Updated DV interview 8/17 - additional TYNES reax

[nychief]

TRAINING CAMP

Afternoon

Q: How was practice today?

DICK VERMEIL: “It started slow. But I took the pads off them and I think their first thought was pads off so we’ll relax. But once they got going it became a good football practice, but it took a little while.”

Q: Lawrence Tynes. Again, another player is in trouble.

VERMEIL: “He had a little misconduct and made some mistakes. It’s being handled properly, both from an organization standpoint and a coaching standpoint and a legal standpoint.”

Q: What does the organization do about something like that?

VERMEIL: “It varies, but we treat him like anyone who has his right to be heard and evaluated, especially since we know our players so well, especially the kids who have been around. The least likely to have a problem normally is your kicker and it isn’t always his fault. But automatically it’s their name because no one else knows anybody else who’s involved. That’s a price they have to pay and a discipline they have to learn to handle in different kinds of environments. Believe me, if the situation comes up again the lesson he learned from there will be to walk away.”

Q: You’ve only given them two nights off camp. Will you rethink that?

VERMEIL: “The NFL Players Collective Bargaining Agreement says you have to give them a night off. I gave them the full night off because there were a lot of wives and families who came up to see their husbands and to share a nice evening. That’s why I did it and sometimes there is a backfire.”

Q: Was Eric Warfield not here?

VERMEIL: “Eric Warfield’s back acted up on him so we held him inside.”

Q: Is that a long-term problem?

VERMEIL: “You know he had his back operated on and this is the first time in training camp it’s bothered him. It usually bothers him from time to time and if you rest it and treat it properly he gets right back.”

Q: How did Derrick Johnson look today coming back?

VERMEIL: “Pretty good. When you’re just in shells like we were today what you can evaluate is the explosive movement. You can see him flying around. You can’t coach that.”

Q: Is Craphonso Thorpe going to be out a while?

VERMEIL: “I don’t know. He’s got a little finger. Don’t get me started.”

Q: Will Shields did a little more today. Any chance he’ll play Saturday?

VERMEIL: “No, he won’t play but he’ll be ready next week.”

Q: You must be anxious to see him out on that playing field?

VERMEIL: “I am anxious. Like I’ve said all along, quality players like Will Shields are a head coach’s security blanket. You don’t worry about that position or the defender he’s playing on. You spread your thoughts over the other areas. He’s sort of the glue that holds that whole group together.”

Q: John Browning making any progress?

VERMEIL: “He was in for a second opinion today with Dr. Watkins and will be back tomorrow.”

Q: How do you feel about the progress of the defense?

VERMEIL: “We all think we’re better in training camp. I know just watching us against our offense that we appear to be better. We make fewer mistakes and give up fewer big plays. Variations of schemes and trick type things don’t break us down like they have in the past. I think we’re more alert. I think the discipline within the scheme is better.

“Will it pay off on Sunday, September 11? I don’t know. There aren’t any guarantees. We’ll have to earn it.”

Q: Any consideration to having Jared Allen be the long-snapper to create a roster spot?

VERMEIL: “No, huh uh. No. There was that kind of thought the first year with him but Kendall Gammon is too much a part of this football team. He’s too good at what he does.”