HEAD COACH JESSE MINTER
Opening Statement: "All right, exciting week for us. [We] just put in a good day's work, two days after the game. We wanted to get some work in today from a physical standpoint. A lot of the guys that didn't play kind of focused on a lot of their reps. Tomorrow we'll just do a walkthrough as we travel to Minnesota tomorrow afternoon, and then [we'll] have a chance to have a couple joint practices with them on Wednesday and Thursday. Play the game on Saturday. So, looking forward to the trip. It is a great opportunity for our team just to kind of be together, be away, spend time together in football and out of football. It is something we are excited about, and I'll open it up for questions."
After going through the film of the Eagles preseason game, what were the big takeaways that you feel like might translate into the season? (Kyle Goon) "One of the things was just [our] pre-snap operation — I thought [it] was really well done on both sides of the ball. The ability — we had some in and out of plays, in and out of some run checks and things like that. Same thing on defense with some calls. I thought the guys did a really good job owning the operation. We were never really up against the play clock, which was awesome. The second thing, [is] just seeing guys make plays — seeing guys make tough, contested catches, putting the ball out there and guys making plays downfield. I thought the quarterbacks did a great job giving catchable passes, and those guys did a really good job. I thought our run blocking got better as the game went on. And then I thought, defensively, we did a good job overall. [I] would have liked to have contained the quarterback a little bit better a few times. But all in all, just a lot of good stuff on film."
Looking back, first game as head coach — anything surprise you or anything that was different being your first game as a head coach? (Jamison Hensley) "Not much. Of course, the game didn't end up having a ton of crazy situations that came up and things like that. I thought it was really just a clean game — and being able to hear the offensive staff, I thought 'Dec' [offensive coordinator Declan Doyle] did a great job on the offensive side of the ball, really staying in rhythm, staying in control, going one play at a time. And for his first game calling it, I thought he did a great job. We got a lot of great help on the defensive staff — got a lot of great information being shared as the game was going on — so that is really helpful to be able to kind of wear both hats. So, all in all, just a fun first opportunity and something to build from."
With the joint practices, what do you mostly look to get out of that, particularly when you've got a lot of starters not playing the preseason? (Brian Wacker) "It is great work. We try to get a lot of really good good-on-good work. But it is that time [of training camp] where you get a chance to kind of line up and play against somebody else. I think you get the juices going a little bit more, like a game situation. I know our guys are excited about that. [You] get a chance to go against some different schemes. [Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian] Flores does as well a job as anybody on defense, and [Vikings head coach] Kevin O'Connell does as well a job as anybody on offense. And [you get a] chance to see some different looks, see some different players. They have a lot of great players on both sides of the ball. Then really just looking for us to continue to build. These guys get an opportunity to show where we're at, play against somebody else, get a lot of reps for our — for our quote-unquote first team — and see where we're at after a couple days."
Do you do any like mock game planning to kind of simulate what a game week could be like, going up against the Vikings? (Luke Jones) "A little bit. We will be working a lot of stuff that maybe we are introducing new [and] try to get maybe a little bit more live bullets at some of that type of stuff. Not a huge gameplan thing, [but we'll ] try to give our guys a chance to be successful. But again, they have a really versatile offense, [and] they have a really versatile defense. It will be good work just to see all the different schemes that they present."
You've been a part of these in the past, but not as a head coach. So do you talk with Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell about parameters and everybody controlling their excitement, as you termed? (Jerry Coleman) "[Minnesota Vikings head coach] Kevin [O'Connell]'s been great in that regard. He has done these a bunch, obviously as a head coach, and he has done the two days [of practice] quite a bit. I feel like we have a pretty good script to almost get one day in two days. So, we are not going to be out there for three hours on the first day — it will be almost two, once we really get going, 90 minutes to an hour and 45 minutes worth of work against each other on both days. [The] second day will be a lot of red zone and a little bit less of the downfield stuff. And we'll try to really just talk about the parameters and really being smart, [as well as] working together. Both sides want to come out of these getting better, and we really want to treat it that way. We know the juices get a little bit more playing against somebody else, which you kind of want to see, but obviously within the framework of really just making each other better."
Can you share any information on offensive tackle Kendall Lamm's decision to retire and your confidence in the depth that you have there at that position? (Josh Tolentino) "[It was] just a personal decision — I would say in respect to [Kendall Lamm]. That is a position I feel good about where we are at. We will always be looking to see if we can make those numbers right."
What did you think of T Carson Vinson and T Gerad Lichtenhan's performance the other night? (Josh Tolentino) "I thought both [Carson Vinson and Gerad Lichtenhan] really acquitted themselves well. They played a ton of snaps. They really got an opportunity to play a majority of the game. [They] did some really good stuff — and that is a good [Eagles] defense. Those guys did a really good job — whatever group they have in there that is a good defense. I thought overall, those guys handled their own, did a good job in the run game and the pass game. We had some really nice pockets for our quarterbacks. We had some really good movement in the run game. [I want to] definitely shout out those guys."
Is it good to have ILB Teddye Buchanan back out there? What's been your evaluation of ILB Trenton Simpson and how he's been at linebacker? (Sam Cohn) "Yes, it is always great when you get a guy [like Teddye Buchanan] back — particularly just [with] the amount of work you've seen Teddye put in. Honestly, since the first time I walked in this building, I think he was in here rehabbing — [he] might have been one of the first guys I saw. He's just been a constant presence here. He has put in the time and the work, for a late-season injury, to be where he is at now is a major credit to him and his mindset, his work ethic. Trenton Simpson has had an unbelievable camp, I would say. I feel really good about him. He is an extremely versatile, athletic linebacker that's got a lot of great traits. He can do a lot for us. He can line up in a lot of different places — and [I'm] excited to see that room really come together, you know, over these next 27, 28 days as we get ready for that [regular season] opener."
On Saturday you talked about still having confidence in K Tyler Loop after the miss. Are you guys still thinking of different ways to be able to put him in pressure situations? I know it's so tough to compare a practice to a game, but are you thinking of new, different ways to find ways to do that? (Cordell Woodland) "I think that is definitely the case with all the players — you want to see [them] have those opportunities in practice. We will definitely be working [on] stuff like that. Again, I will say, it was like our first time kicking on a new surface down there in the stadium. [It was the] first time we had been able to get in there. Normally we would have maybe had a practice in there, [but] we weren't able to do that because of some stuff going on. I feel good about where [Tyler] Loop's at. I think he's had a really good camp. Obviously, it comes down to making them in those situations, so we will keep trying to put him out there as much as we can."
With DL Nnamdi Madubuike, I know you guys are obviously being cautious — how much of that is his input in terms of how he feels? And secondly, do you expect him to have any sort of contact in the next week? (Brian Wacker) "I think that is both sides really putting their heads together and making sure that we are doing it at a rate that everybody feels good and confident in. I would say ballpark — next couple of weeks — I think [Nnamdi Madubuike] will be starting to work himself back in there."
How great was it to have CB Nate Wiggins and CB Marlon Humphrey — you said they would probably be back this week, but to have them back and not only back, but during 11- on-11? (Morgan Adsit) "Blessings. Sometimes those things happen, you pray for the best and hope for the best, and both those guys [were] able to bounce back. It is a credit to them, again, that they were able to just overcome some small little things — and they're back out there ready to roll. They're very eager to be out there and to get the reps and to get the communication and the technique — so major credit to them. Those guys have had a really good camp. They just get better and better every time they're out there."
With QB Lamar Jackson — obviously, we know his abilities are so prodigious on the field. What is it about Lamar when he's not on the field and in the locker room that makes him such a special leader and talented person? (Chase Corburn) "[Lamar Jackson has] a great personality — he's really got like an infectious, magnetic personality that guys really enjoy being around him. He's a great teammate. He loves to see guys do well; he pumps players up. He's just got that 'it' factor. He makes everybody in the building better."
We haven't seen RB Rasheen Ali for about a week. Anything you can tell us on him? (Luke Jones) "He is just working through some stuff. Again, I don't think it will be anything crazy, but he is working through some stuff, and we will kind of let that timeline shake out as it shakes out."
In terms of things you do want to look for — you've talked about getting better overall, but are there specific areas of focus you have for these joint practices? (Candi Waller) "For the guys — especially for the guys that didn't play — this is kind of that first real test of going against somebody else. Again, the pre-snap operation for those guys [and] playing against a very exotic defense, playing against a lot of moving parts on their offense. Being able to really own the pre-snap operation, being able to try to stay ahead of the chains on both sides of the ball — meaning making plays on first-and-10 on both sides of the ball. But again, just for those guys to get the real work, get the competitive juices going and see if we can't get a little bit better each day that we are out there."
Do you anticipate a similar group playing in the game at Minnesota on Saturday as were playing this past weekend? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Yes, very similar."
