On Omari Thomas’ production in preseason camp
“(Omari) has worked really hard. I think our whole front has worked hard. Coach (Rodney) Garner has done a nice job continuing to push those guys and get them going. It’s going to be a little bit by committee up there. For us to play at the level that we all want to play at, we’re going to need to be good up front. It might have to be by committee, so (Omari) is part of that mix. He’s working hard. How much of a role he carves out is yet to be determined, like it is with a lot of those guys up front.”
On what the defensive line needs to accomplish prior to next week’s season opener
“Just stay in the process. I know that’s cliché, but the reality of it is we’re still working. We’re finishing up, just playing hard. How many guys will we play? As many that earn the opportunity. You get what you earn. Again, understanding big-picture wise, for us to play at a high level, we’re going to need to be able to rotate guys. We aren’t rotating guys if they’re not ready to play at the standard that we’ve established. The way I see it right now, Coach Garner’s doing a good job with developing not just our first group, but the second group and hopefully even some of the third group will have an opportunity to play. At the end of the day, (it’s) no different for the d-line, the linebackers, defensive backs – you get what you earn. How do you earn it? Through your performance not just one day, but the consistency in your daily approach. I think (Omari Thomas) and the rest of those d-linemen, I think those guys have bought into that, and I think they’re working extremely hard to make sure they earn the right to step between those lines and take the field.”
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