Hello everybody. Questions, please.
(Does Brandon Jackson have an injury?)
Yes, he had a knee injury, happened earlier in the week. We're hopeful to have him back next week.
(What happened to Clifton? It looked like he dropped out of a drill?)
It looked like he caught his elbow. I haven't talked to Chad actually. It looked like it was in the 2-minute drill, but it looked like he caught his elbow. I think it was Kabeer who was rushing on him.
(How serious is Jackson's knee?)
We're hopeful to have him back next week.
(Aaron Rodgers did not show up for personal reasons?)
Correct, correct.
(What happened at the end of the 2-minute drill?)
We had a clock malfunction, so we were going off, it was actually working on the control, but it wasn't working on the board. So we just weren't on the same page as far as when to kick the field goal or go for a touchdown right there. It was really the result of the time not being on the clock. You'll never see that in a game, so we won't have to practice that situation again.
(So the reason it got messed up was because there was no time on the clock?)
Correct. The people on the field were on the same page, but the people on the sideline were not.
(What's the progress of Marviel Underwood, and also Harrell?)
Marviel, he's ahead of schedule with his rehab. Very bright. I say it over and over again with the injuries. We'll probably wait until training camp as far as the extent of injury that he did have. So that's where he is. He's having an excellent offseason, and it really started for him during the season. I think he's done a very good job taking advantage of the time with the other parts of his body. So I'm very pleased with the progress he's made. Justin really hasn't changed, same as last week. We've been doing some individual work with him at the end of practice with some of the other young offensive linemen, just to keep him up to speed on the techniques and the fundamentals, so he's not missing out. We're just reluctant to put him in the team drills right now.
(What do you see in DeShawn Wynn now?)
Talented young man. I know we're just in helmets and shorts and T-shirts, but I'm very impressed with his vision and his foot quickness. He's really had an excellent week of practice. Once again, that needs to transfer to the padded practice. He seems to be picking up the scheme, has an understanding. His instincts, obviously his size, and the thickness that you like to see with a guy who runs with his pad level. He's had a very good week of practice.
(Coming in he had some attitude issues. How has that gone so far?)
It's been very positive, his experience has been very positive here since the day he's arrived. I have no issues with the way he's worked. He obviously had a setback with the injuries. But from his standpoint too, he's young and he probably recognizes his excellent opportunity, so he's done very well so far.
(Have you talked to either Harris or Pickett about them coming back and being here?)
I've talked to them all along throughout the spring. Happy they're here working. They're on schedule to get the work done they need to get done throughout this period, and they'll be ready to go. You take a look at the veteran players, once you get up in that six, seven plus year range, I think it's smart to look at the number of reps and things like that, plus with the development of our young guys. So all the individuals in that category have been addressed as far as their programs and what needs to get done throughout these OTAs.
(How do you feel about the depth at linebacker?)
The thing about that group is they can run, and the understanding of the defense is, we're way ahead of where we were at this time last year. I've been impressed with the way the older guys have really taken their game to another level. It's very evident when A.J. and Nick and Brady are in there, but I think it really helps the younger guys, because they've set the standard. So as a group, I think we're way ahead of where we were at this time last year. I really like the way the young guys have acclimated themselves and we just need to get Abdul back, and then I think it will be a very healthy group as far as competition comes in training camp.
(What can you get from Johnson and Simpson?)
Well, Johnson, the one thing that jumped off the film watching him at Ole Miss is he definitely fits our scheme. Bob and Winston refer to it as getting off the spot, and he has exceptional quickness and instincts. He definitely fits, and Simpson is an athletic guy too. It's that athletic build in the range you're looking for, so I'm very happy with the progress they've made throughout the OTAs.
(What happened with Blackmon?)
Blackmon? I have to study my medical ... it's not serious. It's kind of been bothering him all week. I don't recall. He fatigued it on Tuesday and it started bothering him again today.
(Pickett and Harris, did they arrive earlier in the week?)
They've been here all week, and once again gentlemen and ladies, I'm not going to do the roll call with you. We've talked about this. These are voluntary workouts. We have talked to our older players. They recognize the importance of what we need to accomplish, and we are on the path to get that accomplished, and I'm very pleased with the overall team participation, effort and production in the first six OTAs.
{sportsad300}(What happened with Tony Palmer?)
Tony had the knee injury, and he's not ready to come back. He's still finishing the rehab on that injury.
(With Johnson, where do you think he might have been drafted without the off-the-field questions? Is he a first-day guy?)
Possibly. I could see why you would think that way and other people would think that way. He's a very impressive young man on film. I'm glad he's here.
(Going through the installs, do you grade mental errors any differently now?)
It's all graded the same as far as the procedure. Every mental error is graded, every decision is graded, the technique that they're playing with is graded, and it's presented to the group either as a whole offense, defense or special teams, and also at another level individually on a daily basis. Just for example, Joe Philbin starts his offensive meeting out with the correction period and he goes through all the things in the run game, the run-blocking unit, the positives that were accomplished the day before, and the things we need to clean up. So the procedure of it is the same.
(Do you see fewer mental errors this year compared to the first year?)
I haven't looked or compared them, but I would say that's definitely a safe bet, yes.
(How about Dendy and Walker?)
Patrick Dendy is having an exceptional spring. Really that whole secondary as a group, from an individual progress standpoint is the most improved. The young safeties and young corners I've been very impressed with what they've done in the weight room, what they've done in their individual meetings, and now you're seeing it show up, and Patrick Dendy is at the forefront of that. Also Walker looks like he has acclimated himself very smoothly to our scheme. He's very explosive, quick. I really like the way he plays man-to-man. He's an aggressive player. That's what we saw when we brought him in. They've had a very good spring.
(Do you see James Jones coming on like Jennings did last year?)
That's where we're hopeful. James is a very strong receiver. He would be classified as a flanker in our system. Very strong hands. As you've noticed, he's always catching the ball out front of his body. That's what you're looking for. He does a very good job creating separation in a short space, and I think he's off to a good start.
(This preseason, in the games, do you see the receivers getting more reps with Aaron Rodgers and Ingle Martin?)
Well, number one, it's important to get the first unit ready to play, and the problem with preseason games is you want to accomplish that number one, but you're also trying to be cautious as far as the injuries. Everybody goes through it. But the goal is to make sure that No. 1 group is ready to play. And the second goal is you have to give the younger guys an opportunity to make your football team. So as far as the reps, I didn't feel like we played our No. 1's an unusually long time last year, so to answer your question, I think it will be pretty similar. Now, the way the game goes obviously affects that, but our format will be very similar.
