On Friday, August 2, 2013, Redskins HC Mike Shanahan addressed the media following afternoon training camp practice at the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center in Richmond, Va.
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On the team's conversation with the officials:
"We just go through the rules, kind of go over the rules, things that are pertinent to our football team. I thought the officials did a great of talking about some of the new rules and clarifying some of the questions that we did have. Sliding is very basic. The rules haven't been changed, we just have clarifications with quarterback keeps off our bootleg or the option play, what's allowed by defensive players, what's allowed by offensive players. So we clarified it on both sides of the ball."
On if he has decided to keep three quarterbacks this season:
"I can't tell you exactly what we're going to do. We're going to try to keep the best 53 players and what we think gives us the best chance to win. [It's] very early in the process to decide who's going to be in our top 53. A lot goes into it. We evaluate every practice, we evaluate every preseason game. That normally is finished in the last couple of days of our training camp."
On how quarterback Rex Grossman has embraced his role on the team:
"Rex is a true pro. He handles himself just like you would hope that any experienced quarterback would handle it. He understands his role. He's very, very good with our young quarterbacks and he's a big plus for our football team."
On tackle Trent Williams' wrist:
"It's quite painful right now… It's quite painful for him right now. He's got a cast on it. We immobilized it so he can't hurt it any further. We want to make sure he stays in football shape. Exactly what's wrong? It's sprained. It's very, very sore. Trent has gutted it out. He's a natural leader for us. He's a captain. He played hurt in a number of games last year and he wants to show his teammates even though he is hurting he still wants to play."
On if Williams will require surgery on his wrist:
"If he needed surgery, we would have had surgery, so I'm hoping he doesn't."
On how helpful it is to have the officials at practice:
"I think it's great for the officials to come in for three or four days to get a chance to go over the new rules. They'll talk to players during practice when they feel there is some type of foul does occur. They don't stop play but they inform the player. It may be a shift, it may be alignment, it may be hands to the face, maybe a holding call – all the things that occur during games. We had a great referee, a great crew to help us, and they've got another day with us tomorrow."
On meeting Virginia Commonwealth University head basketball coach Shaka Smart:
"I read about him when I first came in. I was really, really kind of awed by what he's done since he's been here. He's got a great record. You can see how quickly he's turned the program around. Anytime you go to the Final Four and accomplish what he has, you've got to have something special to you. I'm sure the college is very excited to have him, and rightfully so."
On Fan Appreciation Day tomorrow:
"It's kind of nice to have a lot of fans out here to watch practice. We show them how much we appreciate them afterward when we sign autographs [and] we get a chance to meet a lot of different people. Hopefully they come out and enjoy themselves and we put on a good practice for them… It's a normal practice, but we'll be in full pads tomorrow. It's always exciting to be practicing with as many as people that will probably show up tomorrow. We try to get them a good seat and hopefully entertain them a little bit."
On a helicopter helping dry the field prior to the morning walkthrough:
"They say it helped. I wasn't here when the helicopters were here but they said just like baseball fields, they felt like it really helped the turf and I thought we were able to still have a good practice."
On practicing in full pads on Saturday:
"We will have full pads tomorrow. We will have the thigh pads and knee pads, everything else we have on."
On deciding between having a return specialist or just using another player on the roster:
"You kind of go with your gut feeling. I know when I was with the Raiders many years ago, we had Tim Brown on the kickoff return; we had someone miss a block and he was out for the season. I believe it was the first or second game. You always have got to go with your gut. If it's a star player, a draft choice, if it's a backup player, you have got to do what you think is best for your football team, and a lot of thought does go into it."
On the rule change pertaining to running backs leading with their helmets:
"The rule is right now if a running back is going against a defensive player and he just puts his head down like a battering ram, they are going to call it. It's got to be low. If it's on any type of angle, they are not going to call it. It doesn't occur very many times but if it does, the NFL is not only discouraging our players to lower the helmet. We're trying to help the high schools and colleges as well as a point of emphasis. We're trying to make our game safe and that is one of the reasons or one of the rules they put in."
On the change to the tuck rule:
"The tuck rule should have been changed 10 years ago. A fumble is a fumble and I am glad it has changed."
On linebacker Brandon Jenkins:"He's got some natural pass rush abilities. If you've got to teach a guy and you have to spend a lot of time on how to get to the quarterback, the chances are he probably doesn't have that type of talent to initially get there or have the things that you look for. So when he first went to Florida State, you take a look at his freshman and sophomore year, he had a lot of success. And he's feeling good, he's feeling healthy. He's been very impressive thus far."
On safety Philip Thomas earning first-team reps:"Don't get too blown away on who's playing first team, second team or third team, because that's what this camp is about. We're trying to evaluate these preseason games. We'll evaluate every practice. Sometimes a starter will be out and that person gets a chance where he's had so many reps – we make a change and see both guys on the first unit. So this is part of the evaluation process right now, give different guys opportunities and hopefully come up with the best 53 and obviously the best starters."
On running back Alfred Morris wanting to become more involved in passing game:"Well, it gives you another dimension. You know first, second and third down, and he has done that already. A lot of people come out of college and they just don't spend the time on catching the ball. He has spent a lot of time in the offseason catching the football, running routes and you can see that hard work has paid off because he's a lot more natural. He's always been a blocker – he's got that strength – but he does have a different type of gear and he does have excellent hands. You just couldn't see it right away because he didn't work on it. There have been a lot of backs in the past that have been in colleges that really don't throw the football a lot. They emphasize the running game and Alfred was one of those types of guys. But he's elevated his game and he will be able to catch the ball and be a lot more instrumental in our passing game."
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