Head Coach John Harbaugh
Opening statement:"Good to see everybody. Obviously, you can see they're in good spirits – probably excited that it's over, but also I think they're excited that they had a good three days. We got better and now we'll give them a week off. We'll be back next Monday and we'll start the OTAs with the passing camps. For all the mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day. It's my mom who I haven't called yet. The call is coming. Happy Mother's Day. So, it's a good weekend."
On what he thinks the rookies got out of this mini-camp:"Really, a lot of things. Most importantly, I think they got a feel for the tempo of how we do things – you know, for how much we expect of them in terms of learning things quickly, being thrown right in there, being able to think fast, process a lot of information quickly, play after play, how easily, if you make a mistake, if you're not on top of things, it's a touchdown or it's a sack or whatever. And that's what we want; we want them to be able to learn to think fast under pressure. I think they learned how we operate a little bit in terms of working hard and things like that, so they're off to a good start."
On how T Jared Gaither is doing and what caused him to sit out the past two days:"Jared had issues with his toe last year, kind of toe/foot issues. The trainers have to explain it to you exactly. If I let you talk to the trainers, they could explain it to you. But I don't, so I'll do my best. (laughter) But it's basically a foot and a toe. So, he just couldn't get through the first practice on Friday. He didn't finish the practice. I think it just kind of got worn out and got sore and he didn't feel like he could go the rest of the time. So, that's what I know. That's what he said and that's where it stands."
On whether he thinks it could have anything to do with him being moved to right tackle:"Well, that's not what he told me. He didn't tell me that he was protesting or anything like that. So, we had a conversation about a lot of things like we always do, but the reason he didn't practice – based on what he told me – was the foot. And I think there is an issue there. We're going to get an MRI tomorrow, and he's going to see a specialist this week."
On whether he thinks the transition from college to the pro level surprised some of the rookies:"Oh yeah, definitely. It's a shock to the system a little bit. Things just move so much faster – mentally, physically – every which way. Ramon [Harewood], his deal is he's got to learn how to sit down on a bull rush now. And he'll learn that and he'll be better for it."
On whether the wind was a factor at all today:"Oh yeah. We had wind, we had conditions out here. You know, you always take an opportunity. We'll have to throw the ball in the wind at some point, so that helped our defense a little bit, obviously. But our guys, we have pretty strong-armed guys, and they throw pretty well. All three of them threw pretty well in the wind today. Our defense looked good today though. We have kind of that pick-up football kind of drill that we do – non-contact, but it's a competitive drill – and I thought the defense did a nice job."
On WR Demetrius Williams responding well to the new receivers by having a good camp:"Yeah, Demetrius really did. You know, he's had a good offseason. He's really worked hard. He's got some legitimate weight underneath him right now. He's getting better. Now this is probably the first offseason he's really been truly healthy. So, he's made some progress."
On how ILB Jason Phillips looks:"I think we're seeing a healthy Jason Phillips for the first time. You know, last year he was really fighting the knee. He wasn't even here at this time last year, but in training camp [he was fighting the knee]. He's quick and slippery and a good football player."
On where Phillips is competing:"He's inside linebacker, MIKE and WILL. He's bouncing back and forth there. He's in there with those other guys, so we've got kind of a good group of young linebackers, especially inside linebackers. So, it's going to be very competitive at that position."
On how some of the new veterans are adapting, like WR Anquan Boldin and DE Cory Redding:"Anquan is adapting well. I'd put Donte' [Stallworth] in that category, too. You know, they've done a nice job. It just seems like they're kind of workman-like; every single day they come out and go to work. Cory Redding, the same thing. He's very workman-like, very serious. I really like – besides the fact that he's a big, physical guy, [and] he's got some pass rush ability – he's a very serious leader. [He has a] real serious demeanor. I think he's really excited to be here, and I think he really wants to make the most of it."
On how he feels the cornerback unit held up this weekend with some guys still missing from injuries:"Well, you know, Domonique [Foxworth] looked really good. He's a starter and he played like it. He played very well. After that, it was… Chris Carr jumped in there like he did at the end of last season, looked good outside. And then after that, it was just guys kind of rolling through. I give [secondary coach] Chuck [Pagano] a lot of credit, because he was plugging guys in and they were trying to figure out how to play. Cary Williams had a nice camp. He's learning the defense and he's got some physical ability. And then we're looking at some of these young guys to see who might have a chance to compete in camp and who we might add to the 80-man roster."
On how tryout player CB Travis Fisher did this weekend:"That's a good name, kind of on top of the corner list. He played well. He really looked good. Very solid player – good feet, good technician, works really hard, understands the game, really picked the defense up quickly, and we threw a lot at him. Travis did a nice job."
On how QBs coach Jim Zorn is fitting in with the offense:"Well, it was his birthday today, so they had him in the middle and they did a cheer for him. There he is right there. It's tomorrow? Oh, OK. Oh, we're ahead? Ahead of schedule. So he's probably, I think he's 39 this year, so that's getting up there, but… (laughter) No, he's done really well. He's a great guy, and I think he adds a lot in a lot of different ways. Obviously, he and Joe [Flacco] and John [Beck] and Troy [Smith] are hitting it off very well. He's very conscientious of technique – got a lot of drills to account for a lot of specific situations, situational situations that the quarterbacks can get into. I feel like they're covering a lot of ground, and I feel like personality-wise they really hit it off well. But not just that. You know the experience as a head coach has been great for me and observations he can make and experiences he's had and things they've tried in the past. So, it just makes us stronger."
On whether he thinks QB Joe Flacco still surprises people by his speed:"Well, I had to rule that [play] as a sack. He got sacked earlier down there. They let him squirm out of that, so we brought that one back. (laughter) Joe was in a little bit of a fantasy there. But he is pretty fast, actually. He's tall and he's fast. He's covering more ground than you think."
Quarterbacks Coach Jim Zorn
On being rated one of the most mobile quarterbacks' in NFL history and how happy he is with the mobility of his quarterbacks: "Well, I'm happy, but I was a little bit disappointed I was No. 8 behind Dan Marino. Oh my gosh. (laughter) No, I'm excited about, actually, the mobility that Joe [Flacco] has for as tall as he is. Well, you saw his 4.29 [speed] down the sideline. (laughter) All those guys are able to move. I wanted to get them to get to move in the pocket, and that's where a lot of this game is played, so we're working on some of those things."
On coming to Baltimore to coach the quarterbacks after his tenure as head coach of the Redskins: "Well, I have a chance to every day now speak into those quarterbacks' lives. I'm learning the offense, but I'm also able to impart some of those things that I've brought along the way. It'll be give-and-take as we go along, and I'm just excited about the attitude these guys have of allowing me to come in and talk and change and motivate in a different way."
On his relationship with offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and QB Joe Flacco: "Well, first of all, I think Joe has a real working knowledge of the offense. I mean, he does it well and that was taught to him by Cam, so Cam and he both have a real feel for… When he calls it, he knows what he's calling. For me to come in, I'm just going to add. I'm not going to really change some of those thoughts because the offense is what it is. So, the things that I'm going to add are more game situations. You know, help him think, if needed, and I'm going to help with a lot of the techniques on how to do what we want to get done and just try to stay very competitive. I don't know if I'm getting into his head yet. We'll see. It's a lot of learning right now."
On professional pride after going from being a head coach to a position coach: "I think we just get up. I didn't want to sit out a year and mope around, and I'm excited about working. I'm excited about being a part of this staff and I'm excited about being a part of the Ravens organization. So, I like to work. I like football and I love coaching. And, so I think I'm doing what I'm capable of and I'm doing what I was made for."
On how much he thinks Flacco can improve: "Yeah, good question. I've watched every game, and I've watched every game in detail. I've watched every practice here. I think he's steadily improving. I think the things that I can help him [with] is, especially on that field during the game, is to have poise, help him to have poise. I think he's a pretty even-keeled sort of guy, but there's an intensity that has to come in a game, as well. I think I can help him to stay steady. I know I'm going to help him in some of the areas of mobility, of changing directions, of being sudden, I guess, playing sudden in some of these situations because these defensive teams, the ones that we face in this division, are very fast and you have to make not only quick decisions, but you have to make quick movements as well. So, there's just a lot of things that we'll be working on as we go along here."
On if it would be easier for him to coach a left-handed quarterback: "No. Well, I've done it all my life and I've coached for a lot of years, and I just show them. You know, I can stand a guy on the other side and say, 'Ok, here's what you do,' and he mirrors me and it looks the same. I may look a little goofier because I do it from the other side, but sometimes I go righty. I can go both ways."
