The Texans spoke to the media after their practice on Thursday morning at the Methodist Training Center.
Head Coach Gary Kubiak QB Dan Orlovsky CB Glover Quin WR Kevin Walter
Head Coach Gary Kubiak
(on if contract talks are near completion with WR Andre Johnson) "I'm not quite sure. It's my understanding they're awful close. I'll probably find out here after practice. I'm sure they have been working on it. I'll see what's up."
(on if a new contract for Johnson would put everyone's mind at ease when it gets done.) "Well I think it's a great thing for this organization and for a great person and a hell of a player. I've been doing this a long time and he's what this game is all about. I'll always say this about him, but having been here for four years, for him to stay the course with this organization through some tough times says a lot about what Houston means to him. So, it's well deserved and a great job by (General Manager) Rick (Smith) with getting it all worked out. I'm proud of the whole situation."
(on how is it so important to the organization to get contract negotiations done before the start of the season) "It's so important. In this day and time in football with free agency, players have the ability to move. You develop a reputation as an organization that people want to be with you and those types of things. The way they're treating these players here and the way they're taking care of their own, to take a player like Andre who meant so much to this organization and to step up like (Owner) Bob (McNair) has stepped up tell you what he thinks of the player and what he thinks of the direction of the team."
(on what he thinks of Johnson's new contract making him the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL versus what he bring to the field) "For the last two years nobody has played to the level that this young man has as long that I've been around, other than one other guy. What he's been doing has been special and there's a lot more to come. So, that's going to be exciting."
(on today's practice) "We had some guys back. (DE) Antonio (Smith) was back. (LB) Zac (Diles) was back today. Of course (LB Brian) Cushing was back to day. So, we got to 72. So hopefully our number keeps growing and start getting some of these guys back."
(on the receiver battle between WR Kevin Walter and WR Jacoby Jones) "Kevin and Jacoby are going head to head. That's the bottom line. Kevin's the starter he's earned that right. We've got a heck of a player pushing to be a starter in this league. We're putting them right down the middle. It's very competitive. Our whole group is extremely competitive. I'll tell you this, (WR) Bobby Williams has impressed the heck out of me. This guy is staring at a tough group to crack, but he proves every day that he can play NFL football. He's very impressive."
(on if there is any separation being created in the running back position) "I would say that (RB) Arian (Foster) is definitely doing his job. He is having one heck of a camp. I think (RB) Steve Slaton have proven to his teammates that he's back. The young kid (RB Ben Tate) is kind of swimming. He shows you signs of doing very good things, but has a ways to go. The two other young men (RB Chris Henry and RB Jeremiah Johnson), probably special teams will separate them before it's all said and done. I think they're all doing on what I expected at this point."
(on how has the offense been doing in handling time management during practice) "We started to work with the clock today for the first time. We might have had one penalty I think if I was watching correctly. As we get going we will start to work with the clock more and more. That's not only just for player, but for coaches too."
(on how has the offense has been looking in the red zone) "Some good and some bad, we're trying to improve on some things down there that we're doing. Obviously, the key to be a good red zone team is to run the football. Right now I think we are coming off the ball pretty good. I'm pleased at what I'm seeing."
(on how much QB John David Booty have improved) "I think he's improved a lot. He's a guy to me if you put a good group of guys around him he'll get the ball at the right spot and he'll do the right thing. He'll get the chance to do that. Being in a position as a backup quarterback for a team, the most important thing is when you come in that game that things keep moving you don't hurt the football team. Let the other players play and do their job. He keep showing me signs that he could do that."
QB Dan Orlovsky
(on how big it is to see the same faces and have that continuity coming into year two for him) "It makes a big difference being around the guys, knowing their personalities. Again, I have a great feel for them as football players too. It's a big difference compared to last year. I'll just continue to work and build upon that."
(on being in the same system a few years in a row and its benefits) "It is a big difference. I guess I never really understood how much of a difference it was. It's definitely a comfort level, it's a confidence level. It allows you to go out and play fast and play well."
(on how much these types of practice where there is some hitting but not a ton of hitting gets him ready for the year) "It has its part. Obviously it's not live game situation, so there will be a difference. Practice wise you just try to play as fast as you will in a game and get yourself ready to play. That is what training camp for us is all about. It's just getting us ready to play. It will be big for me, game timing wise. Obviously getting hit and stuff will make a difference, but just trying in practice to have your mind mentally into how it will be in a game."
(on himself and the other Texans quarterback's relationship) "We're all friends. We use the competition side for ourselves to get better and the chips are going to fall wherever they may. Every quarterback in the league is going through a training camp like this. A group of them are trying to go out there themselves and get better. We all want to be playing, so it's a good relationship to have. To have that competition side and to learn from each other. We get along well."
CB Glover Quin
(on the heat during practices) "It's blazing out here so if you're not mentally tough, you've got to be physically tough. In this heat, it really separates the men from the boys."
(on how he has grown since last year) "I just feel like I'm more aware in certain situations and kind of know what to expect. But, I always feel like you've got to play honest. I try not to look too much into it. You know what's going to happen and you get yourself planted and then they counter. So, I try to play everything honest and knowing what to do, knowing how to call, just being confident in what you're doing so you can move around and to be able to play a little bit."
(on getting used to the system in his second year) "Definitely. You're trying to learn what's going on. You're trying to make sure that everybody you're playing with is counting on and you're just trying to make plays. Everything is coming at you like a world-wind. You're head starts spinning and things start running together. I would say that's probably the toughest thing—trying to catch up to the speed of the game."
(on having a lot of Corner Backs and the competition) "We've got a lot of good CBs. We work hard every day. It's going to be tough to crack that roster so we're going to have to keep pushing each other and keep making each other better. We just need to keep working and let the pieces fall where they lay."
(on CB Kareem Jackson being in the same spot as him last year) "I think he's doing pretty good. I think he's learning. He's coming along and growing up every day. I just try to tell him some of the things I went through and tell him some of the things I've learned and some of the ways I've tried to figure out how to survive out there on the island. I mean, just talk to him, go through film, and talk about a few things. But, he's a great player so I'm just trying to catch him up to speed with the play book and make sure he knows everything that is going on and he'll be able to play."
(on giving the rookies a hard time like the WR Trindon Holliday joke at practice yesterday) "No, I'm not giving them too much of a hard time. We have some of the older guys that give them a hard time. I mean, I'm just a year two guy. They still give me a hard time. I'm still learning and so I don't look at myself as one of the big time vets or whatever. I feel like I'm a year two guy still learning. So, I'm just trying to help those guys out as much as I can because I was in their shoes last year."
WR Kevin Walter
(on Andre Johnson) "On the field, he takes care of his business. Off the field, he does the same thing. He's a great guy. He's a great friend and you can't say enough about the guy. He goes out there and does his job. If you could build a receiver and build a person, you'd do everything Andre Johnson does."
(on Andre Johnson receiving jealousy) "He deserves it. He definitely deserves it. He comes out here and does his stuff and there's no jealousy by anyone and there's no need to be. Just look at him and what he does on the field. He is the best at what he does at his position."
(on his revenge to Matt Schaub for the pie in the face for his birthday yesterday) "You know, Schauby's (QB Matt Schaub) birthday was last month but I think it's going to be this weekend because I'm going to get him back. That pie in the face-- it was good. It was unexpected but it was a lot of fun."
(on Andre Johnson not changing due to the money) "Yeah, he's a humbled guy no matter what and Dre (WR Andre Johnson) doesn't matter how much he gets. He deserves to be the highest played player because just look at his stats and what he does and what he means to this organization, the city, and this team. It's big time and he deserves it."
