GM MIKE REINFELDT
(opening statement)
You know we have concluded the draft. We took nine players. We're in the process now of signing some college free agents. That's a very chaotic process. We will probably sign 10, 12, 14, somewhere in that number. Overall I think it was a very productive process for us. I think we've got some players that can help our roster. I think there are some things we need to do but that's kind of the nature of our business. I think you are helping to get the roster better year round every day. I think we are at a good spot but there are still some things we need to do.
(on evaluating Myron Rolle following a year away from football)
The good thing about him is that we could see the 2008 tape and he is a good football player. Productive player, you like what you saw. He came back in 2009, went to the bowl games and he looked like he was even a better player. That kind of excited us. He was a guy we kind of had discussion about in earlier rounds and when he was still there at that point in time we were kind of excited. I think he is a fascinating young man. He is a man that apparently sets goals and that's a big part of football, setting goals and accomplishing those goals and to us that is quite a thing.
HEAD COACH JEFF FISHER
(on Rolle's potential abilities compared to Johnson's)
We are going to evaluate the limitations in person. He had a very high grade on him. He moves well. Again the safety positions are interchangeable so we are going to line them up and see how they do. We expect for both of them to do very well.
GM MIKE REINFELDT
He is a little bigger version but you have got to be able to interchange and play both spots in today's football and we think they both have a chance to do that.
HEAD COACH JEFF FISHER
(on draft selections making a better defense)
I think certainly with our first round selection that we will improve there. Alterraun [Verner]is going to help us. He has got a chance to do some things in the secondary in the nickel or dime package and special teams. Rennie [Curran] is going to be a guy that we think is going to play soon. Back up soon and eventually will compete for a starting job so I think we have improved. We have got David Howard who I think is an interesting young man that was selected in the final pick of the seventh round. He's a guy that has got some rare qualities. Very intelligent, athletic, explosive player so I think he will be able to eventually help us. As far as an immediate impact you obviously look at your first round pick for that type of thing.
(on the depth at running back)
We are addressing that as Mike [Reinfeldt] said. We are addressing that through the undrafted group, and of course, keep our eyes and ears open as far as experienced guys are concerned. As I said earlier, we drafted Javon [Ringer] for a reason and he is having a great off season. He is very talented and you saw glimpses of what he can do last year in the preseason.
GM MIKE REINFELDT
(on other things that need to be addressed)
There's some chance we can still do some depth in the offensive line, something we will probably look at. The good thing I think we try to do here is even if we had issues we try to hit them in two or three different ways and I think we will try to continue to do that.
(on the status of Kevin Mawae returning)
At this point in time we have been in the draft for three days so I think that is something we will address in the upcoming week.
(on a premium on high academic achievers in this draft)
I think it is always part of it. You are looking at people that are achievers and I think you want people that are focused and it's important to them. Being smart helps you to be a good football player. I think that's part of the consideration you always take in it.
HEAD COACH JEFF FISHER
(on David Howard starting out in a specific position)
He will be a defensive tackle.
(on Howard's legal issue)
No, we did background on this and believe it is a one-time thing and is behind him.
(on trades getting made and not getting made especially the Haynesworth deal)
There were really no discussions of that. I don't know what else to say there. We said this, if you look around the pro boards in that room and there are a lot of good players on the board that you would like to have but they are under contract. Unless someone begins to shop them, then they're their property. I don't think that is worthy of anymore discussion.
(on the trade made today)
We have discussed it earlier; we did not want to surrender picks. We had shopped both the players over the last day or so and this was the best value we could get and we took advantage of them to move up both those rounds and get good players.
GM MIKE REINFELDT
It gave us a chance to go get guys that we wanted. At that point in time, that was the best move to do.
(on the value of the trade for the two players)
I think the thing is there was some value which says a lot because there are a lot of guys that offered trade that there's no value for. People are hesitant. When you get in the draft room, those draft picks really become important and moving up really becomes important. I think those guys were productive guys, roles players, did some nice things for us but it was time for both sides to kind of move on.
HEAD COACH JEFF FISHER
(on Marc Mariani)
I was really the only one in the draft room that was opposed to that pick. No, I have seen Marc play and I have seen him in person obviously. I know what kind of kid he is. He is a great kid. I let the staff, and the scouts and the coaches grade him. We had a good grade on him. He is a very talented, and not only at receiver but he is a talented returner. He is the kind of guy that can come out and play the slot for you, win outside but he has a knack for returning the football both as a kickoff returner and a punt returner.
(on Mariani having additional pressure)
I think his play will speak for itself. I am not going to loan him a car.
(on Brandon Fisher calling Mariani)
Brandon has been in touch with a number of his teammates that were available for the draft. Yes, there was a phone call that took place between the two of them.
(on Mariani returning both kickoffs and punts and being in the mix)
He does both punts and kickoffs. Yes. He is a potential slot receiver and also a very good returner.
GM MIKE REINFELDT
(on anything stand out league-wise on defense first)
I think that is the big thing that stood out even in the end when we are doing the college free agency there's still positions on defense where there are good players. The offense got wiped out so it was a draft where there were more defensive player. I think you saw teams do that and as we look back that will probably be the strength of this draft.
(on gauging this draft going from two days to three)
The ratings were apparently very good so I would imagine that the league would be in favor going forward. I am not sure from our perspective. It's probably tougher. It's a lot of waiting around. It's a lot of long days and I think everybody perceived there would be a lot of trading activity and not a lot of that really developed.
(on the expectations of Rusty Smith)
I think the first thing is you have got to get him here and get him in to mini camps and look at him. He is a big strong guy, he's got the arm, he can wing it. You watch him on tape and he is a productive guy so I am kind of excited to see him at the mini camps. I think, for us to say now how you project him, you have got to see him in person and really go from there. Based on what you say on film, we are really excited to have him here.
HEAD COACH JEFF FISHER
(on this draft class immediate impact)
I feel like we are going to get an immediate help from Derrick Morgan. Damian [Williams] is going to help from this standpoint; he has a chance to contribute offensively as well as in the return game. Rennie will be an impact type of special teams player as well as the defensive backs. Time will only tell how quickly they get on the field as regulars.
GM MIKE REINFELDT
And I think the good thing to is, they all have a chance to compete. I think we have really increased the competition at some of the spots and the competition at corner is going to be fun to watch. The wide receivers are going to be fun to watch. The returns we have got some real competition going on. I think that is how we become better.
HEAD COACH JEFF FISHER
(on the draft going from two days to three days)
As coaches we tend to become creatures of habit and get use to the same things year after year and get a routine so this was certainly a departure from the norm for us. While this has been a long process, the preparation process itself is tedious. Mike and his staff did a tremendous job. We had a great board this year. When you feel really good about your board you want to get in there and go to work. The fact that it was spread out over three days was long. I mean last night we were up late not only evaluating the board but looking at players. To turn right back around and continue that process it was a short turnaround. As far as the league is concerned and the ratings it appears it has been very successful.
GM MIKE REINFELDT
If I could just add one more thing that I thought was kind of tough about it. On Thursday night, we had the first round only and you are all ready to go and it's good and just when you are ready to go it's time to go home. It's 10 o'clock and you want to go two or three more rounds. I mean, you have kind of got the adrenaline going. It's fun but guess what. See you tomorrow. That was kind of tough.
