Welcome into Ravens Press Pass. Today you'll hear from fullback Patrick Ricard, head coach John Harball, wide receivers coach Greg Lewis, and assistant wide receivers coach Keith Williams. Let's start with Project Pat.
So factor pullback is that is that the player forward?
Now, you know, I think I'm a football player and I played for the Ravens, so it's kind of wherever I'm asked to play and wherever, you know, it's more most babble of my time for the team and myself is where I play. And I'm just trying to get ready for week one. You know, I'm coming back from my hip surgery midway of camp, so any new offense, so I'm just trying to you know, take it dead by day and just try to find my role and you know, make the most of it and be ready for week one.
And that's player mum.
Players the opens like a do different things, Ken Mason, Travis Colk, like they've around the offense and how comfort.
Guys.
Yeah, I mean the way that Ted Ends have been using this offense so far, just from you know, not practicing and watching what they can do. It's you know, it's awesome to see it's awesome to see that we're using versatility and we're using guys in different ways, you know, either blocking past protection, running routes and the run game. Whatever it is, it's it's awesome to see. It helps players, it helps the team.
So you know, I'm all for that.
They see your most in mindset. I don't know fullback this year is that is that basically interchangeable at this point?
Yeah, I mean, I think most of my career here, I've I've been used all over the place. You know, You'll see me lining up as a sly, You'll see me playing D line, you see me in all these different positions. So I think it's just I just try to prepare my belt, myself the best I can to play multiple roles and whatever the play is called, and whoever's you know, the personnel I'm in with. You know, maybe I'll be the why this time with you know, saying them with uh Mark or Zay, you know whatever.
The how the play is kind of where I see myself, you know, fitting in.
What was it about off playing offensive line that made you just suggest that you wanted to try it out?
Yeah, I mean you know, I probe myself in versatility ever since I've been here. You know, I was on drafted defensive lineman, and I was playing both sides of the ball my first couple of years, and then I was playing some tight end and some fullback and it's just you know, I just I'm just trying to always kind of expand my role and kind of see what I can do, and you know, and if it helps
myself it helps the team, then then that's awesome. So you know, I'm always trying to see what I can do in different roles and you know, see see how everything fits out and how everything you know goes.
Could you.
Do me a burg.
Something in the future or you know, I'm always open to whatever is asked me, and you know, whatever I think helps myself to be on a team or to give value to a team. And if I have to put off it's a line I will, but the end of the day, I'll you know, I'm just doing whatever's asking me and what I think I can give myself most value to myself and the team.
Those which.
I can kind of oh man, trying to think.
You know, all the different different things that I've done so far. I do miss playing defense. I'm not gonna lie. But at the end of the day, I think I just love playing football, you know. I think I think any role that I'm playing, as long as I'm playing, I'm gonna be happy with.
You think there's value to an offense just to have the ability to be personal.
And I don't think kind of what you guys run with the personnel care beats you guys have and you'll be able to go.
Eleven personnel one, you know, one drive twenty one the next.
I mean, just kind of keep the defense on the toes.
Yeah, I mean, you know, if you have myself and marking the game, you know what kind of defense they canna put out there? Are they gonna put out a bigger front? Okay, if they do, then we're gonna go play action and you know, Marks and me mismatches or if they try to get lighter for Mark and all
the receivers, then we're gonna start running the ball. So it's kind of like those things where versatility can just it's it's so valuable of how you can you know, exploit defas and all the different advantages that you can have. So as long as guys can play all different spots. Then it's it's great for everybody. You don't want just to be like one trick pony and only doing one thing, because then defenses are gonna know what you're gonna do, and they're gonna, you know, have success against you.
I have someone I'm bothering you all the last year, and how do you feel them now you go taking care of little year.
Kind of years.
Yeah.
So I started noticing like some sharp pain midway of the season last year, and I knew it was the same thing that happened to my other hip two years ago. I knew it was gonna be a torn labrum, and it was just you know, having sharp pain midway throughout the rest of the year and just managing soreness throughout pretty much all the way to the playoff game. And it feels great now. I mean the ramp up has been awesome. I think I'm getting strength back in it.
I'm not having any pain, just you know, normal soreness coming back from a surgery. But I think it's going great so far.
How did you manage it the heavy workout last year? And I think you were playing the free cents and half of those those games.
Yeah, man.
You know, shout out to everybody that was taking care of me, my trainers, massager, therapists, you know, cole tubs. Yeah, it was a lot of work, but I you know, I knew that it's all worth it. You know, I knew that it was helping the team win, So I was happy to play that much. You know, I'm always happy. I'd play every single snap if I was asked to, or play zero snaps if if that's what it was.
But you know, it was a lot of fun. So, you know, just trying to take care of myself every day as best I can.
What is the greatest dreams comment?
You know, I think the biggest thing is just spreading out the offense. You know, we have a lot of great skill players. We've pretty much brought in a whole nother room of skill players here to compete for different roles. So I think that's kind of the biggest difference. Is gonna be more spread out. You know, mores try to be more explosive offense. And you know, I loved you round. I love everything we did with him, So hopefully, you know,
we're gonna have grazy sets either way. But so far, I'm really liking what we've been doing so far.
I know you offense, I would tell M, have.
You been taking a seat?
They didn't see that. We get the pensive of what.
They could have had in this afen.
Yeah. I mean O'Dell's arguably one of the best receivers to play play this game, and I think Lamar is also arguably one of the most special quarterbacks to play and have them together is just gonna be just just explosive plays. I mean, it's it's been a lot of fun to Washington and practice so far. And I think, you know, as the season keeps going, they're gonna be jelling more and you know, and other great receivers that we have. I think it's just gonna be a big
blend of just guys wide open all the time. And you know Lamar, I think you know, everything he does in the quarterback position of extending plays and moving around the pocket, I think it's just gonna be It's gonna be a lot of fun this year.
Next up is head coach John Harball.
Good seeing everybody really appreciate you being here.
Good practice pads coming off one day and then too pad of days before that. So three out of four days in pads. I thought the guys did a real good job with that. It was it was crisp, it was physical, competitive, yet it was took care of each other really well.
So happy with that.
With that, what questions you have, John h Yeah, Yeah, we reached an agreement with Jadavian Clowney and with Ronald Darby as you know, two guys that can help us positions that you know, you guys have been talking about a lot obviously, and positions. Uh, I think we've done a good job of kind of looking at our options and bringing in two of the right guys, you know, and and uh, I'm excited. I'm just excited. I think, uh g Javian is a is a tough, hard nose,
throws his body around kind of player. We played against him so many times. We understand how he plays. And uh, we're excited to have him and he's excited to be here. So I think he's a good fitness defense. Ronald Darby again another guy that's a really good fit in this defense. Wanted to be here and we wanted him here. You know, He's he's uh, he's a guy we kind of be keeping our eye on with the rehab from the knee, came in and worked out and worked out really well, looked really good.
It was in really good shape and that's a credit to him.
And he came out of practice today and and looked like you've been practicing the whole camp.
So so we're happy with both those signings. Yeah, I think fit sucking. These guys kind of had the history of that and veteran dolls you know. Uh, well, yeah, exactly.
I'll tell you he's uh, he's a high energy player. He's a very physical player. He's a guy when he plays he's kind of reckless with his body. I mean, he throws it around. He's heavy handed, he's a he's a power rusher. I think he could even you know,
he's a really good pass rusher. I think he's a little underrated as a pass prusher and uh, you know, top picking the draft and all that and uh, but as a as a play hard, heavy handed edgesetter gives us a chance to get you know, four pass rushers on the field on third down situations that are true
pass rusher type guys is a real value in that. John, have you talked about Derby's condition and you saw him out there, you know a little bit and let him on eleven to him, does that kid even evidence he can help you resumer rather than the absolutely, yeah, we expect him to help us, you know, preseason. Probably play a little bit and get him ready and we'll see and then right away week one.
He should be out there playing hard and doing a good job for us.
Better residents than Jami and Briggs. How much do you think that helps the development excuse.
Young guys that they well, yeah, it's always a help, you know. I think he's a he's a really good guy. He's a team guy, wants to be with these guys, He likes these guys. He spent time with these guys, We spent we spend a lot of time together, he spent time with the coaches. We have a really high comfort and conference level and how he's going to fit in.
Jacob.
But so JK.
Dobbin's doing let's say more cool team still but it's like he's kind of, you know, catching up for the offense and really getting the driver.
Absolutely, JK and Rashad both they were both out there in team drills moving around looking good.
So that was great to see.
And I think our training staff, our strength staff have done a great job and those guys themselves, you know, I have done a great job. I mean, Rashad has worked really hard to get himself back to where he is right now.
And and uh, you know it looks like you look good today.
Wasn't out there, I know.
The training camp where herd of seeing.
The chemistry and kind of rain.
Yeah, I mean you've seen it. Just you see it in the plays that they make.
It's not like it's not like some secret sauce that you can't see, you know, it's it's in the play, you know. And I figure just gets better and better. It's going to continue to get better. Uh, I'm happy with where it's at for sure. Uh there's no doubt that Obj still has it.
You see it.
I mean he's he can move and he makes catches, a great route runner. Uh So I'm excited about that, not just him, all the guys really feel that.
For a second. You know, he had that touchdown something like that. I think back from the injury they had, what was it due for him emotionally?
Confidence From your perspective, yeah, I would say it does a lot. I mean it'd be a great question for him, for sure. But I'm you know what, it helped my confidence. I felt great about seeing it.
You know.
I was a heck of a catch, was he How did he stay in bound? How did he make the catch? How do you track the ball? And they go in there and just throw it in there like that first day back.
And that kind of a drill. Very impressive.
But don't.
Yeah that no that He's been going so hard and I think just a little rest. You know, he is coming off at knee surgery, right, so a chance to rest that thing and get it, get it feeling good is what we wanted to do that day.
From Moses too, same thing for Moses.
Went on the you see, I mean b a lot of talk whether to move the froll back the offense for the.
First I guess how you receive him.
And seen Jasons well, I think what you try to do, and Todd is a big advocate of this as well, is take the guys you have and use them the things they do well. So if you got a patricard, I would put Ben Mason in the same category. You got guys like that. You want to use those guys and do what they do well. So this gives you an extra thing you can do, Why limit yourself and you have somebody that can do something at that level,
why not make a defense defendant? And I think I know that's how Todd's thinking is as capable of being in the line tight ending at this point as absolutely yeah, I have total confidence in him blocking at the line of scrimmage and running crossing routes and flat routes.
He'll tell you he can run a sea him in a corner. He'll tell you that.
So, John, you clown, he's been described as an edge resser.
Do you have any kind of idea of which room he gets best in the defensive line, like as that linebackers.
Do you know kind of where I see him in the outside backer room?
You know, those rooms are kind of they work together so closely anyway, they're together in most of their meetings anyway, because they combine on the nickel stuff, you know. So we'll classify him as an outside backer, which I think he's always been, and it's really a good fit for our defense the way we structured he's that's what he is.
Do you three of his best seasons worre with Beaver and you said, I guess how much to treat involve him the process.
Oh yeah, Anthony Weaver has been totally involved in this process from day one, from the beginning, he's been talking to him. Uh yeah, to me, was is a I'd say it was a strong advocate for bringing bringing him in here.
And you know that carries a lot of weight.
Jump to Marlin a surgery, can't have it pad again.
And yeah, he had the surgery. It went very well, and I would say that the timeline is pretty well defined. I'm not gonna give it to you, but it's not super long, you know, and when he's getting close, you'll know, so he don't need to ask probably for a few weeks. But uh, he's gonna be back pretty early in the season and he'll be ready to roll. The good thing about the surgery, what just to give you a kind
of little background. He could have definitely played with it the way it was, but you do risk it getting worse with the surgery that he got. It's it's taken care of, so when he comes back, you won't have to be concervative for the rest of the season. And it was Marvelin's decision, and that's why he decided to go ahead and get that done.
This time general he was, I don't know.
I don't want to get into at this point his foot. All right, lower leg, I'm giving your foot. That's way better than lower leg. Right a pinpointing into the foot. You shouldn't ask, you can't. You can't ask pretty more than that. I don't remember, to be honest with you.
Here come the wide receiver coaches. We'll start with wide receivers coach Greg Lewis, Greg Sliver, San.
Bagman doing seven seven, So I'll make the great catch. I know it's I'm still getting ramped off. But what have you seen from him and comfortables?
Uh, he's continuing to get comfortable within the offense. Uh, he's in all the meetings understanding the language that we're speaking.
Uh.
And then he's getting a couple opportunities to continue to progress and come out here and do some of the seven on seven and some of the individuals drills. And he's doing a fantastic job. It's excited to see him out there. And then we're just gonna keep building as a group with him.
Okay, they're kind of getting them DAGs.
I mean they're both professionals, they've been doing it for a while. They understand what they need to do. Uh, they get work after practice, before practice and the indoor and do some stuff and then it shows up on the field. Not every play is a completion, but they're getting on the same page and doing a hell of a job working together and trying to grow, uh the receiving cores and just from quarterback receiver standpoint, just the
whole group. And I think it's awesome just to see that work after practice, before practice, and then it shows up at times during practice. But we got a couple of weeks left before it's time, and I believe we'll be there when the time is right.
Yes, how much as Tom Monkins said that you know your working makes a Flowers complete receiver, and we've all seen the shiftingness and quick beat and all that stuff.
What aspects of this gam.
You really trying to focus on just a total package. And I wouldn't even point out just say, I would say, as a group of receivers, we we don't focus on one particular thing. We try to make them good at catching, good at running, good at run after the catch, good at blocking, and then put it out there and then we're all interchangeable to do different things. But Jay is
a special talent. Everybody sees that, and just to get them out there on the field doing the things understanding the offense, it's been awesome and just continue to grow with him and when we can get him the ball, let's get him the ball because he can do some special things.
We saw him trun fly.
And land steps out there together. What if they kind of up to get your attention for some compete.
It's been a lot of competition in the receiver room and that's what you want. You want everybody at their best and then make the best rise to the top. And I think Sean is doing a great job. Tariq made a few plays today and it's awesome to see those guys competing for roster spots for jobs in the NFL and letting their abilities show.
And that's what we want.
We want them to be able to play fast and do what they're able to do, and then whatever happens happened, you know, you put your best foot forward. It's been great competition in the room and I'm excited for the game coming up.
What do you tell those guys that's young, your seniors fins from maybe one of those two finals spots you get closed.
I mean I sort of use my story a lot of the times for a lot of guys that are undrafted, uh free agents or sort of just moving around from team to team. Uh me being the sixteenth receiver in Philadelphia. When I got there, it was like what else can you do other than work each day and put your talent out there and then let the chips fall what they may. But you can't let the opportunity pass you by. You can't take anything for granted. You got to come out every day like it's your last day because it
could be. And whether that's harsh or not, that's the reality of it. And as a football player, all you want to know is where I stand, and that's where you stand at right now, and then now what are you gonna do about it? So I just try to be real with the guys and let them know what it is and then it's up to them to take advantage of it.
Greg, when O'Dell's signed, he except the playing for him was scrampuff, so that he would be hitting this pig.
You know, regular season, how much have you seen he kind of compressed when you first laid eyes on him. Your guys where he is now, he's running.
It's light years away from where he was when we first got up here to where he is now. But that's that's everybody, I mean, or else. We're not doing our job if people not getting better each and every day. So he's doing a tremendous job with that stuff, just taking care of his body, understanding his body, working with the training staff, the weight room staff, to the analytics staff and all those guys, and then we work in conjunction and then we figure stuff out and we do
us best for the player. And Odell is out here putting his best foot forward just like everybody else, and he's making plays uh. And and the big thing with him is he's doing a great job with the younger guys uh in the room and just teaching them some things and bringing them along and lett him understand what it means to be a pro.
They have process and trying to get back out there and Randy the house kind of you added Tode and just killing friend like the mindset I'm trying to get back.
I mean, I can't speak for his mindset, but from day one when I I introduced myself to him, when I got the job, we we got on the same page and that that's what I wanted with with all the guys. We all had individual meetings and we talked about what his goals are and what he wants to do, just as long as with everybody else. And he's been fantastic. He's been on task with everything that that I've asked
of him and everything that he knows he needs to do. Uh, he's been He's been awesome, and it's it's a it's not a surprise to me because that's what I heard, but uh, it's been great, not great good.
I think say said yesterday and that he feels like he's's chemistry with Lamars at like sixty pim winning on want one on one and sometimes the team hills and he went only get a couple of targets.
I guess as a coach, what do you kind of do to to read that chemistry or the right spot?
Just state just state of course. I mean, every ball is not gonna be completed to you. Everything is not gonna happen the way you want it to happen. Just state of course, continue to do what we're coaching you to do. Lamar will continue to do with what they're coaching him to do and then everything will work together when it's time to be But I think they're doing a great job. I wouldn't say sixty percent. I'd say one hundred percent for me personally with what they're doing.
But each and every day you got to come out of work and you got to work at it. And those guys are doing that. And like I said before, when when whatever day the first game is comes up, we'll all be ready to go there.
This is assistant wide receivers coach Keith Williams.
Pop work with a lot of wide receivers. It's the course of your coaching career.
What's it been Mike being able to work with their going back them now over its.
Trading team, right, It's been awesome. He's been great. He's a hard worker. He wants he wants to still improve, you know. He he knows that he can get better and he works at that every day. He's been great on the field, great leadership. He's been great in the in the classroom with the young guys. He's been great in the cafeteria. He's been great. Everywhere he's been. He's
been really good. He's a hard worker and like I said, he wants to get better, and you know he's ready to play, he's ready to get going.
But I mean, you've been a good shout for multiple years obviously, How good was it to see him and to great that back me out there?
It was awesome because he's been you know, he's he's been a little frustrated with it, you know, trying to get back because he's been chomping at the bit to get on the field. So for him to get out there today and make a few kind of difficult catches on his first date, that was great to see. Uh, good for his confidence and he felt good about it all. But I felt great about it.
Good And Lamar, have you seen instans out there where Okay, you get sEMG never be at.
Age right, Well, you know you see it every you see it every day. We work at that and the chemistry comes with reps. Chemistry comes with time. But the good thing about it, Odell's a veteran. He understands football. Lamar is obviously a veteran. So those guys understand football. So them getting on the same page and getting rhythm is in chemistry is gonna It's not gonna take as
long as as some may think. And we we have seen examples of that so far, and uh, you know, just go keep on building those blocks, hew he and you few it.
That's fine on one or two receiver.
Spots on this frost.
It's real competitive, you know it's but it's more or less. You know, each guy verse himself. You know, when you come out here, you gotta be you gotta be on the top of your game for yourself. It's not to necessary you verse another guy's. You verse yourself and want to give yourself the best chance to make plays every time you have opportunity.
Then after that, just let the car as far as they may.
What is to see a lot of three wide receiver what's Todds offense? Just how happy are the receivers about that?
And they see coming to well, you know, you're always happy if you're out there and it might be a pass at white out, so you know, uh, they're excited about you know, our passing game, and you know how Monk is calling it and how he sees it in his approach to it. So yeah, those guys are excited and uh, you know they're happy about that.
What's your play?
Nice block?
Say?
Excuse said you say, wow, you have a young guys, what's the most like.
He's actually not as good And I'm just kidding now, Well, you know, you know what we saw in him, you know, in the draft process. You know he's shown it. And then something the one thing about him is that he is a hard worker. Aside from the traits and the speed and the all you know, all the characteristics.
His skill set is obviously there.
But the thing that I think I was surprised, not surprised, but impressed by is that he's a worker. He's very smart, and he wants to get better every day. And I mean he's hungry to be the kind of player that we all think he can be, and so he brings that attitude to work every day.
So that part has been really impressive.
Earlier in the week, during time practice and wing on the sideline, he said, White persists to make him play?
Why not make him play?
It made a lot of great players today. What are you happous to see Troll the days practice?
Just just what you said, completing the play when the ball is in the air and if and if it's intended to you, you come down with the ball regardless of if the circumstances were in your favor. If your release was good, the route was bad, good doesn't matter. When the ball's in the air and it's coming your way, do whatever you can to come down with the ball, you know, and that's what we call making the play.
The circumstances might not be set up just right, it might not be the best route you ever ran in your life, but the ball is still thrown.
Bring it back to the ref, Keith, how well did.
You know Greg Willis before your partnership there?
I knew him, not not very well. I have been around him a little bit a few times, but I didn't know him very well. But he and I have a great chemistry. He's a he's a heck of a guy and a heck of a coach, and I'm having a blast working with him.
Shot and famous talking about how he got voted down the guys player.
What is the guy?
You see someone like that?
I think it's invaluable, you know, whenever uh, you know, somebody you look up to is in your in your presence every day, and it's able to tutor you and and give you an example and teach you anything that you may need to know. It's been great for him. You know, like like we said, Bait hasn't been on the field, but he's been getting a huge dose of education in tutelage from from Odell in the classroom. And so it's been awesome and I think it's gonna it's gonna show up on the field too.
You think that there's greater value for this offers a background.
Nothing.
So you know, anytime you you know, as an offensive coordinator, if you're familiar with the position uh and you're you know you're and you're trying to throw the ball a
little more, that's always valuable. In his experience as a whiteout coach has helped because he understands the plight of the white out in certain circumstances where you know, you may not understand that hat you not played white out, and so his experience or have not coach white outs, and so his experience coach of white house has been very, very beneficial.
That's exciting breaking.
When you're just talking about that.
You may have to some degree, you know, everybody, every off has different nuances. There's certain routes for more or less the concepts are the same. Because you're not gonna reinvent the wheel. But in our offense, every new offense there's some new routes with new nuances, different depths, different styles of the way you want to get to the same destination, but different different paths to it.
So our offense is not any different in that regard.
But uh, for the most part, you know, it's the same concepts, but it's different, you know, for a different language.
What are your conversations like with Rashad? You know, given past years in the health.
And injuries and going to a big year three with your kind of sands.
Just look forward, you know, don't look in the rear view mirror, look through the windshield, you know, and just keep going forward because you can't change what happened in the past. So there's no need to dwell on it. It's not gonna make you better. Only things are gonna make you better is what you do now and going forward. So our conversations have been what he's gonna do on the field now. We haven't spoken much about the past, uh, because that's not gonna help him.
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