BB: Today is always an exciting, kind of interesting day, getting everybody out there and really doing full-team type of things after a lot of individual and segmented type of work during the spring. We had a good day for it, and I think we got a lot of work done this morning. We have another two-and-a-half days here, so hopefully we can get some things accomplished in terms of getting our plays installed, and getting a little work done on them, take a look at some new things, people at different positions, things like that. Mainly, we have a lot of short-term goals. Things we worked on this morning, we'll try to correct a few of those this afternoon, but we're also moving on to some new things. It's very much a teaching camp. There will be a lot of progression to what we do, so that by the end of it we'll try to get everybody introduced as much as possible to the things that they'll be doing later on, particularly in training camp and some things they can work on between now and then to improve a little bit. Some players, injury wise, are in different stages of rehabilitation than others. All of them are coming along in one way or another. Obviously, that won't really come to full evaluation until we get to training camp, so the guys that are out there are out there, and the guys that aren't are making progress to getting there. I'm not going to talk about anybody who is not here, other than I'll say that [Deion] Branch's absence is unexcused. That's basically it.

Q: What are your thoughts on [Johnathan] Sullivan and what he brings to the defensive line?
BB: Well Jonathan is a player that we had highly regarded out of college. He comes from a good program at Georgia. We think he can do a lot of things that we would ask our defensive linemen to do and we felt like there was fair value in the trade. We give up something. We feel like we got something and we have a guy that we can work with. He's primarily an inside player, but I think he has some position flexibility and we'll see how that develops.

Q: How do you feel about his conditioning? His weight?
BBI think it's June. I doubt that any player on the field is in top condition at this point. I think we've all got a long way to go to be ready for training camp and the regular season. I think that includes every single player and coach that is out on the field in terms of preparation. That's where we're all heading and we see how it goes.

Q: He said he's basically throwing out everything he did in New Orleans and this system is very different.
BB: I would agree with that.

Q: But does he have all the skill sets that you are looking for?
BB: Well, we'll find out. We think he does. So we'll find out.

Q: How would you describe the progress of Chad Jackson?
BB: Chad has worked hard. He's been here since the middle of May, when all the rookies were allowed to come and I think that during that time they've all gotten a lot of information, they've tried to go back and absorb it and study it. We've had a lot of walkthroughs and quizzed them on the material. I think that really overall, as a group, that they're picking it up pretty well. There is still a long ways to go and there's a lot of things that you actually have go out and experience on the field and work out the timing and the passing game and things like that. I think as a group they are all progressing along, in relative terms, as good or better than some other classes that we've had, just in terms of the learning. I'm not trying to evaluate them as players. I'm just saying the progression of learning and picking up the system.

Q: What are some of the specific challenges that a rookie running back has to deal with during this time of year?
BB: I think the biggest thing for any rookie running back is the passing game - routes, coverages protections. Most pro teams do a lot more than college teams do in that area. I'm sure that's true of us and I'm sure that's true of all pro teams and probably almost all college teams. We do blitz pick up everyday. The backs and the tight ends and the quarterbacks are all involved in that to one degree or another and trying to identify who the free players are and how to account for them or throw around them or whatever the scheme calls for.

Q: The competition at linebacker, obviously there is one spot vacated by Willie [McGinest] now. I saw you guys moving people around a lot. Is it kind of a competition between everybody on the roster and are you mixing and matching quite a big at that position in particular to see what the right fit it is there?
BB: No, I think there is personnel movement at every position. I think we have a lot of guys working at different spots, certainly not limited to that position. We'll see how it goes all the way across the board. We're not trying to just experiment or work people at one spot. We're doing that pretty much at every position across the board and that's one way to help build our own depth internally and it's also ways to identify players and how well they perform in different roles and also gives us some flexibility because sometimes in your system you want to have one guy do something that may not normally be his role, but on that particular play he can take somebody else's spot to give the opposing side of the ball a different look and it enables you to run your same basic plays but disguise them a little bit. That's different linebackers playing different coverage positions, different receivers running different routes, linemen and linebackers shifting their front seven alignment to some point, but where basically you're running the same thing but it provides the offense a different look. Those are all things that are part of the equation, so we've always done that in our spring camps and also in training camp and that certainly builds a base. Sometimes you end up needing to use those things as kind of an emergency thing during the year and sometimes you don't.

Q: How much more different a player is Monty [Beisel] today than he was when you first signed him?
BB: I think he has improved. I think he has improved quite a bit. He has a much better understanding of our system now than he did at this time last year and he has a lot more experience in it. I think that's true of a number of guys when they come into their second year here. Just going through the whole system for a year and really not just understanding it when it gets installed, but being able to picture how those plays would actually happen in a game or you talk about the situations, but when you actually experience those situations in games and can relate to them, I think it just makes the learning process a little bit easier. I don't think there's any doubt that the second year in the system helps the player.

Q: Can you talk about the progression of the kicking game and how it's coming along?
BB: It's probably just like everything else. We haven't been out on the field very long. Guys have been working on it on their own. This is the time to start bringing it together, field goals, the protection, punt protection, punt coverage, kickoff coverage, all of those things, start integrating it as a team. We want to introduce everybody to that because that is an important part of our game. We'll start here and introduce it and work on it more in training camp. It's kind of the normal progression of the way we would normally do it.

Q: Does competition for jobs and positions start now?
BB: Well I think that players are evaluated everyday they walk out on the field. You either get better or worse. You either know your assignments or you don't. But I think it's much more of a teaching and learning camp and instructional camp than it is an evaluation camp. We don't have pads on and we are not doing a lot of one-on-one type of competitions. We just want to make sure that everybody understands what they have to do, how to do it and how to communicate those assignments on the field with their teammates. When we get to training camp, then that to me is when the real competition starts. That's when you play football.

Q: You mentioned that it's June and every body is not up to the conditioning. Did Corey Dillon look like he is playing at a decent level?
BB: Again, I would say the same thing about every player. I think everybody has a long way to go. I think they all know it. It's June. I'm not saying it's February. A lot of players have been training, they've been working. They're at a certain point. But they're not where they need to be for training camp and that's okay. I don't have a problem with that. I'm just saying that's were the players are individually. I think that's where we are as a team and that's where we are as coaches. We still have a lot of work to too on our end. That's part of the preparation and it's part of what mini camp is for.

Q: Do you have to manage the numbers because you are short in some areas like tight end?
BB: Well, I think you're always trying to manage your team in practice situations. That's something you go through every time you walk out on the field. None of the positions are ever equally balanced. It just never works out that way. At this point in the season, I think we have enough numbers, enough players on our roster so we can deal with it in one way or another. Whether it's changing personnel groups, we're not running that many plays out there, so it's certainly manageable now.

Q: How much more confident is Ellis Hobbs strike you as being in the system?
BB: I think Ellis has always been confident, but again any player who has a year under his belts and can come in in year two in the system, I think it's to his advantage and that's certainly true of Ellis. I think he knows a lot more and has a lot better understanding again of the things that we're doing and how they would apply in game situations and how they would be specific in things down the line than he did at this time last year. I don't think there's any question about that.

Q: Does he seem more vocal?
BB: I think he's about the same.

Q: What kind of offseason has Tedy Bruschi had? Does he look the same to you?
BB: Yeah, Tedy has had worked hard in the offseason and in the weight room. He's certainly way ahead of where he was last year at this time. It's good to see him out there in camp. We didn't see that last year. I think that overall, our offseason program has gone well. I think that Mike [Woicik] and Harold [Nash] have done a good job with the players. They've worked hard. They've made improvements. You can see it statistically in their performance and hopefully that will show up incrementally with the team and in their performance and our team performance out on the field. But I think overall the participation has been good. Our effort has been good and I think the results have been positive.

Q: You have some new skill guys on the team. Is this type of camp more important to the passing game and that element of offense and defense than it is anywhere else on the field?
BB: Well, we work in all phases of it. We have a running drill. We have passing drills, kicking drills and all that. Without pads on in the spring camps it's probably a little closer to a real passing game than it is a real running game without contact. But I think we've made progress in the running game just in terms of, again, installing the plays, making sure that we know our different assignments and be able to communicate those and identify the different looks that we see and that's taking place in the passing game as well. Whatever timing you create now, even if it's good, in six or seven weeks you're going to have to start all over again with it anyways. So no matter how well timed a play is now, it's still going to have to be redone. Like anything else, you can learn from it and maybe you're a little bit closer to executing it well in the middle of August if you can get it in June, but you're still going to have to repave that road anyhow. I'm not as concerned with the specific execution of each play as I am with the overall understanding and people knowing what to do and knowing what their assignments are so that once we get the techniques straightened out then the play can be successful.

Q: So at the same time, somebody who is rehabbing maybe for example, would take precedence over them getting on the field right now at this time of year where if somebody is getting healthy and everything you might be a little more cautious with them at it this time a year than you would say in the middle of August.
BB: In all honesty, I would say it's pretty much the same all year round. There's nothing more important than a player's health. There's nothing more important than him being healthy in order to perform. So if it means that he has to have some limitations so he can become a healthier player and a more productive player, then that's the way we're going to go. Everybody has little bumps and bruises that they can work through and those come under a different category. Whether those bumps are in June, August or November, I would expect players to be able to work through those and I think they do. But when it comes to a more significant situation, that has to take priority and it's never really worth the risk putting somebody out there when they really can't do what they need to do. It's just not a productive situation. You're better off trying to get them to at least to a point where they can perform their skills at a pretty high level.

Q: Were you surprised at all that Deion did not show up?
BB: I think I've said all I'm going to say about that. I think I covered it. You want to talk about anybody that's here, I'll be happy to talk about them.

Q: Tom Brady said the accuracy and timing was a bit off this morning in part due to so many new faces. Do you see it that way?
BB: Yeah, we have a lot of new plays going in, but like I said, even if the timing was perfect on a play today, that doesn't mean it's going to be perfect in August. I don't expect it to be perfect out there. You always hope it will be done exactly right, but whether it is or isn't, that process is all going to have to be restarted in a few weeks anyway so I'm not overly concerned about that. What I'm most concerned about is the players understanding their assignments, learning what to do, being able to communicate them with their teammates so that we can see the plays on film and on the field run approximately like they're supposed to be run so that everybody can understand what their assignment and responsibility is on the play and we could be more aggressive doing it when we put it in the next time.

Q: Is Eric Warfield primarily an outside player? Does he have any experience playing the slot?
BB: He has had some experience playing inside. At safety as well. He played safety in college

Q: Do you believe in role models and the interaction between players, is that important now because there are so many new guys?
BB: Well, I think that ultimately everybody has to have accountability for themselves and their own performance. But I think it's always good to be able to look at other people and learn and take positive things from them. There's no question about that and I think we have a lot of great people on our team that do that and provide positive examples for other players. But ultimately everybody has to make their own individual decisions. That's what it comes back to.

Q: Is Deion the only player that has an unexcused absence?
BB: Yes.

Q: Is there a fine associated with unexcused absences?
BB: I've said all I'm going to say. Discipline is between the players and the team. I don't talk about discipline. It's between the players and the team.

Q: Is there greater competition this year than in years past?
BB: Well, you know, we'll find out in training camp. I think the big thing now is to try to level the playing field. We have a lot of new players on our team. Obviously you always have that with rookies, a lot of new players on our team, and you want to try to bring them up so they're at least in a relatively competitive position with the players who have either had more experience in the league or have more experience on our team so that they have a chance to compete. If you never close that gap then you really can't have a good competition. That will take its place in training camp and we'll see how it goes. I don't know how competitive some guys will or won't be. That's up to them and their performance. Hopefully it will be. That's what we're trying to get. We're certainly trying to provide every player with the opportunity to learn the system and be confident in what he's doing and understand his responsibilities and then we get to camp and go out there and do it and we'll see how that competition turns out.

Q: What are some of the adjustments for a guy like Sullivan who is moving from being primarily a 4-3 inside guy?
BB: Well, I think the biggest adjustment is just in the techniques and the scheme that he played both at Georgia and New Orleans. Just his responsibilities and his keys and all that. It was just a lot different than what we do. He used the words 'starting over'. I don't know if that's right or not, but there's certainly, I'm sure, some application to that. It's just a lot of things that are done in some schemes that aren't done in others and this is a good case where there is a contrast in systems.

Q: How seriously did you look at him before the draft?
BB: Well, he wasn't available when we picked. We evaluated him. We evaluated him, but he wasn't option for us when we picked.

Q: Was that Al Groh out there on the sidelines?
BB: Al is here. Yes. How did Al look? [Laughter]

Q: [Laughter] How was that?
BB: I talk to Al quite a bit. He and I go back a long way. It's good to have people like that, that are familiar with you and your system and how you can be able to exchange professional football ideas with and their experiences as well as the personal side of it. He's a good friend and I have a very high regard for Al and a lot of respect for him and his opinions. It's good to have him here.

Q: Did he bring a shovel?
BB: Yeah, dig in, dig out.

Q: Coach [Dean] Pees has obviously been on your staff but now he's in a new position. What are some of the things that he brings as a coordinator and how has the transition been so far?
BB: I think it's been good. I think it's been good. I think that Dean has a lot of experience on the defensive side of the ball, a lot of experience in the system that we run, whether it was with Nick [Saban] at Michigan State or what he ran at Kent or the last couple of years here. Dean has coordinated at several different levels, at different schools and has coached a lot of different positions on the defensive side of the ball, so he has an outstanding grasp and understanding of defensive football from the nose tackle to the free safety, all the positions in between. I think he brings a very comprehensive understanding as a coordinator to those responsibilities.

Q: How is Rodney Harrison coming along? Do you expect him out on the field anytime soon?
BB: I think that all the players that are rehabbing injuries are making progress and I would put him in that category.

Q: How heavily do you rely on the veterans to work with the younger guys?
BB: I think there is a natural mix there. It's not something that I think you can force as a coach. It just happens in some cases more than others. But I think that's a natural progression on a team, older players want to help the younger guys that can come in and help us play better and can help the team. I think we have an unselfish group of veteran players that are very willing to give their time and the benefit of their experience to the younger guys and help them learn what whoever helped them. Because that's kind of giving back from somebody that when they came into the league I'm sure that there were players on whatever team it was that helped them learn and kind of go through the ropes so to speak.

Q: How critical is that, especially when you are back filling some depth?
BB: I think it's pretty much the same every year. You're always going to have new players coming in and you're going to have some players leaving your team. That's the way it is. It's different players, different personalities it's a different mix, but it still kind of falls under the same umbrella of that transition taking place. That's pretty much true on every team and it's certainly true on ours. But I think our veteran players are very willing to help young guys who want the help and they are willing to give their time and like I said their experience and pass that information along.

Q: With the departure of guys like Willie McGinest, Christian Fauria and Matt Chatham, have you spoken to guys individually and asked them to step up as veterans?
BB: I think I've pretty much talked to the team this year in the same terms that we have in the past. The names are different, but those scenarios have been common. It's different guys, but you can find that kind of transition every year, again, on every team. Guys that have gained more experience that are a year older, they're going to have to take on more responsibility as they move up in seniority in one way or another. It doesn't mean that they have to stand up and give a team speech. In some degree, there's a form of leadership and setting an example or whatever you want to call it, there's a certain element of that.

Q: Is it nice to have Troy Brown around to teach some of the younger receivers?BB: Yeah, Troy has been here a long time and he's a great technician. He's a great example. He's an inspiration to all of us.

Q: What was your reaction to Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle accident?
BB: I hope the injuries aren't serious and I hope he has a full recovery. It's unfortunate.

Q: Is that a teaching point for your guys here, showing sensitivity to the situation but at the same time...
BB: I wouldn't try to evaluate a situation that I'm not familiar with. I really don't have any kind of first hand knowledge of it. I have a lot of respect for him and I hope that he's okay. That's all I can say I really. I wouldn't try to pass judgment on anything that happened or didn't happen. I don't know. I wasn't there.

Q: You have a number of motorcycle riders on your roster. Is that a concern for you in general?
BB: Again, I think we all have individual choices to make and that goes for every player and coach on this team and the responsibility that we have to the team. I think it's always in the team's best interests for all of us to make good choices, every player, every coach, everybody involved. So whatever those are, that's part of all of our day-to-day lives and that's in the best interest of the team.