PALM BEACH, Fla. – Brian Daboll likes to communicate via FaceTime. He'll use it to speak to his wife Beth, his older children, friends, assistant coaches and general manager Joe Schoen, who knows Daboll's bearded face can appear on his phone at any time.
"About the only good thing I can do with a phone or a computer is FaceTime," Daboll said.
The Giants' new head coach has also used that modern means of communication to get to know some of his players. But that ideally would be accomplished not on FaceTime, but face-to-face. Daboll has done that with the players who have been working out and/or rehabbing at the team's headquarters. That process will begin to accelerate on Monday with the beginning of the team's voluntary offseason conditioning program.
Daboll, coordinators Mike Kafka (offense), Wink Martindale (defense) and Thomas McGaughey (special teams) and the position coaches will begin teaching their respective schemes. But Daboll is just as concerned, if not more focused, on ensuring the coaches get familiar with the players beyond their football capabilities.
"I probably haven't hit everybody, to be honest with you," Daboll said during a session with reporters at the NFL Annual Meeting. "I've talked to a few people just to introduce myself. Again, there's a long time to learn football and things like that and we'll get to that. Even this first week, one of the things I talked to the coaches about was let's get to know these players. We haven't really been around them. Let's ask them about their families, what they like. It's important to get to know one another.
"You're going to be in a competitive situation and you're going to face a lot of tough times in this league and you can lean on people when you have relationships with them, because you're building trust because there's going to be tough times. I've said it a million times and I've gone through them in my career I'd say quite a bit where I've lost or had some really good times. You're sharing them with the guys that you're in the building with each day and you're working hard to achieve a goal and fighting through some things that don't go your way. I think that's what brings people closer together."
Daboll is keeping the lines of communication open. Schoen spoke yesterday about reaching out to Saquon Barkley to eliminate any misunderstanding that might have resulted from the general manager's quotes at the scouting combine early this month about his potential willingness to trade the star running back. Daboll also approached Barkley.
"When things come out, I try to stay on top of it," Daboll said. "Look, I have kids that are 22 and 21 years old and I'm sure you all have kids that are whatever ages. They're people first. You can say whatever you want. You can say, 'Hey, people are just writing stuff or reporting stuff.' I think it's important to show a little empathy, too, to the guys in the situations that they're in. I know it's a tough business, but I think it's a people business, too. I think the more upfront and the more transparent you can be and even when things are being said, which look, at this time of year there's a million things being said. Some are probably true. Some are probably not true. I understand that. I like being transparent with these guys and letting them know where I stand and if I do hear something that comes across the wave, I'll say yeah, this isn't the case or just hang tight. I think showing empathy goes a long way. Probably something 15, 10 years ago I wasn't good at either."
Daboll is excited to work with Barkley, who rushed for 593 yards and caught 41 passes in 13 games last season.
"I've had some good running backs in my career and after 22 years you have some decent ones," Daboll said. "Saquon is a lead guy. I've watched all his tape all the way back to his rookie year where he had (91) catches. He's a versatile player. He seems like a good young man. I'm excited to work with him. I think he's excited to be here. I can't wait to get to Monday here."
Daboll is growing every day as a coach, by necessity. He spent the previous 20 seasons working exclusively on offense, the last 13 as a coordinator. Now everything that happens on the field is his responsibility.
"I'll spend time with the defense" he said. "I'll spend time with the offense, kicking game, special teams guys, evaluating a lot of draft prospects. I'd say the last week has been spent a lot on draft work, because most of the coaches have been out on the road. I've learned that when you're in this position, there are a lot of people that want to come in the room and talk about whatever and that's really important. But there's times where I can just hunker down and start watching players, that's been a valuable week and a half for me just grinding out on college guys."
Martindale will run the defense. Daboll and Kafka will work together to design and implement the offense. The head coach has yet to decide who will call the plays.
"I'm still in the spot I was," Daboll said. "We've been working through just installing our playbook and our plays and I think there's been a lot of really good opinions. The big thing is the players come back on the fourth, this Monday. We've been hiring a staff, evaluating our players, evaluating free agents, evaluating college players. A lot of the coaches have been out on the road with pro days, workouts and that's really what we've done. There's been some players rehabbing in the building. We've spent a lot of time on those things. We're kind of integrating our offense along with Mike's offense that he used in Kansas City and putting things together, but until guys get back and we can actually start doing things, so we're a little ways from that stuff. When I know, I'll let you guys know."
View photos of every move made by the Giants during the 2022 offseason.
K Ryan Santoso - Waived
S Yusuf Corker - Waived
DB Olaijah Griffin - Waived
WR Keelan Doss - Waived
WR Travis Toivonen - Waived
OL Josh Rivas - Waived
T Eric Smith - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
WR Travis Toivonen - Free Agent Signing
K Ryan Santoso - Free Agent Signing
S Andrew Adams - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
WR Bailey Gaither - Waived, Failed Physical
TE Tanner Hudson - Free Agent Signing
C Chris Owens - Waived
DB Harrison Hand - Claimed (off Waivers from MIN)
WR Jaylon Moore - Claimed (off Waivers from BAL)
WR Collin Johnson - Reserve/Injured
WR Marcus Kemp - Reserve/Injured
TE Jordan Akins - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
WR Sterling Shepard - Passed Physical
LB Darrian Beavers - Reserve/Injured
TE Andre Miller - Reserve/Injured
TE Ricky Seals-Jones - Reserve/Injured
T Matt Peart - Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform
C Nick Gates - Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform
OL Chris Owens - Free Agent Signing
OL Josh Rivas - Free Agent Signing
WR Robert Foster - Reserve/Injured
DL Christopher Hinton - Waived
DB Gavin Heslop - Waived
TE Jeremiah Hall - Waived
WR Austin Proehl - Waived, Injured
DB Olaijah Griffin - Claimed (off waivers from BUF)
OLB Azeez Ojulari - Passed Physical
Michael Jacquet III - Waived
OL Josh Rivas - Waived
DB Jarrod Wilson - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
T Eric Smith - Free Agent Signing
T Matt Gono - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
G Marcus McKethan - Reserve/Injured
T Will Holden - Free Agent Signing
DE Niko Lalos - Waived
DB Nate Meadors - Claimed (off waivers from CLV)
LB Austin Calitro - Free Agent Signing
LB Justin Hilliard - Waived
OT Garrett McGhin - Free Agent Signing
OT Kamaal Seymour - Waived
TE Daniel Bellinger - Passed Physical
WR Sterling Shepard - Declared Physically Unable to Perform
T Matt Peart - Declared Physically Unable to Perform
C Nick Gates - Declared Physically Unable to Perform
LB Azeez Ojulari - Declared Non-Football Injury
DB Andrew Adams - Free Agent Signing
DE Nick Williams - Free Agent Signing
WR Marcus Kemp - Free Agent Signing
OT Kamaal Seymour - Free Agent Signing
DB Maurice Canady - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
WR Travis Toivonen - Waived, No Recall
DT Jabari Ellis - Waived, No Recall
DB Henry Black - Waived, No Recall
DB Gavin Heslop – Free Agent Signing
OT Korey Cunningham - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Non-Football Injury
TE Daniel Bellinger - Declared Physically Unable to Perform
DB Dane Belton - Selection List Signing
WR Wan'Dale Robinson - Selection List Signing
TE Daniel Bellinger - Selection List Signing
WR Keelan Doss - Free Agent Signing
G Joshua Ezeudu - Selection List Signing
CB Cor'Dale Flott - Selection List Signing
DB Michael Jacquet - Free Agent Signing
S Henry Black - Free Agent Signing
CB Maurice Canady - Free Agent Signing
CB Khalil Dorsey - Free Agent Signing
DE Jalyn Holmes - Free Agent Signing
OLB Kavyon Thibodeaux - Selection List Signing
T Evan Neal - Selection List Signing
LB Micah McFadden - Selection List Signing
DT D.J. Davidson - Selection List Signing
OL Marcus McKethan - Selection List Signing
LB Darrian Beavers - Selection List Signing
DE Ryder Anderson - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
RB Jashaun Corbin - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
LB Tomon Fox - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
TE Austin Allen - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
DB Darren Evans - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
G Josh Rivas - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
DT Jabari Ellis - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
FB Jeremiah Hall - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
DT Christopher Hinton - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
DB Trenton Thompson - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
DB Zyon Gilbert - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
DB Yusuf Corker - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux - Selected in Round 1 (Pick No. 5) of 2022 NFL Draft
OT Evan Neal - Selected in Round 1 (Pick No. 7) of 2022 NFL Draft
WR Wan'Dale Robinson - Selected in Round 2 (Pick No. 43) of 2022 NFL Draft
OL Joshua Ezeudu - Selected in Round 3 (Pick No. 67) of 2022 NFL Draft
CB Cor'Dale Flott - Selected in Round 3 (Pick No. 81) of 2022 NFL Draft
TE Daniel Bellinger - Selected in Round 4 (Pick No. 112) of 2022 NFL Draft
S Dane Belton - Selected in Round 4 (Pick No. 114) of 2022 NFL Draft
LB Micah McFadden - Selected in Round 5 (Pick No. 146) of 2022 NFL Draft
DL D.J. Davidson - Selected in Round 5 (Pick No. 147) of 2022 NFL Draft
OL Marcus McKethan - Selected in Round 5 (Pick No. 173) of 2022 NFL Draft
LB Darrian Beavers - Selected in Round 6 (Pick No. 182) of 2022 NFL Draft
TE Jordan Akins - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
OT Roy Mbaeteka - Free Agent Signing
OL Max Garcia - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
RB Sandro Platzgummer - Free Agent Signing
WR Richie James - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
DT Justin Ellis - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
RB Matt Breida - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
LB Jihad Ward - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
OL Jamil Douglas - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
LS Casey Kreiter - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
TE Ricky Seals-Jones - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
OL Mark Glowinski - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
QB Tyrod Taylor - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
OT Korey Cunningham - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
OL Jon Feliciano - Free Agent Signing
DB Jarren Williams - Exclusive Rights Signing
WR Robert Foster - Free Agent Signing
WR C.J. Board - Signed, Prior to becoming a Free Agent
OL Matt Gono - Free Agent Signing
WR David Sills V - Signed
TE Chris Myarick - Free Agent Signing
WR Austin Proehl - Free Agent Signing
QB Davis Webb - Reserve/Future Signing
P Jamie Gillan - Reserve/Future Signing
RB Antonio Williams - Reserve/Future Signing
WR Alex Bachman - Reserve/Future Signing
DE Niko Lalos - Reserve/Future Signing
WR Travis Toivonen - Reserve/Future Signing
DT David Moa - Reserve/Future Signing
OT Devery Hamilton - Reserve/Future Signing
LB TJ Brunson - Waived, No Recall
DT Antonio Valentino - Waived
QB Brian Lewerke - Waived
DE Raymond Johnson III - Waived
DB Jordan Mosley - Waived
LB Trent Harris - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
LB Omari Cobb - Waived
OL Wes Martin - Waived
TE Jake Hausmann - Waived
TE Rysen John - Waived
CB James Bradberry - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
DB Logan Ryan - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
TE Kaden Smith - Waived
P Riley Dixon - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
RB Devontae Booker - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
TE Kyle Rudolph - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
