Derek Carr meets with the media following Wednesday's Saints training camp practice.
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00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:03 >> So Derek, how are you today?
00:05 Seems like all the games being captured,
00:07 you have in mind that was in the right hole about.
00:10 Did you feel that or what?
00:12 >> About what, sorry?
00:13 >> Like, not the right hole about maybe one, I don't know.
00:16 To me, you always want to talk about practices.
00:20 You haven't had, but it seemed like that was today.
00:23 >> Yeah, I think our camp has been competitive back and
00:25 forth throughout the whole spring and summer.
00:28 And so there's different guys making plays,
00:32 different things that need to be corrected on the film.
00:34 But to see it going back and forth, period to period, practice to practice.
00:41 That's good for the team.
00:42 You don't wanna see it dominated by one side.
00:44 That usually leads to frustration during the season.
00:48 But to see us, we win some, they win some.
00:51 We hit them on a big play, man, I missed one on the last.
00:56 First team tight coverage, and this and stuff like,
00:59 that's the stuff you wanna see as a team.
01:00 Because then, in the season, you're not playing each other,
01:04 you're just playing another team.
01:05 >> So you're dealing with, you're coming to an offense where the quarterback
01:10 distributes the ball a lot to running backs right out of the backfield.
01:15 But some of the turnover, I guess we have guys trying to adapt to doing that more.
01:20 Not just Kendrick, we know that we didn't do a lot of DC, but I think Tomalkin.
01:25 Can you just kinda tell us that process and how you think?
01:28 I mean, Camara's obviously gonna test that out with the other guys.
01:31 >> Yeah, I think Mickey, Mike, they don't bring guys in here
01:36 that can't do multiple things.
01:39 Everybody has their role, but they all can catch the ball.
01:44 They all can do those things.
01:46 And that's what their evaluation process was about before we bring them here.
01:50 And so when someone's not in there, we're still running in the same place.
01:55 We're still gonna be able to play our offense.
01:57 And I'm able to just make the reads and try and get the ball to the right place.
02:01 Here in the back does get the ball out, rightfully so.
02:04 Drew, through the back to Alvin a lot over the years and things like that.
02:09 So these guys, you learn the offense, you get in positions to just get the ball in
02:13 your hands and things like that.
02:15 And these guys have shown they can do that.
02:17 >> Derek, now that you've had a week of training camp practices,
02:20 working with Eric McCoy.
02:22 >> Yeah. >> What's come out to you about him as
02:24 a player's processor, that sort of thing?
02:27 >> Yeah, he's one of the best.
02:28 He's smart, he's physical, he's athletic.
02:31 And for a center, he's in a good mood a lot of the time, and
02:38 that's usually not the case.
02:39 Usually centers are a little grumpy.
02:41 But he's in a pretty good mood for a center, for the most part.
02:44 >> I didn't know that.
02:45 Centers are- >> Centers are very grumpy people.
02:47 >> Yeah, yeah, yeah.
02:48 Centers are, typically, not all of them, but
02:50 centers are usually very sore and agitated individuals.
02:55 But Eric's been good.
02:57 >> Derek, a little bit of a connection with Michael Thompson,
03:00 who's now seven days in.
03:01 What do you feel like you guys have gotten from back to back receivers?
03:04 >> Yeah, I mean, we're growing, he's still getting back into it.
03:07 And we've hit some plays, we've missed some plays.
03:10 And that comes with speed and
03:15 a lot of it they practice all spring, you see the connection quicker.
03:18 Today, me and Mike hit on a few, actually quite a bit.
03:23 Some good ones, one on the sideline, things like that, and then we missed one.
03:27 So there's certain things there that we're still working on.
03:31 But that comes with time, that comes with reps.
03:33 We're going there, our CO, correct me on the film, KVL, Coach Mike, and
03:37 then we'll get on the same page together.
03:39 It's all about what we're gonna do together.
03:41 And so, but I'm excited to see him running around.
03:43 I think everybody is.
03:44 >> How is your communication maybe different with this other wide receiver?
03:47 How you guys wanna assess things out the court?
03:49 How is it maybe different with this?
03:51 >> I would say, I've been fortunate, I've played some really good receivers.
03:55 Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper, Devontae Adams, Hunter,
03:59 Walter, stop naming them before somebody gets offended.
04:02 But Mike's the same way.
04:05 When he comes to the sideline, man, we're talking about good or bad.
04:09 Hey, that was perfect right there.
04:10 Hey, that's my fault.
04:11 When he's under there, I'll throw it a little bit higher.
04:13 Okay, I'll set it higher.
04:14 There was one here that was just, he was doing that, I was thinking that.
04:19 And those are the things where communication has to be open.
04:22 Whenever there's no communication, you don't get better.
04:24 But our communication has been great.
04:26 He comes up to me, we talk about it.
04:28 And then after practice, anything that I miss, we always throw it again.
04:32 We make sure, okay, now that's what it should feel like, or it's that look, or
04:35 whatever.
04:36 And so from that standpoint, I've tried to always do that with my guys.
04:41 He's doing the same thing.
04:43 But all those, I think, really good receivers do.
04:45 >> What's the character like in the quarterback, with you and
04:48 Jameis, obviously, being a big fan?
04:49 >> It's been great.
04:51 I've been, just him there, being myself, Jameis himself, Jason himself.
04:57 And Jake, I told Jake, I said, you're in a great spot, man.
05:00 You got two guys that have played a lot of football.
05:02 That we can do something, we can maybe say something, we can help them.
05:06 I've always helped Jake even in college.
05:08 So now, if he has a rep and he does something, I'll pull him aside and say,
05:11 hey, now, when you're playing against this team, remember this, or
05:15 that kind of stuff.
05:16 But the dynamic has been great.
05:18 We're all just getting out here competing, just trying to push each other,
05:21 make each other better, because that'll ultimately make the same thing.
05:25 So it's fun, it's fun to see.
05:27 Practice is usually good when you have three guys that know what they're doing,
05:31 and can distribute the ball.
05:33 It makes it good for, honestly, a lot of guys to get evaluated, too.
05:37 Not just one or two guys can help you, but when all three can make plays,
05:40 it shows the receivers and everybody can do BBs, down the field, all that kind of
05:44 stuff, it helps everybody try and make a play.
05:47 >> Derek, I know you had OTAs to get familiar, but
05:50 where do you feel as far as comfort wise when you're not having to play as much?
05:53 Do you feel natural now?
05:54 >> Are you talking mentally?
05:55 >> Yeah. >> Yeah, I feel like I'm just playing
05:56 football now.
05:57 Yeah, there's still some things like some little intricacies that,
06:01 maybe it's a rule breaker.
06:03 I've learned the rules, I learned the scheme, that kind of thing.
06:05 It's a rule breaker that, hey, just on this play,
06:07 we changed it two years ago to this.
06:09 Okay, perfect.
06:10 So there's still a couple of those things that we've ironed out as the day's going,
06:14 as the installs grow.
06:15 But for the most part, I feel like I'm just playing football again,
06:18 cuz it's very similar to what I did my first eight years of my career.
06:22 >> When you're talking about building that on-field chemistry with Mike and
06:26 kind of being a little bit behind with him compared to where you were with
06:29 the lobby and Shaheed, is there, when you're in these training camp practices,
06:33 can you be like, okay, I'm going to Mike on this, and I'm gonna try to figure this
06:37 out where it's different than the game, sort of?
06:41 >> Yeah, yeah, there's some throws today that I've made that I would have checked
06:44 it down, but I want to try and make that play, for sure.
06:48 This is what practice is for.
06:50 And I think Pete and RC trust me, and they know that, yeah,
06:53 he would have, based on the look, okay, I see what you did, and
06:56 I know why you're trying that.
06:57 And so yeah, there was one I threw a little out,
07:01 kind of breaking route here on the sideline, where he went up and
07:04 caught it on the sideline.
07:05 And that was one that I could have easily checked down, but I was trying,
07:08 we need one, let's work that.
07:10 And so yeah, there's some of that, I don't do it all the time, for sure.
07:14 I'm also trying to run the offense the right way, and those kind of things.
07:19 But yeah, there's time and a place, for sure.
07:21 >> There's a lot of talk about the diversity of skill sets in the tight end
07:25 room, can you speak a little bit as a quarterback, how that impacts you,
07:29 as opposed to maybe specialized players in that room?
07:32 >> Yeah, absolutely, we have a lot of guys that can do a lot of things well.
07:36 Which usually when you get some guys running on the field,
07:39 everyone's like, it's a run, it's a pass.
07:41 When we run some guys on there, they're like, these guys can run and pass.
07:45 They can block, they can do anything.
07:47 And the more ability we have to be able to do that,
07:51 the better we'll be as an offense.
07:52 So we don't wanna give the defense coordinator or
07:54 any smart defense player any leg up based on personality or formation.
07:59 You wanna always keep it moving,
08:01 and I think that's what the Saints have done great for such a long time.
08:03 All the person over, all the different looks, all the different plays.
08:07 It's something that I've always admired from afar.
08:09 The team has always been a part of it, and RC, they've done things that way.
08:13 And so you have to have guys in that room that are capable also.
08:17 If they're not capable, no one's scared of that threat.
08:20 But we have guys that can do those things.
08:22 Yeah? >> I know you're biased, but
08:24 what do you think of Jake Hayden?
08:27 >> Jake's doing great.
08:28 I told him I was like, man, you're in a great place,
08:30 cuz there's no fear of mistake, there's no fear of that.
08:33 I said, you can just cut it loose.
08:35 And he's been so free, and he's just cutting it loose, and he looks great.
08:38 He's gonna be, I told him, I said, you just keep working, man,
08:41 you're gonna be a great player for a long time.
08:43 And I'm always here for you.
08:45 Whatever I can do to help you be the most successful quarterback you can be.
08:50 And I think that he's doing a great job, he listens, he's got a great way,
08:55 teammates, he's got a great way in our room.
08:58 When you're a rookie, the big thing is come in, be quiet, do your job, and
09:03 just put your head down and work.
09:05 He's done such a phenomenal job.
09:06 I can't pray Jake enough.
09:08 I'm really proud of him, especially on the bulldog ground, my fans.
09:13 But for him, and being someone that can help him grow, that's fun for me.
09:18 Because there's no denying it, I'm in my tenth year.
09:22 I'm not in my second year, it's a different situation.
09:25 Hopefully I play for another eight, nine, ten years, but
09:28 I don't know if my kids will let me, we'll see.
09:30 But I'm proud of the fact that I'll be able to help him be better in his career
09:35 any way that I can, it's fun to watch.
09:37 >> The height doesn't seem to be an issue, I know we're at training camp practice.
09:42 >> Yeah. >> It seems like a ball comes out,
09:44 and we haven't seen batted balls or anything like this.
09:47 >> Yeah, no, no, he's a smart player, yeah, he's a smart guy.
09:50 Smart guy, he's got a great arm.
09:52 And so the height thing, it is.
09:55 If someone has success, they're like, it's not a problem.
09:58 If they don't have success, it's cuz of the height.
09:59 It's like, we're out here playing football, he's been that height for
10:03 a long time, he's played football at a high level for a long time.
10:06 So he hasn't done it at this level, but I'm sure that he hopefully will someday.
10:11 But no, he'll be just fine.
10:13 And again, yeah, it's camp and all that, but
10:15 this is the best practice you can get to do those things.
10:18 >> Derek, it seems like you guys have done a good job attacking horizontally as well
10:21 as vertically.
10:22 How does it help when you have both of those elements come out?
10:24 >> Yeah, Coach Schramm in college always told me we're gonna make him
10:28 defend every blade of grass vertically and horizontal.
10:31 That was his philosophy.
10:33 Yeah, philosophy.
10:34 Here we have so much speed and so much talent that you gotta defend every blade
10:38 of grass.
10:39 We're throwing balls to the field, we're throwing them over there,
10:41 we're throwing them down the field, we're throwing them behind the line.
10:43 We're throwing them in the middle of the field.
10:46 That's another thing.
10:47 When you start learning this offense,
10:48 turn the film on, the ball is going everywhere, to every different player,
10:51 to every different position.
10:52 And it's something I've always believed in, and
10:56 it's something that we do here really well.
10:58 And so to be a part of that is really cool.
11:00 They've been doing it here a lot longer than I've been here, but
11:03 to be a part of it's been fun to watch.
11:05 >> Derek, obviously you didn't get to work with Trevor during his mini camp.
11:08 What have you seen from him throughout this first week?
11:11 >> Yeah, he's a very violent individual.
11:12 He wants to be physical, he wants to assert his dominance in the run game and
11:19 passing, all those kind of things.
11:21 Cool thing too is Cam came up to him,
11:23 was talking to him about something after our set.
11:25 And you hear him like, yeah, I got you, yeah, that makes sense.
11:28 So he's as aggressive as he is, he's also willing to learn and grow as a player.
11:33 And so I'm excited about him.
11:35 Big Ryan, Ryan Clanton was his old line coach in college, and
11:39 he's one of my best friends.
11:40 And so I've gotten to know a little bit about him and what makes him tick.
11:44 He's a different cat, but you don't want everyone to be normal up front,
11:49 in the front when they're protecting you.
11:51 >> What are your thoughts on the Saints pass rush so far?
11:55 >> I love it.
11:56 From the inside guys to the outside guys to the steam.
11:59 It's one thing to have good rushers, but when you put them in good scheme,
12:05 get one on one and all those kind of things, that makes a difference.
12:07 So I think that the A's, they played really good defense here for a long time.
12:12 And you see why when you get out and practice against them, it's tough.
12:17 And watching that rush, them making me move, there's a couple.
12:20 They get me off my spot and they mess up the timing of a play just by doing that.
12:26 It's impressive to watch how they do things and how they create habit.
12:29 I think you see some teams with certain rushers that do it a different way, and
12:35 they do it a different way here, and it's fun to watch.
12:37 >> We hear a lot of defensive linemen say, hey, it's not always about the sack,
12:40 it's about pressure and things like that.
12:42 You as a quarterback, do you agree with that?
12:44 >> Yes, you see somebody's maddening sometimes,
12:48 you're like, I don't know about that.
12:51 But they do a decent job, but
12:54 there's some things that they don't understand the game fully all the time.
12:58 And so it's just different, man.
13:00 There's some guys where you walk around the league and
13:02 you're talking about so and so, and they're like, man, he's not good.
13:04 You're like, bro, he's one of the best.
13:06 Just because some guy doesn't get so many sacks or whatever.
13:10 I remember last year, everyone was mad.
13:11 I mean, Aaron Donald got all pro.
13:13 Did you watch the games that he played?
13:15 He was literally in the backfield every play, disrupting passes,
13:18 disrupting runs, and that stuff blows my mind sometimes.
13:23 Some of these guys, they would step back on some of that stuff.
13:27 >> Last question.
13:27 >> You did a trick on Deacon a couple times today.
13:30 Can you talk about him and then the quick side?
13:32 But he's been here six years.
13:33 AT Perry just got here two years ago.
13:35 Can you talk about their skill set?
13:37 >> Yeah, so TQ and AT.
13:39 Yeah, so AT first, really proud of him as he's come in as a rookie.
13:43 Long, great releases, can run, can catch,
13:47 can get in and out of his cuts for a big guy too, it's been impressive.
13:50 And he's another guy, he's very quiet, but he keeps his mouth shut, just works.
13:53 And anything I go to him, hey, do it like, yes sir, I got you.
13:57 Like he's super professional and just trying to be better.
14:00 So he's been impressive.
14:01 And then TQ, from afar, I've always admired TQ cuz he does all the dirty work.
14:05 He does all the dirty work that you have to do to win in the NFL.
14:09 He goes across the middle, he blocks.
14:12 But one thing I didn't know until I got here in person was how fast he was.
14:15 He is really fast, dynamic route runner.
14:18 He's someone that can make plays on the outside of the perimeter,
14:22 underneath, intermediate, across the middle.
14:24 He's a very valuable player.
14:27 And the other thing is he's very smart.
14:30 He understands his role, he understands the coverage, he understands pressure,
14:34 he understands where to be when you need him.
14:36 And you can't, some of that stuff, it takes a while to coach that.
14:39 It takes a while to get someone to that level.
14:42 So you can tell he's played football at a high level with some high level people and
14:47 coaches.
14:47 And being around him here and being here, he ran that post today and
14:51 you see his speed.
14:52 And you're like, wow.
14:54 And he fought that national championship a little bit too.
14:56 >> Awesome, last question.
14:58 >> Yeah. >> Last question.
15:00 >> Back to Trevor, just regardless of talent,
15:03 when you're going into year ten and
15:06 starting left tackle might be effectively in his first year, right?
15:10 So, for most of last year, just by the nature of the NFL,
15:15 are there certain accommodations that you have to consider making?
15:18 And that's the case?
15:19 >> I think that's for Heat, NRC, and those guys figure out.
15:23 But for me, I'm just gonna play quarterback.
15:27 I trust him.
15:28 If he's out there, Mickey and those guys,
15:30 they put good players on the field all the time.
15:32 And so, whoever's out there, you know they can play.
15:35 And they've shown it, and they've proven it.
15:37 And so, I played a year with two rookie tackles, and it was tough.
15:41 That was hard.
15:42 It was not the least sack I've ever been.
15:44 But also, still, your job is to move the football down the field.
15:47 And so, he's shown me that he has the ability to be a really good player.
15:53 And I think everyone's excited about it.
15:55 But the hard thing for him is, with the limited action, he still has to prove it.
16:00 But he's proving it every day to his teammates, to his coaches here.
16:03 And we have all the faith in him.
16:04 >> Thank you. >> Yeah.