Lamar Jackson, Roquan Smith, Melvin Gordon, Harbaugh: Training Camp Day 4 Press Conferences

Welcome into the Ravens Press Pass podcast. Team wrapped up its first week of training camp practice. They had a free open practice at M and T Bank Stadium on Saturday. It was a hot afternoon, but a good crowd came out to watch the guys get a little work in and after practice, we had a chance to hear from head coach John Harborough about what he saw from his team on Saturday and this week.

Appreciate everybody for you here. A lot of fun, lot of fun.

Fans had fun, players had fun.

Coaches said fun. Did the media have fine?

Sure, we take care of you, You take care of us. What questions you have John?

Today was it's just been up there.

Yeah, today's got an omens.

You know, we had to stomach issue sometimes, so we kept him on the days.

Just you get background, the.

Fasts, time being able to get out here, most things. First time here.

You know a lot of a lot of the rookies kind of commented out how great the stadium is. You know, the fans excitement cheered, very play.

Came out and then just fell him.

You're gonna talk to buy him.

It's gonna get him out here to get an understanding what the staateum is like just.

A little bit John, how much rest, great days and a lot of their fortunate.

And a lot of heat. How much do you look at.

That and how players work through that and the inters how they held out fundamentally, right, when you look at it hard.

And the heat, how they hold up fundamentally and sign the rise. It's an opportunity of fatigue, do you call them? So when you get fatigue, take the opportunity to create the ability to produce in that fatigue and get your performance to the highest level with you the most hired. Plus there's elements and conditions that only are benefits to us. So hop the guys did a really good job of it. And see it looks like next week, how don't you can.

Get to who best day in him to.

Make him play especially the turf. We're seeing him find out a comfort zone.

Starting that, right, I mean, I.

Think Odell's got a really good plan and he did.

He had a nice day to day. He lets go better every day. He's he looked great out here.

I expect nothing. But but you know in classical o y'ell Beckham junior, you know he's uh, he's a hard worker, he's very conscient what he does, so I have.

No concerns about that at all.

He looked good in what do you think of the defensive line? They're pretty good dropped in to day.

I know they're not the pads like don't get after.

Day today, Warrior defensive line is gonna be mad because all the cheers after the places that get made when they might have thought the head of sack right, Let's see how practice goes.

So I'll be hearing about that tonight.

That was head coach John Harball after practice on Saturday at Mt Bank Stadium. We also had a chance to hear from a quarterback, Lamar Jackson. You can tell he's fired up about some of his new weapons, including Odell Beckham Junior, who he threw a touchdown pass to in Saturday's practice. Here's what Lamar had to say.

I love the crowd atmosphere. I love being I help my teammates. I was just talking to NFL Network and they was telling me I haven't been out here since December four and I'm like, that's a long time. And it was very cold today, it was very hot, but I enjoyedan I enjoyed it a lot.

Work can you get in assessment where you guys think you are right now or where you think you want to be, you know, I mean with the whole whole new system coming in, I feel like, you know, we've been installing every day except for the day, but actually.

We did installed today. But I feel like we're moving along in the right direction. We're processing everything fast and our guys, I feel like our guys ready. Everyone has something to prove, and that connection with OBJ looks like it's already there. That's I feel pretty good done it. Yeah, I feel awesome.

Mom.

He makes my job a lot easier. You know, Obj, it's the guy.

It's that guy than the touchdown you through to him in that front corner of the end zone. Take me through that play.

Oh you know it's a play action play fake to the running back roll out. He was just hauling tail, you know, across the field and I just gave it a touch past. I seen Kyle Hamilton, you know under uh great safety by the way. I had to just throw the ball over it over him and you know what Dall did the rest.

You and Mark Andrews have talked like for years about the street ball connection that you have and see like that was You're kind of directing him on that play. We've seen that plenty of times in games. Is that just kind of backyard football right there?

Uh?

You know, man, Mark got that great connection man, like we always do. You know, ever since our rookie season, uh, going back to charges game. You know, it's always been the same same thing. You know, that's my boy, and we gonna make things happen on the field. You know that people never seen before.

Well, mam, we're.

Usually talking to players about, uh, how they're watching, fans and kids in the rock when they see you come on the field. What's it like for you when you see Odell Beckham come out there and they're going just as great as nowadays? I love it. I'm I'm happy to see him out done. FA I just don't scream, you know, screaming in the inside. You know, I'm streaming the inside.

Of my my mom.

I tell him, like, man, that's that guy. I mean, we got, you know, one of the the best receivers in the game, you know, future Hall of Famer and I'm just glad he's here. I got to ask me if on.

Wednesday, but would you have any interest in doing that?

Netflix?

Quarterback series. Nas Oh, you know, actually definitely, you know, reached out to me before. But you know, I appreciate him, you know, but you know, I'm just trying to focus on ball right now, you know what, I'm trying to focus on ball.

I'm curious what you think of the jerseys, the practice jerseys of the golden trim around the number.

What do you think?

I love it?

Ryan.

We need to talk to missus Steven about making those game jersys and you need to be out there on that field with him. You know, I love it though, I love it.

On the defensive side of the ball. We also talk with linebacker Roquan Smith. He's a leader of this defense and he's really setting the tone and he's confident about this defense, which he talked about on Saturday. What's up? How's the intensity to go up? When you when you step in the state practice.

It's a little different feeling for sure. Like when I got off the bus, like I come in with my headphones on, I'm like, oh man, Like I had to remind myself we just practicing for a second. I come through the locker room and whatnot. But it's definitely sweetened then, you know, It's always good seeing the fans out in

You know, it's been really hot these past few days. How does that affect the whether you're able to practice, the tempo, everything that goes into it.

Oh, definitely definitely affects you. But it's mental at the end of the day. Definitely is definitely draining for sure, but it's just repairing us for the season. We're building up our cardio, getting our legs right with a lactic acid as well. So I'm excited. I think the heat is a good thing and as long as we just stand hydrated, taking care of ourselves and everything will be good. It'll pay dividends for us in a long haul.

Rocal communication has been something that PEQ said.

Marcus Williams said earlier this week.

How big was that something that you guys worked on this offseason.

Yeah, it's huge. Always been on the same page, even if you're wrong, you know, if we're all all eleven or wrong doing the same thing, then likelihood will still be all right if you ask me so. It's critical in this defense as long as you communicate, that solves a lot of problems. And just knowing where someone else is each and every given play gives you a lot of confidence as well. Communication breeze confidence. In my opinion, mean,

And then I think the sky's the limits.

One of the newcomers to the team this year is running back Melvin Gordon. Team signed him early in training camp and he's added to a really talented running back mix. Now this is a veteran running back who's been a Pro Bowl player in his career, and he talked about landing here in Baltimore here.

With Melvin Gordon.

Just Melvin, just what led you to joining the Ravens and why did you make decisions come here?

Uh?

This good organization and uh, you know, they they wanted me to be here, so you know, it's nothing better than them being in the locker room. But uh, you know people in an organization that want you to be.

There, right And obviously you know, the Ravens have a lot of other good running backs, Gus and JK and guys. I mean, just what do you feel like you're kind of bringing to this running back room to compliment those guys?

Uh, just you know, just I don't know another is supposed to play maker. Uh you know, I'm just waiting on my opportunity. And you know, those guys kind of got there. Uh you know, they're kind of establishing this in this organization, and uh, you know, they got drafted here they've been here for you know, four plus, I think four plus hears everybody here. So you know, being a new guy, Uh, you know, you just gotta you gotta take you know, each and every opportunity for what

So we'll talk about establishment.

You're a pro Bowl running back.

You know, what do you want to prove to people?

You know, after your last year in Denver?

Yeah, I still got it. You know that I just was in a bad situation. And uh, you know, I'm sure it's a lot of guys that's over there right now thinking the same thing that I'm thinking. Like, you know, people do a lot of dirt, kick them when they were down and disrespected and disrespected their name, and it's just a lot to prove.

You know.

I'm just in a different color now. Some of those guys get to do it in those jerseys over there in Denver. Uh you know, So you know, I'm happy that you know, most of the guys that that you know didn't have the years that we wanted due to a bad situation, got another opportunity. Uh, just to show the world. And and really that's that's all you can ask for.

You know, there's a lot of free agent running backs still out there. You know, what does it feel like for you that the Ravens came out and got you?

You know, it feels good, man. I mean, I'm honestly blood Uh, you know, nothing to complain about with anything when it comes to this. You know, I'm happy that I get to put on the jersey and represent, you know, an organization. You know, I'm excited because I could be at home and be wondering what I'm what I'm gonna do next, you know, and I have some things lined up, but it's just you know, I'm I'm not ready to get my dream up right now. And like I said, I think I was supposed to be over here, I

The right decision to bring me.

I'm curious what happened two years ago. How close were you to becoming your raven back then? That's close.

That was really close.

People don't even know.

But yeah, everything worked out for a reason exactly here now.

Well, thank you, Bell, I appreciate it.

Man, Thank you.

That was running back Melvin Gordon. You also heard from linebacker ro Kwan Smith, quarterback Lamar Jackson, and head coach John Horrbaugh. You're listening to the Ravens Press Pass podcast. Also make sure you check out the Lounge podcast. Ryan Mink and I go through a full breakdown of everything that we've seen during the first week of training camp practice.