Members of the team spoke to the media after practice on Saturday, the last day of the first week of camp. Following is a transcript of their respective interviews.
Texans head coach Gary Kubiak Texans T Duane Brown
Texans head coach Gary Kubiak(on how practice went) "It was good. We started a little earlier this morning, probably got a little break in the weather, the weather was a bit cooler today. We had good work. We needed to hit on a bunch of things and bang around a little bit. I like the way they came out, so we'll have a break today and tomorrow, and we'll get back to work Monday morning."
(on the team's injury status) "Today, we had a thigh bruise on (WR Darnell) Jenkins, but we got a few guys back on the field, and we need to take these next two days to get healthy."
(on why the defense was running after practice) "Well, we have a deal where if they don't get enough turnovers in practice, they run a gasser. If the offense has too many turnovers in practice, they run a gasser. Just trying to emphasize what we're doing."
(on how to improve red zone efficiency this season) "Well, obviously for offense, we have to run the ball better down there, but overall as a team, we have to get better on both sides of the ball. Usually, when you come out of a season, there are points of emphasis that you maybe didn't do as well as that year, and that was obviously a problem for our football team last year, so we just try to hit it harder in training camp, but we have to try to make sure we don't slip in other areas too."
(on the performance of the running backs so far, particularly RB Arian Foster) "Yeah, he was a very impressive young man, and now he's missed some very valuable time. Just when you think a guy is making up a lot of progress, you're feeing good about something, those things happen. This game is about staying on the field and doing it on the field, so you look right now and you look at (RBs) Steve (Slaton) and Chris (Brown) and (Ryan) Moats and this new young man (Andre Hall) we brought in the last few days, he's done a good job. Arian has got to get in the training room and get his butt out here. He's a good football player, but he's got to stay out here."
(on RB Chris Brown's camp so far) "Very promising, and I think a lot of it has to do with his offseason. He was as good of an offseason worker as we had."
(on his impressions of CB Deltha O'Neal so far) "Well, with Deltha, we're just giving him a few reps. Deltha knows what he's doing. He's played a lot of football, played a lot of games and he understands what we're trying to do system-wise, so we'll see. It's hard to really evaluate right now, but we know what we're getting with Deltha, we just need to get him to 100 percent."
(on his impressions of RB Andre Hall so far) "Yeah, he's done some good things the last two days."
(on if he can remember a play during camp where WR Andre Johnson has had a drop) "I'll tell you, we were talking, us coaches, the other night in an evaluation meeting, and it seems like we say this every year, but I'm not sure that he doesn't look as good as I've ever seen him look. Just conditioning-wise, making every play. He's special. I tell ya'll every time, you're watching something special watching this guy's career, because he's as good as I've been around."
(on the offensive line being considered by some as underrated) "Well, I thought it was becoming a strength of our team last year. When five guys play every snap like that, it brings a mentality to your football team, so that's been really special. They should only get better, but the problem right now is that they haven't been working together because (G) Chester (Pitts) has basically not been a part of the offseason yet or anything. Now (C) Chris (Myers) is missing time. Now, that can make you better because guys can step up, but they are missing some valuable continuity right now and hopefully we can get them back out there."
(on if he is overly concerned with the offensive line injuries) "No, I mean, I think we know what (G) Chester (Pitts) has been when he's played. I'm concerned that Chester has missed so much football this offseason, OTAs, training camp. I believe you gotta be a part of it. It takes time, but I'm not concerned with Chester as a person or what to get from him. With (C) Chris (Myers), I know what I'll get from Chris, but at the same time we want to get him back and have him play some preseason games just so he feels good going into the season."
(on whether he sees the linebacking unit as a position group of strength) "It should be. We've got a long way to go, but obviously it should be with the speed and some of the veterans we have there, and of course adding the young kid (LB Brian Cushing), it should become a strength of our team, but we'll see."
(on LB DeMeco Ryans' leadership at his position) "Well, DeMeco leads the team, not just the linebackers. He's the captain around here, that's his nickname. No doubt, I told the players, every day after practice, I say to the young guys, 'You want to see why guys make the Pro Bowl, see what a pro is, you've been watching one.' And I gave them a few examples today, but he was the first one I went to."
(on his feelings on camp so far with a full week complete) "We're always going to get guys nicked up. Numbers-wise, we're probably about the same as we've been in the past at this point. The thing I've been impressed with is our conditioning. I think our veteran guys are in as good of condition as they've been since I've been here. Now we lock into playing, so we'll find out where we're at at the end of each week."
(on the status of G Chester Pitts' injury) "He's doing fine. Hopefully, he can start to do some non-contact work here pretty quickly, and then we get him into his full-go, but he'll go non-contact before he gets back on the field."
(on S Nick Ferguson's comments that the safeties have a greater responsibility with rookie cornerbacks on the field) "Well, everybody. Any time you're in that situation, everybody should pick up the slack. It's kind of like your quarterback going down, so the other 10 offensive guys need to play better to help the other guy, so that's part of football."
(on TE James Casey's progression as a long snapper) "He shows flashes that he can do it at our level, and then he shows times that he struggles, so we're going to put him under fire in the preseason. We'll give him some good work here against New Orleans when we practice against New Orleans, but if our fourth tight end was our snapper, like a guy like James, then that adds a roster spot to our team, so we'll see."
Texans T Duane Brown(on training camp) "It's going to be hot out here, you just have to dig deep and find your way to get through it. Guys told me to try and calm down last year and not let my nerves get to me, but it's hard to say that to a rookie. You're coming out of college into a league where it's grown men who are all talented. You have to try to find your place, and now I feel like I have found my place here. I'm just trying to improve myself individually."
(on how his thoughts changed about the NFL) "The speed of the game. You watch it on TV and know the guys are freakish athletes, but until you are out here amongst them and in the mix, you don't get a feel of how fast and strong they are. My first day out here, Coach (Kubiak) had me go up against (DE) Mario Williams. He's a freak of nature. You don't see guys like that in college. It was a big transition for me."
