Really get on and finish the walls all right in the morning. Uh. Practice will be inside today with the weather coming in, so just you know, will tighten there, ninety guys and give me a little snug, give me a little snug yess it is. We'll make it work. Doug. Have you have you had any um, I mean obviously practice super voluntary, but um have do you expect what do you expect the numbers to be? Like? Uh? And have have you gotten in? Numbers? Are gonna be great? Uh? Really?
All but two guys. Uh so you know Sprowls and Michael Benner are the only two really that that that
aren't here. But we've communicated with them. We'll stay in touch with them and and um, you know, um sound like a broken record, but it is a voluntary program, you know program and uh, two guys that I don't um have a lot of concern as far as you know, their their ability to help us, you know, win games because they're veteran players and they know how to get themselves ready to go with the veterans who are here. Do you have to manage them a little bit this
spring based on the short layout? Yeah, I mean we'll do our best to to manage guys. Um, you know, we have a we have a list of of injured players and guys that that we want to make sure we you know, we kind of um rest during during this time. UM. You know, you got to understand that we're you know, we're a month later. Um and and so our full recovery time has been less. So that's
something you got to understand. And so from that standpoint, I've got to do my job and and and be smart with uh, how we handle some of our veteran players. When do you expect to have Brandon Graham back? And uh, you know, what what did he have done to well? I think that we I mean obviously had had his ankle cleaned out. You know, I'm I'm no medical experts that don't quote me on that one, but um, you know, listen, he's a he's another one that uh you know, we uh,
we just gotta we gotta manage. Obviously, when you see him, he'll you know, he's in the cast. So we can't do much with him right now and hopefully we get him back, you know before before too long. He almost said you were good to be a starting, talable player in that basic well, I think, uh, definitely in the mix. Um. You know what he did towards the end of last season and had a chance to get in that that last game there with Dallas. Um really I think boosted
his confidence going into this offseason. Now that he's had a full off season now worth uh with coach onlin and and Schwartz's defense. So he's definitely gonna be in the mix, um, and it's gonna be it's gonna be good for him and a lot of our young players. You know, the next ten practices, you can tell how's Carson feeling that last fair way to put him up his place in both the team, the locker room and
all that kind of stuff. And just because the circumstances he's a little bit on the outside of the game from last year. How does that change things now? Well, you know, listen, I think I think with any injury, you feel like you might be on the outside looking him. But but he's he's not that type of guy. He's right in the mix. He's in that quarterback room, he's in the offensive room. Uh, he's in my office. We're talking. We're still talking about you know, plays and situations and um.
So he's very much involved. UM, just not you know, just not going through the actual practice at this time. So, UM, with all the injured players, I want to make sure that they're out there with their guys, they're communicating. They're veteran players obviously, so they can they can help some of the younger guys and uh, be a part of the be a part of the football team. But UM, yeah, he's still he's still leading the team and and and doing everything that that he can. At this time last year,
Doug third down in the red zone. How important was this time of year? And Willaye mcgrown worked for that improvement. I think he's extremely important. Hum, and I think it did help us by by uh, you know, situationally, me setting up practices designed to hit those specific areas. And those are things that we're going to continue to do throughout you know, this whole Ota process now these next
few weeks. So UM, exposing our guys to those situations obviously helps um, you know, offensively, defensively, plays defenses, UM, things of that nature. As coordinators, as play callers, UM work just working on that and coming up with the best, the best plan going forward. But definitely helped us. You know,
going into camp and obviously the season. So Michael Bennett, it's his absence related at all to the legal stuff or what you're you're out at all again voluntary program, so nothing nothing about that at all, new to the to the system. I mean, you know, what are your thoughts on on him being able to act on me given that he's missing some time earlier. I really don't have any concern, you know, going forward with him, you know,
acclimating himself to the defense. I mean it's you know, you've been around long enough to understand Jim style and what we teach and and it fits his strength and has roll off the ball, you know as a D lineman. So um, it's just a matter of getting him in here and getting around his teammates. There's a whole last such of these voluntary workouts. There's been a lot of talk about keeping the culture the same. How was that
still doing some of the new guys? Well, you know, it's it's it's really about the communication, you know, for me when when I stand up here and address the team every morning and then and then it's the veteran players that were here a year ago and really have been with me the last two years. Um, you know, just bringing them along and and them fitting into what
we're doing. And that's the thing is being consistent with that, you know, with the messaging, with the way we uh you know, handle our business when we're in the when we're in the building. Um, and then the ownership of putting it back on the players, the veteran players, and and and letting them, letting them control the environment a little bit. And um, you know obviously starts with me. But but I, but I do rely on the players
quite a bit to keep that culture going. So many guys who are recovering from injuries and whatnot, Like how important I mean, Zach mentioned Sidney Jones, Like how important are these ots for a lot of your young guys such as Sydney. Um, you know, the guys you drafted
this past you know, this past month. There everything we're going, you know, I'm excited really going forward these next next few weeks to see some of our younger players, Guys that were on our practice squad you know a year ago, Guys that were maybe roll or situational players a year ago. To to our draft picks, to our undrafted free agents, to the new free agents on our team. I mean,
I'm excited to watch them. Um, you know again practice, We've we've got some young talented guys that we need to we need to find out, we need to get some answers on some players and this is the time to do that. Last pressor that Parson hasn't been fared to do anything, what did you mean exactly by that? Because he's been you know, we've seen video into knowing and all that stuff. All that you're seeing is part of his rehab. So it's part of it's part of
his process of of getting getting back, you know. So what you're seeing is is is all part of his process and his rehab process. Um, you know, each day and a change, it changes each day based on what you know, our our medical staff and doctors want him to do and and um. But but he you know, with with injuries like that, obviously you know, not being clear to to participate in a practice setting, you know
right now. But at the same time, he can he can maintain that uh, that rehab conditioning part to be here for any of the OTAs. Uh I do, I do. UM, So I'm not I'm not again, I'm not concerned, but I do expect him here? Yes, right, you guys had a close relationship. You got COEs right of course, right, Yeah, you know you had the meetings before games and things like that. Now you have might grow here this point
in time. You know, how are you guys come along with that relationship and how important is this time time Frank for him to lay that foundation to replace. Yeah, our relationship Mike and I mean it's it's really it's really a good one. Obviously started last year but carried over to this offseason and what we did through our scheme evaluation, um, you know, going back through our offense, and and he and I am meeting, you know on
several occasions. Um, just just to kind of go through everything in my expectation obviously of him and and what he's what he what he's going to bring to the table. And you know, he worked closely with Frank, so he he saw firsthand exactly how Frank and I interacted and things we did. So I'm encouraged by by where he's at and what he's doing is doing an outstanding job right now. And and uh, you know the key is just he and I staying um, having that open dialogue
and that open communication. Uh, you know, much like Frank and I had. And that's something that uh, you know, if he has questions or if I have questions, we we we bounced a lot of stuff off each other and and ask a lot of questions and and uh, that's that's what you got to have in order in order for this to work so much. This is the first time you've had the whole group together, veterans, rookies. Do you have any big message to them at this coin?
Was that something that comes later in office? It comes a little bit later, you know. This is this is a time to to really, um, kind of get back into football a little bit, to see again the young the young talent that you have developed those guys, Um, you know, the the you know. The thing is with with some of your veteran players, you know what you got. You know with them, you don't necessarily need to see a ton of a ton of work out of those guys.
But at the same time, UM, you want just enough so that when they get come back for training camp, they're they're also ready to go with the trip to the White House. If you talk to the players or the team or any individuals the trip feeling UM, well, right now, obviously June fifth is the day we're going to go and and you know, excited to be going, Um, be honored as world champions. You know, I think it's
a it's a it's a great honor. Um. We're still working through some logistics right now, so we don't have all the details of the day, but but excited to be going. Okay, I mean that up to them and you leave that it's an individual basis. Um, you know, it's it's one of those things that uh again we're we're working through a ton of things, but but at the same time we understand that it's an individual, individual decision. You want to bring UM, you know if if it
if it works out, would love to have him. His veteran leadership, uh brings a brings a you know, a level of not only competition, but depth to the to the safety room. So if it works out, be great. So someone like Nelson agl Are thrive in the spring and you had an injury to Jordan Matthew Chat obviously had a lot of injuries here. What's the message to players who are maybe a little lower in the depth chart in terms of the importance of this period well, again,
it's it's kind of their in their their behalf. It kind of. Um. It benefits some of the younger players because of you know, some of the some of the injuries and some of the things we're gonna do with managing players where now this time of year, they're gonna get a ton of a ton of practice reps you know, on the next next few weeks. So my message to them is just just to you know, come to work every day, ready to ready to go, and be prepared. Um.
It'll be a big, great opportunity for them. Players last year who had chips on their shoulders and they used it as a motivation. Now that they're coming back after winning a Super Bowl, how do you kind of manufacture that Well, you know, we also have a couple of players with chips on their shoulders because they weren't in that final game, you know. Uh, And that's a motivating factor and only for them, but but it can feed
to the rest of the football team. Talking about the Jason Peters, that Carson Wentz, that Chris Maragos as those guys, Darren Sprowles who you know sat on the sideline with me and watched that game. So there's motivation right there, So, um, you know, and that, uh, that's gonna fuel I believe some of the emotion as we as we get closer to training camp and towards the regular season. So you know,
I want to lean on that. I want to embrace that and and um, you know those guys are going to bring a level of energy and excitement to the rest of the teams throughout the season last year. Are Are you going to manage his rest throughout these next few weeks to see what meats Updill? I'm you know, I'm not. I'm gonna manage him, but not because the elbow. You know. Um again, I do want to see Nate. I want to see see him, you know, a little
bit more, a little more extensively with the offense. So um yeah, well, I'll make sure that that Nick gets just enough work to make sure he's ready to go for camp. But at the same time, I want to see see Nate and Joe and see what they can do. Thanks. Thanks guys,