Transcript: Head Coach Brian Daboll

Head Coach Brian Daboll

October 11, 2023

Q: What do we expect from (quarterback) Daniel (Jones) today?

A: He will not practice today.

Q: Has anything changed about your sense of his possibility for playing Sunday?

A: I’d just say he won’t practice today. We’re day-to-day with him.

Q: He said yesterday that avoiding contact would be the issue or the problem. It seems like that’ll be unavoidable for a quarterback.

A: I’d just say let’s let it play out here. Today, he’s not practicing. We’ll see how he is the next day, then the next day after that and then I think we’ll take this all the way to the end of the week.

Q: What is the matter? Like what is it?

A: It’s his neck. Yeah, sore neck.

Q: Is it nerve problem, a disk problem, a muscular problem?

A: I’m not going to get into the exact details of it, but he is a little bit more sore today so we’ll see where he is tomorrow.

Q: The MRI, did it have good results? Without getting too specific.

A: With all due respect, I’m not going to get into that information.

Q: When you say more sore today, why would that be?

A: His neck’s sore. Sore.

Q: Are you confident that the results that it’s not the same as the last time? Last time, it cost him the last six games and he ended up missing a significant period of time.

A: I’m not going to get into the – with all due respect, the medical information of it. He’ll have a chance, we’ll see where he’s at, we’ll take it day-by-day.

Q: How about (running back) Saquon (Barkley)?

A: Saquon will practice today, do a little bit more than he did last week.

Q: (Tackle) Andrew (Thomas)?

A: Andrew will not practice today.

Q: (Quarterback) Tyrod (Taylor) becomes the temporary QB1, right?

A: Today? Yep, today.

Q: What does he bring here?

A: Well, he’s a pro. He’s done this a long time. He’s played in a variety of systems. He prepares every week like he’s going to play. He’s a true pro. He’ll be out there today getting all the reps.

Q: It’s been two games where Daniel’s gotten hurt in the game and he’s had to come in and both times Tyrod’s gotten hurt.

A: The one in Miami, he got the wind knocked out of him.

Q: Yeah, I know he didn’t have to come out of the game, but does he have to be more aware that he’s sort of the last man standing when he plays?

A: I mean, the play that he got the wind knocked out of him, he got the wind knocked out of him. Yeah, you only have two of them when you go so – he doesn’t go out there and try to get the wind knocked out of him, I’ll say that.

Q: Do you have to approach things differently with (quarterback Tommy) DeVito this week knowing that if Daniel doesn’t go later in the week that he needs to be ready?

A: Yeah, we try to do the same thing with DeVito each week and try to develop him as young player, particularly a young quarterback. Very involved in all the meetings, I’ll meet with him, does a good job out here on the show team. So, we’re trying to develop him even though he’s on the practice squad, that’s a position that you have got to spend a lot of time with, particularly in the early part of their career to try and develop them, the system because they’re’ not getting a ton of reps so they’re getting show team reps. But his process of what we expect out of him in terms of preparing and learning the gameplan information, going through the tapes, spending extra time, he’s done that since he’s been here.

Q: I know it’s a hypothetical, but do you need to prepare for a situation where you might have to bring a veteran in here to back up Tyrod or is DeVito the guy?

A: I’d say (Senior Vice President and General Manager) Joe (Schoen) and I, we talk a lot about a lot of different things. We cross that bridge when we get to it.

Q: You say DeVito could be QB2, but do you need to bring him up to the 53 to take advantage of that emergency QB rule?

A: Yeah, I’d say those decisions and discussions between Joe and I, there’s a lot of things that you could do based on what happens and if you don’t have the answer to that, you’ve got to go ahead and have these conversations, which we have. Just not going to share them, with all due respect.

Q: Given the performance and injuries on the offensive line, you haven’t been able to establish any type of continuity. How concerning is that to you and how much is that impeding you with what you want to do on offense?

A: I mean, you want all your players out there but next man up mentality, so we’ve got to do a good job of coaching it and we’ve got to do a good job of executing.

Q: Is there any concern that Daniel’s injury could become a long-term issue? Like keep him out long-term.

A: It’s day-to-day right now so again, if he feels better tomorrow and he’s ready to go, then we’ll put him out here but today, he’s not ready to go today.

Q: Is it a matter of him feeling better or is it a matter of having to get cleared by a doctor for contact?

A: I think it’s everything. You talk to Daniel, you talk to the trainers, we’ll always do what’s best for the player.

Q: Is he cleared for contact?

A: I’m not going to get into a bunch of the specifics. He’s not going out here today. We’ll see where he’s at tomorrow.

Q: On Monday you said you were optimistic. Now, you’re giving a vibe that you’re less optimistic.

A: Well, I said I’ve got to have some more meeting, too. When I meet before so –

Q: So that changed that?

A: We’ll see. Yeah, I mean, we’ll see. He’s a little bit more sore. Again, it’s a day-to-day deal with him right now.

Q: Could you end up bringing in a veteran quarterback?

A: Yeah, I think there’s a lot of discussions that need to be had when your starting quarterback is not practicing for today. Again, whether that changes for tomorrow, we’ll see.

Q: Would you be comfortable going to Buffalo with Tyrod as the starter and DeVito as the backup? And that’s it.

A: Yeah, those are conversations we have. Yep.

Q: You said you talk daily with ownership. How much patience has (President and Chief Executive Officer) John (Mara) articulated to you and Joe for how the season started?

A: Patience in regards to?

Q: The results.

A: Look, nobody’s happy with the results but we have great meetings. Again, this is not the results that we want the first five games of the season but we’re going to work to get better.

Q: Do you think ownership views this as year two of the rebuild? Or do you think their impatient about trying to build on the progress from last season?

A: I would say we have – whether it’s with the Mara family, Tisch family, we have very good conversations.

Q: Do you anticipate some changes up front?

A: Depends on who’s ready to go.

Q: Not doing the playcalling kind of helps you oversee everything. Do you have to get more involved with the offensive line? That’s a position group that seems like it may need more attention.

A: Try to be involved with everybody. Again, there’s been a lot of moving parts, that’s no excuse. We’ve got to do a good job with the players, they’re working extremely hard and that’s what we’ll try to do.

Q: You guys signed (OL Yodney) Cajuste to the practice squad. Is that one of those things where he could be ready to go immediately?

A: Yeah, we’ve got to get him out here and see where he’s at. Anything’s on the table relative to what happens or transpires the next couple of days with the guys that are not practicing.

Q: How much more will (guard) Justin Pugh do today?

A: He’ll do more than he did last week, so we’ll try to get him involved. He took some reps the last practice and we’ll get him some more reps today. I think we have four practice squad players on offensive line, so with the nine guys out here today practicing, or 10 should I say with (guard Shane) Lemieux because Lemieux will be out here. We have 10, four of them are practice squad. Cajuste just got here, Pugh got here a couple days ago and then the two guys we brought up.

Q: Justin is considerable lighter than he was this time around than he was the first time. How is body and conditioning to play guard in the NFL?

A: Yeah, I thought he did a good job last week. Again, we will see more this week.

Q: I’m not great at math, is (center John Michael) Schmitz (Jr.) included in that 10, or no?

A: You’re not great at math?

Q: No.

A: Schmitz is not included today, he’s not practicing. So, the guys on the offensive line that are not practicing are (tackle) Matt Peart, John Michael, and Andrew Thomas.

Q: What happened to Peart?

A: Peart has a shoulder.

Q: Is it serious, is it day-to-day?

A: Day-to-day.

Q: Do you still feel good about (offensive lineman Joshua) Ezeudu despite his struggles?

A: Yeah, working with him, trying to get him better, but he is a conscientious guy that’s working as hard as he can work.

Q: Why haven’t you guys brought (guard) Tyre Phillips back? A guy who started games from you last year and knows the system.

A: I’d say we have the four guys right now on practice squad, we have the other guys that we have on our roster. Again, those are discussions that Joe and I have, not just about Tyre, about a bunch of different players. We are working a guy out today, that’s just standard. We worked a couple guys out yesterday, not offensive lineman, more skill guys, but that’s always going to be the same.

Q: Is Justin Pugh more of an option this week or is he still coming along?

A: Yeah, I’d say we’ll see. We’ll get him out here and see what he can do this week. He’ll obviously do a lot more than he did last week. We were ramping him up and see how he does.

Q: When you look at the Bills offense and (Bills quarterback) Josh Allen, how similar does it look to when you were there and does it look different much to you? What do you see?

A: It’s a system he’s been in for six years. This is his sixth year in the system. Got a lot of respect for (Bills offensive coordinator Ken) Dorse(y), obviously he adds his own flavor to it. Are there a lot of things that are similar? Sure, but that’s from a quarterback that’s been in a system for now his sixth year, but they advanced. Dorse adds his things, they got new coaches, they’ve done a good job. He’s one of the top players in the league and he’s been that way for a long time and he makes the engine go.

Q: There was a lot of talk last year, like, he missed you. He played different because you weren’t there. What did you think when you heard that?

A: Josh Allen is an unbelievable player, one of the best in the league. You can put him in probably any offense and he’s going to produce. You know, I missed him as a person, we are close, but as a player, he’s a heck of a player. Put on any tape, he’s exceptional at everything. He can run, but he can throw it and he can throw it wherever he needs to throw it, 80 yards down the field, drop a dime, on the move to the right put it back across his body, scramble, back up, scramble around, throw it out, throw it on time. He’s got significant playmakers in terms of (Bills wide receiver Stefon) Diggs and (Bills wide receiver Gabe) Davis, who I have familiarity with, who are unbelievable players. (Bills tight end) Dawson Knox, they added (Bills tight end) Dalton (Kincaid). They’ve got three good runners, their offensive line is intact, but he’s a special player. He’s one of the best in the league. And he makes you better as a playcaller, too, so he’s one of a kind.

Q: You know what that area is like, obviously. You are from that area, but also know what it’s like to be the home team and welcoming a team in. What do you tell your team about what to anticipate Sunday night and what you are going to get in that stadium?

A: Yeah, it’s an electric environment. They’ll be going all day, getting ready for the game. It’s loud. It’s an unbelievable atmosphere. It’s hard to hear. Been on the other side of it, too, when I was with the Patriots, the Dolphins and the Jets. And they have a fantastic team. You know they are one of the only two teams that are top five in points on offense and defense, the other team being San Francisco, so they are a great team, and their fans will be ready, they are loud. It’s a loud environment.

Q: Do you know yet if (tackle) La’el Collins is healthy enough to play football?

A: We are going to work him out after practice, so go in there and watch the workout and talk about it with Joe and the rest of the guys, see where he’s at. It’s a Tuesday workout, or Wednesday should I say, usually Tuesday or Monday. We will see where he’s at.

Q: Anybody else not practicing today?

A: Yes. (Inside linebacker Micah) McFadden won’t practice, he has an ankle. (Wide receiver) Wan’Dale’s (Robinson) knee, not long term. John Michael, talked about. (Tight end Darren) Waller has a groin. So it would be Jones, McFadden and (outside linebacker) Azeez (Ojulari), his ankle. Jones, McFadden, Azeez, Peart, Robinson, Schmitz, Thomas and Waller.

Q: With Robinson and Waller, so you are saying not long term, but they are not just maintenance or there is injury there?

A: Groin for Waller and (Wan’Dale), his knee.

Q: Is Darren in jeopardy this week of playing in the game?

A: No, I think he’s day-to-day. I don’t think it’s a long term. We will see where he is tomorrow.

Q: Groin and his knee?

A: No, Wan’Dale’s knee.

Q: Wan’Dale’s an actual injury or is this like maintenance?

A: Yeah, it’s more maintenance from the surgery and his ACL deal. I’d expect him to be out tomorrow, but you never know.

Q: Out as in playing?

A: Out practicing.