You're listening to the Ravens Press Pass podcast.
It is Sunday, July twenty first, the Ravens held their first practice of the twenty twenty four training camp today. After practice, we had a chance to hear from head coach John Harbaugh.
Okay, good seeing everybody here for the first day of training camp, first day of practice, and it was a good day. The fans, the energy, the effort of the guys, the intentionality of them. It was really fun. And it's a start. It's a it's a beginning of a ramp up period. Jerseys helmets, tempo being what it is. I thought it was very sharp today and we'll go forward from here. It's our beginning, our goal right now, get better every day.
What questions you.
Have on we call detail really no details. He just started getting sick yesterday midday. He was in the meetings, are getting sick. It got kind of not good, you know, so, uh try to get in today and and get rest and get fluids and things.
It just wasn't good and uh so he was sent home by the docks.
What do you expect him back?
John, This is it's sickness.
When he's when he feels better, when it's when he's not sick anymore. Last year chasing Joss se So what's the chess going.
That's some wind coaching up to say, John Javans see this.
Well, yeah, I mean talk about John Simpson. Obviously he went on and is uh doing really well and had a big contract.
We had a great year for us. Most importantly, we were thrilled with that.
And and you got Josh and the other guys who are trying to fill that spot and do the things they got to do to play winning football. Up front, they're doing a great job, working hard, and that is just part of the process every day.
Of getting better.
To me, it's it's not a it's not a one day thing, obviously, it's an everyday thing over a period of time to build into that kind of winning football.
John, how pleased were you to be able to bring in Eddie Jackson.
We'd talk to you a lot about the safety depth and clearly someone who has experienced and played at a high level for one time.
Very excited to bring in Eddie Jackson. I mean he's a guy that we I remember. I can remember like it was yesterday. Boy, time flies, life is short. Run to the ball and I said, I remember him running to the ball for Alabama, you know, when we were looking at the draft and having all these good years
in Chicago playing against him. Now to have him here, See, I happened to be at the hotel last night doing bedcheck when he came in, you know, on his flight, and uh, I was like, oh, you're taller than I remember.
You know, it's like I just.
Saw him three days ago. So he's ready to go, a big smile on his face, very excited all right.
Last year that codle By annoying, was at it like big September.
I goodic withoot him was.
Annoying and being.
Pressed the camp the whole players like, Yeah, Kyle to be here from the beginning is a big, big difference, you know, and yeah, I did it. You know, Kyle's a pro. He knows how to get himself ready. He proved that last year. And also the fact that he's a leader and having him on board as a leader from the beginning is a big plus for us.
When you have people, you know, full team meeting, what's kind of what's kind of message?
If you have a railings, Yeah, you know, there's always a prevailing message and a couple of stories and kind of set the tone.
But this year, probably as much.
As anything, it was vision, and it was standards, you know, and the ability to to meet the standard and raise the standard and the vision that we're working into in a lot of different areas. Had a chance to talk to different guys individually and continue to do that about their vision. And it's amazing how aligned we are person to person. So as a coach, you look for that coach us today, who's that Owen Right, the guy big
in the most commentary, stacking good practices. Just talked to Owen Wright Todd yesterday about this and I said, you know, I think you're gonna be a surprise, breakout kind of guy. You know, he's he looks really good, he's in great shape, looked good last year, and I think he's gonna pick up where he left off and try to make a name for himself.
Kick off the.
Changes, to kick your background, play see what's your biggest thing?
To form one? Now do that?
Can you see it being a separation early on the teams?
Madium prety well number one?
Nobody can really say because even with the the spring league reps, these are different players. So it's gonna be a different played play than it was in the spring league. Secondly, Uh, how's it gonna affect us?
I don't know either. I'm really hopeful.
I'm hopeful that we come out here and we we we act and look like we know what we're doing. We hope we will coach it the right way, and we hope it's an advantage for us first part of the season. So that's what we're gonna strive for and do our best. I think that first preseason game, you know, everybody's all the fans, We're all gonna be watching closely. See what it looks like.
This.
This is Ronald McDonald house over here. Man, they are enthusiastic guard they I'm having a tough time here and they're so fired up.
But a lot of games all see lost to the coaching staff, and so I just go up, and how would you describe a couple of different compkins.
I want to say about after I really want to pass that.
Yeah, yeah, great question. You know.
Yeah, there is a significant amount of change and probably certainly more coaches than you normally see, probably than anybody had this year around the league. Probably player turnovers, probably the same as everybody else. I'm you could look into that and research it. So that is part of how it works in the National Football League, and we embrace it.
I think we embrace opportunity and the coaching staff side for these guys to move up into these positions, guys like Zach Chris Hewett and prove themselves even more than they have already.
Uh, and then.
Embrace it as players too for you, you know, guy like Trenton Simpson getting an opportunity to make a name for himself. So I like our guys and I'm very optimistic and that they'll do very well.
I know you guys obviously I'm gonna watching what else I'll.
Write out the seams in many camps.
I know you guys have been out here already for things like many camp and OCAs.
But is it a different feeling for you first date a training camp.
It is.
It's a different feeling. I mean, now it's now it's legit. You know, well, now they have to be here. That's a good thing. But it's I think everybody's focus does dial in a little bit more, a lot more because the time is at hand, the schedules in front of us, the countdowns, begun, and we're getting ready for something that's we're about to embark on. It's gonna be very, very challenging, but we're up for it.
Going back to the kickoff, in terms.
Of the work you did on in this train.
And maybe the research you put into it, do you feel like you have a.
Hander yet on what you're gonna do that you're gonna approach it or just still.
The great unknown?
Even come back bargain, Well, we do have a handle on the way we're gonna approach it, for sure, and then we'll learn about what adjustments we have to make. We also know that we're gonna learn as we go and they'll bet tweaks, just like there always is.
But I am confident that we.
Have a good handle on the angles of the play, the speed of the play.
Things like that of practice today, and they.
Really get me back. Players.
If you're getting a camp.
Helped that a future with me, Dad could grade.
Camp, you know, and then avail.
Oh, having Marlon Humphrey at full speed and at his best would be massively the beneficial and that's what we expect him to be.
I mean, he's in great shape. You saw it today in practice. He looked great.
Gives us some great versatility in the back end, moving guys around. So you know, I would never I would never discount Marlin Humphrey if I was an opponent. You know, I think he's I believe in Marlin. I think he's one of the best players, one of the very very best corners in the National Football League.
More Vian take Brandon rid Us.
What most stands helps Rocking from time?
Ma, Man, how do you pick one thing with Kyle Hamilton, Because he's kind of the complete package. I think that's probably what stands out the most. The thing that that he and I have been talked talking about from a vision standpoint, probably as much as anything, is him embracing his uh his position as a respected leader on the team.
You know, he's in his third year. It doesn't seem like very long. He just got here, right, but.
He's he's he's a he's an established star player in the league, and he's most highly respected by everybody. So, uh, he he has already been grown into that leadership role, and I think he's gonna blossom even more going forward.
Whatever.
There's gonna be some criticism and had a lot of criticism.
Get stricted at the play back of Lamari.
You've always been very supportive.
Of Lamar, and how would you kind of address the criticism. That's a great question.
Uh.
You know, it's like you ever heard yo yo, the old saying you guys played sports. He used to tell you, don't read your press clippings. Right, we don't really have press clippings anymore. We got the phones and the computers. Press clipping. At least if it was bad, you could throw it up and throw it in the trash can. Now, I I wanna so, I I do flip through, be honest with you. I read this stuff. I see the guys say what they say on the shows. At least I get clips of him because they come up on
your phone. And the good ones I just scroll past because you know that's just that's that's candy. You know that's not real. But the bad ones, it's like you wroth. I read it right away, you know, I don't let it go. And that's okay. That's part of the deal. And Lamar, for whatever reason, you know, he gets there's a lot of great things said about Lamar, but there's a lot of stuff that said to you got to just scratch your head about and kind of wonder, what's that person even thinking?
You know so, but we take it personally. You know, Lamar's a guy all his life.
Lamar Jackson has been a guy who's been answered no same questions I'm talking about since he was a kid, junior, high, high school, college, the draft, the success he's had in the National Football Again, it still comes up. Okay, he's still growing. He's got a growth mindset. He's gonna get better and better, no doubt. But what does he have to do to prove himself to some people? Right? And so the thing for me is talking about vision again. You know, it's a vision and I believe the Ravens
and we've always had a vision for Lamar Jackson. It started with Lamar's vision and his mom's vision when he said he was going to be a quarterback. He's going to be a quarterback in high school. He's going to be a quarterback in college. Here's going to be a quarterback in the National Football League. And we bought into that,
We embraced it. We build an offense for it. At nineteen, we're building another offense for it in twenty three and twenty four, going forward right, the next iteration of our offense around Lamar Jackson, because, in my opinion, the vision the vision for Lamar Jackson, and it's a vision. It's something you see it like it's already happened. You can see it like it's already been done. The victory has
already been won when you pour into a vision. And the vision that we have together is that Lamar Jackson is going to become and be known and be recognized as the greatest quarterback ever to play in the history of the next football league.
That's the vision, all right.
It's gonna happen by Lamar his work ethic and his brilliant talent, by all of us pouring into that effort together as a team, teamwork, and by the grace of God and God's goodwill. That's how it's gonna happen. And I believe it like we've already seen.
Now.
The passing game is a big focus this offseason, and we talked with wide receiver is Zay Flowers. She's going into his second season. He had a really explosive rookie year and he talked about taking it to another level in year two.
You would make you know, two really talented young guys.
Know if you think of about the possibilities.
For ten years.
Honestly, right now, we're just coming out every day and going to work, trying to get better every day. We just focused on day to day and we focus on the first game. So we just coming out every day trying to work, get better, listen to our coaches, and execute everything to the best we can.
So you got a eck blokie season.
I think about or take.
Them to the best Cup, to flipping the things.
That I'm tr take the whole game to the next level, everything just from blocking to catching. So I'm trying to get better at everything, and I'm trying to improve every year and prove all the doubt is wrong.
What do you think they do to the look out? Oh no, But I'm just go out and show 'em whatever they say I can't do.
Last season, hickok record the grands? How do you set the bar higher for yourself?
For you go get the regular record, Go get the the record that that try to get the record that that's the highest. Honestly, but I was I just wanna win. I just wanna you know, we had a great season last year. I want we want to improve on that and get to the ultimate goal.
So you took a good events that year.
Any people in the out good get strong ones such.
As honestly, they got to worried about two other people, Dereck Henry and la Mark Jackson.
So I'm the third option, fourth option, whatever it is. I'm not the first. So them, boy is they gotta go cover that first.
Say you was honest, you had a great year last year, got to put a a lot of skill set on display. Do you feel like there was something that you feel like you can do that maybe wasn't shown.
A lot of last year.
Probably deep passes. Probably more deep passes. I feel like I can go get him, like if they're in the air, I'll go get him. So I just want to that's one of the things I want to improve. All to ask your question too, but I'll say that's one of the things. Just hit more deep balls because that's what I did in college. So I want to come out and try to hit more this year.
Say with this being the curse training hip practice kind of Durny page is on twenty.
Four you look back at how lists and how much are you thinking about that?
And you saying that it's more visuals and kind.
Of it's over now I get to see him first game, so well we'll go play then and then what's in the past. Already in the past. It already happened, so I can't do nothing about that.
Now, what's that?
Just be on and had a different days to take.
Yet, Uh what you think? Yeah? I think so it's a little bit, a little bit, but we focused on ourselves though.
She's a bit more to chance to exceptions.
Had something to.
Cause when I was a kid before, I tried to take a picture of somebody but I ain't gonna mention no names, but they told me no. But and I ain't really like it as a kid. I want cause that was my first time meeting professional player. So any chance I get with the kids, I try to do as much as I can. Uh so Zadi, I did
that back in the neighborhood. I grew up at the park where I grew up at the park on my mom passed, so it was important for me to go back and do that for my community and just stand in front of everybody and show them they could do the same thing I could do. And out here we had a great day in Baltimore. We had it a spalled in high school and it was a great day. Probably a thousand kids came out. It was It was a fun day.
So I think now.
Different than I got a longer break. That's probably the best thing. But I went to work.
I went to work the same way I went to work last season, So I mean last off season. But I'm just I'm ready to go play football again and just get back into it.
So it's like you got here that night, Derek Darrell.
I think Derek Keriyan is for this offense. How does that open your up for you to chance.
You seen him before you see him in person?
Yeah, you gotta stop like you gotta stop that first before you were about somebody of my statue.
You get us satisfaction and safe.
I get satisfaction of feeling anybody off honestly, Like I feel like if any receiver getting space or they getting separation, they gonna find satisfaction now all day and want to one routes and win. So yeah, I feel like the more the more separation I get and stuff, the more the satisfaction of this.
You talk about making more deep plays, What do you feel like is is it gonna take.
For you to make more of as well, probably just running more of them and just you know, working on them, working on them with LJA and working on him as a group, honestly, because I don't think we had a lot last year, so you wanna come out and improve.
Say what you think.
It's a different fellow for south Baker now when he joined the guys in camp last year.
I don't think anything is different. You know, he had a few things that was going on, but he locked in. He's always been locked in. And you know, we had a good team last year. So it's one football. It only can go around so many times, and I think we all underst that. So this year it is just me and him, and we're gonna try to go to work and do the best and do everything we can.
We also heard from wide receiver Rashad Bateman, who's gonna be a really important piece of this passing game.
Hi, y'all doing welcome back?
God?
Oh sorry to cut you off, but I just want to give a huge because I feel him over there. I'm gonna give a huge shout out to the runnerment Donald House if y'all ever got a chance to check them out.
And you know, see what they do.
Please do I do a lot with them during the fall, so yeah, check them out. I appreciate it. But for me it feels good, you know, year four, last sum excited and we go see what's his store?
How do you feel, you know, going.
Into this camp for as time, lad, But how much to report? Trying to make fact? Just Betwin of America to put on your matchture.
The foot is healed. It's not a problem anymore, thank god. Obviously this year is different than last year. I'm healthy one hundred percent and that's all I.
Can say about it.
Man, I don't really want to keep talking about my injuries.
It's passed me. That's the past now.
So we all too bigger and better things now.
You've been focus in the future.
You've been very cad and very honest and saying it's not the expectation that I want for myself the last.
Couple of years.
So what do you think about what's people want.
To achieve this season?
And even vision that successful?
That the text super Bowl, super Bowl, It's not about me. I need to like do us best for this team?
Uh?
Whatever that is, you know, whatever my role is. You know, I expect my role to be bigger. You know, I'm ready to take on that road. So we's see what happens. John Horball has talked about you having a bigger role, and he feels like this is gonna be a breakout.
Season, Lad.
You like has to happen for you to have the type of years feel like the paple go to have.
Continue to stay healthy, and I just gotta, you know, go out and show consistency so Lamar can trust me, so the team can trust me, so Tom Monkey can trust me. You know, I just gotta go out and do my job.
You know, Lamar's out working illness just for day one. How big is it to have someone like Josh that's done this for ten years now versus having a couple of rookies running your prison.
It's definitely good to have Jicks. He's an old head ryan here, so he's a good leader for us. You know, he teaches us a lot when it comes to the game of football, and he definitely leave us in the right direction.
So it's good to have him out there.
You're under coach Mancin's offense.
Now some of the same guys back to say Flowers announ's an aguilar, Is there a lot of comfortability you have now going to think it's octating or the training camp.
I would definitely say this is the most comfortable I've been. You know, with the team and the players coming back, we all are pretty close. You know, we uh stay in touch, tight knit group. You know when we come out here and work, you know, we up each other and we try to give each other the best advice. So it's definitely a blessing to come out and play guys. I play with guys that want to get better every day.
You talk about your.
Own season training, you know, being healthy, allowed to train this off.
Season, we saw the ridiculous jumping pillows and you coast on some how how.
I have a platform?
Has that built from you going into the season.
A lot because it was the first off season that I've been able to, you know, really dive into you know what I wanted to. I trained a lot, you know, three four times a day every day, so hopefully you know it pays off. But yeah, I did a lot of working out this summer for sure.
What kind of things were you working all to?
Like to see rights, running route running catching this, you know, learn how to become a better football player.
They murdered sweatshop way that I've been with a pretend to group.
Then yes, yes, it's human out here. I got to be prepared for for this. I train in Arizona, but like it's different. I don't know what's going on today, port.
Drews some time last year, with every other time, Isaia likely.
To kind of break out? What do you think that to look back this year?
Cook about say it again part Andrews, you missed mile, that's sure. Could that allow Isaiah likely.
To you kind of break out?
What do you think that can look back this year?
The cookee.
I mean, I'm excited to see what it looked like.
I don't really know what I mean.
You got this guy, you got this guy, you got that guy, and at the end of the day, you got Lamar Jackson and Darren hear me. So, I mean, I'm kind of like everybody else. I'm just excited to watch it.
You talk about being.
More comfortable than being presidity. Don you mentally come into the year from the have a you hundred percent? I've gone through your whole lesphon, how are you been to that?
I feel good, I feel good.
You're listening to the Ravens Press Pass podcast. The Ravens are going through training camp right now. They're practicing just about every day, so stay tuned for more to come. We're gonna have another press Pass for you tomorrow.
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