Head Coach Pat Shurmur -- May 20, 2019
Opening Statement: Alright, today is the beginning of phase three. We started the OTA’s today, so we will do a couple more this week and then be off to the races. It was competitive, it was good. It was the first time they were out there against one another. It is important that we are smart with how we compete and I think they handled it well.
Q: What is your plan with Daniel Jones and his reps?
A: He’s just gotta get reps, just like every other player. He will be in there competing with the twos. Sometimes the threes.
Q: Do you view the QB position as an open position?
A: I view the quarterback position as we have a starter in Eli and we have guys behind him, specifically Daniel Jones, that needs to do everything he can to be able to play week one. That is where we’re at.
Q: Do you plan to give Daniel all the work at number 2?
A: No, we will scale it. They will all get their work, but Daniel will get the majority of that.
Q: Sam Beal?
A: First day out there, he looked good. His movement skills were great last year when we saw him, it was just a short period of time. He looked good out there today. It is like anything; he is coming back. They all have to get their legs back a little bit. You saw him stumbling just a little bit. His movement skills are good, it looked like he competed. We will go back and watch the film and see how close he was in coverage but he looked pretty good.
Q: What did you see from the quarterbacks, specifically Jones?
A: Well, all the quarterbacks are looking to execute well. Execute the plays that are called within the situations that they are presented. I thought it was a good first day.
Q: Mike Shula said Eli looks to be in even better shape this year. Is Eli in even better physical shape than last year?
A: To this point, I think he has looked really good and is throwing the ball really well. He looks good physically. I would agree with Mike.
Q: Is Eli processing things quicker in OTA’s this year than last year given that he is in year two of the system?
A: No, he always processed quickly. Any time you are in year two in a system, we are able to get in maybe a better play or we can package things more than just calling plays, all things he can handle and he’s doing a good job with it.
Q: How is Corey Ballentine?
A: He is making progress. I think it is still going to be a little bit of time, but he is getting better. This is something that he is going to make a full recovery from, it is just going to take a little time.
Q: Is that like a training camp deal?
A: I don’t know, hopefully sooner, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Q: You signed Mike Remmers. Where is he? Were you just waiting for him to pass his physical before you signed him?
A: I worked with Mike for two years. He is a pro, a real pro, and he played winning football for us in Minnesota. I knew a lot about Mike and then he started last year every game and played well. We were in talks with him, took a couple of physicals, just went through the process and signed him.
Q: When do you expect him to be full?
A: We’ll have to see. He is working his way back, just like some guys this time of year, so we’ll just have to see.
Q: Will he be ready for training camp?
A: Oh yeah, he’ll be ready to go once the season starts, for sure.
Q: What is your take on the timing on Nate Solder’s procedure?
A: He just had a little clean up in his ankle. Something that happens for guys. We felt like it started to flare up a little bit, and felt like we should take care of it. He will be back soon. He will be ready for training camp.
Q: Was the hope for him that it would just take care of itself?
A: No. I am certainly not a doctor but it is just one of those things we had to clean up a little piece of it. Nothing major. We have time. He is a guy that is a real pro about getting ready to play. He will be able to do that.
Q: Any other injury updates? And there were some guys missing today.
A: There are some guys dealing with clean ups. We had a couple guys that the weather got them (and their travel).
Q: Is this the first time you have had Kyle Lauletta on the field?
A: No, he has been out there working his way back. He would have had what I call a knee clean up.
Q: Jon Halapio?
A: He was really playing well for us before he got hurt a year ago. So we had high hopes for him last season. It appears he has come back 100 percent and is back in there just like he was when he left us.
Q: How would you characterize Jones being here being good for Manning and Manning being good for Jones?
A: I think it is good on both counts. I think it is a really, really good quarterback room. Two very competitive guys that work well together. Guys are in there just trying to get better with each rep and they help each other and I feel really good about the interaction that they have had to this point. The way quarterbacks communicate, they are smart guys that are highly competitive and well accomplished players. They are doing what they can to get ready to play. Eli is getting ready to play winning football and Daniel Jones is trying to learn the offense and get himself ready to play week one, like all the quarterbacks in the room. Because they have a general respect for each other and because that really is a healthy quarterback room, they can improve and get better. I think that is good.
Q: Have you sensed any tension?
A: Noooo. Not at all. These are pros.
Q: There are some veteran quarterbacks who don’t view themselves as mentors to younger players. How would you describe Eli as a mentor?
A: There is a lot of conversation with regard to that. You have a guy that has played ing this league for a very long time and is getting himself ready to play the 2019 season. He has a process that he goes through. We have a new draft pick that is trying to get himself ready to play week one. They are racing to get themselves better. They help each other. That is the way these rooms work if you have a good room.
Q: Did Eli lose weight?
A: I don’t think he did, he might have just re-shaped a little bit, but if he did, I am sure he feels better moving around out there. I know I feel better when I lose weight.
Q: What has been your first interactions with Jabrill Peppers?
A: He made an impact today, he had an interception there. He is the kind of guy that if you don’t know him, I always admired his style of play. Super competitive, loves football and communicates really well. He is really good in coverage. He got his hand on a ball and almost got his hand on two more. He is out there and you can see he is excited about playing football. When you guys in the lineup like that, it rubs off on other guys.
Q: Do you think Saquon will have more of a load this year?
A: I don’t know about more. He had a big load a year ago. It makes sense for us to hand him the ball and we can throw it to him as well. He will be involved for sure. We try and watch it and see. I wouldn’t say manage it but we will try and spread the ball. We have other good players that should touch the ball as well.
