PRESEASON WEEK 4 — PODIUM AVAILABILITY
Tuesday, August 27, 2019 | Hoag Performance Center | Costa Mesa, Calif.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS HEAD COACH ANTHONY LYNN
Opening statement:
"Got done a little bit earlier today. I thought it was a good, efficient practice. Not a lot of mistakes. I think when you get in that fourth week of training camp, things start to slow down for [guys] a little bit. You have practices like we had today where things are pretty efficient, pretty smooth. I think the guys are ready to go play."
On what he would like to see from S Nasir Adderley:
"I hope to see the play-making ball skills, his range, all the things he's showed on tape that he still has. He just needs to get healthy. We're going to find out. He's going to play, so we're going to find out."
On if Adderley is behind after sitting out as a rookie:
"He's way behind. Any time you miss three weeks of training camp and you're a rookie, you're way behind. We have to be careful putting him in certain situations because there's a lot right now he just doesn't know."
On Adderley's practice reps:
"I mean, you'd love for him to have those reps in practice. We've repped him all we could in the last week or so. He knows enough to go in and play, so he's going to play a couple quarters."
On if Adderley's situation is similar to CB Trevor Williams:
"Trevor Williams has been in the system for three years, so it's night-and-day difference. He's a veteran guy that knows the scheme, the system. He can play in the corner, he can play in the slot. It's just a matter of getting Trevor on the field and healthy."
On DT Justin Jones:
"No, Justin Jones practiced today. He was fine. Yesterday he was out. Just resting."
On catching Adderley up:
"It's hard once the season starts because things are going a hundred miles an hour and it's just hard to sit down and catch a young man up. He's going to have to do a lot of work on his own, a lot of film study. His teammates will work with him, I'm sure. Coaches will work with him as much as we can, but he's behind. No doubt about it."
On how he handles roster cuts:
"I wish someone could teach me or tell me how to approach that because these Friday and Saturday are the worst two days of the year for me. [We've] got to cut the roster down to 53 and that's going to be hard to do. Some of these young men have been elite their whole entire life. They've never been cut from anything. Some of the emotions that take place — it's tough. I don't think I'll ever get used to it, but it's got to be done."
On WR Artavis Scott:
"I like the way he bounced back. He didn't play at all last year, but he has bounced back. He kind of picked up where he left off. He's had a pretty consistent camp."
On the quarterback rotation against the 49ers:
"It'll be a little different. [QB] Cardale Jones is going to start the game and then we'll figure out when we'll get [QB] Easton [Stick] in there, but Cardale will start the game."
On the possibility of keeping only two quarterbacks on the roster:
"Right now, it's just looking at the roster and some of the decisions we have to make. Not sure yet."
On if QB Tyrod Taylor will play Thursday:
"If Cardale [Jones] and [Easton] Stick can finish the game, you probably won't see Tyrod."
On not challenging a pass interference call in the preseason:
"I just think the situation hasn't presented itself. I think the chances of picking a flag up — taking the flag off the ground — is going to be extremely hard. You have a better chance of putting one on the ground than taking one off the ground."
On if he would have gone into overtime against the Seahawks:
"Yeah, we would've gone to overtime. We would've scored, we would've [gone] for two. I know what you're saying. You don't want to extend plays. I've been in games where you extend the game and guys get more plays and people get hurt. At the same time, you coach winning. If you're a winning coach and you want to win, then you've got to coach to win. It's just what it is. It's a balance there. In preseason, you don't play all your players, but you still want to win the game. I expect the guys on the field win the game."
On the team's preseason record:
"It does matter. It's a game. They keep score for a reason and we want to come out on top. I made a decision before camp that there were certain guys that were not going to play, and some guys that were going to play but not very much. I looked at our team last year at the end of the season, I thought we were a little tired. We had some injuries here and there and some guys were worn down. I just feel like it's going to help in the long run."
On T Russell Okung:
"You know, his timetable is way more important than football. Whenever that time comes, we'll have more information for you. We'll let you know."
On linemen getting back into shape after absences:
"You do have to get back into shape, get back on the field with your teammates, work on the communication. Just a change of direction and just the pounding these guys have been taking. So it's hard to throw them in their week one even if they are available because they haven't done anything."
On balancing special teams with starters:
"It hurts special teams because [RB] Austin [Ekeler] was a core special teams guy. [S Adrian Phillips] was a Pro Bowl special teams player last year. Now, you're losing both of those guys so you're looking for some other young guys to step up and take their place. Guys like [S] Roderic Teamer. He's done a heck of a job. We'll see if they continue."
On if Phillips will play on special teams:
"It'd be hard to keep him on special teams because we have him in so many defensive packages, and now we have him as a starter. It's going to be hard."
On the safeties' performance against Seahawks QB Russell Wilson:
"Overall, I thought our safeties played okay. Rayshawn Jenkins continued to make plays in the middle of the field. [Adrian] AP [Phillips] is solid as can be. The young kids came in — [Adarius] Pickett, he had his best game. I was pleased with the safety play."
On if S Roderic Teamer will play Thursday:
"Yes. Teamer's playing."
On balancing the importance of the preseason with the whole roster:
"Well, I hope it means something to everybody. We kind of talked about that because if it doesn't mean something to the guys that are not playing, then it's going to be a distraction to the guys that are playing. So, I think it means something to all of our guys. We understand that this is a football game on national TV on Thursday night. Guys grew up dreaming to play in the National Football League, well here's their chance."
On RB Austin Ekeler making the team against the 49ers in 2017:
"As a special teamer, absolutely."
