When I watch practice, I tend to see you working most closely with the quarterbacks. Can you run through those guys -- Jason Campbell, Todd Collins, Colt Brennan, and even Chase Daniel, who you helped to scout -- one by one and tell me how they've looked based on what you've seen this offseason?
Meidt: "I think Jason's doing just an absolutely awesome job. Even through all the other talk, he just came back to work. He worked as hard if not harder through the chaos. He came in and took charge of this football team during minicamp and OTAs. He was in charge at the line of scrimmage, he used multiple cadences, he audibled -- I mean, he did things that he just wasn't ready for at this point last year.
"He was on receivers if they ran the wrong route, he was on the O-line when they jumped a couple of times ... he had complete charge of this football team. So we were thrilled about that.
"And he threw the ball well. Mechanically, he's getting better every week. He keeps working on that.
"I'm thrilled with Todd's work and where he is -- much better quarterback than a year ago at this time. I think he's healthier; physically, he's had a great workout this offseason. Technique-wise, very, very sound. He understands how to get the ball out at the top of his drop, and he understands our offense better now than he did a year ago.
"Colt is still a raw" -- it really does sound exactly like rah -- "young quarterback. What Colt has is great gamesmanship. He has the ability to make a dramatic throw, and what we're working on Colt on is what I just referred to with those other two: just being fundamentally very sound on his drops, ball location, decision-making. What Colt can do is just play the game. He can throw from any position, so that's what makes him special.
"And we're excited about Chase. We're very fortunate to get him in as our fourth quarterback to come in and compete in camp. Chase is a great student of the game, incredibly bright, and will work his tail off. So I think we really have four great quarterbacks as we prepare for the year."
Once we get to the point where people can come to training camp or watch preseason games, what should they look for in the quarterback to measure any improvement since last year?
Meidt: "I think he's gonna get the ball out quicker. I think he'll have better decision-making, but I also think we'll have better, more precise routes. I think our protection'll be better. I just think as a football team we'll be better.
"I think it's hard for someone who's not just right in the middle of it to judge, because all they can judge on is the result. And football's just such a process-driven game, such a team game. It's easy to look at the quarterback and think, ball's complete, he did great, ball's incomplete, he stunk. But that's just not how it is."
Last question, and I'll let you go: you also work with the young receivers. What have you seen from them?
Meidt: "Fred [Davis] is out there with us all the time -- he's become a real workhorse, running route after route after route, even after he's done his own workout and a full lift. Devin [Thomas] is out there with us all the time. Malcolm [Kelly] is out there catching, because he can't run the routes full-speed yet, but he's out there a lot. So those three have been diligent in being there. I'm thrilled with their seriousness at becoming NFL caliber players. We're expecting those guys to be major contributors for us."
at Wood projecting stats for Eddie Williams instead of Mike Sellers.
I just love Cooley. From his recent NFL.com chat:
at Wood projecting stats for Eddie Williams instead of Mike Sellers.
at Wood projecting stats for Eddie Williams instead of Mike Sellers.
at Wood projecting stats for Eddie Williams instead of Mike Sellers.
at Wood projecting stats for Eddie Williams instead of Mike Sellers.
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@ the analogy, but it's sounding like Rinehart has made some strides and he may be an important contributor if when our geriatric line starts breaking down.
