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Below is a look at what Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz had to say on Day 5 of training camp. (Quotes provided by the Lions.)
On injuries: "Everything that we have injury-wise is nothing more than day-to-day. Some of the hamstrings might take a little bit longer, but we're just taking them day-by-day. We don't have any long-term or surgical things coming out of our MRIs."
On confirming that Ron Bartell and Jonté Green had MRIs: "Jonté didn't actually have an MRI, but I don't want to get into the actual thing. He had a medical examination. All of a sudden we start getting into too much detail when we come into stuff like that. Both of them are not long-term. We'll see how fast we can get them back. Both of them will work hard to get back".
On how the defensive game is better designed to accumulate sacks and turnovers: "We're shaped differently upfront. That's been well-documented since the offseason and the signing of Jason Jones and drafting some of the guys, even the recent signing of (Israel) Idonije. Turnovers don't always come from pressure on the quarterback. A lot of sacks include fumbles. We were very opportunistic in 2011 that way. We need to be as opportunistic this year doing that. There are other ways they can affect the play. They can tip passes that can be intercepted. They can knock passes down, get off the field on the third down. I wouldn't judge the performance of the D-line strictly by sacks. There's a lot of times if the offense wants to throw a ball quick, there's not a whole lot the D-line can do, but if they're getting off the field on the third down and the third down percentage is good, if our turnovers are good and things like that, I think we'll be happy with the performance of our D-line."
On being worried about how young players will handle the pressure from the edge: "Some of our guys haven't had a career yet. I think that everybody's excited about the combinations that we can work out there. You're not just judged on what you have done in the past. Some of those guys are getting plugged in to different schemes. We have confidence in those guys being able to complete the blitzes we have and the four-man rushes we have."
On how locker room character plays a role in signing veteran free agents: "I think it comes after you evaluate them as a player. We don't bring anybody here just to be a mentor. They have to be able to contribute on the football field. Those guys all have the ability, even though they're veteran players. They'll still have the ability to contribute after that, then it's certainly something you should look for. You want guys that come in and have a track record of working hard, that have been around the obstacles of the NFL, the ups and downs. I think that kind of leadership means an awful lot and I think those guys all provide that."
On LB Ashlee Palmer's challenge of transitioning from special teams to a defensive player: "This time of year I don't know if it makes any difference. Every training camp you come out, get reps, and you're trying your best to learn the offensive, defensive and special teams' schemes. You're not thinking about what your role in the past was. You're kind of straightening in on that day. Once the season comes along it's a little bit different. Guys like Ashlee has had weeks where he's started more than just one or two. He's been through that before. I don't think it's much of an adjustment to tell you the truth."
On if Palmer was the best special teams' player last year: "He was one of our most productive guys. It's a production world. If that's the bottom line. then yes."
On having an H-back and a Fullback: "The only people that are talking about the 53 right now are you guys. We don't go in our meeting and talk about what the 53 is going to be. We're out here working and trying to evaluate everybody the best we can and see which pieces fit. We have 90 guys. We owe it to all 90 to give them all a fair chance and to play it. It's sort of the same thing, like when the schedule comes out in April. Everybody's going through the schedule and saying, "That's a win, that's a loss." Coaches and players don't do that. Then training camp, we try to worry about what's going on that day and not what's going on at the 53 cut. If you start worrying about what's going to happen at the 53 cut, you're in the wrong business. You start changing the way you approach things. You have to come out with a fresh attitude. We'll have some hard decisions, there's no question about that."
On DE Ronnell Lewis returning and his missed opportunities: "We only have eight full padded practices in training camp, and this was the second one. We always talk about our defensive linemen and judging them on pads. We had a half-line drill today, we had short yardage, and we had a live pass rush drill. It was a good, hard day, a hard, physical day. All those defensive linemen needed. Anything you miss is stuff that you can't get back. He's working hard to get back, but the fact is we can't circle back in training camp and make up time for guys that have missed. There's urgency to get back for everybody."
On Lewis's status as a fourth-round pick and the roster decision: "Sort of like I had just talked about, this time of the year no one is thinking about stuff like that. All these guys are in the same boat, they're all working. Like I said, it's one of the things that are so impressive about a Calvin Johnson. He doesn't come out here and approach training camp or a practice or a meeting like he's one of the elite players in the National Football League. He approaches it the way a lot of these young guys do. We don't handicap these players, we don't grade them on a curve based on what they are. It's a production business. They have to produce in training camp."
On what it would take for TE Brandon Pettigrew to reach an elite status among tight ends in the league: "Brandon has been a good player for us for a long time. Biggest thing last year was there were a couple fumbles. Brandon's generally a very ball-secure guy. The fumbles were situations that hurt us. He has worked very hard to put that stuff behind. You watch him out here, he's excited about this year. He's always been in great shape, but I think he's in better shape than he's been and complete understanding with where we are offensively. Every aspect of a player, he's improved. You can tell how excited he is about 2013 and what he can do to help our team based off of that."
On if he can see Pettigrew being a 1,000-yard receiving type of player: "Whatever it takes to win. If it takes that and that's what he's asked to do when it's all said and done, he's capable of doing that. He's also capable of moving a defensive end on third down and one. Blocking off the ball, pass protecting, moving the chains on third down, making big plays in the red zone, all those things tight ends are required to do. I think he's able to handle anything that we need him to do."
On if Pettigrew got enough separation last year: "Honestly it's training camp. We're done talking about last year. It's all about this year and the only way we'll put it behind both personally as players, as coaches and as a team is if we move on to 2013. Brandon's in excellent shape. He's a big part of our offense. We're really excited about what he can bring. He has worked very hard to address some things in the offseason. We're really excited about it."
On assessing the talent level for replacing the third linebacker position: "We have a good mix there. We have some veteran players. We have some young players in there, guys that have carved out roles on special teams that have made their way on rosters. Nobody has been a long-term starter there. The opportunity is there for all those guys to carve something out. Even the guys that don't win that spot will be counted on. There's going to be injuries and short-yardage and goal line packages. There will be plenty of opportunities to contribute on this team."