temporary basis. Other than that, those other guys are still out. Y’all know who they are, Cush (ILB Brian Cushing) and those guys.”

(on the status of ILB Brian Cushing) “He’s fine. He’s doing great. He’ll be ready to go. Our goal has been training camp the whole time. If it was up to Cush, he’d be out here today, but we’ve got to do it right.”

(on the status of S Ed Reed) “He’s doing really well. The expectations are for him to leave Colorado at some point this week, from a rehab standpoint, but yeah, it’s going good.”

(on how he plans to handle the roster and depth chart at inside linebacker) “I think the most important thing right now is that we get these young guys in position to rep. (OLB) Brooks (Reed) is repping inside right now, so that lets (OLB) Sam (Montgomery) and (OLB) Trevardo (Williams) rep with the first and second groups and (OLB Bryan) Braman rep with the first group, so I think right the key is that we just get them all going. We can settle them down. Brooks can always move, but we wanted to make sure these young guys stayed in one spot so we could really evaluate them.”

(on whether OLB Brooks Reed and ILB Darryl Sharpton are practicing at the same inside linebacker position) “They’re opposite inside, as of today. It’s going to change from day to day, but we know that Brooks can line up outside and play tomorrow if we opened the season, so we’re very concerned about getting him his reps inside from that standpoint.”

(on OLB Brooks Reed) “He’s fine. He’s a really sharp player, and he’s got a bunch of it from phase two of the (offseason) program, he got a bunch of reps in there, so we just think it’s best that if he’s going to get a ton of reps in the OTAs (Organized Team Activities), so to speak, it’s better off for him getting them somewhere he hasn’t played, because we always know he can go back.”

(on the importance of having QB Matt Schaub during Organized Team Activities this year after not having him in 2012) “I nearly forgot about last year, that he had missed the whole thing. He’s got a good season under his belt totally healthy, and obviously he comes back out here, he’s had a good offseason. He’s getting pushed by (QB) T.J. (Yates) and (QB) Case (Keenum), and that’s a good thing. Having him work full-time with the team, that’s important. There are going to be certain guys that are going to get some breaks; you’re going to see me sit some older guys as we go through this thing, but it’s good to have him back full-speed.”

(on the importance of having QB Matt Schaub throwing to the young receivers on the team) “Well, first off for the young buck, for (WR) DeAndre (Hopkins), we put him with the first group. That’s tough duty, but what happens is he’s not only getting coached by us; he’s getting coached by Matt in the huddle, he’s getting coached by (WR) Andre (Johnson) in the huddle, so that’s the best thing for a young player like that. Put him in an environment where he’s getting help from players as well as coaches, so it’s been a step in the right direction.”

(on how WR DeAndre Hopkins looked in his first practice with the full team) “I thought he was fine. I think first off he was better, mentally. He’s been through it a couple times, and just the speed of these guys – like today, they just watch how our guys work and how fast they practice, how they talk, how they’re so much into what they’re doing. So it’s a big shock for these young guys, but the key is for the next 10 days to get them all comfortable with their teammates and what we’re doing so that they can compete come summertime.”

(on what steps they have taken to improve the team’s special teams units) “Well, we got (Special Teams Coordinator) Joe (Marciano) some help, which I think was important. In this business, it seems like there’s a coach and an assistant for every dang position nowadays, and Joe’s been doing it by himself for a long, long time. So we had an opportunity to get Lig (Assistant Special Teams Coach Bob Ligashesky) in here and help Joe out, so I think that’s a big plus. Obviously, we think our team’s getting more athletic with some of these young guys that can run, so any time you get faster as a football team or special teams, you get better.”

(on the progress of the rookie defensive linemen on the team) “(NT Chris) Jones is doing fine. He struggled a little bit that weekend that we got together. It was a little bit different for him being in a 3-4 type situation and us playing him in a couple of different spots. He looked a little better to me today. (DE) Delano (Johnson), I’m thinking of him being a young player, he’s been very impressive this offseason. There will be plenty of reps to go around; I’ll rest (DE) Antonio (Smith) some, (DE) J.J. (Watt) some throughout this course, and we’ve got plenty to look at.”

(on the rookie offensive linemen) “First off, the number three (T Brennan Williams) is a little behind. He’s got a little issue with his knee. We’re trying to get him healthy and get his physical conditioning up with the rest of the team. Quiz (T David Quessenberry) is really very impressive right now. He’s smart, played all over the place in (rookie) mini-camp and handled it. He’s going to get a ton of reps at right tackle now with (RT Derek) Newton and the Williams situation.”

(on the status WR DeVier Posey) “He’s doing good. He’s doing really good. I think he’s ahead of schedule, whatever that schedule is. I think the big key to him will be when we go to (training) camp, is he a PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) guy or is he somebody that looks like he’s going to be ready early in the season. I don’t know. Right now he’s doing good, though.”

(on what are realistic expectations for WR DeVier Posey at this point) “I don’t really know. I know his goal is to make it hard on us to put him on PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) once camp starts, so that’s a good thing. He’s working hard.”

(on if windy conditions are the best challenge he can give to punt returners) “You must have been watching. It wasn’t very good today. It’s tough, and Lech (P Shane Lechler) kicks a tough ball to catch, especially down there inside the 50 where he was kicking, so we’ll keep working a lot of people, but today was about as tough as it gets.”

WR Andre Johnson

Spoiler

(on his thoughts on WR DeAndre Hopkins after his first practice) “He did good. You could kind of tell that he’s thinking a lot when he’s playing, but that’s part of being a rookie. He’s picking up everything pretty well. He went and made some plays today and that’s a good thing. I think day-by-day, he’ll continue to get better and better.”

(on if he is looking forward to playing with WR DeAndre Hopkins) “Definitely. We have a lot of talent at the wide receiver position. All of the young guys are very talented. I think they’re going to help us out a whole lot.”

(on if he provided any advice to WR DeAndre Hopkins today) “We’ll go in and watch the practice and stuff. I’ll talk to him from there. He sits next to me in the meeting room. I’ll tell him what I see.”

(on how he felt to be back on the field for Organized Team Activities) “I wasn’t really looking forward to it, but football is back. It just seems like the offseason goes by so fast and then you’re right back at it. It was a lot of fun and it was great to be back out here.”

(on having QB Matt Schaub on the field for Organized Team Activities compared to a season ago) “It’s great to have everyone healthy. I couldn’t tell you the last time I did OTAs, so I’m happy just to be back out here with my teammates and everything is feeling good.”

OLB Brooks Reed

Spoiler

(on whether he is moving to inside linebacker) “I’m not 100 percent switching positions, but I’m trying to learn another position. It’s coming along. I’ve been in the playbook a lot, picking up little things. Cush (ILB Brian Cushing) played the position, so I’m always asking him things, but I’ll get the hang of it.”

(on what he picked up when he played inside linebacker briefly in 2012) “Just to be patient. As the SAM (strongside) linebacker when I was playing the first couple of years, you’re full-tilt, you’re going, but in the middle positions you’ve got to be more patient because you’ve got to shuffle in between players more.”

(on whether there is more thinking involved playing on the inside) “A little bit. Your eyes have got to be better, and that just takes discipline and repetition.”

(on how ILB Darryl Sharpton looked in practice) “He was good. By the end of the year, everyone is beat up. He knows what to do, he’s a smart guy, and obviously physical, so he’ll do a great job.”

(on how he feels about playing inside linebacker) “I like it, and I hope they keep me there, but it doesn’t really matter where they put me – at SAM (strongside) or middle – I’ll do both to the best of my ability.”

(on whether the coaches have told him whether he will be playing inside or outside) “Be prepared for either way, and it all kind of depends on what these new draftees do, so we’ll see. It’s just a matter of time.”

(on whether he can make it a moot point by playing great at inside linebacker) “I expect myself to be the best out there, but at the end of the day it’s their decision to keep the best 11 on the field.”

QB Matt Schaub

Spoiler

(on working with rookie WR DeAndre Hopkins) “It’s great. He’s been out here now since rookie minicamp for a week now, so just a great attitude, great work ethic. He’s just absorbing the whole offense. He’s getting thrown in there with us in the first group, and you can just see the talent and the ability that he brings to the table, so we’re definitely excited and it’s been good to start working with him.”

(on how much WR DeAndre Hopkins can help the offense) “He’s such a dynamic player and the run after the catch, the ability to go up and get the ball; he’s just going to bring an added dimension to our offense.”

(on taking motivation from the way the 2012 season ended) “Whenever you’re not the last team standing at the end of the day, that’s motivation to get back at what you’ve been doing and start working toward next season. Last year is in the past, and this is the time to get better individually and as a group, and if we all get better by a little bit, we’ll be right where we want to.”

(on the offense becoming more dynamic as young players begin to step up) “We definitely will be. When you add in a lot of young talent that brings a lot of ability, you’re excited for what they can do. And going into year two and year three, that’s when you see a lot of guys make the most progress and the biggest jump, so definitely excited to see those guys come out here and get back to work.”

(on whether he has changed anything in his preparation for this season) “Well, I’ll say this year not having to rehab like I was last year with my foot injury is a big plus, because I can get started right after the season getting ready for this year. It’s motivation to be the last team standing this coming year, so it was obviously a disappointment the way we ended, but it’s fuel to the fire.”

(on how he feels) “I feel great.”

(on practicing with WRs Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins) “It’s great. I’ve been working with Andre now for going on seven years, so it’s like riding a bike when it comes to our relationship and how we operate on the field, but with DeAndre’s ability and what he brings to the table and how hard he’s working to just immerse himself into the playbook, you can just see that once he gets it and once he’s in there and doesn’t have to think and can just play, it’s just going to be a big help to us.”

(on what he expects WR DeAndre Hopkins’ learning curve to be) “Well, there’s obviously a learning curve, but when you get right in there and you’re with the first group from day one, and all the meeting time we’re going to have and all the extra time on the field, he’s going to be ready. We’ve got four months til we play, so we’ve got a lot of time.”

(on the importance of WR DeAndre Hopkins practicing with the first team) “I think so. He’s in there, he’s proving himself to all the veterans. In our offensive huddle, we have guys who have been together now five, six, seven years and we’ve been in a lot of battles together. When you have a young guy that comes in and he just jumps in there and starts making plays and shows that he belongs, that’s the ultimate sign of respect for him and older guys notice that. So he’s got a ways to go, but we’re looking forward to his work and what he can do for us.”

(on whether WR DeAndre Hopkins did anything to impress him in the first practice) “It’s only day one out here, but you see that he’s not got the ‘deer in the headlights’ look. He’s ready to go and is very positive and just works hard.”

(on how RB Arian Foster looked) “It’s hard to tell on the first day, but he looks fine. He’s Arian – he’s a hard worker and he’s going to be ready to go, but he takes care of himself well.”

DE J.J. Watt

Spoiler

(on being back on the field for OTAs) “It feels good. This is home. All the off-the-field stuff in the offseason is a great time, but it feels good to be back on the field with the guys and playing football. It’s what we do best.”

(on how much he remembers from the last game of last season against New England) “Not one bit. I don’t remember one bit. I’m focused on 2013. That’s all I can look at and 2013 is going to be even bigger and better for the Houston Texans, myself and everybody involved in this organization.”

(on planting the seeds to develop players for the season later in the fall) “Yeah, we have to set the tone. We have a lot of new faces on this team and we have to let them know what it’s like to play in this organization and be playing in this city for this team. There is a culture around here: you work your butt off. That’s what you have to learn. These guys are doing a great job. That’s how you have success in this league.”

(on his message to the young players) “They know I’m an open book. I’m here to tell them whatever they want to hear. They also know that they aren’t going to get much advice if they’re not going to work hard. I told every single one of them, ‘You need to be willing to come in here and work your tail off and prove to us that you belong here.’ So far, these guys are doing a great job. That’s what it takes to make it in this league and especially on this team. If you’re not willing to work and put in the effort, then you’re not going to make it very long.”

(on if he keeps setting goals for 2013) “Higher and higher. Higher and higher. There is no reason to try and repeat last year. I’m trying to be better than last year. Every single day I come to work out, every day I come to practice, I’m trying to be better than I was last year.”

(on if perfection is attainable at the defensive line position) “Absolutely. I don’t see why not. Last year was fun, but nowhere near my potential. I’ve got a lot more to go and it started right here today with day one. I look forward to a lot of success this season.”

(on the feeling of working on the field compared to inside) “Your first day back, there’s a little bit of rust to knock off, but I felt pretty good. I’m a lot farther along this year, at this point, than I was last year at this point. If I can start higher, that means I’m going to finish higher.”

(on what makes him further along than last year) “I’ve got a whole ‘nother year under my belt. I have more experience, a lot more confidence. I’m bigger, faster, and stronger; it’s going to help out.”

(on if he sees himself as a leader now that he’s been here a couple years longer than many of the young guys) “Of course. This is my third year now. I’m needed to step up and that what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to become a leader of this team, and more so lead by example. I’m vocal when I need to be vocal, but I’m trying to lead by example with my effort and my play.”

(on if he feels the younger players are following his example) “Yeah, we try and turn everything into a competition. We’re always trying to get better, so whether it’s running wind sprints in the offseason or whether it’s in the weight room, whether it’s a drill, everybody is trying to be the best. With that competition everybody gets better. That’s what it’s about.”

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/a...s-Day-1-/e7ff0bc8-6c8a-4c4f-bd1d-0e56fe474222

 

Quotes from Tuesday's practice:

Head Coach Gary Kubiak

Spoiler

(on how he plans to push the backup quarterbacks and his expectations) “Everybody is always competing. Case (Keenum) has obviously made up a bunch of ground from the standpoint of what he knows and what he can handle as a player. To me, he’s going to push T.J. (Yates) and then obviously with (Stephen) McGee, this is his first go-round with us. It’s only been a couple of days. The one thing about training camp nowadays in the NFL, you practice once a day, so there is a lot of ground that has to be made up in the offseason and that’s what’s going on right now. How far has Case come? How far has McGee come? I’ve had the other two for a while, so I have to see how far they come.”

(on the injury updates) “Brandon (Harris) and DeAndre (Hopkins) had a pretty good collision. We took Brandon in. He’s fine. He’s alert and we’ll see where he’s at. We’re evaluating him right now.”

(on how WR DeAndre Hopkins came out of the collision) “DeAndre is fine. He continued to practice. He just had a collision.”

(on what it would mean for Houston to get a Super Bowl to host) “Yeah, that’s pretty cool. I know that there has been a tremendous amount of work put in by our organization and Mr. McNair. I know that the city was a tremendous host back years ago. Of course, I wasn’t here at that time, but I know they would do a great job again. Hopefully, they’re rewarded for their work today, so we’re hoping for the best.”

(on ILB Tim Dobbins not being present for OTAs) “Yeah, it’s voluntary. He’s not here, but our work has been good. Of our 59 guys that were under contract for the offseason, 57 of those guys were here the whole time. Obviously, Ed (Reed) isn’t healthy, but other than that, it’s voluntary and Tim is not here.”

(on if CB Brice McCain had a setback with an injury) “No, he’s actually doing real good. We’re kind of just doing individual with him this week and then hopefully he’ll do everything next week. That was the progression all along. He’s doing good.”

(on speculation that S Ed Reed might miss the first week of the regular season) “I don’t go off speculation. We know what we know. He had the surgery. Everything went well. He went through the process of staying in Colorado which was part of the deal, part of the rehab process. Now, he’s supposed to be turned loose this week. Everything that we know is on schedule and our expectations are to look at camp at some point and be ready to go at the opening of the season. Other than that, I can’t comment on that.”

(on if OLB Whitney Mercilus could’ve started last year or if he needed the year to develop) “I think it took him some time. Remember, he was going form a hand-down guy to standing up, so there was an adjustment period for him there. When you go back and look at the reps he played, he played extremely well. He was very, very productive when you look at snaps to sacks and those types of things. It was extremely productive. That’s what the business is about; you lose players. I told the guys yesterday in the team meeting, ‘Whitney, that’s why you’re here. That’s why we brought you here. It’s time to go.’ He knows that. He’s had a great offseason and is doing really well out here.”

(on DT Sunny Harris) “Sunny and TE (Phillip) Supernaw, yesterday, both hurt their feet. Each of them hurt a foot, so they’re being evaluated right now. You won’t see them the rest of the week for sure.”

(on OLB Bryan Braman) “It’s been good. Obviously, he’s getting a chance to work with the starters right now. Usually when guys get put in those positions because of Brooks (Reed) moving or whatever, it’ doesn’t matter, but when guys get put in those situations, you’ll see them flourish and take off. It’s interesting to watch him right now. He was good yesterday and I’ll go back and watch him today. Here’s an opportunity to say, ‘Brian, can you start? Can you be a starter in this league?’ So we’re going to give him a chance throughout OTAs to see how far he can come.”

WR DeAndre Hopkins

Spoiler

(on the biggest challenge going from rookie mini-camp to OTAs with veterans) “The tempo is different and the speed. You’re going against Pro Bowlers, so it’s a big difference.”

(on his confidence growing) “It’s growing every day. You’ve got to have high confidence to play in this league. You can’t have low confidence at all if you want to play in the NFL.”

(on if anything about OTAs sticks out to him) “Everything sticks out to me; the urgency of guys and the competitiveness that everybody has and the goal and the want-to and will. Everybody wants to be successful and they want success for this team.”

(on what WR Andre Johnson says to him) “A lot. He’s been mentoring me in all aspects.”

(on throwing out the first pitch at the Houston Astros game tonight) “I am. It’s going to be exciting. J.J. Watttold me to aim high.”

(on his collision in practice) “I’m okay. I just bruised my knee. I kind of landed on him (CB Brandon Harris). I don’t know what I hit. I just kind of bruised my knee but I got right back in a couple plays later. Hopefully he’s okay.”

DE Antonio Smith

Spoiler

(on if his family and friends in Oklahoma are all okay after the tornado) “I checked with my family and everybody, other than property damage, the most important thing was everybody was alright. Your heart has got to go out to those families that weren’t so fortunate, especially with the kids and the school. As I can remember in my life, every five years we get a big one like that that comes through there, sometimes a little bit more. It seems to turn up through Moore and takes it on into the city.”

(on where he lives in Oklahoma “I live in Oklahoma City.”

(on if everything was okay with where he lives) “With where I live now, yeah. Mostly, where I used to live and where most of my family lives, it’s pretty bad out in that area.”

(on if he had any family suffer any destruction from the storm) “I had some family members lose some houses, but they’re happy their alive. I’m feeling blessed for that.”

(on being out on the field for OTAs) “Oh yeah, it’s always good to get back out here with your boys. Even though sometimes you feel like you dread it, once you get back out here with each other, it brings it all into perspective.”

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/a...As-Day-2/b49acfa5-4a31-4701-9bc5-b46dc8a42a93

 

Quotes from today's OTA practice:

Lots of praise for Keshawn Martin from Kubiak.

Owner Bob McNair

Spoiler

(on donating $100,000 through the Robert and Janice McNair Foundation to the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma Disaster Relief fund in Oklahoma City) “Well, it’s just a tragic event. We were watching it on television, and actually, an acquaintance of ours, their family lives there. Fortunately, they weren’t hurt, but their home was pretty much destroyed. It’s just an unbelievable situation and we just wanted to say that we’re sorry that you have had this disaster, and hopefully this will help a little bit.”

(on Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones calling him perhaps the best owner in the NFL and calling Houston’s Super Bowl bid the best he had ever seen) “I think that’s neat. Maybe he’s soliciting my vote for Dallas in one of the future Super Bowls! (laughing) We’re good friends, and I appreciate that very much. It was very kind of him.”

(on whether it surprises him that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called him the best owner in the NFL) “I haven’t either, and probably that was an exaggeration, but it was nice of him to do it.”

(on if he will be disappointed if the Texans aren’t in the Super Bowl this season) “Well, I think we’ll always be disappointed if we’re not a Super Bowl team, because that’s our goal. But I think the thing that we’re looking forward to is I see a lot of speed out here, and I think we’re getting faster each year. Speed covers up a lot of things, so that’s real exciting. But we’ve got good young players, and our young players that were rookies last year are coming back and playing better and showing some maturity, so I just think the team is going to be better.”

(on New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft saying that part of the vote for Houston to host Super Bowl LI was a testament to Mr. McNair’s goodwill throughout the NFL) “That’s awfully nice of him. I’m chairman of the finance committee and he serves on that committee with me, and we do spend a lot of time – more than I ever thought. But I think that’s nice of him to recognize the effort that we put out on behalf of the League. He’s a great owner up there and they’ve got a terrific organization. They’ve been very successful, and we’ve said all along that if we could obtain the kind of success that they’ve had up there, that would be a great moment for us.”

(on Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie saying it was overdue for Houston to host another Super Bowl) “He’s on the Super Bowl committee, too, so that was good to hear him say that. I think it’s just a recognition on the part of the League that our organization really has the respect of the other members. When your peer group respects what you’re doing and respects your team and respects your organization, that’s the highest compliment, so we feel real good about that.”

(on whether an 18-game regular-season schedule is coming to the NFL, sooner or later) “I don’t know. There are a lot of issues with it. If you extend the season, you’ve got issues with it being awfully cold up north if you’re playing in February; and if you start early, you’re starting before Labor Day and a lot of people are still on vacation. So there are a number of issues involved, and I don’t know whether that will happen or not. I know our coaches would rather stay with a four-game preseason because we’ve got all these rookies, and that’s our chance to work with them. And for the die-hard fan, this is their chance – even though the preseason game doesn’t count on the record, it’s your opportunity to see what kind of talent you have and the depth of that talent, and you’re not going to be able to see it until later in the year unless there’s some injuries. Then all of a sudden, a player comes forth and you either know something about them or you don’t, because you’ve been watching them play. So it’s an important part of the whole program.”

(on which way he would lean if a proposed 18-game schedule came up for a vote) “I don’t know, because a lot of other things would be impacted. What would you do with your roster? Would you increase your roster? What would you do with injured reserve rules? Would you let players go on it and then come back off? There would be a number of questions involved, and at this point in time, I’m not sure that that’s a good idea.”

(on what he hopes to see from QB Matt Schaub this season) “Good, steady play – the way he’s been playing. I think he’s highly motivated and I think he’s going to have a great year. I’ve got all the confidence in the world in him.”

(on DE J.J. Watt’s impact in the community) “He’s been unbelievable. And we’re not pushing him; we’re not saying, ‘J.J., you need to get out there and to this, you need to do that.’ He’s out there doing it on his own. That’s the kind of guy he is. We’ve got a lot of players – (C) Chris Myers got an award the other night, as you know, from the Impact A Hero group for wounded veterans because of the work he’s done for them. And (QB) Matt Schaub and (WR) Andre Johnson and just a number of our guys are out doing things in the community, trying to make a difference. When you get guys that are good, solid guys plus great football players, that’s what you get.”

(on the keys to sustaining success on the field over a long period of time in the NFL) “We’ve got to keep bringing in good young players, and (Executive Vice President/General Manager) Rick Smith and his staff are doing a great job of that, and the coaches work very well with them. It’s really a team effort to select these players. If Rick selects players that the coaches don’t want, they aren’t going to play, so they have to be of the same mind. But that’s what you have to do; you have to go out and get these good young players and coach them up and have them ready to go, because you’re going to lose some of your starters. The more successful you are, the more difficult it’s going to be to keep those core players, but that’s our focus – to keep that core group together.”

(on if he feels a mid-level round draft pick has to fall to them to be able to maintain that consistency) “We need to keep (QB) Matt (Schaub) healthy, but we’ve got some good, young quarterbacks out here. We’ve got to develop them. It’s the same thing at that position. If something happens to Matt, we have to have somebody that can step in there. (QB) T.J. (Yates) did it the year before last. We have to have people that can do it now. That’s the key to your success. If you’re prepared for those events and if you have young players coming along that can fill those gaps, you can continue to be a very solid team. That’s what we try to do.”

(on the motivation of the donation to Moore, Oklahoma) “We were very concerned about what’s happened up there. It’s total devastation. The group that we’ve dedicated these funds to, they go in and they have mobile kitchens, they go in and provide meals, water, bedding and all kinds of everyday kind of support that you need. We just wanted to reach out to them and let them know that we’re concerned about them and thinking about them and wanted to try and help a little bit.”

Head Coach Gary Kubiak

Spoiler

(on the first week of OTAs) “It was really good. I’m excited. Our young guys have come a long way. I think the five practices they got in the mini-camp really helped them. It’s been good. We had some good work; not too hot. So, make it through and come back next Tuesday and get going again.”

(on if he’s keeping a close eye on how much the young players grasp) “Yeah. As a matter of fact, I told the team after practice, I think one of the keys to longevity in this League success-wise is young players getting better real quick. It’s fun for me right now to sit here and watch (WR) Keshawn (Martin), to watch (CB) Roc (Carmichael), (DE) Delano (Johnson), (G) Brandon Brooks all of the sudden become pros at a very young age. If we’re going to keep going, be consistent at what we’re doing, guys like that have to step up and contribute right away. I like what I see. I think some young guys have really come in here a lot better football player right now than they were last year.”

(on OLB Brooks Reed) “He’s doing great. First off, boy, bless him. He probably feels like a yo-yo sometimes; he’s bounced around a little bit. We thought it was important that he took his reps inside with where we’re at as a team right now. He’s fine. I mean, he has no problem mentally. He’s looked really good and he’s healthy. He’s coming off that surgery but he’s doing good. For the better of the team right now, that’s where he’s working. He’s doing a good job.”

(on CB Brandon Harris’ injury status) “He’s fine. We’re putting him through the protocol that you would do during the regular season. A guy gets dinged like that, gets knocked out like he did, we’ll put him through the total protocol. You probably won’t see him for a good week as he goes through the process.”

(on what he has seen from WR Keshawn Martin) “It’s automatic for him now. All his talent has taken over because he doesn’t have to work so hard at the little things; assignment, those type of things. He just comes out here and plays. Very confident young man and it shows. It shows every day.”

(on if there is more pressure on QB Matt Schaub after the team has gone to the same round of the playoffs two years in a row) “I think the pressure is the same all the time. I don’t think it changes. (QB) Matt’s (Schaub) goal is to win a championship and we’ve got to get a team that can get that done. He’s got his job to do with the football team. Right now, this time of year, it’s about chemistry of the team. Putting this 2013 group together, we’re going to be different, we’re going to have a different personality and trying to start to put that together.”

(on OLB Whitney Mercilus) “He’s done really good. First off, you can tell he’s confident. Whitney has probably talked more in a day than he did all last year. He’s coming out of his shell from that standpoint. He’s another player; here’s a second-year guy that’s being asked to become a great player real quick. If we’re going to get to where we want to go, those are the type of things that have to happen. He’s off to a good start.”

(on how OLB Sam Montgomery looks dropping into coverage) “He’s doing fine. The position he’s playing, he’s not asked to drop a lot. He has gotten in better shape. I think he struggled the first camp we had that weekend. So he’s in much better shape and then his ability starts to take over. I think he’s progressing well, he and (OLB) Trevardo (Williams) both.”

(on if he plans to change the rotation on the right side of the offensive line from last season) “I’ll do what I think is best for our team and I don’t know what that is right now. (G) Brandon (Brooks) is working as the starting right guard. (T Derek) Newton is out. (T) Brennan Williams has not been able to practice. (T) Ryan Harris is on the right side. We have a lot of things going on right now, but if we have two solid starters that are consistent throughout the course of camp, then that’s the way we’ll go. But I think with what we went through last year, I think those young guys did a hell of a job.”

(on if QB Matt Schaub looks 100 percent) “Yeah. He looks fine to me. He’s had a good offseason. Obviously, he hasn’t missed anything; plays all last year. I kind of forgot about him missing OTAs last year. But I think it’s important no matter how long you play, I think you need to get out here and get some reps in. I’ve got to protect some of these guys and give them days off here or there, some of these older guys throughout these 10 days. But I think it’s important that he goes through OTAs again.”

(on how RB Arian Foster has changed) “How long has (RB) Arian (Foster) been with me now? Four years? Maybe having the best offseason I’ve seen him have. He’s doing something a little different training-wise. He’d have to tell you what he’s doing. I think he looks a little slimmer. I don’t know if he weighs (different). But he just looks a little different, how he’s carrying his weight. He’s been excellent throughout the course of the offseason; expects a lot of himself.”

(on if he’s intending to bring in competition for the kicking position) “Well, the young man we have here now can do both. (P Andrew) Shapiro can do both. But the way camp is set up now with the numbers, whoever that other guy is, and so our other guy is Shapiro, you want him to build it. Do both to take something off the punter and your kicker so you can use those roster spots somewhere else. Our plan is to go to camp that way and let them both compete against him because he’s a kid that’s done both pretty well in college.”

(on what he’s seen specifically from WR Keshawn Martin that has changed) “These three days have been very impressive to me. I just see a guy that, year two, nothing’s hard for him anymore. He understands everything that’s going on so he just comes out here and works and gets better every day. Me sitting (WR) Andre (Johnson) every other day makes him a starter, too, from that standpoint. I’m really excited about what I’ve seen these past three days.”

(on if drafting a wide receiver in the first round may have lit a fire under some of the younger receivers) “I’m sure. You’re (WR) Lestar (Jean) and (WR) Keshawn (Martin) and you’ve been working all last year and we draft a one and he goes in the huddle with the first group. That’ll get you going. But I don’t think in this case that’s what’s happened with them. I think that they’ve been workers the whole time. I think they see opportunity. I think that’s what they see and when guys get opportunities you usually find out what they have.”

(on what is different about QB Case Keenum) “Confidence. Just confidence. Just watching him operate knowing exactly what he’s doing, making all the calls. He’s going to be fun to watch. He’s very competitive right now. That’s a good thing for our team.”

(on QB Case Keenum saying head coach Gary Kubiak’s praise for him changes nothing) “He’s a good kid. I remember talking to (Kevin Sumlin) about him and (Kliff) Kingsbury about him and they said you can say anything you want to him. He’s heard it all. So I’m going to assume they coached him pretty darn hard. He’s doing a good job. He’s come a long way.”

(on if he is bothered at the criticism of QB Matt Schaub following the loss in the playoffs) “Well, we were there because of him. Hell, that’s part of playing quarterback. It just makes you better, pushes you every day. It’s part of your career, part of your makeup. He’s doing fine. He’s had a really good three days.”

(on if he feels he doesn’t need to defend QB Matt Schaub because that’s just the way people are about quarterbacks) “I think it’s part of the job. If you can’t take a little of that in this business, you’re probably not going to last very long. That’s what it’s all about.”

(on if he worries about situations and injuries to players in OTAs like that suffered by San Francisco 49ers WR Michael Crabtree) “Yeah, you do. You get 10 days and to be honest with you, you hold your breath every day. You want to get better as a team. You catch all the young guys up but freak accidents happen. We had (TE Phillip) Supernaw and (NT) Sunny (Harris) the first day. (We) weren’t even in a team period, just running an individual drill and both of them hurt their foot. It’s part of football but it’s the bad part. That’s why you’ll always hear us on their tail to stay of the ground, to protect each other. I think it’s about respect. We usually do a pretty good job but they get tired and those things happen, unfortunately.”

SS Danieal Manning

Spoiler

(on if he has visited much with FS Ed Reed) “When he was here, we talked a little bit about ball and how to give quarterbacks different looks and (I) liked his perspective on it, obviously. I think he’s going to improve my game a lot as well.”

(on what he can learn from FS Ed Reed) “A ton of play-making. He makes plays on balls every day. Every chance he gets, he always has himself in the right position. If he’s not making a play, he’s helping his team or he’s helping certain players be in the right position to make plays and that’s something you want to take from a guy like that.”

(on if the safeties are interchangeable in defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ system) “On paper there is a real strong (safety) and free (safety) but in certain formations it’ll get us interchangeable. Mainly, I might have to play free certain formations; sometimes he’s down in the box in certain formations. So it doesn’t matter in this defense.”

(on if it makes a difference to him if he is playing free or strong safety, or for FS Ed Reed) “It doesn’t. I mean, when he came in earlier, he said, ‘Look man, we’re just gonna play either side. Whatever you feel comfortable with, we’ll just play. We’ll make our calls and adjustments that way.’”

DE J.J. Watt

Spoiler

(on how the rookies are fitting in) “They’re doing well. As long as they work hard and give us everything they’ve got, we’ll teach them the right way to do things. So far, we’ve had some great rookies.”

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