Highlights

HERM EDWARDS: “I thought the practice today early the offense came off the ball very well in nine-on-seven (drill). Then it became very competitive. I think they’re starting to realize how to play better in pads, stay lower and strike people. For our second practice in full pads this is how we kind of want to do it. Now, it was a long practice and it was intended that way.

“We will give them some days off, too, and have one-a-days. That will start tomorrow when we have a special teams practice in the morning and have a regular practice in the afternoon. That’s kind of how it’s scheduled because of the 80-man (roster) situation. I’ve talked to head coaches around the league and that’s how a lot of guys are doing this. I think it’s smart and gets them ready to play in the pre-season.”

Q: You’re not going to have any back-to-back two-a-days?

EDWARDS: “We are today. Generally we’re going to have a special teams deal and then in the afternoon have another hard practice. I think that’s the best way to protect the players, in my opinion.”

Q: DE Turk McBride didn’t practice today.

EDWARDS: “Yeah, he had a stomach deal and Brian Waters is OK and will be out there this afternoon, and we kept Tony (Gonzalez) out. DJ (Johnson) cramped up. He had cramps in his hamstring but he’s ok. He’ll be fine. Surtain didn’t do a whole lot but he’ll go this afternoon. There are certain guys like that.”

Q: I know it’s early but as you go through the days who do you think is ahead: offense or defense?

EDWARDS: “It goes by periods some times. I said I thought early (today) the offense started off very well and got off the ball and ran the ball pretty well. The defense then got going. I thought in certain situations the offense did some good things and the defense did some good things. That’s what you want. You don’t want an unbalanced practice because then you don’t get any better when one side dominates the ball.”

Q: Can you talk about the evolution of the center position with Rudy Niswanger?

EDWARDS: “Very smart guy, as you know. Free agent and been here now going on three years. He’s been looking for this opportunity and now he’s going to get it. I think athletic wise he’s a big center; he’s a very tall guy. But he’s a pretty good knee bender and very, very smart. He’s very good on protections as far as who to help and plays pretty good in space.

“He’s a guy who played college football on a pretty good team. So he knows about big games and when you look at him he’s not the typical center because he’s tall. But he’s played (the position) all his life so I think he understands the leverage to use with his height. He’s going to get an opportunity to be our starter.”

Q: Can you talk about RB Larry Johnson just being healthy and seeing him working as hard as he is?

EDWARDS: “I think he has a lot to prove due to the fact that there is always a lot of pressure on you when you’re in the star status as a football player. Last year we started off pretty slow offensively and didn’t run the ball very well. Then we kind of got going and then he got hurt. That hurt us.

“I think he has the mindset of trying to come back and have a good season.”

Q: How tight is your battle for the kicking position?

EDWARDS: “It’s tight. That thing, you know, is an everyday deal. Then we get in the preseason and they’ll get evaluated there. Hopefully we can get close enough to where we can kick some field goals, too. That was a little bit of our Achilles Heel last year. We never got in field goal range it seemed and then when we did we didn’t make a whole lot of them. Hopefully, we’ll get in better position this year.”

Q: How’s the offensive line look? It’s fairly new.

EDWARDS: “They’ve been together in the spring. They’re athletic. They’re big. They’re the kind of guys that Chan (Gailey) likes. He likes big tackles and we have some big ones and they’re pretty athletic too. A lot of energy. I think the guys that came from last year are disappointed because that’s always been a staple for this franchise going back to when Marty Schottenheimer was here and Whitey Dovell was drafting. It was always built on the offensive line. These young guys are going to have a chance to play.”

Q: Cohesiveness is needed in the offensive line isn’t it?

EDWARDS: “Yeah, they need to practice together. They’re going to play some games together. The pre-season is going to be a little different for them than in the past. They will play a little bit more; they have to because we have to do a lot of things good in the pre-season so that it can give them some confidence.”

Q: What does a player like Tony Gonzalez mean to a franchise that’s rebuilding?

EDWARDS: “I think his ability to stay on one team, the numbers that he’s put up as a player, his Pro Bowl thing, gives him a chance to go to the Hall of Fame. But what Tony wants to do is win playoff games and win a Super Bowl. That’s the missing element and that’s what drives him along with him wanting to be the best player he can possibly be. That’s what he’s always done, what he’s always exhibited on the field and off the field. He does the right things and is the model of a pro football player, what you want a guy to do. He’s a first round pick and there is a lot of pressure on a first-round pick. But those guys from Cal can handle that and he’s handled it in a manner that’s respected around the league.”

Q: Some of the other receivers seem to have picked up his work ethic.

EDWARDS: “Especially Cottam. Everything he does mimics Tony. If that’s the example to follow, that’s the right one.”

Q: Has he ever expressed frustration about the team’s rebuilding process?

EDWARDS: “He’s a little bit concerned, (the veterans) all are. They always worry about when it’s going to come to an end and they’re running out of time. But I told him just because we’re going in this direction that doesn’t mean you can’t win. If you look at the players we brought in here and the attitude they have he’s bought in. He’ll speak for himself on that; you can ask him the question.”

Q: Is it like having a coach around because when he’s not working he’s always talking to the young guys?

EDWARDS: “Tony has always been a guy about doing his job and not being a leader per se preferring to do it on the field. I think this year he’s invested a little more time this year helping guys. That’s good. That’s good for us to have a guy like that.”

Q: Other than learning the new offense what do you want to see out of Brodie Croyle in this camp?

EDWARDS: “I want to see him in games, especially in pre-season games, move the team down the field and score. We need to score. It’s not all on him. We’ve got to protect him, they’ve got to catch it and we’ve got to run it. But he needs to get some confidence from getting the team in the endzone. That’s the most important thing.”

Q: How quickly is RB Larry Johnson coming along here in understanding the new offense?

EDWARDS: “He likes it; there are certain runs that he likes. We’ve got him involved in the passing game some and some things that he can do in the open field. He understands what we’re doing. He understands football and understands what Chan (Gailey) is about and how he’s run the ball in the past. He’s always had good running backs wherever he’s been in pro and college football. He’s always been able to run the ball and that kind of fits Larry’s mold.”

Q: Does he have to prove himself again after last year’s disappointing season with the injury?

EDWARDS: “I don’t know if he has to prove himself. He’s just hungry to get back and play football. If you miss all those games like that….one thing about players, they like to play. He loves the competition to play on Sundays.”

Q: CB Patrick Surtain said before the draft he talked to some people within the organization about Brandon Flowers Is that something you pay attention to, a veteran on your team?

EDWARDS: “That’s great but we draft him where he should be fit. He was a guy that was available at that point in time. Pat should be interested in him and he should be. He’s a good player. But believe me, I haven’t in the past listened to players because your cousin thinks he’s a good football player. We drafted him because our scouts did a good job of evaluating him. The guy has been around the pro game. He’s seen it and why he played so well in college.”