TRR
06-19-2005, 08:08 PM
Q&A with DICK VERMEIL
Jun 19, 2005, 1:13:15 PM
Q: What was the ceremony involving your wife at midfield?
DICK VERMEIL: “Thanking her for the team dinners and that stuff.”
Q: How is Julian Battle?
VERMEIL: “He’s going to be operated on. He popped his Achilles tendon and he’s lost for the year.”
Q: What are you going to do? Are you going to look outside?
VERMEIL: “I don’t know yet. We’ll look, but I don’t know what’s out there. We’ll also more deeply evaluate those young people we have. We have time. We’re not going to panic.”
Q: That is a shock to you considering he was practicing with the first team. Isn’t this a very big concern to you?
VERMEIL: “I’m more concerned about him because he’s been here for two years and was going into his third year and was just starting to find out what it takes to be a pro football player. We’ve known for a long time that he has the ability to be one and he was really demonstrating that all through these OTA’s and mini-camp. It’s part of the game.”
Q: How does the depth chart look now as a result of the injury?
VERMEIL: “Dexter McCleon will be healthy and ready to go. Benny Sapp. We’ve got some other kids who are doing a good job. All that will be better evaluated and determined once we get into training camp.”
Q: If Eric Warfield were unavailable for a certain period of time would Dexter be the guy?
VERMEIL: “I think Dexter is competitive to be a starter anyway.”
Q: What about moving William Bartee back?
VERMEIL: “That didn’t enter my mind. He’s done such a good job at safety I’d hate to screw him up.”
Q: Are you going into training camp with the guys you have now?
VERMEIL: “We’re going with the guys we have right now. I’m very pleased with this group; it’s the best group I’ve had. It’s a great group of young kids and we’ll keep them here for another week of rookie camp. But I’m pleased with them and they’ve come a long ways. The coaches have done a real good job.”
Q: This is the final practice of the off-season program before camp. Any messages for the players?
VERMEIL: “We’re going up and have a meeting right now, mainly about what they do between now and training camp. Some of them we lose contact with as of tomorrow. It’s important they keep doing the right things right.”
Q: Is this a group you have to keep close reins on?
VERMEIL: “No, I trust them. But some guys are more mature than others. A pro football player should never ever lose his job because someone else is in better condition.”
Q: As you go into camp is there one thing or one person you can look at that surprised you?
VERMEIL: “I was concerned about the older tackle (Willie Roaf). I was concerned about Brian Waters and Will Shields, but I have less concerns. I’m amazed at Willie Roaf, absolutely amazed at what he’s done the last three days. He has been working out and lifting weights and running. He looks every bit as explosive and powerful these last three days as he did at any time during the season last year. His hard work is paying off for him and I think he can play left tackle every bit as well as he did last year and he’s a year older. That’s exciting to me. I think it’s exciting for him.”
“Brian Waters said I could trust that he would be ready to go and I trust him. I trust him and know that Will Shields will be. I feel a little bit better about the overall offensive line. That was one of my concerns from an offensive standpoint.
“Right now, defensively I think it’s just the one corner position.”
Q: Middle linebacker isn’t?
VERMEIL: “Right now it isn’t. It’s awfully good right now.”
Q: Do you expect Mike Maslowski back for training camp?
VERMEIL: “Yes, I do expect him to be back and to be competitive. I think it’s going to be tough – for all the guys. I’m meeting with the guys who have been rehabbing the whole off-season today separate. It’s tough when you lose all that time and all these other people come in. But that’s the National Football League. It’s almost unsympathetic because it doesn’t stand still and wait for you. It keeps going every day. Same thing for old coaches.”
Q: Has Samie Parker showed you enough to be your second wide receiver?
VERMEIL: “I think he can be, but this group is going to be competitive. I like what I’ve seen from the kids in the World League coming back. Jeris McIntryre and John Booth have made big time catches. Now, we’ve got Mitchell here and Craphonso has really improved. We’re going to have more people who can run and catch than we’ve ever had here.”
Jun 19, 2005, 1:13:15 PM
Q: What was the ceremony involving your wife at midfield?
DICK VERMEIL: “Thanking her for the team dinners and that stuff.”
Q: How is Julian Battle?
VERMEIL: “He’s going to be operated on. He popped his Achilles tendon and he’s lost for the year.”
Q: What are you going to do? Are you going to look outside?
VERMEIL: “I don’t know yet. We’ll look, but I don’t know what’s out there. We’ll also more deeply evaluate those young people we have. We have time. We’re not going to panic.”
Q: That is a shock to you considering he was practicing with the first team. Isn’t this a very big concern to you?
VERMEIL: “I’m more concerned about him because he’s been here for two years and was going into his third year and was just starting to find out what it takes to be a pro football player. We’ve known for a long time that he has the ability to be one and he was really demonstrating that all through these OTA’s and mini-camp. It’s part of the game.”
Q: How does the depth chart look now as a result of the injury?
VERMEIL: “Dexter McCleon will be healthy and ready to go. Benny Sapp. We’ve got some other kids who are doing a good job. All that will be better evaluated and determined once we get into training camp.”
Q: If Eric Warfield were unavailable for a certain period of time would Dexter be the guy?
VERMEIL: “I think Dexter is competitive to be a starter anyway.”
Q: What about moving William Bartee back?
VERMEIL: “That didn’t enter my mind. He’s done such a good job at safety I’d hate to screw him up.”
Q: Are you going into training camp with the guys you have now?
VERMEIL: “We’re going with the guys we have right now. I’m very pleased with this group; it’s the best group I’ve had. It’s a great group of young kids and we’ll keep them here for another week of rookie camp. But I’m pleased with them and they’ve come a long ways. The coaches have done a real good job.”
Q: This is the final practice of the off-season program before camp. Any messages for the players?
VERMEIL: “We’re going up and have a meeting right now, mainly about what they do between now and training camp. Some of them we lose contact with as of tomorrow. It’s important they keep doing the right things right.”
Q: Is this a group you have to keep close reins on?
VERMEIL: “No, I trust them. But some guys are more mature than others. A pro football player should never ever lose his job because someone else is in better condition.”
Q: As you go into camp is there one thing or one person you can look at that surprised you?
VERMEIL: “I was concerned about the older tackle (Willie Roaf). I was concerned about Brian Waters and Will Shields, but I have less concerns. I’m amazed at Willie Roaf, absolutely amazed at what he’s done the last three days. He has been working out and lifting weights and running. He looks every bit as explosive and powerful these last three days as he did at any time during the season last year. His hard work is paying off for him and I think he can play left tackle every bit as well as he did last year and he’s a year older. That’s exciting to me. I think it’s exciting for him.”
“Brian Waters said I could trust that he would be ready to go and I trust him. I trust him and know that Will Shields will be. I feel a little bit better about the overall offensive line. That was one of my concerns from an offensive standpoint.
“Right now, defensively I think it’s just the one corner position.”
Q: Middle linebacker isn’t?
VERMEIL: “Right now it isn’t. It’s awfully good right now.”
Q: Do you expect Mike Maslowski back for training camp?
VERMEIL: “Yes, I do expect him to be back and to be competitive. I think it’s going to be tough – for all the guys. I’m meeting with the guys who have been rehabbing the whole off-season today separate. It’s tough when you lose all that time and all these other people come in. But that’s the National Football League. It’s almost unsympathetic because it doesn’t stand still and wait for you. It keeps going every day. Same thing for old coaches.”
Q: Has Samie Parker showed you enough to be your second wide receiver?
VERMEIL: “I think he can be, but this group is going to be competitive. I like what I’ve seen from the kids in the World League coming back. Jeris McIntryre and John Booth have made big time catches. Now, we’ve got Mitchell here and Craphonso has really improved. We’re going to have more people who can run and catch than we’ve ever had here.”