New York Jets Head Coach Todd Bowles, 6.5

[Maxman]

New York Jets Head Coach Todd Bowles, 6.5

 

On his reaction to Chris Herndon arrest...

If anything happens with one of our players, you’re upset about it as a person, I’m upset about it as a coach. We talk about these things. We have things in place for these types of things. It happened. We try to deal with it accordingly and we'll deal with it in-house. 

 

On if he is concerned with the number of arrests recently regarding DWI...

It's not a Jets problem, or a league problem. It's a nationwide problem. We'll deal with them on a daily basis as they come and you talk about them and we're against them. You’re against certain things, and things happen in your 20's. You treat them as individual cases and you move on. 

 

On if he addresses proper conduct and behavior with the team...

We address it generally, personally, team-wise and group-wise. We address this all the time. 

 

On if he needs to re-evaluate what he allows players to do during their off-time as well as other areas...

First, we don't allow players to do anything on their off time. They do what they want to do, because we can’t monitor them 24-7. All you can do is try to teach them the right way, just like you would teach your kids. They are going to mess up. You can’t just say it's certain guys. Everybody in this world has children that they want to do the right thing and be scholar students and go get great jobs and it doesn't happen. If there is something wrong, you try to fix it, you try to correct it, but you don't throw them by the wayside. At the same time, you let them know there are consequences, there is a way we deal with things, and you move on. 

 

On if more can be done to research a player’s background... 

Well, we gather plenty of information, obviously. He (Herndon) has not had a problem and he does not have a glitch in his evaluation or anything. There is nothing to bring up. These things do happen. 

 

On if these types of issues are more significant because people can be harmed...

We know this growing up. This is not just when you get into the league. We learn this in class when we go to high school or junior high school. It’s not like this is just coming about. DWI’s are a problem nationwide. It’s not just a football problem. We have a guy that has a DWI and we have had some people in the past, No different than a lot of other people. That doesn't make it okay. No, it doesn't make it okay. You deal with them on an individual basis. I'm not here to sit here and say I approve of it, because I don't. Is it a problem? Yes. To lay all this on Chris, no we're not going to lay all of it on him. He’s got to take responsibility. We understand that. We will deal with it in house, but I'm not going to sit here and be a spokesperson and say it's okay to drive drunk, because it's not. 

 

On if the players are being disciplined strongly enough to deter these types of actions...

You can discipline them. You can suspend them. If a person is going to drink, I have realized in life that they are going to drink. And this is not to say anything about Chris that he is doing that, but you try to discipline them and you go accordingly. It isn't like all of us sitting in here haven't made a mistake in life. I, for one, have. I am not going to sit here and say that I am without sin, so we go on from there. 

 

On if he plans to change his disciplinary process...

Our disciplinary process is fine. There is nothing wrong with the disciplinary process. The arrests are going to happen and you deal with them as they come. 

 

On if he thinks he will ever have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to these types of actions...

We can have a different policy. I am not going to say never, but things change accordingly. There is nothing wrong with our policy right now. Just having a policy, you signed a contract and everything else, you are making 10, 20, 30 million dollars. If that doesn't stop you or anything else, what else is going to stop you?

 

On Morris Claiborne’s injury...

He bruised his hand. He is in a soft cast for a while. 

 

On if Claiborne will be ready by training camp...

He is supposed to be.

 

On if Terrelle Pryor had a cleanup procedure on his ankle...

Yes. 

 

On if Pryor will be ready for camp...

He’ll be close. We will see when it gets closer. 

 

On Antonio Garcia...

He is athletic obviously, that is why we got him. He is an athletic offensive lineman, which is good. He will learn the system as he goes. He is tough and he is athletic. In shorts and a t-shirt, he is learning pretty good. The true test will be when we put the pads on.

 

On if he would like Garcia to gain weight...

He is tall. He is linear. He carries his weight differently. He can gain about five pounds though. He doesn’t have to gain a bunch of weight. 

 

On if Jordan Jenkins will be ready for training camp...

We will see.

 

On if there is a chance Jenkins will not be ready for training camp...

We will see. That is the best I can tell you. 

 

On what happened late in practice that got him upset...

Just the situation. It’s our situational football. It is the time we learn. It is the time we teach, so it was one of those times.

 

On why Robby Anderson missed practice today...

He is just sore. It is OTAs.

 

On the new NFL rule about defensive players not lowering their head, and if he will spend extra time coaching that technique...

No, because we don't coach them to lower their heads in the first place. Our coaching is not going to change. We don't teach them to use the crown of the helmet or to lower their heads. We try to teach them face up in the process. So, that is not going to change anything about what we do as a staff. 

 

On the new special teams rule and when he will start emphasizing...

We are into that mode now. We have been into that mode since they changed the rule. We practice those things. We meet with them. We watch film. We talk about them and we will be ready when it comes. 

 

On what Jordan Leggett has demonstrated during the offseason...

Again, he is running around and he is practicing. I am glad he is healthy. The test will come in pads. In shorts and t-shirts, I think everyone can catch balls. 

 

On characterizing the competition at cornerback opposite Trumaine Johnson..

I think all 11 spots on each side of the ball are open. There are people who will start first team. At the end of preseason, we'll see who lines up first team. It doesn't necessarily mean that we have starters right now. 

 

On who will start first team at cornerback in training camp opposite Johnson...

We will see once training camp comes. 

 

On what he's seen from Henry Anderson...

He's everything we saw on film. Obviously, he's very smart, very intelligent, he's a good technician. He can do things. Again, we're not in pads so it’s a limit to the physicality that can go on. But, he's a very heady player, he can play multiple spots and he is very versatile. So, it looks to help us. 

 

On is he sees Williams becoming more vocal...

Yes, he has, especially this offseason. Since we've been back, he's become a lot more vocal. Obviously, that comes with growing of age and confidence as well, but he's become more of a leader. 

 

On Johnson's role...

He’s not just bump-and-run. Trumaine is a good football player. He's a good zone corner. He can tackle. He is very heady. He can see. He understands the game. And since he got here, from his workouts to what he brings on the field and the way he approaches the game has been outstanding, especially for the young guys. He's a true pro. We are very happy to have him. He has been everything as advertised since we signed him. 

 

On his rank of the corners he has coached of all time...

I think he is right up there at the top.  I think his football IQ makes him a heck of football player. The physical abilities speak for themselves, but his football IQ and the way he takes care of himself and approaches the game puts him right there. 

 

On how Sam Darnold has advanced since joining the team...

He is just more comfortable with the playbook. Obviously, seeing things a couple times will make you more comfortable. Just hard work and everything we thought coming in – (he’s) going to work every day, wants to be good, understands the mistakes he makes. He works at them night and day, watches film, asks questions and, at this time of the year, that is what he is supposed to be doing and that's what he is doing. 

 

On how Darnold is grasping the mental side of things...

He retains things when you tell him. When he makes a mistake, he doesn’t make the same one twice. So he is very good from that standpoint as far as retaining information. 

 

On importance of the mid-round picks to the team’s success...

I think they are very important. Obviously, as players you want to come along and find your niche within the team to to help that team out. Then, going into your second and third year, that is usually when you start making those jumps and those strides; and learning how to take care of your body. We are looking for all these guys to make some strides. 

 

On Chad Hansen's growth...

He has more confidence as far as understanding what he's doing and not thinking while he is running, so he's playing faster.