Outside linebackers coach Brian Fleury:
On LB Nate Orchard's progress:
"He's progressing very quickly from a rookie's standpoint. He's putting in all the extra work that he needs to. I'm sure you guys have seen him almost every day. When he's not, lifting he's out here putting in a few extra minutes just working on honing his craft. I'm excited about where he is right now."
On how losing LB Barkevious Mingo to injury changes the OLB situation:
"I don't view it as losing Mingo. He still has a chance to be ready for the first game. He's just missing a few practice reps. I look at it as a positive. Nate's going to get more reps now, and some of the other guys are going to have the opportunity to get into some situations that they might not have gotten into and learn from it and get better."
On if depth is a concern, considering Mingo's injury:
"It's only a concern in the preseason games, where you look to take some reps off some of guys that have secured their role and you get into the second half and now a guy like (LB) Mike Reilly has to play every single play. Potentially if there's an injury there, you're looking at putting somebody in that maybe hasn't gotten a lot of practice at a certain position. Otherwise, I feel good about all of the guys in the room, and depth is not a concern."
On Orchard's potential impact as a pass rusher:
"Obviously his pass rushing stints jump off the tape and that's a role where I think he'll be able to help us quickly. As you've said, we haven't seen him in the preseason yet. I know what he's done here in a controlled environment against our own guys. There are a lot of things to be excited about, but I don't want to get too excited until we see him do it against an opponent."
On LB Scott Solomon:
"I love working with Scott. He's a very passionate guy. He really has a great approach to everything. It's hard to imagine asking more out of a player from that standpoint. He really commits and gives everything he's got on every single play."
On Solomon's talent level:
"Any shortcomings he has from a talent standpoint, he's able to overcome through his preparation and his work ethic and the way he approaches everything. I know (Head) Coach (Mike) Pettine has talked about the 'Play like a Brown' attributes that we value so highly here, and he certainly embodies all of those. Talent, I'm sure you guys have noticed, is not on that list."
Running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery:
On how frustrating is it to have so many guys missing time due to injuries:
"It is not frustrating for me. Practice goes on. That is just like in a game. One guy get up. Next man on deck. It is not frustrating for me. It is just the guys behind them – it is a golden opportunity to step up and show people what you can do."
On RB Shaun Draughn's camp prior to his thumb injury:
"Shaun was having an excellent camp. One is he is a mentor to the whole group, the young group. The other is that he was like a coach on the field. I hate to see the injury because he was doing so well, and he was a big time mentor to (RB) Duke (Johnson Jr.) until Duke got hurt, showing him how to do certain things. I am going to miss him right now until he gets back out on the field."
On if it is a problem that Johnson Jr. has accumulated missed practices because he is a rookie:
"He is just missing reps. He is sitting in meetings all the time, taking notes, doing what we him to do. Duke showed so much in the OTAs and the minicamps. Before his injury, he showed us the things we wanted to see. As long as he stays focused and stays into it, I think he is going to be OK because he has done a lot of things already. The running part of it – he's a running back. Put him on his track and tell him his keys and he is going to be fine. Plus, he played in this system before. He has a little bit of advantage [over] the other guys like (RB Isaiah) Crowell and (RB Terrance) West because they never played in the system. Last year was their first time. Duke ran it all three years in college."
On what makes Johnson Jr. stand out:
"It wasn't just OTAs. Coaches and scouts will evaluate film. It is what a guy can do, what he can give you. He gives you another dimension that we don't have in the group that we had last year. Duke can be a slot receiver. He can line up wide and you can move him all over the field. He is a total mismatch. In my report, I wrote him up as a Thurman Thomas-type running back when he came out because he can be in any spot and take advantage of his athleticism."
On if Draughn shared a similar role to Johnson Jr. in the offense:
"They just mirrored each other. As far as Duke in the protection aspect, that was the one thing where there was a little bit of a concern about the blocking aspect of it, blocking bigger linebackers and stuff. So far when we had one-on-ones against the linebackers, he was able to hold his own. Yes, Shaun has been a mentor to him, you could say, of how to carry his pads."
On if Johnson Jr. can be an every down back in the NFL:
"I think when you are on this level here everybody can be a lead back. It is what you are looking for in it. We don't have a bell cow guy. The game today is a situational game. You don't know what personnel you are putting out on the field. You can go three wides, four wides or two tight ends and one back. It all depends on what the coordinator calls and what personnel he wants out on the field. Duke can fit into all of the personnel."
