HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if players give him reasons to keep them or cut them, especially in this final week before the final roster cuts)
"I do think through the evaluation process an individual does make his claim in either direction. His performance is the indicator. I think although it's a difficult time, it's really based upon how an individual actually performs is what really counts."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if a player's full body of work is considered or if they concentrate on what they player has done lately)
"It's more of a body of work. You take everything into consideration. You try to make an assessment of how they'll fit in and if they make your team stronger and that type of thing. We look at every single aspect."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if DE-Jerry Hughes will play a lot on Thursday)
"It would be reasonable to assume that."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on the more DE-Jerry Hughes plays the better it will be for him)
"I think so. I think he's a young, developing player who has skill and ability and just needs reps. He'll certainly get some on Thursday."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if the team can be patient with DE-Jerry Hughes because of the defensive ends the team has)
"The thing about this game is that it moves along pretty quickly. I think for the most part young guys at the onset really start to develop as the season goes along. They develop through OTAs, they develop through training camp and then it takes a little while, in terms of development, for them to actually find their niche, and I think that's probably what's happening with Jerry, as well. He just continues to get better, little by little, but it's not something that is going to happen instantly. It does take a little while."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on how he would assess the return game right now)
"I can tell you overall we have improved. I think that's quite evident, just in terms of return yardage and things of that nature. The battle between the individuals that have been doing those duties for us continues and Thursday night will be another night to assess and see where they are."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if Thursday night is an important night for the players battling for the kick return job)
"We look at all of it, every bit of it, everything, not only in the ballgames, but also in practice and meetings. It all certainly adds up. Is it important? I think obviously this game is a big game. It is very, very important, primarily for a few reasons. One, anytime you have an opportunity to take the field in this league it's one that individuals have to relish and take advantage of. Two, I think there are a lot of men out there that are going to be jockeying for position for jobs and opportunities because of the fact that is what we are doing. We are assessing them and seeing where they fit in. It is very, very important for them, this particular ballgame. Number three, it gives us an opportunity to strengthen our team. We can help ourselves in terms of depth. We forge maybe a little bit more strength in certain areas. This game is very important for us to evaluate and make certain that we make the right decisions that best suit us."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if the game Thursday is important for RB-Donald Brown after battling injuries last season)
"Not everybody can be in the exact same boat, in terms of what's going to happen in this particular ballgame. Those who need the work, we will get them the work. But also there may be some situations where we have a guy or two that's a little nicked up, and we might not play him very much. That will kind of depend on what happens just before game time. It depends. You're referring to Donald, I think that he's shown that he's moving in the right direction, that he is doing the things we ask of him and we anticipate that he is going to have an injury-free season. That is what we are praying for because he can certainly help us."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on there being eight officials in Thursday's game and what the eighth official's role will be)
"In a nutshell, he is going to be back adjacent to the back judge. His job is going to be to help in the realm of passing. He's going to actually take a little bit of the load off of the back judge. The back judge would usually stand in the middle, so they'll be side-by-side. He'll have one side of the field, the back judge will have the other. In kicking situations, kickoff and things of that nature, he'll be following the kicker down the field more or less, maybe four or five yards behind him in the kickoff and he'll be working his way down kind of just outside of the fray."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if this is something the league is looking to implement in the regular season)
"I think much like anything it's somewhat experimental. We'll see what happens as a result of it."
