Head Coach Brian Daboll

Q: How did (Brian) Burns and Wan'Dale (Robinson) come out of that collision?

Daboll: They came out. They'll be out here today.

Q: They'll be full go today?

Daboll: They'll be doing certain things, but they'll be out at practice.

It was a unbelievable hustle play by Burns all the way down the field. He's had, I'd say, a number of those this camp. His effort has been outstanding and friendly fire, and so they'll be out here. We'll do what we think is best for them.

Q: No concussion for one or either?

Daboll: Yeah, they'll be out here. We'll do what we think is best.

Q: Just wanted to clarify when you say "yeah," you mean you're saying that they don't have concussions?

Daboll: Yeah, that's why they're out here. If they did have a concussion, they would not be out here.

Comment: There's a part of the protocol where they could come out and do some stuff.

Daboll: Yeah, they'll be out here working.

Q: How is Jalin (Hyatt) doing? Can he do more today?

Daboll: Yeah, he'll be out here. We'll kind of ease him into practice and see where he's at, evaluate it the early part of practice and see where he's at.

Q: Understanding that pads have not come on yet, what has been your first week impression of Abdul Carter's explosiveness?

Daboll: He's been a good player in college. He's had a couple of good days here. He's had good OTAs and we'll continue to evaluate him throughout camp when the pads come on, but he's done a nice job for us.

Q: You guys did a ridiculous amount of homework on Carter. I'm sure you studied him and watched a bunch of film, all of that stuff before you drafted him. But now that you're seeing him every day and you have him in the building, is there anything he's doing that maybe that you didn't see on that film or anything? Maybe it's better than what you expected?

Daboll: No, he's been a consistent guy for us as a young player. I think he's done a nice job in the meeting rooms. Tibs (Kayvon Thibodeaux) and (Brian) Burns have done a nice job with him, Chauncey (Golston). He just practices hard, he practices the right way and there's mistakes just like there is for every young player. And then there's good plays and there's plays to improve on. So he's been a good addition to our team. We'll see how it goes.

Q: How has (Jaxson) Dart looked the last few days?

DAboll: Much like all the rookies, first training camp, some good, some things to improve on, but he's got the right mindset. He's here real late. He works. It's good to see him kind of finish a drive two days ago, throwing it where he needs to throw it, keep working with him.

Q: What's the best part about being the Giants head coach?

Daboll: Well, there's a lot of good things. The relationships that I get to build with the players and the coaches. There's no substitute for winning, but it's an honor and a privilege to be here.

Q: So how do you pick which quarterback to play? There's four great ones.

Daboll: Russ (Wilson) is our starter. He's done this for a long time. He's had a really good camp since he's been here. And then the other three guys have done a great job too. I like our quarterback room. They're working hard, they're going out every day. They're doing the things they need to do. It's a good group to be around.

Q: Jameis (Winston) has been a very explosive guy over the years. Prone to throw a lot of touchdown passes but also give it away. What are you working with him on that in terms of what's the trick to try to lower the picks?

Daboll: Well, he's got a lot of confidence in his arm and even these first few days, you can see he lets it go and there's a number of people in a certain area and he lets it go before the receiver turns his head. So the receivers have got to do a good job too, or tight ends or running backs of getting their eyes back and knowing it's coming. Talented player. That's why he was picked where he was picked years back and he's not afraid. He'll throw it in there. So making the right decisions at the right time, knowing where to go with the football, no fear mentality, which he has obviously, and continue to work with him on how we do things, how we read, our footwork, so the timing matches up and don't overthink, I'm going to just let it go.

Q: You had said, going back all the way to the draft, when Jaxson came in that you guys would have that plan, but a big part of that was going to be throw things at him that he's not expecting on a day-to-day basis. Are there days where you've gone out so far and you've known in your head, you know what, we're going to throw this when Jaxson is in there and let's see how he responds and it's been good or bad on how he's reacted. Have you seen what you've needed to see?

Daboll: Yeah, and we'll continue to do that. I would say a lot of coaches that have young quarterbacks do that around the league. Whether it's a situation or putting him in after a bad play or giving him a pressure that he might have not seen. You try to give him as much as you can give him so that each day you can learn from it. If there's a good play that you have, you go ahead and give him positive reinforcement. And when there's a play that maybe wasn't executed the exact right way, you try to get another look at that sometime down the line and keep divs on where they're at. We do that with all the quarterbacks, but certainly with Jaxson.

Q: What was the thinking behind putting him in for those last few reps on Friday with Jameis driving?

Daboll: Give him another good situation there at the end of a drive in the red zone.

Q: How do you go about deciding, you flip the two of them kind of in their role, the second and third team, talking about Jaxson and Jameis. How do you go about deciding when to do that? Is it pre-planned and what's your thought process behind that?

Daboll: I think Kaf (Mike Kafka) and Shane (Bowen) have done a nice job of divvying up the reps the way we need to divvy them up. Sometimes they don't even know when they're going in or the offensive coaches don't know when I'm switching them either. That was a situation there at the end where Jameis was taking a rack and I just threw Dart in there. Try to keep the coaches on their toes and the quarterbacks so they can practice numerous situations.

Q: A follow up, do you want to make a decision on the No. 2 quarterback at some point in camp?

Daboll: We're on day four here. We'll keep on giving him reps and keep improving these guys.

Q: Malik (Nabers) was talking about Russ's impact that maybe we don't see for him, and he recalled a play, I guess the other day in practice where he thought it was man, when they broke the huddle, thought it was man, he was expecting Russ to check out of the play and then Russ didn't and it was zone and Russ was right, and I guess they made a play. How much of that, that Russ is there now, is leading to, I don't know, a bigger impact across the entire offense because of what he's seeing already in camp where you're not really studying the defense ahead of time?

Daboll: Again, you have a player that has a tremendous amount of experience, a lot of success. There's not a defense that he hasn't seen since he's played. And again, we're still working and putting pieces together to make sure the offense is effective for everybody, but particularly the quarterbacks. But he's done this a long time. He's got good eyes, he communicates well. He sees certain things, he gives good feedback. He's a good listener, too, so he's done a nice job for us.

Q: What's your thoughts of how JMS (John Michael Schmitz Jr.) has played so far in camp and obviously looked like a couple high snaps?

Daboll: Yeah, we don't want to have those high snaps, no question. I think the linemen, we will get into the lineman here in the next couple of days when we get power rushes and games and there's a variety of things, but the line has been working good together. We've got one more day here until we get the pads on. John Michael has been a good leader for us.

Q: We've seen a lot of top five, six drafted edge rushers in the draft, and they usually come in and have a pretty good impact, Kayvon being one of them. Is what makes Carter different, the versatility? Is that a unique part of him that maybe not all those guys would come into the league have? Was that important to you since you already had two guys there on the edge?

Daboll: Well, you were able to go back the year before too and see him play another position off the ball and see the impact he had there, running through gaps and chasing people down. And that's part of it when you're evaluating a player is the vision you have for the player when they're coming into your team. But until they get here, kind of see them move around and ultimately see how they handle it mentally. Can they pick it up? Do they have the instincts to do it? Which he certainly has, I'd say. very, very good instincts as a football player. Some players do exactly what's on the paper, the line, and I run 12 yards, I stop, I turn. And then you have other players that are very instinctive players. If I run to 12 yards and turn here, I'm going to be covered, or if I do this, it's not. He's a little bit of a see ball, get ball kind of guy. And again, he's done a nice job with what we've asked him to do and we'll see how it grows.

Outside Linebacker Abdul Carter

Q: What do you think of your first week of NFL training camp?

CARTER: I've been enjoying it. Just trying to get better each day. It's been fun so far.

Q: How much changes tomorrow when the pads come on and the intensity raises?

CARTER: I keep my intensity the same. The pads just, we get to be more physical like play some real football now, so I can't wait.

Q: Do you have a preference, whether it be standing up, hand in the dirt, I'm talking just when you're on the edge?

CARTER: It depends on where I'm coming from. If it's pass rush, definitely putting my hand in the dirt. But I like to mix it up, change things around so I'm good either way.

Q: What's the best advice (outside linebacker Brian) Burns and Thibs (outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux) have given to you this week?

CARTER: That's a lot. Shoot, honestly, I'm just quiet. I like to learn from them, watch them, just try to steal little things they do in terms of their routine, how they practice and just how they handle their business. Just try to pick up little pieces, one moment at a time.

Q: It seems like they're putting a lot on your plate in terms of not just on the edge on one side, it's like you're all over the field, you're doing a little off ball stuff too. How are you handling that and do you take that as almost like a sign of respect that they think you can handle that much?

CARTER: Yeah, it's definitely a sign of respect. Anything my coaches need me to do, I'm going to go out there and do it to the best of my ability, so whatever they ask me, I'm going to get in there, I'm going to do it.

Q: How much different is that though? Being on the edge versus being down as like a three technique?

CARTER: I've been doing this since my freshman year of college, so I'm pretty much used to it.

Q: Do you like the freedom when you are standing up and you can kind of look and pick your spots? I mean, we don't know, you probably have a spot where you need to attack. But it looks like you're kind of looking for that spot, almost like stalking the offensive line in a sense.

CARTER: Yeah, everybody has their job to do. I just try to do my job just the way I do. I have my own little style that I play like, so whatever I'm going to do, I'm going to make sure I do my job first but just within the play.

Q: I know Brian didn't practice, but even before then they started to get you within that first team and get some of those first team reps. What does that feel like to you and how much are you sort of waiting for that opportunity there?

CARTER: They could be first team, second team, third team. I'm going to play the same way, treat everybody the same so it doesn't really matter for me.

Q: How different was today though, going up against (offensive lineman) Jermaine (Eluemunor) for a full drive like that?

CARTER: Yeah, I felt good. I feel like that was a real football drive going down the field, play after play, after play. I feel like it really felt good.

Q: When you're in that spot, let's say you lose a battle, do you know as an edge and as a pass rusher, if I just get one, I win the drive essentially?

CARTER: Yeah, for sure. It's also setting up moves later down in the drive. I feel like pass rush is a science. It's like you're playing basketball, dribbling the ball, just setting your moves up, setting up your counter. I just try to think about it like that. It's really just a science for me.

Q: You like the spin move?

CARTER: For sure, yeah. I have a lot of moves.

Q: Everybody in the NFL community is going to see where you went to college, see your versatility and say can he be like (Dallas Cowboys linebacker) Micah Parsons? What do you think when you hear that comparison?

CARTER: Yeah, I learned a lot from Micah. He took me under his wing just starting at Penn State wearing number 11, that whole Stick City tradition. But at the end of the day, I'm my own player. I'm going to be Abdul Carter.

Q: Do you have some of that versatility though?

CARTER: Absolutely. For sure.

Q: Can you walk me through that rush in the red zone where you, I mean it would've been a sack basically, where you did get past Jermaine?

CARTER: Yeah, I just got off the ball, following my track and I just be playing, just play football.

Q: No big deal to you?

CARTER: Nah, just play football, that's all.

Q: Has this been an adjustment for you at all going from college to the NFL?

CARTER: Yeah, I feel like it has. More just coming in and getting settled down in a new city, finding a home, things of that nature. But football is football, I feel like until we get to the season play real games, we'll see how much different it is from college.

Q: Your early reviews. I'm talking about some of your teammates when we say, what have you seen from Abdul, they say the explosiveness, it has been impressive. What does that mean to you or what do you think when you hear that?

CARTER: I try not to listen to it too much and I just want to keep working, keep getting better. I feel like I'm still just getting started. It's my second year of being on the edge. I feel like I just keep getting better, keep finding little ways to get better.

Q: In what ways? When you say you're kind of new to the edge, what little intricacies do you kind of focus on, what's important to you to get better?

CARTER: It's a lot a of details that go into it. I know you just look at it, it's just oh, okay, he's just rushing off the edge doing moves, but it's a lot more detail that goes into it whether it's technique, your hand placement, how many steps you take, just things like that.

Q: What do you think of (quarterback) Jaxson Dart so far?

CARTER: I haven't got a chance to watch him a lot, but I was talking to him yesterday just asking him how things going on. He's enjoying it. He's going through the process. Learning from (quarterback) Russ (Wilson), learning from (quarterback) Jameis (Winston), I just told him, just take one day at a time. You don't have to know everything right now. That's what I'm doing, just trying to learn from the guys ahead of me and that's how we're going about it.

Q: When you come in as the number three pick in the draft, there are immediate huge expectations. How are you handling that kind of whatever you would call that, expectations, pressure?

CARTER: I embrace it. I feel like I perform best under pressure. I don't shy away from it. I embrace it.

Q: What'd you do on your day off yesterday?

CARTER: Just relax.

Q: Go see the city? What did you do?

CARTER: Fantastic Four, I saw that. It's a pretty good movie.

Q: Did you like it?

CARTER: I loved it.

Q: I know you like to play chess, so when you're on the edge, do you translate anything you've learned from chess to how you are learning the edge or figuring things out a little bit?

CARTER: For sure. Just thinking ahead, planning ahead, knowing what your opponent is doing. That's probably just the main similarities there.

Q: It also to not overthink? Sometimes in chess you have to be able to move quickly and not overthink too much.

CARTER: Yeah, for sure.

Q: Do you and Kayvon play chess together at all?

CARTER: I haven't played Kayvon yet.

Q: Anybody on the team?

CARTER: I played (outside linebacker) Trace Ford. We're tied up right now, but I haven't really got a chance to really sit down and play chess. We're all learning the playbook, watching film but we will get to that.

Q: What do you make of the playbook?

CARTER: Well, ours is not that complicated. If you ask Jaxson, he'll probably take it through the Matrix, but ours is pretty much a little bit more simple. But it's still just the little details, little techniques that I got to key on.

Q: (Head Coach Brian) Daboll was talking before practice about your instincts, see ball, get ball. Some guys he said, his line was "sometimes you tell guys go 12 yards, turn around. They do exactly that." You are more, as the play develops, see it. Can you talk a little bit about your instincts, like where they come from? Have you always felt very instinctual on the field?

CARTER: Yeah, I just thank God for that. There's not much I can say.

Quarterback Jaxson Dart

Q: What'd you make of (running back) Cam's (Skattebo) catch there at the end?

DART: Wasn't that sick? I mean that's like elite awareness, especially from a running back. I haven't really seen a play like that. I'm excited to look at the review. What'd you guys think?

Q. Out of bounds, sadly. He was on the line.

DART: Unfortunate. It looked cool, though.

Q: What's the early part of camp been like for you?

DART: It's just continued growth each and every day. I can definitely feel a difference in the first day to even today. Just that the game's starting to slow down a little bit, the more that I get comfortable with the plays and the system. So just trying to take advantage of the opportunities that I get. Trying to study late as much as I can. It's definitely very humbling to be in a room with (quarterback) Russ

(Wilson), (quarterback) Jameis (Winston) and (quarterback) Tommy (DeVito) just guys that are just extremely smart, but at the same time I'm learning every second. So just trying to take in each opportunity and get better from it.

Q: This seemed to be one of your better days on the field. I was curious if you feel the same and if so, why do you think today was a good one?

DART: I think I just kind of alluded to it, I felt like it slowed down just a little bit. That first day, even a little bit the second day, there were just some plays that I hadn't really run before. You're getting mixed in with different groups of guys who you don't have a ton of reps with, so you're just trying to get that timing down with everybody. But I feel like today, going into it, I felt confident in the different installs that we had and I felt at the same time the coaches gave me a lot of freedom, so I was able to make some checks that I wanted to and I feel like that just allowed me to play just faster and be able to make quicker decisions.

Q: What's your approach to mistakes? How do you internalize if you do have a bad throw or you have bad practice, how do you handle that?

DART: I told Dabs (head coach Brian Daboll) earlier this week after the first day I was like, I wish we had two-a-days so we could practice again. I just really look forward to the next opportunity that I have. I understand that I'm going to make mistakes and that's part of me learning the system, the game speed. I threw a pick, and I was able to go into the locker room and talk to (cornerback) Nic (Jones) about what he saw from a defensive perspective. So those conversations that I'm having are super cool. I'm just constantly learning, and I think something that I take pride in is when you make a mistake, try not to make that same mistake again. I understand I'm going to make mistakes, but I'm excited for the next opportunity trying to get better.

Q: Jaxson, I know it's very early, but how do you approach this in terms of, training camps are always competitive, people are fighting for jobs. And Dabs just kind of made it clear that the number two quarterback is up in the air. Are you more concentrating on trying to win that or is it more of a long game for you? How do you piece that together or separate that if you will?

DART: I'm just trying to execute each play to be quite honest with you. I'm not thinking about all the other stuff of what may happen if I play bad this day or I play good this day, I just want to go out and execute the play, put the guys in the best situation. I want to make sure that when I'm out there, that I'm feeling confident. I am just trying to prepare each and every day. I don't look at things like that. And for me, this game of football is just the game that I loved when I was a kid, so I don't put too much, I don't internalize a lot of things result based, stats-wise. I'm just trying to go out there and compete and play at the highest level.

Q: Speaking of Nic, that interception that he had, he kind of had a PBU today a little bit. What's been that battle with him, Nic Jones? He's got a pick on you, you challenged them a little bit. What's that been like?

DART: Yeah, it's been fun. Our lockers are right next to each other, so we are going out to practice making jokes, "I'm still going to come at you today" and "I got to get my get back." We're just competing. It's a lot of fun to kind of have that environment in the locker room. Everybody's able to cooperate in a mature and very positive way. I think it's been cool to have a lot of guys that are older than me that will come up and give advice to me, even on the defensive side.

Q: Nic being a veteran in the league a little bit, when you guys are talking about, what did you see on that play, what did you see? What is he saying to you? What are those conversations like with him?

DART: Yeah, he's just explaining schematically what they're doing on defense. He's like, tendency wise, if you see this, this is probably what's coming behind it. Just a lot of it was him just in the spot drop zone and playing off my eyes. He is just telling me a lot of times, because he played with (Kansas City Chiefs quarterback) Pat (Mahomes) and what Pat used to do with him and just kind of manipulate different plays and schemes to make it work. And I think that when I'm able to hear that, it helps me try to incorporate those things into my game.

Q: What's been the best piece of advice you've gotten from someone on the defensive side?

DART: A lot of it's been just pressures. What are the tips and tells that they're going to be bluffing or when they're coming on a different blitz and I have to set the protection a certain way to make sure that we're all picked up and I get the back out. It's been helpful to hear those tendencies and like I said, it's just been great to go into the locker room, and I can go ask questions to anybody and they're super open and welcoming to me that way and everybody here just wants everybody to get better. So, I definitely have appreciated that.

Q: The circumstances like on Friday when Dabs tossed you in at the two-minute mark there, how helpful is that, that kind of chaotic situation that he tosses you into, how helpful is that to you?

DART: I think it's great because it puts me in uncomfortable situations, one. We go into each day, you don't know what reps you're getting, so you have to make sure that you prepare for anything and everything. And I think that that really helps because you don't know when your number's going to be called and you have to be ready to ball in any situation that you're given. After that drive on Friday, I went over to Jameis and told him, appreciate you for getting me down there. But I appreciate those situations, to be uncomfortable and just trying to execute the offense.

Q: Jaxson, what's the balance between believing that gun slinger mentality, that you can fit any ball into any window no matter how tight, and then say you have a pass that's tipped or intercepted or whatnot the other way, I can't do that in the NFL, but not going too far in terms of you don't want to lose your aggressiveness?

DART: Yeah, I don't want to play like a robot. I think that's just my play style. When I'm on the field, I'm going to be aggressive in any situation. A statement that, I guess a quote that we go by in the quarterback room is being aggressive but not reckless. And so, when you have opportunities to put the dagger in, that's what you got to do. And at the same time, you can't be reckless and it's just situational based as an offense. You look at the turnover margins and the turnover ratio of the most successful teams in the league to the least successful team, and that's probably the number one thing that goes into it. So, you have to keep those things in mind, but at the same time you got to be a dog on the field and make those plays when they're there. And like I said, this time it's okay to make some mistakes and to learn from them.

Q: You mentioned being a dog, (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers) was saying something where you were in San Diego, he kind of challenged you on the basketball court. I am curious on your perspective on what that interaction was like?

DART: Yeah, it was intense. I think it's just two guys who compete at the highest level in whatever that they're doing. And when you're in a competitive situation like that and you want to win, I think it says a lot about him, as well as me. Just you can do whatever it takes, and I think it's good bonding.

Q: Who's the better basketball player?

DART: It kind of depends. If it's a one-on-one game or if it's with a team, we have different roles. Most of the time it was me and him guarding each other. Quite honestly, we played for 40 minutes one-on-one and neither of us scored a point.

Q: So, offense could use some work?

DART: Yeah.

Q: Defensive specialists?

DART: The defense is elite. The defense is elite for sure. For both of us.

Q: What do you anticipate tomorrow will be like with pads?

DART: Just fun, exciting. I know the guys in the trenches are really excited about it. I know the running backs are too. It definitely allows you to play on a different level rather than us being in spiders and whatnot. It's just going to get a little bit more physical between each side of the ball, but I think it's going to bring a different energy, for sure.

Quarterback Jameis Winston

Q: How are the first few days going?

A: It's going good, man, but it's one day at a time. Thank you for letting me know it's Sunday because we really don't know what day it is, we're just focusing on one day at a time.

Q: What's it like learning a new offense while getting limited reps? Does that make it harder?

A: It's fun learning a new offense because it keeps you in the curious mode. You're asking consistent questions, you're asking, 'Hey, what does this look like?' You're asking for clips like, 'How does this look vs. this coverage?' I love that, and it just brings out the little kid in me again. Sometimes when you get continuity, you're always thinking about the next step and you don't get to focus on just the basics, especially when you're installing. Now, as (assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike) Kafka is installing, I get to learn the basics and as camp prolongs, I will continue to learn, 'Okay, now this is why we're making this transition. This is why we're adding this look, route to specific concepts.'

Q: Do you have any familiarity with (head coach Brian) Dabs' system and whatnot?

A: Yeah, it's a blessing because last year, when (Dallas Cowboys pass game specialist) Ken Dorsey came over to Cleveland, he had very similar concepts for the most part. (He was) not as original as Dabs' system but he had different (snippets) and different schemes, different words and stuff over there in Cleveland.

Q: What do you make of Dabs?

A: I love who Brian Daboll is – just the man that he is, the communicator that he is. He's very present with all of us and to this point, he holds the rookie accountable just like he holds the 16-year vet accountable and in terms of as a leader, that's what a group of men, a group of women – that's what we want to see out of our leader. Not picking sides or choosing who he wants to get on but holding everybody to that standard and being honest.

Q: Today seemed to be one of (quarterback) Jaxson (Dart's) better days on the field. Do you remember an ah-ha moment when things started to make sense during your first few seasons?

A: Yeah, I think that comes with the continuity of learning an offense and also, confidence. When you first get out there, your confidence might be high because of the blessings and the talent that God has given you, but it's not as high as it's executing the offense. I think Jaxson is developing that execution state of his confidence, because – he's swagged out, he's chill, he's cool as a cucumber, but, however, reps matter. When you're out there and you're getting four, five reps at a time and the way that Dabs is doing it – he's throwing us out there and then pulling us out there like it's creating a great chaos for him to learn this scheme and to be on his toes so I think it's helping his learning curve a lot faster.

Q: What do you think of when you drove the team down the field and then got taken out?

A: Man, you know I'm used to it. If you remember in New Orleans, (Saints tight end) Taysom Hill – I used to drive the team all the way the field and then Taysom Hill used to come in and run quarterback power and score a touchdown, so I was like, 'Hey, Jaxson is Tayson Hill (laughs).' Tayson's from Idaho but Jaxson's from Utah. I was like, 'It's that Utah connection.' Every time I have a good drive, they're going to take me out and put a kid from Utah in to come score a touchdown (laughs). No, but he needs those reps. He needs those red zone reps. I've been in the red zone a lot and that was a good drive. I knew I was going to end up in the end zone, so it allowed me to visualize myself being in the end zone again.

Q: Earlier in the week, here was a play with some of the younger guys and someone ran a route and dropped the ball and you were on him like it was the third quarter in Week 1, and you could tell you wanted to let him know that's not acceptable. Is that a part of your personality?

A: Well, I want everyone to be intentional in all that we do, and I want everyone – just like Dabs – to hold all of us accountable. That was the conversation that I had with the receiver, just like, 'Hey, I was working man.' And I was like, "Hey, no, it's zone. It's if I'm man, I'm gonna alert you.' And he was like, 'Oh, no but I'm working man.' And I was like, 'Hey, I got you, but I need you here and even if you're working man, I need your eyes.' We've got to be able to play with our eyes when we're running these routes, especially routes where we have the option, because the ball can be out. We don't know if freaking (outside linebacker) Kayvon Thibodeaux is about to knock my head off when I get the ball out. Those small things are things that have to be stressed, especially in walk-thru tempo because sometimes in walk-thru, you kind of ease up, you get comfortable. You're like, 'Oh man, I don't have to play fast, I don't have a defense in front of me.' But I stress to the young guys that those reps are just as important as the real reps out there on the field.

Q: You've always been an explosive quarterback, but the knock has been the interceptions. How do you manage that and what in Daboll's system makes it easier for you to get the ball into any window?

A: The biggest thing is just the decision making. What is the decision – I'm not an outcome-based quarterback. It's like, 'What is this decision?' If I threw an interception, was the decision right? If I threw an incompletion, was the decision right? And don't worry about the outcome. Sometimes the outcomes can overweigh a lot of the stuff and people can have – but what is my decision? If my decision is good, then we can learn from that and we can grow from that.

Q: On the check you made that was basically a touchdown to Bryce Ford-Wheaton on the right, what did you see there?

A: I saw cover zero, and I was like, 'Okay, I got to get-it-out route,' meaning I got a route that's good on my right side but I needed some help on the left side to protect myself up and get a quick answer in case they drop up under my touchdown route to the right side, so I just saw pressure and it was third and… We jumped offsides. It really should've been offsides. I told them, double cadence in the huddle but we jumped offsides, moved back and we overcame it, so it was good.

Q: Does it matter to you whether you're taking second-team reps, third-team reps? How do you look at that?

A: I look at it like, 'Man, this is my opportunity. Let me go out there and make the most out of my opportunity.' That's something that the coaches stress. No matter if you're a quarterback, no matter if you're the third-team cornerback. When you're out there, it's not, 'Oh man…' It's not like being in the baseball dugout and they say, 'Hey, (designated hitter) DH you come in.' Is the DH going to say like, 'Oh, man. I didn't get the chance to go down to the cages and hit some balls.' Like no, you've got to go in there and you've got to do your job, no matter if you've seen pitches, no matter if you have previous reps, no matter if you're cold. You have to go out there and take advantage of your opportunity. That's what this league is.

Q: Do you look at it as if you're in a battle for the backup quarterback role?

A: I look at it as if I'm in a battle for my life. Every time I'm taking a play out there, I'm making the most of that opportunity.

Q: During your first training camp, I'm sure you had moments where you felt overwhelmed. What were those moments like for you? And does that give you some empathy for what Jaxson is facing as he's going through his first training camp?

A: The biggest thing is, 'What can I learn from those moments?' Meaning, 'What made me feel this way? And why am I feeling this way?' And I learned that early on and I understood (former Texas A&M football coach) Jimbo Fisher was always like, 'Jameis, know the why's. Know the why's.' But when you focus on the why's so much, sometimes you over analyze things and you lose the natural ability to go out there and play, play smooth. He also said this term – I forgot his name – a great motivational speaker said, 'See a little, see a lot. See a lot, see nothing.' So, when you're focusing on the big grand scheme of things, you lose sight of the most important things but when you focus on just those small things, 'How was my footwork? Was my cadence good? Was my operation good? Was my communication good?' Instead of, 'Oh my God, it was a bad pass, and it was behind the guy.' What technique-wise, what are the specifics that go into that feeling? So now, I'm not overwhelmed because it's different coverages and like I'm learning, the playbook is growing. I'm focusing on, 'Okay, how is my footwork? How is my execution? How is my communication?' And that allows me to focus on those small things and not get caught up with all the big things.

Q: Does that help you give advice to Jaxson?

A: Yeah, absolutely. That's what I tell him. I tell him it's one day at a time. The NFL is the only league where yesterday and tomorrow literally don't matter. Even practices, like there have been times where you could be – I feel like Week 1 is always the funniest week because in Week 1, you have so many people be like, 'This team is about to win a Super Bowl.' And then the next week they lose, 'Oh, that team sucks. That team is a pretender.' Like all that different type of stuff and I tell him all of the time, 'Hey man, it's a new day. Be grateful for it. Be glad and rejoice in it.' Because literally, that's the NFL. One play at a time, one day at a time, and that's all you can focus on.

Q: There are a lot of quarterbacks who want to make explosive plays but don't try it enough. What does it take as a quarterback to stay confident enough to try to push the ball down the field as often as you've been able to.

A: I think it's the will to do it. There are a lot of plays where it's touchdown and check down mentality. There are a lot of plays where you have a man but it's just the matchup. Did the guy win or not? But I think you have to be able to stress the defense and have the defense on their heels and that's why you just have to get the little dinks and dunks in front. The challenging part is when you're having fun dicing up a defense and taking those shots, it's being okay with two yards, with three yards, with five yards, etcetera.

Q: What do you make of the playbook?

A: The playbook is amazing. I was blessed that I experienced some of it conceptually with Ken Dorsey last year in Cleveland but it's old school New England Patriots and new school 2017 Alabama Crimson Tide and Buffalo Bills. So those are some good teams. I'm just excited to be working with Kaf and (quarterbacks coach) Shea (Tierney) and learning just the basics of this offense.