Speaking to the media Thursday, Jack Del Rio wants to get started.
Del Rio was asked how much better he feels than last year before the opening game. Del Rio did not bite, stating simply, “I think we had a good camp. We’re excited to get started.”
Starting safety Kam Curl injured his thumb against the Chiefs, and his status for Sunday remains uncertain. Del Rio astutely was not much help.
“Yeah, Kam’s been a very good player for us from the time he arrived on the scene. If he’s not available to go, we’ll be ready to carry on and do it without him. We like him. He’s a good football player.”
One reporter apparently confusing Curl with Ken Houston actually asked Del Rio if he’d ever coached a player comparable to Curl.
“I’ve had a lot of good players, a lot of versatile players over the years. I don’t know if I’d try and compare him to anybody. I think we appreciate the way he came in here as a young rookie and kind of soaked things up and was really very sharp from the first time that we engaged him in meetings.”
A follow-up question asked if he saw all of this when they were scouting him:
“He wouldn’t have lasted as long as he did if we saw at all… He certainly is an example of a guy taking full advantage of his opportunities.”
Is Del Rio happy with the re-signing of Jon Bostic?
“Well, I think Coach (Rivera) could answer it most directly. For us, it’s a veteran linebacker that has a lot of experience. He had a good preseason for New Orleans. The tape was good, and we elected to add him.”
With Chase Young down for at least four weeks, the Commanders are counting on DE James Smith-Williams. Del Rio spoke to Smith-Williams focusing on his skills required outside thus far in 2022.
When pressed to state some of those specifics, the experienced Del Rio didn’t budge an inch. “Yeah. It’s just little, boring stuff. It’s fundamentals. It makes a difference and the confidence that he’ll play with and his effectiveness in our unit.”
When the attention was turned to Montez Sweat, Del Rio offered only he wants Sweat “Just coming in and bringing it like he’s been doing it, every day. . Really good football player having a good camp.”
The former 11-year veteran linebacker feels the transition to Jeff Zgonina as defensive line coach has gone smoothly, and he also offered that he likes this year’s rookie class.
He talked of 2022 being a new season, a new beginning. “It’s a new year, new opportunities. We’ve had a good camp. We’re looking forward to getting started. I’m sure they feel the same way. That’s what’s great about these opening-day matchups. It’s a lot of unknowns, and a lot of unscouted things happen. You stick to your principles and trust what you know. Play fast and go to the next play. That’s how we’re gonna approach it.”
A player and coach for decades, he has been around long enough to know what he doesn’t know. ” It’s every year; you don’t know. People think they know; they talk about it like they know, nobody knows. We’ll see. Each year there’s surprise teams that come along and exceed expectations. And then there are others that are being talked about and are held up on a pedestal right now, and they come crashing down.”
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