Head Coach Brian Daboll

DABOLL: Normal Wednesday for us. Full pads, everybody will be out there.

Q: How's (tackle) Andrew Thomas doing? How's his progression going?

DABOLL: Each day he is improving.

Q: You guys put (quarterback) Jaxson (Dart) as QB2 on the unofficial depth chart. Is that the plan?

DABOLL: All three quarterbacks are going to be ready to play.

Q: There's nothing about the season schedule that's forgiving, but with week one in sight, what to this point has given you confidence on both sides of the ball that this squad will be off to a better start?

DABOLL: We have a big week ahead of us in terms of our practice and our preparation. We've been on that since Monday. We're going to have to go out here and have some good days, string them together, to be able to go out there and perform at our best.

Q: How has (tight end) Theo (Johnson) progressed? He's out there.

DABOLL: He's out there. He's good to go.

Q: When you're going against a quarterback as versatile as (Washington Commanders' quarterback) Jayden Daniels, obviously the pass rush is important, you know that he can extend plays with his legs. But when he has as much success in the air, how important is it, if at all, to have nickel and dime packages ready for week one?

DABOLL: Yeah, he's a very challenging quarterback to defend in all areas. You asked a good question. He's able to make plays with his feet running the football, in design runs and zone reads and counter reads, the RPO game, which he's exceptional at. His downfield passing is excellent. Then he keeps plays alive with his eyes downfield and makes plays. He's a tremendous football player. He was that way at LSU (Louisiana State University). He was that way at Arizona State. He was that way his first year. He's got a great cast around him, and (Commanders' offensive coordinator) Kliff (Kingsbury) does a great job. He's a challenging player. That's why they've won so many games last year. That's why they came from behind, team effort. But he's a guy that's kind of running the show relative to having the ball in his hands every play. He's a hard player to gameplan for and defend.

Q: Because of that, is there a possibility that we could see things creatively defensively, like the nickel or dime package for the game in the air?

DABOLL: Yeah, we'll work through all that this week. But we're going to have to be at our best against a dynamic playmaker.

Q: When you talk about (quarterback) Russell Wilson sort of being the same person every day, do you expect that consistency from him when you signed him? Is there anything about him that surprised you in this whole process?

DABOLL: No, I just get to know the player. I didn't know him as a coach from an opposing team. Albeit on offense, you watch him, you have a great appreciation for how he's played the game for a long time. Again, glad we have him. He's putting in the work. Looking forward to this week of practice.

Q: What is unique about the moon ball? From your perspective, Russ' moon ball, what is unique about it and how much can you appreciate his downfield mindset?

DABOLL: I just think he's a good quarterback. Whether it's a vertical pass or an intermediate pass, decision making, he's been that way for a long time. That doesn't mean anything this year or this game, but he's done well for us since he's been here.

Q: In terms of other deep balls, what is it about the moon ball?

DABOLL: He has a good feel for arc and pace on the football relative to guys running down the field, where he needs to put it, where to throw it away from defenders, where to put it on the sideline. Again, he's done it for quite some time. Obviously, that's part of his game, but there's a lot of other areas of his game that he does well, too.

Q: You talked last year about the research you did when you made the change to take over play calling. What went into the process to change back to (assistant head coach and offensive coordinator) Mike (Kafka) this year?

DABOLL: Mike's done a great job this preseason. He's done a good job with the staff. Got a lot of confidence in Mike and the offensive staff. Up to this point, relative to all the preseason games and the meetings we've had, I've been very pleased with the offensive staff.

Q: How open would you be to the idea of using a quarterback, a backup quarterback, or a second quarterback in a specific package? Is it something you've ever done? You would be open to? Would you prefer just leaving one quarterback in the whole time?

DABOLL: Yeah, I think every situation every year is different. We'll see how it goes.

Q: Did you do it at (University of) Alabama?

DABOLL: Yeah, I played with (Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback) Jalen (Hurts). Jalen really was the predominant starter, but we got up there in a lot of games. (Miami Dolphins' quarterback) Tua (Tagovailoa) was able to develop and come along. Again, every year is different.

Q: We've seen other teams around the league do that, where they have their starting quarterback, and then they'll throw somebody else in there for a play. How do you balance the change of pace, throwing someone out there for a couple plays, but also not having your starter fall out of rhythm? We've seen that happen across the league, too.

DABOLL: Again, I think each team is unique. Are you referencing a certain team or a certain player?

Q: Just in general, philosophically, how do you balance? If you were to decide to pull a starter out, how do you keep him in rhythm? Just philosophically, how do you do that?

DABOLL: I think every team's different. Every situation's different. We'll do what we think is best. I don't know if you were referencing the (New Orleans) Saints or a particular team that does that pretty often.

Q: No, no one specific.

Q: Just going back to the defense over time, (outside linebacker) Abdul Carter getting ready to make his NFL week one debut, how much of an impact do you expect him to make in week one? And is it even fair to ask that question with him being a rookie, and there's a lot of expectations on the defense?

DABOLL: Yeah, so for the first game for all these young guys that are rookies that are participating and playing, I just expect him to do his job at whatever the defense calls for. That's what we expect him to do. That's what he's done since he's been here. Again, there's a wave of emotions that happen leading up to the first game. You've got to really control each day, the walkthrough, the practice, the meeting, the next day. So, all these guys are getting ready to play. For the rookies, it's their first game, but it's still football. But I expect him to do whatever the defense calls for.

Q: Your defensive front gets a lot of hype, right? You've got a lot of proven players really there in that front. What are your expectations for them?

DABOLL: We haven't played a game yet. These guys work hard. They do everything we ask them to do. It's really not about what we think of them now. It's how we do during the game, and they're going to go out there and do as good as they can do.

Q: I think you said last week you talked about (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers), and you liked how he had come through this offseason going into year two. From an off the field standpoint, I mean last year was trying for everybody. Just the idea of what you guys endured. How have you seen him come out of last year? What do you like about what you're seeing from him right now?

DABOLL: I like a lot. He's talented. He's in his second year in the system. I think him and Russ have really bonded not just on the field, but off the field. And he's seen how a professional has done it for that many years in the league. The guys communicate well. They work every practice. They work in the meeting rooms. He's really done a nice job. Again, he's a good football player, first and foremost. He's extremely talented. But I'd say off the field, meeting rooms, all the things that you take a step in from one year to the next, he's done that, and he's done it well.

Q: With a whole new QB room, just to this point again, how much has the chemistry developed with those three guys and the receivers?

DABOLL: I like our room. Again, there's a mix. Veterans, a young rookie. But there's a certain way that the veterans, I would say both Russ and (quarterback) Jameis (Winston) have done things for a long time in terms of meeting on off days, getting guys together, throwing extra, that Jaxson's able to see and try to emulate. See if this is the way that it should look. Then with the receivers, there's a lot of times, for example you asked about Malik, when there is a special teams meeting, I'll pop my head in the quarterback room and he'll be sitting in there with quarterbacks and (wide receiver) Wan'Dale (Robinson) and (wide receiver Darius Slayton) Slay. That communication process is really important.

Q: With Russ, obviously, it's more experience than you've had here at quarterback. Does that give you a different level of trust, just kind of knowing what he's done up to this point with his career?

DABOLL: Yeah, again, we're in the first game, so we haven't played a regular season game yet. We'll go out here and do the best we can in terms of getting ready to play a really talented team. I have a lot of confidence in our guys. But again, we have to go out there and do it.

Q: Did Nabers do that last year?

DABOLL: I would say it's pretty regular that he does it with Russ and sitting with those guys. It's pretty cool to hear sometimes because you like to see the game through the quarterback's eyes. The skill players, they want to see it. The quarterback sees everything. Sometimes receivers just see their side of it or tight ends, but I'd say Malik is unique in the fact that he sees it through the quarterback's eyes. It's good conversation to have in there because it's good when the quarterbacks give their perspective. Even with Slay and Wan'Dale, they'll give their perspective on why they ran it this way, what they were thinking versus his coverage, what Russ saw. Those communication meetings, if you will, when it's not just the quarterbacks because they're always meeting. When the other guys jump in during those meetings, it's helpful.

Q: How do you feel about your offensive line right now?

DABOLL: Again, just like all the guys, I think the guys have been working. Communicate well. We'll have a tough task ahead of us when game one starts.

Quarterback Russell Wilson

Q: The trip to Landover is within sight. Week one is right around the corner. Just at this point, how are you feeling camaraderie-wise with the rest of the team?

WILSON: Yeah, I think the guys are doing a great job. Just the bonding, the time we spent together, all the hard work. The time in San Diego, the time with the O-line and the whole offensive dinners. Ultimately, the time in the film room, the time in the locker room, the time on the field. Obviously, it's been a great training camp, great OTAs, couldn't be much better. I think that the biggest part of it is just us knowing that we're ready to go. We're locked in, we're ready to play some football.

Q: You mentioned the film room. (Head coach Brian) Daboll said that sometimes he'll pop his head in and see (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers) there and some of the wideouts and that's just one way that the chemistry is building. How does that help the quarterbacks and the receivers get on the same page?

WILSON: We spend a lot of time together. All of the receivers, the tight ends, the running backs, the O-line. We spend a lot of time together. We spend extra time together. That's the important part, though. I think about even yesterday, just spending a good hour, hour and a half with the guys, just watching a bunch of film, understanding what they do well. They do a lot of things well, and we've got to be ready for that. I think they've got a lot of great vets and guys that I've obviously played with. Guys like (Commanders linebacker) Bobby (Wagner), (Commanders linebacker Frankie) Luvu is a tremendous football player. They've got a guy like (Commanders linebacker) Von Miller, who's exceptional. (Commanders cornerback Marshon) Lattimore's done a lot of great things over his career. They have a good secondary. I think a big part of it, (Commanders defensive lineman Daron) Payne is a great player up front. They've got a lot of really good players and a really good system in what they do. They do it really well. For us, going back to your question, I think the big part of it is us continuing to grow. Us continuing to see things the same way. Spending a lot of time on the meticulous work of it all. I think that detail and that obsession that we have, and whatever I can help guys with in understanding and studying and anticipating things and all that, I think the better. This game is about making plays, but it's also about processing what happens on the field and being prepared. I think we're ready to go and prepared.

Q: Giants fans are really going to get indoctrinated into the moon ball now. Can you talk a little bit about the evolution of that? I read that it actually might have come from a conversation you and (former quarterback) Peyton Manning had at the Manning Academy when you were younger...

WILSON: Not specifically. I think a big part of it for me is, with the moon ball or whatever, it's giving guys a chance. I've got tremendous receivers, guys who can make a lot of plays. It all starts with the offensive line, giving me enough time to make those throws and the versatility of do-it-all. It's definitely been a fun part of my game. I think that the guys, the receivers make it. I remember, going back to as you were saying, about Manning Passing Academy, I just remember us getting in a deep ball competition thing and all that. I just remember I think I won the drill, and it was just fun. I remember being at that camp and all that. A lot of it is a lot of hard work, a lot of time. It's like anything. You see (Golden State Warriors point guard) Steph Curry shoot a thousand shots. You've got to do it and practice it. You've got to practice just throwing all the time. There's never a time where you take a bunch of time off throwing and I think that's part of it, but ultimately, you've got to have playmakers.

Q: There seems to have been a shift in how this Giants team is perceived headed into this first game. Theres been a lot of questions at the beginning of camp on how there's a lot of expectations for success. What do you think has changed during training camp that has changed during training camp that has people looking on the ups for the Giants this year?

WILSON: I think that we've been evolving, I wouldn't say changing, but I think definitely evolving is just our mindset. I think mindset is everything. I think belief is everything. I think belief in one another, faith in one another, faith in the process and belief in the process and the system and what we do really well. Then working at those things at a relentless rate. I think Coach Daboll has done a tremendous job of leading us, communicating with us as players, challenging us accountability-wise. I think too, we've been having a lot of fun together. We get to do the best thing in the world, play football, do what we love to do with a lot of guys that we love. That's what makes it great. Especially when you get to do it with a great organization. They do it the right way here. I think that makes it fun, too. You come to work, you're excited to ball. But at the end of the day, we've got to go do it. That's the great part about it. We get to try to control that as much as possible. I think we've been controlling the controllables, if that makes any sense. I think the controllables are hard work, time and really spending a lot of time on the details of the work. I think we've been doing that really well.

Q: Seeing what you have, what are your expectations for this team and this offense now?

WILSON: I think the expectation is right now, just focusing on today. I think a big part of it with expectations is just expecting the next play to be your best play. Letting that add up. Hopefully you have 75 really great moments. That's what I've really learned and believed for the longest time. I think the expectation is just doing this play right, doing this play well, and then letting those add up. When you look at it all at the end of the season, you're like, 'Dang, that was pretty good,' hopefully. I think that's what we want to be able to do.

Q: After all the work you do in the offseason, how good does it finally feel to put it all together as you head out there for week one?

WILSON: It's my 14th season. I'm blessed to be able to do what I love to do. I've got so much energy, so much belief, and so much confidence in who we are, what we can do, who we are as a team. This team has got a lot of great talent and a lot of great guys, high character guys, a lot of will, a lot of want to, and a lot of determination to do it the right way. I think about guys like (defensive lineman Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Sr.) Nacho, who is a great leader. Even though he's not a captain, he's a tremendous leader, a vocal leader. He's a guy that's up front. I think about, obviously, when you have your most dominant players, guys like (defensive lineman) Dexter Lawrence, who's a dominant player, but he's practicing his butt off on a Wednesday and knows that it's time to show up and show out. He's ready to go. Guys like (outside linebacker Brian) Burns, I think about the offensive line. I saw (guard Jon) Runyan in the locker room early this morning, and he went straight to the weight room early, early in the morning. When you have a veteran o-lineman, and other guys up front that are the same way, in the weight room, spending extra time, those little things add up. I think that's just been consistent throughout the whole process. We're doing it together, and we get to do it, and like I said, play the game we love.

Q: For you, this will be your 200th career start. For you, one, does that mean anything? Two, does it make you appreciate the longevity you've had at this point to be consistent and stay ready?

WILSON: Yeah, I think to be able to have 200 career starts, regular season starts and not even count the playoffs, it's a blessing. I think a big part of it too, like you said, is longevity. I think longevity, I think also just the will and determination to have a plan. Meaning, what's my treatment schedule? What time am I waking up? What time are you doing this? The consistency and the obsession with that. What time are we watching film? Knowing that on Tuesday, it's Tuesday, what we're doing. On Wednesday, we know exactly what we're doing. That plan and building that out and having a vision for it. One of my favorite scriptures is Habakkuk 2:2. It says, 'Write it out plain so they can see it and run to it.' I think a big part of it for me is writing it out and seeing it and doing it. God's blessed me with a lot of talent. I have a lot of great people around me to push me and challenge me. I love that every day. Just to do with these guys, man, it makes it fun. I get to do what I love to do with a lot of great guys.

Q: Talk about your relationship with Daboll. You guys communicate a lot away from the field?

WILSON: Yeah, Dabs and I talk all the time. I probably have more FaceTimes with him. We spend a lot of time on football, a lot of time on just life. I've gotten to know his family really well, his kids and stuff like that. Obviously, we have little kids, and they all hang out. He's just a tremendous football coach. He's a great man, too. He's competitive. I love that about him. He loves his players. I really have a really high, high regard for Coach Dabs and the man that he is, the friend that he is, but also the coach that he is.

Q: You talk about how he holds the players accountable. Can you give a few examples of that?

WILSON: Not too many. There are a bunch of them, but we hold that in the locker room. But I think most of it is we want to play good, efficient, effective football, offensively, defensively, protecting the football. Also, at the same time, being physical, all the things that we need to do. I think that's important, and that's what all the film's for.

Q: I believe you're also the first black quarterback to start a Giants season opener, and there's going to be 16 black quarterbacks starting this season. Just for you, what does that mean, just seeing how black quarterbacks have just been involved as far as guys, it doesn't matter if you guys play against each other or not, but just the opportunity you guys are getting there just feels natural.

WILSON: To be honest with you, the game has changed a lot. When I think about when I came in 2012, there weren't many black starting quarterbacks. I think about (former Panthers quarterback) Cam Newton had a heck of a year, his rookie year. (Former Ravens quarterback) Robert Griffin was the same year as me as well. He had a great rookie year. Guys that were just unbelievable football players. (Former 49ers quarterback) Colin Kaepernick was the year before me. (Jets quarterback) Tyrod Taylor was playing some in Buffalo. But really, that was really it. The game has changed. I think what's been really cool about it is, ironically playing the (Washington) Commanders, when you think about (former Commanders quarterback) Doug Williams at the time, between that Super Bowl, fortunately I was able to win one too as well and go to two. I think that changed a lot. It changed a lot in terms of the perspective, not just being a black quarterback, but also the hype part of it. Obviously (former Saints quarterback) Drew Brees did a tremendous job of setting me up for success, (former quarterback) Michael Vick, guys before that, (former quarterback) Doug Flutie and others. But I think that the reality of the game, like you said, 16, right? 16 black starting quarterbacks, that's a big deal. It's just showing that the game's evolving, the league is evolving, and we need to continue that. But if you can play, you can play.

Q: Jayden Daniels is going into his second season. You obviously won a Super Bowl in your second season. What does it take to raise your level as a rookie quarterback to a second year that you would tell Daniels?

WILSON: I wouldn't want to tell him too much (laughter). No, I'm just kidding. I think first of all you've got to have a great team. To do anything great, you've got to have a great team, you've got to have great teammates, you've got to have a great coaching staff and all that. I think that matters. I think also what matters is you've got to have great resilience. Just unbelievable resilience. Not everything's going to go your way, but when you're resilient, you don't blink. You really have great confidence. Your confidence doesn't waver. I think for me, fortunately, throughout my career, especially early on and even as of late, I never blinked. You believe in who you are, what you do, how you do it, how you treat people. You realize that the years add up, and the yards add up, the touchdowns add up, and the wins add up. The most important part is the wins and the love for that. I think that the days add up in a great way. When you reflect back on it, you think about all the memories you have and all that. I think early on in your career, it's just embracing every moment. I've been fortunate to be able to embrace every moment. I know for me in year 14, I feel like this is year one. You embrace it all over again. I feel young, I feel vibrant, I feel energetic. I think it's one, because I have great confidence, but two, you work at it, and three, most importantly, you've got great people around you. When you have great people around you, that's the part you love. I feel good and I'm excited about that.

Q: How big a boost would it be if or when you get (tackle) Andrew Thomas back?

WILSON: Obviously, Andrew is a monster. He's been doing a great job getting ready to go, and we'll see what happens. I think that we've got great guys up front. (Offensive lineman James) Hudson's played a lot of ball. We believe in him. All the guys, we've got a lot of experience up front. We're very confident in who we have. I'm very confident in Andrew if the time is now and all that. That's up to Andrew and the coaches and the trainers and all that stuff. Just excited about our team, excited about who we have and what we're doing. Excited about practice tomorrow and the rest of the day.

Defensive Lineman Dexter Lawrence

Q: How are you feeling heading into Week 1? (Quarterback Russell Wilson) said he always saw you out there putting in major work.

LAWRENCE: During the summer I was dealing with an elbow so I was just watching the defense a lot but I was doing a lot on the side, running and striking things and getting back so I could be able to participate in practice and I did that through the summer and I'm feeling good now. I went outside and ran around a little bit. It felt good and it's Week 1. We got to show up and the guys are ready, I'm ready and we got to keep preparing.

Q: There's a lot of hype around the defensive front. When you're going against a young quarterback like (Commanders) Jayden Daniels who's a threat on the ground and in the air, how does that make it a challenge?

LAWRENCE: Yeah, he's a special talent for sure and guys like him, we got to – up the middle, d-line's going to have to slow him down and that's putting guys at his feet, getting our hands up to bat passes down, containing him, not letting him drift out and just being aggressive, not slowing down the rushes, not slowing down your aggressive mindset, still going to attack him and get him, we just got to beat the guys up front first.

Q: With a clean slate and a healthy defense going into Week 1 against a division opponent, what do you want to establish about the Giants defense?

LAWRENCE: Just our dominance on every play. The way we communicate on the field, the way we run to the ball, the way we tackle, the way we do the simple things better. I think that's the biggest thing that our growth has been so far in this camp and I'm enjoying being a part of it. It's pushing me even more, just giving me a lot more motivation and a lot more just to see the guys show their love and care for the game and it's been good.

Q: Once again the division is strong. How do you feel overall about it? You guys have a tough schedule and start, what makes you know you guys are ready for this challenge and it's different from last year?

LAWRENCE: We got to go beat Washington. That's how I'm going to answer that one.

Q: How does your mindset change year after year? From two, to four, to six to now seven is it the same? Or does the veteran leadership change things?

LAWRENCE: I try to approach every offseason the same, watching my tape, seeing what I need to improve on, learning my position more and I think over the years, I've missed plays, and it itches me. It makes me up set and I correct – I work in the offseason to correct those things, and I go out here and I improve and that's the biggest thing I want to see in myself every day is just improvement, not settling for where I am right now. There's no limit to where I can go and I'm going to keep improving.

Q: After your summer ramp up do you feel like you're ready to handle your normal snap count?

LAWRENCE: You must not see me out there (laughs). No, I feel good. It's been a ramp up and honestly, I didn't get the amount of reps that I've been getting but the ramp up has helped me, keep increasing plays here and there and seeing how I feel here and there. I feel good and I'm ready to go.

Q: How have you seen the team environment changed?

LAWRENCE: Just showing up. Even the rook today, I told him he gave me a little motivation today, the way he came out ready to practice and the way he was working in indy and one-on-ones and things like that, so it's just a good feeling. I like seeing my guys win and it motivates me to see them win too so that's the biggest thing and that's what keeps me going.

Q: Did (outside linebacker Abdul) Carter beat you in one-on-ones?

LAWRENCE: No, D.A. Darius Alexander. Yeah.

Wide Receiver Malik Nabers

Q: Looking forward to getting it going on Sunday?

NABERS: Yep, it's game time.

Q: (Head Coach Brian) Daboll said that he sometimes sees you and some of the receivers in the QB room. How has that helped build camaraderie ahead of Week 1?

NABERS: I would say when you know what your quarterback is looking at, in certain defenses and certain reads and knowing how he's progressing, you kind of get a feel on how you want to run the route, and it gives you some time to preplan how you want to run the route, whether he's pressed, off, so just trying to get that look, how they're looking at the defense, how they're seeing it. Where is (quarterback) Russ (Wilson) going in this coverage? Something like that, so just so I know how I know exactly how I want to run this route so just popping my head in and getting some thoughts, just trying to figure out how he wants me to run the route or just the timing of a route.

Q: How do you want to build off what you were able to do last year in year two?

NABERS: I'd say starting off strong, finishing strong, just keep going, trying to keep my body as healthy as possible. I need to be on the field if we want to win a lot of games so just trying to keep the main thing the main thing and stay on the field.

Q: How different does it feel for you heading into Week 1 in year two compared to last year?

NABERS: I would kind of say I'm less anxious. I kind of was worried about the first game but I've kind of dialed down, I did it already so it's kind of like I'm just ready to go show the world. It's just another year, just trying to build off last year and just keep on going.

Q: Do you have any advice for (outside linebacker) Abdul (Carter) heading into his first career game and start?

NABERS: I wouldn't tell him anything to be honest. I'm the type of person that I don't want to hear people telling me about this and that and to do that. He knows exactly what he wants to accomplish. I feel like when I was a rookie and I had my thoughts, and words in my head, I can only imagine he has the same thoughts and probably more, but I'd probably just say dial down. The game is the game. You're going to play 100 miles per hour, just go make good plays when the plays are right there.

Q: You got to see him a lot this summer. What do you think he'll be like on Sunday?

NABERS: I think he's going to show everybody why we picked him that high. He's going to show all his athleticism, all his power moves and stuff like that, he's going to make some tackles and run down some people so I'm excited to see him.

Q: Can he keep up with (Commanders quarterback) Jayden (Daniels)?

NABERS: Yeah, he definitely can keep up with Jayden. He's got some wheels on him. He isn't faster than me but Jayden isn't faster than me so I know he can keep up with him.

Q: How do you want to come out of the gate against a division opponent on the road?

NABERS: I would say it starts now. Like you said, it's a division rival, we got to come out and get this win first. It adds to winning our division, so we have to take those guys serious. They turned the program around, we're building something great over here so we have to go out there, we can't mess around with them, just put them to bed early.

Q: How do you personally want to set the tone with your identity?

NABERS: Lead by example, lead my offense out there. I'm going to go as the offense goes, the offense going to go as we go so I have to continue to be that leader, be that unleveled guy that Russ can count on and make plays when the plays are there.

Q: How much of a relief is it to be healthy and 100% ready to go?

NABERS: It's definitely a relief, I can focus more on different routes, watching clips of DBs, understanding how to get open, having that explosiveness. I can finally get to use it this year and not look crazy on film after watching it and knowing I was hurting. So, kind of go out there and play 100%, run full speed, I'm even faster than I was last year so it's going to be exciting to see.

Q: What do you expect to see from Jayden in year two?
NABERS: I'd say the same thing, lead by example, lead his offense. That's how I know him to be so he's going to continue to make plays, continue to run the ball, try to juke a lot of people on the way but we got guys that's going to chase him down.

Q: When you guys got together over the offseason, you and Jayden, did you talk about those two games? Did he let you have it for beating you twice?

NABERS: Yeah, he did a couple of times, but I was like, 'Enough is enough. I'm coming to get you.'

Q: What do you think when you see the offense being able to score the way it was in the preseason after it was so hard to score last year?

NABERS: It felt good to see those guys go out there and make plays when their number was called. Just me on the sideline, hearing the play calls and also being that high IQ guy, I knew where the quarterback was going with the ball, I was preplanning some of the (quarterback Jaxson) Dart touchdowns. I was like, 'Go here,' and he was going there so just me understanding the offense and stuff like that and just understanding where the ball is going, who the ball is going to, I think it helps me. It helps me time out how I'm going to run my routes, so I was very impressed to see those guys go out there and score that many points.

Q: Is there anything different in seeing Russ prepare for a game week just as far as his approach or anything like that?

NABERS: I'd say yeah, it's different but it's his plan. He has a unique plan on how he wants to start the game, how he wants to go into the game and it's my job to try to get my routine down so I'm just taking lead into him. He helps me also, so I'm trying to get his routine a little bit, trying to see how he warms up for the game, try to see if it helps me.

Q: For you guys as receivers, how does it help having that plan from somebody that's been doing it a while?

NABERS: It gets us up. It gets us from trying to be cute going late to the game and stuff like that so trying to get in the atmosphere early, trying to get your body prepared early so that when you go out there you're not really cramping up, not really surprised about how fast we're going. I'm just going as he goes, following behind him.

Q: What growth did you see from Jaxson over the course of the offseason and preseason games?

NABERS: I came in here a couple times and he was still continuing to learn the offense. He was talking to (tight end) Theo (Johnson) and I'd put into the conversation and he was pretty frustrated just about – the offense is complicated, there's a lot going on but I saw him, I talked to him about it. I was like, 'Look, you're not going to get it down in a week.' Rome wasn't built in a year. It takes a long time so I told him that. I was like, 'Day by day, just try to get better at something, try to learn something new.' And I feel like it'll help. It took me a little while to learn the offense. I still learn something every day I come here. At the quarterback position it's different but I understand that. I had to tell him, 'Calm down with it.' It's going to come. Once you got it, we can beat anybody, we can beat everybody with this thing, know where you want to go with the ball. We have a plan for everything, every coverage so it's pick your poison, and he knows that now and it's crazy to see him going out there, taking pre reps behind Russ when the ball is snapped, understanding the plays and I'll go by him sometimes. I'll be like, 'What do you got on here? Who you throwing it too?' Stuff like that, just trying to get him pre prepared for the game if he goes in. Then, when it's his time to start, he understands what he's doing.