Nick Sirianni
Q. Seems odd scheduling this week with one practice in a four-day period. What’s behind the structure of the schedule? (Zach Berman)
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, we have been eight out of nine days in practice before that. That’s kind of why we are where we are. We’re getting ready for this big upcoming week with the four practices.
Tonight will be a heavy load for them, then walk-through tomorrow, then off day, then we’re four in a row, off, game.
So we’re just trying to get ourselves ready. We hit it really hard the first eight days, and now we’re just getting ready for the upcoming week.
Q. You don’t have to make a decision yet about next Friday, but considering there is only one… (Dave Uram)
NICK SIRIANNI: Bob told me you were going to ask this question. I’m not ready yet.
Q. What do you think the likelihood is because there is only one joint practice that ones may play in these preseason games? (Dave Uram)
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, that’s a good question. We’ll take it day by day and see where we are next week.
Q. You said before the joint practices are game-like, so what do you think equates to those that are not a game? (Dave Uram)
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, tonight is a big deal, and then any time you work your operation like we are tonight – because our coaches, we need it as well. So the operation, and we’ll have a couple more of these practice goes through. It’s not going to be in front of 60,000 or 50,000 fans or however many will be there tonight, but we’ll get the same work and that same operation that we’ll get tonight.
So tonight is a big one as far as that goes.
Q. WR AJ Brown said his one-on-ones with CB Quinyon Mitchell, he went and sought him out himself. That wasn’t organized from the team. When you see he that from those two, what do you make of? (Brooks Kubena)
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, that’s pretty typical of wide receivers, DBs, kind of positioning themselves to make the matchups there. Obviously excited.
AJ is hard to guard; maybe he wanted Quinyon to know how hard was to guard. No, but I’m really starting to see this team continuing to grow together, to connect.
You know, I know AJ wants to help him become a good player and I know when AJ goes against Quinyon, because Quinyon is good in coverage, that’s helping AJ become a good player as well.
Q. As far as the offensive lines goes. Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach Jeff Stoutland said it earlier he hoped to get his five identified for cohesion and communication together. I know it’s been kind of a flux of injuries. How close are you to deciding your five? (Ed Kracz)
NICK SIRIANNI: We’ve only been in pads one day. I mean, we got time.
Yeah, I’m not going to put a timetable on it. Every day is an evaluation and everything that they do is an evaluation. Tonight will be good for us to get more of an evaluation, and just look forward to when we get to that day.
But there is nothing to rush. It’s just every single day coming out there and looking at these guys and them getting to work.
Q. Why do you like this format and why do you think it gets a little extra juice and what are you going to do tonight to… (Bob Brookover)
NICK SIRIANNI: I think it’s very game-like. At that point when you get in the stadium it’s just different, right? For the amount of people that will be in here tonight, I don’t know, but I can’t imagine that many teams are having the same type of attendance that we are here.
So that will be great just for the atmosphere. We’ll warm up tonight like we would in a game just for them to get used to that. Little tweaks here and there on that.
And then we’re working on drives, having some drives, one overs, 1-D, 1-D versus 2-O. Just working call it periods where sometimes when plays are scripted in practice you know exactly what’s coming. This is a little bit more game-like where you’re playing in the flow of a game to say first down, second down, third down, red zone, getting into the red zone, two minute.
Then it’s really big for the coaches that we work our communication. As I talk to [Offensive Coordinator] Kellen [Moore] about, hey, what we’re thinking on fourth down decisions and everything that goes into the communication of Kellen calling it, me being able to communicate with him and [Special Teams Coordinator] Coach [Michael] Clay about the decisions on third and fourth down.
So this is a really big operation. It’s good practice for everybody involved. The players, there’s going to be a lot of reps and then the coaches as well.
Q. As far as QB Jalen Hurts picking up the offense, especially like seeing it from afar the way he’s kind of felt compared to the spring? (Martin Frank)
NICK SIRIANNI: You guys have seen, like he’s been really sharp. I’ve been really happy how he’s been operating. He’s been in complete control of the offense and really operated at really high level knowing where to go with the football, making accurate throws, moving in the pocket to buy extra time or whatever — or if it turns into a run.
He’s had an outstanding camp. We’re early in camp. I know he wants to continue to improve. We just wanted him to continue to improve one day at a time. Thus far he’s had a really good camp and I am really excited where he is.
Q. Does it seem like a big difference from what QB Jalen Hurts was doing in the spring, what you’re seeing? (Martin Frank)
NICK SIRIANNI: It’s just continued growth of getting better every day, and I’ve really seen that from him.
Q. How is G Landon Dickerson doing and what did you see out of the interior of the line with two of your top guys down yesterday? (Tim McManus)
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, we don’t foresee Landon being out for too long. He’s going to do what he needs to do to get himself back out there.
It’s good to get guys some reps in with the ones. Obviously negative when you don’t have one of your best players out there in Landon, but a good opportunity for some of the young guys. Good to watch them operate with the one offense.
Q. In Signing OL Nick Gates, the thought process behind that might be similar. Is that something that your rookies aren’t able to alleviate yet with depth? (Brooks Kubena)
NICK SIRIANNI: No, not necessarily. It’s more so about having good players and good depth and good competition, and we got to see him play up close and personal. Excited to add him to the roster and add to the competition.
Q. You’ve mentioned that you’re expecting WR DeVonta Smith to take another leap this year, what have you seen from him in training camp and how have you seen him grow from year 3? (Cayden Steele)
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, DeVonta is in great shape. Always seems like he’s in great shape. He can run all day. You know, DeVonta, whatever his 40 speed is, I know he didn’t run it coming out, but it’s the same play one, play 10, play 15, play 30.
He’s always in really good shape, he looks super quick in and out of breaks. He works so hard about how to get in and out of breaks, because that’s where the game is won.
If you’re playing press man to man, the game is won at the line of scrimmage where you shake off the defensive back and at the top of the route separating, and he’s really shown a good job there.
He catches everything, right? He actually dropped, as you guys saw, the first one of camp, but that’s rare for him. He just catches everything. The major requirement for the position is catch the football, right, and he does that at an extremely high level.
His football IQ, seeing what’s coming and how to attack a route, how to set up a defensive back. He can play the game in the slot, he can play the game on the outside. You saw that catch he made against [CB] Kelee [Ringo] where he went up and got the ball.
He’s had really nice camp and he’s just going to continue to get better.
DeVonta, I can’t say enough good things about DeVonta and the type of player and person he is.
Q. What have you seen from the other quarterbacks, and is it realistic for QB Tanner McKee to push for the No. 2 job? (Bo Wulf)
NICK SIRIANNI: I’m really pleased with them as well. It’s nice to see [QB] Will [Grier] get some reps. I’ve seen his anticipation. Tanner has done a nice job as far as running the offense when he’s been able to go. Not quite as many reps as [QB] Kenny [Pickett], but he’s been delivering the football with accuracy and anticipation.
And Kenny, I think he’s had a really nice camp as well. He’s got really good athletic ability, and I think that shows up. When Kenny is on and when he knows where to go with the football he’s really accurate, and really like this group and excited about this group. Look forward to seeing them out there under the lights tonight.
Q. With CB Quinyon Mitchell, Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio seems to be throwing a lot at him. He’s played outside, slot, dime. WR AJ Brown is sort of challenging in the one-on-ones. How rare is it for a young player not to be — he seems not fazed by that? (John McMullen)
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, that is a great thing. In this league you’re going to be going up against really good wideouts week in, week out, and he gets to see that in practice.
He gets it every single day. So he can’t be fazed. It’s been nice to see his mindset, going out there and just competing. I think you saw that when he was at the Senior Bowl with everything. Him going against all the top competition there. We saw that he was unfazed in those scenarios and that’s where he was really able to shine.
That mindset especially at that position, is critical. He can come out and play one play at a time and without getting fazed about who it is and really seeking out that good competition.
Again, he’s had a nice camp and looking forward to see more of him.
Q. In certain offenses, the third receiver is more ball centric than it can be here. Are you looking more for fit in that spot than you would be based on skill alone, like how that player fits with WR AJ Brown and WR DeVonta Smith relative to just the skill of the player alone? (Zach Berman)
NICK SIRIANNI: Again, when you have a receiving corps you’re looking for different skillsets so you can run different styles of plays, get the guys the ball different ways.
As far as the No. 3 receiver, I mean, it can be a lot of different things, but you need different types of skillsets, and I’m really excited about the skillsets we have at the No. 3 receiver.
It doesn’t have to be all from one guy, right? It can be [WR] Johnny Wilson’s blocking; [WR] Parris Campbell’s ability to run with the ball in his hands and do different things with the ball in his hands; could be [WR] John Ross’ speed.
So, yeah, you’re looking for different things on different plays. Could be [WR] Britain Covey’s ability in the slot.
Again, not one person has to fill the role of anything. And it could. We’re far away from having to play that and some games could look different than others.
Like I said the other day, I’m really excited about the depth that we have here at wide receiver position and all the different skillsets that we have.
Q. Nearly all the corners in the last three years that have been drafted in the first round played on the outside as rookie. Kind of shows why the teams drafted and needed them. If CB Quinyon Mitchell is in the slot, what does that say in reassessing what happened in terms of your depth there? (Brooks Kubena)
NICK SIRIANNI: He’ll play where we need him to play and where he can play at his top level. I don’t think it’s — I don’t really look at it that way. I look at it hey, we’re here, in the season. However we acquired every player on this team we’re going to look to do what’s best for this football team.
I never really thought of it in that way. Quinyon has versatility and that’s a good thing.