NICK CASERIO: Excited to get started here and say really the roster where it is, probably a snapshot of where it ultimately will be. Probably be a lot of changes between now and the end of the season, probably even before the start of the season. It's no different for us than it is the rest of the league.
But I think we're in a decent spot, try to have a couple good days of practice here today and tomorrow. And then the players have kind of that long weekend there, that mini bye. And we'll come back on Monday and kind of get ready for one of the best teams in the league, a week from Sunday, in the Rams.
A lot of work went into this to get to this point. The players have worked hard. The staff's worked hard. A lot of dialogue, a lot of conversations with a lot of people throughout the building, which will continue. DeMeco and I essentially, I was asked about this the other day, we'll basically talk about the team every day.
It just takes a lot of dialogue, a lot of conversation back and forth, and just try to arrive at a good endpoint that we feel makes sense for our team. If there's an opportunity out there that makes sense, we'll consider it. We're always going to consider it. If not, we'll always be prepared with the group we have.
So overall, we're in a decent spot, and kind of excited to flip the page here and get ready for the regular season.
Q. (Indiscernible) adding another tight end or do you feel like British Brooks is a person who can make you all flexible there?
NICK CASERIO: We'll see. I've talked about this at different points. Some positions you carry your depth on the roster. Some positions you carry your depth off the roster. We view it as 65, 70 players are essentially available every week at our disposal. Whoever we feel can help us that particular week or game, we'll consider it.
We probably very easily could have carried 60 to 65 players on the actual roster, but the rules are the rules. So we try to work within the parameters that we're given by the league. So some positions, they'll be on the 53, some will be on the practice squad.
But we don't view the practice squad players any differently than the players that are on the roster. Some of this is just mechanics and just positioning, and where do you feel that you have to carry a player or handle a player.
So we'll always look at it and ultimately do what we feel makes the most sense for our team.
Q. When it comes to British Brooks and him making the team again, what did he show you, special-teamer, and what has he shown you with how hard he works?
NICK CASERIO: Yeah, when you look at our program, what are the hallmarks of our teams and what's important to DeMeco? Toughness, effort, physicality, who better embodies that than British Brooks? The way he plays, his mindset, his toughness. The guy doesn't say boo. There's a lot of guys like that. Doesn't say much really in the building.
Let's his actions do the talking. British has earned his opportunity. The players on the team have earned the opportunity to be where they are. And there are a number of players not on the team that have earned their opportunity as well.
We'll see how it shakes out over the next, call it 24 hours -- there will be a lot of movement. You'll get the waiver period here by 11 o'clock. Teams have to put the claims in, and you'll form the practice squads by kind of 1 o'clock, midday. And there will be some other transactions tomorrow.
But by Thursday afternoon, wherever you're going to be, that's where you're going to be for now.
But British has worked really hard, had his season cut short last year with the injury. But when he's been on the field, he's made an impact. Made an impact last year going back. He was active week one, made tackle on kickoff coverage, something like that.
When you're a role player you have to do multiple things well. You either a starter on offense, a starter on defense or a starter on the kicking game.
So, now, again, we can only take 48 players to the game each week. Whether he's a part of that or not, we'll see how it all transpires.
But British is a good kid, works hard, embodies a lot of the qualities we covet in this program.
(Audio issue).
Four games or four weeks. Once we get through four weeks, we'll evaluate it at that time.
Q. (Indiscernible) instead of PUP, something away from the facility?
NICK CASERIO: It's not my call. It's the league's call. You turn the transactions in, and they put the players in categories. So that's how it's handled.
Q. (Indiscernible) playing this year, (indiscernible)?
NICK CASERIO: We'll see, take it one day at a time and we'll evaluate those players after four weeks and see where they are in their progression and make a determination.
Q. (Indiscernible) just mentioned, this is the point where we are for now. How long was that process when you're talking about 96 hours and then you saw the redo this process again?
NICK CASERIO: That's a good question. I'd say it's fluid. It's an ongoing process throughout the year. When you look at some of the players that are currently on this team -- let's just use Tommy Togiai as an example -- a year ago we weren't even talking about Tommy Togiai. He wasn't in our team, he wasn't in training camp, he wasn't on the practice squad. We signed him, like, end of September, beginning of October. Started to the practice squad, worked his way onto the roster. A year later, here he is on the 53-man roster with an opportunity to make a contribution.
Go back two years ago, we were having this conversation. I mean, nobody was talking about Derek Barnett. Derek Barnett, a waiver claim in November, and DB has been, I'd say, an integral part of what we're doing here the last few years.
So it's a fixed point in time. The rules are the rules. Everybody has got to get to 53, then you form a practice squad. You'll see more movement, probably more movement on and off practice squads than you will see on the roster. But at any point a player could go from the practice squad to the roster, and it's a simple transaction.
We view it as an ongoing thing. No different, we've talked about this, everybody gets excited about the draft, but I think more of a deal is made out of the draft than really should be. It's just a fixed point in time.
No different, here we are in training camp, to go from 90 to 53. It's a fixed point in time. But the roster-building process is ongoing. And there will be other opportunities out there for us, and we'll always look at it and we'll consider it. If it makes sense, we'll do it. If it doesn't, we won't. But that's kind of how we handle it.
Q. Tommy, what have you liked about him since he's gotten here, and has he exceeded expectations for --
NICK CASERIO: Similar answer regarding British Brooks. Tommy is probably one of the hardest-working players, probably one of the most consistent players from the start of the offseason program until now. He started training in February. He's like a 700-pound squatter, he's one of the strongest guys on the team.
Tommy was a good player at Ohio State, was a fourth-round pick by the Browns. Didn't work out. Kinda had some injuries, shortchanged there a bit. But Tommy is an NFL football player. He's got the right mindset. He's got the right attitude. He works his tail off. He goes out there and makes plays.
He's been really good to work with. He's taken advantage of the opportunities when they've been provided. And glad he's here.
Q. Has it become a reality to you guys that Joe was going to miss this much time?
NICK CASERIO: Yeah, we take it one day at a time and can't really -- there's no crystal ball out there. We build a team and take the information and plan accordingly. So Joe's not available right now. So, whenever he becomes available, we'll talk about it at that point in time.
Q. If he isn't able to play, do you feel this running back room can handle his loss?
NICK CASERIO: We feel the players on the team can help us; otherwise they wouldn't be here. So whoever has got to play -- we're probably going to need everybody at some point. The players on the team we'll need them. Players on the practice squad we'll need.
Whoever is in the building, the expectation is that you're going to prepare each week and get ready to play and that you could help our team. There's multiple examples of that. D'Angelo Ross, there's another player, practice squad, has helped us in the kicking game, made an impact.
Ka'dar Hollman, over the course of his career. There's multiple players that have been off a roster, on a practice squad who we've activated for games and they've gone out there. Tommy, we just talked about him. Nobody was talking about Tommy Togiai last year at this point either. And he's going out in playoff games and helping us win.
Whoever is here the expectation is they'll get themselves ready to play. If there's a better option out there for us we'll consider it. If there's not, then we won't.
Q. C.J. at quarterback, Davis, backup for a couple of years now. What goes into keeping Graham Mertz on the roster versus another roster spot in another position?
NICK CASERIO: Trying to keep good football players in the building. Some of it is roster mechanics -- what do we feel makes the most sense? Every team will have a third quarterback in some capacity. Some will be on, some will be on the practice squad. When you look at the numbers, probably half and half.
So it's just a matter of like what do you think makes the most sense. We have done it both ways. We've had two on. Last year we had two. We've had three at different points. We just felt that made the most sense for Graham at this point.
Graham worked hard, played well the other day. Been pretty consistent really since he walked into the building. Kind of taken time to get up to speed, coming off the ACL injury he sustained back there in Florida.
Some of it is just whatever we feel makes the most sense for the team. And there's going to be players like I mentioned a little bit earlier, if our depth is not on the roster, probably going to carry it off the roster, so might be able to supplement it a couple different ways.
Q. (Indiscernible) Johnson (indiscernible) positions, played some nickel. Do you like what he can do as a potential backup nickel to petri?
NICK CASERIO: You talking about Jalen? He's taken reps, little bit in, little bit out, probably worked a little bit more on the perimeter. So just try to figure out what makes the most sense.
We have a number of players that have experience playing inside the formation. PD (phonetic) is one of them. Kamari has played inside formation. Myles Bryant has played inside formation -- he's not here right now, but Myles has experience there. Even CD (phonetic), when he was in Philadelphia, has played inside the formation.
Just try to find guys that maybe have a certain degree of flexibility and really whatever you ask them to do make sure you're not asking them to do something either, A, they're not comfortable with, or, B, they're better off doing something else. We'll figure out what makes the most sense.
But we feel like we have the number of versatile players back there in the secondary. Other than Stingley, most of the guys have some position of flex. And honestly if Stingley had to go inside and play inside the formation, situationally, the guys's best corner in the league, I'm sure he'll figure it out.
Q. (Indiscernible) Johnson, it appears a reasonable assumption that he's on the roster because he could be available the first couple of weeks of the season?
NICK CASERIO: We'll see. I mean, he's worked hard. I mean, we'll see if he's ready to practice here at some point. So CD is a good player. We think he can help us. We'll see how much progress he makes.
Again, we're not playing a game for 10 days, so there's a lot of things that can happen between now and the start of the season. We'll see how it goes. But CD is in a good spot. He's worked really hard and made some progress. We'll see when he's ready to go.
Q. You as a former quarterback know the importance of OC --
NICK CASERIO: Bad quarterback.
Q. You set some records --
NICK CASERIO: They got obliterated.
Q. But you know the importance of quarterbacking and offensive coordinator being on the same accord. How have you seen that develop over time with C.J. and Nick Caley?
NICK CASERIO: It's no different than probably the relationship that DeMeco and I have. You're in constant contact. You talk about everything. There's communication back and forth.
Hey, like this, what do you think? And not really comfortable with that. Maybe it's something else. That's how it should work. Any good relationship, it's about good communication. So it starts there.
Whether it's football, whether it's in life, I mean, my kids don't like maybe the communication we have, but it's about good constructive dialogue, good communication. And ultimately the quarterback has to be comfortable because he's the one, the ball is in his hands 99% of the time on every play.
In the end, once the play clock gets cut off, 15 seconds, you're on your own. You want to make sure you're comfortable with the call, comfortable with the formationing, comfortable with where you're going with the quarterback. Maybe it's a mechanic thing, maybe it's technique. Maybe, can we make this adjustment to the formation? Hey, that's a good idea.
I've seen the best relationships I've seen in that situation. There's just a lot of dialogue. Saw firsthand how that went with Tommy and Josh. Honestly, it was, Josh probably got sick of Tom, but that's all right. But they were talking from Sundays after the game until Sunday morning before the next game. I mean, that's what it takes.
The hardest position to play in all of sports. It takes a lot of work and constant communication and dialogue on a day-to-day basis.
Q. When you first got here, we were talking about process over results during the rebuild. How would you describe this phase as compared to where you were those first two?
NICK CASERIO: No different. I think our program is very process-oriented. If you have a good process in place, hopefully it leads to good results.
Sometimes good process doesn't necessarily lead to the best results, but what we've tried to do is just establish some level of consistency on a day-to-day basis, what we were doing on all levels: coaching, scouting, nutrition, player performance in all areas, and just get the right people in the building, understanding that it's a hard business.
You're going to face some adversity. You're going to face some stretches where things aren't going great. So you're either going to withstand that or you're going to wilt.
We feel we can handle anything that's put in front of us, and that's what you want to kind of build. Just gotta focus on the process because the reality is, after a game on Sunday, you have to go back and start over.
So postgame, all right, then you've got to rebuild back up to get back to that same point. You don't just go from one week to the next. DeMeco and I believe that strongly, having a good process, being consistent day-to-day.
If there's an area we can tweak or improve that can enhance our program, we'll always consider that. As long as we're here that will be the approach.
Q. Progress (inaudible). And how does that vary the progress and the injury to Cam Robinson affect the tackle position?
NICK CASERIO: The offensive line, we'll put the best five guys out there, so however we deploy them. Tay is a good player. That's why we drafted him. He's worked on the right and left.
We have a number of players on the offensive line that have position versus versatility. Titus has played all four positions on the offensive line other than center, even going back to '21. He was out there at left tackle against San Francisco. He's played left guard.
What we're trying to do on the offensive line, we've talked about this, is try to have enough players that have some position versatility. Because if you lose somebody at one spot, what's the solution?
So is it you move a guy, or as you take the sixth seventh, or eighth player and he goes in, you have to move somebody else over?
So we feel that that room, we have a lot of versatility and flexibility there. We'll get the five best guys out there and kind of see what it looks like.
Q. Talking about Cam Robison and given that you all have an excess of tackles, do you think that's possible?
NICK CASERIO: I've said this multiple times. I mean, can't ever have enough tackles in your building. So feel like however you count Tytus, we have three and a half tackles, we have four tackles, but we have a number of players that can play tackle. Even Deck (phonetic), I know we traded him yesterday, but Deck had a good preseason. There's a guy that's actually started games in the NFL.
It was a situation where it felt like, all right, kind of made sense. Probably have a good opportunity out there. So you're going to need tackles, so feel like we have some decent ones here. Hopefully we can keep them in the building because at some point we're probably going to need all of them.
Q. You were talking about the league handling NFI, and do you reserve NFI for Joe no different than a guy on IR designated to return?
NICK CASERIO: It's the same category. Some is logistics and vernacular. Honestly, I think a lot is made more of it than it really is.
Whatever the status is, on reserve it's four games. After four games then you see where the player is. Doesn't mean they're going to come back; it just means that they're available to start the 21-day window.
So those players are all treated the same. That's how we view it. Maybe other teams view it differently, but that's kind of how we approach it.
Q. At the end of the day not ready to say whether he'll be available that seven weeks concluding that 21-day window?
NICK CASERIO: Yeah, all those players that are on that reserve category, every single one of them, they're out four weeks, so after four weeks, we'll see where they are.
Q. Did you expect or were you surprised that Jimmy was placed on the commissioner's exempt list?
NICK CASERIO: Yeah, whatever the league decide. Honestly, it's their decision. We'll deal with it accordingly. Kind of let the process play itself out. So I don't really have anything to add beyond that.
Q. What about how your relationship with DeMeco, how it's evolved over these three seasons and talk about how in sync you guys are.
NICK CASERIO: Yeah honestly, it probably hasn't changed since the day we hired him to where we are now. I've said this publicly, I've said this privately, I flat out love the guy. I have a massive amount of appreciation and respect for who he is, what he's about.
You see, when we talk to players, especially when you're going through the release process, it's not an easy process. But the class and dignity with which we try to handle it and then what's expressed from the players to him, how they hold him in the regard that they do. I mean, honestly, it's pretty uplifting.
So we talk a lot. I think we see football through the same lens. We have a massive amount of respect for each other and the jobs that we have to do. But in the end, this building is about doing things as a team and it's doing things collectively. So no one person is bigger than the team. No one person is bigger than the organization.
We both feel that way. Philosophically, we're aligned that way. I've said this, he's as good of a human being and person as a coach. And he's one of the best coaches in the league. So our relationship has been really good from the start. I think it's grown each year. And I'm glad he's our coach. I really wouldn't want to work with anybody else, and hopefully it continues to lead to pretty good results and we can keep moving the organization in a good direction.
I say this humbly, but I think our program is pretty respected league-wide. It's because of the players and because of the people in the building. People want to be here. When a player basically says, look, I hope I don't get claimed so I can go to your practice squad, honestly, it speaks to where your program is.
We've come a long way. Look, I was here for '21 and nobody was saying that. We're obviously in a different spot. So hopefully we can just keep doing the right things, being consistent day to day, treat people the right way, just be honest with them and tell them the truth, and it starts at the top with him.
Now, he won't take credit because he's so humble and his nature -- but everything starts with him. And it disseminates throughout the rest of the building. I've said it multiple times. My job is to support him in any capacity possible, whatever that entails, and for as long as I'm in the position that I'm in, then that's my commitment to him and to the organization.
Q. Basically saying, yeah, I haven't arm wrestled --
NICK CASERIO: No, he'll beat my ass. We work together, but he's moving more weight than I am. But he can go out there and probably still make a tackle if he had to.
Q. From an organizational perspective, handling injuries and information and stuff like that, what is the approach that you and DeMeco take when it comes to injury information and players and whatnot?
NICK CASERIO: Protect the players. Again, it's not public information. So again, here's what happened with injuries, Landry: Everybody tries to make an extrapolation about when are they ready, what are they doing; well, you guys said it was this number of weeks, and then it was early and then it was later.
Like, there's no good solution. The solution is protect the players, look out for the best interests of the players. Take it one day at a time. Everybody is on a different timetable. Everybody has a different process they have to go through, and that's how we handle it.
So, again, like other teams may handle it differently. So we just do what we feel is in the best interests of the team and what's best for the players. And DeMeco has said this. He was a former player, so he obviously has a pretty good lens. I just think sometimes there's an extrapolation that tries to get made about every detail and what a player is going through.
Look, players are dealing with a lot. And I would say, in a lot of cases it's very mentally fatiguing and taxing for that particular player, and nobody else really knows what else they have going on top of their injuries.
So we're trying to be sensitive. Look, I understand you all have a job to do and you're trying to get information. We understand that. We respect that. But we're also trying to look out for the best interests of the players because that's what we feel our responsibility too is to them.
Q. I get y'all's point of view, but if you know someone is going to be out for two months and you don't say anything, then doesn't the assumption kind of work the other way where people think, well, oh, he could be back next week, he could be back next week, does that put the player in a tough spot too?
NICK CASERIO: No, I would say in the situations we're in, the NFI, PUP, our guys, they're out for four weeks. Let's see where we are after four weeks and we'll make a determination about their progress moving forward.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports