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Training Camp

Mike Pettine Press Conference - August 1

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On whether he added the last few plays of practice or it was planned already:**
"That was planned – just the competition for jerseys. Everybody was on the same page, except for the officials. They ran in and had to come back out."

On what the basis of the competition:
"Third downs. It was third-and-8, third-and-5 and third-and-3."

On who won the competition:
"The defense."

On DL Billy Winn's status:
"We won't know until this afternoon. I believe it is a knee. With that, obviously, whatever (head athletic trainer) Joe (Sheehan) is going to have done, whether it is MRI or X-rays, we will know a lot more this afternoon."

On if the possible injury to Winn is disappointing since he has had one of his best offseasons to date:
"I don't want to sit here and talk about potentially losing him. We'll see how it is."

On the run period of practice:
"A little sloppy, a little sloppy for the first one. Too many guys on the ground. I think both sides flashed what we're capable of, but I think overall, it was just not very consistent."

On DL Danny Shelton's first day in pads:
"It is hard to say, especially at a position where you really have to watch the end zone copy behind him to get a feel for it. I'd be surprised if it wasn't a typical rookie day where he did some good things and did some bad. When we did the one-on-ones earlier in practice, he did some good things. We will see the tape."

On FB Malcom Johnson and what he brings to the team:
"He does. He does have that unique skillset. We always talk about having hybrid-type players at certain positions, whether it is on defense or offense. He is a guy that can do a lot of things, and we are hopeful that he can do a lot of things well. He was a capable blocker in college so there is no reason to think he won't be in the NFL. He is a guy that can mismatch a linebacker or cause some problems for a defense based on the variety of places we can line him up."

On if FB was a position that needed to be upgraded after his first year with the team:
"I think everybody is looking for a different style of fullback. (Former Browns and Falcons offensive coordinator) Kyle (Shanahan) was looking more for the traditional type that we had in (former Browns FBs Ray) Agnew and Kiero (Small). When you look back at Oakland and what Flip (offensive coordinator John DeFilippo) has been used to and other places having that flexibility, the (Raiders FB) Marcel Reece type, I know that comparison has been made. It is just nice to have that guy, too, who can line up in different places because that helps the offense gather information. I have talked about that before. When you line up guys in unconventional spots, it forces the defense to tip their hand sometimes. That's a big part of what we are about is having that information pre-snap."

On if RB Shaun Draughn is earning more repetitions:
"He is (earning more snaps). He is a quiet kid and that's how he is on the field. He just does his job. There is not a lot of flash there. Like a lot of guys, he very quietly fills he grade sheet with pluses."

On if OL Cameron Erving is as NFL ready as OL Joel Bitonio was last year:
"I couldn't answer that question today. Let's get through some camp. We certainly didn't know that Joel Bitonio was going to be what he was after one day in pads. Let's reserve that judgement until we play a couple games."

On DB Joe Haden's performance today:
"That's Joe. He certainly didn't wait long to get into camp. He made some plays the other day in shorts, as well. It's good to see those guys out there competing. I know that's a big theme in the secondary room this year is making plays but doing it within the structure of the defense, holding each other accountable. When Joe makes plays like that, it can't help but be contagious."

On WR Andrew Hawkins role in the passing offense this year compared to last year:
"For now, we haven't clearly defined roles for individuals yet as we start to tailor game plans to guys. He'll do most of his work in the slot, but he certainly proved last year that if he has to line up outside at the Z or the X that he's more than capable of doing that. His skillset allows us that flexibility in scheme. He's also very smart and knows the playbook in and out so he can line up at any of those spots and be productive."

On his thoughts on the scuffle during practice:
"It's disappointing because we talk about it all the time – we want to be good teammates and that certainly falls outside of that. To me that's very quickly forgetting that you're a part of a team when you're looking to settle an individual score. I know guys feel disrespected or whatever it is, but there's just no place for that. There's also a fine line. We talk about being physical, being tough and being hard-nosed, and that's both sides of the ball. It's part of it. I'm not a fan of it, but it happens."

On if he's experienced players being seriously injured in practice scuffles:
"Fortunately, I have not been."

On OL Andrew McDonald's standing on the depth chart:
"He's another guy, very quiet, doesn't say a lot but he just goes out and works. He's had a really productive offseason for us, and we were very quietly optimistic about him coming into camp and very anxious to see how he'll be with pads on. If you remember, he was a guy we acquired late in the year from Indianapolis. Other than scout team, we didn't get a chance to do much with him, but he at least showed show flashes then. Like I said, he's had a really good offseason here and bought into the program, and we're hopeful he can be in the discussion."

On if today was a scheduled day off for OL Joe Thomas:
"Yes."

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