Welcome into Ravens press pass. Today we heard from head coach John Harball and defensive lineman Travis Jones and Brent Urban. First up, here's Coach Harbaugh.
Good to see everybody, appreciate you being here. Military and First Responders Day maybe our most cherished special group day that we have out here in training camp. We love what those two groups do for our country. They are the heroes, the sacrifices the families make when they're loved. Ones are overseas or away all night, pulling shifts to help keep us all safe. So we love this group of people. We're so glad to hear you can see all of our players are over there signing autographs and
taking pictures. So thank you very much to the military and first responders. What question do you have.
Don you didn't see Tyl flinderbaumb out there?
Anything minor soft tissue kind of thing. We just pete keep him out today, We'll keep him out tomorrow and then he should be back sometime next week and we'll be, you know, very patient with Tyler. He's having a great camp and and some of those young guys need need a little more work anyway, So it kind of works out for US.
Coach Joe Only Davis.
Guy's back injuries over the past two seasons.
But I really can't the next knocked down one hand yesterday. If he stays healthy, we can contribute to the secondary, right, I mean he can. He's he's been here, he's he knows what he's doing. He's very talented, he's playing, he's playing. You know, he's always played very good football, and uh he's had nicks and things like that, kind of unfortunate situations. But man, we expect him to have a really good year.
I mean, I think he's playing like a starter, and he'll be on special teams and he'll be playing in our secondary and packages and expecting to have a great year.
As his gold in front of early special teams. I grow up.
Well, I mean yeah, I can't say there's no concern. I mean, you know, we want to have all our guys out here. And he's got a nagging, you know, soft tissue lower leg deal. He's had those in the past. It's something he does deal with. I think he'll be fine and get plenty of reps. He's had so many return reps generally, But you would want him out here and these this new deal, getting a feel for the timing of it.
Sure, John, We're gonna talk to Brent Irvin in a little bit. When you think back to the beginning of his career, I mean he missed most of like three of his first four seasons and to be playing all these years later, what kind of lesson is that for? You know, whether you're talking about Armor Davis, David Ajabo, guys who've had some injuries early in their career, early Cam right now, sure, just that they can overcome that and still have a long, productive career.
Such a great point. I'm I'm gonna start using him as an example for those guys because it's a perfect point. And I can remember him right over there. We were doing an inside run drill against the forty nine ers. We had the joint practices all those years ago, and he tore his acl right at the end of practice. He's just like, he's so heartbreaking and missed that whole year.
We had high hopes for him coming out. We thought he was a an odd front defensive end in the in the old Pittsburgh Steeler kind of realm, you know, like the Brett Keezels of the world, and and he's turned out to be just that. You know, he's just that kind of a player. He plays so well, But those first couple of years were tough, and here he is now he's got a testimony, uh you know, as a result of all the tests he's been through.
Well, I guess that's another guy found in that situation of being.
Injured beginnis career, Ardarius Washington, you were replusting.
Them after many here now you guys have Eddi Johnson.
But how are you kind of looking at the situation at or the same day one of these themes for medicines.
He's in Champa, right, He's a great point, you know, ar Darius is is definitely played at the highest level. He's I think bringing Eddie Jackson is one of these things that you just wouldn't expect as a possibility to happen, and so it just makes us better. But Ardarius is very capable of going after playing great football in the secondary, and I'm sure he will this year. He's just a really good football player. Love his energy, his athleticism is
off the charts. He's tough as nails. It's uh, he's not gonna He's not gonna disappoint anybody when he's on the field. John.
Same being with ar Darius.
Last year he was about the fourth choice at slot corner, but it seemed like he really hadn't played everyone there before him. Do you see a possibility place either slack corner or stayety.
He absolutely he can go down in there and play slot. We haven't put him there much. He's played there a little bit a lot in the past, a little bit in the spring. I know he can go in there if we needed him to. Just right now, we've got so many guys you're trying to get those guys the reps. But I think that's kind of indicative of our depth back there. It kind of demonstrates it more curiosity.
We're about on those two weeks for the camp. I don't think there's been a vet day for going now. Is that just how the schedules work and the off days built in and taken you know, shortened exerted practices or.
Yeah, I think we're kind of building that stuff in individually by guy. You know, we haven't felt the need to give guys all days off, you know, and we haven't really done too much of that except for the really the really you know, the ray lewis ti older type guys when they get to that stage. Uh, And we got you know, our older guys. You know they're pretty young. You know Rose pretty young.
Uh.
You got Kyle and you see he took, he's taken. He had a couple of days, and he's taking fewer reps here and there. So we kind of, I would say, probably we're more doing it with reps than we are with days at this point.
Probably John two weeks into it. Now, what's two things? What are you sort of the most at least specifically, whether it's tight ends off of whatever. And then secondly, what's the challenge of when you do get to the back end of all these practices. Obviously next week's of game week to probably a little more normal build up for you guys. But but what's the challenge I guess.
Yeah, well, we'll still be in camp mode all the way through.
Uh.
In terms of our preparation, it's it's situational football install We'll be working trying to get reps in all things that we're gonna have to do throughout the course of the season. We won't be getting ready for the game per se. Uh. But and and so it really doesn't. The mindset really doesn't change, is camp mode. You know, through all these games, we will be thinking about yardage and speeds and rest and different things to get our guys ready to roll when they need to be ready
to roll. Whether it's certain guys for the preseason games, certain guys for the regular season. Well, most pleased with probably is just the mindset of the team. I love the mindset of the team. How hard they work, how good their attitude is, how how up for anything they are, and how hard they practice, and how locked in they've been.
His camps so far, and.
What do you envision the next steps game for him?
Yeah, well, I think I've said before I expect his next step to be a breakout season. You know, he's he's a dominant guy in there right now, and whenever somebody blocks him, I just think it's like a it's a superhuman feed almost when somebody blocks him in there, he's like a superhuman player. So we'll see if it pans out in the games. It's I know it's a high tag to put on them, but let's go for it.
Another defensive Lindman that seems to he's really stitting out is Robert Washington. Seen him improve his game from last year take it into this year.
Yeah, Broaderck's always been very steady player. I think he's really he's up his strength levels ridiculous. I mean he's so strong and I think he's a really good job. Was like his his twitchiness, you know, his ability to kind of tear off the blocks and move laterally really quickly. It's done a really nice job with that. He's playing at a high level.
It seems like we have to ask you kick off rush every time we meet. But did you learn anything from I have even got a chance to review the film on how they're handled, and is there anything that surprised you?
No? Actually, I mean it looked about like we thought it would look. It was pretty, you know, tough to block those guys, but the field position is going to be there unless you just bobble the ball or the ball gets on the ground, then it's gonna be a problem for the kick return team. The one thing I did jump out at me was it's confusing for the fans, like where does the ball go? You know, if you kick it out of bounds, where does it go? What about after a penalty you kick it out of bounds.
What about if it's in the end zone when it lands there? What if it rolls into the end zone? Where does the ball go? All that stuff is like, he got the ford, you got the thirty, you got the twenty five, you got the twenty. That's confusing to me. So we'll all get it. But you know, I want to make sure we either educate the fans and that's I understand why the ball is being spotted where it's at, or you know, they still could tweak those things and
simplify that a little bit too. So that jumped out of me just from watching the TV copy of it.
Moving back to the Travis for a second, do you see him still as a guy who can kind of either be a nose or a three technique situationally? I mean, does he not really one.
Or the other nose three technique or four four I or five technique? Yeah, he can play anywhere in there. Absolutely.
Next up is Travis Jones, who's gotten off to a hot start this season. The Ravens expect big things from him. Here's Travis.
Playing a big behind.
So just go out there putting my best be four and just uh improve them off the things I did last year being consistent with it.
Where do you.
Feel like your past rush game has gone?
How have you improved that aspect.
Of your game?
Yeah?
For me, just having a uh A rush plan, a rush plan in mind and executing it all there ready through and and not panicing and confer just going straight to.
Power, working with Chuck really taking into another Yeah.
Chuck Beaks or the or the all the guys been helping me out a lot dis camp.
Really did you've done in particular to like kind of get more pass rush moves or is it just kind of trust.
Your instincts or trust my instincts and going into my third year having more confidence and experience.
It's valuable? Has it been for you? With uh a veteran defensive line group to mentor you? And for the most part, other than kalais moving on last year, it's it's been the same guys. I mean, how how does that help you as a young play out?
Oh? Yeah, for a young player going to my third year, I only have m O. Only having one guy leave doesn't mean it. Uh, it's a lot to me. Brody still here and me and became real close. We work out every day together and he helped me improve my game. R.
So you a guy that that writes down goals or house, you know, like a super specific on then write him down.
Or anything like that for Yeah.
For me, of course, I put in my UH in my iPhone right own notes plans, things I want UH comms out the year, the personal person.
Yeah, Brent.
If Travis wants to see a model of looking me a breakout as a defensive lineman league he hasn't here each year.
Is that has Has that been helpful to sort of watch him? Yeah?
Uh? Since I got here, Matik been a big uh, big role model for me. I've been looking up looking up to him for the past two years and seeing what he did last year because gave me more division. See, I wanna follow his footsteps.
Can you tell us about your workouts that you deal with Robert Washings look in Atlanta in the year and how much stronger are you as compared to the last year?
Yeah, last year, I've always been one of the strongest, but just building off that, trying to work on my flexibility against things like that to approve my been When it come to pass rush, it wasn't.
Really like, hey, I'm gonna go get strong.
It's about the flexibility and stuff.
Now, which do you appreciate the Ravens that now they do stunts and twist games on the inside later talk.
A little bit about that.
Oh yeah. Uh with coach Dennis coming in, he got his uh in Chuck, they just they masterminds at it, putting us in the right positions and make plays.
Before you know, and mostly.
Nose tackle kind of pain yourself.
And it's working behind legel.
But now coach Carvel said, hey, you can play a lot of different positions.
Is that an off season focus for you and it? What's your view pointing on playing along the line?
Uh?
I feel like towards the end of the last season, I started playing more three tech and defensive defensive en so I'm pretty comfortable playing out there. Yeah, I'm ready.
I supposed to have been like competing against you know, some of the interior offensive buying guys andrews in particular literators impressions.
Yeah, going against Lennon Brom you know, he went to the Pro Bow last year, so he won the best centers in the league, and going going against him every day gonna get me better before he's uh strong, He's strong, real strong. Aggressive, so and you're just gonna keep working every day and make each other better.
Wondering how how do you handle how him?
Any hype right, like a lot of people are coaches, players and what teamates are saying. Man, I think Travis is really going to break out the year, right, Like, coming from Connecticut a programmer, there wasn't a lot of hype around the program what not, and kind of.
Being never looked in the draft.
How do you deal with that?
How do you handle him?
I feel like hype I expect a lot for myself, so when people do the same for me, it's really not no extra motivation or anything for me. I just go out there and put my head down at work.
And lastly, it's big urb Brent Urban talking about the Ravens defensive line.
That people coached, playing a couple of former coaches. You want to stay here in Baltimore?
Yeah, I mean, you know, Baltimore just feels like home for me as far as football goes. You know, I have like so much familiarity with everyone in the building. It's been a great fit for me football wise too. So you know, I obviously appreciated the interest and have a ton of respect for those guys, But you know, my heart was here and it's made a ton of sense for me to stay.
Remember just talking to John about this. But the start of your career, I mean, you miss basically three of your first four years or big portions of them. Could you have ever thought at that point in time that you'd still be playing all these years later and end up having the career You've had?
No chance, man, it was. It was tough times, a lot of dark days and a lot to fight through. And I think guys like trell Suggs Marshall Yonda, you know, they dealt with a bunch of injuries throughout their career and they were kind of there to lift me up and to be like a benchmark on like what to work on coming off of injury, you know, kind of how to have the right mindset like going into the whole thing. So there's a lot of sitting back and watching and you know, trying to figure out how I
fit in and that sort of thing. But you know, relying on those vets and stuff like that helped me a ton, you know, and allowed me to get through that and you know, turn that into a career. You know, it was just one year at a time, and thankful, thankfully worked out.
You've now been an NFL survivor by the definition I use. You've been in the NFL for a long time, playing on the fringe of the roster a lot of that, and obviously been on the handshake group for now several years. What do you talk to other young players about in terms of, you know, not everybody gets a big second contract to you, somebody who would be able to on time.
That way, Yeah, for sure. I mean, you know, just being in the league as a privilege man, like every single day you just got to relish it because you know, you see so many guys in and out, and just even looking at my class now it's you know, nobody's still around. So just just finding your own role, just appreciating it, appreciating it. Like as I get older, I've started to be able to take like a seat back and really just appreciate, like how thankful I am to
be here. You know, when you're young, you like noses on the grindstone. You're just like hustling every day, You're stressed out all this stuff. And now I feel like I can kind of be at a luxury to sit back and just really appreciate things each and every day, and I think that's kind of helped me, like, you know, continue to play well in this I guess, you know, later stretch of my career.
Bro we've been kind of asking some of the more experienced lignment about Travis Jones. You've actually you've got to see him grow. I mean, to your mind, what specific thing has to happen for him to go from the good player we saw last year maybe something.
More than that.
I think he's doing it, man, Like you know, he's a guy like justin to look at you know, Broderick Washington, who works so so hard, Like he's up with them early in the morning working out. You know, he kind of sees the model of what to do. And I think you guys can see it. Like out in the field. You know, his his like past rushing ability has gone so so much better, the way he moves, his quickness, his size, speed, just the way he thinks about the game.
Now you know, it's at a more mature level where you know, I think he's going to take off this year. You know, I think he's done a great job and looked at those guys how they've done it and Yeah, this guy's the limit for him. I think he's going to take a huge step this year.
Thanks for listening to Ravens Press Pass. Make sure you're subscribed, leave a rating and review, and check out the Ravens Lounge podcast where myself, Ryan Mankin, Garrett Downing talk about Lamar Jackson's performance and the Ravens who stood out during padded practices. Also check out our interview with Rokwan Smith on a recent episode. Thanks for listening, and we'll be back with you this week.