Q: Chase Blackburn?
A: He got hit in the thigh and it gradually got worse so they tried to sit him down a little bit.
Q: What’s your impression of the tight end position?
A: We’ve got some talented guys, but they’ve obviously got some work to do. Martellus is young and talented but he’s got to learn our system. He made some outstanding plays early on and we think he’s going to be a good blocker. Every day is an important day for his development and the rest of them, too. There’s a lot of young guys [at tight end].
Q: Does it help Bear at all that he’s been here for a couple years?
A: Only from the knowledge standpoint since he’s heard it before. I think that he can program it a lot quicker. Some of the young guys will make a mistake now and then, though not many by Bennett anymore.
Q: Rolle is an emotional guy. Last season was an emotionally up-and-down year for him. Do you have to watch that at all?
A: I think he’s made outstanding progress along those lines. I’ve been shown everything that has been said since day one and from what I can tell Antrel thinks before he speaks now. I think he does a very good job with it.
Q: Do you have to watch that with any of the guys as far as refilling that… It took a lot out of them emotionally last year. Do you have to do anything in that regard?
A: Just continue to… With me, it’s more of just communicating with the guys. Let them know what I think is good. What I think is bad. Try to help them correct those things that don’t seem to come out right.
Q: After Shaun Rogers was signed he was pretty big. Were you concerned about his size at that time?
A: We were when he went home. He did an incredible job of working over the summer. He came back and made his weight easily. Hopefully… He’s been a little bit weak because of the weight loss. We’d like to have him gain his strength back and still maintain that very good weight position. We’re encouraging him to keep the weight down.
Q: You see a commitment that he gotten down in weight….
A: He’s very serious about it.
Q: What have you continued to see with Prince in the position of corner and all the pressure that’s on him with the injury to Thomas?
A: He works hard and he wants to be a good football player. He has a lot of things that are still relatively new to him. He competes every day and hopefully he’s going to continue to make real good progress.
Q: Is Prince at 100 percent?
A: I think so. I think he is. He doesn’t seem to have any issues right now.
Q: Status of Will Beatty’s back:
A: Well, actually the first report I got back was that it was better. They thought that there was some improvement there.
Q: Was today regular schedule?
A: Regular schedule up to today, they’re off tomorrow.
Q: Ahmad’s leadership role without Brandon Jacobs:
A: I don’t know if it has anything to do with Brandon being gone. I think it has to do with Ahmad really feeling ownership for this team. He was that way in the spring and he’s been that way in the fall. He’s been encouraging, he can say some things that are kind of biting once in a while, but I think the guys have come to expect that; the fact that he will say things of that nature if it isn’t where it should be. He can back it up. He backs it up with the way he plays.
Q: Is there a player who has surprised you so far?
A: I don’t think so. Not quite yet. I don’t see anything totally different from what we expected. There’s a play here or there everyday that somebody makes that’s a good play. So that catches your attention. I think overall, it’s been pretty much the way we’ve expected it to go.
Q: Is that a negative or a positive?
A: Always positive.
Q: Was today shorter because of the families here? The heat?
A: We really don’t have many linebackers practicing. That was one of the reasons. We didn’t cut any periods. We cut some plays out of some periods.
Q: Justin Tuck talked about having some off the field distractions last offseason. Do you see any difference in him on the field at all?
A: He’s healthy and he’s playing in practice, and he’s really focusing on his game. There were injuries and distractions last year for him, unfortunately. This year, I think he’s more focused.
Q: You had a heart-to-heart with him late in the season...
A: He went out and did it. After whatever, he applied himself. He played with his problems, and played through them, and played well.