Nick Sirianni

Q. Before free agency, you’re looking at players the team might be targeting, watching them. I know you’re a lot busier now than you would be in February, March. But as the trade deadline comes up, do you get asked to watch players that they might be interested in trading for, and how does that go with how busy you are this time of year? (Jimmy Kempski)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, any time we’re talking about a player, [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman] and I watch it. He’ll put me on the radar of it and say, ‘Hey, watch this guy.’

Then we’ll talk about it. We do that with everything. We talk about everything. So the process in that is no different than free agency, college scouting, trades, everything.

Q. How many guys are you looking at? (Jimmy Kempski)

NICK SIRIANNI: (Smiling.)

Q. When it comes to offense in general, max protection, what are some of the pros and cons from your perspective when you use max protection? (John McMullen)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, there are different varieties of that. Are you max protecting because they’re bringing more than you can block? Are you max protecting to sell a play-action? So there are different varieties of that.

Positives, there are times you keep the pocket firm. There are also times that – I’ll just give you one of each. You keep the pocket firm, and then sometimes you get poor matchups. That could be either way. But you get a known rusher on a non-offensive lineman.

So there are many pros and cons to everything in this game. Those are two things right there.

Q. How many of the changes that we’ve seen offensively since the bye week are a direct result of input from players? (Dave Zangaro)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, we talk about everything together. We go through our processes together. Same thing, I won’t say this percentage or that percentage or anything like that, but you try to evaluate as a coach what your players do well.

You do that based on practice. You do that based on games, and what you’re being successful at, and what you’re not being successful at.

You do that also by talking to the players. ‘How do you feel about this? How do you feel about that?’ It’s a both/and, and we’re all in this together. We win games together; we lose games together. We get to the best answers together.

Again, it’s just why it’s one of the greatest team sports there is.

Q. Can you see LB Ben VanSumeren’s role moving forward, and even beyond this year, either going offense or defense? Is there any way you think he can expand his offensive role? (Bob Brookover)

NICK SIRIANNI: He’s doing a good job of things we’re asking him to do. We’ll see how that goes. But the things that we’re asking him to do, he’s done a nice job at. He’s one of our best special teams players.

It’s been exciting watching him. I think that’s where the excitement to use him a little on offense has been, his success on special teams.

When he’s had an opportunity to play at linebacker, he’s done a nice job there, too. Because we need that depth at that position and his athleticism at that position.

So we’ll see. I like what we’re doing with him right now. Won’t get into where he meets and everything like that. But I like what we’re doing right now with him, and we’ll see how the year progresses.

Q. In the last couple weeks, where G/T Tyler Steen has filled in for G/T Mekhi Becton, have you seen something in G/T Tyler Steen’s game these last few weeks that he’s improved on a lot from the summer? (Martin Frank)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, I think in the past game, you saw a lot of movement, displacement. Any time he had to block down on a tackle, I felt like he was getting really good displacement in that game.

I think that’s something that he’s working really hard at. Always known he had the ability to be able to move guys, and I think it has just come together for him these last couple weeks. You notice it in practice, and then it carries over to the game.

He’s done a nice job, and I think that we all have a lot of confidence in him. His teammates have confidence in him, and they should because he’s stepped up. And he’s performed and helped us win some football games because of his play.

Q. In the past few years, what perspective have you gained on former Eagles RB and Eagles Hall of Fame inductee LeSean McCoy’s career here that maybe you didn’t know from afar? (Zach Berman)

NICK SIRIANNI: I was able to follow his career quite a bit. I was at IUP when he was at Pitt and in Philly. Then his brother, right before I got there, played at IUP. So a lot of the guys that I coached with or that still played there were friends with his brother. So there was a natural following there of us watching him.

I was able to see a lot, and I always thought how special he was with the ball in his hands, making guys miss in space. There was a big time game they had against West Virginia. I remember watching him play in that game. He just had this special ability.

So I think that when I got here, I knew a lot about him. But then when you get here, you hear how great of a player he was. One of the all-time greats for the Eagles.

My number was 25. I have a special thing with the guys that wear number 25.

And so again, knew a lot about him prior to coming here and just thought how awesome he was with the football.

To answer your question, the main thing I’ve probably learned is that snow game. I always hear about that snow game against Detroit, how everybody was slipping on the field and he was making these cuts at full speed.

That’s the special type of player he is. And I’ve gotten to talk to him multiple times. I think so highly of him. Always appreciate his support when he’s talking to me about the team as a former Eagle.

And then interestingly, when we first got to Indy, he was at Buffalo in the snow game when Buffalo played Indy. I remember him making those cuts in that game as well.

Again, just awesome with the ball in his hands. I don’t think he put the ball on the ground very often. We talk about the ball a lot. He’s a little loose with it. (Smiling.) Just kidding.

He knew how to take care of it, and he knew when to take care of it. He knew how to get the ball away. Man, he was a special guy to watch. I’m really excited for him.

Man, you go through these things, and then you go into the team’s Hall of Fame. That’s pretty special.

Obviously, a special career by him.

Q. You’ve often talked about the collaboration on offense with you and Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore. As you guys have figured it out offensively the last three games, are there any stories you can share that remind you of why you wanted him to be a part of this offense? (Brooks Kubena)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, I think [Offensive Coordinator] Kellen [Moore] is a great offensive mind. I know in football, the consistency is what you admire and the daily grind, not the ah-ha moments.

Especially as coaches. We don’t go out there and make plays. But I think it’s just his consistency, his mind as a football coach. Super sharp. Constantly looking for ways to get better. I’ll go into his office, and he’s always watching tape.

If I go into his office, he’s always watching things that help him grow as a coach, too. Not necessarily even just tape of the opponent, but tape around the league or tape of – his brother puts a lot of good football out there, watching that in colleges.

I’ve always admired the guys that have had the success they’ve had in this league but still look to grow. Kellen is right at the top. He’s one of the better coordinators in this league. And I’ll say the same thing for [Defensive Coordinator] Vic [Fangio].

But really pleased with those two guys in the daily work they have. Again, I think it’s about their daily habits and their daily work. Can’t say enough good things about those two guys.

Q. We’ve seen DT Jalen Carter miss a couple practices over the last three weeks with the shoulder injury. What’s the best way to explain what’s going on there? (Tim McManus)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, obviously you miss when you aren’t able to go. And then us being smart with limiting him to make sure he’s ready on Sunday.

But that’s always a fine line. You’ve got to get the guys ready for Sunday mentally and physically, but you’ve also got to get them ready for Sunday physically, right?

So it goes a little bit like, hey, we’ve got to get him to practice so he’s ready to play. But, hey, if he practices here, will we have him at full strength?

So there’s always a fine line there. But I think he’s done a nice job as far as when he hasn’t been able to practice, being in it mentally. I think he’s continuing to get better, and I’m just looking for him to continue to have this consistency as a football player. Practice is going to help him, and then playing in those games will obviously continue to raise his level of play.