Welcome into the Ravens Press Pass Podcast. It is Saturday, July twenty seventh. The Ravens wrapped up their sixth practice of training camp as Lamar Jackson returned from illness and was on the field for the first time since Wednesday. Jackson's presidence brought an extra jolde of energy to today, and fans cheered lally when he jibed onto the field.
After practice, head coach John Harball talked about Lamar coming back and said that the practice was dedicated to former Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones.
Hey, everybody, great to see you here. Appreciate you being here. Big day, second day in pads, and also a celebration of Jacoby Jones. We dedicated the practice today to Jacoby Jones because we got a chance to come out here and do what he'd loved to do so much. And it really couldn't have been any more fitting than They have almost fifty teams here, youth football teams including girls flag teams here yelling all practice and you heard him right, I mean it was it was pretty loud out there.
I had a little substitution issues, I think because of the crowd noise, so that was fun. But in honor of Jacoby and his uh, his amazing energy and smile and love for the game and love for life, I will dedicate that effort to him. All right, what questions you have, John.
Lamar was out there today? From from your viewpoint, how did he make it out of out of practice today?
Yeah? I thought he did really well. I mean you especially considering the fact that he's had to come back from being sick. You know, I thought he looked good. He had a lot of energy. I know, he worked really hard to get out here and worked really hard to make sure he was ready to be to put his best foot forward as best as he could. I thought he did, and even as a practice went on, you could see him kind of finding himself even more and more. So. I was really happy about it.
What difference did that make when he's out there? I said, the obvious it's Lamar Well.
I mean, I think it's a good point, Brian, and it probably is the obvious. I mean, I don't know if I could say anything other than the fact that at your starting quarterback, uh, you know, he's the best quarterback in football. We believe and we're determined to prove it and uh, he's out there today working with the guys. That makes a big difference.
Look on one of the drills, Uh, be able to drive the length of the field, score the touchdown with like on the scoreboard you guys with simulating down by a certain points drills in tugrabe. That kind of performance in general just speaks too many to the back out of your day.
Want to do something now.
It does say a lot. I mean to come out with like that two minute drill into the game, minute twenty left, one time out and needed a touchdown down by five and uh and and look fantastic. You know it's always been a strength of Lamars. Two minutes. I thought the whole offense executed well. Defense executed well too. The offense just made the plays.
Tray BoNT Home have an injury and to the share.
On his status, Yeah, he fell on it his shoulder, So we'll have to see where we're at when we get back in there.
When I was out there is I think all right with them.
They had a personal thing that I excuse him for. Yes, the family celebrations, it was actually a wedding that was really important to him.
John. When you get into these paddent practice, and you can't do them all the time.
But what are you most looking for because you're still not being completely physical.
Right, I saw real pumps and like back off hitting a couple of guys. What are you looking for when they get the pads? Well, you play. The thing is, I think when you to protect each other, no situations where like that where you might put the other player in danger. We really try to do a good job with our guys, and I think our guys do a great job of respecting one another no situations. Yet when both players have a chance to protect themselves, you're going.
You know, you have to be going. You're trying to win the battle. And now you have a physical contest. Remember we said before there were no physical contests to win. Now there are physical contests to win, and the guys want to win them.
John, You see if you have a lot better task walking out there today, a lot more.
Time to pocket for all the four that stick together.
Yeah, I thought the old line did a good job yesterday and today with that. And whether it's the pads coming out or not, but they just were really physical in terms of moving their feet laterally and stopping some of the intration, especially in some of the games and twists, so it was a it was an improvement for sure.
Looked like Gum at one point, View and Zach and even heard in their labor we're having a you know, conversations and you kind of ships light on just content you.
Guys like like he did, you know, it gives people and then and then you'll get ESPN with Jamison's group over here. Hey, Jamison, what about that? I don't write the headlines. I mean the articles didn't say anything what the headline just said. And he just always hides behind he hides behind the uh the headline writer, which I respect and I'm sure it's true. So spirited we're talking. We what we try to do is this organization.
That does some things and people think it's about it's your fault, and you're like, no, it's that other guy.
I can't deny that. I can't deny that. You're right, get focus focus. Well, we the point is we try to be like we try to be. We try to be we say, obnoxious in our communication, uh, over zealous in our communications. We're talking about a leverage there in the goal line. Whether we want we we want the defender to be inside or outside in his coverage. How much help does he really have in that coverage? And that's what we were talking about. You know, where do
we want to put him? And we want to have those conversations all the way through camp about all of our football all the time. We want to be quality, controlling ourselves all the time. What's the best way to do it? Oh, there's a line not drawn right in that drawing up there. Whatever it might be. We want to chase perfection and our shared understanding and our vision of how we're going to play the game. That's the most important thing we do. We're here football, that's what
we do. We've got to be on the same page on everything we do. So that's part of that. And we have those conversations all the time. And I love it. I mean I just love it to me. It's what makes it fun to me. You know that we're willing to do that and able to do that with our guys. Coaches and players are on a partnership, man, I mean we are partners in this thing. We work together in this thing. We're trying to be the best we can be together as a football team.
More all than mentioned as as a boss a little way, you know, to it seems like you know, shut up. So you weren't worried about him coming in and we just talk about how you score five days and you never stated.
His games moving soon, good, moving super good. Looks great to me. We had we had a we had another conversation that was a spirited conversation Marlon and I about and he asked me about the first step in press coverage, you know what I thought, And we talked about that, and that's what we should be talking about all the time.
John, we haven't asked you about it.
Being that's the end of the first week.
The three of the rookies that we haven't seen out he or Isaac, Tampa and Rigbe those any of those guys do you close and we don't like what's Rigby's story?
Yeah, those guys are soft tissue, you know, lower leg. They use the typical things that happened to rookies sometimes coming off the combine and all that.
Uh.
Diese has been struggling with that since before the combine, Rigby since right around getting here the combine whatever. Uh, and then Tampa had the sportsternity surgery. So those are all not unusual, certainly frustrating for those guys. They want to be out here, but you can't bring them out too soon or they do it again, then you got another five or six weeks. So we're trying to do right by those guys and and honestly hold them back just a little bit so when they come back they're
ready to go. That's exactly right. I mean that, that to me is the that's the craft, that's the art of it all. And we try to say, uh, you know, the the right to to to hit somebody all right, stops for the other players in jeopardy, you know, so you can guys generally know when it's a compromising situation for the player and you try to pull up in that type of situation.
Tight Ends Code George Gatzi talked about the versatile capabilities of the tight ends in the room, led by Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely.
When Okay, you know Mark Andrews for he's done great constant production. You since you've been a round him, what do you think makes Mark?
And yeah, I mean he gets it, and he works hard and he's capable of a lot of things. You know, he's really a positionless player. And that's what we talk about the room really, because we play outside, we play inside in the slot, we play attached. We've got a lot of different roles, so all those guys are capable. And Mark leads a group, him and Pat.
You know, here's my out lighting up at the tight ends, working out with the tight ends.
He made a couple of plays in practice today.
What's kind of the vision for him positionally.
Yeah, the same type of deal. You know, he's a he's a big body. He can run, he can catch, he's learned the position, he's flexible, he's played quarterback. You know, he's kind of what the quarterback's looking at. So he's young, he's learning, he's eager. You know, he's got a big capacity to learn too. So excited about him.
Georgian soon sometimes kind of intensive battles between someone like Charlie Koehler and like a Brent Urban's obviously very very tough at his lodge when he's in like tight end. I guess what he's kind of a learning curve for for Kolar as he transitions to more of an inline role and potentially a bigger row in this offense.
Yeah, I mean, I think you're gonna say a big jump from him. He's made a huge strides from not only just year one to two, but now you know two to three. I think you're gonna see a big jump. He's working extra again. He's another guy that's capable of taking in a lot of information both in the run game in the past game. But you know he's gonna make his mark physically at the line of scrimage, controlling the defender. So I'm excited about what he's doing.
He saw, particularly when Mark Anders went out, Isaiah went from a stretch where you know, he broke out in terms of pumpers.
Have you seen him build off that just carry that kind of momentum into the off season and early Isaiah yeahah yeah.
I Mean he's a guy that goes out there.
He challenges safeties, he challenges corners, he's inside obviously working against our backers.
You know, we got a good group.
Defensively, we're going against every day, so we're getting challenged. But isaiahs so f uh, you saw it last year and that's going to continue to improve. I mean, our group that we have, it's so versatile and you know, really really excited about the group. Really from top down.
The biggest visit music, play recognition, is it going on? Where's the biggest strategy you've seen in many.
Well, it's it's it's the chemistry with him and Lamar. And you know, again, he's a guy that we're moving all over the place. So he gets one or two reps at something and then later on and uh in the week, he's got to execute it again. So he's getting the extra work and he's asking the good questions. The chemistry is there, I mean, the communication, it's been wonderful listening to him and Lamar work together.
So I love it.
Essentially starting however, tight end, what have those conversations been like workshopping how you want to.
Do the game plan? And it's been very fun. I mean, we've got four guys that we think we can put out there at any point, at any position, and you know, including Pat, So it's a versatile group. It's exciting. We're physical, we catch the ball, we run, you know, so we're gonna be moved around in the offense and that's the role that we want, you know, we want to be put in a position to succeed. And uh so whoever's out there, we feel like we'll do that.
Yeah, you mentioned you've had four guys in accruping.
Pat think it's a great point and there's a limited number of tight.
Anti fullbacks and that they four guys, I mean, how do you console them about cannot pay none of them getting into the stack camp with people do.
Into Yeah, I mean we're trying to get as many reps as we can and opportunities that present itself, same thing the receivers are doing. So you know the point that we made about being positionless, so you know, we may be in the tight end room, but we're out there extended doing the same things that maybe receivers doing and then vice versa. You know, the blocking is one thing for us in line and you know, we feel
like we can take as many roles as possible. We saw that unfold last year and we've seen that unfold. You know that we're gonna need everybody, you know to succeed.
So were the addition Derrick Henry run blocking became more important entered this season just to see what have you seen w likely and for there and there being able to be handline blockers.
Yeah, I mean the good thing about Derek he can run with a lot of bodies in there or run with not a lot of bodies in space. So we'll do both of it, you know, and everybody's gonna have their role, and uh, you know, we're gonna block for him and he's gonna block for us in the passing game. So it's gonna be a good, good, good cohesive unit to work together to get yards.
Georgia.
Do you think that's like kind of the defensive trend guys getting smaller faster has maybe made it easier for you know, tight ends not necessarily have to be a smash mouse style to be you know, physically to have that physical advantage. You know, all linebackers weighing like two and three four downs, edgeshutters maybe being you know, later than they were back in the day. Is that easier to maybe have an advantagement you have.
I mean, there's there's so many different variations that we go against, you know, summer lighter, summer bigger, and I think when we present what our challenges are off offensively for someone to defend, I think it creates a lot of problems. And that's what we're after. You know, we got big guys, we got physical guys, we got inline guys. We've got guys we can extend, you know, and and really that's what we're trying to do, is create as many mismatches as possible.
You know, Isaiah likely talked about building on the already strong chemistry has with quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Is that what stand out for you the most first week off Fame?
Can I say?
Really?
Competition? I mean everybody getting back into you know, the football mentality. Everybody's you know, attacking their one on ones, making sure you know the offense, defenses, iron shopping and iron making sure everybody's in tune with what they got going on.
As deductive as.
You were to end last season.
How has that affected your mentality this offseason?
Coming in their camp is there?
How does that affect your drive?
Really?
Just you know, wiping the slate clean. I mean, knowing obviously the pros and cons of what I did to end off the year, but understanding that obviously what I it wasn't enough to get the ultimate goal. So coming back with the mentality of you know, job not finished, and attacking everything I did from the little details so obviously the things I do well even harder than before, and trying to know be that that piece, that leader on the offense to get everybody going.
You talk about chemistry all the time.
The more great chemistry than the last year he was there, another the help we can get to and it so.
I to feel back to the oh for sure. I mean I feel like there's still plays on the field that me and Lamar you know, just might have just missed, or you know I was off and he expected me somewhere, or I split it a certain way. So you know, just harping on those things and practice hearing it from his perspective, whether he's taking the rep with me or
just watching from the sideline. He's always in tune to you know, watching either when you're on or when you're off, and always you know, going to the ipadle and you know, like hey, if you look here, I'm gonna hit you, or or if you do this this way, like expect it right now, and stuff like that.
How have you guys up that chemistry like deserve an example of it?
Lamar, there's nuts, I say, really, just you know, harping on little things in practice. I mean everybody brings up the I guess like the Texans game when I told him to throw it up I mean that was just you know what we do in practice. Like I'll be in practice and say, man, Lamar puts some more air, and I promise you I won't make you wrong. So like having those you know, situations in practice where he trusts me, where he does that in practice, so you
know in game it's not the first time. So in game when I say, Lamar, throw it up, throw it up like I got you, I promise you, and he nods his head, lets me know like I got you. Next time I got it. And you know, when it's complete, it's always a good thing.
Does it lift everybody when he is out there?
I mean for sure? I mean you guys see I mean not only from like you guys point of view from seeing him like wow, like quarterback one's back out here, but you know the kids energy and that you finally get to see him. Lamar brings that that you know, obviously that leader role, but obviously that smile. I mean it's infectious, not only the offense, but for the team knowing that your leaders here, knowing that he's gonna give every play he got the.
Say he had a clearly capitals are ample today.
What if these politicians been like and how setting is.
Against I say, it's you know, it's fantas. I've been going up against Kyle since rookie year. I mean, you guys been here all the time. Me and Kyle went from rookie year again, like seven straight one on ones every day to now where it's like when we see each other, we know like, Okay, this might be the only one I get, so I can't have him talking in the locker room about it or when it we get on the sideline, so you know, whether I win one,
whether he wins one. We always want to talk and say like, hey, why'd you do that that certain way? Or why'd you do that certain way? And like even today, like me and Kyle got a little bit after practice so we could work on some technique stuff with me and him and like going from there. But I say, like Kyle always gets me better, like win, lose or draw my rep Like I feel like I always got better.
Is that part of what.
Gets you through some of the drudgery of training camp, those little those little one on one moments.
Yeah, for sure. I mean obviously, like if you could spot your one on one before the play happens, like you're already like, okay, it's me versus you, But like most of the time, my defense is a great job disguising who has who or what what does what? So you know when you when you find tune your rep and knowing who you got and being able to attack it competitively, that's all always, you know, A blessing the day, Isaiah.
There's been a lot of talk about a very versatile role for your ass off.
That's the coaches have mentagen multiple times.
How excited are you for that role?
And then how much extra work have you put it?
What kind of actual work we need?
Different thing in the nature you know.
All of your assignments.
I say, I'm very excited. I mean I finally like I feel like I finally get to show everybody in my football knowledge. I mean understanding, you know, being that chess piece, as I say it, from in line to off the ball, to in the slot to out wide to in the backfield, showing coach that as long as I know where I am for that specific play and that specific design attaching that matchup, I mean I could be the nightmare that everybody wants me to be. And
showing that you know, I can study the playbook. I know the playbook in and out to be able to tell not only the receivers where to go, where the running back has to go, and we can play as fastball as possible, being.
Tight and meane as well receiving, but also blocking the additional pen rain line loss.
Just how much of an importance is that a part of your off season building blocks?
Oh?
For sure. I mean I felt like, you know, obviously like we want to get better in line blocking. That's definitely gonna keep me on the field a lot more. But really just working on you know, that first step, that hand placement, and really just you know, strain. That's the one thing I felt like as a blocker, it's more like your willingness. I mean, how how much do you want it more for your person not to make the tackle for him rather than him make the play.
So I feel like that's more of you know, your wanting your drive at the end of the day in the play and I feel like that that's something I'm gonna show a lot more this year.
More less difference in terms of first snap with her target productivity to play asis, twelve plusdowns.
And an interceptions to play us.
They've got a lot of interceptions to play it into these years, will you kind of diagnose some of the difference.
Whether that's the mall or mocking as to the screen last.
Year, to you guys, what is the it's responsible for that difference?
I say it really comes to how bad do you want the ball again? And from a quarterbacks perspective, like if they throw an interception and it goes to you, more than likely if they have the same opportunity again, they're probably not gonna throw the ball again. And that's how I think, at least, you know, obviously it is that next play mentality. You know, things happen obviously, But my mind is my ball and nobody's I tried to
make into one hundred versus TV nothing. And that's the way I tacked the ball, whether it's a good ball, bad ball, anything everything. If I feel like I can put my hand on the ball, I could catch anything. So just going up to the mentality of the ball of its mind and nobody's and I feel like if I have that mentality, then I can get my quarterback any type of window to throw the ball and always make them run.
Michael Pierce believes fellow defensive tackle Travis Jones could have a breakout season much like Justin Matdoweke had in twenty twenty three.
First, uh, you know, I have remember eighty backcap player to go against.
What's that?
From a defensive perspective, it's been a lot more challenging. Josh and them have done a great job. But anytime you can bring you two time MVP back, things especially get a little a little more hectic. So it's been great. It gives everybody and energy. Glad to see he's healthy, doing well, and said it makes our jobs as a defense a lot more harder, but we enjoy it. You're notoriously close in front urban.
How happy are you to see him come back to your guys have always have a little bromance.
Awesome? No, he he texted me before he had to make his make his decision. Excuse me now, coach, we enabled us the fun bunch. That's like a brother to me, one of my best friends in the league. So super super excited, and I'm glad he did shoot me a text and let me know we've and coach Mike was trying to poach him, So glad to have him back. For sure.
They want to value and bringing back all kind of from last season. Is that something that's a positive as you.
See, I would believe so anytime you have continuity, more so bringing back guys who actually impact winning, so, you know, but we bring back Beats, one of the best dtackles in the league, obviously top one hundred kind of guy myself I played well. Obviously Brody will be here again, Travis here again. They've taken tremendous steps bringing back herb solid five. They don't have a lot of those around the league, so we glad to have him back. And just having a lot of guys like uh, Sana and
Josh and all those guys. So anytime you want to, you know, have a great defense, you bring back guys throughout the second day and the front Obviously I just spoke on, but having continuity, having guys who contribute to when they understand how things go and how things fit together is important.
You've certainly spoken with great enthusiasm about Travis's potential and meat to just feel to you like the year for him to make the leap and for everybody to sort of say, yeah.
I don't think you'd be asking me if you ain't feel the same way. But no, he's taken. He's made a tremendous amount of strides. I'm just kind of trying to be what Brandon was for me, a big brother to him. But Brandon gave me a lot of room to grow and figure things out and play next to him, play with him. That's something that I've seen a lot of growth in Traftuh. He's been making a lot a
lot of plays. And I don't mind splitting reps with him as like you know there obviously, but to see him grow, to see him make those strides, and to see I believe he's gonna have an amazing year this year for sure.
So you guys an option TV and if you guys off about or Jinger bound.
Me about being the best.
Yeah, that's what we trained for every year we come out and uh, you know, we got bigger guys. We don't always have. We have just a better and bk now, but we don't have those flashy names, if you will. So we end up probably in tenh or so. We played good defense here, but we don't have those star quality names on the inside. But each and every year we tend to, you know, rise throughout the year. So that's something we trained for. That's something that we expect
just being the dominant D line. Like I said, we all don't have the goutdy numbers that some teams have, But like I said, I think we measured by the collective group and how everything goes. So when Rod has success, when PQ had success, Trenton will have success. Obviously, Beaks and everything will come along. So we all have a part in this thing. And like I said, at some point, we'll we'll we'll get there.
Guys on the line with some of the starters, And what has it been like for you going out against centered watching them?
Yeah, D's house today, it's it's been a joy.
Uh.
Vorhees is gonna be really good. He's just learning and getting back. So Ben's been here uh solid as well, So I think, uh, you know, the first few days of camp, but filling that role, you know, it takes a while. But also when you go against guys like myself and Trav and brought in get those different looks and get those opportunities that they never had before, I
think they'll grow a lot. So now we're all enthusiastic and like I said, we just kind of got to see how it all feels out, but now they're they're hungry to make a name for themselves, So that's the most important thing.
Michael.
Obviously Zach Ord's didn't hear a number of years as an assistant, but you played with him certainly, certain what do you remember about him as a player that maybe signal this could be his pulling at one point, So just what's it like having him as your defensive coordinator?
So I would say the thing that always stuck out about Zach is just how team oriented he was, selfless he was, and then when he got his out tunity he became all pro. So not many people can have had that trajectory, especially being an undrafted guy. So just see how he worked and how he was so diligent and wade his way patiently, kind of like his coaching career.
I know his career was cut short due to something he couldn't control, but to see him rise through the ranks, like I said, he was a brother of mine on the field what eight years ago, So to see how he's roising is awesome and that makes me want to play for him just that much harder, Just play much harder for him. But now I definitely enjoyed to see him, see him rising. I think he's doing a great job and I think he'll will will play really hard for him.
Like two things about last year he just wasn't really special.
One is that five guys played every single stamp thereer and any other experience clots.
In forty four percent of the stamps on average.
The other feeling was if you guys were a.
Whole lot more like the pass rupt stamps.
In the previous season, you had a lot of outside impact, just kicked me inside.
If you talked about those two things over it couldn't resent a conditional good person between twenty two and twenty three.
Mmm, I wouldn't say so. Scott has always done a great job, even though we had Steve Pryor. It's just more so, you know, Coach Weave and now Coach Dennis is trusting our inside guys to make a lot more effect on the passer expecting it. So, I mean, guys trained for it throughout the off season. But you know, traditionally we've had bigger both here guys like ourselves who just blast through a gaps and that's kind of was it.
But as our defense has evolved, as they started expecting different things, and obviously we're in the passing league now those things have passed. Rush and effecting the passer have been what's for crying now, So now I'm grateful that coach Weave has allowed us to grow into that role. But like we see, we got myself, we got Traff Brody, all of us can you know, not only stop the run but make a great effect on the passer. May not be sacks, but pressures and all those kind of things.
So now it's good when you got big bodies and mixing those guys like bring down like Herb or bring down a dopphin playing at three technique and get some one on ones and those type of things. But now it's definitely something that's expected now, so I think it's something we trained for.
Like what's it like to be in the Hey gap when Jerry Henry's in there for the.
Goal line car It's not fun.
Normally I get a double team and then by the time the double team comes off as a guy who's taller than me running through the whole really really fast. So no, it's good to have him on my side. As of right now, it's not fun for camp, but I've been on the other side of playing against him a few times. One went terribly wrong, so I know he's capable of but nah, it's not fun. But also I'm glad he'll be doing that for us instead of against us now. Rest in peace to Koba Jones.
Thank you for listening to Raven's Press Past podcast. Today completed Week one of training camp twenty twenty four. See you again on Monday.