Transcript: Head Coach Brian Daboll

Head Coach Brian Daboll

May 23, 2024

Q. What have you seen from Daniel Jones so far? How much is he doing, what have you kind of seen?

BRIAN DABOLL: He's doing individual, routes on air and seven on seven.

Q. How is he looking?

BRIAN DABOLL: He looks good. We're not putting him in some team stuff, but he's making progress so that's why we got him in seven on seven.

Q. Any doubt at this point, I mean, he's always said the goal has been be ready for the start of training camp, is that still the goal?

BRIAN DABOLL: We’ll take it day by day and when he can do more, we'll put him in more.

Q. How is Drew Lock looking?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, he's -- again, it's spring ball. We’ve talked about this I think the last two years. This is really a teaching camp. He's done a good job of picking up the information. So just try to get better each day.

Q. At this level do you still find yourself having to teach guys how to prepare or is that something that you expect?

BRIAN DABOLL: Prepare? No, they're pros. You better prepare in this league. They work hard. The rookies are learning, we have a plan for the rookies in terms of the amount of reps that they take in each period, just building those guys up. But again we've had I would say a productive three phases up to this point.

Q. Are you planning to get Daniel in 11 on 11 by minicamp?

BRIAN DABOLL: I think we'll just take it day by day and see where he's at. He's doing a nice job in the seven on sevens, he'll do that again today. We'll see how it goes.

Q. Seems like he's been rolling out and moving pretty well.

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, his movement skills have been good. Again, there's -- it's not a contact camp, we all know that, so we try to eliminate as much of that as we can. But that will be the next step of being involved in the pocket and things like that. When that is, I'm not sure.

Q. Obviously nothing is contact, is there more risk in 11 on 11 than there is in seven on seven because there's just more bodies in front of you?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, yup.

Q. And is that, is that the reason for starting him on seven on seven?

BRIAN DABOLL: That's just part of the plan, where we're at with the rehab plan, and I think the trainers have done a good job, DJ's done a good job of rehabbing, and right now we're at seven on seven.

Q. For the players who have played in this defense, how big an adjustment is it for them?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, that's what these are, that's what's so important, they're all voluntary, but it's important for those guys to hear the call, the meeting time, being able to take it from the classroom to the field. They have done a good job. That's why these are so important, particularly when you can get out now and line up against a formation or something like that, but it’s a work in progress.

Q. How have the rookies been integrating in with the veterans?

BRIAN DABOLL: They're obviously behind mentally, trying to catch 'em up physically. I think (Aaron) Wellman has done a good job with the plan that he's kind of set in place along with the training staff of how many reps we give them each period. We are trying to build them up. We don't want to take any setbacks physically. Try to throw as much as you can on 'em mentally, which is different from the rookie camp, so they're getting a lot of information right now.

Q. Defensive line coach Andre Patterson said that he's working with some of the edge guys this year, which is a change. How did that come about and what do you like about that?

BRIAN DABOLL: Well, he's a good coach. I think him and Chuck (Bullen) do a good job, they work together. There's four-man rush patterns, games, things like that -- they do a good job of working together, him and Chuck and BCox and Ben (Burress).

Q. You guys let Adoree Jackson go in free agency and don't sign another veteran corner of that ilk. It seems like a vote of confidence in Donte Banks that he's ready to be that No. 1 corner. What have you seen from him taking that next step?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, it's always a big difference between year one and year two. Obviously he's done it for a whole year in terms of how we do things here, learning some new things of what we're putting in defensively, but he has the right mindset, he's working extremely hard and trying to do as good as he can do.

Q. With a new coach and obviously you're looking at a new approach, have you changed anything with your approach to the offensive line in OTAs and going into training camp and how has Carm Bricillo's philosophy kind of meshed with the guys you have now?

BRIAN DABOLL: I think Carm and James (Ferentz) are doing really good job. Again, this is a teaching camp here. There's no roster spots that are going to be made based on what they do here. This is more learning how we're doing it, the communication aspect of it, but as a whole they have done a good job in the meeting room, out on the practice field, working well together, so try to build off that.

Q. Is this a time of year where you want to see guys in different spots, do you get to a point where you want to see kind of your guys develop into, okay, this is what we want, this is our right guard?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, it's May right now, so we're trying to teach as many players different techniques. One time they might be guard, one time they might be tackle, you never know what we're going to need. We'll get to the depth chart much, much further down the road.

Q. Where are you starting Jon Runyon and Jermaine Eluemunor?

BRIAN DABOLL: Today, they're playing guards today.

Q. Do you have a specific side where you start Jon on or at least say, hey, you can kind of move from there?

BRIAN DABOLL: Today Jon is playing right guard, which is primarily where he has played so far up to this point. Eluemunor is playing left guard.

Q. Would you rather be in a position in August where you're not rotating guys in and out and you have a set five?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I think we'll take it as it comes. So we got a long time between now and August and once we go through training camp, we get through this phase three, we'll teach them the that stuff we're doing. There's obviously certain changes we're doing. They will have a chance with pads on to compete and then when we figure out what we think is the right five combination, whenever that is, that's when it is. Whether it's in the beginning of August and however it sorts out.

Q. Are you expecting to have joint practices again this summer?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, we are. Yeah.

Q. Will the Lions come here?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, we're going to practice against Detroit and I would say most likely we're going to practice one day against the Jets at their place.

Q. The Lions obviously will be here?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah.

Q. Have you set the dates for those?

BRIAN DABOLL: It's, it's pretty much, it's close to it. I would anticipate it, unless something falls through.

Q. Are Darius Slayton and Darren Waller here?

BRIAN DABOLL: They are not. No.

Q. Waller, June 1st has implications cap-wise if he makes the decision not to come back. Do you have a preference, would you rather have a decision before or after the 1st?

BRIAN DABOLL: I would say the same thing I said last month, let Darren take what he needs to take and once the decision is made, we'll go from there.

Q. You are just going to give him as much time as he needs?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, we have conversations, obviously, but when Darren makes his decision, that's what we'll go with.

Q. With Darius, do you get involved in those talks or do you leave that totally to Joe Schoen?

BRIAN DABOLL: No, I've spoken to Slay, I've spoken to Slay. So, again, this is voluntary. If he wants to be here, great. If there's anyone that doesn't want to be here, that's their choice, that's why it's voluntary.

Q. How have those conversations been?

BRIAN DABOLL: They have been fine.

Q. Are you optimistic that both situations will be resolved and they will return to the team?

BRIAN DABOLL: I would say whenever they decide, they decide. Darius is obviously under contract, so, again, whenever it comes up, we'll deal with it then.

Q. What's the plan with Isaiah Simmons? He's a very versatile guy, what do you kind of envision for him in this new defense?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, early. We'll see how it goes.

Q. You obviously did a lot of work on Brian Burns before you traded for him. What do you like about him since he has been here?

BRIAN DABOLL: First, I would say he's a great teammate, practices the way you want a pro to practice. Particularly a player of his type caliber. I think he's done a good job with the outside linebackers and his room of being a good mentor. He leads by example, but he also will speak up if he needs to speak up. He's been a really good addition to our football team up to this point. Glad we have him. Whether it's on defense, whether it's talking to guys on offense, the offensive line about certain things, good person and a good player.

Q. How do you know he's a good teammate right away?

BRIAN DABOLL: You just see him interact with players. You see how he handles himself on the practice field, with the group that's with. He talks a lot to Kayvon, he has some experience, he's still a young player too, but a true pro.

Q. What's it been like having the Hard Knocks crews around during the offseason?

BRIAN DABOLL: I would say there's more cameras in Joe's office, so, but it's been good. They're good people. Kind of winding down here. But it's been fine.

Q. How much access have you provided? Is it mostly Joe?

BRIAN DABOLL: I don't know. I haven't seen it yet. There's cameras everywhere, so I don't know.

Q. You talked in the past about how you kind of like to keep things pretty close to the vest. Were you apprehensive at all with the cameras being around in the off-season?

BRIAN DABOLL: You almost forget about it. They're kind of situated in a bunch of different rooms. You just, business is business.

Q. How has Nabers, being away last week and coming back here, how has he acclimated to what you guys are trying to do team-wise?

BRIAN DABOLL: I put him kind of in the group with all the rookies. There's a lot of information to learn, you know that. He works really hard. There's a couple different positions that he has to move around and learn, but that's why we drafted him. So, good young pro, works really hard at it. Spends a lot of extra time with (Mike) Groh when he can, kind of like Jalen did last year and Wan’Dale did the year before. So it's been nice.

Q. Do you see Evan Neal exclusively taking right tackle reps when he's out there or do you see him moving around?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, we'll start him at right tackle.