Q. The situation last year, when you're in that situation, how do you know without a lot of wide reps and pre-season reps that things are moving in the direction you want? What are some benchmarks?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, I think it certainly training camp is a process, especially when you're kind of going through a process that may be new in some forms.
And so the early part of it is really an installation process where we're trying to expose ourself to as much scheme as we can that will come up throughout the course of a season, whether it's zone running game, gap running game, all the varieties.
You just want to expose yourself to some of those things the first couple weeks, and then we start narrow is the focus as we get into the preseason games, and the vets can narrow their focus on identity and some of the things that we'll focus on moving forward.
Q. (Regarding Jalen and the run game.)
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, certainly it's been an excellent factor that Jalen has been able to utilize being an extra guy in the run game. Certainly something we want to continue to build off of.
I think there is an element of just finding the games, finding the situations that are right to best suit when we utilize that.
But it's a great strength of Jalen. He does an excellent job and he's a really smart runner. I think that's a critical factor to that, that he's smart with the ball, smart with when to make those decisions, and I think he protects himself pretty well.
Q. Talk about how he's run the offense from what you've seen so far.
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, Jalen been really smooth the first couple days. Been excellent, just his operation. You can just tell he's in command, he's in control; he's doing an excellent job at the line of scrimmage with the a little nuances, adjustments that he has at his disposal, and so it's been really good.
Q. From your experience, when it comes to handling pass protection at the line of scrimmage, is it better for the quarterback to take the lead than the center, or vice versa? Cam and Jalen both kind of expressed that.
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, there is different ways of approaching it. Obviously really when you've been around both aspects of it, I think at the end of the day those two guys have to team up together.
And so ultimately sometimes the QB can see a little bit of a wider lens. His perspective may be a little bit different. He does have a trump card ability to make those adjustments when necessary.
But Cam certainly gives us the ability to speed the process up, make a decision. Jalen can work with him and team up together. Those guys are doing on excellent job the first couple days. Just continue to build on that.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah.
Q. Explain a little bit how that works.
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, I think when the offensive line, they all have different vantage points, and so whether it be your tackles, guards, or your center, it's critical that those guys are communicating, making the communication. A tackle may identify a particular look that may identify something we need to make an adjustments to.
So those guys teaming up together and making the call and Jalen having the ability to make any adjustments necessary, because he knows where his route combinations will allow him to throw it, whatever it be a hot or an adjustment, whatever it may be.
He knows where his answers may be and where he needs to protect himself.
Q. What was the process like to tailor this offense a little bit to Jalen?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, been a lot of fun. I think that's the great joy in this process, is teaming up with Jalen and really this whole group. It's all of us together teaming up on this thing, building on everyone's strength and their experiences, making the adjustments that we need, and continuing to find our way as how are we going to evolve in 2024.
It's not necessarily just what Jalen has done in the past, just what I've been exposed to. It is what we are trying to continue to build on that across all league trends.
Q. What's been the biggest difference you've seen in his game?
KELLEN MOORE: That's a great question. I think just his comfort level, utilizing his tool box, and I think he's doing an excellent job leading this offense.
Taking command of the huddle, the operation. I think when they feel the confidence that Jalen comes to the huddle with and at the line of scrimmage, I think it's critical. I just can't say enough good things about the operation that he's been creating.
Q. How do you sort of assess the third wide receiver position, how guys want to separate? What do you need to see?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, it's a really fun process. We got some excellent guys here. It's a really deep receiving group. It's so much fun to watch all the guys compete.
They'll all get their opportunities, all chances. Obviously DeVonta and AJ will have certainly a lot of opportunities, but those other guys, I mean, there is critical moments we got to put those guys in a position to succeed.
They have to be able to adjust based off where those guys are aligned. Got to have smart guys that understand where they are and can be reliable. We got an excellent group to compete with.
Q. Lane Johnson talked about your history, wide versus vertical. Can you explain the difference?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, yeah, I think just, again, there is just a variety of different things that we can present, and we're trying to expose ourself to as many different ways in which we can utilize, whether it be protections, whether it be the pocket movement.
So we want to give ourselves as much exposure and then tighten it up as we go into the season. There are a lot of different tools based off the defenses that we play. We just want to give them as much exposure to these different tools we may use throughout the season, and so we're continuing to build on those different toolboxes in to each and every position.
Q. Where did you get your terminology?
KELLEN MOORE: Terminology? That's a great question. I think we're continuing to evolve. You start with just naturally my exposure. I think it started obviously in Dallas with Jason, and then Mike came in and we made some adjustments from there.
And so there is a little bit of a blending of those two worlds together. And so I think that's the fun process about this thing, is words just keep changing and evolving and changing every place, and we try and build it based on the comfort level of all the players.
Q. How much input does Jalen have in helping you construct the offense?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, Jalen is a huge part of this process. I think his experience over the course of the last few years, all the things he's been able to accomplish, we wanted to build on though things. Comfort level with a certain concept or scheme, we want to make sure we emphasis that, continue to build off.
Okay, now there is a core play; how can we compliment that play? How can we protect it with a different presentation, a different look? Those are the fun conversations we get to have because we're continuing to build this thing each and every day.
Q. Do you get a feel of the presence that Saquon brings to the offense as far as it might help others, have that kind of impact?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, Saquon is obviously a special player. You can see it out here without even pads, just his bursts, quickness, ability to hit the hole. Obviously he'll be a guy that you can utilize at all aspects of the field. He can be a space player, which we're excited about in the pass game.
So he's going to be able to attack people in a lot of different ways. That's the exciting part. It won't be just downhill run game. He'll be able to emphasize and do some other things.
Q. AJ and DeVonta have said that this offense gives them maybe a little more freedom than they had previously to I guess move around or alter routes. Can you give a little more about how that may differ from what has been here before?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, that's a great question. I don't know all the context going backwards, but I know focusing on this year, I think a really big aspect is continue to put the guys in various positions.
So it's not a traditional AJ always lines up, at let's a X, and you can anticipate him always being in this position each and every play. And so we're continuing to move those guys, put them in position based off our scheme, where things may go, or where we want to put them in high likelihood of touching the football.
Also what's the defense presenting us so we can put those guys in advantageous situations.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah. I think by rule you have to have a starting point, and so we do have a starting point. But I think it's not going to be very strong starting point. Those guys are going to move throughout the game and each and every week.
And so that's the strength of the theirs, is their ability to handle all that. And that goes into that third receiver having the ability to line up in a few different spots based off where those guys line up.
Q. ...playcaller, is throwing the ball a function of the scheme or more...
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, I think it's got to be both. It does have to be an outlet at times for the quarterback. I think it's critical that we utilize those guys in the pass game to create horizontal space and get them vertical once in a while.
We have been fortunate to be around some really good ones in the past. Saquon is going to be phenomenal. Kenny has done it before. Will has shown tons of evidence that he'll be able to utilize that skill.
And so we have three backs that can play a lot of different places on the field, and that will be a huge advantage for us.
Q. Looking at the second tight end spot, early impressions of Calcaterra?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, excellent group first and foremost. Tons of depth. Really good. Excited about having the ability to play with a lot of those guys. Grant has did not an excellent job to be the second tight end currently. His just consistency throughout OTAs, early in training camp. He has a great awareness and understanding of the game. Teams up with Dallas really, really well, and so we're excited about that and hopefully continues to build.
Q. Nick said he has taken a step back from the offense. What are the times when you do receive input from him?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, I think that's the fun part of this process. We're all teaming up together. When Nick is available he's hopping in there and is part of the process. It's a ton of fun.
I think what's cool about us is we all have different exposures and we're able to team up and bring all those different ideas and concepts together and really continue to build and evolve this thing.
Q. ...seasons Jalen has mostly had a static picture pre-snap, so you're introducing a lot more motion. What's the process been like of getting him comfortable with that?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, I think, again, like you said, it's just a visual thing. The more you rep things at times. If you choose to use motion for a particular reasons or situations, it's just exposure, see the defense change and how those changes are presented.
Again, it's reps, experience, and then understanding kind of what we're trying to create because of it.
Q. Had some great offensive lines in Dallas. As a playcaller, what's it like to have that luxury that you don't have to really tackle all that much?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, obviously Jordan and Lane are two of the best in this entire league. They are phenomenal vets. They understand the game. They play the game at a really high level from a physical standpoint and also from an intellectual standpoint. It's fun to see those guys play each and every day.
It's a huge advantage for this place.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, that's a great question. I don't know if 2.3 is the exact number. We've utilized that number in the past at different places. Part of the thing is just emphasizing that every play, you know, we spend all our time trying to draw up some beautiful play that will work perfectly and we all hope and have those dreams.
It doesn't always happen that way in the NFL, and so there is a second component to every play where you can get into the off schedule part and continue to emphasize that. That's a huge strength for Jalen, his ability to run after that, and also still remain a passer and the O-line has to strain longer, keep protecting the. The skill guys have to find the open space.
So we're continuing to try and build on those moving forward.
Q. What are your impressions of Kenny?
KELLEN MOORE: He's done a really nice job can. I think you can tell he's played a lot of football. He is smooth, he knows how to operate, he finds completions places. He has a sneaky athletic ability where he can get out in space in some of those scramble situations or QB-designed runs.
He's done a couple of those. We feel really fortunate to have Kenny here.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports