Queen, Pierce, Harbaugh, AHC Anthony Weaver: Training Camp 7/31 Press Conferences

Welcome into the Ravens Press Pass podcast. Training camp continued as the Ravens moved into week two. They had their first off day of camp on Sunday, but they were back on the practice field Monday afternoon. After practice, we had a chance to hear from both coaches and players. The press conferences today included head coach John Harbaugh, assistant head coach and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, linebacker Patrick Queen,

Okay, good to see everybody. Appreciate you being out here. First day in pads. Exciting day. Guys, had a lot of fun. We got a little bit better. Can't wait to see the tape. So what question did you have.

Genel, We've got heat Picky Mancer earlier with the parent angles, Andre.

If you get there on that.

No, nothing really to say. It didn't look too serious. We'll get some more information as we go here.

Let's talk about seven and we'll look forward to seeing the pads get on.

What kind of things started to look at.

Well, this is the first time when the pads come on that it becomes a physical contest. A football contest in that sense, So you don't have that before you put pads on and get to these drills that are though they're not one hundred percent live by any stretch, they're still gonna be physical contests. He just wants to see how he holds up and see how he competest. It was a good practice from just being out here live seeing it right now, I thought the guys did

Uh.

Then we just I'm sure we have a lot to work on the set of.

Back right.

Well, yeah, you know, obviously to your point, I think he's had He's had a really great start to training camp. Michael Pierce's has really expressed himself out here the way he does, you know, physicality, And today we put the pads on, so we had a chance to do it a little more for real, and uh, he looks great doing it. I think he's in really good shape and excited to play some football.

Look like Tyler.

The right, Tyler's done a good job. I think Tyler. What I've seen from Tyler is he's.

Been on point.

He really has.

He's been on point every day. He's stacked days in terms of tension to detail, fundamental execution, and that's what we were looking for. He's doing a good job.

Ta saw Grand and Steven Sage Presto much in the slot.

You know, maybe I said earlier in the summer, I'm like, may more safety this year?

Is he a real candidate to be Yeah? Oh heck yeah.

I mean it's competition, you know, especially for that spot right now. They all all those guys want it. So we'll just see how it goes next few weeks.

Nice touched down and he's pretty good over the course of the spring.

Another one game.

Let's stays outside about Adlar.

And what you want?

I think you can help us on it.

Well, yeah, I mean it's it's really the same thing we have been talking about Aray Garrett. I mean, he's he's a pro. You know, Nelson knows how to play. He's a big rangye receiver like you saw there and when we made that catch. He runs routes really well. He's a he's a hard worker, he knows what he's doing. And uh, I'm sure glad we have him.

Heavy believes out today you've got a lot of young corners. How important is this camp, especially added position of winning to develop the coach's confidence in young guys.

Well, that's exactly it. I mean, you have to establish yourself at some point, right, Jerry. I mean at some point in time as a player, you've got to establish yourself as a fifty three man roster, as a as a viable consistent contributor, and then as a as a starter, and then as an established starter and then from there, you know. So those guys are on the first, uh, the first leg of that journey.

Got you think, that's what it's sixth down training camp.

You guys shot out to change.

Who talks about what makes walking through his brain?

What do you think close stands out? When do you see a day in day out?

What makes what's that kes happening? Anything?

For me?

What I see, you know, the physical talent is pretty clear. But what I see as a competitiveness, I mean, he's a he's a pick bull competitor. He really is. And that's what I appreciated about him the most. An offeason continuity for Patrick Queen with the same as coordinators and it's time backers.

Coach say, you know, running mate Roeband what do you think that's gonna be for him to go years.

Year for Patrick?

Well, I mean, I think this guy's a limit for Patrick. My expectations for Patrick hard to have a stellar season, you know, and it's it's only been affirmed by the way he's practiced, the way he's carried himself, you know, and he's in that he's in a contract year and all kinds of stuff.

You know.

Sometimes sometimes guys get distracted, and he has not been distracted at all. He is locked in on the mission ahead and you appreciate that. And it's showing up in the way he's playing every day.

Another inside linebacker, rookie Simpson, Like you can see him flying around there today.

I just want to receive for him him exactly.

I mean, he's a young player, so he's further. You know, he's got these he's a rookie in terms of learning the defense, learning the special teams. But yeah, the twitch, the ability to cover ground, to go from point A to point z B anywhere in between. He's showed the ability to do that. And he's got a great attitude.

And they're doing a good job of that.

And I feel I feel like we've made some big strides on offense last few days.

Definitely have communication And what have you seen from time of communication standpoint?

You feel like they're louder now?

Yeah, communication, Uh, And we talk about we have two words we talk about communication football communication. We use the word gregarious and we use the word obnoxious, and we want both of them out there. And we actually if you start with obnoxious and then they can go to gregarious. But a lot of defenses, it is usually a great defense because it's a confident defense but knows what it's

That was head coach John Harbaugh. Also, we had a chance to hear from linebacker Patrick Queen, who talked about his expectations going into his fourth NFL season.

Gotta be more physical.

I think that's the main focus today was even if you mess up, mess up one one to percent being physical. So everything else we could correct in the film room in the classroom, but the main focus today is just come out since your past day one set the tone and just look to get better from there. A.

Yeah, I think it was good. I think it could have been a lot better.

It was like two runs that wasn't explosive runs, but it was still like a seven yard run. So those who eliminate those two that we had, I think it was an over a good day.

Signs converging specials from the contact standpoint, are you get ballast?

I mean, at the end of the day, I'll get to play football in the National Football League, So that's a blessing in itself. Uh. I mean I talked to Hard talkt to Eric and you know, uh, everything is good, good and selling right now.

Uh.

I'm not focused on a contract. I'm just looking to play ball. I mean, at the end of the day, IM good to go out here to play football and make my market what I wanted to be. So I'm not stressing any things, just going out there having fun with my teammates, having fun with my coaches and just getting to play ball.

When you want to situations technos, the passing, getting out there to players one years, the outsts.

What are this complicity?

Thats like?

Uh, I think everybody's situation is different. So uh, I know JK faith is strong. Uh. We both trust in God to the Leader's in the right direction and wherever that direction may be, ours is totally different right now, and his situation is different than mine. Jk's been heard before. I think he's seen how scared That's how it could be. So I think he got his own perspective on things. I got my own perspective on things. And then at

Is there a particular conversation when alsaser somebody who range on to sort of figure out how your order in proach it? We we did get to that play, Okay, just gonna put my head down. This is around in jail.

Was there somebody who helped you get there?

Uh, really myself and God just praying.

Uh. Everybody around me was pissed, Uh, but I always pissed myself. But at the at the end of the day, like I said, I get to go out here and play in football in the National Football League.

Uh.

Too many people don't get to do that. And Uh, like I said, my faith is strong. I believe in God for what I want. And at the end of the day, i'm'a just gonna come out here, give one one hundred percent effort uh for my teammates, for my coaches, for my family, and just be the best place I could be and try to get better.

Have those teams entire. Last year's steal.

The offense down, mar camera destruct thirds its more.

Than that did like business see this year that yeah, most definitely.

Uh.

I think that's the whole uh thing about our standard here.

Uh.

We don't like the league stuff on the field, and we Looke definitely left some players on the field last year. So now we're all just coming back tryna. Like I said the other day, were trying to communicate better all our players. Last year that we messed up on was communication era. So we all understand that. That's why we coming out here. You see everybody talking and we all flowing together. Everything's clicking right now. So uh, it's definitely n finished business.

I got your play to the ups and downs that you went through in your first two or three years of Baltimore. I made it easier three years. But you find the food, find a lottle motivation to keep getting better.

And run your art.

Though that's like a much higher thanause.

People are getting incredible.

Yeah.

Uh, coming into the league, a lot of people know. Uh, I didn't play that much in college, and switching position from college to the league. Uh, playing mic is a very difficult task. And just being able to switch from my first year to midway through my second year, learned a whole new position was a challenge itself, But I think I kind of found like a common ground in which I needed to be prepared for knowing both positions. Uh. I think when I first learned Michael was just learning

Just we had to take my time and just play football.

Have like you said, play a lot of.

In college and that have never been a players since you've been here.

But you're still one of the younger players in the league.

Feel like you're kind of scratching the surface of the type of player you're gonna be.

Yeah.

I definitely haven't even got closer to the service the players like I could be. And everybody around here knows it.

Uh.

I think people around the league know it. And that's why I'm out here just trying to get better, trying to compete, uh, trying to just master my craft. And uh, I think when I do that, I think the whole league gonna be unoticed take any more patience.

And I definitely did.

Uh boy boys out there balling, uh when win it, Uh dealing right down the street. So whenever he get up there, uh with the Nationals, I'm gonna go up there and catch some games and stuff. Most definitely one could have most definitely, Uh, I was actually talking to some schools, had some schools reach out. Definitely could have went that route. Uh, but I just I should have went that out. I shoulda I should have tried to do both. I should have did both experimental a little bit,

What you talk about, given I'm seven years of run, it's like it was a twenty yard run, just even without the last year. This year, how couldn't you think it was the run defense can be.

Uh, it could be great. Uh, we all know how good we could be.

Uh.

Really, all the guys is on up front already been in the fire, every single one of them. So we know what the standard is. That's why I said, like the seven yard runs, we know that, we know we're better than that. So at the end of the day, a team might get seven yards, but the most you could limit and just get better off of that, I mean holding teams to less than seventy seven yards of carriage, I mean a game. So just that's stuff that we need to build on.

We're talking to peers after year.

I mean, if he's able to be out there allway, mostly.

Season, how big deal is out for definitely Hughes. He gonna definitely knock people off the ball hard to get their hands on him. And when he get his hands on he could do whatever he wants. So that's a guy that we just can't wait to see go to action. Appreciate y'all.

That was linebacker Patrick Queen. We also talked with defensive tackle Michael Pierce today. Now, Michael started last season strong, but then he went on injured reserve. He had an injury that knocked him out for the remainder of the season, but he's healthy now and he has big hopes for this season. He talked about that today.

Up following.

Yeah, it was fun, man, especially for me, Like I said, missing those last two years. Uh, it was fun to get the pads on, try some new stuff that I've been working on with Chuck, working on a weave. Like I said, for linemen, especially those guards, d tackles, the s, the shells as we call 'em, or those soft pads don't really tell much. So that's where you get to see the young guys and who you think will make

So I had a blast to day.

Man.

You guys you come channel for some last year.

Three years, different streak differently together for this year.

And make sure.

Yeah, certainly obviously you started with rehab. Like I said, I came here, didn't miss the day OTAs.

Uh.

Just staying there with the training staff.

Uh.

They got me back strong, got me back healthy relatively quickly. So just doing the things I need to do every day. Took up hot yoga. Was talking to somebody over there.

Uh.

I go to the mine and do hot yoga each and every Saturday, probably twice a week. So just being more flexible, more stretching, dialing in with sernutrition, just doing all the little things that you can, like I said, especially as you get older in this league, you start to notice different things in your body. So just investing in myself, making sure I cross off every little thing that I can to make sure I can be here endurable for the next seventeen eighteen.

However many weeks forgot Make sure you tam Oh, certainly.

Like I said, Man, I undrafted, fought my way from the back to be looked up as a leader on this defense and on this on this d line is just it's it's more than it I can ever a dreamed of or imagine.

Man.

So just to add an opportunity to lead those guys and play next to Brody and Beats and everybody is a blessing in itself. So now, man, it's it's about proving who I am and just earning that each and every day and then when the games come, putting it on film.

Every week, talking the strategy, you go up to nutrition through the first like week of training camp, how you notice a difference how you're feeling, how you're moving, Like, is there anything different you feel out there.

As a player on the field.

Yeah, Like I said, for me, when you miss like those old tas and stuff, or you missed like tons and tons of rep throughout the season, you can get a little rusty. But like for now, like I said, I hit the ground running, OTAs came out here, started affecting the quarterback right away. That's something I've been working on the past few years. But like I said, the past two years I've been doing really well, just had those in seasons cut short. So Nah, I feel good.

Pass came on to the guys from the xcept to tell you see the guys that never line sayings.

And yeah, like I said, here, hello sis branding. We can go on and on.

Those guys set the tone each and every Sunday, and Mike and the staff has done a really good job of just reminding and drilling us through that each and every day. They show a little clips of different things and how we just chop things down, work things out as an organization from two thousand on. So it's a standard that you got to re established every year, and I think we did a good job of that today.

But like I said, we got a long way to go.

It's just about doing that every day and making sure each and every team knows when they play us, we might not have one hundred million dollar guy, whatever the case may be, but when they plays, it's gonna hurt.

So that's the thing.

Take it upon yourself.

Somebody see the offensive line and like Vanderboud's going to year two, Sala's running up the first to you take it upon yourself to be like, all right, I've been trying to sharpen these young.

I don't look at it that way. Like I said, I just make myself hold up to the standard. But I think it's more so about helping those guys alone as well as not just succeeding against them. Like I said, we all on the same team at the end of the day, So if I may hit the move that works, if they have a question or something, I definitely talk to them.

Like I said, I don't hold too much back on them.

But that's just for me making sure I'm where I'll need to be, but also bringing them along and helping them with anything that I may beat them on or anybody else may beat them on. So it's kind of like an iron sharper is kind of things what we use here. But uh, like I said, I think they are doing really well, doing really well. It depends like I said, if I get them on a couple moves like same time, same type of thing every day, yeah, they'll say what was that? How do you see that?

So I think right now we kind of just keep it even. So like that sounds you guys like yeah, that's yeah, man.

Like I said, we had those guys like Terrell Suggs and Bart Scott and ray Lewis, and they read you need those energetic Kayan guys, and you you failed to mention Row. Row will talk to you, especially if he gets a good hit on them. And you know, Marlin's energetic. So I'm kind of the even kind of guy out of everybody. But like I said, it's awesome to have those guys because even when like I may not be having a good stretch of plays. Those those kind of guys give you a lot of energy and keep the

Fuck, what what was what was your software last year?

I mean, because at this time last year, we're feeling really good. You got to you got a roll, good summer, and you're definitely a very acute questions there when I was hard.

Oh yeah, definitely, man, like I said, for me, not only being out that season before, just seeing how well we were playing, like I said, and just to see, like you know, watch those plays two years in a row, Like damn, I could have made that player, you know, I could have helped trave out on this or just missing the locker room in general is tough. So like I said, you definitely have a swing of emotions, especially like when you go through surgery and you know, like

He over here and rating d.

Kind of to go for it.

Course he.

Talk a little bit about travels Jurgers just similar.

To their three opportunities.

I would say yes and no.

So there was not a justin Metabku to take those kind of reps when we were there, so I think we had traded Timmy Jernigan and that was kind of more of a neat thing. Now Travis is an amazing player if you watch any of his reps. Like I said, I don't want to date myself or anything, but he

Know, Tyler didn't see a lot of guys her size and good plans they could showed a time from training camp last year.

Can you tell the improvements that he's made, especially in past protection.

One, Yeah, no, you can tell you very very technically sound, but he can anchor a lot better. I don't know if he ain't a little way or not, or just just getting stronger as he's growing, But now he's he's definitely gotten a lot better. I said, I don't know if I don't watch Big ten football a lot. I'm from Alabama, so I'm a SEC fan, But now he's

He's definitely anchoring a lot better.

Trying stuff added to the class guys far, it's been awesome.

Man.

I actually went to him twenty eighteen and he gave me some things. I just failed to put him in uh at that time. But having him here and she's bringing a different perspective, he said, Coach Wi has been awesome. But like I said, those guys obviously specialist for a reason. And uh, he's done a great job not only with Jabo and dafaing everybody, but also with the d tackle. So one on ones, I lost two of them. I

The final person we heard from was defensive line coach and assistant head coach Anthony Weaver. Here's what coach Weaver had to say.

Everybody's doing.

I think.

Wow, I think we have a veteran led group right. Probably starts with like Mike Pierce, Brent Urban, but the guys who are going in their fourth years, Broderick Washington, justin Mattabek, They're hungry. They're chomping at the bit. They want to you know, we obviously miss class. We love them, but they want to show that they can and not only pick up the slack but do more. So I'm excited about where where the group's heading. Love their work ethic,

What's your sense of what mi L.

Pierce wants to get out of the rest of his career. He was so ready last year and then they have the injury.

Yeah, where is Mike's been working all offseason.

He's been here the entire time, and behind all adversity is a blessing and a lesson, Right, So you get hurt, you're disappointed, but all that time he's just got He's gotten work. So his goal is to come out here and completely dominate, right, win a Pro Bowl, prove that he's worth every dollar he's been paid. And he's got the ability to do all that. So hopefully God will and he can be out there for all seventeen. And if he is, he's going to help this defense an

Chimp when he's showing him as Joe.

Without question, Pierce loves the game of football. He loves the Baltimore Ravens. So him not being out there absolutely killed him. And he just wants to go out there and let the world on fire. And I think he has a chance to do it.

Justin Mattie had a career year last year. Did you see him making even bigger some big strides.

From last year this year?

Yes, DK, Right, you've got to talk to him. He's kind of quiet. He's not gonna give you a bunch of long answers. But that guy loves ball and all he does is work.

Right.

You see a guy who's now he started for three years, you know two three years could have a sense of entitlement, think he's arrived. He doesn't feel that way at all. When you go out there and watch him. He actually he's gonna get chopped tomorrow. So because of that mindset he has.

You can absolutely get better and improve on a year ago some of.

Those interior guys pass rush.

You know, I didn't really start to figure on the fast rush.

Until like a year four, year five.

Why do you think that that kind of hell learning fervos.

The way it is and how do you kind of see that track you could play justin nik against.

That his career.

Yeah, I think a lot of that just happens through pre snap identification.

As a rookie.

You're just trying to come and learn what to do, where to go, right as you progress in your maturity, right as you gain more experience. Once you know that, now you can look at some of all the other extraneous things happening. You can hear protection slide calls no one to take advantage when you do get that one on one.

So I think that's probably why that happens.

It's that maturation of having been in the scheme, knowing the system, where now you can take some graduate level steps and see all the other stuff happening around it.

And this is something stopping from the shows put into the losses at the season for Central.

As you exploit, Yeah, we we we obviously go into games with plans, but we try to empower our guys as much as we possibly can. We We we give them as much pre snapp information as possible. Hopefully right what we see it on tape holds true, and then they have opportunities to call that those games. Obviously from our perspective, we're trying to exploit space and the protection and if they can identify that and tell us that off the field, hey call what you want and let's take advantage of it.

We saw Roderck Wassington really haven't really good year, said, wouldn't.

Played to his growth, hasn't.

Played from the spotlash. Yeah, I don't know that there's a person in this building that works harder than Broderick Washington.

That guy.

I mean, just if you look into his body from when he's got there to how it is now, he looks completely different. You talk about a guy that's taken every bit of coaching and then some it's him. So I'm not surprised by any of his success and I would expect more. Yeahs bad hard, Yeah, we'll see it's it's probably going to be a bi committee approach, right. There's we're missing Tyas Bowser, who's not out there right now. He's going to take a bunch of those justin Matt

Yeah, we're gonna.

Seem what do you just want to see from Travis Jones.

You see him a test, the tests and watch.

Out the technos.

The pad shocks everyone.

Definitely, it's still.

Just kind of technique getting self technically to where he's.

Physically for you.

Yeah, I think from Travis you want to see him to see the same progression that we saw with Broder Washington. Right, he comes in his first year. There are some things he struggled with a lot of that was from a technique standpoint. It was the exact same thing with Travis. I think it's important for him to get all these reps in the preseason as much as he possibly can. Repetition is a mother of skill, and hopefully through that right he can build that foundation and then allow his

I think.

Michael pears great.

Yeah, Yeah, that could definitely happen. A lot of that's based on opponent and scheme and what we're gonna see. If it's obviously it's a heavy run team, you could definitely see that package. Or there may be just a couple of soft guys inside that we want to mash and you can see them out there too. But I would not rule out that combination at all. All right, thanks guys.

That was Raven's defensive line coach and assistant head coach Anthony Weaver. We also heard from defensive tackle Michael Pierce, linebacker Patrick Queen, and head coach John Harbaughugh. This is the Ravens Press Pass podcast, and if you want more insight and analysis from everything that happens out on the field during training camp. Make sure you check out the Lounge podcast feed. We're going to continue to break down