beer bacon
06-07-2005, 03:58 PM
http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2005/06/07/qa_with_dick_vermeil/
Q&A with DICK VERMEIL
Jun 07, 2005, 4:43:26 PM
Q: Could you make a few comments about WR Freddie Mitchell, who you had in yesterday? He made a statement about you not wanting him to talk to the media?
VERMEIL: “I appreciate him saying that but I really didn’t give him any instructions. He was smart in trying to prevent some of the problems he had in Philadelphia. I have never told a player not to say anything like that but it probably was a good idea for him.”
Q: I see you have WR Az Hakim here today?
VERMEIL: “We are going to work Az Hakim in here. I had a great visit with him yesterday. He has a good frame of mind and some other opportunities. I wanted to visit with him and find out where he was. I wanted to see what kind of job he had in mind for the future. I wanted to see if there was an opportunity that we could create that might be better that he could consider.”
Q: How did the visit with Freddie Mitchell go?
VERMEIL: “I enjoyed it very much. In fact I talked to Andy Reid about it this morning. Coach Reid was very positive about the young man. ”
Q: Do you think he could fit into your salary cap structure?
VERMEIL: “I can’t determine that. Even if you can sometimes there still isn’t a fit or we just do not need somebody. I was impressed with him. I think everyone was impressed with him and I was pleased about what Andy Reid said about him.”
Q: Is it going to come down to obviously in terms of money?
VERMEIL: “It always does.”
Q: Let’s say they are just going to take the veteran minimum is that going to be a toss up between Az Hakim and Freddie Mitchell?
VERMEIL: “We can take both.”
Q: You would consider signing both?
VERMEIL: “You can never have too many good football players. I learned that a long time ago. Competition makes other people better as well. Plus, Az Hakim knows the offense, he could run it today.”
Q: Is there anything he needs to show you or has to show you in the next hour?
VERMEIL: “No. I asked him to work more for the other people that do not know him rather than Al (Saunders) and me.”
Q: Will Shields was pretty much a spectator yesterday and a participant today, it looks like he got a lot of work and it seemed like you were energized particularly about him?
VERMEIL: “I asked Casey Wiegmann if he recognized who the guy was lining up next to him. It’s great to have him out here working in and out a few times in drills to pace himself to really get ready to go.”
Q: He said he still isn’t sure whether he will be playing this season or not?
VERMEIL: “I am not going to get into that. He has never said that to me. All I am going to assume is that he will play. The timing would be very poor for him to all of sudden decide that it isn’t.”
Q: We know that you are looking at wide receiver and also another position is cornerback, are you still in contact with CB Ty Law?
VERMEIL: “I haven’t talked to Ty Law.”
Q: Is there still some interest in him?
VERMEIL: “I think there would always be interest. Ty Law and the salary cap is a much more difficult situation.”
Q: Are you bringing CB Bobby Taylor in at all?
VERMEIL: “No, not that I know of.
Q: Could you give us an update physically on with Mike Maslowski and Scott Fujita?
VERMEIL: “Maslowski is running full speed. All the procedures have medically been done right here by our own medical staff chances are then they would be more apt to be going in the direction in turning them loose in practice. When it is done out of the area you have to be much more conservative because usually those doctors are more conservative to have them full go. I am still waiting for Dextor McCleon to be giving the full go to go to work. If our doctors had done the work and he had been in our program the whole time chances are he would be working. It is always more conservative when someone else does the work.”
Q: Does the same go with Marc Boerigter, is that the same situation?
VERMEIL: “Yeah really but Boerigter is an ACL. The time period is the same regardless which doctor does it. Boerigter looks like he is ready to go which is very pleasing. I know we have a real good report on Scott Fujita.
Q: Anybody you don’t anticipate having ready the first day of camp?
VERMEIL: “The one I am most concerned about is Shawn Barber. He could enter camp physically unable to perform.”
Q: In terms of middle linebacker, what does it look like right now?
VERMEIL: “You can’t really tell in terms of a linebacker position or how a battle is going because there is not contact being made. There are no tackles being made or being missed. There is no one running over top of your blocker. It is hard to evaluate but in watching the middle linebackers work they have been very impressive. The little guy reminds me so much of London Fletcher, Boomer does. He is bigger but he moves like him and bends his knees like him. I see the same kind of kid.”
Q: Is Rich Scanlon doing himself some good over in NFL Europe?
VERMEIL: “I wouldn’t doubt if he was the NFL Europe Defensive Player of the Year.
Q: As far as making an impact enough to work your way into your picture?
VERMEIL: “Sure he has, plus he has introduced himself to the rest of the league if he doesn’t here. That was the one reason I told him he needed to go. There is no guarantee you get jobs. The more people you expose your product to the better chance you have to getting one.”
Q: When he comes over just having played all spring will you take it a little easy on him?
VERMEIL: “No. Young kids like that they get a week vacation they can go to work. He will have over a month to recuperate. They don’t work them so hard over there. They don’t wear them out.”
Q: Az Hakim is a few years removed when you had him in St. Louis judging from today’s workout is he the same player?
VERMEIL:”I expect him to be a better player. He had a good year this last year. He caught over 40 balls and did a good job. They drafted three first-round receivers and eventually someone has to go. I just love the kid. It’s great to see the kid and have dinner with him tonight. He has other opportunities. I have been selling him to (Arizona offensive coordinator) Keith Rowen for a month and half to or how long he has been free to other teams I have talked to about him. He still didn’t have a job and so I just brought him in here and talked to him about our situation. I know he can play and I don’t have any reservations about that.
Q: Did he give you any indications about what his wishes are?
VERMEIL: “Yeah but we sometimes don’t get what we wish.”
Q: Does Kawika Mitchell have a chance to start?
VERMEIL: “He is the most gifted athlete I have ever been on the field with at the middle linebacker position in terms of athletic skill, movement, running. Now if he can turn in into playing the game in the utilization of all those skills and tackle well and knock the hell out of people and instinctively get started he will be a hell of linebacker. When we drafted him I still think he can be a great player and only time will tell.”
Q&A with DICK VERMEIL
Jun 07, 2005, 4:43:26 PM
Q: Could you make a few comments about WR Freddie Mitchell, who you had in yesterday? He made a statement about you not wanting him to talk to the media?
VERMEIL: “I appreciate him saying that but I really didn’t give him any instructions. He was smart in trying to prevent some of the problems he had in Philadelphia. I have never told a player not to say anything like that but it probably was a good idea for him.”
Q: I see you have WR Az Hakim here today?
VERMEIL: “We are going to work Az Hakim in here. I had a great visit with him yesterday. He has a good frame of mind and some other opportunities. I wanted to visit with him and find out where he was. I wanted to see what kind of job he had in mind for the future. I wanted to see if there was an opportunity that we could create that might be better that he could consider.”
Q: How did the visit with Freddie Mitchell go?
VERMEIL: “I enjoyed it very much. In fact I talked to Andy Reid about it this morning. Coach Reid was very positive about the young man. ”
Q: Do you think he could fit into your salary cap structure?
VERMEIL: “I can’t determine that. Even if you can sometimes there still isn’t a fit or we just do not need somebody. I was impressed with him. I think everyone was impressed with him and I was pleased about what Andy Reid said about him.”
Q: Is it going to come down to obviously in terms of money?
VERMEIL: “It always does.”
Q: Let’s say they are just going to take the veteran minimum is that going to be a toss up between Az Hakim and Freddie Mitchell?
VERMEIL: “We can take both.”
Q: You would consider signing both?
VERMEIL: “You can never have too many good football players. I learned that a long time ago. Competition makes other people better as well. Plus, Az Hakim knows the offense, he could run it today.”
Q: Is there anything he needs to show you or has to show you in the next hour?
VERMEIL: “No. I asked him to work more for the other people that do not know him rather than Al (Saunders) and me.”
Q: Will Shields was pretty much a spectator yesterday and a participant today, it looks like he got a lot of work and it seemed like you were energized particularly about him?
VERMEIL: “I asked Casey Wiegmann if he recognized who the guy was lining up next to him. It’s great to have him out here working in and out a few times in drills to pace himself to really get ready to go.”
Q: He said he still isn’t sure whether he will be playing this season or not?
VERMEIL: “I am not going to get into that. He has never said that to me. All I am going to assume is that he will play. The timing would be very poor for him to all of sudden decide that it isn’t.”
Q: We know that you are looking at wide receiver and also another position is cornerback, are you still in contact with CB Ty Law?
VERMEIL: “I haven’t talked to Ty Law.”
Q: Is there still some interest in him?
VERMEIL: “I think there would always be interest. Ty Law and the salary cap is a much more difficult situation.”
Q: Are you bringing CB Bobby Taylor in at all?
VERMEIL: “No, not that I know of.
Q: Could you give us an update physically on with Mike Maslowski and Scott Fujita?
VERMEIL: “Maslowski is running full speed. All the procedures have medically been done right here by our own medical staff chances are then they would be more apt to be going in the direction in turning them loose in practice. When it is done out of the area you have to be much more conservative because usually those doctors are more conservative to have them full go. I am still waiting for Dextor McCleon to be giving the full go to go to work. If our doctors had done the work and he had been in our program the whole time chances are he would be working. It is always more conservative when someone else does the work.”
Q: Does the same go with Marc Boerigter, is that the same situation?
VERMEIL: “Yeah really but Boerigter is an ACL. The time period is the same regardless which doctor does it. Boerigter looks like he is ready to go which is very pleasing. I know we have a real good report on Scott Fujita.
Q: Anybody you don’t anticipate having ready the first day of camp?
VERMEIL: “The one I am most concerned about is Shawn Barber. He could enter camp physically unable to perform.”
Q: In terms of middle linebacker, what does it look like right now?
VERMEIL: “You can’t really tell in terms of a linebacker position or how a battle is going because there is not contact being made. There are no tackles being made or being missed. There is no one running over top of your blocker. It is hard to evaluate but in watching the middle linebackers work they have been very impressive. The little guy reminds me so much of London Fletcher, Boomer does. He is bigger but he moves like him and bends his knees like him. I see the same kind of kid.”
Q: Is Rich Scanlon doing himself some good over in NFL Europe?
VERMEIL: “I wouldn’t doubt if he was the NFL Europe Defensive Player of the Year.
Q: As far as making an impact enough to work your way into your picture?
VERMEIL: “Sure he has, plus he has introduced himself to the rest of the league if he doesn’t here. That was the one reason I told him he needed to go. There is no guarantee you get jobs. The more people you expose your product to the better chance you have to getting one.”
Q: When he comes over just having played all spring will you take it a little easy on him?
VERMEIL: “No. Young kids like that they get a week vacation they can go to work. He will have over a month to recuperate. They don’t work them so hard over there. They don’t wear them out.”
Q: Az Hakim is a few years removed when you had him in St. Louis judging from today’s workout is he the same player?
VERMEIL:”I expect him to be a better player. He had a good year this last year. He caught over 40 balls and did a good job. They drafted three first-round receivers and eventually someone has to go. I just love the kid. It’s great to see the kid and have dinner with him tonight. He has other opportunities. I have been selling him to (Arizona offensive coordinator) Keith Rowen for a month and half to or how long he has been free to other teams I have talked to about him. He still didn’t have a job and so I just brought him in here and talked to him about our situation. I know he can play and I don’t have any reservations about that.
Q: Did he give you any indications about what his wishes are?
VERMEIL: “Yeah but we sometimes don’t get what we wish.”
Q: Does Kawika Mitchell have a chance to start?
VERMEIL: “He is the most gifted athlete I have ever been on the field with at the middle linebacker position in terms of athletic skill, movement, running. Now if he can turn in into playing the game in the utilization of all those skills and tackle well and knock the hell out of people and instinctively get started he will be a hell of linebacker. When we drafted him I still think he can be a great player and only time will tell.”