Todd Bowles was in a good mood today, and why not? His players all reported to camp on time and in shape and the first practice of training camp at the Atlantic Health Training Center was in the books. Here are six key quotes from the Jets head coach from today's first news conference of camp.
On his first-day message to his team..."Obviously, I'm glad they came back in shape. We've just got to get better every day, keep our heads down and keep working. We understand what's being said, but that doesn't concern us because we just worry about what we can worry about inside this building as a team. We'll keep moving forward and working toward opening day."
On the QB competition, reps and rotation..."I can't detail it. It'll work itself out. The reps will be different every day, every week, but we have a plan when the preseason games start. ... We don't have a starter. Regardless of who goes first, who goes second, who goes third, they'll all get a chance to play. We've got a lot of evaluating to do once we get in pads and play some games."
On who his starting offensive tackles will be..."There's competition at all spots, especially both tackle spots. There's nobody starting yet. We haven't even put on pads yet. ... We're working everybody on both sides right now. When we put the pads on, depending on who's better where, we may move somebody to the other side."
On CB Morris Claiborne's first camp practice as a Jet..."They're playing two-hand touch right now. You've got to put it all together, put the physical part with the mental part. He's quick, obviously. He had two picks today. But he's just got to continue to work and keep getting better."
On his expectations for third-year DT Leonard Williams..."Hopefully he can continue to get better. That's a little hard to do when he's already very good. But as long as he works on his craft and gets his fundamentals down and his hand placement gets a little better, I think he'll be fine."
On if negativity from outside the team is motivation for him and his players..."It's extra motivation but it's not the motivation. Obviously you're motivated and we're trying to win a Super Bowl anyway, no matter what. But when you have adversity and people say you can't do things, as an athlete and as a competitor, you love challenges, and you come to work every day intent on getting better and proving everybody wrong. But that's not why we're trying to win. Is it extra added incentive for some people? Yes, it is. But the motivation is because we didn't play well and we're trying to win anyway."
