Transcript: Head Coach Brian Daboll

Head Coach Brian Daboll

October 5, 2022

Daboll: Normal Wednesday for us, but we’re going to practice inside.

Q: It would’ve been fun outside, though.
A: Yeah. Just got a big day ahead of us.

Q: What do you expect (quarterback) Daniel (Jones) to do at practice today?
A: He’ll practice some. We’ll see where he’s at. We’ll see where he’s at after today.

Q: (Quarterback) Tyrod (Taylor) is still in the concussion protocol?
A: He is.

Q: Will he be able to do anything today, Tyrod? Or he is he not at that stage yet?
A: No. He won’t practice today.

Q: Is it fair to rule him out? Or too soon to say?
A: Too soon to say.

Q: Is it encouraging that Daniel’s at least able to get out here and try to do something?
A: Yeah. Not surprised. He’s a pretty tough individual. I think he’s made a lot or progress since after the game, and he’s been in the treatment room pretty consistently throughout these last couple of days. So, we’ll put him out there, give him some reps and see where he’s at.

Q: What are the possibilities you bring (quarterback) Davis (Webb) up?
A: I think it depends on where Tyrod is and if Tyrod can make it or not. But certainly a possibility.

Q: But if Tyrod is unable to (go), he would be the first – I know you had a couple guys in yesterday. But he would be the first guy?
A: He would be.

Q: Are there travel restrictions for Tyrod if he’s not cleared by the time you guys take off Thursday?
A: Not that I know of.

Q: So, he could not be cleared and be on the plane with you guys?
A: He could be. Yep.

Q: This might be a silly question, but does the long flight to London kind of make it a little harder for some of these guys that are dealing with injuries?
A: I don’t know. That’s a good question. I think they’ll do everything they can do to rehab. If they have a chance to play, they’ll be on the flight. We’ll keep rehabbing them. And we’ll take it all the way to the end with some of the guys. If we don’t think they’re going to be able to play or make it, then they’ll stay here.

Q: (Running back) Matt Breida got checked on the sideline during the game, like head, neck. Did he get –
A: He’s fine.

Q: Do you do precautionary follow-ups like concussion evaluations and tests for a player like that?
A: Yeah. I’d say with anybody, they follow up the next day with whatever the injury might be – the training staff, the players. But Matt’s good.

Q: You said with Daniel you need to see where he’s at after practice today. So, if he doesn’t look good, what happens next? Would you still bring in another outside quarterback?
A: Let’s see how it goes today.

Q: In terms of Davis, is it easier to prepare in terms of gameplan considering that you’re not sure at this point who’s going to play, but you know he knows the whole playbook, and he knows the offense. Is it easier for you guys to get ready?
A: Like compared to bringing a new player in?

Q: Yeah.
A: Absolutely. He’s been in the offense for a long time. So, each week, even though he’s on the practice squad, he prepares. That’s what we ask all our guys to do, whether it’s a practice squad running back, prepare like you’re going to have an opportunity to play, so when the opportunity does present itself and you’re brought up that you’re ready to go. So that’s whether we sign a guy this week and start getting him ready to play or a guy like Davis, but certainly he’s been with me for a while. So, you’re not teaching it. He knows our stuff.

Q: What’s your level of trust with Davis, having been with you for so long? He obviously had a very good preseason this summer. Some people kind of slough that off because it’s not against starters or whatever. But how do you measure that versus what he might be able to do in an actual game?
A: I have a lot of confidence in Davis. He hasn’t played a full game in the regular season, but I’ve been around him for four years. I’ve watched him compete. I watch how he prepares. I watch how he leads. If he is afforded this opportunity, then Davis will be ready.

Q: What were your conversations with him like this offseason? Because he obviously had a different opportunity to be a quarterback coach of a pretty good quarterback, and he chose to come here. So, I’m curious what that was like.
A: We have a very good relationship. And that’s probably a pretty good question for him relative to all the things that were going on with him. But I’m happy he’s here. I think he’s done a great job. And if he has to play, I think he’ll be ready to play.

Q: Will (wide receiver) Kadarius (Toney) be out there today? And if so, what will he be doing or how much?
A: He will. He will be practicing. He’ll be out there. He’s making progress. I think all the guys are – again that I talked about on what was it, Monday? I think they’re all making strides. He’ll be out here; he’ll be practicing.

Q: Will (defensive lineman) Leonard (Williams) be as well?
A: Leonard will be out here, too.

Q: Limited or full?
A: He will be limited.

Q: What about Kadarius?
A: He will be limited.

Q: What about (safety) Julian (Love)?
A: He will be not practicing today.

Q: He’s still in (concussion) protocol?
A: Yeah, he’s making – yes.

Q: What about (wide receiver) Wan’Dale (Robinson)?
A: Wan’Dale? Limited.

Q: What did you and (defensive coordinator) Wink (Martindale) and I guess the defensive staff kind of unlock in (defensive lineman) Dexter (Lawrence) where his first few years here were kind of okay, and now he’s a playmaker on that D-line?
A: I’d always say first and foremost, you give credit to the player. Much like (running back) Saquon (Barkley) I would say, since I’ve been here, he (Dexter Lawrence) has bought into what we’re doing. He’s been great in the building. He’s been great outside the building. He’s a leader for us. He’s a talented player. And I think that Coach Patterson (defensive line coach Andre Patterson), Coach Cox (assistant defensive line coach Bryan Cox), Wink, they’ve done a great job with him and trying to use his strengths as his strengths. But I give most of the credit to Dexter; I think he’s in a good spot. I’ve seen improvement from him since we’ve been here. But he’s a talented player. I’m glad he’s on our team.

Q: When or how do you know that a player wants to be great?
A: I think they all want to be great. That’s the type of guys we want in our building – people that want to do their very best in everything that they can do for themselves and for their team. That’s kind of some of the stuff we look at when we’re looking at guys in free agency or calling around on them or college draft picks. You want players that love the game and want to be as good as they can be. And some are going to be as good as they can be and be around here. Guys like Dexter are just very, very talented, and the sky’s the limit.

Q: You’ve never had to coach against (quarterback) Aaron Rodgers, what’s it like getting ready for the whole team to face him?
A: Challenging. I mean, he’s one of the best to ever do it. He’s, much like I’ve said about some of the other really good players, he’s fun to watch when you’re not getting ready to play him. I’ll be watching their offense and naturally you’re just watching 12 and the things he does, how he moves people, the accuracy, off-schedule plays, and checks and things he does. He’s as good as it gets and he’s a hard quarterback to defend. He’s impressive.

Q: When you look back at what DJ did against Chicago the other day, obviously at one point you were going to keep him out even though he wanted to go back in. To come back in and gut it out in the fourth quarterback, can you expand on what that was like?
A: I think you find out about guys. I think you try to find out the best you can about a person when you meet them and build a relationship. Then when they’re faced with some type of adversity, whether that be mental adversity, physical adversity, I think you learn a lot about individuals. It’s easy to gauge people when things are great, it’s when things aren’t great. Whether it’s through training camp or through some of these games, and now this one with the physical thing, he wants to be there for his teammates. He’s a great teammate. I think he’s a mentally strong person, but he’s pretty tough physically, too.

Q: (Center) Nick Gates is going to practice today. You weren’t here when he got hurt, but what can you say about him reaching this point?
A: Impressive. We had a walkthrough earlier and had him break down the team. Much respect to really anybody that comes back from injuries, but his injuries were significant. All the surgeries and he’s had nothing but a positive mindset since he’s been here. The guys were hooting and hollering when he was breaking them down. You root for guys like that. It’s a tough industry we’re in, in terms of physical things that can happen. Just a lot of respect for him and what he’s done and proud of the young man.

Q: Any of the other guys on IR or PUP close?
A: Potentially, but not right now.

Q: With (wide receiver Wan’ Dale) Robinson and (wide receiver Kadarius) Toney, you guys have dealt with some issues and injuries at receiver, do you have to guard against wanting to rush them back and putting too much on their plate out of necessity? Compared to not wanting to rush them back because they haven’t done too much recently.
A: I would say that our philosophy is not to rush anybody back, to make sure the player feels comfortable where they’re at in their mind and the mental spot. But also, physically make sure that they’re ready to go and can go out there and do the things we need them to do to be a successful part of whether it’s offense, defense or the kicking game. I think that’s important. As everybody knows, this is a tough sport to play. Again, you’re going to have nicks and bruises and things like that, but the health and the safety of our guys are important to us.

Q: Is there any difference going into a game knowing what you’re dealing with, with your quarterback? Rather than subbing him back into a game plan you’ve already built around a healthy quarterback?
A: I’d say if they’re out there and they’re going to be ready to play, obviously as a coach, you want to put them in the best position as you can. Whether that’s drop backs, runs, play actions, you do that as a coach. If a guy is coming back from injury, you’re not going to put a guy out there you think is not ready to go, as a coach. If they’re ready to go and they’re out there, then they’re able to do the things that we need them to do for that week. And you know that changes. One plan hasn’t been the same as the next hasn’t been the same as the next, so you take some of that into account. Certainly, you do. But you want guys to be able to execute what you need to execute in order to give yourself a chance to win.

Q: There’s a report that (Wide Receiver) Cole Beasley just retired. What was it like coaching him?
A: When was that?

Q: Just 10 minutes ago.
A: He is a great guy. Very productive in our system the last few years and I wish him the best of luck. Him, his family, his children, he’s a great person.

Q: Is there one gameplan for the offense or is it many factors depending on who’s the quarterback?
A: Like do you have a bunch of different call sheets? No. I’d say whoever’s out here ready to play, which we’re not there yet, I’d say (Offensive Coordinator Mike) Kafka and the offensive staff have done a good job Monday night, Tuesday night, getting ready to go. If one guy is playing, you certainly have plays that you know those guys like, but you do that every week. If you have one quarterback then your backup quarterback, it’s not exactly the same skillset. You’re always going to discuss with the backup quarterback, are you good with these plays? Because one quarterback might like these 10 plays, the next one might like these 10 plays, and I think crafting a gameplan to your quarterback is important.

Q: What’s (Wide Receiver) Kenny Golladay’s status?

A: He will not practice today. I doubt he’ll be ready to go this week.