Transcript: Head Coach Brian Daboll

Head Coach Brian Daboll

October 16, 2024

Q: Where are we with (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers) heading into this week?

BRIAN DABOLL: Malik (Nabers) has made progress. Good progress where he's able to come out here today and practice. He'll have a red jersey on, but he passed some of the steps that he needed to do. He's better, which is a good thing. So, we'll see. We'll go through today. I'm optimistic, but I'm not going to push anything. That type of injury you want to be smart with. But he is doing much better and it'll be good to have him out here at practice today.

Q: Is the red jersey standard operating procedure?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yes, just non-contact. Stay away from him so he can take the next step hopefully for tomorrow. But I'd say he's much better.

Q: With (tackle) Andrew (Thomas) it is season ending, I assume?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah.

Q: How do you replace him?

BRIAN DABOLL: Well, you can't replace an Andrew Thomas. I feel terrible for him. I was able to text with him today. He had his surgery this morning, everything was successful. He's a leader, he's a captain, he's great in the locker room, he's a very good football player. So, that's what the development of players is all about. We've had six weeks here in the regular season where (tackle) Evan (Neal) has taken, I’d say, the majority of right tackle snaps in case something happened to (tackle) Jermaine (Eluemunor). (Offensive lineman Joshua) Ezeudu has taken left tackle snaps. But then, once this happens, you have discussions about how you want to approach it. We'll do a few things here this week and then ultimately after Friday's practice, we'll make our decision on how we're going to go with that.

Q: Is moving Jermaine (Eluemunor) from right (tackle) to left (tackle) one of those options?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, we've talked about that. Again, Jermaine (Eluemunor) will start out today at the right side. We'll put (Joshua) Ezeudu in here at the left. Then we'll rotate guys around throughout the week. However it goes, we'll give the majority of reps to however it sorts out early in practice, on Thursday, and then ultimately on Friday. You're not going to replace an Andrew Thomas. I feel terrible for him.

Q: Could (Joshua) Ezeudu play on the right side or do you look at him as a left side guy?

BRIAN DABOLL: We've moved (Joshua) Ezeudu around quite a bit, I'd say, the last six weeks for purposes. But we have (guard Aaron) Stinnie inside, who would be one of the first guys inside. He's (Joshua Ezeudu) really focused on trying to improve over there on the left side throughout one-on-ones and Evan (Neal) has done the same thing at the right side in one-on-ones and on the look team. They're both improving, but that's the life of a backup. You got to make sure you're ready to go.

Q: Ideally, though, would you prefer to only make as few moves as possible on that offensive line, or do you feel comfortable if you have to make multiple moves?

BRIAN DABOLL: I think we'll just do what we think is best. I think it's always easy just to replace one person, but you want to make sure you're doing what's right for the team because the (offensive) line, they've been doing a nice job. The five of those guys that have played. I know they didn't get a lot of snaps together leading up to the games, but they've really done a nice job of settling in and communicating. That'll be a big missing part with Andrew (Thomas), but the next person has to step up. Just like (outside linebacker) Azeez (Ojulari) had to do that for (outside linebacker) Kayvon (Thibodeaux). Just like (wide receiver Darius) Slayton had to do that for Malik (Nabers). That's the expectation of being on the football team and being ready to go when your number's called.

Q: Will Evan (Neal) continue to only work on the right side?

BRIAN DABOLL: We've talked about that. There's a potential we could start working him at the left side as well. We're going to focus him on the right side right now and continue to help develop his game.

Q: When you look at the work that (Joshua) Ezeudu has put in from last year, he was thrown into this situation last year, but maybe different circumstances. What have you seen from him this year to know that you have some confidence in how he's grown as a player?

BRIAN DABOLL: He's improved. Albeit in practice, in the one-on-ones, in the show team, on the reps that he gets for Andrew (Thomas) or for whoever else we put him in for. I think (Offensive Line Coach) Carm (Carmen Bricillo) and (Assistant Offensive Line Coach) James (Ferentz) have done a good job with his development. Again, he's not going to be Andrew (Thomas). He's going to be (Joshua) Ezeudu, just like Evan (Neal) is going to be Evan (Neal). But there's been improvement in a variety of areas with all those younger players. That's what it needs to be, regardless of what position it is.

Q: I know you've been in this league a long time, but when you lose a player like Andrew (Thomas) and what he means to this line, to this offense, how do you fight the urge from someone saying, ‘That's it. The offense line can't function. You're not going to be able to get to where you need to be offensively because you don't have Andrew (Thomas).’?

BRIAN DABOLL: I'd say you don't make any excuses. Injuries happen and that's why everybody's on this team. We talked about that two weeks ago when (Darius) Slayton had a very productive game against Seattle. Or Azeez (Ojulari) did some nice things for Kayvon (Thibodeaux). Everyone's on this team for a reason. They're all working to improve. They're not here just to hold the space. They're working to improve. So when they get their opportunity, they go out there and they do as good of a job as they can do and be themselves and trust their fundamentals, their techniques. That's why they work so hard and are involved in the meetings and get the reps, because you have to develop those guys that are backups throughout the season. Because inevitably, you'll have some type of injury, regardless of the spot it is.

Q: What is it about Josh Ezeudu that you guys think makes him a left tackle? During the draft process, he played tackle, but it seemed like he was coming as mostly a guard…

BRIAN DABOLL: I'd say Carm (Carmen Bricillo) and James (Ferentz) have done a nice job of developing. He has good feet. He's athletic. He's been working in some at times for Andrew (Thomas) over there with (guard Jon) Runyan (Jr.), just like Evan (Neal) has been working in there. You have to give all those guys some reps in case they have to go in. He's worked hard to improve his craft, and he'll have an opportunity to go out here these next few days. We'll end up making a decision on Friday once everything's done. I don’t want to make one right now on Wednesday before we go out here and have a practice or tomorrow. We'll do our due diligence and he'll be ready to go.

Q: How is Evan (Neal) in terms of his development?

BRIAN DABOLL: He's developing. His attitude has been excellent. I think his skill set has improved relative to the technique and fundamentals that James (Ferentz) and that Carm (Bricillo) are coaching. He's got the right kind of attitude. He's been a good teammate through this entire process. If his number is called, then he's going to do everything he can do to be ready to play.

Q: Do you have anybody opening their practice window this week?

BRIAN DABOLL: Nope.

Q: Given Evan (Neal)’s draft status and he had played some left tackle, should he be more advanced where he is the next man up?

BRIAN DABOLL: I would just say he's doing everything he can do. And he's improved. I'd say he's taken to the coaching. His attitude has been positive. The things that we've asked him to do, he's improved playing at the right tackle position since he's been out here these last six weeks of the regular season, with the right mindset. He's growing each and every day. If his number is called, I'm confident he'll go in there and do a good job.

Q: What specifically has been different about Evan (Neal) this year?

BRIAN DABOLL: Again, it's more I'm talking about practice.

Q: But you see him with practice every day…

BRIAN DABOLL: Just like I said, his mindset is good. His attitude is good. His technique is improving. He's been a good teammate, and I'm not saying that's different from him in the past, but he's doing everything he can do to be as good as he can be. You see, throughout practice, whether it's one-on-one pass protection, whether it's technique in the running game, not to get too specific on fundamentals and things like that, it has improved.

Q: You went through this last year with Andrew (Thomas) missing a long stretch. It's not a secret that it had a big impact. What did you learn? Are you better equipped to manage it this year?

BRIAN DABOLL: Well, I'd say we have different players too. We have some veteran offensive linemen up front that have been playing good football in (Jon) Runyan (Jr.), (guard) GVR (Greg Van Roten) and (tackle Jermaine) Eluemunor. They're helpful in the classroom as well. The communication with the five of those players, including (center) John Michael (Schmitz Jr.), who's a second-year player. The meeting time, the extra meeting time, the commitment to being really good pros, that's all been helpful. It's not just been helpful for the offensive line, it's been helpful for our quarterback, for the skill guys. They've done a good job of eliminating negative plays that are crucial on early downs. Again, we're not going to replace an Andrew Thomas. He's one of the better players in the league at his position. But it's the next man up mentality.

Q: What kind of reception are you expecting for (Philadelphia Eagles running back) Saquon (Barkley) this Sunday, both from the fans and from his former teammates?

BRIAN DABOLL: I know that the people that have been around him have a great deal of respect for Saquon (Barkley). Our job is going to be to do what we need to do. He's a tough player to defend and we're going to have our hands full.

Q: Devin Singletary, is he going to be practicing today?

BRIAN DABOLL: He is.

Q: Just a few more on the injury front. (Outside linebacker Brian) Burns?

BRIAN DABOLL: We've got some injuries and some guys not practicing today. Two of the biggest ones will be (defensive lineman) Dexter (Lawrence II), who's got a hip, and (Brian) Burns, who has a groin. They won't practice today. I'm not going to get into whether I think they'll practice tomorrow, they’re day-to-day. And (punter) Jamie (Gillan) won't either.

Q: How's (kicker) Graham (Gano) coming along?

BRIAN DABOLL: He's making progress. Not there yet.

Q: (Running back Devin) Singletary?

BRIAN DABOLL: (Devin) Singletary will practice. Everybody else will practice.

Q: (Devin) Singletary's going to be full?

BRIAN DABOLL: He will practice. He'll be practicing.

Q: How did (Jamie) Gillan get hurt?

BRIAN DABOLL: At practice.

Q: Is it the left or right foot on Andrew (Thomas)?

BRIAN DABOLL: You know me on specifics with injuries. He had a Lisfranc. Again, I've been texting back and forth with him this morning. It went well. I just feel terrible for him.