Head Coach Gary Kubiak
FS D.J. Swearinger
DE Antonio Smith
Head Coach Gary Kubiak
(on wrapping up OTAs) "I think it was a good 10 days. Today we were just teaching and doing some situational stuff. I think the biggest thing is we threw some young players in some very tough positions. You look at (S D.J.) Swearinger and where he got thrown into right away because of (S) Ed (Reed) not being here. Then you look at us taking (WR DeAndre) Hopkins, our number one, so I think we've come a long way as a team. Instead of it taking us two weeks to go through that in camp, I think those guys are much more advanced. Obviously there are some concerns. Up front, the right tackle has got me concerned right now. Guys have missed a lot of time, but I think the work has been good. We got out of this thing healthy. All these guys that have missed a little time will be back. We'll finish up next week with just the young guys."
(on what he sees out of his outside linebackers) "I see a young group. It's very young, when you consider (Bryan) Braman is working as a starter and you've got two draft choices. It's young, but it's talented and athletic. (Linebackers coach) Reggie (Herring) and (defensive coordinator) Wade (Phillips) have a history of getting those young guys ready to go real quick, so that'll be very important to our team."
(on the progress of OLBs Sam Montgomery and Trevardo Williams) "I think it's been good. I think Trevardo is a little big a head of (Montgomery) just from the standpoint of playing the position, the true position. Sam is trying to go from hand down to standing up, so that's different for him. The talent is there for both of them."
(on what he's looking to accomplish next week in minicamp) "What I'm going to do is I'm going to go back and basically have the tempo we had in practice today and hit all these young guys with everything for about the fifth time. Really, I'm not concerned about the physical part next week as much as I am at just t getting them all a bunch more reps. That's what we'll do and workout the older guys."
(on the status of T Duane Brown) "Duane is fine. He's here today. He just didn't come over. He's fine. I saw him in the cafeteria this morning. He's doing good. (DE Earl) Okine is doing fine, possibly back next week. (WR) Lestar (Jean) has a family issue he's dealing with today. (WR DeAndre) Hopkins is sick today. He came in this morning about 5:45 or 6, but he'll be okay."
(on how he sees the special teams improving) "Well I think there are a couple of things going on with our special teams. First off, we've got a lot of young guys that can run. That is where your special teams come from. I think getting (special teams coordinator) Joe (Marciano) Lig (special teams assistant Bob Ligashesky) to come in here and help him has really been a big help for Joe from a teaching process and a load standpoint. I think that's been very good. I think we've got a chance. We've got a heck of a punter. I think we have a lot of confidence in him. We've got a young kicker that has got to come a long way. I think the youth and the fact that we can run gives us a chance to improve."
(on ILB Tim Dobbins missing from OTAs) "Like I've said, it's voluntary. I'll see him next week."
(on if he has any concerns with S Ed Reed being out) "No, we know exactly where Ed is at in the process and what's going on. We'll get our hands on him next week and get him in town."
(on if he expects to find some veteran help at right tackle) "The guys are all there. The problem is that they're just not healthy right now. (T Derek) Newton is going to be healthy. He's going to be ready for camp. (T Brennan) Williams is going to be ready for camp. The competition is there. The answerers are there, but we have to get them out here. I think, as a team, you never say never about anything, but the fact that those guys are in place and everybody is going to be ready to go on the 25th (of July), that makes me feel good."
(on if he has heard that there will be an opera based on the life of Bum Phillips) "Really? Good. That's awesome. That's awesome. What did Coach think about it? ['Coach thinks it's great, although he says he can't sing.'] Yeah, I can't comment on that. I don't know, but the Coach is a good friend. If they're going to do one on somebody, they couldn't do one on anybody better. I know that."
FS D.J. Swearinger
(on how important the last few weeks have been to his development) "It's tremendous. I'm glad that I learned the way I did; learned fast. I've basically got the whole defense already. I've just got to keep studying to make it second nature and I'm going to be great."
(on if he feels like he's light years ahead of where he was when he first arrived) "Yeah. From the first time I walked on until now, I've gotten a lot of knowledge, a lot of different knowledge. I've just got to polish it up and just keep studying."
(on taking the next step) "I'm just ready. I'm just ready to keep studying and see how I do once I master everything. I think the sky's the limit once I master everything and get to playing like how I really want to play."
DE Antonio Smith
(on how he views things now that OTAs are over) "It looked pretty good to me, man. It was a pretty good set of OTAs. I like looking at some of the rookies we got. We've got some talent, man. We've really got some talent; some that in a few years are going to be giving some guys runs for their jobs. Whenever you've got that two, three strings deep, you're going to be alright. I think that we've got a lot to learn. Rookies have always got a lot to learn. I think, as veterans, the ones ran smooth after that first week. That first week we were a little rocky but after that, we went smooth and it was a pretty good OTAs overall."
(on if there are some shuffling pieces on the defense) "Well, there are some shuffling pieces right now because we're waiting on Cush (ILB Brian Cushing) to get back. But other than that, it ran smooth. Everything was good. We learned each other's techniques and what moves each other do so we can blitz and things like that and hug rush. Everything's coming together. There isn't any need to rush it. It's going to come together like it's supposed to. We're not a young team anymore, so we know what needs to be done and we know what time frame we have to do it."
(on how fast FS D.J. Swearinger has picked up the defense) "All of (the rookies) are like that, I'm telling you. This group of rookies is ambitious and you've got to like that, even if some guys might feel like they're scared for their jobs. Not anybody, I'm just saying in the past. I love rookies like that. I love rookies that are going to come in and try to be what they dream to be, not just come in and just hope they make a team, or something like that. They want to be stars and they want to be stars. When you've got rookies like that, you're going to have a great team."
(on how much of a teacher role he has taken on) "Pretty much a lot. I'm fixing to start charging extra. I might even get two checks for my coaching expertise. I'm going to go into guru coaching."
(on if he's looking forward to seeing ILB Darryl Sharpton healthy and what he can do on the field) "I'm always looking forward to seeing (ILB Darryl) Sharpton. I don't know if people really give him credit for it, to me he is an aggressive, electrifying type of player. Every time he gets in his groove, he's had an injury, so I'm just hoping and I'm going to keep praying for him that he stays healthy because he can really help this team."
