Head Coach Gary Kubiak
RB Arian Foster
FB Greg Jones
CB Johnathan Joseph
OLB Brooks Reed
DE J.J. Watt
OLB Trevardo Williams
Head Coach Gary Kubiak
(on if there are any updates on the injuries from yesterday's practice) "No, we're good. (OLB) Sam Montgomery did not practice this morning. He's got a sore ankle. We thought he could go and he ended up not going. Other than that, we're back at it. Had a good cool morning to work. The rain helped out a little bit, so good day."
(on if there was good energy at practice on the second day) "Yeah, usually it takes about three days to work into it and they get pretty worn out and sore, and they start to revive a little bit, but I thought it was good. It was very competitive. We've added a few different periods to our practice form a competitive standpoint and I like our young guys and the way they're competing I thought it was a good day."
(on his thoughts on the linebacker corps this season and if he thinks they can stay together) "First off, it's going to be young. The depth is going to be very young. As a coach, at this point, two days into camp, obviously it's going to play itself out, but that's the way we're built right now. I feel good about our group. I think (Defensive Coordinator) Wade (Phillips) and (LBs coach) Reggie (Herring) have done tremendous work with young players in their coaching career and they've got a good group of young guys when you look at how far (LB) Willie (Jefferson) has come. I'm sitting here watching (LB) Trevardo Williams and we get (LB) Sam (Montgomery) going. It's a group that, like I said, it's going to have a lot of youth to it, but it's going to have a lot of ability too."
(on if there is an update on TE Garrett Graham) "Garrett, he's got the flu or some type of virus and has been really sick. Hoping that he might be back around the building today. The plan was to have him on the field tomorrow. Obviously, if he's not getting better, which he is getting somewhat better, we'll keep him away from the guys. So we'll see. I'm hoping he's here tomorrow. He's fine. He's just battling a bug."
(on if he has an idea of how many players he wants on the roster at certain positions on offense and what goes into deciding that) "You never know how you're going to be built. Obviously, if you've got good players in place, you're not going to say, 'Well, I'm going to let him go because I'm going to keep this many tight ends.' You're going to keep the guys that earned the right to be here. We may be built different at back. We could be built different at tight end. I don't know. We'll have to wait and see. We've got some young offensive linemen. I think you always have a template that you kind of worked off of, but yet, we're not going to run anybody out here who show us that they can win. So we'll see."
(on the New England Patriots running more offensive snaps than any team last year and if he thinks this year's team will run a faster pace like that) "I thought we worked at a lot of pace last year. We did a lot of sugar-huddle offensively. As a team, it's something that we always have the ability to do. On any given way, I think the best way to play that particular team we're playing, we'll have to make a decision there, but we're going to always have pace built in whether we're trying to use it to begin with or in a situation where we've got to use it to get back into a game. It's always going to be part of what we do."
(on if it's a problem having young players at several positions on offense) "No, they're going to be taught just like anybody else that would be in here. We're not going to change what we do. We're going to catch them up. I think it's your job as a coach, once you get to the point where it's time to play, you've got to do what your guys do best. If we've got some young players making a lot of plays and all they can handle is X amount, then that's what we need to go do. We've got to figure that out, but right now, it's time to work and throw it all at them and see how far we can go."
(on how the schedule works out with putting on pads) "Let's see, I think tomorrow we can put our shells on. I think the progression is that way. I think we'll put our full gear on the next day, which will be what, Monday? We can slowly work ourselves into it, but we're pretty physical in everything we do. That time's coming."
(on if anything has stood out through two days so far) "No, I like the way we're working. I like the competition on the field. We've got some issues at linebacker and tackle now from a numbers standpoint. (T) Nick Mondek did not practice today. I failed to mention him. So we're dealing with that, but that's part of training camp. I like our start and now we'll start to get a little more physical and put the pads on."
(on how much he reserves judgment until pads are put on) "I reserve judgment until we get to about the third week of the preseason. We've got a long way to go and you never know what's going to happen. Right now, it's just about teaching, grinding, coaching everybody. Everybody's involved in that process. Just stay with the process, keep working and we've got to be ready to win a game against San Diego on opening day, so we'll stay with the process."
(on T Ryan Harris) "Yeah, well, he's a very disciplined person. I would just say this, he looks really good. We're going to play our best two tackles. We know who our left tackle is and (T) Ryan (Harris), he's in the mix, he's working on both sides every day. He's probably as healthy as he's been in his career. He really likes what we do. I think he's starting to really flourish in what we do. I like how far he's come. We'll see."
(on if T Ryan Harris floats to both sides equally) "Yeah, he has to right now because the two young kids are being pieced along, (T Derek) Newton and (T Brennan) Williams and (T Nick) Mondek is out. So right now, he's having to do a lot, but that's a good thing because your third tackle, your tackles have to be able to swing and do different stuff, and he showed he can do that last year."
(on the youth and depth at linebacker) "Yeah, we're very young and we got even younger when (LB Darryl) Sharpton was not ready to go when he reported to camp. Those are problems that you work through right now, but through problems, you can get better too. You can have guys step up and become really good players, but it's obviously something we have our eye on, me and (General Manager) Rick (Smith). We need Darryl back on the field as quickly as we can get him there."
RB Arian Foster
(on how he is doing physically) "I'm feeling good, physically. I'm doing good."
(on if he was surprised about being put on PUP) "Sometimes muscle injuries can linger. You can't play through it. It's not like playing through a broken collarbone. I have played through a lot of things, but this is just something you can't and there's no reason to right now. I'm just going to take my time and when I feel 100 percent confident, I'll be ready."
(on target date for return) "It's just got some light soreness in there, it's nothing. I can do pretty much everything, so I'm just going to take it day-by-day."
(on whether he knew he would be on PUP) "I don't like expectations, so I don't really put them on myself."
(on whether he has had soft tissue damage before) "Yeah, but not in my calf."
(on hopes for upcoming season) "I just want to help out my team and be the best me I can be for my squad. That's what I have been working towards. I have put in so much work. I didn't even take a vacation this offseason. I took one for four days, but that was it. I've just been working the entire offseason."
(on his offseason training) "I think as an athlete you always have to try and reinvent yourself and you always have to push yourself to the limits. I think this year I just took my training regimen to another level and we'll see the results."
(on what he would like to reinvent) "I just want to harness my craft and hone it and be the best me I can be. Ultimately, if I'm the best me for my team then that helps us get wins. I think that's what every athlete's goal should be: just be the best them and to be part of a unit."
(on if he felt he wasn't the best him at times last season) "You can always get better as an athlete, so you shouldn't be ever satisfied with your play, in my opinion."
(on reflecting on his career accomplishments) "I already did that last year, so we are on to the next one, baby."
(on season goals) "You pay attention to numbers and I set goals numerically, but it's hard to get to sometimes because sometimes your personal goals aren't in the best interest of the team. Within the confines, you have to be realistic but yeah I set number goals."
(on frustration with being injured) "I wasn't extremely frustrated. I think I was frustrated for probably about an hour or two hours, then I got over it because this is life. You've got to react to it. There's nothing I can do about it, I was injured so I was going to make the best of that situation. I actually feel like I got a little bit better because of it, honestly. I got a little more extra time to continue training and getting everything as healthy as possible. I'm excited about this season."
(on how the team is shaping up around him) "I don't think it's around me, I think I'm just involved in it. I think that this team is coming together as a whole. I feel it's still early in training camp, so were still trying to find out identity, but I think we have great leadership. I think it's starting to be one of those teams that kind of runs itself and the coaches kind of just oversee, and that's always a good sign."
(on the RT spot) "I think consistency period, in this league, is important. I think that's what guys look for in teammates and coaches look for in players. It's just to be as consistent as possible for your whole organization, so we are all rooting for each other to be the best we can be. In the end, it all helps us out."
(on FB Greg Jones helping) "Absolutely. I think he has been a great fullback in this league for a lot of years and he has a great attitude. He is not coming in here like he's a vet. He's just coming in here like he's hungry and wants to learn. I respect that."
(on how much the disappointing end to last season is a motivating factor this season) "Anytime you don't win the last game of the season, it's a disappointment. I think going into the offseason, it helps, but it's a part of the game. Losing is a part of the NFL. You can use it as your anchor or use it as your sail, so that's basically what we have done this offseason. We put it behind us and it's time to move forward and try and develop a new identity for this organization and this city."
(on how he improved after his injury) "That's why I said I think you kind of have to reinvent yourself as an athlete. Sometimes you can kind of plateau with doing the same things over and over again. When something goes wrong with the machine, your body has to compensate for it. It starts compensating for it, so you have to train different muscles around you and do different things with your body to get it back on in the right direction. Then you kind of find out new things about yourself and reinvent yourself. That's where I found myself this offseason, I found out a little bit more about my body."
(on getting RB Ben Tate back) "I have said it all the time. I have been saying it since I first got here. Ben Tate is a starter in this league. He can go to other teams and start, easily. He is a very, very talented running back. We have long talks and I always tell him, 'be patient, you're time is going to come whether it's here or somewhere else.' He deserves it, he works hard so it's fun to see him get a little bit of burn when I'm not in there. He knows how this league goes and I know how this league goes, so he is very patient and his opportunity is going to come whether it's here or somewhere else."
(on being in the movie "Draft Day") "You're trying to promote that right now. Draft Day is a movie. They asked me about this, I didn't bring it up. Draft Day is a movie that is an opportunity that my manager called me and said, 'You have an opportunity to audition,' and they asked me to audition. I sent the audition film and the director liked it. He wanted to see me do another thing, so I did another thing. He liked it again and they offered me a part in the movie. I just thought it would be a fun little opportunity to be a part of."
(on shaving to look younger) "Yeah, they wanted me to look younger. They didn't like my baby face with the beard."
(on taking acting lessons) "No, no it's all natural, baby."
(on turning down a chance to be in a movie for football) "It was this part. There was a significant scheduling conflict, so I told them no initially. But they were very lenient with the schedule, so they moved some things around and let me be a part of it. Y'all are killing me."
(on walking across the stage with Commissioner Roger Goodell for the movie) "It was fake, man. You know what I mean? It wasn't genuine. It was acting. It wasn't like any vindication or anything like that. It was fun, I guess. I already know him. It was a joke though. I finally got drafted five years into the league."
(on getting part for acting ability) "That's probably what was the most gratifying thing for me, they didn't say 'Hey, you want to be in a movie cause you're an actual running back. They had me audition, so I had to audition. My audition tape was up against 100 other audition tapes and they felt like I was the best guy for the part. The director, Ivan Reitman, is a legend in the game. He directed Animal House, Ghostbusters. He directed some classics, so for him to look at my audition tape and say, 'He is the best guy for the part.' I was humbled so I came in prepared."
(on if he has ever acted) "Yeah, I was in some plays and I took some theater classes. I was in Macbeth in middle school."
(on where being in a movie stacks up with his achievements) "I think it's just separate. It's all in the field of entertainment, but it's just one of those things that came along. It happened, so it's more just a humbling experience. You get a chance to sit there and chop it up with Kevin Costner and Jennifer Garner and all these great actors and entertainers. They have respect for what you do, so you don't want to go in their territory and their turf and disrespect what they do. I tried to be as prepared as possible, but it's just a fun thing."
(on working with Kevin Costner) "He's a good guy. He's a really good guy. I think actors and entertainers get a bad rap, paparazzi following them around and stuff, so they get aggravated and get a bad rap. Everybody I met was extremely humble. He came up to me at first because I didn't want to bother him while he was working. I was just sitting in the corner waiting by myself for my turn. He just came up and sat down and started talking to me and it was fun."
(on pursing an acting career) "My first and foremost responsibility and obligation is to play football. Nothing is going to get in the way of that, training or anything like that. If opportunities come up, I might. It depends."
(on difference between Draft Day and Hawaii 5-0) "I was nice on there, man. What you mean? You're hating already. It was more fun because I wasn't playing me. I was playing somebody else so it was actual acting."
FB Greg Jones
(on if he is looking forward to the upcoming season) "I'm looking real forward to it. Just with the O-line and with the tight ends on the other guy and just be able to just contribute the way I can right now. I'm looking forward to it. I think everybody is coming back healthy and we can go out there and compete and put in a 100 percent out there it will be a big year for us."
(on him battling injuries and overcoming them) "It's a little tricky at times because sometimes you feel like you can do a little bit more than what your body can give you. You just have to know to get off the gas a little bit and sometimes you got to push yourself. I think you know best, you know better than the trainers, but at the same time you don't want to push yourself too fast. It's a 16 game season, plus the playoffs, so it's a long season. You just got to know. You got to know when to work and you got to know when to rest."
(on how nice it is to be able to know and say 16 games plus the playoffs) "I think everybody knows where I'm coming from, so it's real nice just to be in that conversation. We have a lot of work ahead of us. It's not granted to us so we just got to go out there and work."
(on the value he puts on meeting RB Arian Foster during camp to get in tune with each other) "Right now I'm not concentrating on that. I'm just trying to get the details and the fundamentals of each play and the running plays right now. I think when he come, he's been in offense so long, that I think he thinks he knows what to do just being out there. Just getting acclimated with the other guys I think we will be fine."
(on if he think there is an element of him and RB Arian Foster needing to see the same things) "I think so. I think so, but at the same time, we have plenty of time. At the same time, we still have meetings together and we still can talk at the meetings and watch film together. So I think that'll help once you get on the playing field and that will take over a little bit more."
(on valuing getting to Houston early and signing early) "Oh yeah, I have. I have and I did. Just by getting used to the playbook and the details of plays. It's a little bit different from here and Jacksonville, so I'm still learning. I'm still learning. There's still a ways to go but I'm taking long strides."
(on having to learn new plays after so many years and meeting new guys) "Oh yeah, it's a little bit different. Being in Jacksonville, you know everybody else is the new guy and I had the same blocker for the past nine years. So it's a little bit different but you know, this is next in the business. I knew a little bit of the guys before I came here. It's a little bit different just walking into a new locker room."
(on how practice is different) "A little bit more fast-paced. Kub (Head Coach Gary Kubiak) takes care of the guys and just being in Jacksonville, it's a good different. I can say that it's a good different. I'm enjoying myself and I'm taking it all in stride."
(on adjusting to the heat) "I think I have. Yesterday was a little bit rough for me, but today we got a little rain in the beginning and a little cool. But I think I have been good with it so far."
(on what is different) "It's because he (Gary Kubiak) don't grind you. Back in the day in Jacksonville, we grinded a lot. He doesn't really believe in that, so that's why I say it's a good different."
(on playing for running backs coach Chick Harris) "It's good. I have known Chick ever since I came out. He came to my pro day and I met with him a little bit when I was coming out. I knew him before, but he has experience. He has coached a lot of good backs. Right now, I'm just sitting in the room just trying to be as smart. He has seen a lot more than me. He has been in this offense and this situation more than me, so I'm just trying to learn right now."
(on goals for training camp) "For me, it's just knowing the ins and outs of the playbook and just getting ready for football. Getting my body ready and knowing the details. I think if I do that I will be fine."
(on comparing RB Arian Foster to Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew) "I can't really say who is better. They are just two different running backs. They both produce and both work hard. I know on Sunday's Arian goes out and gives 110 percent. That's all I can ask of him. That's all I can do for him, so that's my answer to your question."
CB Johnathan Joseph
(on if he wants to be considered one of the top cornerback tandems in the NFL with CB Kareem Jackson) "That's one of our goals to be the top cornerback tandems in this league. I was telling Kareem about how me and Leon Hall started off in Cincinnati and worked our way to the top. It's no different here with Kareem. I see a guy in Kareem that's gotten better each and every year and I'm just looking forward to this year to see him take the next step."
(on how much pride he takes in bringing CB Kareem Jackson along and being put into the category of being one of the top cornerback tandems in the league) "It's good to see because, when I got here, everybody talked about they couldn't play and I've seen something in him that (DBs) Coach VJ (Vance Joseph) saw it in him as well. It just took a little time and now, look at him, everyday he's out there making plays. It's hard to catch a ball on him, and he did the same thing on the game field. For Kareem, it's just all about having confidence and showing it each and every week."
(on the leadership of FS Ed Reed even though he is not practicing) "Absolutely. We're talking nonstop, constantly, whether it's in the film room, the locker room, out here on the practice field on the side of the field. He brings a great deal of knowledge to the game of football and to us. He's obviously older than us and played this game a lot longer and you add more experience. It's like having an extra coach on the field at the same time."
OLB Brooks Reed
(on if it still bothers him the way the season ended last year) "It did. But now we have kind of moved on. I've moved on and right now we are just focused on the preseason and getting to that. Of course, our first game against San Diego."
(on the progress from his rookie year) "I feel like I've made tremendous progress. The comfort level is there for me. It's hard for these guys; I see it out of the new draft picks. You go from having your hand down on the ground, not having to know very much and just go after quarterbacks to standing up and having Reggie Herring and Bill Kollar on your back and getting on you about little things. It's a shock at first, but there's time in there where it takes a lot of time to adjust to it."
(on the comfort level with the defense) "Oh yeah, and you know I can play inside, I can play outside. I know this defense and it's fun to play."
(on transitioning from the guy being yelled at all of the time to watching the young guys being yelled at) "Yeah, I'm out here trying to help the rookies out, just like I needed help. They very much appreciate it because I made all of the mistakes they're making. There's a big learning curve, but they just have to realize that they're out here to get better and that they're going to catch on and they will have their opportunities to show it out on the field."
(on if he likes growing out of the role of getting yelled at) "Yeah, of course. No one likes getting yelled at. I'm out here busting my butt every day. I expect to get better and this team has very high expectations of them. Even through walkthroughs, were looking to improve."
(on his thoughts of the linebacking corps) "Very athletic, quick group. (ILB) Brian Cushing is back. He's going to bring the attitude back. There's always been the attitude but he just brings a little extra attitude with it, so it's going to be fun."
(on if they have set the tone as an inside/outside linebacks corps for the season and if that was missing down the stretch in 2012) "I don't know. That's just something that, as a team, we need to improve on. Two year ago, we had the same issue. We had a lot of other guys hurt, so it's just getting early wins and just all we are asking for is just to make the playoffs and to make a run at it from there."
(on feeding off of DE J.J. Watt) "That's when J.J. stepped in and started making all of the pregame speeches and all of that. He stepped up in a big way and I think he's going to improve even from last year."
(on DE J.J. Watt's pregame speeches) "Yeah, he's good. I think it's a little pre-meditated. I think he practices in front of the mirror a little bit, but he's good at it and we all need that."
(on why DE J.J. Watt was the guy that took over the pregame speech when ILB Brian Cushing was out) "He's not really a loud guy or a guy that talks a lot on the field. But he's a leader by example, just kind of like Cush. Guys naturally just kind of follow him. Whatever he says, people just kind of listen."
(on being ready for pads or enjoying) "Heck yeah, man. I enjoy every single day without the pads on. We're going to be banging soon enough in these preseason games, but it'll be fun putting the pads back on again and getting after it. This camp, coaches are trying to keep guys healthy and not trying to go live or anything, but still thump a little bit."
(on watching RB Arian Foster from the sideline) "It's incredible man. He just has a certain running style. It's cool to watch. During the game when I'm sitting down sucking wind, I'm watching him on the big screen. He looks like he just does it with so much ease and he looks so smooth. There are not too many guys that can do that. He's got a lot of deceptive speed. I think he's going to have a big year this year."
(on how glad he is that RB Arian Foster is on his team) "It's tough man. This offense makes us better. I think a lot of the offenses are switching to this style. We are doing a hard-zone team so we see that every day so we will be ready for it."
(on not having ILB Brian Cushing in there and how he impacts the outside rushers) "Well, it's more than one person helping the pass rushers. When receivers are running down the field, the secondary has got to cover. And if they're covering, it keeps the quarterback in the pocket longer and the longer he stays in there, the better chance we have to get to him. It's all a big team effort and I'm just a small part of it."
(on what ILB Brian Cushing does that helps the guys on the outside) "We have special blitzes where he will come outside and we will come inside. We know that most offenses are setting the protection to him and so when they're doing that, we can work games on the opposite side."
DE J.J. Watt
(on confidence) "My confidence is obviously still there. I think I'm more explosive, more agile. I'm a year older, so I'm a year smarter. I understand more, have more experience and I'll be able to use that."
(on his weight compared to a year ago) "Weight-wise, I'm exactly the same as last year. I'm right at 290. I'm right where I need to be."
(on being grabbed from behind and caught in a headlock and if that's an effective way to stop him) "I don't remember the play, but that is one way to stop me. That is one way to stop me."
(on if the elbow injury last year was a fluke and whether or not he thinks about it when he's out there now) "It was a 100 percent fluke. It's just a fluke thing. You can't avoid things like that."
(on how he feels without the elbow brace this year) "It's nice. It's nice to not have the brace. It's nice to be able to go out there and have confidence in my elbow."
(on the other members of his defensive line and the adjustments they had to make last year) "I have great players around me. It always makes things easier for me when I've got guys like (DE) Antonio (Smith) getting sacks. (NT) Earl (Mitchell) is a great football player. You've got (OLB) Brooks (Reed) and (OLB) Whitney (Mercilus) on the outside. Whenever you have good players around, they can't focus all of their attention on one guy. They have to block us all."
(on informing the young players of the expectations of this team) "They know. They know. When you walk in this building, you know that there is one goal. There is one focus. We come on this practice field trying to get better every single day. If we do that, everything else will take care of itself."
OLB Trevardo Williams
(on what it is like to have TE Ryan Griffin and WR Mike Smith out here from Connecticut) "It's good. Mike Smith is from Texas and he can show me around places. We're close guys from college. If I need to have fun or the chill spot, I talk to Mike. Griff, he's my boy. Anytime we want to chill, he will hit me up. It's cool to see two guys doing well here in Texas because I can like relate and you know, encourage each other."
(on having someone to lean on in the NFL after University of Connecticut) "It's encouraging to see two guys form my school here because when I see them doing well, I'm doing well. I'm happy. They encourage me by watching them and hopefully I encourage them by watching me."
(on the weather right now) "Right now, it's not as hot as I expected training camp to be but I'm sure the weather will get a little bit hotter. I'm prepared for it."
(on the things he is working on to get ready for Minnesota) "I'm just working on my fundamentals. It's all fundamentals for me. Just starting all over from scratch and getting comfortable in the two-point stance and you know, just working on my basics."
(on how much Coach Reggie Herring has helped him get to where he needs to be) "Everything. In meeting rooms, we sit down and talk a lot about what I need to learn, where my weaknesses are and where I need to develop."
(on the veterans that have taken him under their wing and helped him) "(OLB Bryan) Braman, (OLB Whitney) Mercilus, (OLB Brooks) Reed, they all took me under their wing. They give me little tips here and there that I can use to, you know, better my technique and I accept it gratefully."
Afternoon Practice
Head Coach Gary Kubiak
WR DeAndre Hopkins
WR Andre Johnson
T Derek Newton
Head Coach Gary Kubiak
(on if there is any news this afternoon) "(T Nick) Mondek is still not a part of what we're doing. (TE) Garrett (Graham) is back in the building and he's feeling better. We're hoping for tomorrow, but we'll wait and see where he's at."
(on what exactly TE Garrett Graham has been going through) "I just know he had some type of bug. I really don't (know). I just know he was really sick. He lost some weight and we're going to have to work him back to where he was."
(on the right tackle position) "I think I said this before, the people are on our roster to handle our situation. The problem is he missed a lot of time. (T Derek) Newton missed the whole offseason. (T) Brennan (Williams) missed the whole offseason. Now, Newton is working about half the reps right now. He looks good. We've got a plan to get him back to full speed. Brennan has yet to do anything with the team other than individual. So as we practice, we're really down a good player-and-a-half right there. It's putting a lot of stress on (T David) Quessenberry, which that might be a good thing in the long haul. We'll see how far he can come. But we're trying to get those two guys to where they're totally healthy and competing, and that's not happening right now. There's nothing they can do. We've got to get them there the right way."
(on how he looks at the inside linebacker spot next to ILB Brian Cushing) "I look at it as being very, very young right now. (ILB Cameron) Collins is working as a starter in there and hasn't played much football, but that's a part of getting through camp too. Every day is like a puzzle; how do we work through today? How do we get certain guys on the team to this point and the process, so you're always trying to put that puzzle together each and every day. But what it does is it creates a lot of reps for guys that never thought they were going to get them and who knows? We may find some gems along the way. That's why we do what we do."
(on his expectations for ILB Tim Dobbins) "It's very important. Tim has really been on this team because he's been a really good special teams player and yet he's been a starter last year, and he's a starter right now in how he operates. (It's an) opportunity for Tim and he's come in in good shape. He's taking care of business. He looks good. He's had a good two days."
(on the growth of CB tandem Kareem Jackson and Johnathan Joseph) "It was probably late February, one day, I went down to the weight room and those two were on the treadmill. We hadn't been through for a month. It's impressive. Johnathan has been a tremendous presence for Kareem. Kareem has grown up a lot as a football player and a man, and it shows on the football field. Those two guys are always working together and now they're sitting back talking with another guy in (FS) Ed (Reed). You only get better when you've got that experience on your football team."
(on CB Johnathan Joseph saying he's the healthiest he's been in a few years and if he sees that in him) "Well, I've only been with him for a certain amount of time, but what I do see is we're at the point where we can put him on a program like we do with (WR) Andre (Johnson). We kind of let him and Andre go at it at each for three days and give them a day break. We're trying to work them the right way and I think he's responded to it. Yeah, he looks as good as I've ever seen him."
(on using RB Arian Foster in the passing game and if that has been inconsistent) "Yeah, it kind of all depends who we're playing. I know there are certain teams that we play that some of Arian's touches have to come through the air for that particular week, so we try to do that. He touches it a lot. I think that's when he's at his best when he does touch it a lot. Hopefully, (RB) Ben (Tate) stays healthy and there's that combination like there was a couple of years ago, but we need to get Arian back out here and ready to go. He's working hard. Hopefully, he'll be back in a couple of days."
(on OLB Whitney Mercilus' place in the defense and assuming the role where they drafted him for) "He played pretty well last year. I think he had a six-seven sack season for a young player. Obviously, you draft guys that high knowing that there's some point where it's there, if it's not very quickly. Here we go, it's his second year, and it's time for him to step up. With what we have at linebacker, with (OLB) Connor (Barwin) leaving and some of the things going on with our team, it's time for him to step up like a six-seven-year guy and not a second-year guys. We believe in him. That's why we do the things we do, but he's responded and he's been as good as he possibly can be throughout the offseason."
(on the team's health situation today) "Like I said, the only thing I can think of, without you all asking me, is (T Nick) Mondek still did not do anything today. He's day-to-day. Nothing else has changed with anybody as of right now. I gave (T) Duane (Brown) the afternoon off. He did not do anything."
(on if OLB Brooks Reed is back practicing) "Yeah, he's back. He's a full participant."
(on if everybody is here) "Everybody's here."
(on if he's generally happy with how training camp has been going so far) "Yeah, I mean it's two days. We start to put our pads on tomorrow. So that's when the game changes for everybody, So we've got to start to work toward that, but I feel good. We've got a couple of situations we're having to work through each and every day from a health standpoint, but that's part of camp."
(on OLB Sam Montgomery's status) "Sam was out this morning and he's out this afternoon. He's got a sore ankle and he's being evaluated as we speak."
WR DeAndre Hopkins
(on practice today) "I couldn't wait to get started. It's been a lot of preparation going on but I'm enjoying it right now."
(on second day surprises) "I would say the little details that you have to do. You know, people really don't think about it. People think you just come out here and run routes. It's little details. Everything has to be on point."
(on having weapons and approaching the offense) "All I had was (Clemson WR) Sammy Watkins on the other side of me and every week I still came out prepared like I was the go-to guy and the same here. Even though I have a vet and a Pro Bowler, (WR) Andre Johnson on the other side of me I can't think about that or let that affect me. I've got to come out and still think that I'm going to be the guy."
(on how he would rate himself on day two) "I would say I'm getting better. I'm improving. I still got a lot of things that I need to work on but I would say it's going good so far."
WR Andre Johnson
(on the excitement of having WR DeAndre Hopkins) "You get excited, not only just about rookies they bring in on offense, you get excited about just players they bring in period because you know that they can come out and help your team. I'm just anxious to get out there in the preseason game and see how it all unfolds, but you have to lay the groundwork first. That's what's most important right now, so that's what we are trying to do."
(on adding players to the team with similar mindset) "A lot of people always talk about leaders and there are a lot of guys that like to talk a lot. I always been a guy that just led by example and I think that when you just do things the right way sometimes guys will just follow. That's what I try to do. I just try to do things the right way and lead by example. If guys have a question about anything, I let them know if I think they are doing something wrong I'm going to let them know about it and I always tell them if they think I'm doing something wrong to let me know. That's what it's all about. That's the only way your team is going to be great, so I just try to help anybody out whenever I can and they can help me out whenever they can."
(on taking to FS Ed Reed about the Super Bowl) "I talk to that guy all the time. It's not something that's going to be easy. I was saying yesterday when you just look back at the teams that he was on in Baltimore; I just think there came a point when it was their time. They knocked on the door for so long and a few years back they were a play away from going. You just have to play your full 60 minutes. You can't get too high, you can't get too low. You have to stay steady, so that's the thing I think we have to learn as a team. Just be consistent and everything else will take care of itself."
(on the team mentality) "I think now we have a core group of veterans and we know how things are supposed to be done. We just bring the young guys along with us. I think now it's to a point where if something is not right guys will step up and say it. I don't think it was like that before. That's a great thing where you don't have to always have the coaches step in. Where you can handle things as players and move on from it. It just shows a bit of maturity with the team and hopefully we can just, like I said, keep going in the right direction."
(on why it's better to have players as the leaders) "Because it's your team. The coaches can't go out there and play for you. Everything that is done out on the field between the lines is done by the players. I think that's why it's best that it's handled by the players."
OLB Derek Newton
(on how he looks at the battle for the tackle position) "It's a big competition going on right now. We got three tackles that are competing for one spot. Everybody got to come out here every day and grind hard."
(on still being a starter) "I mean, you know I come out here every day. It's a completion going on so you never know what can happen. But I'm going to come out here every day and give it my all."
(on how last year helped out this year's camp) "It helped me out a lot but I still want to fix up my technique because I feel like last year I was still learning, still young, but that's still no excuse. This camp, the focus has got to be at an all-time high. Just got to come out here every day and be prepared to win."
