Training Camp Report Day Press Conferences

Welcome into Raven's press pass Today on the eve of the first practice of training camp. We are going to hear from tight end Mark Andrews, tackle Morgan Moses, and linebacker Rokwan Smith.

First up, let's hear from Mark.

There's a lot of excitement. I mean, there's a lot of excitement in Baltimore.

We know what this team can be, but right now it's just focusing on us each and every day trying to get, you know, just a little bit better each and every day, to get to the point where we need to be. And I'm excited to start training camp, get things going, and just see the hunger in this group.

You guys never shy away from the high expectations, but knowing what the roster looks like, the money that's invested in it, do you see kind of a small window and do you feel that as far as what could happen this season and potentially next.

I don't know about small window.

You know, I think that we've been you know, we've been a really good team for you know, a long time, and some things have happened here or there, But you know, you do look at our roster and there's a lot of talent, a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. And I love our coaches too, just in an organizationally, it's just an amazing place to be in place. So you know, that's why there's a lot of excitement

Mark, you, when you look at this roster and named everything that you that you guys just did for the roster of this all season, do you feel any more optimistic about you gask the chances this year that maybe in.

Years there, I don't know about any more.

You know, I'm always you know, extremely optimistic and excited. You know, I think anytime you know you're playing out a place like this, you've got a chance to win. But yeah, there's definitely a lot of you know, excitement and optimism, especially with you know, the the few additions that we've had and.

Like I said, you got you gotta look at both sides of the ball. It's dangerous unfinished business at all.

And considering me with the last couple of years and we are not being there at the end, you guys were right there and close, but couldn't get worry when to get.

Yeah, I think we've gotten close, you know, And that's part of it. I think that's gonna be something that drives you, drives each and every one of us that that's been here and played here during those years, is just letting those guys know that we do have unfinished business and it's time the role.

What about Mark, You've had to excel not a lot of great pieces around you on the outside, and now you do have all these other pieces. But you've been Lamar's safety valve for so many years.

So how do.

You justify getting everybody all their their balls? But you've been the guy that's been moving the chains for so long.

Just being a team player, you know, I think that you do things the right way, you play the right way, the balls will come to you, you know. But at the same time, you know it's it's it's important to spread the ball out and I know that the guys that we have on this roster are able to get open, make the big time catches and do all those different things. So again, being a team guy, I just want to win games. That's all that matters to me.

Got to play it all this safety valve idea. I mean you've you've thrived finding open space sometimes when it plays break down. What's sort of the balance with Todd Monkin in the new walk defensive, you know, having additional structure or new structure, but still giving you some space and freedom to find some of those teams.

Well, I'm still learning, you know, I'm still learning the offense.

And that's why I'm so excited to get back to training camp and really carve up, you know, my role and find out the douce and don'ts of the offense and you know, find times where maybe I'll take something that maybe I shouldn't.

But the mars on the same page with that mark.

Does it feel like with the talent that you guys have on offense at every position? Does it does it remind you all like that you had a home over there were stars basically everywhere you looked on that chart.

Yeah, I mean you look around at the room and.

It's it's a lot of dogs. It's a lot of dogs everywhere. And that's why we played with in Oklahoma. So that's a that's a beautiful thing, you know, and that's what this time of year is about is getting together, having all these personalities messed together, getting better together, grinding together. This is a tough time of year, so we got to embrace the grind as one.

Mark, you guys have.

Had great years and think back to next twenty nineteen year and you guys were fourteen game you you've shown the ability to be a really good regular season team. What do you think it will take for you guys to really put it all together in January?

That's a great question.

I just think it's, you know, we've been so close, and I think that, you know, if we get the opportunity to get there again, you know, we've got the lot, a lot to prove and and things that you know, it's unspoken business. So I'm excited to get to that point.

Mark.

You the veteran in the uh tight end rom with Nick uh no longer hear uh?

How does that uh your role change in that in that sense?

Uh, it's you know, it's you know, I've obviously learned uh so much from Nick and being that young guy and him being a third year I learned a lot from him just being a leader.

You know, you look up to guys that are older, th older than you have been through it.

And so I'm just gonna be there for those guys, you know, try to give him as much knowledge as I can, and you know, just be a be a good person and uh teammate and you know, show 'em the ropes.

Mark?

Did having a new offense, being in a new offense change the way you prepare for the season in terms of is there certain things you worked on more? Did you spend more time in the playbook than you normally have been in an offense.

You were familiar with?

Not really, you know, it's it's you know, it's one of those things where you know, I feel like I can grasp the offense pretty quickly and that. But it's you know, this is the time where we really dive down and and learn and get to it. But basically the same thing. It's been working hard. You're getting strong, getting fast, And I say that every year, but I can't wait for the season and I can't wait for this training camp to start and to getting better.

What do you think I mean? Because you had mini camp and looking at and in the off season.

Looking at the new offense, what kind of stood out to you maybe as maybe a little bit different than maybe what you guys have done that.

Well, it's kind of look different, you know, And I'm excited for all the Baltimore fans really everybody to see, you know, the difference of of what this offense could be. You know, I have a lot of respect for Coach Roman and what we've had and and kind of the the things that we built here. I think there's a lot to stand on with that. This is gonna be a different offense. There's gonna be little nuances here there. We're gonna be able to throw the ball and you know,

Your role changing in this offense that you're that you start to work over, I think it'll be different. You know.

It's it's hard to you know, pick out one one little thing, but I think I'll be able to do some different things, different routes, different combinations of routes that we can feed off of. But you know, I feel like I could run any route in the tree, and so I thinkna be, I'm gonna be able to do that and be utilized that way likely.

And colder in year two.

And you, is this the deepest tight end room in the league.

And it's a deep one. Yeah, it's for sure deep one. I think we've got a great group. We have a great coach, coach Goatsee. He's kind of really the ring ring leader of it all and we learned a lot from him. So it's gonna be a fun year. It's gonna be fun tight end group. And I can't wait to see the guy the plays that these guys make.

How much tight you this year?

Uh?

I didn't go, Yeah, I didn't go. I unfortunately had a wedding I had to go to. But I know Isaiah went. He had a great time. I saw those all the videos of those guys, and uh, I think it's just an incredible event for those guys to get together, mesh and and learn from each other.

Market's talk about.

Your your role changing in different combinations. Is that exciting for you to have kind of a new, something new that you can kind of focus on?

You know?

Yeah, I think it's new and exciting. I think anytime you can learn something that you've been you know, I've been playing in the same offense for you know, like the last five years, so I think and as a player, I'm gonna be able to grow learn and I'm just gonna soak it all in like I'm a like I'm a rookie.

Mark.

At some point, you see Raven's veterans I've been here for a while, they graduate to the point where they're getting vet days at practice, where they have that league way. Yeah, is John Harbar which Gotzie came to and say, hey, Mark, you know you wanna get on that plane or is that something you'd endorse.

Or or I don't push you out.

You've like going out there and practicing every day.

Yeah, you know, I I love to worry.

You know, a body feels great, you know, I feel like you know, if they come to me and say, hey, you want to you want to off day, I'll probably fight it a little bit. But I've got a big picture of mind where you know, I want to be playing late in the playoffs and feel incredible.

That's my goal.

You know.

I know things happened, but being smart as part of it. You know, Todd Heap was someone that you know, he talked to us two or three years ago, and he said by year four or five, he said, the biggest thing for me was I learned to practice and play smart, and so I'm trying to adapt that a little bit.

Made a lot of strides as the blocker and taking a lot of pride in that. Do you think that in says will help you make will help make you better as a receiver, as a you know, right on play action everything like that.

Yeah, just being versatile. You know, I know what my bread and butter is. It always will be, you know, being a danger in the past game. But I think you know, you know, I feel strong. I know I'm able to do those type of things. So you know, hopefully we'll be able to use that in different ways and you know, maybe be hidden a little bit. I don't know if I'll ever be hidden, you know, to defenses.

But we'll see. Mark.

I know you were around him a little bit than many camp Bekham has been around this league for a long time. Being around is there anything that surprised you about him that you that you didn't know?

I don't know about surprise. You know, he's got a great attitude, great personality. He's an infectious person to be around. He's kind of got that factor to him and really excited to see you know, all that hard work you know he's been putting in, and see him in training camp and and just get this offense, offense meshing together as one and and moving towards the same goal and you know, not taking any days off and pushing pushing each other to be great.

Aside from next as in a sorry, just what about him as a coach?

Has really stout he's firing, and he's fired.

He really loves what he's doing. You know, I really believe that there's no other place he'd rather be. And then you know the Baltimore Ravens, you know, this year right now teaching these guys. So I think that's an awesome thing. That's I think it's a cool thing to have a coach that's so fired up, loves what he does, really believes in his you know, offense, and you know, I think it's cool.

Seeing the off season work that Obja and say Flowers to put in with the more does it give.

You more confidence going into the season that everybody's on the same page.

You know, I think that that those type of things are important you know, I think it's more so important just chemistry. I know that Mars gonna put the ball where it needs to go. And but yeah, I think it's awesome. I think it's awesome those guys were able to get together, work together, and just just shows their commitment to to to working together and being teammates.

Mark, you're talking.

About having dogs everywhere on offense? Yeah, Now does it feel like that the identity of the Ravens as a hole is gonna come from that side.

Of the ball?

To you?

I hope it comes from both. You know, I think that's where where dangerous teams come from. Is is uh is having a great you know, obviously defense, which I think we have. It's a very good defense, and then a great offense. So if we can feed off each other, it's gonna be a dangerous team. I usually it's a little bit lopsided. It's usually how teams work. But if we can make you both those happen, it's a good team.

And then you George Kittle said that, uh, you know, he would take your hands if he was building you know, the ideal tight end of the league. Do you agree with that? And then who else would give you.

I think a lot of those guys have incredible hands. That's very sweet of him to say that, but yeah, there's a lot of great tight ends in this league. I think everybody's got their unique style, unique playing abilities, and that's why it's such a cool position, is because everyone brings their own flavor to it.

Good stuff for Mark Andrews. Next up is tackle Morgan Missus when.

Started training camp. Is it still exciting this many years? Oh, it's really exciting, man.

Obviously, the opportunity to get back to playing football is obviously a great one. But just the changes that we've made as an organization and as a team, it's hard not to get excited, you know, to get to play with Odell and obviously Lamar's a flowers seeing those guys connection throughout the off season and just being focused in h and ready to go.

Where's your comfort level.

From the offense from when we saw you in the field last to playbook the off.

Season to now, you know, obviously he's always a work in progress, you know.

I you know, going into year ten, I've played in a uh a lot of different offices, schemes, and but it's always good to have a challenge to be able to come in and and and and be you know, be able to get in something different.

I think that allows you to grow.

And I'm looking forward to seeing the whole offense grow, just not myself, but the offensive line adapting to the new scheme. Lamar obviously being able to have more hands on with the play calling and just all the players that we have surrounded him just gives us a great good deal of talent. And obviously it looks good on paper, but you know, we got to put it together and I look forward to doing that.

Morgan, do you expect this offense to be among the faster he played in or just faster than last.

Year's as was, you know, a a lot faster.

You know.

Obviously you give a you know, you know Zay Flower seeing him and what an unbelievable rookie he is. Man just to be able to, uh, you know, have him come into mini camp and OTAs and he already has that mindset of if you ever had a chance to sit down and talk to him, he has a mindset that he's been in the league already for three years and every you know, and obviously he's a sponge. You know, he's willing to ask questions and to soak it up

So I was actually talking about the tempo between.

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean, yeah, that's that too.

You know.

Obviously, you know, the offense, allowing Lamar to check plays and get into a little different things that he sees to get us in the right place, just to be able to hit those you know, those things.

You know.

Obviously we had a little bit of struggle last year, you know, getting out of the huddle a little bit and things like that. So being able to call a lot of stuff at the line of scrimmage and get plays at a hot tempo, it's it's it's incredible, incredible.

You're going into year ten and you've been known as a guy that's always available.

Right now, how much pride do you take in to that at this stage.

In your careers.

I mean, you can't make the team in the tubs, man, That's always been the model, right, So you know, just uh, you know, like you said, going to year ten, But it's just that that mindset of not letting your guys down. You know, you got fifty three guys that are willing to lay it on the line. You never want to be that guy that's in between.

Man.

So just being ready and being focused and doing everything you can to be sure that you you're available.

That's always been my model and my key to my success in my career.

So so far, clearly you're excited about some of these new pieces in terms of the new pieces, the largers, can you signed here long term?

Like how does all of that kind of just affect the energy and the exciting going into this season.

You know, it was a long, long off season for all of us for a while, you know, but we're here right and that's the exciting thing. We got things done. I know, everybody's happy to get out there. And you know, obviously mini camping o Ta's was a snippet of just what what what you see on offense and obviously, you know, having a defense that's going into year two of a you know, our defensive coordinator and they're playing faster, and

And that's what you want, right as a veteran guy.

You want to go out there knowing that you're gonna be challenged every day so you can raise the bar day by day.

And I think we've done that. And that's your question.

I was wondering, what do you see on the other side of the ball with a da FE and year three now a job of coming into year two. You see these guys every day, people wondering where the rush is gonna come from?

What you see?

Well, number one is uh, you know they have a great teacher mentor and Chuck Smith. You know, you look at his resume and the things that he's done over his course of career of coaching and and challenging rushers, and you can see it already in ot A's and and mini camp, you know, just you know, talking ball with those guys and saying, hey, I can see this

Just the second send you also the off of all office of line except for left guards, going back into how important is that? What offenses line that have that?

And then where do you think these guys can take office of mine this year?

You know?

Obviously, you know we have some great veterans, you know, Zeitler, Tyler Linball stepping up off the amazing rookie year. And then you know Ronnie coming back, you know, healthy, you know, and and and you know he he played his butt off and for the time that we had him throughout the season. And I know it's a challenge to get back from injuries like that, cause I've experienced it myself. Just having a full offensive line, you know, and obviously

You got to set it up, you know. And that's what the league is about.

And you know, I think you know, with the skill set that we have, we have the capability to not only you know, free up some players like Mark Andrews, who you know has used to getting double teams and and and things like that. Now we have guys that

What's your watch.

Running backs struggle to get the contracts that they feel to deserve all across the league.

As a guy who opens holes for them, what do you?

What do you?

And obviously if you got tackled to get paid top dollar running backs lest so, just what is your perception on what you've see where that's unfold.

I mean, I think you know you see that kind of creep up every other year for for that position, you know, But I would say this, man, the running back is important position, right because they carry the ball, you know, and I understand we have Lamar as a runner as well, but just to be able to have that three headed monster, you know, whether it's running back by committee or you have one one superstar guy back there, it takes all eleven to operate on the offense.

Man, it doesn't take one guy.

The offensive line has to do his thing, the quarterback has to get us in the right call, and and obviously we have to execute. So whoever may take that role this year, you know, obviously you know JK. Dobbins being being healthy, Gus you know, being healthy, and all the other guys that we have, we just look forward to them stepping up and and and getting getting it done.

Around the Ravens coming into this season with all the insitions they've added of going into you know, ye and temper you have you been m as optimistic as you are about this season?

Uh before?

You know, definitely, like I said, man, you know, it looks good on paper, you know, everything looks good on paper, but we have to go out there and execute, and you know, it's it's not gonna beautiful every day. It's not gonna be you know, exciting every day. But it's a learning experience for all of us, right because we n I don't think any of us played with this amount of talent on this side of the ball before. Uh,

What's been your first impression style of the rookie year? And what do you say to him?

Is heet or sister?

Sure?

You know he's young, athletic and he's poised to learn, like he really wants to learn. You know, he aksu he aks questions all the time and as much as much time he takes up aksing questions and meetings right it, But he asks those he aks those questions, and that's what you want for young players to do, you know. And I tell myself, you know, it's a cree reason I keep on coming back, right, It's because, like I feel like I can still learn the game.

And uh.

And when you have that mindset, man, it's a it's a beautiful thing.

Man.

Once you once you're able to put that ego aside and say, hey, like I just wanna learn football and whatever way that you guys want me to learn it, i'm'a do that and i'm'a put my spin on it and it comes out with a h A A master recipe.

Morgan, His offense last year wasn't very reliant on the screens.

But be up, you're in the leite movers.

I like that.

I like that.

I like that.

I like that.

You warming.

He's warming me up over here. Okay, keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on.

What do you what are you excited about that dimension of the offense? Could bee with podmonnk and what he did at your orda and you know, putting you guys and and against a bunch of smaller people.

You know, yeah, you know obviously you know you look at our division right, and we have top rushers in Miles Garrett, TJ. Watt, and you find you have to find ways to like, how can I you know, mess them slow them up a little bit. So being able to add that to the game definitely controls the rush a little bit more. But also, like I said, man, spreading the ball out and getting your athletes out in space and letting them do their thing is also a

You know.

Those are those are cheap easy yards we call it.

So anytime you can get the ball out in space and get twenty fifteen yards, whatever the case is, it's all about moving and sticks forward.

So and last but not least, let's listen to inside linebacker Roquan Smith.

Different rope one. Being here day one, you know your way around town, you.

Know the building, instead of coming in halfway through the season.

How much different is it starting out for season here?

Yeah, it's a lot more different. Very comfortable to say the least. Uh, you know, just happy to be here with the guys, more familiar faces, and just excited to get the ground off running. Starting camp here. So I think it's gonna be good and help me starting season off on a high note.

Have you thought about like, kind of where you were last year?

You know, where you are now, more financially secure, you with new team, and what that's kind of been like for you. Oh yeah, last year or this year. I think that's what life. That's that's what life's all about, in a nutshell, And not saying that I wasn't financially secure before, but you know, it definitely definitely nice to you know, to have have the bag that I have

You know, obviously you got the the record deal from main Edmands at Chicago got the uh the nice deal for l For a little while there was making some talk about the the devaluing at in Thailand position. Why do you think depends on this swung back the other way?

Uh?

I think honestly, you know, when you get at the mic, sometimes you know, you just say what uh comes to your mind in a in a sense, and I think that goes you know whoever, whatever you have to say that comes out of your mouth. But I don't think it's a devalue at the position. You look across the league from myself, different Warners, the Leonards, uh Edmonds in there, uh Foyer like all of the guys. So I think there's a lot of and teams that win.

Uh.

I think a lot of 'em have really good uh linebackers, unless you have a superb guy like you know, my homes and whatnot. But not saying that they don't have uh good linebackers over there as well.

Reoqingy a lot.

Of talk to of course, here's you know the at Odell Beckham Junior and that new play Hall and all that. But defensively, What are kind of the expectations.

Here for for grades?

Uh, I feel like the expectations are very Yeah, you know, I feel like if we played to our standard, uh, everyone stays healthy. I think the defense we were not weak in any spots. If you ask me, I like our d line versus anyone. I like our secondary versus anyone. I for sure like all linebackers versus anyone. So when I look at it from that perspective, I feel like, you know, we do our jobs and we get the ball back to Lamar and the O. There's gonna be

The year or two, like you got your halfway through the storts to watch his evolution through his rook years as a play caller. Now to see him you're getting ready for your chould you see differences already in the way he's approaching the maturation.

Or absolutely, I got a lot of you said Mike, right, yeah, uh absolutely, Uh, just making sure, but yeah, I got a lot of a lot of respect for Mike and his play calling, even from when I got here mid season last year, and just because it's someone first season calling plays that don't mean that they're like their first time calling plays in a sense from like the outside view in a sense. But yeah, I'm very grateful to

Having some returns and and having you a place in the middle and and Patrick places in the middle. Do you think this defense could you know, take take more big swings, make more risks, and and kind of come.

Up with some bigger plays that way this year.

I think when you just surround uh, when you're surrounded by playmakers, uh PQ next to me, you got Marcus Kyle on the back end, Marlow you know, uh betting up front, we got our guys, And I think when you just surrounded by playmakers and everybody just doing their job to the best of their ability, playing balls to the wall, I think just good things are gonna happen,

Grow ye know, you're a big traveler. Was the cool thing to did this off season that didn't involve football.

Uh, well, it kind of did involve football, but it was uh when I went over to uh Okinawa, Japan, uh with the USO and whatnot that was over in June, and just being over there with the soldiers uh and their families and then put on like three football clinics, and I thought that was like it it was pretty sick and very eye opening, like just the impact that we have on like the soldiers who are you know, making the ultimate sacrifice, you know, putting their lives online

Pon, you took another trip to Asia before that, I know with uh three of your teammates. Is there an instance where you guys went through something uh together, you know, being in a foreign country not speaking the language where you feel like it kind of brought you guys closer together. We saw a different side of Ronnie Marlin or Tias.

Honestly, UH when those guys uh, like when you first got there, you know, you was hearing uh all all these different personalities from the different guys, like you know, running personality with Marlow and then Tabo as well then myself, you know, still learning the guys and whatnot. But it was, it was, It was great the entire time. There was never really like a time where it was like a language barrier anything like that. You know, Google Translate for sure.

John talks about iron shopping iron and you this year against the practice against.

A lot of playmakers from Alvin Gordon to Odell to Lamar. How important is that to help your defense going forward?

Uh? I think that that's gonna be huge, uh for our defense going against like, you know, a very good old line with Tyler's starting to center our own to like the tackles with Zeitler well tackles and Moses and Stanley, and then with the inside as well, and with the backs you know, from the Jk's, the Melvins, you know, all all of those guys and the receivers on the outside and having a match up against Mark you know, and no better work than that to get in the league.

With so much talent on those sides of the balls during all the additions from maybea There's a lot of exciting around Baltimore with what do you feel like is the mentality of this team the approach of this team.

As an enterstream?

Yeah, I think it's uh one and foremost, you know, getting the most out of each other, staying healthy and playing to our standard and not getting complacent because like it's easy to be paper champs, but what really matters is like what you do between those lines, and like what are we gonna do, you know, starting starting today when meetings uh officially kick off, and like just our mental intensity or attention to detail. And I think if we uh abide by those things and you know, do

What are you anticipating with the crowd that's gonna be out there for training camp, all the fans that are gonna just to watch you guys.

Start to stay in and day out.

Yeah, I'm excited. You know, gives you uh something to look forward to, cause, like some sometimes in camp, the first couple of days are easy, and then after that, you know, then you get tired, you get the camp legs and things like that. But then when you know the fans are paying their hard on the money to drive down here, you know, just to come out to

In a sense.

Have you down any more baseball since you uh through the first Oils game?

I have not. I didn't think I was gonna get down. One brought up today.

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