There aren't too many times where players change sides of the NFL's best rivalries.
Cornerback Kyle Arrington is doing just that in his first season with the Ravens after six seasons and one Super Bowl with the Patriots.
On Monday, Arrington was asked whether he's gained a greater appreciation for the Ravens since being in training camp.
"Tremendous work ethic, and it starts from the top down," Arrington said. "Coach [John] Harbaugh puts us in great practices. [He] makes them very competitive, so guys have no choice but to get after each other."
Arrington has been adjusting well. During Saturday's practice, he was stepped on a couple times but still fought through to finish the session.
After having some trouble in coverage during Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and minicamp, Arrington has been much stingier during training camp. He's played outside and in the slot, where he projects to get most of his snaps.
"It's a process definitely, and that's all always the goal: try to come out and do a little bit better than you were before," Arrington said.
"Guys are getting on [the same] page right now on the field and off the field. We're very close, a very close group, especially [the] defense, and it's all about building communication."
Arrington played in 14 games and started four last season. He logged 39 tackles, one sack and four passes defensed. Arrington went from 927 snaps in 2013 to 576 last season. The Ravens have their projected starters with Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb, but Arrington would be next man up in case of an injury.
Along with safety Kendrick Lewis, Arrington is the Ravens' other addition to the secondary that the team hopes will* *make a big difference. Arrington and Lewis are quickly working on building their communication.
"Me and Kyle are new pieces to the puzzle, but we're connecting all [the] dots," Lewis said. "We're working, constant work, constant communication [and] feeling out each other, seeing how this one plays, seeing how this group plays. And that's how we build that chemistry."
