Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn addressed the media before practice on Aug. 1. Here is a full transcript of the press conference.
Opening Statement: "Alight, good to see you guys and good day to get rocking. We've got another cool block of football for about four days, and I think the name of the game that you'll see today is going to be on the competition. And you'll see that with one-on-ones, after special teams you'll see a group of wide receivers, corners in one part of the field, another part tight ends and linebacker, safeties, running backs going through it. And then O-Line, D-Line, will have some of their one-on-ones. I like that day just to find some matchups and go compete for it. And then we'll also have a red zone competition towards the end of practice, just battling it, calling plays, and sharpening up all the stuff. So today, name of the game is competing and let's go have some fun with it. So all that said, looking forward to getting rolling with you today."
On signing K Riley Patterson and WR Byron Pringle:
"Yeah, so two parts. Let's start on the kicking side first. Just kind of like the theme of everything, where we're just going to not back off of the competing in every spot. We've been pleased with what we've seen so far with Miz [K Ramiz Ahmed], but as part of this competition that's also part of the job and what goes into it. So, we're looking forward to seeing how that plays out as well. Riley's got some experience and like I said, let's put these guys together. Both will kick on the same days, there won't be any alternating as we're going through it. So, we'll begin that process soon."
On signing WR Byron Pringle:
"Yes, so bringing Byron back is a big deal. He's got real value on the special teams side. We want to put him in right away on the return side, and take a look there as well. So, kind of a two slot player on the return side from the kick returns and then also at the receiver spot. So, we'll get him up to speed over the next 10-12 days."
On LB Jamin Davis' progression:
"Yeah, and I think what we'll find out more, we'll do a little bit more third downs, a little bit more two-minute, and then work some also at linebacker on the first and second down spots. So, during this block of time, you'll see both. Some defensive end, some linebacker. Over the first one we did a little more defensive end, and now we'll work more back into linebacker. You don't want to get so far away that you could lose some of the traits at backer. So, it's a fine balance and it takes a lot of communication back and forth, but you'll see them both at backer and at end in this block."
On if that was always the plan with Davis:
"Yes. So, I've been through that before where I've learned too much away, bring them back. You're trying to find this balance of what's what."
On how much he pays attention to the guys while on the sidelines:
"Yeah, I think everything counts. I think you're kind of referring to culturally also. How are they communicating with one another? One of the topics I had asked them in their own rooms a few nights ago is, 'How do you want your specific unit to be seen?' And 'Are you seen as that? Are you asking questions of one another? Are you pushing one another? Are you trying to get to new standards of what you can do?' So, those are the things that sometimes I see. You may see me pull a guy onto the field at one time. I might give him something that I saw or I've also done it with the veteran player, 'Will you talk to rookie X and discuss this part of punt? Yeah, I got you coach.' So, sometimes the messages is from me as powerful as the message is when it comes from a teammate. I'm just always trying to push the connection between them. And the more we do that, the more people are looking at one another to help them get better, where it's not just my eyes or my voice down to one singular person."
On C Ricky Stromberg and T/G Braeden Daniels:
"Yeah, we've put them both at two different spots. So, you'll see in the days ahead, Braeden some working back outside to tackle. And Ricky back over to guard some. He's been almost exclusively at center so far. So, that's part of the deal when you're with the twos and the threes to different spots, different things at different positions. So, you'll see that some in practice as well as in the preseason games, to make sure there's not as a backup player, not a one-hole position. So, showing the versatility there, that's a really big deal."
On how much he learns from one-on-ones up close versus watching tape:
"Probably as much from the tape session later. Because there's different spots that we're going to have four different one-on-one cycles going on at one time. Wide outs, the tight ends, the O-Line will split into two groups, just so it's not two guys going and 25 watching. And so I like to get that, but more than anything is just the spirit of competing and going after it, no fouls. You can do this safely without a lot of bodies, but really dialed in on your technique. So, it's a fun thing to do and just another chance to go battle for it."
On what he's liked from the offense so far:
"Yeah, I'd say a lot. And I think there's a lot of volume that's gone in over the installs. And so, how much of that can you handle? Usually that's one of the real challenges for a coach, you have an install schedule that you start with, but that doesn't mean you have to put in every play and everyone to go. To see very few mental errors that are taking place outside, that's been a big thing that I've been pleased with on both sides of the ball. And then over the next really three weeks to see our practice tempo, our identity, our execution over and over and over again. That's what I'm looking for. But, I do like the speed that the guys are practicing with. I hope when our fans and family watch us play, and say, 'Man, you guys really bring it at practice', and that leads into the way that we play. So, those would be the things I've been most pleased with."
On DT Daron Payne:
"It was easy to see this guy is an absolute dog as a player. And we've known that for a while. I guess what was more impressive to see was he had more pass rush skills than I thought. You see him how square and how strong he is, you know he is a good run defender. But seeing his quickness for that size, it was rare. And so, the three with [DT] Johnny [Jer'Zhan Newton] as well into that mix, not only are these really strong players, these are legitimate athletes and so, Daron and [DT] Jon [Allen] and Johnny, I love the connection and the combination of those three."
On what he looks for in the kicking competition:
"Yeah, you're right because we might've said last year we weren't talking about kickoff as the part of that, 'Can I get it into the landing zone? Can I try the different styles of kicks' .' Maybe one's on the ground, one's in a corner and directionally to go. So, at the end of the day, it is a position that you're able to measure, the number one thing, did it go through? And so that's a number one, top of the pile, but then you get into speeds and that type. So, the competition will take a while into that space. But by and large you're looking for just consistency, man. Over and over, same kick, same way, same style where the 35 yarder and the 55 yarder, the approach is the same, the mindset's the same to go get it, and that's what I'm looking for."
On if he was pleased with Newton's team reps:
"Yeah, I was. And it was more than anything, just getting him up and going. I think it kind of shows the culmination of the work that he put in leading up into this time. So, his ramp up is going to continue. He'll get more turns and reps today, but it was really cool to see him go. I felt his speed in the individual stuff, but seeing him in the team periods of getting going, this guy hadn't played against somebody since the season before. So, it was really cool for him to get up and get going. I think what you'll see is you're going to be seeing his number a lot."
On how close the team is to being ready for joint practices:
"I'd say the team's close to being ready to compete just because of the competition they have against one another. But this next couple days in this block is a really big one. We'll go big today, big red zone today, big tomorrow. The guys will do what's called a mock game on Saturday, which is tons of situations. Try and stress them out into different spots and then we'll go again Monday. So, this block of four days will be a big one for us. I wouldn't say it's in preparation for going against another team, but it is continuing our skills, our execution, our practice habits over and over and over. And so just trying to keep raising the standards as we're going. And I said on our first day of pads, this was the floor and there were some good things I saw. Now, how do we stack onto that? And I think you'll see some of that taking place over the next few days."
On what he's looking for from the tight ends:
"Yeah, I think as you're getting into the padded work, there'll be a little higher emphasis on some of the runs and play passes that go. It's such an important part of our identity. We want to be a physical team, and so we had a big presentation on tackling just the other day and how important that is, the style and the attitude. Well, running the ball and the run game also can close the whole circle of toughness for your team. So, if you really want to be a physical team, these two pillars of tackling and the line of scrimmage in the run game, that has to happen. And so moments like now in the padded practices is where you make your jump and you make your move. I think overall, that's what I'm looking for from the padded days to say, the physicality and the run game, the fits, it's probably the most physical part of putting in an offense is the run game. I'd say there's more complex things in the passing game that could take you mentally, but physically it's the hardest part and to have balance you have to work at it and that's what today's about."
On WR Dyami Brown and the wide receiver group overall:
"Yes, and Dyami is somebody that has really jumped at me in some specific areas. One of those would be when a quarterback gets outside the pocket, I felt the speed to go because when that happens, a whole second play begins. But where a defense kind of turns into a man-to-man situation, when the quarterback gets outside. If I was covering you, okay, the quarterback got out of the pocket. I'm trying to guard you man-to-man to stay with you. And so seeing his acceleration and ability to run in those spots was good. Through the spring and even here through training camp, some of the deep ball work has been good. He's got the ability to get on top of somebody. So, those would be the two things that jumped out to me. The second play, I felt the speed and then I did feel the speed also to get on top of a corner."
On if there's a timeline to see clear starters at wide receiver:
"That's a good question. I would say ideally, you'd always love for that to happen, where things just separated themselves so clearly and cleanly but that's not the reality. And I would say the harder it is to decide, that could also be seen as a good thing in some ways. To say, they're really pushing to go. Where the real secret sauce is, is finding the unique things that a player can do and then featuring them into that role. Whether they're a starter or not, but on the roles that they play, they're excellent at. Not every player is excellent at everything, but the things that we ask them to do, they have to be elite at. And so that's kind of the secret sauce that you're trying to find. The same 11 won't play on every snap. So, those 18 players, how do we maneuver them? How do we work them to get into different spots? That's to me, where it goes because it can be misleading when sometimes you guys are watching practice, you may see the tight end with a third team. Well it was really, we wanted to see him work one specific technique for one play. And so maneuvering a script to put guys into different locations based on the play that's called, that's where I think excellent coaching happens because you're putting someone into a spot to evaluate and to test and to find out."
On how they view players they brought in versus players who were already here:
"I didn't want to have any bias in that regard. And so that was also part of the free agency, the draft part to say there isn't a sacred cow that was told no matter what this has to happen. And so I think as an NFL ball player, they don't want to be bullshitted. And many times they have to try to read between the lines and that. And that's not what we're about here. If we're going to say we're going to be about competition then we're going to have moments like today where we're going to compete. And it's not on reputation, it's on the performance. And I think every good ball player knows that. It's like, what are you doing? That's the performing, that's the reputation, not what you have done. And so days like today where there's going to be competitions all over, that's where it goes down."
On what he weighs for roster spots as camp progresses:
"You try to make a log of everything. And so let's say I just kept a chapter on [G] Sam [Cosmi]. These are the things that I saw, these were the plays that he had, he had four penalties. So, keeping the information so you can give the feedback when that's required. For us as coaches, to give [General Manager] Adam [Peters] the feedback, that's important. You don't want to get feedback where somebody says, 'He does some things good, not so many other things good.' That doesn't do shit for somebody. This is what I see, this is what the role is. I think in three months he could be to here. So, specifics, where are they now? What do you think a role could be? And then how would we feature them in the offense or defense or special teams? No fences. When you're giving evaluations and information on somebody, make it specific."
