Head Coach Brian Daboll

DABOLL: So the players voted for captains today, only the players, and they voted for (quarterback) Russell Wilson, (defensive lineman) Dexter Lawrence, (outside linebacker) Brian Burns, (inside linebacker) Bobby Okereke and (wide receiver) Darius Slayton. Those were the top five vote-getters and those will be our 2025 captains.

Q: No special teams captain?

DABOLL: What we did this year is we said take the five guys – each player had a sheet with five guys on it that you think are the best leaders of the football team and put them one to five. It was whoever that sorted out to be, that's who it was going to be and all five of those guys are good selections by the players.

Q: You've changed that process the last few years. What goes into your thinking on that?

DABOLL: I think every year is different. I think our guys evolve and there's a number of other guys that had got votes, which is a good thing relative to the leaders in the room like (tight end) Chris Manhertz, for example, but those five guys got a considerable amount of votes and I thought that was the right thing to do.

Q: Where do things stand with (tight end) Theo (Johnson)?

DABOLL: Anyone who's out here is going to be practicing and the ones that aren't are getting ready to practice as soon as they can.

Q: Do you feel good about him being ready to go for the regular season?

DABOLL: Just taking it day by day.

Q: Does the fact that you guys didn't keep (tight end Greg) Dulcich a sign that Theo's in good shape?

DABOLL: I'd say the guys that are out here practicing are practicing and the other ones are working hard to get back, like normal.

Q: How did (tackle) Andrew (Thomas) do yesterday in his first padded practice?

DABOLL: He took some reps. Again, he's day by day, he's getting better every day. Sometimes we pull back off him the next day, but he's doing everything he can do to be as ready as he can be.

Q: Are you feeling good about him for Week 1 at this point?

DABOLL: Day by day.

Q: Is it fair to say he's trending in the right direction at least?

DABOLL: I'd say day by day. He's working hard to get better.

Q: For a player of Andrew's caliber, how much can it affect the entire offense when you put a player of his caliber at left tackle for what you what to do offensively?

DABOLL: I'd say the guys that have been practicing, (offensive lineman James Hudson) Hud and (offensive lineman Marcus) Mbow have been doing a very good job of playing their respective roles and that's what you expect out of a team. Obviously you want every one of your top players to be out there and he's doing everything he can do at this point in time to keep improving and the guys that are behind him on the depth chart are also doing a good job but, of course, you would love to have all your top guys out there.

Q: With Mbow, how is he coming along? He's still learning a lot but do you think he's picking up things well?

DABOLL: Yeah, he's done a nice job. (Offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo) Carm and (assistant offensive line coach) James (Ferentz) and give credit to the player, he improves each day. He has the right mindset, has some toughness about him, so developing well.

Q: We saw you and Russ go into the field house together yesterday. What were you guys doing?

DABOLL: We were talking. Good observation. Can't put one by you.

Q: We saw the guys after practice grouped up talking. What do you make about guys staying after practice getting that extra work and going over a lot of the stuff?

DABOLL: They do that on a regular basis. You saw it throughout training camp, whether it's routes, whether it's talk about particular things that happen. Good leadership amongst the players. That's what I like about them.

Q: Is that rare?

DABOLL: I just think it's important to the guys that are out there. Whether it's a route technique, whether it's a combo coverage, whether it's a quarterback with the offensive line, I think that it's good for those guys, if something is fresh in their mind, it's player-driven and I think player-driven leadership is important.

Q: You have more fiery personalities in the quarterback room than you have in a long time. Do you think that's a good thing in that room to have a vocal guy like (quarterback) Jameis Winston and Russell?

DABOLL: Yeah, I've been on teams with all different types of quarterbacks that have different personalities. I think the most important thing in that room is to make sure you're prepared and each player has a different leadership style and I encourage them to be themselves.

Q: To elaborate more, do you usually coax it out of younger players to step up and be a leader in that way or do you like for them to show it on their own?

DABOLL: I think it's good if you have veteran leaders on your football team. Guys that have gone out and done it for a while and I think we have a number of those players and that's what young players gravitate towards, good examples of guys that have been in the league for a while or have performed at a high level not just inside the building or learning a system, but managing your daily habits, setting a standard for yourself. I think those young guys are following right along with some of our older guys we got, and the young guys got to go out there and do it as well. They're swimming a lot, the young guys are. They're moving to a new spot, learning a new system, being the young guy, the new guy on the team, so the more veteran leaders you can have, I say that's good for your football team.

Q: On that note, do you see that with (wide receiver) Malik Nabers just kind of how he's been more vocal? Russ said he's more vocal. Do you see that rubbing off on him?

DABOLL: Yeah, Malik is one of our best players, so you'd love your best players to be good leaders too. I think Nabers has taken a step in this offseason in a positive way with his habits and how he does things outside of the building, the way he takes care of his body, how he is in the meeting rooms, the communication he's had. Malik's done a nice job.

Q: What'd you see from (running back) Tyrone Tracy Jr. this summer?

DABOLL: Pro. Young pro. Again, it's helpful with (running back Devin Singletary) Motor in there with him. Motor's been around the block and the ultimate pro, and I think Tracy's really developed in that area as well coming into his second year, much like Malik. On time, on top of his information, hard practicer, so he's made good steps, good strides.

Q: Obviously, with guys having so many days off in the next few days, what's your message to the team and how they handle this minibreak and getting ready for the season at the same time?

DABOLL: We put a lot of time and effort into getting to this point and doing all the right things, whether it's the offseason program or the OTA practices, we had a good training camp and then the preseason. I had a number of individuals today speak to the team, our head nutritionist, our head security, our head trainer, our head strength and conditioning coach. It's time to take a little break, but there's certain steps you have to take within these next five days to make sure you come back ready to go and the basic message is be a pro. Do things the right way.

Q: Are you implementing the game plan a little bit in today's practice?

DABOLL: We've spent a lot of time and I'm sure most coaches have in the offseason and I'd say for the staffs, probably the last week, I've been on it a little bit. We've been focusing against each other, we're still going to practice against each other. This is kind of the last day we'll be able to do that for a while. That's what we're going to focus on is continue to do the things that we need to do. We'll give them a couple of little looks here and there, but this is the last competitive, good on good practice.

Offensive Tackle Andrew Thomas

Q: Do you think you'll be able to go week one?

THOMAS: I'm not sure yet. I haven't really done a ton of reps. I've done some indy (individual drills), took some one-on-one reps. I'm just trying to progress slowly, so we'll see. But like I said, I'm not making any projections right now.

Q: How did you feel after yesterday's padded practice?

THOMAS: Not bad. Every time you go out there and do something new, there's some soreness that comes with that. But I responded pretty well, and I'm feeling good today. And then I'll get on the field tomorrow to do some more running. I know everybody else is off, but that's just the plan that they have for me right now, to get some extra stuff on Friday and keep progressing.

Q: How much did you participate yesterday?

THOMAS: It was just individual, and then I took some one-on-one reps.

Q: So, you still haven't done anything team-wise?

THOMAS: I haven't done anything team yet, no.

Q: How cognizant are you, obviously week one will be a goal, but it's not like the endgame, right? How cognizant are you of not rushing back?

THOMAS: I'm just trying not to give myself a deadline. Obviously, I want to be back, but if I don't feel comfortable to be able to perform at the level I think I can, I don't think it makes sense for me to be out there.

Q: When do you think you'll know that? Do you have to get to the end of next week or do you think you'll have a feeling sooner, how do you think that'll go?

THOMAS: I think it just takes time. This is the most I've done to this point, so we'll see what the plan is for next week and then go from there.

Q: Are you happy with the progress of foot, where it is right now?

THOMAS: I am, but it's been a tough recovery. I miss being out there with the guys. It's my first time missing a training camp, so that's been tough, but I'm just trying to keep a positive mindset and get back when I'm ready.

Q: I think you'll probably have, maybe Wednesday will be your last padded practice. Do you need to be out there and go through a full practice and face guys in the 11-on-11 to know when you're ready?

THOMAS: Yeah, I think that's something I guess I'll have to cross when I get there. I'm not really sure. I think mentally, I think I'll be fine. I understand the offense, what I have to do, but there is some of that, just the conditioning, taking reps and feeling like myself.

Q: Does it help that you guys are bringing back basically the same O-line, and at least that continuity is there to come back with a different quarterback, but at least to kind of just plug back in?

THOMAS: Yeah, and then we brought in some veteran guys too that are doing a good job for us, and I think we have good continuity, like you said, second year going into it, so I think we'll be fine up front.

Q: Is this something when you talk to the doctors, is there a risk of re-injury, or is it just a matter of you being comfortable with where you're at?

THOMAS: That's part of the thing. I've talked to different doctors, different surgeons that have different opinions. I think part of it, coming back from an injury like this, there will be some soreness that you have to manage and get through. But like you said, my biggest concern is making sure I can't make it worse or re-injure it, so I'm just trying to take my time, stick with the plan that they're giving me, and see where it goes.

Q: Is that one of those things where you're feeling the soreness, and you're like, okay, I've got to make sure that this is good soreness and not bad soreness?

THOMAS: Yeah, that's part of the challenge, like deciphering which one it is, because for you to progress you need stress, but you also don't want to push too much and then you're down for three or four days because it's too sore. So, I've been working with the strength staff and the coaches and trainers just trying to figure out what's the best plan of action.

Q: Do you anticipate, just from talking to doctors and stuff, having to play through the pain or that soreness the whole season, or is it something that will go away once you're cleared to get back out there?

THOMAS: Yeah, talking to the doctors and stuff like that, there will be some pain I think that I have to manage. Like I said before, I talked to (former Giants' center) Shaun O'Hara about his injury, a similar injury. He said he dealt with it for a while, but as long as I can manage it and I don't have any setbacks, then I think I'll be okay.

Q: You said about from a mental aspect, you feel like once you get out there. From a physical aspect, how do you make up and compensate for missing the physical component of training camp that you're so used to testing yourself? I'm sure you got to a point where you knew what you had to do on a given day for four weeks to get yourself ready. How do you guys make up for that? Is that a challenge as well for you?

THOMAS: Yeah, I always talk about mental reps, and I think this being the case for me this year, I'm taking it a lot more serious, just trying to envision myself, even if I'm not in, close my eyes, what's the play, what's the protection, snap count, and just trying to envision myself doing those things. A lot of it is muscle memory. I've done it before. And then when I do have a rep in indy or one-on-ones, and as I progress the team, it's like really maximizing those reps to make sure I feel comfortable.

Q: When you talk to Shaun, what did he tell you about how much you're going to have to manage just on the field when you get back?

THOMAS: Yeah, it's just a tough injury for heavier guys. You'll have projections of when they think you'll be back, but for bigger guys, a lot of times it just takes longer, and that's what he said. It took him nine or ten months to get through some of the pain and stuff, and throughout the season he dealt with some stuff too.

Q: Would you want to be able to play a full game? Is that kind of your goal, and play the full four quarters, or would you be open to coming back and maybe play the first half and then kind of switch with (offensive lineman James) Hudson III?

THOMAS: Yeah, we haven't really discussed that yet, but I would say, just speaking for all the offensive line, continuity is so important. If I'm out there, I would like to be out there, and I'm sure the guys feel that way too. Whoever's in is going to give us the best chance to win, and we want to keep that group together.

Outside Linebacker Brian Burns

Q. What does it mean to you that your teammates voted you as a captain?

BURNS: It means a lot. I don't take it for granted. I was a captain for three years in Carolina. I didn't expect to be a captain in my first year here, last year. I don't take it for granted to have that 'C' on my chest to represent my teammates, to represent this organization and my coaches and everybody. It means a lot to me.

Q. Does it mean more your second year now that you're established and the guys respected what you brought last year?

BURNS: Yeah, you know it's just really the label. The label means a lot, to be recognized as a captain. Last year, I didn't have it on my chest, but I was still viewed as that, so it's more so just it being I guess pushed to the public and just pushed out there that they see me as that.

Q. What do you think about the other four guys? Have you guys chatted about being the five?

BURNS: No, there wasn't really much to chat about. It was just more of like a congratulations type of thing. I'm not surprised by any guy that was voted captain. They really embody a captain, a leader, this training camp so it's been good.

Q. Are you excited to play football next week?

BURNS: Of course. Yeah, I'm ready to get to it.

Q. How different do you guys come back from this weekend in terms of with regular season readiness?

BURNS: Everybody has their own process, their own routine. The main thing I implore guys to do is get away, clear your mind. We've got a long season, a guaranteed 17 weeks, hopefully 21, but just clear your mind, get right for football, get ready for football.

Q. Is there a different attitude when you guys come back? More urgency?

BURNS: I wouldn't say a different urgency. We've been attacking every week as if it's a game week and we've been really trying to put in those hours, put in that work, so I wouldn't say the urgency is different but it is a difference, maybe in the byes because we know that it's a game week so everything that we need to tune up, everything that we need to get corrected needs to be a little more urgent.

Q. Have you focused a lot yet on Washington?

BURNS: Bits and pieces here and there, really just checking out tendencies of my opponents, my matchups, but not as a whole, no, I haven't studied a bunch on them yet.

Q. Have you faced (Commanders tackle Laremy) Tunsil before?

BURNS: Once, for only a couple reps like my second or third year. That's the only time I've ever seen him.

Q. How is it different with (Commanders quarterback) Jayden (Daniels) coming into his second year. I know you'll pay a lot more attention to that next week but as a second-year quarterback, do you anticipate changes in him?

BURNS: No, I don't really expect any (changes) from him – I'm not going to say that – I expect him to be better. I expect him to be better than he was last year and that's saying a lot because that young man has a true talent. He picked up the game, the game slowed down for him really, really, really, fast. I expect him to be great, so we'll see.