Press Pass: Doug Pederson

back to back to game to game ready. We'll monitor it more than holding back, if I guess if that answers your question. Um, you know, he's he's one that doesn't want to come out obviously, but but at the same time, we got to make sure that that that he is healthy when he's on the field practice. Is that going to be the norm DIA thing that? Yeah, yeah, it's gonna be. Now today's a little shorter, today's a little over two. Um, but uh, you know, a normal

football games three hours long. So why not why not start right now? Get him in, get him in game game ready shape. How'd your team come out of the first hand pads? Generally the heat and we didn't consider good real good. You know, we're always gonna have the knicks and bumps each and every day. And and uh, we had a couple of guys that uh got a little dehydrated, so he needed some you know, the ivy fluids and things like that. But everybody bounced back yesterday

afternoon in the walkthrough, uh perfectly. Um and uh, you know everybody's ready to go this morning. For the last couple of years, every preseason, it's one of the teams that in the breakout here was that words, what does that mean to you? And what kind of what do the expectation about him? Yeah, Zach, you know, he's a great tight end, Number one, great team player, a good leader on the football team. He's really sort of coming

into his own now. He had a good spring and and um, you know, I love our all of our tight ends, but but in his case, uh, he can definitely create some some opportunities for us. Uh. His ability to catch the football's ability is separate. He's a big target over the middle. The one thing that I would say with with Zach is and really with any tight end, Um, it's just just the physicality of blocking and being on

the line of scrimmage. You know, with Brent Selick sort of taking taking that lead, you know, he's one that's going to have to uh sort of you know, be that second guy for us, you know as we go throughout training camp in the regular season to fall up on that. Is there a way that Birds can be better in the red zone? He guys had a lot of production there in his first couple of years in the league. Is there a way that he can improve in that facets? Well, you know, red zone can come

a lot down to just scheme. You know, how are you attacking defenses? And and to be quite honest, you know, um, you know, defenses typically start their red zone philosophy at the twelve yard line and and it gets really tight down there, and so h teams are You're seeing a lot of teams drop eight. They're more guys into their you know, into the past coverage as opposed to the past rush because teams are trying to throw the football.

So you know, it's just it just comes down to scheme and how you're trying to tack at defense in the red zone. Um, but you know, fully expect to use his talent down there and his size and his ability to uh, you know, separate and make plays down there the first team. What is he showing him everything we expected him? You know, he's a veteran guy. He's got a lot of starts as you know, you know in the National Football League. Um, it's not too big

for him. He's picked up the system. Smart kid and somebody that is definitely gonna you know, fit into the mix and the rotation at guard for us, and and uh it just uh it's it's you know, as you know, I mean, this is this is typical of a regular season. You know, those guys that get nicked up and and miss a couple of days. You know, the next guy steps up and and it's that mentality. And he's done a nice job handling that he used to stay on on the right. We'll see him at both guards, Yes,

we'll see him at both sides. You mentioned earlier about having the space sports tight ends off all game days. That's still kind of your thinking. Well with the Tray and Chris, it is because Chris is a versatile tight end for me, we can also put him in the back field and and use him as a fullback position. And and he also has some value on teams as do all the really the three tight ends you know, Sellek maybe not as much, but the other three, um,

you know, have some core value. They're on special teams. Crisping one of them. So definitely would like to see see four potentially up as a fullback to Trey is getting some work there. Um, you know, can't put Chris in every time, you know, especially during camp with the number of reps WI Trey is also getting some backup reps at fullback. I close for Matthews and Brandon to

returning close. It's going to be towards the end of you know that we have a break coming up I believe on Tuesday for the players, and then it'll be into next week, probably the latter part of the week before we see them on the field. We talked about the difference between the slot corner and nounced like Warner, how it was kind of different position. You have Ron Brooks working at both. How difficult is that for a player to take one snap outside and then have to

move inside on the next night. Well, in a case like Ron, I mean again, here's a guy that's had a lot of snaps in the National Football leagues. You know, and and a guy that's u uh, we feel very comfortable as his staff and potentially on particularly on defense that that he can transition in there very well. You know that that that inside corner nickel spot, um, you know is a it's a different animal obviously than than

being on the outside on the perimeter. Uh, there's a lot more you know, the physicalness of physical nature of that spot as well being able to tackle and and take on blockers. So he's done a nice job there. Will continue to watch it, monitor that, get get as many reps as we can in there. But but all the confidence in the world with him and being able

to transition inside. Now there there are a lot of practical reasons from whether than training camp here obviously, but you talk about as your player in the ambience that was up aly I particularly connection with the fans and one how important is a day like this as far as building that connection between the fans and it's two of these days enough, Um, yeah, I do I think that, you know, obviously two of these days you know, with we'll see how many fans we get today, but but

expect a nice crowd. The weather cooperated for us. Um that that is probably the one thing that you do miss, i'd say on a daily basis, is that many fans that we had at Lehigh Um. Obviously that can be great for the players. But it was a great atmosphere yesterday, great atmosphere over there at the Nova Care facility. And we're not only with the fans, but the our sponsorships

and you know, everybody that was involved. It was a it was an exciting you know, for me, it was the first time to really see it, and I didn't know what to expect, but but I was fired up with the amount of people that were over there and the players. You know what, once we once we blow the whistle, blow that horn, it's ball for the players and they're focused on the game and sometimes that that's just on the peripheral. But I'm excited for today and

then and obviously in a couple of weeks. What does it mean to you to have Brian dock and working Oh anytime, you know, we can bring alumni back and former players, you know, back to the organization to help us, whether it be on an intern basis or maybe potentially on a full time basis like we've we've had, you know, with Greg Lewis, and Douce Staley and and guys like that. Um,

I think it's beneficial. I think that somebody like that can also uh players see him a former player, particularly on defense, UM, and the type of player that he was, and the leadership that he he brought to this team

in this organization. They can see that. They can see, you know, how he handled this city and and uh the how how how people really supported him and rallied around him, and and I'm excited to to see where it takes us, you know, and to see what role he can have even with me hopefully down the road, with the team, whether he's speaking to the team or or doing some things like that. I think could be very beneficial for everybody. Jason Peter's got some breaks throughout

the day yesterday. Is he going to be the only player who's earned that privilege Orrey going to add other guys that some other guys, um, you know, uh guys on defense. You know, because we do such a high tempo, fast paced we want to get in and out of the huddle and do some things. I mean, they'll there'll be some other guys you know that that that will as we go, you know, take some time off. I

don't I don't say time off. I mean rest him, you know, keep them healthy, keep him fresh, and um, you know, got to get him ready for September eleven. Well you look in at your corner corner positions. I mean, you know, Leotis is a guy that he doesn't need a ton of reps over there. Um you know, um, you got to monitor guys like uh, I think the guys that are coming off injury. You know, maybe a

Jordan Hicks. You take a look at him and you can say, hey, you know, let's let's rest him, back him down and get him get him ready for the regular season. Um. You know. Obviously, now Ryan Matthews with his situation, he'd be another one because of his nature, his style of running, which is very physical. Being able to pull him back just a little bit. Did the same thing with Jamal Charles in Kansas City. And and when we had Brandon Albert there a couple of years ago.

And and you get some of these guys, he's veteran guys you know, justin Houston that we had in Kansas City. The ability to just just shut them down for a day and keep them keep them fresh for the season. Express real excitement being on the link field the first time. Did you get that? Have you gotten that sense for him so far a day? Yeah, you know, I stood over there and watched the players, um get on the buses and uh, you kind of see the they're excited,

they're excited about being here today. And then saw him and and you know, he's smiling like he normally does, and he's ready to go. And this will be this will be good for all of them. Would be good for him to experience the fans and experience the uh, the stadium for the first time. And again, this is the this is a valuable part of training camp, especially if with the young players, to expose them to the stadium for the first time before the first preseason game.

That was a full week for Carson. Now what you see this week from the time you can report it from now, you know, the way he's just handled himself on and off the football field, the way he's you know, executed and sort of assumed his role now where he's at, and the learning sort of the learning curve that where

he's at. Uh, some of the plays he's made yesterday and then through rookie camp, some of the you know, there's a couple of wild plays that you just go that's the kind of quarterback that you know you have. And and uh, you know, he's right on track where we want him to be. Um, you know, he's competing every day, he's he's he's he's learning in the room, he's asking great questions in the room. Um. You know, Chase has done a great job with him and and and learning and as as well with Sam and Um

like where he's at right now. He's one of the only the kickers have an edge or is that going to be just determined? In the preseason game more times he gotten an edge. No, again, it's it's it's part of the again, it's part of that evaluation process there. Um. And so we haven't made any decisions yet one way or the other. You know who's who's doing what They're both getting equal equal kicks. So in terms of mechanics, what are you working on with Carson specifically trying to

keep his feet tighter to the ground. Um, you know he can get he can get a little jumpy, little hoppy. He can also be a little um upright in his frames. So trying to keep him in a bent posture a little bit uh and then and then just just his uh knowledge and understanding of the offense, being able to anticipate um and and and become an accurate and a

little more accurate passer. You can work on those things with with drill works and you know, drill work and and just the more reps he gets, he'll be more comfortable. But those are just a couple of things that we're doing with more question any tweets that you made mechanically that would explain well. On occasion, there'll be a ball that kind of flutters out of not not from the upper part of his body, not a throwing mechanic, nothing

like that. Um, you know, just trying to make sure his his his lower half of his body is in a better posture. Sometimes he can get a little little tall and and sometimes that that affects your throw. Um keeping his feet tighter to the ground where he can he can get the ball out faster, and then and then just where he's you know, sometimes some of those balls, you know, can be the process of because I've been there, it's the process of thinking about the play. And the

last thing you're worried about is the throw. You know, you're we're more worried about the progression of the play, and sometimes that affects the throw. What's the benefit of having time in tree plays with the coaching coaches and the assistance to teach the players based on whether they mean a mistakes. The only way we're going to get better.

It's the only way. Um. You know. I'm also a believer that you know, you spend time in the meeting room at night watching the tape and making corrections there as well. But if you can get that immediate feedback

right now on the field, it goes, it goes. Because there's been situation For instance, it happened yesterday with Zach Ertz where he just he was a split end and as a tight end and he ran a slant and he got he got jammed up, And we came back later in the practice and ran the exact same play and he learned, he got the same coverage, he learned from it, and we completed the past. So we were able to get that instant feedback not only from him, but as coaches, we were able to give him something

to help him on the next the next rep. And I think it's valuable that the coaches get an opportunity. I don't want to take too much time away because we're still working off of a play clock, but at the same time, that instant feedback is valuable. Thanks guys,