Nick Sirianni

Q. With all the uncertainty around the quarterback spot, who’s going to take most of the first team reps at practice today? (Ed Kracz)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, we’ll go out there. We don’t usually tell you guys what reps or anything like that, but we’ve got a plan of what we want to do.

We’ll see how today goes. How warmups go, and how individual goes, then in 7-on-7, and then team.

Q. What do you remember about QB Ian Book, and what compelled you to bring him back? (Jeff McLane)

NICK SIRIANNI: [QB] Ian [Book], obviously highly productive college career. We had an opportunity to get him after he had played a little bit in New Orleans. Really enjoyed our time with him when he was here and had some high hopes for him.

Obviously we didn’t keep him around, but that was for different circumstances as far as other guys stepping up and playing good.

Yeah, really liked him. I just liked the person, liked the player. [He] has played and started a game in the NFL and had played good football for us in the preseason. Familiar with a lot of things that are here and excited to have him.

Q. Is it fair to say that his signing is related to the uncertainty of QB Jalen Hurts’s status? (Tim McManus)

NICK SIRIANNI: Again, an opportunity to add Ian here this week and took advantage of that opportunity.

Q. Is there anything you can tell us about how QB Jalen Hurts is feeling, how he’s doing? Is he in the building? (Reuben Frank)

NICK SIRIANNI: He’s in the concussion protocol, so not a lot I can comment on on that. We’ll give you an update after today.

Q. How comfortable are you to have a guy like QB Kenny Pickett with that starting experience in case you have to pull that trigger? (John McMullen)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, very much so. We feel good about that room. Like I said, [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman] has done a great job of building depth here.

When [QB] Jalen [Hurts] was out in our game this week, he wasn’t the first starter to have to miss some time. That’s the great part about the team, you hate when you lose a guy and they’re not able to go, but it gives other people opportunities to step in and play. I think that’s what’s happened consistently here this year from [T] Fred Johnson to [CB] Isaiah Rodgers to [TE] Grant Calcaterra.

I’m excited about this team. I’m excited about the depth we have, and [QB] Kenny [Pickett] is included in that.

Q. QB Kenny Pickett was mostly a starter his first two years. When he came here as a backup, how did he embrace that, and what has he brought to this position? (Dave Zangaro)

NICK SIRIANNI: Just very professional, wanting to learn new things and continuing to grow his game. I just think he’s been great for the room and a great addition to the room.

I just feel like he’s treated it from day one as, how does he get better every day? Not worrying about the circumstances that he’s in, but how does he get better every day? I’ve seen improvement from the moment he stepped in here.

Q. Is QB Kenny Pickett’s status still uncertain for Sunday? (Zach Berman)

NICK SIRIANNI: Again, we’ll get you that. You saw the report the other day. We’ll see how practice goes today, where he is today, and we’ll get you the report tomorrow. But we’ll see.

Q. Obviously WR A.J. Brown and WR DeVonta Smith are great players, but would you like to see somebody else involved as far as receiving goes? Do you think it makes you a more dangerous offense when you have multiple guys beyond the top two? (Reuben Frank)

NICK SIRIANNI: The pass game is always going to run through those guys. They’re such dynamic players. I think what’s unique about us is that not a lot of teams have two 1A receivers like we do. So you want to give them opportunities. You want to give them chances.

You can’t always predict where the ball is going to go. The different defenses take the quarterback different places with the football. So there are opportunities for guys.

I feel good about [RB] Saquon [Barkley] being a threat to catch the football, no doubt. I feel really good when [TE] Dallas [Goedert] is in and Grant Calcaterra, they’re threats to catch the football, and you kind of combine their stats and see the production they’ve had.

I do still feel really good about our third wide receiver with [WR] Jahan [Dotson] and the other guys that are filling into that role as well. Different things call for some different guys to be in there.

Again, a lot of different options for us to be able to throw the ball to. That’s a good problem to have.

Q. Would you like to see a situation where you can get some of your main guys rest over these last two games if the situation presents itself? Obviously with the No. 1 seed almost out of reach, would that be a factor in how you play these last two games? (Martin Frank)

NICK SIRIANNI: Just worried about beating Dallas right now. This is a good football team that has played really good football over the past month. All our focus and attention is on them and the things we need to do to have success against them.

We’ll have to be on our stuff because it’s a good football team. It’s coached well and with good players.

Q. What’s most different about them than what you saw however many weeks ago down in Dallas? (Bob Brookover)

NICK SIRIANNI: As you watch them, they have a lot of good players that make a lot of plays. So that’s what your focus is on every single time. Then you have more intel for them because you’ve played them so many times. Maybe not [Cowboys Defensive Coordinator] Coach [Mike] Zimmer, but I have so much respect for Coach Zimmer and the coordinator and the head coach he’s been in this league for a very long time.

As you prepare for that first one, you see [Cowboys LB Micah Parsons] 11. You see 11 flying around everywhere. You see [Cowboys CB DaRon] Bland flying around everywhere. I know [Cowboys CB Trevon] Diggs is out, and [Cowboys LB DaMarvion Overshown] 13 is out, but they’ve still got good players. Really good defensive line. [Cowboys LB Eric] Kendricks, we’ll see where he is at the end of this week. Really good players all over the place, and I’m specifically speaking of defense right now.

So you’ve got good coaching combined with good players. Going into that first game, that’s what we thought. We didn’t really think about how they were playing or certain things as far as their record at that time. We just know how good the football team is, and it’s still the same thing going into this game.

The same thing can be said for that offense with the offensive line and also with [Cowboys WR CeeDee] Lamb, and [Cowboys WR Brandin] Cooks, and all the guys that they have over there. [Cowboys QB] Cooper Rush plays good football when he’s in, very efficient.

Then you’ve got a very dangerous special teams unit with [Cowboys WR KaVontae] Turpin. Always a danger to do great things with the football.

Like I said, going into the first game and going into this game, we see a dangerous team that’s well coached with really good players. We have to be on our game to go out there and play well.

Q. Why did you feel compelled to call and apologize to Commanders TE Zach Ertz? (Tim McManus)

NICK SIRIANNI: I’ll just keep my conversations with any guys private. I’ve got a lot of respect for [Commanders TE] Zach [Ertz]. Great football player, great person to be around. I’ve really got a lot of respect for Zach, and all the good things that he’s done, and my relationship with him.

Q. WR Britain Covey has been a full participant the last few weeks and is still listed with a neck. Is he inactive because of the injury, or is it just a depth thing? (Jeff McLane)

NICK SIRIANNI: I won’t get into that. You’ve seen the injury report. Got a lot of confidence in [WR] Britain [Covey] and the things that he can do.

Q. When he’s full, that means he can participate in practice. Does that mean he’s able to participate in the game? (Jeff McLane)

NICK SIRIANNI: Again, not going to get too much into that. Like I said, have a lot of confidence in Britain, in the player and the person.

Q. If I could clarify on the quarterbacks, is this a situation where you have a good sense of what it’s going to look like, and you just want to keep quiet for competitive reasons? Or are you still waiting to find out? (Zach Berman)

NICK SIRIANNI: I’m still waiting to find out. Probably a little bit of both, to be quite honest with you. A little bit of both, but still waiting to find out.

Again, as you guys know, when you’re in concussion protocol, I have no say in that, and Jalen has no say in that. That’s completely up to the doctors, as it should be.

Q. But QB Kenny Pickett is not in the protocol. (Zach Berman)

NICK SIRIANNI: Again, you’ll see today.

Q. Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio on Tuesday mentioned DE Bryce Huff only working individuals. Is that a calculated ramp-up, or are you guys trying to feel where he is? (John McMullen)

NICK SIRIANNI: Anybody that comes out of injury, you’ve got to ramp them up. Everybody’s a little different in how you have to do that. That was what we did with [DE] Bryce [Huff], and we’ll see as it progresses.