Ron Rivera Presser: We expect Trai Turner out here within the next 10 days

Ron Rivera

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Jeff Zgonina:

Bringing energy to the D-line unit:

“Well, I think what I’m looking for is that constant push pressure and growth. I want to be more demonstrative. I want it to be more in their face, at them stuff like that. And that’s pretty much what we’ve accomplished.”

Differences:

“Yeah, I’m looking for a different style, different vibe. A little difference in my philosophy on how I think it needs to be coached.”

Player’s response:

“Well, I just think they’ve accepted and understood that this is something that I did with what I think is in our best interest. I think they’ve adapted and handled it very well.”

The timing:

“No, I mean, that’s the thing I appreciate is, these guys pretty much, they do their thing and they’re professionals. They understand. I love what Jonathan [Allen] said. Football’s a great sport, but it’s a tough business.”

Surprised it unfolded this way?:

“Well, you know, again, I have to look and make decisions based on what I think is best.”

Trai Turner:

“He’s dealing with a quad and he’s a veteran guy. I mean, if he was a younger guy, he’d probably be doing a lot more than he’s done right now. Because he’s a veteran guy, he knows our system. He knows the techniques that we need. There’s not a need to push him out there a lot sooner. He’s doing a lot of work inside. Today was what I think the first day he was really outside doing some work. I don’t know if you guys saw him over in the corner, but for the most part, like I said, if he was a younger guy in his third, fourth year, he he’d probably been outside a few days ago, but we’re taking our time with a veteran guy.”

Preseason games:

“Well, we’d like to get him in at least one. Get a nice series, get himself ready because conditionings very important. Yeah. Again, we expect him probably out here and probably within the next 10 days. Okay. He’s a veteran guy and so we don’t have any concern as far as that’s concerned.”

Chase Roullier:

“Chase progressed very well. In fact, yesterday we got a little carried away and we had him out there a little bit longer. We should have, but he came in and he said, I’m glad we did that. And I’m thinking to myself, we did it on the accident, but we pushed him a little bit and he came out, felt great, felt great this morning. Because this was a scheduled get him out, get him in early, get him out early day. That’s what we did with him.”

Offensive line as good as last year?:

“Oh, I think so. I mean, again, we do things with intent. We’re looking at, how many offensive linemen can we keep on the 53? And how many of those guys will we be able to get back on the practice squad and rotate ‘em? I mean, we were very fortunate last year was a very deep group. Again, led by Brandon [Scherff]. But we like who we have in terms of [Andrew] Norwell and Trai and we think that gives us three quality guards.”

Preseason game vs the Panthers:

Progression of Carson Wentz and the offense:

“Well, I think the biggest thing more than anything else is just watching to continue to work and try and get a feel for that timing with that receiver group. That’s one of the hardest things you’ve got to do, because you’ve got to group of guys terrifically fast, but they all have their own speed and quickness. Some guys come out of breaks a little differently than others with a little bit more drive. Some guys, it takes a little build up and he’s got to get used to that as he goes through it. And as you start to see, you know, one minute he’s throwing to [WR] Terry [McLaurin] who runs a specific way. Then he throws the ball to [WR] Jahan [Dotson] who’s really smooth at what he does. And then you see him throwing it to [WR] Curtis [Samuel] who’s got this explosiveness to him and it’s all three different ways he’s got to throw the ball on the same route.”

Wide receiver competition:

Dax Milne:

“I’ve seen exactly that, very consistent player, good route runner, very headsy guy that understands, you know, certain things about what we do and how we do it. Now he just continues to go out and make catches.”

Marken Michel:

“Well, what I’ve seen from Marken is a guy that’s a professional that understands how to do things, how to practice, how to prepare. It is interesting because he’s a very savvy guy and for him It’s just about getting the opportunity more than as anything else. And he’s a guy I hope we can get an opportunity or two for him during the preseason. I hope he gets a lot of opportunities and hopefully he can show us what he’s capable of doing.”

Jahan Dotson

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Progressing in camp:

“I feel like I’m progressing very well, you know, just getting the playbook down. That’s the biggest thing. Becoming comfortable out here, gelling with the quarterbacks of course, gelling with my teammates, but I feel like overall it’s been a success. Just taking it day by day though, you know, taking it step by step, not looking too far ahead in the future. Just coming in and working every day. That’s all I can do.”

Learning from WRs Coach Drew Terrell:

“Working with coach Terrell has been great. He’s taught me a lot that I didn’t know about as a receiver. Just helping me perfect my craft, help me be the best receiver possible and putting me in the best situation possible. So, I give a big credit to him. I can’t wait to just go on years with him.”

“Just little details about being a receiver, you know, how to turn your hand at the catchpoint. I feel like I have pretty good hands, but I can make him better by just little things he teaches me. So, little things in my route running, just little details that I really didn’t know about as a receiver that he’s teaching me.”

Learning every day:

“Just coming in every day and just taking care of my body, being a professional. I’m still a 22-year-old kid, you know, just learning the ropes. Just pretty much coming in every day and just learning to be a professional, taking it day by day, step by step and just taking the corrective criticism that I can take from my peers. You know, you can never stop learning so any information or knowledge that guys are given to me because they’ve been in this predicament before, I’m taking it and I’m using it so I can help better myself.”

Obligation to catch the football:

Carson Wentz:

“He’s much taller. He has a very strong arm. He’s a tremendous leader, but I had that leadership at Penn State was Sean Clifford. I see some of the same traits in Sean Clifford as I do in, in Carson Wentz but overall great quarterback, someone I really look up to. He puts it on the money anytime I need it there. So, like I said, it’s my job to go get it and he, puts it there.”

Timing:

“Really the intermediate stuff. Just the deep stuff is kind of the footwork, timing, but the intermediate stuff is really where you can see the drastic difference. We’re still trying to figure things out, you know, we’re taking it day by day, like I said, and still trying to figure stuff out.”

“We’re still working stuff out in the playbook. I’m new to the playbook. Carson’s new to the playbook. So, we’re still trying to figure out the timing, the depth, the spacing, everything we need to be successful on the field. Those reps that we have in practice, RVA reps, the team reps, it’s all helping, and it’s all building to be great.”

James Smith-Williams

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Jeff Zgonina:

“Z’s [Zgonina] been here the entire time I’ve been here, so there’s a lot of continuity. It feels very familiar, very much the same.”

“Z’s [Zgonina] always been the same guy, super intense, always getting out there, and always trying to push us. So having that around it’s really a lot of fun.”

“Yeah, definitely. He played for 17 years. He knows what we need to hear. So he’s always really good about that.”

Team’s reaction to Sam Mills getting fired:

“Like [DT] Jon [Allen] said, football is a great sport, tough business. We respect what [Head] Coach Ron [Rivera] does for the best interest of the team.”

Staying focused:

“Yeah. We still have to go out and play. The NFL is more of a self-start league anyway. You are going to need someone drag you along and you are going to have to push the pace regardless.”

This year vs previous seasons:

“Yeah, a lot better. Not coming off a major surgery. Had the year starting experience under my belt. So you kind of know what to expect and I know what the system’s like. So, year three I’m really excited for.”