Locker Cleanout: Ravens Press Conferences 1/20/25

Welcome into the Ravens Press Pass podcast. The Ravens held their locker clean out day today after losing in the divisional rounds of the Buffalo Bills. On Sunday, the Ravens had their final team meeting and said their farewells this morning, and after that final team meeting, we had a chance to hear from some of the players. So let's go ahead and kick it off with full back Patchwork card.

Pat.

I mean, you you've been through a few of these now, disappointment kind of always the same or does it grow over the years as you guys keep getting close.

I think whenever you don't go to the Super Bowl and win it, it's always disappointment, But you still have to have pride and just look at the memories and this season that we had, everything we've accomplished as a team. Individually, this is one of the most fun I've had playing football. It's the best offense ever been a part of. You know, I got to play with the best running back in football, best quarterback in football. So there's a lot to hang my hat on. But you know, at the end of

So.

But I don't look at us as a failure.

You know, We've did a lot of great things, a lot of things we can learn from and improve as a team. So uh yeah, it obviously hurts, but time will hill all all things. You just gotta look at the things that you're grateful for. I'm healthy, I gotta beautiful family, beautiful daughter. Can't wait to spend time with them. So that's what I'm excited about right now.

Have we know how time that this team is and the great seasons you guys have had, including this one, why do you feel like you guys haven't been able to get to that ultimate.

Goal that you want.

You just made too many mistakes. You know, you can't turn the ball over three times. There's a lot of things that happened in that game, and I feel like if we didn't make those, with those mistakes, we were in that game to win it, especially against a great team like Buffalo. So uh yeah, it's just those those mistakes you just can't happen. And even though we had those mistakes,

But yeah, it's just too many mistakes that at you know, with how.

Talented more is that it's just at some point the odds are that, yeah, he's gonna get there.

Yeah, you know how special he is. And I think this year, you just just seeing how he's grown as a player, just how quickly he's making decisions, just his growth of his reads is the way he throws the ball, the way he decides when to run. It's inevitable he's gonna win a super Bowl and I wanna be a

He already is.

But I know everyone considers championships as the the standard, and you know he'll he'll get it one day.

You know.

I always love when people compare him to Pain and man and pain Manning was three and five in playoffs, just in the same amount of spand that Lamire is and he wanted to win a couple. So there's still time. He's still young. He's definitely gonna get one at some point.

Wanting to get one with you thought of it at all, agency.

Yeah, I mean maybe a Phrasian. I wanna stay here. I wanna be here. I want to retire here. But you know, we'll we'll see what happens when the time comes.

Remember that that will do replaces offense.

I mean, I know a couple of years ago when he came in, you were Yeah, I mean I was like an offensive line.

See what I can do and why not?

But yeah, I think he sees what I can do, you know, understands how to you me? Yeah, I mean I would love to keep being a part of it as long as everyone wants me here. And you know, he wants to keep using me the way he's been using me. You know, maybe you know, lets me throw the ball, but I'm tired of throwing.

So you guys did the position. I think you did.

How it's Mark doing like, yeah, yeah, we went in to that end room. George talk just spoke just about the whole season, just about us as a group. But yeah, Mark's a complete competitor, so he'll be fine. We all know he'll be fine. He's the heart and soul of this team. He's one big games for us, so we'll continue to win big games here. You know, he's the guy to go to in big situations. And I know he's gonna be hurting for a while, but yeah, he

Beyond your individual situation. Do you do you kind of hope that this this group coaches on down gets another shot out of it as as a as a group.

What do you mean the coaches and stuff.

Well, I mean coaches, I mean core players.

Just I think is I think as lamar as long as the Mars here, and you'll have a shot every year of getting a Super Bowl. I think that's that's the main thing. As long as the Mars here. He has a good group of guys around them that play hard for him.

That's all. That's all he needs. Do you see anything to mark today or last night?

Just just a couple of sentences, nothing crazy. I mean, there's nothing that he needs to hear that he already knows, you know, s like I like I said, I think just time will be his friend. Right now.

You talk about the influence of Todd Munkins had on this offensive past two years and how much you guys hope that he doesn't leave.

Yeah. Uh, you know, he.

Understands who he has as players here and understands how to use them. And I think you've seen the growth from year one a year or two. You know, we were so balanced this year we could do everything, attack anybody anyway. He's great to be around. He's a fun coach to play for. He knows how to be serious but also kind of keep the room late, but also able to get feedback from everybody. He doesn't have a huge ego in terms of doesn't listen to any players

Next up is Pro Bowl Defensive Lineman nominee.

The process, everything that's going on with the last twelve O MESSI wells people take.

It for time.

Oh well, you know it's not a good feeling when you uh go into anemy territory and expect to win and you lose. So you know, it's not a good feeling. But you know, we everybody in this black room mess so much love and respect for each other. So we're just trying to cope with it. But you know, just trying to suck it all. And it doesn't feel like it really hit all the way yet. But you know, I'll take your time with it.

How do you how do you move on from like the disappointment of.

The season seven.

You know, you just you just process it just one, you know, day at a time. At this point, you know it's most disappointing and uh yeah, there's no it's just you're just still trying to cope with that. You were returning our iPads a day and you know, you it just feels like, you know, we should've kept going, but you know we just fell a little short song?

It what was to like about the season? Uh? One of the ages you know worth you did all the good.

Things once you do you know where that you know, like you know this big picture wise, how do you how do you look at the season?

You know, just motivation to just uh keep going to where we belong and that's t in the top and you know it's it's just strong processing and just.

Yeah, yeah, you feel.

Like it makes it more difficult when you have games like this that you feel like an end result could have been from O.

Doing mistakes that you guys said not so much that be us.

It's that way in on it.

Oh, in some ways it does. Yes, you know, if we all look back at the film, I know there's things that we could have done better, but you know it's over and done with and the results of the results, and you know, just processing it all and just trying to move move forward with impossible like and and and do better like uh just uh you know chairs this norment with these guys. You know, every years it's a

Move on.

We also heard from rookie first round pick cornerback Nate Lakes, Well, they just how difficult is at the end of the season and and know 'em that it for this year. It's it's it's over right now.

Yeah, you know, it's it's very difficult just knowing, uh just knowing how good we how good we uh could have been. Uh just it just difficult just knowing, uh we just gave the game up and know we could have on. So uh it's it's it's very difficult. But uh like just like we just gotta go into that season U get better.

But what are the conversations like today as you talk with teammates and kind of process. What's going on the last twenty four hours.

Uh, it was just a lot of uh just people was just upset. Just uh just keep being ourself, like, uh, nobody not we not losing anybody. We just losing to ourselves. So everybody just uh just mad about that for real.

For you, what do you take away from your rookie season?

Uh?

Just just really Uh I know, uh I had in beginning of the season just a lot of uh pis, but going going like deep into the season, I started getting better. So now it just uh for me to just get uncomfortable. I feel like I'm comfortable enough going to my next season or naw, I'm I'm ready to go.

So yeah, y along those lines, I mean, you got your your snaps increase, You're playing time really increasing, you play a key role down the stretch. Uh how poious going into your second season? Do you feel like you are to to come in and be a starter and then play a big role.

I feel like, uh, I'm i'm'a poor to uh as eg as they can be.

Uh.

I feel like I showed what I can do. Uh, I show what uh my COVID skills, So I feel like I can go out and body in the league, you know, so uh yeah, I.

And I guess for you, what what's your.

Big focus this off season?

Uh?

Just really getting stronger and getting my weight up.

Uh.

I feel like that's a big part of my game, just getting stronger and uh.

When they drafted you, they said they had a plan for you in your physical development.

I mean, how much did you develop or how much could you develop from when you got here to Baltimore into I guess where you kind of r down.

Uh yeah, I develop uh tremendously.

Uh.

I feel like my my strength uh just taking on uh like the NFL. Like NFL Uh guys, I feel like, uh I'm not getting bullied around like folks said I was, and I'm getting out the season. So uh yeah, I feel like my uh my weight and strength that got community scrimble was you're.

Playing weight higher this year than it was in Clemson.

Oh yeah, yeah, sir, Yeah. Uh in clumps, I was like one sixty something. No, I'm like one seventy eight, seventy six, seventy eight.

So is it is there a target that you want to get through this offseason?

Uh?

Nah, not really, just to get strongled for real. I don't really not tryna add weight just to get stronger. Uh, I ain't trying to lose no speed.

So, in addition to hearing from Nate Wigans, we also heard from fellow rookie right tackle Roger Wildcar.

What was it like to, you know, go from there?

Yeah, by the way, you know, I think anytime you give up a sack as an alignment, it's probably the lowest point you'll ever you'll ever be in as an alignment, you know. And I just took the negative and turning in the positive. So you know, I only I knew I could only go up from there. And you know, kind of this back half of the season, I you know, I want to make sure I laid it out all on the line. You know, I gave it my all, and you know that's the one thing I walk with

So what do you think you've learned most about yourself?

Yeah, that you know I'm here for a reason. Like I said kind of earlier, I'm here for a reason, and I could be the most dominant player I want to be at offensive tackle, and you know, my goal is to try to help this team get as many wins possible and help guys like Lamar Derek Mark win that Super Bowl they all been chasing because they laid the groundworks for this organization and you know, I'm gonna do.

Everything I can to help that happen.

Did it feel like a launching pad kind of season for you?

Ah?

Yeah, I mean for sure, I think my first snap kind of started off low and you know, kind of just accelerated from there.

So you know, it's been It's been a really good season for me.

You know, I want to make sure I built in got better weekend week out.

So yeah, just a technical question for you. Do you feel like right tackle? You just focused this off season right tackle, right tackle, right tackle? Or is there any prospects that you think, Hey, if they wanted me to play left tackle next year or try it, that you could.

Yeah, you know, I think a lot of that will come down on you know, what decisions being made in the off season that kind of earned on my hands, you know, gott Willing. I hope we keep Ronnie, Like I said, those aren't in my hands. But Ronnie played like an All Pro this year. In my opinion, I think you should have been a Pro bowler. Played his ass off all year. And you know, whether if that means me go to left tackle or wherever happens, you know, I'm willing to do whatever.

Wide receiver Dave Flowers talk with the media. He was unable to play in the two playoff games after injuring his knee in the regular season finale, disappointing way for his season, and he talked about the lessons of this season and his mentality moving forward.

What would be the key to overcome another year very similar like the last one.

No, we got turnovers, so we gotta shot the turnovers. We gotta we gotta get better at that in the playoffs?

Say just how difficult was it to not be able to play?

I mean, you had a great season, make the Pro Bowl, and just to not be available.

For these postseason you get some tough Wasn't no killing me for show a lot. I want to be out there every game. I want to be I want to go through everything they go through. So not being out there it took a little toll on me just to watch that and not be able to participate and do what I wanted to do and help the team.

Did you feel like you were gonna have a good chance in Kansas City if you guys advanced.

Uh?

Yeah, I feel like I was gonna have a better chance to play.

You feel sure that's something that you gotta carry into the offseason as as mitigation.

Uh, definitely, cause you you wanna play your last game. You wanna play every game, so not being able to play that that that it'll mess with me a little bit.

Do you hope that most of this group gets to come back together and take another shot out at it from.

Coaches on down? Yeah, I wish.

I wish the whole grou would come back and these these are the guys, these my guys, so why not why not take another cry?

Lamar was a vocal post game.

You know, turnovers kind of were the end result in this one.

What do you say to guys like him, the guys like Mark that kind of have those moments unfortunately.

Fall to them.

I mean, I mean, you go the whole season and Lamar do what he do, run around the backfield and make plays, and then everybody like, oh he great, he this, he that, and then he mess up one time and then now it's nah n I everybody don't want him to do what he do. Just like Mark, he catch everything. He dropped one, he dropped two. The I mean, it's football, so sometimes it happened, Ye.

Tay, what was the message y'ah from the coach and made that?

Uh?

He told us he proud of us. He told her he probably everything we went through, ups and down. So i'm'a just take it like that.

So yeah, Todd Todd stealing has head coaching interviews that's interested in just how big a loss would it be if if Todd were to depart.

I mean, we had we had a top two, top three offense the past two two years since I've been here, So just learning another player, but that'd be crazy. But coach Market did a great job with us in and you know, if he take the job, then congrats.

But we would like him. We like him. You know, Lamar's probably better than anybody here.

Do you what do you think again, coming from a season like this, what he'll take and and go into that call?

He mad?

We mad?

He mad for sure, like cause we know we know our team, we know what we supposed to do, and we know the only way that we we can't do what we want to is what we did yesterday.

So I already know how you feeling.

We already know how everybody feeling in so it ain't really much I can say because we already know.

We also heard from running back Justice Hill the kind of process this day. I know, it's always difficult. How do you go about the emotions of this day?

You know, it's only one team that's gonna be happy at the end of the season, So fortunately that's not us, and I mean kind of used to at this point. But we're just gonna regroup, go about it the same way, same mentality and work, putting the work from now till the kick off.

Next season, go through the season and hope, hopefully we.

Get another chance to win the thing.

So yeah, how.

Do you look at the season? Obviously there's a lot of good you want, want the division and want a playoff game at but it doesn't end the w you want. How do you look at the season on the whole?

Yeah, man, it was a good year. I think for us it was a it was a really.

Good developmental year two, just going through a lot of versity early on, fighting through adversity, fighting through being down and coming back and winning games, uh, something that we really I hadn't done that much since I've been here, and so I feel like it was a good building year for us, and that's gonna carry us since the next year. I mean, momentum has been set and we just gonna continue to build on that. Obviously, it's not

That's It's just how much do you cross your fingers and hope that Todd Funkin is is still here. He's taking some head coaching interviews.

Yeah, man, t Man, he's been a a great oc he He's putting guys in great situations, in great position to make plays, and uh P, it's really been fun to be a part of. Uh So, if if he gets a head coaching job, that's what coaches dream of, you know, just like players wanna have high accolades and make Pro Bowls and it be Hall of famers, uh, coaches wanna be head coaches one day.

And so if he gets the opportunity, i'm'a be out for 'em.

Huh. How much adds to kind of the disappointment that you know, you didn't get another shot at the Chiefs. How how bad did you guys want that shot to do?

I mean, you just wanna go to super Bowl and if they were in a way, uh, we would have to get through 'em, and I'll be.

An excited whoever we played to get to a super Bowl.

So unfortunately it's not the case, but uh we'll try to get next year.

For you, you know, a big season for you, career highs really across the board.

Just what did this do for you individually?

M I I mean it's something that I knew I could do this entire time, and so at definitely the beginning of my.

Career was very frustrated not being able to get the opportunities. And so.

Yeah, I mean I'm right where I need to be, doing the things I wanna do and doing the things that I know I can, and so I'm just gonna continue to prove on those things and uh do what I uh do whatever I can do to help a team with.

How how how confident are you that Thereck Henry could have another season next year like you had this season.

I mean, it's the greatest running back, the one of the eer to ever played for real, So, uh, very confident. I don't think they'll go ever have a drop off. And if he ever feels himself there, I don't think he would play. But if he feels strong and which he is, probably the best he's felt in his career, Like uh, I expect him to have even better year next year.

Justice, We know how good of a team you guys are. You all you're always having these these great regular season Why do you think you guys haven't been able to kind of get where you wanna be and change.

Your work s. You just gotta make the plays when the players are there to be made. And uh, yeah, well, in the last couple of years, we've turned the ball over and we just hadn't been able to play those perfect games that you need to play in the playoffs to win. We're definitely capable of playing those games and

It get harder, easier, is the same, like every year to come back from, you know, a disappointment like.

That, Harder, easier, the same, I guess. I mean, I guess it would be getting an article like the more you go through it, if it's just more frustrating, I would say than anything. But uh, I mean, the only one team wins at the end of the year, you know, So it's thirty thirty one other teams with the same exact feeling, and so, uh, we're just gonna continue to do the things that we can to improve as a team overall and make sure that we're that one happy team.

At the at the end of the year.

So and lastly, we hear from offensive lineman Patrick McCarry kind of.

A you know, a day later to do the kind of the feelings still linger from from that game.

Yeah, still sucks, have to move on, right, but it's okay that a lot of sings for a little bit.

That's part of it.

How long it will it take you to get work.

I don't know, day at a time. The hopefully quite h doesn't help help.

It been around since you know, n nineteen, when you guys have had such good teams in the regular season to to keep getting this close but not break 'em through the way you wanna me to help.

How frustrate seven? It's tough. Uh, there's only one winner at the end of it, so not being that one, it's tough, but thirty one teams go through that and that's part of it. It's tough to make it this far and not get to the super Bowl.

Uh.

But either way, we got an uh get another opportunity next year to do it again. So hope for a better outcome LA next year.

That's you.

You've always been out of a play here and play there guy blove on the way you feel.

Like you showed about your solo season and kind of by the starting role.

Uh, I don't know I could keep doing it.

Uh.

I hope that I showed that.

Still.

How do you put get over and saw some wine there is that?

Yeah, that's just from your maybe a couple bottles that would be good.

Uh.

Yeah, I don't know. You gotta move on, just get to work again and put everything in perspective and keep going.

Have you have you thought about your future and and the not lots here? Not yet?

I hope, I hope me here, I don't know, not yet, Patrick.

H even you know, like you said, it's only one winner.

But does it make it tough.

To still look at cause you guys had a great regular season and everything that do you still kind of as a successful year?

How do you equate it? Yeah?

I mean we had throughout the year. There's a lot of opsers, a lot of downs. Uh. Right now, it's easy to focus on the negatives because we didn't get what we wanted.

Uh.

But I think as the days go on, you look back, you said, we did we did a lot of good stuff. It's not to where we want to be and hoping for a better outcome next year, but we did some special things this year, and we'll remember that.

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