After practice head coach Gary Kubiak talked to the media about defensive end Anthony Weaver's progress and how he plans to use Weaver next season.
Head coach Gary Kubiak
(on anything new with the team) "Nothing new today. Chester (Pitts) missed today because his shoulder was bothering him a little bit. So he didn't practice today, but it was good for (Kaesy) Studdard, (Chris) White and those guys. They needs those reps. But that was the only thing that was different."
(on if everybody was at practice) "Everybody is here today. We'll be missing one tomorrow. We have a young man graduating from Rutgers University, (Derrick) Roberson. So we are really proud of him. We'll give him a day to go get his diploma and he'll be right back. But we are real proud of him."
(on how much the week off helped the rookies) "I think it helped a bunch. You look at a guy like Duane (Brown) get through the shock of – 'Man, they threw me in there with the first group and they expect me to play real fast.' I think he's come in and really settled down this week and is getting better every day. (Antwaun) Molden is getting a bunch of reps because Fred (Bennett) is missing time. As you well know, over the course of the last couple of years, the key to our growth is young players helping the team right away. So we'll see how these guys do, but we've got some that should be able to help us."
(on the team being faster) "Team speed, I think we can definitely improve from that standpoint. Of course, Jacques (Reeves) was part of that acquisition. I think at linebacker, our team speed at linebacker has improved with (Chaun) Thompson, (Kevin) Bentley and (Zac) Diles now. It's important. Any time you get more athletic as a football team - I think our keys in the offseason were to try to get more athletic, but at the same time we've got to be a more physical football to take the next step."
(on RB Ahman Green) "He looks good. He's had a good offseason. I want to knock on something every time I say that. He's been a good worker in the program. He hasn't missed a day. I think it's important that he gets through these OTAs working every day, just mentally. We'll be smart with him when we get to training camp, but all of his work is leading up to the guy we expected him to be. So we'll keep our fingers crossed and keep going."
(on WR Andre Johnson) "He's going to be out through OTAs because he had his knee scoped. Watching him practice during the mini-camp, it was hard to believe that he needed his scoped, but that's the great player that he it. We know what we are going to get when he is back, and he'll be healthy at camp. The great thing is that you are watching Kevin Walter, André Davis, Jacoby, David Anderson – man, they are getting better every day so that's important for our team."
(on the role of DE Anthony Weaver) "I think it could actually pick up for him because he's healthy. He's going through the offseason and he's feeling as good as he's ever felt. You always have to rotate D-linemen. I think maybe we'll get a little more out of Anthony than last year just because we're getting a good offseason out of him."
(on if Weaver will get into more of a three-technique) "We'll continue to bounce him around, especially from a pass-rush mode of going inside. We'll wait and see how those things work out. Right now, I just really want to see how he works at the left end spot and get that down pat, and we'll move from there."
(on how LT Duane Brown has preformed so far) "For a young guy and what we are asking him to do, I think he looked very good. What a starting left tackle has to do has to do in this league, he still has a long way to go. We know that. The thing that's impressive is he's a very quiet kid, just an all-business kid, always on his feet, never on the ground and very athletic. So when you've got all those things to work with, hopefully you can do a good job with him."
(on what Brown must work on to polish up) "He can improve on everything. But the great thing is that every day he lines up, he knows that he's not going to see a better player than the one he is practicing against every day. So that's got to be a big boost for his confidence. If he feels like he can come out here and compete with Mario (Williams) 60 or 70 snaps a day, that gets him ready to go play people like (Kyle) Vanden Bosch and (Dwight) Freeney and the guys that we play. There is no easy road to him getting better, and that's a good thing."
(on C Chris Myers) "He's doing a heck of a job. First off, he knows what we're doing, so that's an easy transition. It's a great opportunity for him in his career because he's a leader of a group from day one when he walked in here and he's taken command of that. and I think it's been good that he's had some buddies on that group that helped him jump in there right away, some guys that he's played with before. You think that (Rashad) Butler, (Eric) Winston and him all played together. So we are very pleased with where he is right now."
(on how much Myers can help Brown) "Oh, yes. He's going to make all the calls. He's got to get everybody coordinated. He's the guy we chose to be the leader of that group. It's a lot pressure to put on the kid, but he's doing a good job for Alex (Gibbs) and John (Benton). And he's only getting better and he's young, too. I expect big things out of him."
WR Andre Johnson
(on if he's glad he had surgery) "I think that's just part of the process. When I came back after the season, the biggest thing was rest. That was the biggest thing being said. I came back for offseason workouts – I worked out a little bit in Miami – I came back here and it just flared up on me out of nowhere. The day before I was running well. Coach (Larry) Kirksey came to me and said, 'You look good.' The next day it just flared up on me. you never know if it's healed or not."
(on what the scope removed) "I just had a little piece of something in the inside of my knee where I was feeling the pain. So they took that little piece out because they thought that's what the irritation was coming from."
(on if he got his prescription filled at Wal-Mart) "(Laughs) No, it was at Walgreens."
(on if getting surgery is a little scary) "I think it is. You never know what can happen. The night before I really couldn't sleep even though I had my shoulder scoped when I was in college. Even though I had that process done before, the night before I had my knee scoped I still couldn't sleep. I was still a little worried. I think anytime you are going to get your body cut on, you're worried about it no matter how good the person is."
C Chris Myers
(on what assistant head coach Alex Gibbs means to the team) "I saw the results of what he did out in Denver when I first got there, and it's just tremendous what he can do for the running game. It will open up the passing game and just open up the whole offense. I can't wait to get into camp and get into games and see what happens."
(how important is it for this team to establish the run) "Yeah, that's what we are trying to do. We are trying to establish that run and open it up with the passing game. If we don't get that running game going, there's not going to be any step ups for the linebackers and defensive back to get that passing game going."
(on if there is an adjustment to playing with a new quarterback) "For myself personally, no. We have gelled really good together. So far, knock on wood, no fumbled snaps. Hopefully, that lasts throughout the season."
(on talking to the media) "I'm from the University of Miami. I'm used to it from down there. I took a hold on it in Denver for three years, but I'm welcoming it."
(on the offensive line in Denver not talking to the media) "It's pretty much an unwritten rule. You just have to understand that going to Denver. I think everyone knew before they get drafted to Denver – you just don't talk to the media. And guys like Tom Nalen and all the veterans that used to be there, they were the ones that started that – (Mark) Schlereth, all those guys."
(on if he ever had to stop himself from talking to the media) "When you first get there and you're a first-year guy and you don't have too much playing time, you kind of just run away from the media when they come in the locker room after practice or after the games."
DT Frank Okam
(on his impressions of the NFL so far) "You know, the thing that's probably impressed me the most is the level of quarterback play. I see a lot of our defensive guys being right on players; you think it's good coverage and you're sitting there watching it, and he completes the ball somehow. He just puts it where the defense can't get it. And as a pass-rusher, you just have to try to negate that, get hands in the quarterback's face, but every lineman you go up against in this next level has very good technique, (is) very sound and disciplined. If you don't do it right, you won't get there. And so I think the level of competition, the technique and the consistency you've got to bring every play, has been the big difference from college to the NFL."
(on if any skill that worked in college doesn't work as well on this next level) "The swim move. Being 6-5 in college, taller than most linemen, you can get over top doing your swim move, but here they catch you and they get on your chest and drive you back, so it's like I'm not allowed to do that move now based on what my coach said, so (I've) just got to figure something else out to do."
(on if he's found technique matters more than a combine performance) "Definitely. I think the combine may be a little bit overrated to judge a person's talent. The most important thing is how you play on the field. You've got linemen who probably can't run a five-anything, but their technique is so sound that if you don't come to play every play, you're going to get beat. So definitely, especially (with) the more experienced players, you see the technique each and every play that makes them successful."
(on if the quickness is different in the NFL) "Definitely. As a defensive lineman, you need quickness. You have to be durable, and you've got to be physical."
LB DeMeco Ryans
(on a different attitude coming off a non-losing season) "I mean, we've got several things around, got some guys in, and we're out here just competing. We've got good a lot of good competition going around on our whole team at each position, so with that it just brings a little added excitement, a little extra guys trying to get it done, guys trying to win jobs, and we're just trying to get better as a team."
(on being a veteran) "It does seem weird. It's kind of crazy that I'm going into my third year; it happened so quick. But I'm definitely enjoying being a veteran, just seeing the young guys come in and being able to now help the younger guys that's coming in, like Morlon (Greenwood) and other guys that helped me when I came in."
(on how the young players are coming along) "They are picking it up. We have some pretty sharp guys at the linebacker position, so they are picking it up well. It's very impressive. But with that, we throw wrinkles in every day, so you really have to stay on top of it and really go home and study and stay on top of it, so it gets difficult at times, the more and more you put it in. But they are handling it well."
(on if the team is ready to take next step) "We are. We're still working. We're still working. We're going to see where it gets us. Hard works pays off, so we're in work mode right now. (We'll) see where it goes."
DE Anthony Weaver(on the upcoming season) "My goal right now is to prove to myself that I got it, which I know I do, and to show these other guys, too."
(on DT Frank Okam) "You know, he's made strides just between the mini-camp and now. You can tell. As he learns the defense and gets the teaching from (defensive line coach) Jethro (Franklin), he has all the athletic ability in the world to come out here and help us."
(on the entire defensive line from last season returning) "Mario (Williams)'s picked up right where he left off at the end of the season. He's a monster out there. It's not a matter of if they can stop him; it's about him stopping himself. Amobi (Okoye)'s the same way; he's getting better every day. He goes out here, works hard and sometimes he gets that young guy attitude where you've got to motivate him to work harder, but that comes with age."
(on being more involved in the pass rush this year) "I'm trying to get back in that three-technique, that nickel three-technique role. That's where I had most of my success in Baltimore and that's where I'd like to help this team, too."
(on being healthy for OTAs) "I feel good. I've been here since the beginning of the strength and conditioning program, which is huge for me. Last year, I only got in about five weeks of lifting before the season, so to come in even par with everybody, it's huge for me, and I'm just trying to get ready."
(on if being here early will help him during the season) "Definitely. For sure. You know, coming in last year, it was just a struggle with the surgeries to try and get back for the season and I was playing catch-up all year, so to come back healthy and to get my strength to where it needs to be to compete in this league, it's going to help me leaps and bounds."
