Head Coach Tom Cable chats with DE Richard Seymour prior to Friday morning's practice. Photo by Tony Gonzales.
Coach Cable: First thing, on your mind is probably WR Chaz Schilens. There's not an injury there, there's no damage or anything like that; it's sore. We're going to have to work with him to find out what his workload is; how much he can and cannot do. We're going to have to deal with this probably from here on out, just what it is. That's a little bit of a kind of work in progress, figuring out how much he can do each day, probably limited to a one-a-day deal, and then we'll go from there.
Q: What were your impressions of practice today?
Coach Cable: It's good, we worked all 3rd down stuff, so you saw a lot of nickel pressures, 3rd down coverage, 3rd down formations and all that. So we'll just continue with that this afternoon and we'll get into some new situations tomorrow as well as Sunday.
Q: When you talked early about the first day practices being learning, they aren't, are they? You're carrying plays to completion way more than you did last season?
Coach Cable: Probably, yeah I think it's a little bit of wanting to go a little more, a little more itchy. We all kind of feel that way, but at the same time we kind of want to get this all taught within these situations and the first four days, so you've got to kind of hold back a little bit and have balance with that thing.
Q: What are your impressions of John Henderson so far?
Coach Cable: For him, it's really new. He had a day with us really, so he's getting the whole package now for really the first time. And you can tell he's played, he's a pretty bright guy, he's picking it up very quickly.
Q: Is Lamarr Houston a guy that's going to be limited to the left side or is he a guy that you can bounce around?
Coach Cable: I think we can move him around. We did some of that, even today already, kind of moving him around a little bit so I think that'll be good for that group. There are some guys in there that bring some different skills to the group; can play inside, can play outside, pair guys up together, and do a lot of things.
Q: He seemed a little bit chippy in mini-camps and seems like he's got a little energy to him?
Coach Cable: Yeah, absolutely. I think he has come with what we saw, what we learned from him through the draft. He's an aggressive guy and very passionate, and that's a good thing.
Q: With the pace that camp is going, with the past two days, is that going the way that you like? I see a lot of the guys that are still after practice still working on specific things on their own. How do you feel about that?
Coach Cable: Well I think the pace is exactly what we want. I think the stuff after practice, most of these guys, if you look, they are usually the older guys. It could be some new guys talking about new things, but predominantly it's older guys. Once you've been in and around us for a little bit, you kind of have a plan to get yourself ready, spend some extra time, when you can, when you can't do that, and they just take advantage of it.
Q: You mentioned a bunch before that Jason Campbell comes from a background in Washington where tight end is a pretty big deal. It looks like he's kind of already figured out here that Zach Miller is going to be open. Miller's progression has been very steadily coming up, how much of a ceiling is there to him and how much better can he get?
Coach Cable: I think he could be a lot better. When you look at him, we've done a poor job of utilizing him in the red zone. So if you just start right there, see where he can impact that part of the field, I think that will really raise his level, his game, to a whole new level.
Q: You've talked a little bit about the linebacking group yesterday. What's got you excited about that group?
Coach Cable: Well, I've mentioned it. I think maybe the worst group a year ago to the top group or two groups on this team in terms of talent. They've got to help us stop the run. That's their primary job, and in pass coverage, cover who they are supposed to cover.
Q: When you look at Campbell a couple of years ago, I seem to recall that he went 8, 9, 11 games without an interception. But that's not to say that he's not a guy that will take a chance right? Or is it a guy that you have to work with and say, 'Look, every now and then…'?
Coach Cable: Well, he'll do that. I think he is always showing that. I just think he's really good with the ball. The thing that stuck out about him from OTA is during that red zone time, the quarterback really has to get it to his first thought or else it's got to be thrown away. Maintain the drive and get the field goal. And I thought he was tremendous in OTA doing that. So I'm looking forward to that, this stuff is coming up in the next couple of days.
Q: With yourself, Paul Hackett, and Ted Tollner, all have play-calling experience in this league and Hue Jackson who has also been a coordinator. When you sit down, how exactly are you going to come to playlists and that sort of thing.
Coach Cable: Well that's the nice thing, to utilize that sort of experience. I think that helps us, I think we are a much stronger staff that sort of way. And I think we can all be utilized in that way.
