Welcome to the Ravens Presspass podcast. It is Wednesday, May twenty second. The Ravens hit the field this afternoon for organized team activities OTAs started earlier this week and today was the first chance for the local media to be out there watching practice, as well as talking with some of the players and head coach John Harbaugh after the practice session. Let's kick things off with coach Hardball.
Okay, good to see everybody. Appreciate you guys all being here. Beautiful day, great day for football. Every day is a great day for football. This is also a great day for a lot of other things too, So it's fun to have the guys out. We worked hard, good tempo practice. We had at a big number of coaches here, not all the coaches that were here yesterday for the clinic, but most of them were here, got a chance to
watch practice. They were in some meetings today with some of our coaches and that was really worthwhile as well. Of course, coming off yesterday, we had kind of a day of coaching clinic. So what questions you have about the Ravens.
There's a lot of talk about Lamar when he said he's lost a lot of weight. This this off season. He said he's found to to something whatever.
Uh can you down to two something or whatever as well something?
Luckily I don't play quarterback, but we're all thankful. But with Lamar, I mean, can you see that? Can you see the weight lost one in? And what do you think? What do you think of that?
Yeah, I mean it's fine. I don't I think that's Lamar. He's a pro. You know, he knows what he's doing, he knows where he wants to be with that. My concern is that he's in shape best shape of his life, and he's working toward that, and he's he's ready football wise, all the details that go with that and mentally, physically, spiritually ready to go. That's kind of what I think about I do. I know he's you know, he talks to the strength and conditioning people, He's got his own people.
He talks to Sarah all the time. You know, he's a pro. He knows what he's doing. You encouraged by the guys get out here.
It's work out that Inventum's getting out play.
Yeah, I mean, I'm always encouraged by everybody that comes out. I just you know, to me, it's easy as a coach. You know, we're here. We want to be here, we want we want to we want to do football. We're excited. And we had a heck of a practice out there today and it was a lot of guys out there today and it was exciting. And a couple of guys were in, a couple of guys were here that weren't out there, a couple of guys aren't here. It it's
all part of it. But it's uh, it's most of the team out there practicing, so very excited about that.
Later doing joint protect with them.
Can you is that it or practices or or you have another right?
Uh? That that's it. At this point, it's gonna be one day up in up in Green Bay. We we don't have anything else playing with the other teams at this point. I don't think we will. But you know, that could change. We could decide and talk to somebody in Atlanta or Philly and do something. But right now, that's that's where.
We're going Saturday game.
John.
There's obviously a lot of interest with the offensive line and what it's going to look like this time.
You understand it. I have a lot of interest in it too. I think about it pretty much every day understanding OTAs and the structure that what are you really looking at right now in terms of evaluate just where these guys are. Yeah, you know, there's always competition for everything,
but it's not always the obvious combat competition. You know, they're not fighting battles out here against each other during the play, but there's competition against assignment, footwork, timing, competition against conditioning, you know, football shape, that kind of thing, doing things the right way, technique, that's what guys are competing against themselves and convenient against the clock. So they're preparing for that. That combat competition is going to happen
in practice going forward. But we want to see guys working together. We want to see them knowing what they're doing. We want to see technique. I want to see cohesiveness, all those things. This time last year we were out here and Brandon Stevens was playing safety, and then of course he gets juggling around, he ends up a cornerback where he had played in college. What most impressed you last year about the way he played cornerback and forth? Ye, Well,
it's always interesting. I think the best way I could describe with Brandon is he's always been meticulous, detailed guy wants to do things exactly right. I would say, as you develop, when you when you never want to make a mistake, you want do things exactly right. You're so chances that way, it might slow your reaction time down a little bit because you want to be right. Well,
his reaction time picked up. So through all that work of doing things right, I think he gained some confidence, he gained some suredness, maybe believed in his technique even more and more as he knew more, got more experience, and then he started playing faster, and he started playing faster. He had already had mastered all the techniques in the assignments, and it showed up in the in the in the result, Donkie, you mentioned wanting you to see Andrew Orgy snack.
Out here after you know, a long year off.
Initial impressions in.
Him getting some work in.
Yeah, he looks good, looks real good and shorts, you know, and I think he's got a good chance to translate that once we put the pads on a training camp. Because he's strong. I mean, he's been in that weight room for a whole year. It's all he's been doing. He's been caged in the weight room, locked the doors behind him. He just leave him in the weight room, set him a meal, a couple of meals every now and then in a protein shake, you know, and lift
another time. And there he is. You see him out there.
He looks really good, speaking offensive line and saws the day in getting some Christine grips attack on Jones in Cleveland. At the guards spots, obviously.
It's like you're charting when we're playing all these guys or something.
Well, just we're lean in this process and kind of de part is it a is it kind of you sort of just look for the best combinations at this point in trying.
To find you know, what would you like?
It's a great question. I think it kind of goes a little bit back to the Brandon Stevens question. It's like you just don't know what's gonna happen. You don't know what guys are gonna look like. I always want to look at guys at different spots, unless they're established at that position, see where they see, where they look good,
where they look the best. You never know what you might see, and then see where they're needed and also where they might be needed sometime during the season, god Lamar said that.
The players are still talking. They still talk about that balls. They answer Championship King balls. As a coach, it's kind of like a coach Gecademy of question here. As a coach, do you like that that still motivates the players or would you prefer a let's let's.
Move let's move past that.
I think it's both, you know, I mean, you never forget, uh, you forgive, but don't forget. Well, we don't really forgive either, I guess, but we don't forget for or and try to improve. It's all. It's always gonna be part of it. I want them talking about everything. You know that what we're talking about is confronting everything. It has to do with us being the very best we can be as
a football team and as an individual player. So if that's part of the confrontation of it, let's go, man, let's talk about it, let's get better, and then let's find a way to beat those guys.
Any motivation for week one, but I mean Kansas City in the first game of the season, is that you do you expect with sort of that afftertase, that guys will.
Be you know, hyper ready for the first time.
Well, I mean yeah, I mean they gotta be ready. They would have been hyper ready. To use that term, which is your term, just for the record, hyper ready. I don't usually say hyper ready uber ready. Maybe that you might have used that term would be even cooler. You know, uber ready. We're gonna be uber ready, but we'll be ready and we'ld have been ready for any opening no matter who we're playing, you know, and uh looking forward to it.
John, I know you have more a lack of going on throughout the off season and stuff like that that would kind of take your mind away from it. But does it stick around even for you?
Everything sticks around? You know, everything sticks around, sure before you get to know it.
Jeric, what are you learning about him as a player on an office field?
You know one thing about Derek one of many things. I mean, he works. He is a worker, one hundred percent every day, locked in asked questions, Texas coach at night, ready to go with practice in the weight room, training room, Very impressed. This guy is a true pro, ultimate pro.
Is Keith Mitchell making the progress or do you have a better idea when he might be out if.
We saw him out there? Obviously just watch it.
And if Marcus Williams was good, right, he didn't need any.
For sin director.
See, I don't think he had anything after the season. Marcus swims out, he's fine. Keith is you know, it's it's not it's not a comeback during training camp or or the first game type of thing. I think we all know that it's sometime during the season. So it's not like right around the corner. We shouldn't be, you know, biting our fingernails. Is he gonna back? But I will say he's on schedule, maybe ahead of schedule. He's doing really well. Uh so he's got a smile on his face.
He's gonna start jogging on the Ultra g next week. So that's a positive thing. And see where it goes. Two more, there was the report of Jamal Adams coming in through visit yesterday. How did how did that go? And you know, what do you what could he potentially out of that? You know, we we he and I at the Pro Bowl like four years ago. When we were there. Uh, we rode the bus back and forth every day for whatever reason, you know, and uh we
got to be kind of pals. You know, we had a we had a fun time and kind of carried that relationship forward. Then we came back and we met. He met with a lot of people, but he met in my office and we had another great conversation. Very impressed. Very impressed was his mindset. And we'll see what happens. I know, we'll get you one here too.
Yeah, I know, congratz coach Harbor Academy was your to take from yesterday? Having Bill Doug.
Taken that, it was incredible. And Tom Crean, I mean between Bill and my dad and Tom Crean, I was like on vacation man. It was like it was fun just listening to those guys and I know, the coaches at the clinic. It was like that was the price of admission right there. Not that they had to pay. It was free. And they had a free meal and they might have had a beer for him too along the way, you know, but they got to hear from those three guys. Was just it was really really awesome.
Help of Jones, did Jed throw you off right there? He always he's always Johnny come lately with the questions, So we got.
Ask me questions.
John Marcy doesn't really have like a target wing for himself playing wise, and.
Is there like a threshold that which you would feel comfortable with them, considering and everything he's kind of put himself.
Yeah, yeah, I think that's a very good question. And the answers No, you know, we don't worry about it. Like I said, he's he's a pro. He knows what he's doing. I mean, I'm sure if you got crazy, you know, if he came in a two hundred fifty pounds, that might be a little concerned. If he came here one hundred and fifty pound, I'd probably be a little concerned. But he's going to be in there where he needs to be. He's going to be in great shape and ready to go.
That was head coach John Harbaugh. We also heard from quarterback Lamar Jackson for the first time since the twenty twenty three season ended. He talked with reporters about shetting so wait this offseason, the motivation that he has going into this year and his mindset going into this season.
Like to have you worked with Derrick Henry.
H backfield looking explosive. I'll see that.
I believe it'd be great, but it's still OTA's right now. You know, you can't tell them to the season company for you.
How many pounds exactly have you lost and why do you feel like.
That was important for you? I don't really know how how many pounds I lost night to something right now, but I'll just say it was the point of enough I can be able to move around a little bit extra, that's all.
Did you share how you did it as a diet exercise Mediterranean?
I'm a charge.
I'm a charge for that, you know, because people be doing these little plans and stuff and they still be you know, having.
They weight on 'em. No, not not to offend anyone, nothing like that, but uh yeah, you gonna have to pay for that. It was hard get wait for one uh just just under two thirty and it what what what's the main reason for for you know? Used that way?
Uh?
Just so I can be more agile, be able to move more so.
A Tait the Lark. How was your off season?
We saw you in Germany? How was that experience there?
That was a dope experience for y'all.
Uh?
Never been to Germany, never been on that side of the country. Uh Man, great people, Uh different food. I was enjoying it. I was enjoying it.
I was surprised about the fans we had over there. I was surprised about that, but it was a great experience.
So you were skilled and talking art.
Yeah, they you know, I had a little something going I think I tweeted about that too, like I had a little something going on. But you know, hopefully they try to draft me after I'm doing football.
More to get be a more agile out of your mis guild.
Heck, yeah, gee, I feel great, feel great to be back out here with my guys, man grinding, getting better.
I feel great.
Now.
May you've lost some Wait, it's kind of weird with Derrick Henry in the backfield, as big as he is.
As big as he might.
Oh, I'll just get the balling go big gold Gold. You know, I'm cheering like the fans and.
That's all like being seeing him on your side of the line. You're obviously you guys going back and forth so so many years against Derek. What what's it like kind of having him in the backfield as a resource.
Well, I never had to go against Derek ever, so that's a plus for me. But it's great to have him in our backfield. Man got a great line to block for him and We know what type of player he is, you know, we know type of defense we have, know what type of skill players we have here.
Man, I feel like we were getting there. You getting there?
You said you feel more agile out there. Do you remember the last time he felt the way you feel right now moving around?
Nah?
Nah, it's been so long. You know, we had COVID and stuff happened to us. You know, it slowed us down a little. But I feel great right now.
Feel great.
Do you feel like you're sacrifice saying anything in terms of protecting yourself because a block of passer back taking this.
Weight off of fright now?
N I I believe, you know, we sacrificing our body each and every game, you know practices.
So yeah, I I believe it really don't matter about the wait what more?
How long.
From power last season? And you know that.
Now, you know that's I believe.
I believe it.
It hurt more went losing before the Super Bowl than actually like being a part of it, you know, cause it was like, we don't work so hard seventeen weeks plus the little playoff games and we get to a game away and lose, you know, and we didn't put really we really didn't put any any points on the board, and we were just scoring like thirty some points against crazy team cr great defenses, Don't get me wrong, that's a great defense as well, but like you know, the
top ranked defenses and stuff like that. But you know, we just gotta finish, man, We gotta find a way to move the ball and in the right direction and put points on the board.
Cause our defense did they think the whole night if you watched the.
Did you watch the f on that game as you what did you kind of take away? Did you sort of learn whatever how you wanna put it, you know that you bring it to this season to kind of your past the stuff.
Got what I took away from it? Put points on the board.
You know we I I believe we were driving the ball down the field, you know, not how we wanted to, but we drove the ball down the field. We just got to put points on the board. You know, we had two costly turnovers in the rams On. You know that the game would have been different at twenty one seventeen, right though, you know, so it is what it.
Is, man, John Horba tem It's a lot about getting Rishon Dateman more involved in this is how did you feel coming out of the season in terms of wanting to get him make him a bigger part of this offense.
Yeah, yeah, no doubt.
Man.
He he's a lusive receiver man, great out the ball, you know, great separation. We just gotta give him the ball. That's all toward you know, point blank period.
Is there any specific focus for you this offseason in year two on the Todd's offense? And how do you feel entering this offense compared to last year at this time and this year one of your.
Sh man you say, how set again? How I feel entering?
Yeah?
Entering you Does it feel different this year this offseason now that you've had a year under your belt with Todd and and.
What's your specific focus this year in.
Year or two under Hid?
Yeah, I'm a lot more comfortable with everything. You know, how he pl how he call him the plays, and you know what he's expecting us to do and stuff like that. But I'm just looking forward to just do what we gotta do though, put us in great situations this season?
Or uh was your reaction when.
We saw it because we would be part of the opening game.
In Kansas City this year?
Let's go shit, look go to football.
Maybe it on that note, I mean, is it the way that last season ended. I know that the stakes of this game are different. Is it nice to have Kansas City just right back around again?
Kind of tackle that head on.
I mean, I really don't care who he played, you know, everything didn't matter. You know, at the end of the day, our goal is to make it to the super Bowl. We lost to them in the playoffs. Just us beating them in the regular season really don't do anything, you know, it just helps us, you know, just keep stacking up wins to m hopefully.
Make it to the playoffs.
If anything, though, try to get in that same position again and hopefully, you know, be successful. But it really don't matter who we play. First game, obviously it's the Chiefs. But I really didn't care a ton of success.
Last year under the body was all be but.
Cause do you think there's even another love?
Too much defense in the second season.
Them, I believe so.
I believe the Scots a limit, you know, that's my I always say that. But I believe the Scots a limit for us. We got n we doing new things out here with the offense and you know, more verbal, more verbis from me if anything, but uh, it's looking good for it's all.
A little more.
You much roach this offseason any different ways than previous forms, but no last of year.
Most seasons a little different from con projects, like if you've done anything.
Differently to get ready for the season, work with anybody, difference like that.
You have, Oh I hear.
Just lost weight or I know Johnny Purvosa is that you guys talk a lot and has the draft about your thoughts.
And everything, or really those conversations like what has it been like so you see the guys.
That you guys draft?
Yet Uh, you know he was just t uh t aksing me like gods who I recommend and stuff like that. You know, I send him over. But if God still 'em can't do anything about it, you know, God's pick 'em first. We can't do anything about that. But I I I believe that's good. It's good.
Have you know you're head coaching, you QB talking the ball, you know all season and stuff like that.
I mean, you know, I'm a vet.
They're like rookies, so it's really they probably already got they people who they've been with, who they entered the lead with, and we are already who you are.
So but they'll come around.
Two years ago you got you bubbled your first book.
You have another one coming up.
Oh man, just he called me.
Okay, okay, but yeah, man, I just I just love kids, you know, I believe you know, they're they're the face of the roal. You know, each and every generation is always the kids up next to kids. I mean it's not us, you know, So me just being who I am, I want to set a great example for them, you know, just show them it's not.
About just football with me.
You know I can show you guy, I can write, you know, stuff like that because I passed my f cat rights.
You know, how much do you think that the way the season did and will be a motivation for this entire team for the season. How it ended last year after lost in the playoffs, being too close to the row and not getting there, how much do you think that will service motivation for the entire team this year?
I mean, we we got them. I believe that just motivated us throughout the whole all season. You know, every people still talking about it, you know, us players still talk about it. So it it definitely left for benitation in our mouth just being that closed. Like I said, we worked so hard and get there and then and didn't do what we wanted to do, didn't fulfill our dream. Definitely a little chip on our shoulder.
We also heard from wide receivers A Flowers who talked about his second year in the NFL.
So, could you tell us how about your off season?
It all?
Over all?
I had a good all season, spending a lot of time with family, friends, and just to myself, just think about football and being a better, better person and getting ready for this season.
They allowed to talk about Lamar's weight and how he's dropped.
How does he look to you?
Does he look faster than you?
Just your I mean he look he looked good to me, but he looked different when he first showed it up. It I couldn't really tell cause he was so skinny, but he looked good.
Did you did you have a particular goal athletically in terms of what you wanted to improve in him.
To improve on this year? It probably everything. Just get better in every phase and just try to be more of a leader this year. And we got a young receiver room, so try to help lead them too.
A lot of.
Success in your rookie year individually and team wise, Like, how does that change maybe the way your mindset is coming into year two?
Like I said, I just wann I wanna get better this year, every phase and being the leader and trying to help lead us to what the ultimate goal and what we y'all want.
Is the feeling a little bit different now with Theodelle going and you and year two of stepping into.
More of that leadership rop uh a little bit because he he he had so much experience that he knew how it was gonna go and knew how the process was gonna play out. And now I could just figure out my own way, take my own path and kind of like do my own thing and make my own career my own way.
Said, you kind of talk about the city the locker fleet out, but how long does it kind of take you to get over that and the loss of you know, ahty championship and forget how close you guys were to the Super Bowl.
Uh, honestly, I still ain't get over it. I still think about it, but I know next year we got we got a chance to do get back there and try to make it to the super Bowl. So that's why I'm working every day, going hard every day to get back to that moment.
You talk about having a young receiver room.
Is there anyone who's been able to gravitate towards.
Or how to still pretty early?
Uh, honestly, I I gravitate every time. I gravitate to younger players, Like no matter where I was college, NFL, I always gravit, gravitated towards the younger players and try to help, like showing what I went through is just give 'em a better route so they can understand.
Oh yeah, you invite me to them and they make agent to come out your virtual year.
Just go It's gonna happen fast. So just go understand and have a plan. But everything you do is.
It what do you think it's the next step in this offense?
But if I'm Mounking in his second year.
Kind of look the offensive type this year?
Uh, just having it cleaner, more, execute everything on better and just putting up points.
What do you think of the addition of Derrick Henry, I mean the big I mean y you've you've probably seen Derrick Henry tract. Is it different when you actually see him in in the size of Derrick.
Henry yeah, Nah, it's way different. Like one play, I think he had like a scratches on. It was in practice a couple of days ago, and he he was running and I turned around and he was right in front of me, and I was like oh, and it kind of like jumped out the way and then he ran back up to me. Here he was like, I heard you go, I heard you scream over. I was like, yeah, I gotta get out of the way. So it's way different seeing him in person.
Do you feel like Baateman is set up to fuss out this year? Maybe obviously signing your sension and he has to come and you know, fully healthy till the summer all all that stuff.
Absolutely, Babman go to work every day he ever since I've been here, I see him putting nothing but working, and even this year just coming back early and trying to get to getting rhythm with the quarterbacks. But I feel like Bateman gonna have a great year this year.
Is they with a y with the off the field stuff that happened at the couple months after the season, How I guess did you navigate that situation off the field?
Uh?
You and whoever you leaned on that?
I mean, it was a it was a process that me and my team had to go through, and you know, like I respect the question, but it's really nothing else I could add. I'm just looking forward to the season and getting better and building my reputation and showing the Ravens community and the younger generation that I'm here and I'm ready to go and be a.
Better person, be a good person.
There are you looking for?
Uh the chiefs being me?
One?
What does that which kind of bring to your mentality up? Or you said that if you haven't really got over the uh Longs.
Honestly, I'm not. I'm not really worry about them. I'm worried about getting better every day and making sure we ready when that time come. So it's just been about us.
Really do two more?
Say?
Really, you you were saying you wanna, you know, show the Rivers communities that that's you're a good person.
What's that game, Flann, what's like your game?
I mean, I already do it. I'm already. I'm already in the community. I'm already I'm always with the kids, and it's just who I am. I'm not a person that get into things, so I.
Just do what I do.
Help the community.
I have fun with my people, have fun with the kids, and just go about what I do, play football and focus on the future.
So I want to say, uh, how much more comfortable do you feel in this offense?
He or two compared to what you doing last year?
Way more comfortable, Way more comfortable.
It was.
It happened so fast. Then I had to learn the new playbook so fast that in.
My head I always was rushed.
So this year I got I'm more patient and just learned everything to the to the lives detail.
And last year we had a chance to talk with All Pro safety Kyle Hamilton, he's coming off a terrific season and discuss building on that going into his third year.
As my opinion of Drake changed the past couple of months. No, you know, it was a tough, tough summer for us, but I mean it's all it's part of it. It's part of the rap game, and it's cool to see, you know, two of the best going at it. But uh yeah, a lot of people have their opinions about Drake now, But you know, I'm still Drake fan.
For your second year, been able to have I've got the NFL ship quickly.
Yeah.
I think with this league you have your ups and downs, and I have both of those my rookie year. It's just like anything else, like any other job, you get used to it. You know how to attack certain things, and you know your strengths and your weaknesses, and I think I just try to minimize my weaknesses last year and maximize my strengths, and I think I did a good job of that.
Based on your last year, Do you feel like a different ownership defense?
Do you feel those.
Different leadership for a Yeah, for sure, and whether that's vocal or actually doing stuff on the field, being vocal on the field off the field and stuff like that. And that's something that the coaches have challenged me doing this year because I'm still a young guy relatively. But you know, the power comes responsibility, and you know, Heavy's had the worst crown.
I think I've said that before. My mom says it all the time, so it's her fault.
But yeah, you know, you play well, you're expected to lead a little more, and I think I'm trying to get a little better at that and get used to it.
You're obviously Mike McDonald. What's hired away and what's your repression of xactly work.
Yeah, I mean I'm super happy for Mike.
Uh, super deserving, smart dude, and he's a big reason why we were in the position we were in last year, big reason why a bunch of guys on the defense played well as well. But Zeo, you know, it's been my guy the past two years. I feel like everybody in the building would say that as well.
You know, he's a great dude.
He's been here obviously, been a raven for a while, player and coach, and it's somebody that was a seamless transition, and he's got a great grass with the defense as well, and he's gonna put us in the right spots, help us make plays, help us maximize our abilities.
Exactly. You're got me.
Obviously, wasn't your position coach? Right, as you said, everybody in the building ships have a relationship with them. How did you guys kind of form your bond?
Yeah, I mean just talking to him.
You know, as a rookie, uh, coming in every day, you don't know what to expect, and Zeo is always that guy. That was a little touch point for me, like, hey, I've been through it, I know what's going on, Like you know, dog days of camp. I know what you're thinking right now, just keeping me up and stuff like that. And it's it's cool to see both of us have
grown these past couple of years. You know, he's probably nobody here was even thinking of him as DC two years ago and now look at him, and I think he's super deserving of it.
He's gonna make the best of the opportunity.
Did Gina stand and Patrick Queen get cut out of the group chat or no?
I mean uh, I still talk to Gino a lot. I talked to pe Q a little bit. But I mean those guys super happy for him.
Obviously.
The teams are a little weird where they went to, but no super happy for and they both got paid and at the end of the day, they get the opportunity to take care of their family in ways that they couldn't have before. And you know, rivalries are big around here, big in the NFL, but then they were all str having to provide for our families and create a better life for ourselves and those around those that have brought us up.
So for them to have that opportunity, I don't fault them.
How much of an opportunity have you had to talk to Nate Wiggins and just from being a number one pick and the dB, what kind of advice would you kind of give him about settling in here and being ready to go and week four?
Yeah, I think it's And I've talked to Night. I was actually on the plane coming up here when he got drafted. Just so happened we were born at the same time, so I met him then. You know, being a first round defensive pick in Baltimore, there's a lot of pressure on you know, there's a defensive held to a high standard here by the coaches, by players, by you guys.
By the fans, all that stuff.
So it's a blessing and a curse, you know, to have that focus on in an offensive league, on a defensive player, it's great. At the same time, it comes a lot of responsibility's responsibility and critique with that. And you know, I went through, everybody's gone through. I've been I've talked to Marlin about it, and so it's gonna be tough. But I mean he's got a great head on the shoulders, chill guy, a great football player, and I think you guys will see that soon.
But you know, he's still super young.
Is he twenty? I think it's twenty years old. Yeah, it's crazy. He can't even drink yet. So I mean, if he gives up a bad play, you gotta have that in.
The back of your mind. You can't have a MIC's hardliminade or something.
Do you guys have games on Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday this year?
Curios a Monkey players?
Is there any concerned about how the league since.
To continue to add new league games in.
Short leaks for teams?
Yeah, I think I don't know if it's as much concern as it's just more of a shock factor. Uh, you know, I think there's you gotta be a tough guy to play in this league, and you know everybody will just accordingly. And I'm sure ten years from now that might be the norm. And I feel like they were doing the same They're probably doing the same thing when they introduced Thursday games stuff like that, Monday games. Probably the same conversation. Now it's the norm. So maybe
we're just at the beginning stages of that. But yeah, it's gonna be a challenge just to reset. But at the same time, I was talking to coach Harvest about it earlier, like, we're not the only teams doing that, So it's a matter of who's better at playing three games in ten days. So it's just it starts now, starts with your mental and physical stability and uh capacity, and that's a situation.
But I think it's a it's gonna be a challenge for sure.
You tweet about the three games in ten days. Yeah, obviously you can, you know, rationalize the kind of prepare for it. It sounds like you guys are gonna prepare for it. But when that first hit, what that feel like?
Yeah?
I was like, I mean, I haven't graduated yet, but I was trying to do some math, like, alright, so we play, I think it's December fifteenth, and then twenty first, twenty fifth. I'm like, alright, twenty five minus fifteen. That's ten in number, three games and ten days. And that came up with the result. It's like, oh, we have
three games ten days. So I mean, but like I said, we're not the only people doing that, and you know, it's it's it's another obstacle in the way that we just have to overcome.
And I think we have the right people do that.
The scheme as how much of a change has the scheme been going for McDonald to or what's that transition to.
Yeah, it's there's been a lot of similarities that.
Again, it's still May, so we'll see how that looks in August September, Greening ready for the season. I'm sure we'll add more layers to that, but I can already see there's different wrinkles and stuff like that same family. But I feel like, you know, Zeo's got his own own flavor. He's gonna put on it, and I'm excited to see what he does.
Success for you individually all pro and for the team as well, get into the NFC Championship. What did you take from the run you guys had last year and you know, and what are you using to come into this season as well?
Yeah, I think it's it's something to look back on and be proud of.
Obviously we didn't have the result that we had but or that we wanted, but I mean getting that close and knowing that you have the capability to do it. We're uh, two three plays away from going to the super Bowl, and who knows what happened in that game, but I think you gotta cherish those seasons stuff like that and build on them, because, like we were just talking about Geno PQ, all these guys that we at the time didn't really realize We're not gonna be playing
together anymore. It's not the same team. So I think you take seasons like that that are rare for a team to go to AC Championship and you chairship. But at the same time, we all have that bitter taste in our mouth and we want to right our wrongs and ultimately win a Super Bowl. So I think going on this path and having that experience is going to help us.
You talk about the legacy here, and with all this free agency losses and Mike leaving and other coaches leaving. As a defensive leader, how do you kind of look at all, right, you know, how do we get build.
Ourselves back up to be that Baltimore defense again?
Yeah, I think it all starts at the top, you know, with Harves hiring a guy like Zo and us. You know, we lot of lost a good amount of coaches, but we retained a lot at the same time, So it's not like the culture shift or anything.
It's just same names in different positions.
So you know, we still got zero, still got Chris Hooters, our dB coach, still got Harves, all that good stuff. And you know, we got to strip down last season excepted for what it was, improve on what we can and come back into this season with some new faces, guys who haven't played as much, but you know it's ring for them, exciting for the defense to see what they have and you know, in the season, preseason leading up to it, so who can perform.
Kind of family go for Mike to Zach.
I mean, you know, might have so much credit for content way that he taught defense. And however, you think team together, do you feel like it's more similar than it is different with Zach coming in. I know it's kind of early for you and just how fourth is Zephyr the guy's kind of coming in having.
To learn this thing of it if you didn't.
Yeah, it's definitely convenient for me. You know, I didn't have to learn a completely new playbook, so that was awesome. But uh, you know, like I said, he's adding his own flavors and it's easier for us, like guys who have been in the defense to maybe help younger guys out because we're not as so much as learning the playbook in terms of just like sharpening tools and stuff like that. So if somebody has a question about something,
we know exactly how it's supposed to be played. If somebody does something wrong, we know what they did wrong how to improve on it. So I think it just keeps continuity within the defense, within the team, and it allows us just to play a faster.
You're listening to the Rams Press Pass podcast, also head over to the Lounge podcast feed. We had a chance this week to sit down with head coach John Harball for an in depth interview some really great insight into this team and the mindset going into this season. You can check that out on video on our app, our website, on our YouTube channel, as we debuted our new studio
for the Lounge to go ahead and watch that. You can also listen to it wherever you get that podcast, so make sure you subscribe here to this feed as well as a Lounge feed. Thank you so much for listening, and we will talk with you again tomorrow as Ravens have another open session of OTAs