Here are 10 quotes from Monday's media availability as the Chargers continue OTAs:
1) Outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu on studying edge rushers head coach Brandon Staley has work with in the past:
"Definitely have been watching a lot of Rams tape and what he did with [Rams OLB] Leonard Floyd. He was the defensive coordinator over there. That's where he just came from, so I've been watching a lot of that and seeing how Floyd has been getting free, making plays, what he's been doing and try to incorporate that into my game a little bit."
2) Nwosu on what excites him about Staley's defensive scheme:
"I would have to say just the versatility in this defense. Always being in the right situation at the right time. He has a lot of different calls and different ways to get in and out of different defenses to make sure we're in the right call and playing our best, so I'm really excited for that."
3) Nwosu on fellow outside linebacker Kyler Fackrell:
"He's played a lot of ball. He's been in the league for six years, so he's played a lot of ball. He has a lot of wisdom and intelligence behind him. We know that if anything ever goes wrong, we can always count on him. He always knows what to do and he's always in the right positions at the right time. I just can't wait to get on the field with him and, together, see what we can do."
4) Wide receiver Mike Williams on continuing to develop chemistry with quarterback Justin Herbert:
"A lot of throwing after the season. A lot of routes. Everyone is trying to get this offense down pat. That just comes with reps. We would meet up every morning, throw and run routes. Trying to get that connection down. Everybody is trying to get that connection down, make plays and get the offense running."
5) Williams on what he's learned from Staley:
"His knowledge of the game on both sides of the ball. You can tell that he knows a lot about both sides of the ball. He'll come and talk to us and tell us what defenses like to do to help us out as receivers. He brings a lot of energy. I'm looking forward to spending the rest of the season with him and having fun."
6) Quarterbacks coach Shane Day on working with Herbert:
"It's been really exciting. We haven't thrown the ball yet, but just watching him go through the process of learning the offense and going through all of the meetings — learning the offense from A to Z, doing that stuff — to now, out on the field, going through it and watching him take drops and watching him go through his read progressions and just talking football, it's been awesome. It's been really cool. You go through the draft evaluation process when you're not drafting Justin Herbert and you get to see him on tape — I got to meet him and all of those types of things at the combine — and now, to see him in person and get to know him a little bit, it's been a lot of fun. To watch him up close has been amazing. It's been a lot of fun."
7) Day on collaboration among the coaching staff:
"There have been a lot of ideas. I get to talk to a lot of people. I haven't had the opportunity to work with a lot of guys on the staff. We've been exchanging a lot of ideas, and I've been learning a lot from them. We've had some great discussions as far as the different offenses and systems we've been in. Even on the defensive side of the ball, kind of learning what they're trying to do and how they attack offenses. It's been a really cool experience, for sure."
8) Secondary coach Derrick Ansley on safety Derwin James Jr.:
"Well, just to see him operate on a day-to-day basis. He's got a pro's mentality. He goes about his business like a workman. I've seen him in college and competed against him when he was at Florida State and I was at Alabama. I've seen him in that capacity and now I've seen him day-to-day, working side-by-side with him. He's been very impressive. He's a very high-capacity guy, understands [the game]. He gets it and he's not a [make the] same mistake type of guy. He's got a big-time future ahead of him."
9) Ansley on rookie CB Asante Samuel Jr.:
"A lot like Derwin — I don't want to compare them, but Asante is a ball-guy. He's another high-capacity guy. He's very detail-oriented and doesn't like to make mistakes. He asks next-level types of questions. Outside of being a rookie, he doesn't really speak or think that way. He's a guy that has a lot of mental ability. You'll see some of the physical ability when we get the rookies full-speed. He has a big future ahead of him as well."
10) Run game coordinator/offensive line coach Frank Smith on his time with the New Orleans Saints:
"A Ph.D. in football. What a lucky guy I was. To step back now —I always kind of look at, 'What did you learn from every experience?' If you don't learn and grow and affect your next day, I think that's our failure, whether it's a coach, player, or really anyone. I was lucky. I got there two months after they had just won the Super Bowl —the pinnacle of football. In my five years, I would call it a Ph.D. in football. I learned the why. [Saints Head Coach] Sean Payton has that big-picture vision of how to build a Super Bowl-caliber winning team, and then how you build a team, again, that got as close as you can get. I was lucky to develop a relationship with Joe [Lombardi] in my time there. He taught me a lot of things. I was young in the NFL. Just how things worked and why, and how the systems worked. [Former Saints coach] Aaron Kromer was there my first couple of years. He's a top-level line coach. I can't say enough. I'm so lucky that I was able to work for him. He taught me how the NFL works."
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