**

Head Coach Bill O'Brien**

(on today's practice) "Today was a tough practice. I thought we did a good job today in practice. Our guys really competed. They finished practice both sides of the ball, a lot of good situations came up, a lot of situations that can illustrate what complementary football is all about. So I thought it was a really good day and, look, it's not easy out here. It's training camp. We run a tough program and these guys really did a good job today."

(on what his mom thought of Hard Knocks) "You know, you're mic'd up basically for 14 hours a day. So, we coach them hard, we really care about these guys. Personally, I need to watch language, I really do, and I'm going to try to do a better job of that. It's just, it's an intense environment and we'll try, I'll try to do better, but I think we're coaching them, we care about these guys, and hopefully that comes through. Then obviously the most important thing is our players and how hard they work."

(on what he thinks when he watches himself on TV) "Can't stand it. I just cannot, it's one of those, part of the job obviously. They pay you a lot of money and there's a lot of things that come with that job and that responsibility and you take it very seriously. But when it comes to those things, I'm a football coach and that's not something that I'm real comfortable with."

(on if he analyzes himself when he's watching himself on TV) "Yeah, I need to stop swearing, or cut it down at least. Some of you guys like that though, right? My brother texted me, he thought it was awesome. My mom texted me, she didn't think it was too awesome."

(on talking a lot on Hard Knocks about the culture and perception of the Texans) "You come into an organization, it's important to know the history of the organization. Not the little details of every draft pick from every year, but for the players it's important to know who the owner is and what he means to this city, and what his family means to this city, and what this franchise means to this city, and what a winning franchise can do for a city like Houston. This is a fantastic city with just an unbelievable fan base, and I think it's important for our players to know that and then also know each other. I think you have to know each other. The way the game is played now with so much communication on both sides of the ball and on special teams, you really have to know each other well. You don't have to necessarily hang out outside of the locker room but in that building, you really have to have respect for each other and know each other well."

(on if he talked to his parents about the show) "They already asked me about that. I didn't necessarily talk to them but I got the message that I need to probably go to confession. I don't think I've been to confession since the sixth grade, so I'll probably head to confession here soon and try to do better."

(on how he got the message from his parents) "I can't tell you that, messages come in different ways. I have two older brothers, remember that."

(on how the quarterbacks looked today) "I thought we put them in a lot of tough situations. We'll have to watch the film and see how it went, but I thought there were some good two-minute situations, some end-of-the-half situations, some of those plays at the end that you saw there were the last play of the game, fourth-and-goal from the five. I thought they handled some of that well, some of it we've got to fix, correct, but I thought overall the guys came out and competed today."

(on if and when he will announce the order of quarterbacks for the preseason game Saturday) "I don't know if I'll get into that. Again, it's a preseason game. They matter, it's important. Anytime you go out there and play a game it's important, but again I would just tell you that I wouldn't get too into the order of how we play anybody in this game."

(on if he will let them know ahead of time which quarterback will start Saturday) "No, not for the game. Not for the preseason game."

(on it feeling like the hottest day of camp so far) "Yeah, they responded well. I mean they're in good shape. This is not an easy training camp when you think about the heat down here. We'll go in the bubble tomorrow, but they've had two good days out here where they've competed and it's been probably close to 100 or over 100 and in the end that'll make our team better because we'll be hopefully a little bit mentally tougher and be able to handle a lot of the challenges that come with the season. But I thought both days they really did a good job of competing."

(on if any of the running backs have elevated their game) "No, I don't think, I think all those guys are doing well, I really do. I think if you look from top to bottom there, I think they're all pretty even, they all do different things. Alred's (Blue) had a good camp, (Jonathan) Grimes has had a good camp, Kenny Hilliard, Chris Polk, the last three days has really done some good things. I think Jay Prosch is one of the more improved guys on our team, he's had a good camp. We're happy with that position."

(on having a lot of guys that fit his mold this season) "I think we need to be clear about that. It's the players that we want. It's not the players that I want, or you want, or they want, it's the players that we as an organization want, that we believe, we, can win for us. Winning the division, winning this league, it's the players that we want. The guys that are out here right now, every one of these guys is somebody that we evaluated, personnel staff, coaching staff, we said, 'Hey look, maybe this guy can help us here, can help us there,' and they're the guys that right now today we want on the field. It's more about 'we' than it is 'I' or 'them.' We're not against each other, it's not two separate corporations in the building, it's one corporation, one organization, and we're trying to put it all together."

(on LB Max Bullough) "He's another guy I would say in the (Jay) Prosch category of one of the more improved guys. I would say like, Jay Prosch, Bullough, 'Dre Hal, these guys took what we talked to them about after last season, things that they could do to work on improving their skill set, whether it's flexibility or quickness, or maybe knowing their plays better, whatever it might be, those are three good examples, and there's other ones of guys that have really taken that to heart and come back and really improved as players and we're seeing that on the field."

(on saying to his coaching staff that the team and quarterbacks don't get enough respect) "I didn't know the cameras were on in that staff meeting. I thought they were going to start rolling the next day."

(on what the message was from that speech) "No, I think that in order to gain, ultimately, in order to gain respect in this league, we have to win. We have to win. When you win, you're respected. Now they've won here in the past, don't get me wrong. Coach (Gary) Kubiak's teams in 2011, 2012, went to the playoffs, won the division, you see the two division banners in there. So I'm not here telling you they haven't won, but we need to get back to that. We need to win, and so when you win, you gain that respect back, and that's what we're talking about in those meetings."

(on if he's planning to adjust the 53-man roster to fill Arian Foster's spot or if he's happy with the running back position currently) "Yeah, I think right now we're pretty satisfied with what we're looking at right now. I think there is a bit of a numbers issue maybe body-wise when you look at it, but we're not in a situation here where we just want to bring anybody in off the street just to have numbers. We can do a lot of different things offensively. You can see some of the things we're doing out there today. We put different guys back there, maybe guys that aren't necessarily running backs that are playing that position for us. We have a diverse enough scheme where we can mix and match, and with that position right now, I like the way those guys are working. Again, my personal feelings for Arian, I feel bad for him, but just hearing what I'm hearing out of that situation is he's doing well, and he's really expecting to come back at some point and help us. That's basically where we're at right now."

(on if it's difficult to get an idea of what all the running backs can do when there's a group of them and they're splitting reps) "Absolutely not. We have a pretty good way of ID'ing what they're good at, what some of their things are that they need to work at. I think every guy has been basically slotted into a role whether it's this type of back in special teams, or whatever it might be, each one of those guys has really taken their role seriously and I think done a good job within that role to this point."

(on CB Kevin Johnson being on schedule) "Yeah, when you're looking at rookies I think when you look at Kevin Johnson, (ILB) Benardrick McKinney, (NT) Christian Covington, these two guys, look not everything's perfect. I mean they're going to have their mistakes, it's not easy to make the jump, but they're very businesslike, they have a good idea of the approach that they need to take on a daily basis, that professional approach. They just need to continue to do that. If you do that, you're going to improve, you're going to improve. As long as you stay healthy, and they're staying healthy, knock on wood. We're happy with the progression with really all, most of the rookies are doing a good job."

(on if he talked to the team about the QB Geno Smith and Jets situation as a learning lesson) "Yeah, look, I'm the head coach of the Houston Texans. I'm really concerned about the Houston Texans, trying to make sure that this team is doing the best we can to, like I said earlier, put a winning product on the field. Nobody wants fights. I have no idea what happened in that situation, I would never even try to comment on it. I have a ton of respect for Todd Bowles as a football coach, and I can tell you that we, our guys know that, look, it's a hard practice on the field, but in that locker room we've got to have respect and understand that that's the most important thing in the locker room."

(on when he expects to see separation from the quarterbacks) "Yeah, I don't know if it's anything where you need to see separation. At some point, you've got to make a decision. We're all in these positions as head coaches to make decisions, I'm just not ready to make that decision yet. I want to see these guys play a little bit against an opponent and see how that goes, and just you know, make sure we're giving them, whoever the starter is, plenty of time to work with the ones and get ready for the first game, but we're a ways away from that. I don't think it's anything where I go in there and I think about, I need to see separation. It's more about, who's going to be the most consistent guy that does the best job of taking care of the football, moving the offense, for this team."

T Duane Brown
(on FB Jay Prosch) "He is doing a little bit of everything man. It is impressive to watch him grow as a player in his second year."

(on fullbacks not really being used in the NFL) "Yeah, very rarely do you see someone consistently using a fullback. I think in our offense it is key to have a lead blocker at times. He has shown himself to be a little bit more than that. You can put him as a short down running back, he is going to get some yards for us. He is a valuable person out of the backfield in the passing game as well. Prosch is really playing well and I think everyone has taken notice."

(on if he enjoys watching FB Jay Prosch run someone over on the field) "You love it man, you love it. He came to the sideline, you know (CB Jumal) Rolle caught the bad end of that. You love it. You love that kind of intensity, running with that kind of purpose. Me as a lineman, I love the physicality, so it was great to see."

(on watching players improve in their second year) "Yeah, it's very fun. I know how difficult it can be, but also how important it is, you know, to get that first year of experience, learn a new offense, learn the speed of the game. To come out here your second year and see how much it slowed down for them and how much they have been able to improve, it's great to watch."

(on if it feels like game week) "Definitely, definitely. I am ready to hit somebody else."

(on if he got to watch Hard Knocks) "Heard a little bit. They got a nice introduction to the players' personal lives and I think everyone got a glimpse of what it was like to practice against Washington. See the intensity of it, so I think it was good."

(on his wife on Hard Knocks) "She did good man, she was excited about it. I brought her lunch so you know, that was good. She looked great and I got to see her doing her thing on the radio, so it was a good look."

DT Christian Covington
(on the size and quickness of players in the NFL) "I mean, I just look at rosters from the past, I've just looked at rosters from the NFL. You just expect guys in this league to be bigger, faster and stronger. So you know it was like going into that, coming into this next level, I was expecting that as a challenge that every rookie has to go through with their first year. I'm here and I have been embracing it since the OTAs and I want to keep continuing to get better, to be able to go against guys like that and to have success against guys like that."

(on what he wants to show the coaches) "I just want to continue showing them my work ethic. I want to be able to show them that I can be a dependable player. I want to be able to show them that I can, I have what it takes to make that 53-man roster."

(on the strides he has made at training camp) "I believe so. Everybody is different, everybody has different individual goals and daily goals. For me, I am just trying to improve one thing, I am just trying to get better at one thing every day when it comes to my defensive line position. Whether that's my stance, or that's my get off, or my use of hands. I want to be able to continue that as long as training camp goes and hopefully as the season continues."

(on being complimented by Head Coach Bill O'Brien) "It feels great. At the same time, you know I don't want to let things like that go to my head. This is my first training camp here embracing the grind. I am just out here trying to get better every day I can really."

(on who mentors him) "Honestly it has been the collective unit of the defensive line really. You know we have such great veteran leadership on this team and not just on this team, but particularly this defense and in my case this defensive line. I try to learn from everybody on this defensive line, whether it is a second-year guy, whether it is a 12-year guy like Vince (Wilfork), or whether it is a guy like J.J. (Watt). I can't go wrong with this defensive line to be able to learn and soak up any type of information I can."

(on playing for Defensive Coordinator Romeo Crennel) "Oh it is something else, something else. He is a great coach. I love working with him. He brings that fire to the defense meeting rooms and he brings that fire to practice. It is great to be able to work for a coach like him."

WR DeAndre Hopkins
(on if he received a lot of texts and phone calls about Hard Knocks) "Yeah man, all that good stuff. It was a nationally televised show, so of course."

(on Washington Redskins CB DeAngelo Hall) "No man, D-Hall is a great player. I just- it was a good play."

(on if he was having fun during those practices) "Yeah, that's how you have to be. That's how we are on the field all the time. Y'all just kind of saw a little inside of it."

(on what he hopes to see from the receivers on Saturday) "Guys go out there and just go hard. Even if they make mistakes, just go out there and play hard and relentless."

(on what he's learned from WRs Nate Washington and Cecil Shorts III) "They're passing on stuff to me, man. I'm still learning. It's only my third year coming up. Those guys played a lot more football games than me, so I'm always the one asking questions a lot of the time."

(on if he knew WRs Nate Washington and Cecil Shorts III before they joined the Texans) "Yeah, I did. Both of those guys are good. In college, them being in the NFL, those are some receivers that I used to look up to. To get an opportunity to play with them is awesome."

(on what WRs Nate Washington and Cecil Shorts III have showed him) "They showed me a lot. They showed me a lot of leadership and the way they practice. They practice hard. Those guys go out there every down and try to make a play."

(on if he thinks the league is sleeping on the Texans receiving core) "We're just going to go out there and do our job. When that first Sunday game comes, we'll see."

(on WR Keith Mumphery) "He's doing an amazing job. He's out here, not just on the field, but in the meeting rooms. He's asking a lot of questions and working hard. So I think he's going to be in this league for a while."

(on how much his first two years prepared him for this season) "Preparation is key. I think the last couple years have prepared me for this situation in a lot of ways. Being behind a future Hall of Famer in Andre Johnson and picking his brain every day, that helps a lot. I think he's given me all the tools to succeed in the NFL."

(on if he still talks to WR Andre Johnson) "Oh yeah, yeah. He called me when we were in Washington after we had gotten into the conflict. He saw it on ESPN and he was just asking me what happened. Kind of laughing, so yeah we keep in contact."

(on if WR Andre Johnson thought the fight was funny) "Yeah, everybody thought it was funny. It's kind of what happens. It's the NFL."

(on if he feels he is a leader on the team now) "Oh yeah, by far. Even last year with Andre (Johnson) being here, I kind of felt that leadership role on my shoulders. Even with him being here, so this year more so."

(on what leadership qualities he took from WR Andre Johnson) "Action. He's not a guy that's going to say too much but he's going to lead by his actions. That's kind of what I try to do out here."

(on CB Kevin Johnson) "Oh man, he's going to be good. He's going to be real good."

(on if CB Kevin Johnson has picked his brain) "Yeah, since the first day he came out here. When I wasn't even practicing, he was just asking me what he needed to work on and what do I see he can get better at. A guy asking questions from the first day shows a lot about him."

(on if he offers advice to the younger players) "Yeah, I kind of tell the guys what to do here and what to look for because they're my teammates. So we're all trying to make each other better."

(on if he faced CB Kevin Johnson in college) "Yeah, I did. ACC, of course."

(on how it was facing CB Kevin Johnson) "I haven't lost against him, but he was good."

G/C Ben Jones
(on Hard Knocks) "I really didn't know what was going to be on there because it's a lot of action. You're just out here every day practicing and whatever they put on there, they put on there. I thought they did a good job. They caught me in live action. I don't know how they got that footage. I guess they snuck in there with a camera or something because I didn't know they were around."

(on the story about throwing up on the field) "I didn't know they were around. I was just over there. It was pre-practice. It was at 7:35 in the morning. I was like, I'm not mic'd up, where did that camera come from? I swear they've got cameras everywhere out here."

(on the cameras being everywhere) "I just go about my normal day and just, I am who I am and don't try to do anything different."

(on practice in Richmond, Va.) "As an offensive line, we're all in there. We're all in there together no matter what. If something happens with the offensive line, hey, we're a brotherhood and we stick together."

(on getting DE J.J. Watt to jump offsides) "It's always good to see him take a little lap every once in a while. He's always so confident and he knows all of our snap counts and he's usually right. He knows most of them, but to get him offsides, we're just giving him a hard time."

(on practicing with the Redskins) "Definitely. When you're going against another team, you get to see another defensive look and for the defense, they see a different style of offense, so you don't see the same blitzes, same scheme every day. So you get more of a game-like atmosphere, you've got to have corrections on the fly. That's definitely going against a new team, seeing new blitzes and everything, I think that definitely plays into a big part of camp and getting better."

(on QBs Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer) Great leaders in the huddle. They're always in the meeting room working and whoever is in there, they're going to give you their all and they command the huddle and everything, so whoever is in there, we're all for it."

(on Head Coach Bill O'Brien, Offensive Coordinator George Godsey, Mallett and Hoyer) "They've definitely been in the system, you can tell. Their knowledge is a step ahead and those guys are always clicking and they've got a different lingo and I'm glad they're on our team."

QB Tom Savage
(on the type of offense they run) "Well I wasn't at New England so I can't really speak for New England, but I know with (Offensive Coordinator George) Godsey he always teases me to have a plan. Go out there because things happen so you have to go out there and have a plan and just go somewhere with the ball. So I think for the most part he is just kind of getting on me about just having a plan out there and being consistent."

(on the impact of NT Vince Wilfork) "I mean he is just an unbelievable person and he is a leader. I can't speak on the football, I don't know anything about defensive tackles or nose guards, but I think as a leader he is an unbelievable guy and he kind of gives that attitude to the defense that we need."

(on what part of his game is most improved) "I think, I mean this season I have wanted to become more consistent with the ball. Getting out and getting the ball out of my hand, not taking as many sacks, and all the sacks that I have been taking are on me so you have to get the ball out quicker and it's a quarterback sack so you have to have a plan. Got to go out there and play."

(on his grasp on the system) "Absolutely, I think I have more command of the offense, more command out there with these older guys. Going out there and knowing what you are talking about. Moving the ball down the field."

(on his changes since last season) "I will be a year older. I am a married man now so that changes a little thing. I just want to go out there and move the ball down the field and put some points on and get a win most importantly."

(on Hard Knocks) "No, I haven't watched it. I don't watch that. I don't plan on watching it either."

(on being motivated by the competition between QBs Ryan Mallet and Brian Hoyer) "Yeah, I think any natural human being would be motivated by it. I think everybody wants to go out there and play and everyone wants to compete. Just being near those guys though really shows what a leader is like. Both of them have their different ways of leading, so it is good to sit back and watch them take charge."

(on what it is like in the film room) "It is very vocal. I think we are all really out there kind of helping each other out. At the end of the day, all three of us want to win so I think that is the main goal."

WR Nate Washington
(on what he wants to show people) "Just to be accountable. This is a team of guys that are hard working. From the guy that's the number one guy on the roster to the 53rd man on the roster, you have to understand that these guys are ready to play football. So I have to make sure that is what I am doing, being accountable, ready to answer the door when the knock is there."

(on if people will be surprised about how good the receiver group is) "I think they will be, but at the same time this is not a surprise for us. Just a true testament to a good system and a good group of guys that are willing to work their tail off to do whatever is asked of them. I think it has been going really well. We have all been sharpening each other making sure that we have been correcting each other on the things that we do and we are being accountable. That is all we need to continue to do."

(on Hard Knocks) "I haven't watched it yet. I will make sure I will get my little series or what need be at the end of it all, but I haven't watched it yet."

(on the first game Saturday) "It is going to be good, finally. We have got some work in with a different team, but with that melee and everything that was occurring it was kind of difficult. So now we get a chance to go out into an organized scrimmage making sure we are doing everything we are supposed to be. It is an exciting time."

(on what he wants to see from the offense) "Just a consistency. I think we have been doing a lot of good things in training camp. We have had some mistakes, but we have corrected those things. So it is important for us to go out there and put it all together and be consistent throughout the whole game."

(on his "Uncle Nate" nickname) "I don't mind. I have been called out here "Uncle Nate", "Granddad". I tell them all the time, hopefully one day you will be called the same. It is an honor to be around the league for this amount of time and still be going and still get the respect from the guys that I do in this locker room. It is a tremendous atmosphere. I am happy to be around them."

(on mentoring WR Cecil Shorts III) "It's the potential, man. You see potential in a guy you want to make sure that you are contributing to that asset. He is definitely going to be a vital point to our offense and what he brings to the table. So I think it is important that, you know, I continue to stay with him and continue to groom him and allow him to grow throughout the things that he maybe wasn't so good at. I know that at the same time with me being older, if there is something he sees with me being able to be better he will let me know. We have kind of got a theory of iron sharpening iron. That is the only way we are going to operate and continue to push each other to get better."

(on the freedom of the offense) "It makes it a lot better. There is no mechanicalism to it. I think a lot of times you can go out there and feel like a robot doing this game with some coaches, some coaching staffs, and some schemes. With this offense it gives you a lot of freedom, it gives you a lot of freedom to be you, to get open, and they will deliver the ball when need be. At the end of the day, we have to be in a certain spot to make sure that we are there, but it is still a lot of freedom to create your own kind of say, environment to be a creative guy. You definitely better work or you are definitely going to be on that script at the next day at meetings getting yelled at."

(on being a receiver during a quarterback battle) "It is up and down. It is kind of an adjustment with a couple of different guys going in and out, but at the same time there is a system there. A system is in place. The requirements are there from every guy and there is an expectation. So we just have to continue to get better at filling our needs."

(on how the receivers help the quarterbacks improve) "Just being in the right place at the right time, you know. Like I said there is a system in place and we are required to be in certain places at certain times, whether it be with your route, whether it be with an adjustment to a route. So it is our job to go out there and do what is asked of us as receivers and be in the right place at the right time and the quarterbacks have been listening to the coaching staff to do what they are supposed to do."

DE J.J. Watt
(on training camp today) "I think we did a great job today. I think, obviously, we're starting to get into that heart of training camp. It's obviously extremely hot out here, but just at the end of today, I told the guys these are the type of days that help make you great. The type of days that you go out there and listen, it's extremely hot, and it's the middle of camp and these are the type of days where you have to mentally decide if you're prepared to go out there and put in your best effort and I think today, we got a lot of great work done."

(on the defense) "I mean, yeah, the defense has to be a nasty unit. You have to go out there and you have to have that bit of edge to you, you have to have that mentality that nobody is going to run the ball on you, nobody is going to pass the ball on you, so we go out here every day and that's what we're working on. Now, we're not going to be successful every single time, obviously, but that's what training camp is for. Every single day we're working towards that."

(on NT Vince Wilfork helping him mentally on the field) "Yeah, I mean obviously to have another great player out there on the field always helps you. But, like I said, Vince is a great guy, as well, off the field. Our defense is a lot of fun. There's guys everywhere and it's really fun to go out there every day and play with this group."

(on Hard Knocks) "I didn't really get to see the entire thing, but like I said the whole time, what you see is what you get. That's the Houston Texans. We're guys who come out here every day. Clearly, we use some interesting language at times, but we come out here every day and we work our asses off and we put in the time and we put in the effort and we got so many different guys putting in the work. It's a lot of fun. The nation is seeing the Houston Texans and nobody is putting on a show, nobody is putting on a front and sometimes that means some verbiage is used, but like I said, it's all real. It's all real."

(on the perception of the Texans through Hard Knocks) "Just us. I mean, you can't fabricate anything. You can't fake anything. There's cameras here 24 hours a day, so you go out there and you just do your business and whatever they decide to put on the show, that's who you are. What we do is we come to work every single day and we put in the work and we put in the effort and we study the film and we try and get better and we try and be a tough, physical football team and have fun doing it and I think we have a group of guys that come together. We have great team chemistry and we enjoy being around each other and we enjoy the process of working to be great. I think that's probably what you're going to end up seeing on the show and obviously, hopefully, they also show some guys' personalities because we have a lot of great personalities on this team."

(on what may surprise people about the Texans by watching Hard Knocks) "I don't really know. I think it's probably just getting to know us. We're a fairly new organization in general. People probably just don't know a lot of our guys, a lot of our players, so it's good for the organization to get that exposure, to be out there in the world. It's a lot of fun to see so many different people get spotlighted."

(on Saturday's game) "I'm worried about tomorrow. Saturday's a long ways away. I'm just excited to go back in, learn from today's film and worry about tomorrow and that's the honest truth."

NT Vince Wilfork
(on the basketball scene in Hard Knocks) "It was a close game, but I dominated. I had about 28, 15 rebounds and probably like nine or 10 assists. I was looking at a triple-double."

(on who his basketball game is modeled after) "Everybody man. MJ (Michael Jordan) in his prime, you know, LeBron (James), Steph Curry, a little Tim Duncan, Shaq Diesel (Shaquille O'Neal), Vlade Divac in the assist game. Big men, you've got to be able to pass the ball."

(on the neighborhood taking part in the game) "They tried to double and triple team me on the court, man. It was unfair, but, you know, it is what it is. They got the game plan to go two guys so they tried it, but it didn't work."

(on if there is anyone on the team who can beat him one-on-one) "I don't know. We're going to have to see. We're going to have to see. A lot of people thought I couldn't play basketball until they saw that and then they came back and had a second thought about me being an athlete, so I don't know why they thought I was lying when they told them from the get-go I can play it, but it is what it is."

(on his relationship with DE J.J. Watt) "J.J., he is funny, you know what, I mean me being the older guy and having him in his fifth year, it's amazing how he carries himself. And I'm just an old, wise veteran that has been around the game, but to be that young, I mean he's like a 10-year, 11-year vet. I heard him call me an old dog, so I'm going to have to get on him about that oldness. But we try to keep it fun. Football is fun and you know, we talk a lot about how we can bring up the team and keep the team on an even playing field and just keep focused on the task at hand. We spend a lot of time talking about stuff off the field and on the field and how we can get better as a unit, how we can get better as a team, what we need to do to be the greatest team out there. We spend a lot of time, more than you'd think just talking about just football and the team, what we have to do to be great. I know he do everything. Everything he do, he do for the team and also for himself because he doesn't want to let the team down. We're going to have to carry the torch also. When we see a guy like that put the work in and he comes out he and he talks, we've got to take the bull by the horns and run with it. We've got great leadership on this team, so we've just got to start playing and being more consistent. If we do that, we'll be fine."

(on DE J.J. Watt dunking on him for fun at practice but then hurting him one time) "Yeah, he almost broke my dang gum finger. I just told him, 'Stop playing so much.' I think he didn't like that, but it's all in fun. He knows I'm a fun person, everybody knows, my teammates know I'm a fun person. I'm going to bring fun, I'm going to bring an attitude, and I'm going to bring what we need as a team, I'm going to bring that. I do a good job of just sitting back and analyzing what we need as far as on the field and off the field, because sometimes each day it's different."

(on if he had to, could he box out DE J.J. Watt or block his shot) "I might have to get him before he jumps."

(on if he works on his agility or if it's something that he's just kept) "That's something that, both, I keep and over time you continue to do it. But if you don't use your tools, you'll lose them. That's one thing our coach always talks about because the older you get, you kind of think you know everything, you've got everything under control, but you know you start to lose something here and there. I think it's up to that player to figure out what he needs to work on. Five years ago it was different from now. There's some things you have to do a lot more, some things that you want to always, you want to always be. So I think as an individual you have to understand yourself. If you understand yourself, you can be the best athlete you can be."

(on how he works on being the best athlete he can and not losing anything with age) "Just, like I said, watch film and see things that I'm doing. Over my 12-year span, it's just going back and watching film on myself and seeing how I played certain plays and see how I play different teams and different schemes, how I move, if it's something I need to work on, I take it from the film session. Our coaches do a real good job of actually sitting down and watching film and breaking down the little details about laying the foundation. You have to have a great foundation in anything you do to be successful. Right now that's what training camp is all about. It's hot, you get tired, you've got to push yourself, we've been doing some pretty good things in practice but we've got to be more consistent. If we continue to be more consistent and getting better, we'll be an alright football team. But, we have to grind through these days, definitely do."

(on if he feels the team is more ready for the first preseason game after the joint practices with Washington) "I mean, we still have work to do. We're not where we need to be. That's what training camp is for. Our first preseason game is coming up, see where we're at, going against another team in real life. Then we'll go from there. You've got four preseason games to try to get it together and hopefully that's good enough for the season. That's our goal."