TOM COUGHLIN
Q: Do you have any updates at all on Terrell Thomas or Michael Boley?
A: No, none whatsoever. Michael Boley, just the fact that he has an issue with a hamstring and we're going to have to get him right. He's still sore and he doesn't feel like he can really explode, so we're trying to get him healthy.
Q: It's just a strain?
A: It's called a strain, as far as I know.
Q: Is there anything in the CBA rules that allows you to make up for missed time?
A: I don't really know. I'm going to ask, but from what I understand the clock's even running on you, according to the CBA, when you have something like this happen. I would doubt if they allow you to have anything.
DAVID MERRITT **
Q: How does the loss of Tyler affect what you will be doing?
A: To be honest with you, I think it hurts more of the special teams coaches than it does the defensive coaches, as far as first second and third down. I just hate it for the young man to go through this. But as we all know, he's going to be able to practice. But for special teams, he brought so much to the table. He was the leader on the punt team. This kid goes all out every snap. Tyler, I told him yesterday, I said, "Tyler, you'll get past this as well." But special teams, I definitely think…. Someone is going to have to pick up the slack.
Q: The loss of Terrell Thomas should impact you though. You'll lose Antrel Rolle part of the time. Will he likely move to some nickel, corner?
A: Yes. That loss was painful. It happened last year, just as you said. And Antrel went back and studied some of his cornerback skills when he was in Arizona and he had to go down and play in that slot area. Losing Terrell is a big loss for us, but hopefully the guys will rally around him. Don't forget the young kid that we drafted out of VTech [Jayron Hosley] also. So he has an opportunity to possibly go in and compete for a job. But right now, it's a big loss for us.
Q: Is that what you kind of hoped? Whether it's Hosley or somebody will snare that job so Antrel can be a safety again full time?
A: The position that we had him playing the past two years has been pretty darn good. The kid has stepped up. He has had the ability to play the run and the pass. And for him to be able to step in there and do the things he did… You go back and look at the Green Bay tape. You look at the playoff game in Green Bay. Antrel did a phenomenal job in the slot. You would love to get him back playing as a true safety position, but we all can't forget but he came in here as a corner, and he moved to the safety position. We'd love to have him at safety, but we're going to put him in the best position we can afford to help ourselves as a team.
PETER GIUNTA
Q: Did you see Terrell Thomas get hurt?
A: He kind of slipped a little bit when they were coming out of there breaks. And that was it.
Q: Nothing extraordinary?
A: Nothing extraordinary? He bounced right back up?
Q: He stayed in after that too. He still practiced a little bit more?
A: Correct. He walked into the meeting the other night. So let's just wait and see what the doctors say. Coach Coughlin will give you more information on any injury stuff.
Q: What have you seen from him in the limited time he was back practicing?
A: He was very intent on getting back to the form he had before he got hurt. His goal was to return to that form being very conscientious in doing things the right way. Making sure his technique was getting back to where it was. We were trying to bring him on slowly so that he wouldn't have any setbacks. Unfortunately, he did.
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VICTOR CRUZ
Q: [Jerry Jones] made a comment about kicking some Giant ass on your next visit to Cowboy Stadium…
A: (Laughs) Did he really?
Q: …What do you think about that?
A: I don't have any thoughts. Obviously, we have to line up and play the game. I'm excited to do that. I'm excited to line up and play a game against the Cowboys twice this season, and we'll see what happens.
Q: Did you rehearse that a little bit?
A: Yeah, I kind of practiced it on the way in.
Q: You do the salsa in the end zone. You can't celebrate with other players, how about doing the tango with the football?
A: I don't know how well that will work with my grandmother, but we'll see what happens. We'll see what we can come up with.
MARTELLUS BENNETTQ: You know Jerry Jones obviously. Is that just him firing up his crowd?
A: I wasn't there. So, I don't know what he was doing. Yeah, Jerry's a good guy. That's his job, so he's just doing his job.
Q: If you had a dollar for every time you've heard something like that from him, how rich would you be?
A: I don't know. I'm pretty wealthy right now.
Q: How are you doing at camp? How's camp going for you so far, with your first few days out there with the team?
A: Camp's going pretty well. Just getting on the same page. I didn't really get a chance to do a lot during mini-camp, or OTA's with the pulled hamstring. It's been getting on the same page with Eli, getting the chance to go out there and actually run the routes and see the things that he sees, and where he wants me to be. It's just a work in progress. Learning their playbook, and just being the best I can be. Out here competing against the guys, I get to block some great guys, every day. JPP, I got Tuck, I got Osi, so it's three different looks you get all day. Then I get one-on-ones with Antrel and Kenny and everybody else, so I just try and win as many of those one-on-one battles as possible and do my job.
**JUSTIN TUCK
Q: Do you think the Cowboys will kick your ass at some point this year?**A: I don't know, that's why we play the game. We'll see.
Q: Were you surprised by Jerry Jones' comment?A: Not at all.
Q: Did you care?A: Not at all.
Q: Are you waiting for your owner to snap back at him?A: Not at all.
Q: Why not?A: (laughs) Because talk is cheap. Play the game.
Q: Sounds like a t-shirt?A: I got a few of them. What size do you wear?
Q: What are your reactions to Terrell Thomas' injury, and the situation right now?A: You just feel for the guy. Forget football. I know he's…I've never seen somebody come in every day and work as hard as he worked to get back. Everyone knows the talent that he is, but it's just so unfortunate that something like this had to happen. I saw him, and I didn't really have any words to tell him. Obviously he knows that we're all praying for him, and wishing him the best. It's just one of those unfortunate things. You never want anything like that to happen to a guy, and especially to a guy like Terrell. We'll just keep him in our prayers.
CHRIS CANTY
Q: With Jerry and what he said, is there such a thing as bulletin board material? I mean, you're going to play them in the season opener, you think enough would be on the line?**
A: I don't think a lot of guys on our football team need bulletin board material to be excited and ready to play against a division opponent. The Cowboys are obviously one of the teams that we play twice a year. They're very familiar with us; we're very familiar with them. There aren't a lot of secrets between the two teams. It's really just a matter of strapping up and going out there and try to put yourself in the best position to be successful.
Q: Chris, are you surprised a guy like Jerry Jones doesn't realize that this doesn't work?
A: Well, it depends on how you look at it. He's a very successful business man. What the Cowboys were worth when he bought them and what they're worth now, you be the judge. Obviously, they haven't had the success they wanted down there, the last couple of seasons. We see something that obviously they wanted to do to excite their fan base and instill confidence in their football team. If that's how they choose to do it, then that's how they choose to do it.
Q: How are you feeling? Do you feel like since camp started you made progress towards where you want to be?
A: Absolutely, absolutely. We're doing more lifting, more running. I'm just excited to continue to build on the progress that we're making with the medical staff and trying to make sure I stay in tune, mentally with the football side of things, so that when I'm allowed to transition and get on the field and get in the practices, I'm ready to go.
PRINCE AMUKAMARA
Q: How disappointed were you to hear about Terrell (Thomas) and the news there?A: I actually heard from a couple teammates, but very disappointed. He was always doing extra work maintenance on his leg. Just to see something happen like that is kind of discouraging. The team is still with him, and he always fully supports the team in going through his rehab. It's just a very bad situation.
Q: We talked to you the other day about what you need to do in your second year, needing to make that progression. How much more does the urgency go up, given that news now?A: My goal in playing is still the same. It's just to come in and compete for a starting spot. I know nothing is going to be given to me, it's just something that I need to earn.
Q: When Jerry Reese says "He needs to play like a first-round draft pick," what's your reaction?A: I just take it as an encouragement. That's something that he told me to my face last year, just going on through games. I always have high expectations for myself, so it's nothing new, I just take it as encouragement. **
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DOMENIK HIXON ** Q: You were with Thomas when he re-injured his knee. Do you remember anything on that play? It seemed like he slipped.A: Yeah, that's what it was. We were watching it on film and it seemed like he kind of just slipped and went to the ground.
Q: You obviously have your own knee issues, does that scare you at all?A: I'd be lying to you if I said it didn't. He was working hard at coming back and a lot of things he was doing I was doing. We were working out together so I saw how hard he worked. It was kind of tough seeing him go down just knowing how hard he worked at coming back.
Q: That's not a club you want to add members to, right? You know, guys who have had it twice.A: You definitely don't. I'm devastated for him and I know how much he was looking forward to coming back. I guess he's getting a check up in California, so hopefully he comes back with some good news. It's just stressful.
