What do you want to build on in the redzone and what do you think are some things that made you successful in that area last year?
"With the red area offense, a lot of times as the quarterback continues to develop and continues to see the different defenses he's going to see in the red area, he's able to make quicker decisions. That's necessary because those windows open and close quicker in the red area than they do in the field. Deshaun's (Watson) development and his continued growth and being able to distinguish what the coverages are, identify what the coverages are and make good decisions definitely helped us make more plays down there. The big thing that we ended up doing last year is we really focused on eliminating bad football. In previous years there would be penalties, there would be turnovers, there would be things along those lines that would stall our drives. We really made a focus as a unit last year to make sure that when we were down in the red area, we were as focused as we could be in order to operate efficiently."
What have been your observations of WR Keke Coutee so far in camp in what are you looking to see from him?
"Keke has done a really good job of coming back and doing everything that we've asked him to do. He's been able to go out there and make plays when they've come his way, building trust with the quarterbacks and being where he is supposed to be when he's supposed to be there. Again, at the end of the day, the biggest part of that position is getting open and catching the football. Keke's doing a great job of that."
When do you expect to get TE Kahale Warring back?
"Kahale is working. He was out there today working for us. We're going to continue to work and make sure that his learning of the offense continues to grow."
In the short period of time with pads on now, what improvements have you seen from G/T Tytus Howard since last year?
"With all those offensive linemen, obviously playing next to one another there's going to be growth there. Obviously the jump from a rookie to a second-year player is always very great. He's not seeing things for the first time, he's kind of learned the tricks of the trade a little bit. Instead of focusing on what his assignment is, he's able to focus on the execution of it, being physical and doing all the things we ask them to do in that offensive line room."
What does it mean to have C Nick Martin back this year and how has he improved his leadership?
"The relationship between the center and the quarterback is a really special thing. Him and Deshaun (Watson) have a great relationship. They do a great job of studying the game together, especially when we're preparing for an opponent so when we're on the field, you've heard us use this term, they're really seeing things from the same set of eyes. There's a really good relationship between D and Nick. You hit on it with his leadership. He's a rock. He's in there every day. He's a guy we can depend on to do the right thing. He's always out there doing whatever he can in order to put the offense in the best position to be successful. He's doing a really good job and his play continues to get better each and every year."
Do you have a favorite play call going into this year?
"I think you heard Deshaun (Watson) say it the other day. I'll say the same thing, some go balls to all those numbers, right. Kenny (Stills), Randall (Cobb), Brandin (Cooks), Keke (Coutee), Will (Fuller V), all those guys. Any time we can put the ball into our playmakers' hands and our quarterback feels good about it, that's going to be one of our favorite calls."
What have you seen from WR Steven Mitchell Jr. so far and do you think you'll take any plays out of Andy Reid's playbook with the running backs you have that can throw more screens?
"As far as Stevie, Stevie's got a great opportunity to come out, to be on the field and to make plays. He's really doing a good job of taking advantage of those opportunities with some big catches. Again, starting to build the trust between the wide receiver and the quarterback. So far in camp Stevie is doing a good job of capitalizing on those opportunities. We're always going to find different ways to find the best way to put the ball into our playmakers' hands. Whatever that may be, we're definitely going to investigate it and make sure we've got all the tools we need heading into gameday."
What is the delicate balance between splitting up reps between the quarterbacks?
"It's important, obviously, that we're getting Deshaun (Watson) ready and getting Deshaun the reps so he can get into a rhythm with those wide receivers, the tight ends, the offensive line and the running backs. But it's equally important to make sure that Alex (McGough) and AJ (McCarron) continue to develop in the offense, too. There's definitely a fine balance in terms of finding ways to make sure all three of those things get done."
What is WR Chad Hansen's background and what have you seen from him thus far?
"Chad's been here. He was here last camp with us and was here last season on the practice squad. Chad's just a guy who comes in every day and he works, he runs. He's out there every single day and again, I've mentioned it two or three times already, but really building trust with the quarterback is such a huge thing at that position. He's done a great job of doing that with all the quarterbacks because he's out there every day. He's willing to work. Chad's having a really good camp so far."
What has surprised you about RB David Johnson after having the ability to work with him day to day?
"David's very talented. He's got a really good vision. He's got really good feet. He's a strong runner. He's a good pass catcher out of the backfield. We've been very impressed with David so far in camp. He runs hard. Like I said, he's got good vision and good feet so, yeah, we're happy with David."
What are your thoughts on WR Isaiah Coulter?
"He's got really good ball skills. He's a long athlete. He can run. Like you said, being able to go up and get the ball is one of the reasons why he's here. He was an intriguing prospect because he's talented. He's got a lot of talent. He's got a lot of work to do but he's out there, and again, he's in there with Coach (John) Perry learning the ins and outs of the offense and the ins and outs of the wide receiver position. We're just going to look for him to continue to develop as camp goes on."
As FB Cullen Gillaspia enters his second season, what do you expect to see from him this year?
"I think we talked about Tytus (Howard) earlier in terms of making that jump from a rookie to a second-year player, and I think that goes for Gilly as well. Again, it's his ability to not only just learn where he's supposed to be, but now he can focus on how he's supposed to get there and how he's supposed to do certain things. Any time we feel like a player on the field is going to give us an advantage, we're going to make sure we take advantage of that and try to milk that for all that we can."
Heading into Kansas City, who plans to have limited fans, how do you plan for that from a communications standpoint?
"For us, we're going to continue to prepare our guys for really every scenario possible. Whether it's this week or week 16 or whatever it may be, we've got to make sure that our guys can operate in every atmosphere. Whether that's in just under 17,000, I think is what it comes down to. I did the math last night and it was late, so I don't quite remember what it was, but whether it's that or here in week two. There's going to be different types of atmospheres and we have to make sure our guys are prepared and ready to go for whatever atmosphere that we're walking into."
With limited chances for QB Alex McGough to get reps and no preseason games this year, will there be a time in practice for him to get some type of reps?
"Sure. Sometimes it's going to be during practice. He's doing a great job of being proactive and maybe grabbing some of the younger guys and getting some reps after practice too. Alex is doing a good job being a professional and getting in where he fits in and making sure that he's taking advantage of the opportunities that come his way."
