Transcript: Head Coach Brian Daboll

Head Coach Brian Daboll

August 21, 2023

Q: Does (Jets quarterback) Aaron Rodgers playing impact anything you plan to do with your team?

A: No.

Q: Injury reports? Who is not practicing today?

A: Who is not practicing today; (guard) Tyre Phillips, (guard) Jack Anderson, (wide receiver) Cole Beasley, (running back) Gary Brightwell, (tight end) Tommy Sweeney, (inside linebacker) Cam Brown, (defensive lineman) Ryder (Anderson), (cornerback Nick) McCloud, (safety Jason) Pinnock and (cornerback Cor’Dale) Flott.

Q: What happened to Pinnock?

A: Got a leg.

Q: Is it something you’re worried about long-term?

A: No, day-to-day.

Q: Is (wide receiver) Jalin (Hyatt) okay?

A: Yeah.

Q: Is (wide receiver) Wan’Dale (Robinson) any closer to coming off PUP?

A: Yeah, a day closer.

Q: Is there a point where him being ready for the start of the season is unrealistic?

A: We are just taking it day-to-day, so he’s a day closer than he was yesterday, so he’s getting better.

Q: I don’t think we have asked you yet, (tight end) Rob Gronkowski said last week that the only coach who could lure him out of retirement is Brian Daboll. Is that a phone call you would make?

A: Well, I am close with Rob, so got a lot of respect, admiration. Coaching him for four years, he’s a good friend, we’ve talked, I’m not saying we talked about that but he’s a close friend. When you coach someone for four years and he’s a very productive player for you and really a good person, we are from the same town, so wouldn’t read too much into that.

Q: Does he have football left in that body in your opinion?

A: I don’t know. I wouldn’t read too much into that is what I’ll say.

Q: Is (cornerback) Adoree’ Jackson still in a learning mode for that position? How do you feel like he played?

A: I think he’s doing a good job. Look, he’s a football player, he’s played inside there plenty of times when we match. He’s smart, he’s dependable, he knows our defense, so he’s done a nice job so far.

Q: Going into this week, cuts are a week from tomorrow, do you focus more on finding out who your 53 are or getting your 11s ready for the start of the season?

A: I’d say, again, it’s probably going to be a combination of stuff. We will go through this week, we will see what we need, we will figure it out toward the end of the week. Good question.

Q: The one thing that I guess is troubling sometimes is (punter) Jamie (Gillan) can be a little inconsistent with the punting, is that a concern as you head into the season?

A: I’d say he’s right along with all the other players and coaches. There is a lot of inconsistencies right now at this time of year and we are always trying to improve. We have a lot of confidence in Jamie and just keep on grinding away at it.

Q: You have another team, the Jets, across town, they have a lot of going on, I’m sure you are well aware that Aaron Rodgers is there now, they are on Hard Knocks. They have sort of been taking all the headlines, capturing all the headlines locally, you guys are kind of on the backburner. What do you think of that as a coach? Does it matter to you?

A: No, I just try to do my best to get our team ready to play.

Q: Do you watch Hard Knocks?

A: I do not. Do you watch it?

Reporter: I do.

A: You like it?

Reporter: It’s entertaining. That team though, that’s a big story. Are you paying attention at all to the whole Aaron Rodgers thing and when he signed here and what did you think of that when you heard he was coming to the same city?

A: Really, I’ve got my team to worry about. He’s a heck of a player, one of the best to ever do it. All that other stuff, I’m not a storyteller or a writer so I just try to focus on our football team getting better.

Q: Does it change how you go into this week’s game against them knowing that you play them in two months in the regular season?

A: I think it goes back to the question. There is a lot of stuff that we need to, we have got a big week ahead of us here to look at our players and decide what we are going to do with different spots. My focus, again, just goes back to our team.

Q: I know it’s your team, but going to that, I would assume you would think maybe it helps you the fact that, ‘hey, a lot of the eyeballs are over there and they are not here asking our guys about the whole (running back) Saquon (Barkley) thing’ as it’s going down and that kind of stuff?

A: I think the only thing that really helps us is how we prepare in practice. That’s really the focus, that’s what it’s always going to be. We do a good job of preparing in the meeting rooms, we go out there and practice and improve. That’s what helps us.

Q: What’s the biggest question you have for your roster this week? Is there a position group that you are trying to…

A: No, I just think let’s have a good week of practice and let’s get some good work in and then we will kind of figure out what we need to figure out towards the end of the week.

Q: I’ve covered enough training camps where a guy flashes in the first week, or a rookie flashes or an unheralded guy flashes and then they kind of fall off. Is what’s most impressive about what (cornerback Tre) Hawkins (III) is doing, is that he has sustained it? Like, he’s gone from ‘oh wow, this sixth-round pick is a nice story’ to like we are two weeks from the season, and he is in your rotation for starting?

A: He’s had a good camp; he has been consistent, which is what you look for. The consistency, the discipline that you need to improve every day. It’s not always perfect, there is a lot of things that he can do better but he’s had the right approach to his job of improving each day, to being consistent. Again, there is plenty of plays out here I know he wishes he would have back, but he has the right mindset of what you are looking for in a young player.

Q: We asked (defensive coordinator) Wink (Martindale) how comfortable he is starting two rookie corners if that comes down. How comfortable are you knowing that you have been an offensive coach and I’m sure you would say ‘oh, I am going to attack those two guys.’

A: Yeah, I’d say whoever ends up being the best 11 or 13 or 14, I mean there is a lot of different positions on both sides of the ball. Whoever is out there is the ones that earn it. Still a few weeks away from here, but let’s just keep on grinding away, getting better and earning what we get.

Q: How do you view (guard) Ben Bredeson’s role at this point?

A: He’s got good position flex. He’s done a nice job really at all three spots of the snaps that he’s had, which have been quite a few. He’s got good leadership, so he’s done a good job with the things we have asked him to do.

Q: Still going to keep running him at center at this point?

A: Well, he’s going to have to play some center too. He’s really going to have to play; you never know what could happen, but the one thing that is valuable for a guy like Ben is that he’s played all three spots. He hasn’t just been at one spot. He can play all three spots, he’s worked in camp at all three spots, in OTAs. Again, that flexibility is important I’d say particularly at that position.

Q: Would you say consider rotating at both guard spots in a regular season game like you’ve done all camp?

A: Yeah, I’d consider whatever we think, whatever is going to work best for us.

Q: How would you describe wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins’ camp; you brought in a lot of guys?

A: Consistent. Yeah, consistent. He’s a pro, he’s been consistent with his assignments, with his techniques, with his fundamentals. When he’s had opportunities, he’s made the plays. He’s a very level headed player. I’m not saying he’s the same as (cornerback) Tre, but I am saying the same conversation we had. He’s consistent, each day he comes out, he works hard, he improves, he’s good in the classroom, he’s a pro. Have a lot of confidence in him.

Q: (Outside linebacker) Oshane (Ximines) is a guy you didn’t bring back right away after the draft. You don’t always see that, once you don’t sign a guy in the first wave, what did you see in him to bring him back and what kind of camp has he had?

A: He’s done a nice job too, he’s done a nice job setting the edge, getting some knock back. Again, dependable, knows our system, he’s had plays in there that have been good and then plays that we have got to work on, but he’s been a dependable guy for us.