Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski speaks at joint practice vs Colts | AT&T Training Camp | Press Conference

All right, uh, day two of our joint practices. I thought yesterday was excellent work by both sides. Uh, really quality work for our offense, our defense, our special teams. So, looking forward to continue that today. It'll be more red zone today emphasis with a two-minute drive at the end of practice. But, uh, looking forward to another good day and then we'll have a game on Saturday, uh, for our guys. So, excited about it. But, with that, I'll take any questions. >> The team signed Zidarius Smith. What do you like in him? What does he bring to the defense? Uh yeah, Zidarius brings um physicality. Uh obviously uh he's somebody that I I've been with so I have a comfort level with Zidarius the person, Zidarius the player. Um certainly brings an element of you know a veteran pass rusher but a guy who can play on all downs. >> What did you learn about him during the 24 25 season? Yeah, I think we were together 23 24. Uh then traded him uh in the middle maybe of uh 24, but yeah, uh big personality, huge personality. You're going to hear him before you see him. Uh but heavy hands, good against the run, uh was an excellent teammate for us. >> He's played a lot of ball, obviously. How much can that help you guys in that edge room? >> Sure. I think a veteran presence uh can be helpful in in any room and and certainly when we have some younger guys in in the edge room as well. I think uh a guy like Z can provide a ton of value that way. >> Will Jack Strand get any reps in teamwork today? Are you going to stick with Yesterday it was Tua and Cooper mostly? >> It'll be a mix. Uh Jack's obviously going to get a lot of reps on Saturday in the game. Okay. >> So, it'll be a mix. How did you uh evaluate Jawan Taylor yesterday and where is he kind of in his return back? >> Yeah, good to get Jawan going uh obviously in some team drills uh with us and I thought there were some really good moments out there and then also some moments where you can see he's still working through and uh you know the the time off. So uh pleased with where he is. He's a guy that I've I've witnessed um putting in so much work to get back out here. >> Pull Jake out yesterday after one series. Was that just better and rest or is he still dealing with something? >> That that was the plan. and that that was a result of what he's dealing with, but uh he he's doing great. >> Kevin, >> what was your evaluation of the trenches overall offensively and defensively? >> Yeah, really good battle. I think it's a it's a good offensive line as you know and and a good defensive line that they have here. And uh I I thought like any practice any game it was some body blows traded. You know, they had some good plays, we had some good plays. So overall, I I thought the physicality on both sides was really good. >> How'd it look in your eyes? >> Uh good. Yeah, I mean made some plays. Uh I think our protection needs to clean up in a lot of areas and the quarterback obviously plays a role in that as well. Uh so one of our focuses is just getting our protection better today uh from a technical standpoint as much as anything. Uh and then you know obviously pitch and catch with the quarterback and the receivers. >> Offensively, how how pleased are you with kind of the the progress you guys have made and where you're at right now at this point in the offseason? >> Yeah, no progress reports from me. We're just uh we're going to keep our head down and and work and uh you know we're we're here in in week two of this training camp and this this is a training camp practice the way we look at it. Uh so just continuing to work kind of summarize where you are with that quarterback battle. Uh I'm sorry. >> Sure. Go ahead. >> How do how you kind of summarize where you are with that quarterback battle just especially you know Michael's limitations and so forth and just how do you see it at the moment? >> Uh like I see every other quote unquote battle on the roster. Guys are working hard. Um, obviously like you know, Mike's not cleared yet for the 11 on 111 work, but he's doing a great job. I mean, he's he's preparing as if he's getting every rep out here. And, uh, so I'm very pleased with what he's doing. I'm pleased with Tua, Coupe, and and Jack and what they're able to to do on a daily basis. But, um, I think all of these, you could call every position a battle because it's it's a battle every day. These guys are are working hard to to to improve, you know, incrementally over time here and then get ready for this season. And is there as a follow is there an ideal time to name a starter particularly up quarterback you know and do you you know do you do you put a lot of thought into when you make that decision? >> I think you put yes you put thought into it but also uh those decisions and those uh type of things will cross that bridge when we get there. Uh but uh in the meantime feel very very comfortable with what we've done to date. Feel really comfortable with the guys the work they put in. >> What have you seen out of Malcolm Dewalt over the last couple weeks and just in his fight to make the roster? Yeah, he's done a nice job on special teams, I'd say. Uh he he's showed up in the defensive side as well. Uh very I've seen him get [music] better uh from April till now. And that's again speaking of incremental improvement. We're trying to just get 1% better each day and and he's a great example of it. >> Did you realize that Kendall Daniels was as outwardly expressive as he is like during the pre-draft process? Is that kind of in the scouting profile? >> It comes up a little bit. Yeah, it does. it comes up and in and how the guys are at practice and what type of practice players they are and and he's a vocal guy and he's just being himself and that's what I love and what we appreciate about our guys is we just want everybody to be themselves if that's who you are, you know, be loud and and and talk to the defense or talk to the offense in this case if you want. But um he's just being himself and that's how uh I think our guys feed off of his injury energy. >> He's been kind of a constant throughout training camp, mini camp, OT. Is that a positive indicator for what his role can be even as early as week one? I >> I think it's it's too early to talk roles for our guys. He he's still trying to earn everything right now. >> You mentioned Sedarius's energy and juice. Do you actively seek out at least a few guys like that on each side of the ball to bring that or is that a factor in your thoughts? >> I I think that's just you want everybody to be the best version of themselves. I mentioned that because that's you'll see that and you'll feel that from Zidarius, but you're just trying to get the best version of all of our guys. You don't want what you don't want is somebody to be something they're not. >> Kevin, just a cold question if you'll indulge. Sauce Gardner, I mean, there are a lot of guys in the league with length maybe, but he's maybe like an extreme version, extreme example of that. Just what is that challenge like going against a guy with length like that? >> Well, a ton of respect for him and what he's able to have done over his career. have gone against him a few times and know the caliber of player. He's got great versatility and where you can line him up and he can cover [music] anybody. Uh and you're right and that length is uh that's real. That's uh something when the ball's in the air and you have a player that has the height and the length and and obviously the ability to play the ball, it's a huge advantage for the defense. >> Taking us behind the curtain a little bit, do you do you evaluate joint practices differently than you do a normal training camp? I mean, obviously it's it's different. >> Well, there's double the amount of film you got to watch. So you kind of you watch the tape and you're not done yet. Uh do you evaluate it differently? Sure. Yeah. Cuz it's different schemes and um you know I'm not aware of what the sorry not aware of what the call is on either side of the ball. So I'm learning like you guys are and what's being run on on on the other side if you will. Uh so yeah, I think there's a tremendous amount of value to these and I think you guys saw yesterday and I have a ton of respect for Shane and what he's done here and what he continues to do here and I thought it was really good professional work uh on all three sides of the ball. What' you think of Drake's catch? >> Yeah, pretty good catch. We showed the team that one this morning. Um, you know, that's his uh his ability to to just play the foot play the football in the air, body control. Um, obviously a strong hand. So, that was a great catch. >> Is that a coaching point at all? I mean, you do you tell the quarterbacks or do they just instinctively know if you're in trouble or you just you can just throw it up? >> I've been around a lot of receivers that say just that uh many times. some but and how many of them is it real? How many of them can back it up? >> Sure. Uh yeah, like the 50 yard checkdown type guy. >> Uh that's what I'm thinking. >> Yeah, I think Drake's skill set, I mean, he can do many things and and one of the things he can do is is uh elevate who got the football or be able to play it again with his background in basketball, just his body controls, uh I think elite. Um so that's something that sure every quarterback has a book on his own players, on his own receivers, tight ends, running backs, if you will. Uh so understanding how Drake wins, when he wins, where he wants the football, and there's a lot of conversation that happens uh between the players in this case, uh which I think is is also valuable. >> Kevin, hope I'm not speaking too soon, but yesterday was pretty clean in terms of competitiveness, physicality, you know, altercations, that kind of thing. What What is your message to your teams in these situations? Generally, >> always been the same. Just we're here to work. We're here to compete. Uh we have respect for for this team and what they do, and and I think there's a way to for both teams to get better. uh and push each other and I think you saw that yesterday. >> When Mike is cleared, what's kind of the plan you guys have in place to acclimate him to Evans? >> Yeah, I think cross that bridge when we get there. Obviously, like I've told you guys many times, I I trust in our medical team, uh the surgeon involved with with with Mike. I trust in Mike. So, when that time comes, we we'll we'll work through that plan. >> Do you have a plan in place already or >> Always have a plan? Yeah, always have a plan. Do you guys have a plan in place for preseason in terms of starters and like minutes and everything like that or is it going to be decided afterward? >> Yeah, going to really be decided afterward, but by and large our starters will not play in this game. This will be uh the the twos and threes, if you will, and it's it's how Shane structured the reps on on this on these practices uh to make sure that the ones are getting the majority of the reps. So then uh this is really their game, if you will, and then the the twos and threes will play in the game. >> How much will Jack play? Half [music] full game. >> A half. >> Okay.