Head Coach Brian Daboll
BRIAN DABOLL: How is everybody doing today? Just a few things here. Congratulations to Deonte Banks, he graduated this past week. It's an awesome accomplishment for him. We have been grinding away here into phase three of the program. I think we made some strides physically with the strength and conditioning program, phase one and face two. Really, it's a learning camp, a teaching camp. That's how we approach it. No one is going to make the team off of performance at this camp. There are certain rules and things that we with try to coach and make sure that our guys are on top of. As always, I think there's a few guys out that had prior engagements for today. They will be back next week. We have really good attendance. There will be some guys working their rehab stuff, and throughout practice each of those guys are kind of at different stages. Just trying to get them as healthy as we can. I'm not going to get into specifics of any of them. I would say with Saquon, that situation is going to be between Saquon and the organization. I'm not going to get into detail of any of the discussions we've had. So, hope everybody is doing well, good to see you. Whatever you've got.
Q.*You said this is a learning, teaching camp with the young kids, the rookies, the undrafted guys, what exactly are you looking for in terms of figuring out how well they are mixing in?*
BRIAN DABOLL: The biggest thing is taking it from the classroom to the field. I would say they are behind considerably, which is the same every year I've been in the NFL, so our job as a coaching staff is to try to get them up to speed as quickly as we can. Lay a foundation for training camp so when we get to training camp which I think is in about two months, is today the 25th? Yeah about, two months. They have a lot to learn in a short amount of time and try to get them as prepared as we can, so in training camp they can go out there, and again, there's players slowdown when they are thinking a lot. When you are just learning a new system, maybe not playing as fast as you'd like to play because you're thinking about a lot of different things, so just try to get them acclimated to our systems, our calls, to how we do things, but a long way away from training camp, actually. They will get reps, learn from those. There will be a lot of mistakes on everybody's end, including mine, so try to get better so we can be ready to go for training camp.
Q.*You've been on staffs before where contracts and business have got in the way of players. What's the key to once there is a resolution making sure there are no hard feelings once the player and the team come back together?*
BRIAN DABOLL: I think you build relationships with people in the business. There's always a business sighted of things in this league and again, those conversations will remain private, but the guys on the team that you have, everybody goes through it at some point, and you just build on relationships and keep discussions private between yourself and the players.
Q.*That situation with Saquon will be settled at some point this summer, right; there's a deadline date. Are you working on the impression you'll have here in the summer at that point?*
BRIAN DABOLL: I respect the question, but I'm not going to get into any talks about contracts, what could happen, about what could not happen, out of respect for the situation.
Q.*He's expected to be at minicamp; right?*
BRIAN DABOLL: I'm not going to get into any discussions about that.
Q.*Any of the guys who hit last season or part of last season, are any actually full go? Is anybody to the point where they are full go, (Sterling) Shepard, (Aaron) Robinson, (Darrian) Beavers?*
BRIAN DABOLL: I think they are all in different stages where they are at. Our training staff has done a great job with those guys, and they will continue to work with them.
Q.*Can you give us an update where everyone is at in their rehab process?*
BRIAN DABOLL: Different stages, yeah. They are all at different stages.
Q.*Can I ask you about big picture changes? With some of the rule changes that have been implemented, how does that affect how you teach and does that change what you look for in players talent?*
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I think there's rule changes every year. Our job as a coaching staff is to make sure we understand them first and then teach our players accordingly. Whatever they are, they are, whatever the rules are, that's the rules, and we play by the rules.
Q.*Do you look for different things, like for example, this kickoff change, does that affect or change what you look for in certain place that might fill that role?*
BRIAN DABOLL: I think we have a good understanding of what each guy has to do based on their responsibility, and again, the rules are the rules. Whatever they are, we coach them.
Q.*How do you assess a player like Beavers who you never did get to see on the field last year?*
BRIAN DABOLL: He's been in here working hard. He'll be one of the guys on the rehab (field). Once we get out to training camp and preseason games, that's really when the evaluation part comes in. He's done a great job, everything we've asked him to do, so whenever he gets back, look forward to working with him.
Q.*Going into, this is your second year, OTAs, is it more of a comfort level for you going into this the second year as opposed to last season?*
BRIAN DABOLL: I think it all starts over. There are great challenges that lie ahead, but staying in the moment is where we want to be. There are things I've learned like everybody's learned. A new team, a lot of personalities to deal with, we've got a lot of work to do, a big hill to climb and let's take it one day at a time.
Q.*Do the expectations change with the veterans coming in? I know with the rookies you are going to have their mistakes. Is your patience small with the veteran guys coming back?*
BRIAN DABOLL: I wouldn't say I have great patience, ever. But look, it's May, so this is time to maybe look at some things that you looked at in your studies. Our standard is to come out here and work as hard as we can work. That's what we ask of everybody in the building every day, and that's all I expect is to work hard and do the right thing.
Q.*You talked about how this is, you know, your OTA, it's a teaching time. Do you have to talk to maybe some of your veterans, the idea of slow them down a little bit because coming in for a second year, they may be looking ahead and eager to move forward in terms of trying to get to that next step?*
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I'd say we just try to live in the moment and take each day one day at a time and try to get better at what we work on today. Again, when you're a system for one year, some guys are a little bit ahead of the other, and you have to try to catch them up. But the expectations, come in here to work hard, try to learn the material. We are all going to make mistakes, that's what this time of year is for, and learn from it.
Q.*Do you enjoy, given that it's a little more teaching focused in OTAs, do you enjoy this part of coaching a little more?*
BRIAN DABOLL: I love every part of it. But it's great when you come out here and get an hour and a half of practice in and go back to the meeting rooms and teach them some of the things that -- again, we make mistakes as coaches, too, so this is a great time of year. None of us have really been out here at practice for a while now. A lot of things we can get better at and that's what we're trying to do.
Q.*With a tight end like (Darren) Waller, are you conceptualizing how he can help?*
BRIAN DABOLL: Well, right now, we are just trying to -- again, you can watch him on tape, and he's been a productive player. But trying to do a variety of things, not just with Darren, but a lot of guys, Parris (Campbell) that's new, some of the new guys, (Jamison) Crowder and just kind of knee how they move around and some of the things they are good at. It's a work-in-progress.
Q.*What have you learned about Waller?*
BRIAN DABOLL: He's a true pro. He's been really good for us in the meeting rooms. Gives good input. Good communicator. Has some leadership skills. He's been a good guy to work with.
Q.*What's your feeling about your team leaders or some of your higher paid players if they are not here during OTAs, do you have any feeling on that?*
BRIAN DABOLL: One, I would say it's all voluntary, but we have had really good attendance all the way through. The guys have been out here working. I think we've made some strides relative to when we started back in April. Got a long way to go, but the guys are working well.
