Tuesday Media Transcript: Head Coach Pat Shurmur

Head Coach Pat Shurmur -- June 11, 2019

Opening Statement: Last week of OTA’s. We were a little disappointed we didn’t get to go to the Yankee game last night. Obviously weather kicks in and baseball games get moved around. At some point we will try and do something as a team. We were still able to get practice in yesterday. Got a good one today and we have a couple more, then we will send them on way for the summer.

Q: You are going to have full practices the rest of the week? Some teams have replaced an OTA with a team activity or cancelled some OTAs.
A: Yes. We planned the activity yesterday around just shortening the OTA, but yes, we have a week planned.

Q: How much have you held Evan Engram back because there is no sense in screwing around with him now?
A: He hurt his hamstring and he is coming back from that injury. We will be smart with him just like we would be during the season. Not holding him back, so to speak. If he was able to be out there, he would be. We all know he will be out there very soon. That may be just to start training camp. I think it is important that you get the players all the work they can get, but you need to be smart about what they are dealing with so that when training camp starts and the season starts, they are at their best.

Q: You had near-perfect attendance this offseason even though these are voluntary. Do you read into that?
A: Well, voluntary, necessary, mandatory. There are a lot of ‘ary’ words, I guess. I do think it means something when the players get something out of being here. I do believe that when you train together, you learn something from the people that you are training with. I also know that if you are going to build chemistry, we have a lot of new and a lot of young, so the more time they can spend together, the better. Every team is different. There are some teams that have older players that have played together for a very long time and that may not be quite as important. I am glad, it shows that they care and it shows that they think what we are doing is important. I think the time they spend together is going to help in the long run.

Q: Darius Slayton’s progress?
A: Darius has done a really good job. I think he is the most improved in my eyes. We expected a lot out of him when he got here. The rookie minicamp was unremarkable, but since that time… He is very fast. He is practicing punts and kicks. He has done a nice job playing receiver. I really think he has done a nice job during OTA’s and minicamp.

Q: Do you want the players to get away from football at the end of this week?
A: I think you get away. We are getting to the end of what would be considered the offseason. We have been doing it for multiple weeks. I think we have gotten a lot done and certainly doing it in the second year of a program is very important. I think it is good to get away and clear your mind. I think this is pretty typical of all teams. Really, the whole NFL will be off at the same time. You get away, enjoy your family, do a few things that are fun to do and then, pretty quickly your mind will be right back into it. I think the important thing for the players, the ones that have done a lot of work this offseason, is make sure they stay on top of it conditioning-wise. This way when they come back from training camp, they are ready to roll.

Q: What do you think about where Daniel Jones is?
A: I think he has had a really good offseason. Much like we were talking about Darius Slayton, I think he has had a really, really productive offseason. He is on track with the goal to be ready to play day one. That is really what all the players need to be thinking. The quarterback stuff will be on the front burner for everyone. I get that. He is on track.

Q: At what point do you start weighing who gives the team the best chance to win?
A: I think that is constantly what goes on in everyone’s mind. The other guy that we are talking about is Eli and he is getting himself ready to have an outstanding year. That is where we are at.

Q: As a coach, do you tend to lean to the guy that can manage the game better and prevent unnecessary mistakes?
A: That is part of it, being able to manage the game. Also, being able to make plays and move the team and get us in the end zone. There is a lot that goes into it. I think Daniel has done a good job getting up to speed with all the things you have to do at the line of scrimmage. There are some things that are very different than what he did in college.

Q: Is there a scenario where Daniel can win this starting job in training camp?
A: I think we are going to play the very best player and I know we are dancing around the words there. Right now, Eli is getting ready to have a great year and Daniel is getting ready to play. You see what happens with it. We feel good about where Eli is. He is our starting quarterback and we have a young player that we think is going to be an outstanding player, getting himself ready to play.

Q: How much do you view that as an open competition?
A: We are playing around the words again. I’m not trying to be cryptic about it. Eli is getting ready to have an outstanding year and Daniel is getting ready to play. That is really about it.

Q: Both can’t happen?
A: Again, we are playing around the words.

Q: How do you keep the other guys excited?
A: I think everyone that is on the team is getting themselves ready to play. If you were asking me about Tanney or any other receiver or position player, I would probably tell you the same thing. Everyone understands that there are some uncontrolled situations that happen. Injuries, someone starts playing better, we understand that.

Q: You said we are playing around the words. How would you describe the situation?
A: I just did. Right. I’ll say it, I guess, for the third time: Eli is getting ready to have an outstanding year and Daniel is getting ready to play. At least in my mind, that is very clear, but it doesn’t appear that it is because I am getting a lot of follow-ups to it.

Q: So as the coach, are you saying that when you watch the film and you watch the practices, you evaluate whoever gives your offense the best chance to win is going to play? Or are you saying Eli is going to play?
A: The players that give our team the best chance to win, play. Period. And you have seen Eli do that for a very long time, so we will see what happens as we go down the road.

Q: Pat, can you see any scenario in which Jones is your starter in Week 1?
A: Oh, you never know what is going to happen, but as I said, Eli is getting ready to play and so is Daniel.

Q: So, Eli is the starter?
A: Eli is the starter and this guy is getting ready to play.

Q: You have obviously invested a lot in Daniel as the sixth overall pick, and if you are excited how he looks, and not only does he look good, but he looks like he’s producing and moving the offense better than Eli consistently through August, when you say ‘Getting ready to play’, you mean?
A: In a game. In an NFL football game.

Q: But he can only play if Eli is not playing.
A: And we will figure that out as we go. Again, I don’t think that it is that unclear.

Q: What is going to be your message to the team as you wrap up the offseason? What are you going to send them off with?
A: A new question, good. The message is to just make sure that they take care of themselves. Be smart with their time off. Get away. Relax. I frequently say that it is really not time off, it is time away. I think as you get past the Fourth of July and into the summer, their mind will drift toward the season. Just be smart about the time that they have.

Q: What you have planned?
A: I’ll be around, relaxing.

Q: Do you still work or do you like to take time off?
A: We take time, but I probably won’t be too far away. I’ll be around.

Q: And the rookies are here all next week?
A: They will be here one more week, yeah.

Q: Do you have any plans of scrimmaging anyone in training camp?
A: No plans this year. The teams that I had originally planned to work with, we are playing them this year during the season. Like last year, we practiced with Detroit. This year, we play them during the season, so we won’t do that this year. We have a couple of teams that we are playing in the preseason that we are going to play in the season. Then we will be back to work, what is it the 24th? The rookies will come in the 22nd, some of the selected vets and then the other guys will be in the 24th.

Q: The selected vets don’t include the quarterbacks, right?
A: Maybe. Maybe. Fully haven’t decided that yet, but it is going to be one day shorter with the rookies than it was last year, but we’ll still bring them in early.