Alex Smith Presser: Redskins Training Camp Day 1

Alex Smith spoke to the media today after the first day of Redskins training camp.

Philadelphia Eagles changed the way team’s look at quarterback depth?:

”I think the importance of the quarterback room - in general as far as depth - certainly the back-up - I don’t think can be understated. You’re one play away from that. That’s the reality of this league. That’s at every position, but certainly the quarterback. So, I think the Eagles – yeah – were a great example of how important that is to have depth at every position, especially a guy who touches the ball every single play. You know - one snap away from that being the reality and it’s important I think to have a competitive quarterback room that’s deep and certainly guys that can play when needed. Absolutely, I think it’s vital.”

Training Camp:

Kevin Hogan:

"Yeah, it starts with just being a good teammate. I don’t view it anything other than that. He’s a young kid that I’ve been with two times now, but he’s in the quarterback room and it wasn’t that long ago that I kind of felt like I was in those shoes, and I know what that’s like. You’re getting limited reps and trying to get better - take advantage. So, I’m just trying to help him in any way that I can, and I think that just starts with being a good teammate though.”

Wide Receivers:

Jordan Reed:

"Really excited to start that process, like I said, I’ve watched a ton of film, played against him and I know what kind of player he is, you know, I mean, he is truly, truly unique, gifted special player, and it’s hard to put it into words. He is a unique guy at the tight end position that can do so many things - route running with the ball in his hands after the catch. He is often times the guy that it doesn’t really matter who’s lined up against him, you know, linebacker, safety, corner, I mean he is a guy that I think has the skills set to win against all these positions so, yeah, we just got to get him back into full.

Goals:

New Offense:

"I still feel like I’m learning every day, every meeting, still getting more and more used to it. I think that is a process that will continue, I don’t think that process ever ends. You just continue to always keep working. It doesn’t matter if you have been in the offense for 5 [or] 10 years. I think you’re constantly making adjustments, tweaking things and trying new things so you’re always working at that part of your craft as a quarterback. Yea that’s part of it and reps certainly help with that. The more you practice things the more they innate.”

Haters:

"The longer you play the longer you realize there’s always going to be naysayers, I mean you’re never going to make everybody happy, there’s always going to be people that aren’t with you. I know that’s the nature of the game that’s the nature of sports though to try to expect to please everybody make everybody happy is unrealistic. I think you hear it. I’m not naïve to anything I think at the same time it’s not why I’m playing I’m playing because of the challenges that faces every single team right now and every single quarterback and I have to be the best I can be for this team. So we can reach our potential and that challenge is the greatest challenge in sports I think and that excites me [and] that fires me up and fighting for that so I love being out here I love every single day every rep out there going against the guys mixing it up. I think you understand what’s out there it doesn’t--like I said--I think you have a better understanding and grasp of what reality is the older you get.”

Strength of his accuracy:

"Good question. I don’t totally know. I feel like you try to work it off as it to your game, we try to work hard at everything. I mean there’s so much that goes into playing quarterback. Certainly, I think a lot of times you’re product of the offense. I think I’ve played a long time now in the West Coast offense and that’s when you talk about the West Coast offense it’s intermediate to short-passing game, it’s an extension of their run game it’s timing, passing it’s spacing, precision. So, as a quarterback you’re asked do that and essentially you’re the point guard to run the system. That’s a system I’ve been playing in a while now and I enjoy it, I do feel like it suits me. But, it’s also I think a strength of the system and those all get tweaked certainly to your personnel and there’s different flavors and no two offensive playbooks are totally alike. So, but yeah I do feel like going out there and I got to execute each and every play and that’s all the different challenge especially based on what we’re getting on the other side of the ball.”0