Vorhees, Mekari, Hill, & Harbaugh: Ravens Training Camp 8/1/24 Press Conferences

Welcome into the Ravens Press Past podcast. It is Thursday, August first. The Ravens held another training camp practice today and afterwards we had a chance to hear from head coach John Harball.

Really really appreciate you all being here, hot and crisp. That's a good conversation for fried chicken and for this practice today.

That just came to you right there? Is that all right? It was?

It was tough, and our guys responded and it was a very good practice.

Very happy with the guys. What questions Jael about things?

That's that's why you had seen and words.

That it is.

We decided we wanted to kind of shorten up exactly a little bit of the time that they were out here with the humidity and everything.

So I think it helped.

You guys having the later day tomorrow.

How to seem opening the season on Thursday or.

Guys, is it too kind of furrow out to think you guys are going to be later day process.

It's a good question, I would say both.

You know, we are it's not really enter our mind per se, but it's in the back of our mind certainly, and we are trying to prepare for the first game because that's the first game that matter, so we're not preparing for the preseason games with that. There's a lot of things that we need to do in between there to build our team.

Right, So both John, we'd.

Be watching tonight more so just the scene.

To kick off the game.

It would be good to that television on kickoff and kickoff return. I want to see what happens. We had a kickoff kickoff return practice today. What you guys saw, had the NFL officials here. We'll look at it tonight with those tonight with our coaches, and tomorrow morning we'll look at it with the officials in.

There with our players and see what they see. So, uh, it's gonna be very interesting.

We saw a group.

So what Dak Henry could do today room where Harry's what kind of challenge is gonna post teams when he gets downhill to that second level. Well, I think everybody that knows football knows the challenge Dereck Henry poses when he gets going downhill with the football, you know. So our goal is gonna be to get him going downhill with the football. That's what we want. And Derek did a nice job today. I thought all of our backs did a nice job with that today.

God, it's obviously a new test from the pads have come on over the last week. So with that being said, what do you see him from Borden's and Rosengarten now as they are compete in the offensive going right?

Yeah, they've been I would say steadily improving, you know, and I mean it's steadily improving, then something will happen. I think, you know, Andrew will be mad about the play today where Travis Jones had the great pass rush on him, but he had I don't know, numerous numerous other very good plays thought Roger. Roger's been doing well, deserved a shot with the ones. You saw him get a shot with the ones today. So we'll just kind of keep working through that and let it play out.

John past they've talked about You've talked about playing the best five. I want to get the best five offensive lineman. And how tough is it in the situation of carry balancing how much he means as a swing guy inside that six offensive lineman. Rolling the port of that with trying to get the best five on.

The field certainly part of the challenge, Jeff. I mean, that's that's part of it. You know, Pat's Pat's greatest strength is his versatility. It's also probably his greatest the thorn in his side a little bit, so he didn't get a chance. Always a lockdown at one position. But that's a good problem to have, and we're trying to work through that too.

As sting garden a bunch. Do you think that's something you guys want to john him.

In the midst Well, you know, it's certainly something we've done before. You know, we have rotated offensive linemen before, which is we're probably one of the probably the first team to do it, and I can remember, so it's it's in our it's in our we.

Have a track record of that.

Related.

No, he got his head banged a little bit, so he's in there. But I'll be evaluating that tonight Paris.

And he's the guy you've been.

How you development.

Idea? Well, that's a great question, Malik is that guy?

You know?

Same same almost like Pat. On the other side, he plays inside backer, both of them.

He plays.

He plays outside back on our in our in our base package, he plays defensive end. Also in our sub packages. He plays every special team very valuable player, and I see him playing all those positions during the season, just as as it as it comes up. But he's done a great job. Really really proud of mely, you know.

Marcine.

Really wouldn't say I feel like that's pretty even built.

I do.

I feel like he and have have had it kind of from the first day. That tends to be the case with good players and great players and great athletes. They see the they figure each other out pretty quickly, right, Guys like you and me go out there and there's no chemistry.

So yeah, what if you see to take you to the next level? Good question. I think he's going to take exactly what he's doing.

You know, he's a guy that h every day, comes in with enthusiasm unknown the mankind, and he gives it, you know, everything he's got with a great attitude, a high work ethic, always talking ball. So to me, you know that process pays off. And when does it pay off? You know, I guess when the opportunity comes, So looking forward to seeing it.

Asking about Justice, what have you seen over the last few years, the evolution of of him as a player, and then what we're looking for from him this year?

Behind Derek right, great great point. The evolution of Justice as a player is that this guy has become a starting back in the National Football League. I mean, if you watch him play, look at the championship game. Uh, he is a he is a high caliber running back. So to have him along with with Derek, along with the young guys, I think it's it's just it's it's really great and he's gonna give us a little different style than there Henry. So I see him as a starter.

Oh go, that's kind of top practice today with snoozy games things. Just how have you seen the rookie kind of settle in defense as the team?

Yeah, Sodus is another guy just kind of a steady guy, grinding every day and then comes out today with pads. Come on, it's a physical practice and he shows up to see that kind of what we expected. I'm looking forward to see him in the games, you know. But very steady, h very conscientious player.

Jam He replaced Roskins spot with Quincy, wrote Elise Rossick spot. Are you good with outside linebacker dat or do you think it's something you're gonna have to continue to evaluate whether you need other bodies here.

Well, we'll definitely continue to evaluate every spot, including the outside backer spot, because you just never know from one day to the next week, especially in camp, because you want to have enough guys to practice at a high level. But you know, Adis is gonna get back here some point in time soon. It's been nagging him. But I do think he'll be back sometimes soon. So that's another depth piece. I got it.

We'll count on so but to see where it goes.

For a little bit of a later question, I saw you dropped maybe your practice script or something, and drop scooped it up. What do you do when a player steals the script?

Well, he knocked it out of my hands, you know, so my my script security was wanting there very badly, and I was embarrassed by it. He scooped and scored. But then he handed it back to me, which I appreciate him. So that's where we're at. And he gave me a look, you know, he was disappointed in me, and I felt that a minor soft tissue deal that he's should be finer soon, very soon.

John, Maybe I'm impreciated the moment, but it seems like.

More in the quarterbacks had then more for the flat technic hearing me at all kind of kick the ball up.

To the guys's face to Yeah, I don't know if it truly, I wouldn't say it's an emphasis per se. I think they're doing a good job of going through their progressions. We spent a lot of time, you know, we spent all we spend this you're watching practice all kind of time in passing, game progressions, defensive concepts, how we play out the defense against all the routes. And I just think they're they're they're getting really good at reading stuff out and making quick decisions.

Next up is running back Justice Hills.

It's a working relationship.

Been Mike Ki looking on that looked like, you know, having some fun on the sidelines.

Out bro, let's go over.

We're just having fun on we're working. We try to get better every single day. And and that's what he brings to the room too. He's just serious making sure we're working and getting better every day, and that just fees throughout the whole room. And then when we out here, we're just having fun. I mean, it's a it's a game, and we just try to have fun with it. I mean It's easy to get caught up in all the business side and stuff, but we're just having fun too.

And j you gonna have fun that you've.

A little bit earlier said at the starting.

And when you hear something like the guy who's been placed story waiting and.

Sets, uh, I mean, it mean it means a lot, man.

I mean you just work hard, you just enjoyed the process, and That's what I've been doing since I've been here. I mean, obviously everybody would wanna come in and uh be a starter right off the bat, but you know, everybody has a different journey, and I've just been enjoying my journey getting better every year.

And uh, I've just.

Been enjoying just doing that. And so just to hear that, I mean that that means a lot. But we still got a lot more to do.

And I just want to go out there and prove everybody right.

How difference does it feel coming into this year knowing how about you have relied upon if the end of last year, now being you know, the guy right behind Derek and starting pla the back, how different does it feel this year?

As you wan guy, I mean, it doesn't feel any different.

I mean we come to work every day and everybody in the room, every single person, everyone back in the room has that mindset so where if their name is called, they're gonna be ready to go.

And that's my mindset. Since I've been here, I've always been ready to go.

And so just being able to get those opportunities and take advantage of those opportunities has been It's been great, and so I just want to continue to do that and just have a great year, have a fun year, and go.

And win for.

Charlotte again.

You can see those guys, man, they come and work.

I mean, they're they're young guys, but they have mindsets, you know, and that's really what you need, just to be able to come in and work through the ups and downs of the injuries or.

Whatever situation you're going through. You know. Definitely with boy, he's just the injury.

Just fighting through that and being strong mentally, it's been it's been awesome to see how he approaches each and every day and he's just gonna continue to get better. I mean, we got one of the best d lines in the league and being able to go up against that and practice is gonna make the games so much easier.

So he's been doing well.

They've both been doing well, and just to see their progression from springtime to now getting the pads on, uh, it's gonna be exciting to see him get to the season.

This specifically in the right game with the old line and guys kind of moving, figuring out in different spots.

And still trying to find that Nick, what what has been the most impressive.

Progression to you since camp started?

What do you think that you guys are gonna use You know, if the rest of camp and the reass the game is kind of playing to us.

When they land on that to start up.

Uh, I think just the mentality Jody the old line coach, you know, he brings a certain mentality to where they're gonna work hard every day like they're gonna work and he's not gonna let anybody slack off. And so with that kind of leader at the front of the coach at coaching spot, it's kind of hard to even see any time to downturn offen the line, no matter who

What was it like today?

See and Derrick Henry get going downhill a little bit more and yourself it's more contact.

Can see some looty s flying.

A little bit. I mean that's football. I mean that's the fun stuff.

Like when we're out here in the spring, when we're out here with no pads. Obviously it's fun to be out here doing the plays, but once you actually get the pads on rocking and rolling. I mean, it's nothing better than that because that's football, and so it's definitely it's just fun. It's just fun. I say that at the end of it. I mean, I just love coming out here and having fun.

It's another was to improved every off season.

There's something that you you wanted to focus on the course, the officers that wanted to computing.

Or.

I mean, every part of my game I want to improve on. So it's not just one single area I can point out, but.

Everything. I mean, from running to blocking to receiving.

I've been working on all these teams tirelessly, and so it's just it's fun to see how the progression goes.

Each year.

I feel more confident just because I've been putting in that work. And then the more work you put in, the more confident you get. And so here's gonna be a fun year.

Yeah, that's the corn such as unique type run him back.

Is there any thing you can get from me? Is you're sharing any secret like and sticking the buff of anything, you know? I know, got died that.

Anything you can get from being for a.

Guy like that, Yeah, I got I got some stuff, but I can't tell I can't tell it.

I mean, he definitely, he definitely giving me some gyms.

It's something I'm replying, but I just keep down the wraps until y'all see it.

But then y'all seem like, Okay, that might be. That might have been something there.

It might It's all so, uh yeah, you definitely don't give me some wisdom, just kind of trying.

To morgam.

Ravenson is still then need to be a survival in the NFL, like five six seventy.

Eight years three supposed up for that or the least not being a Special Teams contribute as well.

I really think it's actually a special thing to do when you come in because it teaches you the game. I mean, like before, I've never played Special Teams before I got here, and so I never even realized it was a part of the game. Like you obviously you know it's a part of the game, but you don't realize how important it is.

To the game. And it teaches you so much technique.

It teaches you things that you can apply to offense, a lot of defense, and even though you're not getting those reps on offensive defense, doing things on special teams helps you improve as an offensive and defensive player. And so the thing that they do allowing people to go in and start on special teams and cultivate careers that way, it prolongs to everybody's career offensively and even if you

We also heard from some of the offensive linemen, including versatile do it all lineman Patrick McCarry.

We've we've seen you move all over the offensive line over the years.

What has it been like to the start of camp where you've kind of been able to focus in on right tacks for the top ten.

Oh, it's been good. It's been good. It's been good to uh stack days, focus on one position and get better every day, seeing what I need to work on and just continue to improve. It's been good.

Desire values, Yeah, I.

Just want to play and I want to help the team. I'm whatever way that looks like, Uh, that's up to the coaches in the front office. But like I said, I just want to play and help the team, and that's for them to decide.

Because you got how different do you fill your leadership roles in the room after Kevin and Morgan, you know, obviously go on to other spots. Is it just feel like we're losing around and seeing just a lot of guys looking back up at you.

Yeah, I mean Kevin Morgan, we're great, great leaders. John was awesome too to have in the room. But yeah, as the years go on, I just I keeping there or I continue to be the older and older guy in the room and take more of a leadership role. And that's good. And the younger guys if you like to look up to me and Ronnie and Tyler and uh some of the other guys, and it's it's good to be in a mentorship role and really guide these guys up. And they're doing it. They're doing a great job.

So yes, Patrick, you obviously were a mentor for Tyler Lender Bowen.

And now you have Roger Roseguard.

What are your impressions of vim as we've gotten to know they.

Haven't watched him with good m Yeah, Roger has been great. You know, he's he's really immersed in the meetings, really locked in at practice. He's a pro working to get better every day. I like what I'm seeing, so he's gonna, he's gonna, he's gonna get it done.

You gotta have a chance, being nice to be in one spot and work there, but you also know that regardless, you're probably gonna wind up playing different spots in the dards of the season. At what point do you have to get other reps? I mean, how many reps do you need out of the other positions given in something you've done for a lot of years.

And yeah, you know, I do need the reps right now. They have me at right tackle and that's where I'm focusing on day to day. But when the time comes and they asked me to move around and do other things, and I got to lock it in on that position and get better there. But just one day at a time. It's still early in camp, so just one day at a time.

I know, you're good buddies. With Kyle Linderbaum, what do you see from him?

I mean, obviously he played at such a high level last year, But where do you see the difference from year two to year three of them?

Yeah, you know, he's an incredible center pro bowler last year.

Uh.

Planning for him to you an All Pro this year?

Uh?

Just has all the talent, all the skills. UH, taking a bigger leadership role this year, taking more control of the offense and UH just focusing on his small, small tweaks to get better every day. And he's really working at it. I mean early in camp he's already looking season ready. So he's he's gonna be great leadership.

Look like out there on the field for the.

Tyler taking command of the offensive line, taking command of the offense, really controlling the play calls or the defensive calls from the offensive line point of view, and just making sure everyone's accountable, being on everyone, making sure everyone's in the right spot, having the right calls. And he's killing it. He's doing great.

So much change on the offensive line. How he's article has image, it's just like having.

Done the same guy. Yeah, very correct, just with his calls and is a consistency with that.

Uh.

Having two new guys play next to him. It helps them out a lot too, to have a guy like Tyler in the middle. So UH, it's very helpful.

Replaces some starters, You replace the starters long offense line, where like in the early part of the team here, particularly dosive line.

Development, we're getting we're getting better every day.

You know.

It's it's early in camp. Uh there's there's guys shining and there's work being done. Uh there's it's still early, but I think we're heading in the right direction and there's only up to go. So uh, I think we're gonna be pretty damn.

Good under Petal has a bit that you're in your two under Todd mubket system, so you aren't learning a new scene as well as bouncing around to a little different offensive line position.

That Yeah, being comfortable with the scheme again for now the second year. Uh, it helps you know, through O t as, through the start of camp, understanding the calls, understanding the looks we want on defense and installing it and installing it early and having a better understanding of it is really helpful. Allows us to play faster. Uh, it's it's it's beneficial.

Given all that and over on the offensive line and talk about leadership accountability.

How much do.

Guys like yourself in addition Titlingbaum and Ronnie the older guys, what do you do in the rooms to kind of, Hey, it's.

Gonna be a younger line. We got to get these guys ready to play.

What do we do in the room accountable?

What do you do behind the scenes to kind of leave.

Them, work with them after practice, talk with them after meetings. What do you have questions on? What do you need help with? It's a you know, coming from college to the pros, it's a it's a bigger playbook. The technique is more important. So just clarifying with them, letting them know that we're here whatever you need, uh, you just helping them out if they have a good rep, cheering them on on a good rep, they've a bad rep, coaching up on it. But it's all, it's all a

You know, Andrew coming back from his injury last year and be happening.

Was there anything you kind of saw in terms of maybe being in meetings or anything partwise they did last year when you wasn't able to play or really practice that prepared him for the role he's.

Playing in Camel so far.

Yeah, Andrew was really locked in last year and all the meetings, even though he was heard, he knew he wasn't gonna play, but he was locked in and all the meetings, taking notes in every meeting. So I think picking up the offensive calls has been easier for him because of how locked in he was last year. And I was just getting back tore. I mean, he's been out of football for a year. He's getting so much better every day. He's a great football player and he's gonna get it done.

Patrick, he'd like to have a.

Picture, you know, the offensive line set kind of two to three weeks in the camp or their bounds. He's curious as a crew for yourself, where would you like it to fall in that window and how important is it in front of just a time for your standpointe.

I just the best five to go out there and play and be great. When that shapes up is when it shapes up. Like I said so early in camp. But we're getting better every day, and come preseason games, I think will be telling a lot of how it's going to shape up, but just one day at a time.

Another really important player along this offensive line is second year guard Andrew Vorheas. He's competing for a starting job and he talked about that today.

I just talked about all this meeting work that you did, kind of studying playbook, all that stuff you did in the classroom last year and how much that's benefiting you, getting the calls and knowing what you're doing out there. How big a difference do you feel like that's made. Has that really helped you this this season?

Yeah, I mean just the last eighteen months, I had the opportunity to to build a solid foundation and a foundation on Rock. It's been great, right being in the in the room all last year, having that opportunity such a privilege, right, Not a lot of guys get the opportunity to to quote unquote red shirt like a lot of us kind of called my last year. So yeah, I really felt like I put myself in a great position and it's plaid off future David in so far the busday that.

Has, you know, playing for you over the physically challenging, you know kind of.

I think I was mostly excited, if I could describe my emotions if you will, just excitement, right. It had been a long time since I put pads on. It been a long time since I hit somebody, So I was really thrilled to be back out there and thankful at the end of the day. Again, just felt like I built a strong foundation this last year to eighteen months and so it was exciting to get back out there again and go remember the reason why I played the game and the.

Ravens plugged you at the end of last year's draft.

I mean, obviously I'm sure people were not injured, you might have gone gone earlier.

But that being said, you know they're knowing that you're not going to play last year.

What did that sort of long term investment by the team understanding that would take time for you to get back healthy.

What did that mean to you?

And did that affect your motivation in the last eighteen months?

Is super built up.

I mean, it was an investment for sure, right just not knowing with my injury and it being so late in the process in reference to the whole draft process.

So yeah, I was.

It was beyond grateful when when I got the call from mister DaCosta and the Baltimore Ravens decided to select me as one of their choices.

Again.

They they poured into me all last year and I gave them everything I had, and UH just felt like the foundation that I built for myself and and just the belief in the work ethic I had UH with with everyone on staff in our weight room in our our training room and even our position coaches and stuff. Just felt like it all has bay dividends. And I'm forever indebted and grateful to this organization for believing in me and giving me a shot. I given my circumstances.

Two things, when did you sort of physically feel like we're holding yourself again? And secondly, because you've been here, had this important, here's how the games felt.

What you got back.

Yeah, I mean, kind of hard to say exactly when I felt like my quote unquote again just because how how tedious the process is and how long it is to come coming back from a major looking at reconstruction like I had. But once I got back out there, definitely was was speedy for me, just adapting to to NFL speed and then doubling down with that being off

When you're in your downtime, obviously you're you know there's stuff we did here.

I'm talking about sort of outside and York.

I'm sure there was maybe a little bit more downtime I did.

What did you do?

Yeah, they're absolutely correct, and and in since I didn't have a lot of downtime, so uh, you know, my wife and I have We were both California born and raised, so our first opportunity being out here on the East Coast, just explored and spent time, uh all throughout the East Coast and and just enjoyed a lot of the history and just a lot of food restaurants and or I guess food tours we like to call them. But definitely kept busy during the downtime.

So yeah, and how important thing.

Game rips although it be complete again and you know it's been a while and ago, how.

Much that may help you know the process and get made this season.

Yeah, I think you know, anytime you have an opportunity to go out there and play football and they're keeping score, it's important. It doesn't matter if you're on the Mighty Mites or any level football. They're keeping score matters at the end of the day. So anytime you have the opportunity to go out there and compete and show who

Room with it like sharing a sideline with a guy like Derek Kendrick.

I mean, it's exciting remember watching him, uh in his college career, then early on in his professional career, just as big and in person as he seems online. So thrilled to have him and you talk about an absolute workhorse, So excited to see what he does for this team this year.

Andrew didn't really get a chase to play with Kevin Zitner last year, but you certainly in the room with him, and you watched him on the field during games and whatnot. What can you model after his game and in particular interest of other leadership things we required.

At the line of scrimmage that you might have brought to play.

Yeah, Kevin Zeitler will always hold a special place in my heart, you know. I mean, given my circumstances last year, and given that he is or was one of the most veterans, was the most veteran guy in the room. Uh, it's just somebody you could count on and uh really have the opportunity to to lean on him, and he

How tough has been has Travis Jones been? To block out your practice?

He's a load, for sure. It's he's a big boy. It's like a full grown bull just running right at you. So but right, you're grateful for that. Right you want you want everything to be hard during practice so that when it comes time for competition, you're prepared and ready, So you know, I'm just grateful for him and excited to watch him this year. I think he's gonna have a special year and just a tremendous person at the end of the day, and more and more plays.

Along those lines, you know him type of Beerspoth Just it's a very very strong man. How many kind of degrees or like, how much of the difference is there between the kind of strength that you see from two guys like that versus the best strongest guy you see the USC.

Yeah, it's definitely different.

You know, the the Pac twelve gets a reputation of being smaller or off alignement in general, right, so I'm sure might be some merit to it. We'll find out with USC joining the Big ten, so we'll see. But I know they're both big boys, and they're great athletes, and they could move and they're really strong, So definitely they're up there, if not the strongest people that I've ever had to compete against.

That was Andrew Vorhees. And you're listening to the Ravens Press Pass podcast if you want more of a deep dive and everything happening out there on the field, head over to the Lounge podcast feed. We sat down with linebacker Roquan Smith this week. He was excellent in talking about his mindset and approach going into the season, so check that out on the Lounge Feed. You can listen to it right here, and also make sure you hit that subscribe button here on this feed as well as