Welcome into the Ravens Press Pass podcast. It is Monday, March eleventh, and the Ravens kicked off free agency in a big way by reaching a new contract extension with defensive tackle Justin Medabiqu. Medibik was in the building on Monday to sign that new deal and hold a press conference with the local media. So let's kick things off with Medabik, GM Eric Tacasa and defensive coordinator Zach orr.
Well.
Just first of all, I want to thank everybody for coming out here today. We are thrilled to announce that we've extended Justin Medabik to a four year contract. Very special for us to be able to get that done. We've always strived to keep our best young players here in Baltimore, and I'm thrilled that there is another example of that. And I want to thank Justin his family. I want to thank Nick Mattio, who was instrumental in
this deal taking place. I want to thank Steve Bishati, and also want to thank Ben Renzen, Justin's agent, who did a great job. So we're excited. We hope our fan base is excited. We know Justin's excited, and we can't just can't wait to see what the next four years look like.
Man, it's an exciting time.
Man.
Credit to Eric and all the people involved. Credit to Matty Beaks, man, everybody involved getting this deal done. Justin he's not only one of the best defensive tackles in the National Football League, but he's one of the best football players overall. And man, just a quick story about him. Back in twenty twenty when he came in during COVID.
I remember training camp. It was the first pad of practice and you know, we're all amped up, want to see, you know, what our team's gonna look like, ones versus ones, and Beaks is out there and I'm like, man, I got a rookie out there, Okay, about to see what's going on?
Man.
He striked the lineman TfL. It was explosive play, and I remember just that moment we looked like, man, this dude got a chance to be a great player. And ever since that day, he's come with the same mindset, practice meetings, worked his butt off, and it's no shot that he's a player that he's become today. And the great thing about it is he's only gonna get better. So it's exciting time. Happy that we got this done. He's earned this and the future is bright with Justin
Matty Beka. We just getting started.
First of all, at the thank God for sure, just without him, I wouldn't be here. I like to think Steve a Shotty Eric Cltrball giving me this opportunity to be here and to believe in me. I like to thank my dad, I'm my biggest supporter, my my uncle for making it just exciting time to think, Zach, it's crazy.
We talked about this right after the Bengals game, after that long hundred yard touchdown and everybody was just feeling bad about themselves, mean exactly, gave each other a hug, like, man, you had a great year, and already know next year gonna turn off. You're gonna be all pro. You're gonna be pro white. I can see it, I can feel it. And at that moment, I knew, I'm gonna take a month off and I'm gonna, uh literally work my butt off to be one of the best in the league.
And with hard work and faith and consistency and uh, your dreams can come true. And I'm living testimony of that. So like I think everybody who believed in me, think the whole organization, and I'm hungry, I'm I'm I'm ready to get back to work again. I've been working out, y'a can see a little bit. But uh, you know, I'm just very thankful for the opportunity, thankful to be here living my dreams. And I'm just gonna keep working and keep being better and just keep striving for greatness for.
Sure, Essostin. Uh you know, was there a time over the past week where there was a playing like, Okay, something wal term could get done pretty.
Soon the year?
Yeah, for sure.
Eric has always been in communication with me that he wanted to get a long term deal done. It was just about, you know, getting the right time and the right moment to get it done. And my agent took care of that. And now I'm here and I plan on being here for whole hopefully my whole career, because I just love this organization.
Uh.
Not only have I grown as a player, but I've grown as a person. And I just love my teammates and love staff and from the cafeteria to nutrition to everybody. You know, it's it's it's top tier. It's the best in the league. And I want to definitely be a leader and set that example and just just be the best justin I remember going into the twenty two season, Coleas Campbell was effusive talking about how you were going to bust out.
Did it just take an extra year or what do you think it was?
It came together twenty three, that didn't come together at twenty two. Uh, I mean Klass was taking all my reps. Man, But no, I'm just kidding. I just having a guy like that class a great leader or Walter Payton Man of the Year definitely says the example of how to be a true professional. And definitely having him as a as a vet, asking him questions and stuff like that.
Obviously we're competing for playing time, but also he's a he's a solid, stand up guy, always checks on me, and that's a great person to have in front of you to learn from.
Now that you've signed your second contract, do you feel like you've become one of those guys? I mean, are the young guys are coming the door, gonna start coming to you and you know you're gonna be a a toe center for the whole deal? Do you do you feel that and do you afford to that responsibility?
I guess I feel like I've always been that guy that you know, I've always opened to give information to help people out. I feel it's gonna be more now with just the success of Hat on the field and just the type of person I am, So I'm always open to help people out and be that guy definitely for young guys to ask questions, to look forward to
or or to to count upon for information. So yeah, for sure, with Justin signing, a robots up behind him and call Hamilton so some despiding defense to say, how big is that for you?
As far as putting out the rest of the defensive.
Offseason, Well, I think it's it's big anytime you keep your your best young talent. And uh, you know, we feel really good about those guys. We feel really good about where the defense stands overall, and we're just kind of on the come. We're excited to see Zach orchestrate this whole thing. And you know, certainly, I think the thing that stands about Justin is just his ability as a three down player. He can play the run, and he's an exceptional pass rusher too, and he's a guy
that's gotten better every single year. He's a great example for the younger players. You know, they can see him and see his progression from twenty twenty to now. That's exciting for those guys to see. And we're thrilled that we have him up front and we've got, you know, Roquan. We've got some good young players with Roquan at the linebacker position and also in the secondary. We feel like we're very strong.
You know, you've done.
Some work with Tubs Smith and all things in the past.
Who was it like to be able to what type of m points wasn't on.
The remains to be able to work with him now to.
Need Now it's free teaching. You know, I had to go to Atlanta and pay, you know, so for him to be on the staff now is like free teaching every day. But just the person Chuck is, you know, very open, very honest in terms of just technique and just pass rushing and stuff. He just helped not only me, but I know a bunch of my teammate just get just more crisp and more trim in terms of past rush.
And he's really good at what he does. I've worked with him for the past two years, and I feel like my game has evolved as soon as that starts happening. I'm with him in training, So yeah, great, very big influence for sure.
That's typically when you guys have used the tag in the past, you've eventually gotten a deal done, but it's usually taken some more time.
Were you surprised that this.
Came together as quickly as it did considering the deadline last Tuesday? And you know what about this negotiating negotiation made it that you were able to come to a bog term deal as quickly.
As you as you did.
Well, I think we were coming from a place of respect, you know, and Justin knows what we're all about, and we know what Justin's all about, and he's got an agent, and I think he and I have had a good relationship over the years, so you know, we weren't that far away. You know, there was a chance we could have gotten a deal done before we had the franchise them. We were close, and we've had good discussions along the way.
We met at the Combine and we've had along the way a lot of opportunities, So, you know, I think just it's keeping a lot of communication open, being honest with each other. We've we've done a lot of deals some take two years, some take two weeks, and and this was a very easy deal to get done in most cases.
Did you guys come close to a deal before last off season?
I know, you know Justin was a big on him self, but just kind of getting back how Boord, what was there any pressure on your end to get a deal done before the temperate period started and maybe to start to see some deals competitive for ropper guys at the top of that defensive white market.
Yeah.
We you know, we've never really had any kind of long term discussions with with Justin prior to this this year. You know, we had a couple of discussions during the season. Those are tricky at times. You know, obviously you want the player to be as focused as he can be on the season, and Justin did a great job of that, and we decided that as pipeas to really kind of get going on the whole thing. You certainly do look at the market. You kind of weigh that in the end.
I think, you know, there's always a value to the player to get this deal done if you can't early before the market, and sometimes there's a value for the team as well. It's not an exact science, certainly, but we felt like there was a deal to be made. We were that close that we could get the deal done, and I thought that it was in our best interests as a club to get that done, deal done before free agency started.
Like to share them old your family and when you got to use everything you've been.
Agreed to, it was huge.
You know.
The first thing I did was, you know, I park ride a little bit Angoa Lia, prayed, call my dad immediately he was stoked. He was like, what really, you know, but uh, it's very thankful, glad to have a great support system. I'm just I'm ready to get to work. Really, you know, I'm hungry now.
So Justin, you talk about that hunger and wanting to continue to get better. What what does that look like for you in the future, as as you continue to just progress in your career and get better.
How do you envision that?
And then, Zach, what is it about Justin that makes him you know, there's so much more even to come besides what he's already done.
So the bar.
Just when I see in the future is just continued greatness, continued just impact on the game, just being a forced being a cornerstone to his defense. Just hold myself at that high standard that I did this past season and
staying consistent. That's what I see. I feel like when you do those things, taking one day at a time, good things gonna flourish, Good good things gonna happen, and it's gonna radiate to the other like uh, to the other teammates for sure, and motivate them as for them, so we can just be the best because we have a goal in mine that we definitely felt short this year and we're longer to get back where we belong.
So yeah, I mean Eric said it like Justin's great against the run, He's great against the past, and this year what I felt like helped take his game to the next level. If you really just watch him and
watch our film and pay attention to it. He played all across the defensive line, so I mean he played the shade, the head up zero, played the three, played the four, played a six, sometimes played the five, He played the run and rushed out of all those positions, and like I said, this year was his first time really getting those opportunity to do that. So now it's just another year being comfortable with the technique that we
want at all those different positions. That way, teams can't just focus in on one spot where he's at, and he's gonna continue to get better at that. It's gonna be great for us. So that's that's how I see him getting better.
Man.
Just continue to work on the technique just like he said he's gonna do, and it allows to move 'em around different spots, so offenses just can't key in on 'em.
Just in, what sort of advice did you seek or or get maybe to you know, kind to reach this decision about signing the deal and stay there long term versus you know, playing out time.
And so forth.
Any advice? Uh, I don't really get much advice. He just said just just stay cool, stay calm, chill, It'll get done. They want you there, you wanna be there, just give it patience. So really, patience was my advice.
I would say, just in a lot of times, contract years, when there's pressure on it brings pressure on a player.
Some players struggled to deal with it.
Why were you so comfortable this year with knowing that you know you could be playing for your next contract?
I would say my faith for sure, My my my faith and my belief in myself kept me calm. I just knew that if I just do the right things, go to bed on time, stay consistent, stay focused, just do the right thing. I know at the end of the uh of the of the tunnel, there's gonna be some light and everything's gonna take care of itself. And and it did. So I'm gonna continue that formula, keep it going and just try to continue to be an impactful player.
Trust any you.
Know what Jack said value versatility play along that some guys aren't able to do that, whether it's is their body type or their technique. Right, what what makes you able to do that be so versatile?
Play along that?
Oh, like you said, I'd say, like like the body types and stuff like that. I feel think I have a very unique uh body type and in which I can I'm strong enough to hold myself in terms of UH being a nose. I'm quick enough and argia enough to rush as a three, and then I'm I'm also fast enough to burn the edge. They's just the hard work, UH, consistency and the standard I put myself to and knowing my abilities and just showcasing them and uh just believing in myself.
Just any talks earlier about the end of the twenty twenty two season and the goals that you had going into last year, and now when do you sort of set that mindset? You talk about how many sacks you wanna have in a season.
Sometimes you won't tell us your goals, but.
When does that when do you set those in your mind?
Now, Jefin, you mentioned sharing's moment with your family, but your teammates showed a lot of love when and and reacted very positively.
To the contract.
I mean, what was your reaction to that to just see how much support it at to you?
Uh?
It it means work to me. You know, those are the guys that uh literally we go into war with each other, you know on Sundays, Mondays and now sometimes Saturdays, I guess. So, you know, it's just a blessing just to have a brotherhood, like it's a real brotherhood. You know, we say it in the media, a lot of people say that, but it's really true. We go up playing with each other like on the football field, and we just got each other back, which with each other in
the offseason as well. You know, it was just awesome to have my uh teammate support and just be genuine love, and just a lot of guys text me like, man, this is really motivated for me, Like you really like did that?
Man?
We talked about it and now like I believe in myself, So I feel like it just creates everybody to just inspire to keep getting better.
Was it important for you to get this deal done prior a free agency because you knew that it could benefit the team to you know, navigate through free agency and so was that something that was at all on your mind?
Not really in my mind. I was just like, hopefully we can get this deal done. So when it's done, I can just focus on just grinding and getting right and getting ready for this upcoming season. And that's what happens. So now I can focus on just you know, enjoying this with my family but then getting.
Back to work.
Are touching on that, how much does not have security of the franchise tag?
How much does that help the team entry?
For you?
Well, it helps, you know, we need all the help we can get, you know, so yeah, it helps. Every little bit helps. You know, these are things that you know,
we just don't look at in a vacuum. We're trying to consider all the different consequences of these types of things, and something that I've been looking at really since last August, you know, in meetings with Nick and Pat and Aussie and Steve and Sashi and everybody, just looking at, like financially projecting out what we're gonna look like in twenty four, twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, obviously with a franchise quarterback, and what those contracts look like. I have said this before.
The landscape changes, so every deal you do is critically important in the grand scheme of things. And that's why I think you all can get a sense for the feeling we have towards justin that we were willing to commit to a contract like this, I think speaks the world for how we feel about him as a player and as a person.
Karin, the windows what's about to open? I mean, the reports are about to start flying. I mean, is there on the peace of mind also in knowing that you've probably gotten done your biggest piece of business on the off season.
Yeah, I think that's right. I mean, and looking at it, you know, you know, you just can't keep every single player on your team us A. That's a frustrating aspect of this job that I have so you have to keep your very best if you can, the guys you feel most strongly about as players, but also as people, the guys who impact your roster and your fan base in different ways, and and Justin's one of those types
of guys. We won't be able to do this in every single instance, unfortunately, but we feel very very good about what we did this weekend, and we're a better football team. We're gonna win a lot of games this year with Justin manning the defensive line, and hopefully we've got some other young players who see the opportunity to stick to stand up and help us as well.
You mentioned the importance kind of getting the steal done ahead of free agency and so forth. I'm just curious having a few that running back market versus what you might do say in the draft versus free and say do you expect to be aggressive patient? I know patients is kind of something you guys have always displayed.
Yeah, I really don't. I mean, I understand the question, but talking about a market on the eve of free agency doesn't seem like a smart thing, So I probably passing that question.
I'm wondering.
Eric mentioned that it was important to him to sign his own guys and you're one of them, Zach.
He came up through the system.
Congratulations.
By the way, I haven't seen sincere.
Does this reverbal rate through the league. Do guys talk and say like, look, the Ravens said they were going to sign their guys and Zach came up through the system.
The defensive coordinator justin.
Just got a big deal.
Do you guys talk about that? Is that's something that is is mentioned.
It hasn't been mentioned with the talks that I had with people. You know, I already know how to answer that, really, but now I haven't had those talks. Really, I'll just be kind of them my own in my own lane and my own candle, my responsibilities handling my business. And you know, definitely, uh, you don't see a bunch of people, you know s staying their whole career w in one place, but definitely this is a place that I can see myself doing that for sure.
That's right.
So that with you know, Mike McDonald going on to the Seattle to be able to have Zach or a person that you you know have already have a pool where guys in the locker room already know what does that do for you guys to have that familiarity with.
The new y as a coordinated I feel like it it makes Uh the guys in the locker room, Uh, you know, tilt their hat off to Zach and respect him in the sense of he's been there, he's done that. He knows what it takes to win this league. You know, he's been on He been on championship teams. So you know, at the end of the day, you know, it gives Hi his voice more of an impact in terms of my teammates and just more ears to listen to him, for sure, so we can all be on the same
page and just attack as a wolf pack. Arn it.
Just he's just got every single season, what is it you know about Justin as a player as a person that you think has allowed him to just improve very single season.
You know, he's gotten stronger. I don't know if he's gotten faster, because he was pretty fast coming out, but he's just his his instincts for the game have improved every year. He's a very very coachable player.
Uh.
He's just got a great combination of explosiveness, quickness. Uh, and he's a worker. He's highly disciplined, he's highly motivated, his great teammate. He does everything the right way really and uh, you know, I think the big thing is he's responded to coaching for four years and he's been out some good players too. He's had some great mentors. He pays attention to those mentors, which I think is really really important for a younger player. And uh, he
just he's gotten it done. We're proud of him.
I believe at the time of your sign it was the most in total guarantee money for an interior defensive lineman. Was that something that was important to you? It was getting there a tease in your contract.
Yeah, for sure, we want to get paid, but now but uh, I definitely felt that, you know, all the hard work that I put in the year in and year out and just staying focused, not getting into any trouble or tennanigant and stuff like that, to staying locked in making sacrifices, I felt like, definitely, you know, you know, I wanted to, you know, get compensated, but just obviously putting the work on the field and letting the show. I felt like it was you know, it was right.
You mentioned kind of projecting this roster forward. The future years. I know, you guys have had the privilege of resigning a lot of these you know young up and commerce including momarm to you know, big money deals. You've also seen you kind of do some things you haven't capital wise with you know, your structures more years that kind
of thing. Does the calculus change for like being financially responsible down the run if you know, the opportunity to sign these guys, but also maybe the responsibility of kind of paying them as.
Much as you have.
Yeah, I mean it's a good question, and it's it's it's definitely not a static environment and it's going to be changing rapidly. You know. It depends on lots of different things, the salary cap for instance, being one. But yeah, we will have to be financially responsible in most cases because we do have a lot of money going to very good players. You know, I would it's not a scientific study, but we probably have four or five or six players on our team right now that are being
paid top of the market money. That's a good problem to have in a lot of ways because it means you're going to have a good team. But it also means that there are going to be some situations where you just have to let players test the market and see what they can get elsewhere, and that can be a frustrating thing, especially for a team you know that likes the draft. I mean, first and foremost, I started out as a scout, and so the idea that you could draft a really good player, keep them for four
years and wants them go play elsewhere is frustrating. But this is the business we have chosen, and we'll abide by those salary cap roles and hopefully make good decisions moving forward.
So it's just a great day for Atabik. Certainly excited for him as he gets a life changing contract and he is a key player for this defense. He is a cornerstone defensive lineman and the Ravens are really going to build around him over the next four years. This is exciting for Adabik, for the Ravens, and of course Ravens fans. Now. We actually sat down with Justin for extended conversation on an episode of the Lounge podcast, so if you want to hear more from him, head over
to the Lounge podcast feed. Shared some really interesting insight during that conversation, particularly when it comes to the motivation that he has moving forward, so head over to the Lounge podcast feed subscribe, also leave a rating and review here as well. Thanks for listening, Talk with you again soon.