Terrell Suggs has always been one of Joe Flacco's most ardent supporters.
He's praised Flacco time and time again for his coolness under the most intense pressure, even when Flacco's laid-back demeanor has come under scrutiny.
But Suggs wouldn't mind seeing the Ravens franchise quarterback get a little bit louder this season.
"Joe is just 'Cool Joe,' and not all the time. He's not the most vocal," Suggs said as training camp opened Wednesday. "But sometimes we may need that. He may have to cuss somebody out. He may have to cuss me out. It's good to hear your quarterback get after somebody sometimes. I think it will be a good thing."
Flacco is known as being a player who leads by example, but he has shown a willingness to take on more of a leadership role in recent years. He has been outspoken in the media and with the coaching staff about certain topics, and he also provided the entertainment of last year's training camp by consistently talking trash to Suggs.
Suggs said "we'll have to see" if the playful verbal barbs continue between the two of them in this year's camp, but also acknowledged that Flacco hasn't backed down from him previously.
"He has cussed me out before, but Joe knows how to do his little subliminal slick shots," Suggs said with a smile.
"We're looking for a little bit more direct."
The question of leadership has been a much discussed and debated topic since the departure of key veterans like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed last season, and Suggs was asked about it again Wednesday. Suggs stood by the veteran leaders the Ravens have on the roster, and he made it clear that he expects Flacco to be a significant part of that group.
"I've said it from the jump: We have a lot of leaders on this team," Suggs said. "I'm really looking forward to seeing Joe Flacco comeinto his own. Be one of those premier, elite quarterbacks and talk to his team. We're definitely going to stand behind Joe, stand behind Haloti [Ngata] and hopefully they all stand behind me."
