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Training Camp

Mike Pettine Press Conference - August 24

On if practice was cut short due to the quarterback situation:

"No we had a coordinator meeting even before that came up. There were things we wanted to get done, situationally. Headed into the day off we had some things we wanted to get done. Traditionally for us this has been a shorter practice."

On if QB Johnny Manziel is on a day-by-day basis with his sore arm:

"I think we have a pretty good feel that just the days rest will be enough and if it is not we will deal with it accordingly."

On if there was any need for an MRI for Manziel:

"No."

On status updates for guys who did not practice:

"The guys that were (on the bikes) we were just a little unsure about. Since today was a lighter day anyway, give them the day off, and then tomorrow being the off day to maximize their chances to be able to go this weekend. We'll see who can come out and go on Wednesday with essentially two more days of rest."

On if he is hopeful that Manziel will be able to play Saturday:

"Sure."

On OL Mitchell Schwartz status:

"I didn't notice that. I know he had his thumb wrapped up, but I didn't think it was anything serious."

On if he would like to see injured guys such as DB Joe Haden and DB Tashaun Gipson play against Tampa:

"The gamer is Saturday. If they can start practicing Wednesday there is no reason to think that they wouldn't be able to go."

On WR Terrelle Pryor's status:

"We are hopeful. If the guys haven't (practiced) by Thursday then they are not going to go. Primarily the guys that haven't been out there for a while you want to see them go Wednesday or it will be much less likely that they will go."

On updates he's received about Pryor's status:

"From what I understand he is close and improves every day. I just don't know. I don't know when that day is going to be where he is good to go. He is on a protocol with the trainers. I get an update every day. When I am told he can't go, he can't go. I focus most of my concerns on the guys out there."

On if DB Justin Gilbert status is similar to the previously mentioned injured players:

"Yes."

On the updates he has received on LB Barkevious Mingo:

"He is doing well. I think he ran for the first time the other day. Good results. He felt good the next day. I feel positive about where he is. I think that target is still up in the air, but it could be for the opener. We are just not sure yet."

On if the final preseason game is a highly unlikely return date for Mingo:

"I would have to say highly unlikely at this point."

On his thoughts about the depth of the defensive line:

"That'll be some tough decisions when we take this roster down to 53. That is quality depth. We have several guys that could play in this league. It remains to be seen whether or not we can keep all of them."

On what DL Randy Starks has shown this camp:

"We have taken care of him because of his time in the league, but when we've gotten him out there and asked him to go, he has gone. He has been productive. It is a veteran guy. I think he is a good presence in that room and a good influence. He has shown that he can still play."

On if Pryor's background with the quarterback position factors into the decision of whether or not he will make the team:

"Really looking at him right now as a wide receiver. If he does make it you could look to – it is nice knowing that you have that skill set. It is dangerous when you start to think we could still let him dabble back at quarterback. He has to prove that he can make it as a wideout first. That is a potential benefit down the road."

On DL Ishmaa'ily Kitchen status:

"I believe he has a groin (injury)."

On if Kitchen could become a victim of the numbers game in regards to how many defensive lineman the team keeps:

"We have several guys that can play and we will just have to see how it plays out. We still have two games left and we haven't started to make those decisions yet. You let it play out and see how it is at the end."

On if Gilbert is handling coaching better this season:

"He is better."

On Gilbert's technique:

"There are guys, and he is not the only one, where they can show the technique on the practice field. You have to be able to take the next step. Sometimes you get in a game and you revert back to poor habits. He is a guy that has been receptive to coaching and he has taken a step in the right direction that way."

On if it is common for guys who are drafted early in the first round to succeed in college solely based on their athleticism or are those guys commonly more polished in other areas:

"You look at size, speed, you look at the coverage ability and especially corners are going to have technical flaws coming out. There are a lot of different ways – it might have just been the way they were being coached. Were they press-bail guys? Were they press then stay square? Are they off cover guys? There are some guys coming out of college, (cornerbacks) who have never been asked to back pedal and you have to teach them that in the NFL. You don't want to ever let that restrict you from – hey he is not a finished product – from what we are looking for from a system standpoint this guy proved he could play corner at a high level in college and there are some technical things that we think can help him and that is why we go out and coach them hard every day."

On if he has ever coached any guys, corner specifically, where it took them two-plus years for their career to take off:

"I think the league is filled with example of guys that struggled early. I had (Ravens LB) Terrell Suggs. (Bills Head Coach) Rex (Ryan) and I had him in the (defensive) line room as a rookie and he was really struggling and was questioning his future in football coming out of those first couple weeks. The light came on for him. I look at a Bart Scott who was undrafted, who was barely making the team as a special teams guy and then all of sudden the light came on for him. Look at the career he had. A lot of these guys are late bloomers for a variety of reasons. I think the league is filled with examples of guys who have a tough time finding their way early and then the light eventually comes on."

On if the coaches considered changing Manziel's throwing mechanics due to his 3/4 release:

"No I just think at this point in his career we are not going to try to change his throwing motion. I think that is advantage he has. There are times where he will change his arm angle to make a throw. If you stick with your traditional throwing motion the ball is either going to get knocked down, you have a guy in your way, you have an outstretched arm -–you want to go and drop the ball down a little bit and make a throw. I think that is an advantage of his. We just have to be mindful of it and when he does get sore, shut him down."

On when evaluating Manziel did they identify his throwing motion as a possible advantage, while understanding it could also possibly be a cause for concern because of the soreness associated with it:

"I just think as long as you can manage it. A lot of time you have to rely on the player to give you the feedback that this is starting to bother me. Then we can do some things from a training standpoint. If that is what made him successful, then it is something you don't want to tinker with at this point. It is an advantage, as long as you can manage it. I can't think of any example form around the league where a guy came in and changed his arm angle and ended up out of the league because of chronic arm soreness."

On WR Shane Wynn playing safety today:

"Part of it is necessity. Just given our depth. You start to look forward to the last two games. For emergency planning that if you have to throw a guy out there. I have been involved in situations where we have gad to play an offensive lineman at defensive tackle. We have had to move receivers to play safety. He is a unique athlete. I would be shocked if he couldn't function on the defensive side. Right now it is just building some depth for the last two games."

On if he will find out something important about QB Josh McCown in the third preseason game:

"To me we just want continued progress with that group, in there with the ones. Running the offense and walking off the field a better offense as a result. There is nothing that we are looking for that is magical form this game. We just want to get better. We want to walk off the field in Tampa a better football team in all positions."

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