DeMECO RYANS: -- just want to have guys who are able to learn multiple spots, guys that are able to communicate and play fast.
Q. Today you had the refs out there. What do you use them for?
DeMECO RYANS: It's important for us to have the NFL refs out. We're thankful for them coming out to assist us when it comes to our two-minute drills and how we're trying to operate.
We want to make sure we're as clean as possible. If there are any tips we can learn from the refs, they may have suggestions or ideas that can help us improve our efficiency as an offense, as a defense, whether it comes to penalties. They give us those tips and things that they are looking for, so we can see the game and understand what they're looking for.
We see it through the refs' lenses. We know how to play smarter football whether it comes to offense or defense.
Q. (No microphone.)
DeMECO RYANS: Yeah, Will has been great throughout camp. One thing about Will, he's been the same guy who we thought we were getting when we drafted him, right? He's been on it every single day.
When it comes to just the effort, the tenacity that he plays with, the energy, everything about him, he's been that and more. Will has gotten better each and every day. He takes coaching really well. Dock has done a really good job of working with him, honing in on just those small fine details of his game.
Will has done a great job of absorbing coaching and being able to take it to the field and apply it. It's been cool to watch.
Q. (Question regarding rotations.)
DeMECO RYANS: Both of our guys have been rotating each week. As you came to practice, you've seen we've rotated those guys each week. Just happened to be the week C.J. was with the ones.
Q. (Question regarding gambling.)
DeMECO RYANS: It's been prevalent across the league. We've seen the penalties that have come down on some of these players.
I've met with our players, had meetings. We discussed the gambling, making sure they understand the gambling policy, what we can and cannot do as players, also as employees of the NFL.
I tell guys it's best to just stay away from it, right? What are you gaining versus gambling versus what to you stand to lose with your NFL career? It's not worth it.
So my advice to our guys is just stay away from it. Nothing to gain.
Q. Can you talk about Laremy, having such a veteran. Can you talk about what he adds for the young guys.
DeMECO RYANS: I think Laremy can add stability, right? He can add that experience where guys have questions, like for our rookies and younger guys, to lean on those veterans who have done it at a high level and a long time, right? Pro Bowl, All Pro, whatever those accolades have been, he's been one of the top left tackles in the league. How can you gain some type of knowledge from a guy as a young player?
I'm expecting our young guys to be sponges, hoping Laremy shares as much as possible to train the next guys who are coming after him to give them all the tips and tricks of the trade.
Q. For a young quarterback like C.J., the fine line of protecting the football but still taking those shots when they're there, how do you instill that?
DeMECO RYANS: For me with the quarterback, it's all about confidence, right? We want him to rip it. If you see it, go through your progression. If you see it, make it happen.
We understand every ball is not going to be perfect, you're not going to protect it all the time. I never want our quarterback playing afraid to make a mistake. I want everybody playing to their maximum potential and attacking everything that we do.
Q. (Question regarding Christian Harris.)
DeMECO RYANS: What excites me about Christian is his God-given ability. Not many linebackers that are fast or explosive as Christian Harris is. What he's capable of becoming in this league, he's capable of becoming a really, really great linebacker.
He just has to continue to improve. I saw it today at practice, it was fun to watch, right, seeing him take another step today. So it was fun to watch.
It's a progress. It doesn't happen overnight, but he's definitely having the right mindset to put the work in to become really good at his craft. I'm excited to see where he is when we start training camp.
Q. You mentioned playing to your players' strengths. What is Sheldon, Willis' strengths?
DeMECO RYANS: Both guys, Sheldon and Malik, veterans, experienced. Both guys have played in big games, both guys have done it at a high level.
What I like about both is they are pros. They work every day. They're consistent, right? They're accountable to their teammates. That's who I want around, guys we can count on, guys we know what they bring to the party. They are going to play on the other side of the line of scrimmage.
Both guys are smaller D tackles that can attack, utilize their quickness, their speed to puncture the offensive line.
Q. (No microphone.)
DeMECO RYANS: We'll see where their process goes in training camp. As the competition continues to grow, we'll see who separates themselves. That decision will take care of itself.
Q. (Question about J.J. Watt.)
DeMECO RYANS: Outstanding, right? J.J. Watt is a man who represents everything that I try to instill in the players that we want in Texans, right?
First off, we know the player that J.J. is. Outstanding player. What I tell our guys is what I remember about J.J. Watt and playing with him was just his work ethic was just unmatched on the field, right? Every practice, he brought it every practice. There wasn't a day off. He didn't take days off. He didn't relax.
J.J., it was always important to him to be the best at what he did, right? It shows. With the honor that he's receiving here, he's just a phenomenal guy.
Just what he's done in the community here in Houston, the impact he's had on our community, that's what speaks to me most about J.J. The Hurricane Harvey relief, what he's done to impact the people of Houston, he'll never be forgotten here. He'll always be a special, special player, a special man for the city of Houston.
I just want our guys to emulate J.J. All-encompassing, the player, the man, how he is in the community, now as a father. With J.J., it was a special moment for me being able to see him in his last game, right? The 49ers against Cardinals, his last game. Just to show the type of player that J.J. is and the man that he is. They stopped the game for J.J. to walk off and be celebrated by the entire stadium, Levi Stadium. He walked off to a standing ovation in an away game stadium. Shows the impact he has not only here as a Texan or Cardinal, but his impact around the NFL community. It will be unmatched.
Congratulations to you, J.J. Well-Deserved.
Thank you.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports