Jim Tomsula talks rookie minicamp, linebackers, quarterbacks, Jarryd Hayne

How rookies looking:

You got to see them today, it was good, it was good. It's a good group of guys. Working hard

On working with veterans this week and then the rookie minicamp:

Well, they're allowed, with the rules, they're allowed to be out here a little longer. So we're trying to take advantage of that. We want them to be on the field with the veterans, kinda see how we're doing things. But, then taking that time afterwards, slowing it down, getting the individual work, the drill work, and some of the special teams work.

On this creating efficiency for minicamp:

Yea, you're referring to us not bringing them in last week. That was just personal preference. You bring guys in after they've been out wining and dining and jet-setting, you know all those things, and then you bring them into a minicamp, and you wanna get going, and everybody's excited. As a coach, it's always been a little bit, it's a little touch-and-go. How hard do you push it, what do you do there, and when you get into the physicals and things, and the administrative stuff when they come in, a lot of times they have to go get re-checked, just making sure they're safe. And you got a practice the next day and a guy who hasn't been in a meeting because he's been getting the physicals or the paperwork. Or they miss a practice and then you get into it that way. To me, just in the thought process of let's bring ‘em in, let's get them here for a week, anybody that had a re-check they can go get that done. And the guys are getting meetings, and they're getting to watch the film on how we do things, integrated with the guys. And then tomorrow and Sunday, we'll be able to get something...it's still part of the process for us of evaluating exactly where we're at. So we're having a little bit more of an evaluation process.

Are they fresher now:

That's part of the thought. I don't know, fresher, they'll tell you we're working so hard we're not fresh, but just the point of going through the movements, getting indoctrinated into the strength and conditioning program, and just getting things rolling a little big. And quite frankly, taking a little bit of the nerves out of them, because you see a lot of those young guys, they get in these awkward positions and things, that they're nervous, like anybody would be. That's all in the why we're doing it the way we're doing it.

Anything stand out yet:

Well, they're all coming in, they all have a good work ethic. That's something that we knew, I mean you have your reports, your scouting department. You can see it there, they're good workers.

On what attracted them to Dylan Thompson:

Just the guy. He's a collected individual. He's got those, you talk to him, there's the intangibles. Does that make sense to you? But then you watch the tape. This guy can throw a football around, he spins it. We're excited about him. We really are.

On bringing in a tryout guy:

Don't know that. Right now, no. His arm seems to be doing well. We've talked about it. And if he needed that for his arm, we would. As of right now, we don't feel like we need to do that.

On developing rookie rapport:

It's awesome to see. We're out here in t-shirts and shorts, getting as close to football as you can get. But it's not football. You're looking for those things, the interaction, the way they work, the way they interact in drills, the way they interact after a play. You know, talking to each other. Those kind of things. That part of it is going well.

On Justin Smith clarity:

As of right now, there's none. This morning, we were working and meeting and doing our thing. The guys were lifting. Then we came out here. So, no, I haven't seen or talked to him ... I haven't scheduled anything. I really haven't, and you really know how I feel about that. That time will come, and we're not trying to make it a saga. We're really not. It's really just as honest as we're saying it is. But I'm sure that'll come here. We got a lot of guessing on when this is going to go, when that is going to go. We'll know here. I mean it's getting to the time where you have to know something. So it's going to happen.

On if he's working out:

Yea, he's been around. He's been in San Jose. And don't read into that, either. I mean Justin Smith will be working out for the rest of his life. That's who he is.

On injury concerns after Fowler injury:

I mean we pay attention to that, but Jacksonville, they weren't doing anything wrong. There's nothing wrong going on. They were practicing, they were doing everything in the way that you do football. But things happen. Obviously you feel for the guy for that to happen, and the team obviously. We looked at it closely to make sure, hey, is there anything that's going on there that we're doing that we shouldn't do. No. We'll be doing the same things Jacksonville was doing. There was nothing wrong.

On injured players being limited:

Case-by-case nature. Some guys will be further along, and some guys...You may see some guys, the reps are being pulled here and there. You might see them in spurts, you know shutting them down halfway through practice. But that's completely on an individual basis.

On Bowman's return:

Bowman's looking great. Bow looks great. I'd say we're more treating Bow like a vet than we're treating Bow like a post-injury guy right now. You know, we've had a couple days here we say, hey let's back it off. We go straight off what the trainers, sports medicine recommends. Obviously conversing with the guys, see how they feel. But that's been terrific.

On bringing in 5 UDFA WRs:

Did you see them out there today? It's a really impressive group. And our personnel department, along with the wide receiver coaches really felt good about that through the draft process and what we're doing. We feel really good about the talent level of those guys.

On getting something from these guys:

Obviously they gotta do it. So we'll see. I tell them in there, I don't rub a crystal ball, we'll see. As of today, what we're doing today, not what we're going to do in August, but what we're doing today, those guys are doing a really good job. They pass the look test, that's for sure.

On Wilhoite contract:

I'll tell you, the business side of it, in terms of money and contracts, I don't go into any of that. I don't deal with it.

On him not being concerned with it and going about his business:

Yea, and just so everybody understands me with that stuff. Business is between business people. I've never been inclined to be a business man, I'm a coach. I understand both sides of that, so everybody's gotta handle their business. I won't stick my nose into the business side of it. I'm gonna coach football, I'll coach the guys that are here, along with our staff. But when it comes to that, and I do get both sides.

On ILB depth chart and Briggs rumors:

Right now, where we're at, things are really good out there. I'm talking about the guys who are on the field for us. Talking about Michael Wilhoite and NaVorro Bowman, but a guy that's really moving around and feeling the defense in the right way is Nick Moody. I've been pulling for Nick. He's working really hard. He's one of those guys you notice. I'm walking out of here and he's got all of his books. You can just tell. We feel good there. I feel good with the guys who are on the field right now.

On Jarryd Hayne:

Did you see him catching those punts? It's a little easier to catch a football than it is a rugby ball. The wind gets that rugby ball, that thing's zig-zagging all over the place.

On good impressions of Hayne and seeing his dedication:

There's no question, you knew that going in. That's like the man in Australia. he gives that up and he comes here to do this, and he starts at the bottom of the totem pole. That says a lot to me. Again, he's still, when you watch what we're doing here, he's still playing rugby. There are no pads here. He's fielding balls and running around in shorts and a T-shirt.

Am I thrilled that he's here? Absolutely. He's a neat dude. All that stuff's great. He's running around and learning his stuff. He's dedicated and committed. He's a pro. He's been a pro for a long time

On people helping him getting adjusted:

Everybody, I mean the staff, the locker room, but it's not like he really needed to have  lot taken in. He's not a little duckling. This guy's got his stuff together."