Opening Remarks: "There were no injuries really to report. Everybody came out of this healthy. It was good to get the rookies and the quarterbacks some work. Today, (QB) Michael (Vick) had the day off like we've done for the last 14 years here. The starting quarterback gets this morning practice off. We have the veterans coming in this afternoon, and this evening is a meeting with them, and they'll also get their equipment. We kick it off tomorrow afternoon with a 10/10/10."
On how nice it is not to have any lingering contract situations and to know all the veterans will report on time barring any unforeseen circumstances: "Having everybody here is a plus, just from a continuity and team camaraderie standpoint. There are less distractions, right, so I think it's absolutely a plus. I'm glad the league worked all that out and that it is set up the way it is today."
On signing P Mat McBriar and providing competition with P Chas Henry: "It should be a great competition, and that's what we're trying to do. I mentioned that at all the positions, we are trying to create that. You are talking about a kid who is one of the best in the National Football League and he's coming off an injury, so we'll see how that all works out and how he works through that. He had a workout and impressed us there. I don't expect Chas to bow down to him at all, and he's going to come out and compete. It should be a good battle."
On the specifics of McBriar's previous injury: "He had a cyst removed, and when they removed the cyst, it created drop foot and nerve damage. It's coming back. We didn't work him out earlier because of that. This was a time that he felt comfortable doing it and the doctors felt comfortable doing it. He wears a brace there, and I'll tell you that it's similar to J.R. Reed's, but not quite as severe."
On whether he has totally healed from that: "He's not totally healed but he's close. He's about 90 percent."
On how much he looks forward to having the energy and focus from OTAs carrying over into training camp: "I think it will. I have had a chance to talk with a number of the players and I'm feeling the same energy that we left with. You saw the young guys here who went through the OTAs who created the energy are out here doing that again. You look at the quarterbacks and you have a couple of veteran ones in there, and they feel really good about these practices. I think it will carry over, and they'll need that. This isn't an easy thing that you go through. They'll need that energy, especially after the first week."
On the players' attitude that this year can serve as a do-over using last year as motivation: "I think that's human nature and a natural thing. We obviously did not play well enough last year. We finished strong so we take what we learned there and let's go. So I think that's a positive thing."
On whether the tight end position is an area of focus for the front office to improve: "Listen, we're keeping all of our options open and it has nothing to do with (tight end Clay Harbor), or (tight end Brent Celek) and coming off of the injury. That's not what it is. There are a couple good tight ends out there that we like and thought we'd look at. That's really where that went."
On the status of DT Mike Patterson: "Yeah, he's been working out every day. He feels great. He just doesn't have the doctor's clearance. We're ok with that. We just want to make sure that he's alright. That's the primary thing especially when you start talking about brain surgery. That's not a common thing in the National Football League so you take precaution and make sure the kid is okay before you put him out there."
On the play of CB Cliff Harris early in camp: "He did some good things. Yesterday he learned a couple lessons down in the red zone. We ran the same route against him today and he broke it up. That's a good sign that he could learn from his mistakes."
On whether Cliff Harris' past issues make the coaching staff wary of future trouble: "We have a strong team and hope that he learns from his mistakes. You put him in and you bank on the veterans to help teach him and the coaches help teach him. Hopefully he learned from what he did before and doesn't do it again."
On the benefits of having rookies come to camp prior to the veterans: "One of the biggest things is that they get the first three installs. When the veterans come in its all from those first three days. That will help them going into the hitting part of it when they start getting physically tired. They don't have to think as much and can go play."
On what things QB Michael Vick has been working on early in camp: "Well the quarterbacks are getting back in a rhythm. That's the primary thing they do. They get their timing down even though some of these receivers are not the ones they will throw to later in the season. Refreshing the plays. Making sure you know where everybody is at and then you can slow down the protections. You saw us do the blitz period so we are able to back up and talk through it. I think that allows us to come into camp loosened up and ready to go."
