Lamar Jackson & Coaches: Ravens Minicamp Practice 6/12 Press Conferences - podcast episode cover

Lamar Jackson & Coaches: Ravens Minicamp Practice 6/12 Press Conferences

Jun 12, 202434 min
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Episode description

QB Lamar Jackson, Offensive Line Coach Joe D'Alessandris, Quarterbacks Coach Tee Martin, and Running Backs Coach Willie Taggart speak with the media after Wednesday's minicamp practice.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

Speaker 1

Welcome into the Ravens Press Pass podcast. It is Wednesday, June twelfth, and the Ravens concluded their second day of mandatory minicamp. After practice, we had a chance to hear from quarterback Lamar and Jackson.

Speaker 2

All Right, how you guys doing?

Speaker 3

Introducing uh Nelson Aguilar. I would like to say, uh, in eight we trust go Ravens.

Speaker 4

That's all I had really with another one.

Speaker 5

He had to catch what he.

Speaker 4

Need to catch the ball two hands, That's what Nah. But man, he's been doing. He's been doing what we seen last year, you know, since he's been in the league. Uh, just striving to be great and he's showing it.

Speaker 6

And we see a lot of reps up with the rookie Leeds.

Speaker 5

How are you doing?

Speaker 2

Oh?

Speaker 4

He looks move man, He pretty fast from what I see on the field, you know, but not just him, got justice.

Speaker 5

Got old.

Speaker 3

You're doing anything?

Speaker 2

You know?

Speaker 3

The back's looking good.

Speaker 7

Yeah, talked about because slimming down a little bit just from under now the few you know, a few utenities work out.

Speaker 5

How does it feel? You feel fast?

Speaker 8

You feel tripier, that sort.

Speaker 3

Of sens I feel I feel like Lamar, I do I do.

Speaker 7

Flamorrow.

Speaker 9

I know when we talk about the offenses, and you always like to say that guy's.

Speaker 5

The limit with a lot of these offenses.

Speaker 9

But how do you think, just as you know, a few days in this off season, with this offense, how do you think this offense compares to the other ones You've.

Speaker 4

Been correct, man, just different group of guys, new new faces. But it's always the same thing with us on offense. It's just just grinding, trying to be better each and every day. Nothing really new, just the guys.

Speaker 9

Lamar just says the record Freender was poured out. If you forfeited somebody together, you.

Speaker 5

Discuss that with your agent.

Speaker 4

I never discussed my contract up here. I'm not about to start today. But man, I'm focusing on just getting better and focusing on tomorrow.

Speaker 3

We just had a great practice.

Speaker 4

We just tryna keep it going and then when camp come, Cam gonna come Tamar.

Speaker 10

Yesterday, what coach Harvo was saying that you guys wanna figure out the offensive line starters as early as possible. Where what are you seeing from them so far as they're kind of trying to figure out their chemistry?

Speaker 4

And ah, I can't call it, you know, that's that's gonna be the coach's decision at the end of the day. And right now we don't have one any pass, so we really don't know how the guy's gonna move. Once the camps get rolling in and stuff like that. I I I believe we'll have we'll have that start lining up out there in the reports and stuff like that.

Speaker 3

So I don't know.

Speaker 11

We gonna see Lamar after the playoff game, John how I gonna talk about how you guys went right into kind of continuing to evolve the offense, and he said, you got to make part in doing that. What was one of the things kind of the main thing that you wanted to see maybe added into this offense or maybe something that you guys.

Speaker 5

Do, but you wanted to see you guys do it better.

Speaker 4

Just just being able to just change extra players and stuff like that, and from from us just watching film and getting into games, teams changing things up on us.

Speaker 3

We just want to add extra layers to our just calls.

Speaker 6

If anything, how does your how does your work with the cadence, you know, how did that kind of come about?

Speaker 5

And how anything?

Speaker 4

Parts my cat has been pretty good. I believe I haven't heard anything about it. But right now for the new terminology, it has been going well, it's been getting better. Yeah, just studying and repetition.

Speaker 11

I'm curious following the.

Speaker 12

Rookie class of the WA.

Speaker 4

I would I would go to a game. You know, I've I've been saying highlights of crossovers. I've seen a couple of little, nice, little layup flashy layups. So I'm I'm I'm digging the w n B A a lot. So I gotta catch a game. I don't know who I'm gonna watch first, but I definitely gotta catch a game. Early questions quarterback, awesome, God's spend the ball. Those guys

looking good, no doubt. Competition, Well, you know, we know it's competition at the end of the day, but right now we're just trying to be the best teammate we could be to each other.

Speaker 1

Last week, you know, obviously before training camp and you guys have a little break there, what are you planning to focus on during that break And I don't planning to start that time.

Speaker 4

Uh, focus on the season. Gee, you know, off season really over for me. I'm focusing on the season and what's ahead.

Speaker 3

That's all that experience that NASCAR game two weeks ago.

Speaker 7

Now, your first time in a race, Yeah.

Speaker 4

That's my first time and I plan on doing it again. But I probably would be walking around speaking to people because just sitting and watching that's a lot of laps. That's a lot of labs. Bro, I couldn't be racing them either. I couldn't be the driver, bro. But it's a hats off to those guys because they can They can do it.

Speaker 3

I can't.

Speaker 5

Horse racing.

Speaker 3

Huh, horse race horse racing.

Speaker 13

Rol's last day of minicamp before that breaking hours.

Speaker 7

You know that take us through where you think this offense is. Did the off season work?

Speaker 14

Where you need to kind of hone in when you get back, I mean, kind of what do you think about the offense at this stage of the off season before you.

Speaker 4

I believe our offense isn't taking steps in the right direction right now. We can't really we don't really know who the guy's gonna be right now. You know, were not in camp. We're not close to the to the first game or anything like that. But right now we I I feel like we taking steps in the right direction. Gods are moving good, running great routes, catching the ball blocking good. We look pretty smooth, but I can't tell it to where it pass.

Speaker 7

Mar's specific plan for you in the month before training camp starts once you leave the year in terms of getting ready for you broke any.

Speaker 5

Different than.

Speaker 3

Nah nah, just locked in for the season, that's all Lamar.

Speaker 7

You know a year ago at this time to say is few years the guys that will developed the chemistry. I know you spend time off the fields, brother, how would you kind of describe for the relationship and just the chemistry guys and what you're seeing at.

Speaker 2

In so far?

Speaker 3

You too, I can't really describe our chemistry. I believe it's great. I can say that it's better than last year.

Speaker 4

Yeah, just being around him, like you say, you know, down in Florida, running everywhere on the route tree and just trying to build and it's working out for us.

Speaker 7

What are you seeing just from you know, his growth is a perceived.

Speaker 3

Right now, we'll saying the same Thing's just his age is different.

Speaker 15

Now.

Speaker 4

You know, he's stood that hungry god you know who trying to make things happen, and every time the bottles in this area, he making something happen, or if he's making a guy miss, he's just being him, all right.

Speaker 9

Martin, with with their with their with their Henry back there. Do you think that we'll take some of the focus because you know, off of you, defenses will have to account for more than you're just kind of focusing on what you might be able to do with Balton.

Speaker 2

Absolutely?

Speaker 3

Absolutely.

Speaker 6

Uh have you talked it all with the receivers that ends about getting together for an offseason, for a summer break from an session, makes that something that you would like to jam.

Speaker 4

I would love to do that, you know, but uh, some guys don't wanna leave. They state they're gonna have to come to South Florida.

Speaker 3

They gonna have to do it.

Speaker 4

We got to We're trying to get to that Super Bowl, man, and for us to do that, we got a ground.

Speaker 3

We gotta build chemistry.

Speaker 1

Today we also had a chance to hear from quarterbacks coach T Martin.

Speaker 8

You talked a little bit about what you're specifically kind of focusing on with Lamar and where he's taking his game this offseason.

Speaker 15

This improvement in all areas you know, Uh, last year was really a great year in the sense of doing things from a technical standpoint. New system new UH obligations, respons responsibilities, progressions, schemes, things of that nature, and just building upon where we started last season, and this off

season has been a lot of about that. We started with a self scout of him and the things that from a passing standpoint that we want to improve on, UH technique wise reads, things of that nature and from a run game standpoint, and then it's built from that to UH, how can we even push it further and give him more responsibility within the offense and doing more things that he likes to do and listening to him

and things that he likes and building around that. So we're we're off to a good start and looking forward to a training camp to to really get to the identity that we want to have before the first game, Seamus.

Speaker 14

If we had to play in your footing, if you want more on us, played year or two in his offense and even as his career goes, every year.

Speaker 2

He got for more.

Speaker 5

That's right, and that's what it's about. The way Lamar sees the.

Speaker 15

Game and UH, how how how smart he is and his intelligence, his UH functional intelligence not only just in the classroom, but he's able to take from the classroom and put it on the field, UH with limited reps. He's not a high rep guy, so he can do things once or twice and show up in the game ex cut it. And so UH, when you have players like that, you have to continue to push 'em to number one, keep them interested.

Speaker 5

You know.

Speaker 15

It's like that smart kid in the classroom. You can't you know, allow them to get bored, right, And so he's like that. You know, you gotta constantly add things UH tweaks and and things of that nature and responsibility. So this off season from a protection standpoint, being able to change routes at the line of scrimmage, being able to change run schemes, it takes him understanding how we're blocking things up front to get us to the best run in the best past UH for whatever coverage we're facing.

Speaker 5

So and he's UH accepted it and done.

Speaker 15

A heck of a job of of UH getting us into the right play.

Speaker 5

And today was probably the.

Speaker 15

Best day, you know, in a long time of him really just having the freedom to do what he wanted to do. And we saw some really good UH plays and some positive games UH with him doing that today.

Speaker 9

Not something that UH was added the UH this off seats. So as far as you know, Genior Sports Production is.

Speaker 5

Right that well, we did it all last year, you know.

Speaker 15

He he was on point last season with that and uh, obviously not perfect. So we we always go back and tweak things or critique, you know, what we can do better and how people defended us in the new offensive scheme, and so we were learning, we were growing at the same time, and so we had the opportunity to have a full season of film to see how we were defended and what we could possibly look forward to people doing to Lamar.

Speaker 5

Uh, we could build from there, and that's what we decided to do.

Speaker 15

And uh now we're just kind of testing it out and seeing how it goes against our defense. We're seeing a lot of exotic looks, a lot of pressures from Zach and his crew. And it's good for us too because it's testing our rules and it's testing the quarterbacks ability to to change places at the line of scripts.

Speaker 5

Yeh.

Speaker 8

Is there a big difference from year one to year two in terms of what you can install?

Speaker 15

Yeah, yes, just with the the comfort level in the offense, the terminology, and just having tested it in a game to have something to uh, compare it to You know, sometimes you haven't played these plays in a game, you're kind of just talking, right, and then when you do it in a game and you have stories to tell, good or bad, you know you can build from that.

And that's what year one in this system was for Lamar and for everybody on the offense, skilled players, running backs, everyone, right, So you know we had the film to teach from and improve from, but also the film to take it to the next level as well. Oh yes, arm talented, smart, competitive, can make all the throws on the field.

Speaker 5

Uh, And he's doing a really good.

Speaker 15

Job of learning the offense and executing offense. He played in the pro style system at Kentucky his last year four years at inc State, different type system, but we're kind of a marriage of both, and so he's comfortable in what we're doing. Very very talented, extremely talented. Look forward to him playing in the preseason, your OTAs.

Speaker 13

In mini camp in time for your quarterbacks. You maybe have greater risk taking out on the field. Is that kind of part of the process to see you you know, what can be hindrance and what can be more successful or is that kind of what how you gauge kind of this kind of patnessphere.

Speaker 15

But yeah, it's it's keys to the ferrari, right, you know, you gotta go give a guy keys to the ferrari and tell him to do thirty, you know. And so that's really what it is. And sometimes as coaches, you can't be scared when they make mistakes, and you can't allow the mistakes that they make to put fear in your heart for not calling them play the next time, because without that, uh, there's no growth. And so you know, with Lamar, I tell them, hey, man, number one, whatever

hits your brain first, we're gonna live with it. And as long as we're all in the same page, it's not a wrong call, it's not a bad call. And so that's where it starts. And that gives him the confidence and freedom to go out there and confidently do what he wants to do. And as long as they believe in him and whatever call he makes, I think we have a higher chance of executing. But no, we don't play scared. I don't you know, even shout when things don't go the way the right way the first

time or second time. You know, we just continue to try to get it right. And once we get to a point we say, guys, you know we we we've tried it, We've done all the things, and it doesn't work. We throw it out and move on to something else. But no, we're not playing scared. We're not coaching scared. And that's the only way you can grow in this type of offense.

Speaker 10

That a few months ago that sorry trying to mention that Josh Johnson will be a Q two. I guess what have you seen from him through these off seasons?

Speaker 15

I said being earlier this week that that he's aging backwards. You know, for a guy who's getting older from a arm strength standpoint, his legs, he's found a spring in his step. Uh, he's being more elusive, extending plays within the pocket and just his uh, his experience and having seen things before. He's getting through progressions and and getting the ball out to the right people on time, accurately.

And so I really like his growth from It's it's crazy to say that with the amount of experience he's but I really like his growth within this offense from year one to year two, and it gave us the confidence to go in saying that he could be QB two.

Speaker 6

For us want the John I mentioned yesterday that you guys are embracing cadence more. I guess how much of a challenge is that to just kind of punch these guys in the the deep in and what do you think the benefits for someone like from Mark.

Speaker 5

Could pee right right.

Speaker 15

You can't have cadence as a tool unless you do it and go through the growing pains of it. You know, guys are gonna jump off side here and there, and with the amount of communication we're doing up front, with the amount of play change that we're doing up front,

it's gonna come with some of that. But we have to have that in our division, you know, especially for home games with the pass rushers that we're facing, not only just in our division but throughout the FC and the guys that we're playing when you look at our roster, so I mean, look at our schedule, and so it has been a tool in the past and we're just gonna continue to take it to the next level. Lamar is outstanding at it. Whether we're going non verbal on

the road or whether we're going verbal at home. We have a lot of different ones that gives us an advantage so that people don't know where we're snapping the ball and slowing them down a little bit if we can.

Speaker 6

I pick one thing that stood out from that Kansas City game and just looking to the data. As you know, Lamar got better against the blitz last year, but sometimes those big blitzes with six or seven man pressures have given him trouble. I know it's not just ten, but what can this offense do do you think to get better against that type of all out?

Speaker 15

You know all, I think the best thing that we're doing is seeing it every day from our defense. And I thought Kansas City did do a good job in the ABC Championship game of challenging some of our protection and doing some things that did cost some issues, and that was an area of growth. That was an area of us looking at tape and saying, how can we improve in those areas? And so our defense is doing a heck of a job. I'm not only giving us those looks, but looks at challenges even more than that.

And so we're building the tools that we need to do to pick up those pressures and give them more a little bit more time and be successful in the passing game.

Speaker 1

In addition to t Martin, we heard from running backs coach Willie Tagger.

Speaker 9

Uh, how how would you describe Derrick Kennedy's uh work athemic.

Speaker 5

Elite.

Speaker 16

He's a guy that hates doing anything wrong, Like it literally pisses him off to do anything wrong. And I gotta remind them Derek is practice. That's why they call it practice. You know, we gonna make some mistakes at time, but just don't make the same one twice. But he he he want to be the best. He wanna know everything that's going on. When he's not here, he's he's texting me, aking me what we put in, or if he's watching film, he aks me something about what's on

the film, what we're doing. It's been great to have a coach, I mean, to have a guy like that that's played this long still wanting to to play at a high level.

Speaker 17

Yeah, what if.

Speaker 7

Anything surprised you?

Speaker 16

I think it's that more than anything, for a guy that's played this long and at the level that he's played at to come in here and still hungry, still want to earn, not coming to here feeling like, Hey, I've done this, I've done that. You don't see any of that, you know, And yeah, uh seem like he's been a Raven all all his life. I mean he he he kep fit in the room seamlessly. It's it's been awesome, you know. I thought, you know, you kind of assume a god that had that much success, he'll

come in and have his way of doing things. And Der's want he want to understand how we're doing it, you know, and he wanna do everything he can to help his football team win a championship.

Speaker 12

The last few years, the Ravens are rotated through a number of running backs. How does your job change now that they have a war course like Terreck Henry in the backfield.

Speaker 2

Uh?

Speaker 16

I don't necessarily think it changes. I just gotta make sure that he's in there, you know, and make sure he's healthy and get to the game. And more important to make sure he knows what he's doing, you know, Cause when Derek knows what to do, he's he's pretty talented and we all know what he can do on the football field, you know. So Derek will be out there and Derek could have the ball m and I'm sure he'll he'll do a phenomenal what have you seen

as rash uh Rashine. Actually, I had a chance to coach against him in high school, so I knew what we were getting, uh, not in high school but in college. But so I knew what we were getting when we drafted him, you know, and to have him around and and again, he's a young man that really really want to be really good and want to know everything. I mean, he's another one that's calling and texting and want to know what he's supposed to do. He want to know

a way in advance. He'll call, I get a call, I text a night and asked about the script tomorrow and what to do. But watch him out here each practice, he's getting better and better. You could tell that he's getting comfortable, you know. And and from a talent standpoint, he's he's very talented. And I'm I'm excited to see him in training account when we get in past to see him play, and excited to see how he does and in pre season. But I think he's gonna be

a really good back for us. I really like what he's doing.

Speaker 6

How do you think your guys took out loss to the Kansas City. I mean, obviously had a lot of focus on a lack of touches before that for your group, I mean, how did you guys kind of internalize everything that that happened.

Speaker 16

I think it was kind of like everybody else, we were ticked off when we were a game before the Super Bowl. It didn't happen for us, you know, so I think like every other position, we were upset, disappointed, and and I guess after the game, after we got back, we kind of locked into this year now and and seeing if we can do our part to help our football team win the championship.

Speaker 5

You're very familiar with the Harbor family. John play each other in November.

Speaker 9

How would you you know, how do you would you you know, kind of describe the relationship between John and Jeff great.

Speaker 16

You know, they're brothers, you know, you know, but they it's it's great, you know. I'm sure they both bounced this thing off each other. I mean they both lean on Papa Jack, you know, and they know they'll get some some some good wisdom from him, you know, and tell you like, for me personally, been coaching for John, coaching for Jim, coaching for Jack, I feel like it's Jack Harball over again.

Speaker 5

You know.

Speaker 16

It's just when I'm in meetings and listening to them talking and just how we re actually run our organization, how they do it here, And I know it's like that a Stanford when we played at Stanford, and of course when I was at Western with Jack, you know. So it's pretty cool to see that they're they're following their their dad for step and but doing it in their own way, you know. And I think they all

are just special. I think they're they special coaches and there's a reason why they winners, and the reason why they do it the way they do it, not me, And they're like them, you just kind of they're they're different.

Speaker 2

You know.

Speaker 16

It's not not often that you see a coach that has has the forcefulness and in the sincerity behind it. Usually get one or the other from a coach, but to get a coach to have both of 'em and be a lead at it.

Speaker 3

But with this, it's it's.

Speaker 16

Pretty pretty pretty good.

Speaker 8

Congrats to your son.

Speaker 2

I appreciate it.

Speaker 8

How how special is to have him saying so close to the turfs And did you try to push him the running back or how'd that all go?

Speaker 16

No running back? Now, he's not playing running back, that's for sure. He's no, no, not at all.

Speaker 5

You know.

Speaker 16

I just tried to move him from quarterback. He wanted to play quarterback, but he he grew so tall, and but no, it was it's exciting. You know, it's probably more excited for mom than anything, which makes it easy and happy for me. You know, Mom's happy, everybody's happy. So but also Maryland is a great program. Coach Locksley's doing a awesome job down there. And and for me, I want someone to to finish what we started, you know. And and again I I told cod Lox, I'm handing

him off to you. I don't need you to take him to the finish line.

Speaker 5

Now.

Speaker 16

Help him continue to develop like my wife and I have done this far and we just want we want that to continue. And the football part of take care of himself. He'll do his part from that standpoint, but uh, coach Locksley to help him become a man.

Speaker 2

Go t how.

Speaker 14

Difficult is it for to have a ah a new running back like Jorck Henry and and uh Lamar Jackson jailed together? Say, if they're running RPOs, how difficult does that transition for those two two to jail.

Speaker 16

I don't think it's very difficult. You know, first of all, when we get the reps in practice and it makes it so much easier. And always with the RPOs, it all comes down the decision that it's more decision for the quarterback than it is the running back. The running back is is running to play that we call, you know, and it's just a brother quarterback want to hand it

off to you or not? So uh, he just got to know his assignment and continue to do his assignment, you know, and let Lamar do what Lamar does, you know, and he'll be fine, you know. But I don't think it's gonna be difficult at all. And it's been great so far. And then our OTA's and here in Manicount, I want more. That's it good.

Speaker 7

So in Tennessee, Derek Ryan a lot from under center, and obviously you guys run more down and work and so to get more out of Lamar.

Speaker 5

If they're an adjustment, how big of an adjustment? You know? What?

Speaker 10

Uh?

Speaker 16

Coming in I you know, watching the film in Tennessee, that was that was a concern, you know, like we're in the gun and we run from the gun, and how how would dare it be in it? And I ain't I'm not gonna lie. I I questioned that until he got here, and seeing the big man move his feet and the thing, I'm like, whoa. You know, it was really impressive for a guy that size to move the way he does and and he got he got not necessarily uh zay flower feet, but for from a

big guy. He he's he's pretty swiftly on his feet and great vision and all. But seeing him doing it from the gun, I don't have no. I don't think we have any problem doing it. Then we also be on the center. We do some things on the center as well. So but there's an athlete. You know, he's a big athlete, and I don't think he'll have a problem with anything we ask him to do. If we want him to go out and out of receiver, I think there he go out and get that done as well.

He'll do that as well well. Thatt what we need him to do, I wouldn't be I wouldn't wanna be the one to tackle him from that standpoint as he get going.

Speaker 1

So as we continue along the position coaches on this offense, we also talked with offensive line coach Joe Diella Sandris.

Speaker 9

We talked to Ronnie Stanley yesterday.

Speaker 2

Can he tell you some lies?

Speaker 5

I don't know you, but he said last.

Speaker 9

Year didn't sit well with him because he knows he could play better and then he can come into this year a live determination.

Speaker 5

Have you since that doing this offseason from him?

Speaker 17

You know what, Ronnie has been doing an excellent job this spring. He's come in here, he's worked and all the drills, everything we have to do, and you can see steady progression of his play and he keeps keeps that up. It's gonna be good for him and for us both.

Speaker 10

I know Andrew before he said he talked to Ronnie a bit about, you know, dealing with injury. How much are you seeing him? And just other young guys look and emulate Ronnie as well.

Speaker 17

You know, I think I think you know, guys feed off of each other to ask how can I how can I bounce back?

Speaker 2

What's the process?

Speaker 17

But each one's individual, you know, their work ethic, their difrination, their goals that do what they want to have. And Andrew's a driven young man, so his injury, how he's come back, He's just done a heck.

Speaker 2

Of a job so far.

Speaker 17

I've just just from day one and where he is today, he'll continue to grow and with experience and confidence, which he's growing every day with it. So but those guys all mesh well and they all help each other out, which is fantastic.

Speaker 8

Where do you see the biggest strides in Daniel fought Le from last.

Speaker 16

Year to this year.

Speaker 17

Well, I think Daniel now is becoming more of a good football player in a sense. He's starting to feel comfortable in his body and what he can do. And and you know, we're working them at right tackle, we're working somewhat right guard.

Speaker 2

And he's played left tackle before us went up to New England and beat New England.

Speaker 17

When he's playing left tackle right, So and that's a big confidence.

Speaker 2

Uh where he where he achieved.

Speaker 17

But I just see him getting more familiar what he has to do, how he's got to communicate and uh, I think it's just work in progress with him, and I think the more he does it, the better he's gonna become.

Speaker 5

You've lost three starters from left Joan out his life right.

Speaker 9

What have you seen out of the competition so far.

Speaker 5

For those spots?

Speaker 2

You know what, I've seen a good competition.

Speaker 17

I've seen each guy working, you know, and I move him around quite a bit for their for their benefit and also for our benefit because the more they can do, guess what, get to stay in the sleegue going right, because you can play multiple positions, and they all have accepted that role and opportunity. And you know, Andrew's doing a great job. Salah's doing a good job, Josh Jones doing a good job. You know Ben's doing a good

job inside there. So you just keep seeing all these young men doing and the good news is this is the time of year where you're learning assignment communication, playing fast. The contact is not there. That's gonna come training camp. That's what that's built for, along with games, and then we'll see how that plays out from there.

Speaker 13

Would you prefer to have Patrick McCarey and remain in that sixth man kind of role as the primary backup or do you see him being involved in the starting competitions for any of the spons.

Speaker 2

You know what, right now, we're just right now.

Speaker 17

Pat's situation is more of a good quality. I see him as I see him in my eyes as a starter. Okay, he in my eyes, he's a starter, but he's in a position where he could play multiple positions, and that's the role that we like to see him in right now, does that mean if you have an injury, guess what

you're starting? Pat But it's not that he can't start, It's just that we see the versatility and the benefit of that opportunity for him being there's not many guys in an NFL to play what center guard, both guards and tackle, and the last time we had a guy here could do both was James Hurst, and he played both tackles and both guard positions. He just retired with a fantastic career. So uh pass having a nice career, Jill.

Speaker 7

Great tackle offly being none of those jobs coming up the grapp What have you seen from Roger raising Garden in that in that regard and what.

Speaker 2

He Yeah, you know, Roger's doing a great job.

Speaker 17

He's eager, he hustles, he gives good effort, he plays to succeed, and just continued growth understanding the offense. And just let's see, now when you put we put you in a game, how are you going to produce in games? And you're gonna have some ups, You're gonna have some downs. How you could bounce back of some of those opportunities, you know, But I'm glad we have him.

Speaker 2

He's a heck of a young man.

Speaker 8

Another guy Andrew, He's what's standing out to you about how he's practicing.

Speaker 17

You know what Andrew's doing great. I mean, like I said, and here's what I'm gonna tell you. First of all that group of young men, the young men I have in there, we have sixteen of them. They're fantastic young men. They work hard, they come out on the mission every day to get better. They work at their craft, they work at their skill, and you see improvement by all

of them. But with Andrew, we have him working at a left guard and center, and he's never played center before and he's growing in that area and the confidence so good.

Speaker 13

Progress when it comes to that positional flexibility. Plus, that's something that's becoming less common you think, across the league, or more common as this guy's developed.

Speaker 2

Like you see, you know, I think you have to have just just me.

Speaker 17

I was fortunate enough to come up under a head coach many many years ago when I start off my career, and the philosophy was the number two right tackle may not be as good as that number two right guard.

Speaker 2

Let's find a way to get the five best on the field.

Speaker 17

So that's how I grew up as a coach to put your best five as often as you can on the field. So position flexibility is important for us here at the Ravens, and I know for myself as a coach, because you go into a game you have seven, sometimes you know you have eight, but sometimes the roster has to change a little bit.

Speaker 2

Those guys got to be able.

Speaker 17

To play multiple positions because you don't know what the injury factor could be for that game.

Speaker 6

You guys have a spot open at left guard, spot open at right guard. That how smart and capable of Tyler is at center? I mean, are you kind of comfortable with putting even more of a hurt on him? That is like, you know you can help us get Yeah, you.

Speaker 2

Know, Tyler's or a great leader.

Speaker 17

First of all, he's a great fine, fantastic young man, great leader, heck of a football player. I just found out. How about this, and you know about your players. But we're just talking and Andrew and I were just talking to me, and he said, coach, you know that, Andrew, I.

Speaker 2

Mean that Tyler won the Remington Award. I didn't know that.

Speaker 17

I mean, I knew he had accolades, but I didn't know he won the Remington Award. So then I said, how about that? I said, you didn't tell me you won that Remington Award. So he was a heck of a college football player right at the center. Guess what, he's a heck of a pro. He's a great communicator, he's a great leader. He works with the guys, and it's collaboration between all of.

Speaker 2

Them up front with their communication. Those guards got to be able to help Tyler too. So it's twofold.

Speaker 13

There's been a lot of it's a expectation on d Cleveland because we were around here. Just what do you see from him in his development as his team and as he.

Speaker 2

Works for you? Yeah, you know what, here's what I tell you.

Speaker 17

We played last year, we played Pittsburgh and we played the Rams I think towards the end and or yeah, I think it was and and Ben played very well. When Ben's had his opportunities to start, he's produced and done well. He's out here right now working in his craft and working his skill. You see nice progression and improvement. And I'm anxious to see now when you start training camp.

You put the pads on and we're going to see if he'll continue it's got to be earned, right, and it's earned belief based on play production all a.

Speaker 12

Set of roll of the second week of training camp to kind of solidify the offensive line starters based on what you've seen so far this spring.

Speaker 13

Do you think that's a realistic time frame.

Speaker 17

Well, you know, he's the head coach, so we'll see how it goes from there. I'm not gonna bulk coach all harball. We all work together, so we'll see and if coach says, hey, Joe Staring unibye checond week, hey we'll deliver.

Speaker 1

You're listening to the Ravens Press Past podcast. Also head over to the Lounge podcast feed. We actually sat down with Ravens wide receiver formerly a quarterback, Malik Cunningham. We joined him this week for an episode of the podcast and he talked about that transition from quarterback to wide receiver and I think that's something that listeners would really enjoy that conversation, So head over to the Lounge podcast feed. Check that out, hit that subscribe button here and over

at the Lounge feed as well. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk with you again tomorrow.

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