HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening statement:"Good to see everybody. [A] good day of practice. Padded practice; very physical. A lot of physical drills. We had some run drills. We came off the one-yard line, we had a 'move the ball drill' in there. We tried to make it somewhat like it might be in a game, without the tackling. We had one live play at the end; you saw that one. That was a fourth-down play, which the offense converted on. So, the offense won the day by one point. We had some news. You guys saw the news. We're happy about those things. What questions do you have?"
How pleased are you that K Justin Tucker is now under contract now until 2027? (Jamison Hensley) _"Yes, I didn't have any doubt he would be. It was just a matter of … You knew it was going to happen. You knew it was going to happen, I'll leave it at that. You want me to comment on Justin [Tucker]? _(Reporter: "Yes, please.")Is it even necessary? Justin is beyond what kind of a kicker he is and all of that, I would say the kind of leader he is, the guy he is to be around. Being out here with the mindset that he takes to it in terms of his work ethic, also his sense of humor, his understanding of the moment. Even in the meetings, he always has some kind of a comment. He laughs at my jokes, which I really appreciate. (laughter)So, we're happy to have him back."
How did you think RB J.K. Dobbins looked in his return to practice today? _(Childs Walker) _"I thought he looked pretty good in individual, first day back. He was out there in individual; you guys saw him moving around, running the ball-handling drill. That will be the first step. Maybe we add a little bit more everyday and kind of see how he handles it, and see how the knee responds. But, it seems like it's so far so good."
I don't think we've ever seen that hose drill at the end of practice. _(Garrett Downing) _"Yes, that was an idea that came up last night in the coaches meeting, so we did it. It was fun. Recover a fumble in the rain, right? Also, get the rookies good and wet. Spray the hose right in their face, that's what I saw. So, they had a good time with it."
There was an NFL Network report that C Tyler Linderbaum is dealing with a Lisfranc sprain, is that new information? _(Childs Walker) _"That's not true. That's not true. It's not a Lisfranc sprain. There's a ligament; it's not that ligament. It's a different ligament. So, he's had the Lisfranc before. There's no separation, there's no Lisfranc sprain, per se. That's my understanding. I'm not a doctor, but I play one in press conferences, as you know. But that's what I was told."
Is the news on C Tyler Linderbaum the same as the last time you talked to us? _(Childs Walker) _"Yes, he just has a soft tissue type of a deal, a ligament-type of a deal in his foot that is not a serious thing, but we want it to be right and healed. So, it's going to take a little bit of time, but it's not a Lisfranc."
RUNNING BACKS COACH CRAIG VER STEEG
Opening statement:"We'll talk about the running backs here a little bit. Thanks for coming out. As you talked to [head] Coach [John Harbaugh] a little bit, especially for me, yes, it was great to be out here with J.K. [Dobbins] again, getting some work in. There's a great plan with the doctors and the trainers going forward, so we're just going to follow that. We're going to add a little bit each day and see how it goes. But, as you know, J.K. has been chomping at the bit, and I have, too. It was just a good day to get started. As far as the other guys, I couldn't be more excited about the group. As you know, with our coordinator [Greg Roman], we're going to have a great design for what each guy can do well as we progress though the preseason. What our job is right now as an offensive staff, and my job, is to get everyone exposed – and we've been doing this since OTAs – to everything. And make sure that everyone has all the bases in the breadth of our offense covered, and that's really what we're concentrating on right now. You probably won't see anything different in the first preseason game. All of the guys that are up will get in. We're going to mix them all in, and we're going to see. Obviously, each guy is a little bit different, but that's what the preseason is for. So, the guys have been working great, they've been meeting great. They're all pros, rookies on up, and I couldn't be happier with the group. So, any questions?"
RB Justice Hill had a nice play in space today, can you talk about what you're seeing from him compared to before his injury? _(Cliff Brown) _"Right, so there's a guy, if you think back two years ago, a really kind of defined role. Parameter, speed, screens, utilizing all that. Well, he's come back and shown parts of that even better than before. So, I'm excited for him. He's a guy who can't wait to get out and mix it up with another team. You see guys come back after those long-term injuries, and you want to feel their mindset. What we're feeling out of him is, 'Give me everything coach.' You've seen us put him in on downhill runs. It's all coming at him, and he's ready for it all and I'm excited about him. And, that space stuff that you saw today is real. It's been going on all camp."
Do you think it is a possibility that we will see RB J.K. Dobbins playing come Week One? _(Jamison Hensley) _"I'm not going to even go there, because my job each day is to go out there with J.K. [Dobbins] and get him to that point. I think that there's another good point here too, that there are seven guys. Two are working their way back, five are out there. I see Number One potential in every guy. My job is to make every guy push themselves to be a Number One. And J.K., we all know he can be. Let's see how he progresses."
You've been able to get to know RB Corey Clement over the past few weeks. What do you think he will bring to the mix? _(Childs Walker) _"You see it Day One. A pro's pro. Some of those guys we brought in last year, just think back to them and how they handled a tough situation. He is, 'Day One, coach put me in. Put me in all of it.' [He] gets it, and studies at night. He knows how to adapt to an offense. So, the things he brings to the game already, you can see his power, you can see his quickness, he's got really good pass protection ability. On top of that, he's a really accomplished special teams guy in this league. So, he brings a nice veteran element to the room, and really a pro's pro approach to preparation, which is excellent."
What has stood out to you about RB Mike Davis? _(Ryan Mink) _"Mike [Davis] is probably so far the Swiss army knife in the room. From OTAs all the way back, it's like, 'Try this. OK, now this. OK, inside run, outside run, screen.' He ran a slant in the OTAs that beat a linebacker inside and [he] just kept running and looked like a receiver. So, there's things to his game that I feel like there's just a wide variety. Let's see in the game where the strengths really come. Type of runs, type of throws, that kind of thing."
What has impressed you about what RB J.K. Dobbins and RB Justice Hill have done to get themselves ahead of schedule in their recovery? _(Jonas Shaffer) _"Just the work. It's a grind. You go through something like that, and there's a little period where you have to breathe, because your season just got taken away from you. But, as I talked to those guys on text and the phone, even through the season, they were getting right on it. Whenever the surgery happened, they were right back at it. All three of them, Gus [Edwards]. All of them just grinding. It's a long grind, and there weren't any of those guys that even flinched after that. I'm so proud of them for the way they came back."
How do you evaluate running backs here in training camp where physicality is limited? _(Kyle Barber) _"You look for things like vision. You know every play has an entry point, and we coach that. 'G-Ro' [offensive coordinator Greg Roman] does a great job – probably as good as anyone I've been with – at kind of designing the entry point. But then, every runner has creativity, and his vision comes along with that. When do they see the cut? We don't coach a guy and come back and say, 'Oh, you're wrong. You should have cut the ball over there.' You're in the driver's seat; you make the cut. But it's more like, 'What'd you see; why'd you see it,' anticipation and the cut. So that's one thing. Another thing is probably the anticipation of pass protections. That's something that hits you fast and hard in a game. You kind of either have that process going, or you don't, but you can learn it. Those are like probably two key areas as you evaluate running backs."
K JUSTIN TUCKER
Opening statement:"Long time, no see. I'm glad to see you guys all again. And I know last time I got up here, and I said, 'Be brief, bold and brilliant,' and then I just did that thing where I just keep rambling, and I kept you guys out here for like an extra 20 minutes, and you guys could have been cooling off in the A.C. So, let's get it going."
On how pleased he is to sign an extension with Baltimore and be a Raven through 2027:"I feel beyond blessed. I'm fired up, I'm motivated – all the things that I was feeling before I signed, but maybe a little bit more after putting pen to paper. But no, I'm fired up, I'm blessed. I know that I get to come to work at an amazing place with amazing people. We get to continue working on building something great and working toward championships. Just to know that I will be in the plans for exactly that makes me feel very special."
On if the extension came together quickly or if they have been talking about it for a while:"This did come together quickly. I joked to 'Harbs' [head coach John Harbaugh] one day out at practice … We were just kind of just generally talking about the idea; I said, 'I think something could get done in like five minutes,' and sure enough, it took about five minutes. I mean, we just … And the way that [vice president of football administration] Nick Matteo, [executive vice president & general manager] Eric DeCosta … The way everybody upstairs handled the process, it was just really, really good. There's the saying in business that [with] a good deal, maybe neither side gets exactly what they want and neither side is happy, so it's a good deal. But in this case, I believe everybody is super stoked, and I think that makes a great deal. So, like I said, I couldn't be more fired up. And yes, the way that this all played out was pretty quick. I also appreciate that we were able to handle everything just with phone calls, emails, good conversations and nothing even close to acrimonious or dramatic. That certainly can happen, but to be able to knock out this deal in that way was really, really good."
On what it means to be the highest paid kicker in the league:"That's not necessarily at the top of my priority list, as far as getting the deal done. Now, it certainly has a nice ring to it; I'm not going to deny that. But what was and continues to be most important to me is just being in the plans for building a championship and feeling valued as a part of that process. Listen, this deal, for sure, checks all the boxes for me, and for all intents and purposes, this is the type of deal that will more than ensure that I will be a Raven for life. And for that alone, I couldn't be happier."
RB MIKE DAVIS
On his impressions of the Ravens and this offense:"It's been great, honestly. We do a lot more things here, and the offense, it's not one dimensional; they put you everywhere. So, it's been a lot of fun."
On how ready he is to take on a big workload if that's what's required:"I don't know what my role is. I don't know how it's going to go when the season gets here, how it's going to [shake out] and with preseason … All I know is whatever I'm here to do, I'll be ready for it."
On if he prides himself on versatility and if he feels that's helped him get to where he is in his career:"I think what's helped me, as far as my career in this league, is being able to do whatever it is you need me to do. Wherever you need me to line up – outside, inside, run routes – being able to block [and] just being able to be on the field on all downs, I think that's what's kept me in the NFL these eight years, which is crazy to say. So, I would say, yes, being able to just do whatever."
On if he feels disappointment with the way things ended in Atlanta with his hometown Falcons:"Yes, it was a lot of disappointment. I want to say, personally, I don't feel like I had my best year, and being in your hometown, you want to do the best [and] be the best you can. So, with that situation going on, I would say, yes, it fuels me."
On how excited RB J.K. Dobbins was to get back on the field:"Very excited. I talked to him; I think he said he's playing in the preseason, so you're going to have to talk to him about that." (laughter)
On if there have been any surprises in his first training camp with the Ravens:"I would say the offense, really. It's a lot. When you watch this offense, on the outside looking in, seeing guys like Gus [Edwards], J.K. [Dobbins], Latavius [Murray], Devonta [Freeman], you would think it's just run, run, run, until you get here and see how thick and big the playbook is. So, I was just surprised at how big the playbook is."
On playing with QB Lamar Jackson:"Oh, man, it's awesome. Being with a guy like Lamar [Jackson], it takes the pressure off the running backs, because not only are the defenders looking at you, but they're looking at him, as well. So, with him being as versatile as he is, I think it helps all the running backs."
On how fresh he feels, given he hasn't had a ton of wear and tear and has been a part of running back rotations throughout his career:"I feel good. As long as I can run, I don't have any setbacks. I feel [very] fresh, [and] I haven't had any major injuries. (pretends to knock on wood)So, I feel good, honestly."
RB JUSTICE HILL
On how he feels out there for the first time since his season-ending Achilles injury last year:"Yes, I have to give a shout-out to the training staff, too. Every day we came in here and worked. I had a long offseason and just prepared for it. Coming back out here, I feel good. I don't have any hiccups. Nothing. It's feeling great, so it's really nice and I'm excited to be back out here."
On when he started to feel like himself again during the recovery process:"A couple of months ago I started feeling really good. Especially when I got back on the field, that's really when it started to feel great. Just continually doing it every single day. But now, I feel great. [I'm] 100 percent. Just ready to get out there in the preseason."
On how he would describe his Achilles injury:"Just a freak accident. Just a freak accident. It got injured, and now we're here though. We're here, 100 percent, ready to go."
On if he feels better in some ways now than he did pre-injury:"Yes, when you get just a year to kind of sit back and reflect, and get better at things you need to work on, I definitely feel a lot more confident and a lot better at things that I needed to work on. So, coming out here every single day, every single practice, I just want to get better. That's the gist of the whole room. We just want to get better and help each other get better. So, definitely been getting better throughout this camp."
On if he brings the ability to make plays in space to this offense:"Definitely. I just want to make plays to help the team win, no matter what it is. If it's on special teams, if it's playing running back, running the ball outside the backfield or catching balls outside. I just want to be able to do everything to help this team win."
On how RB J.K. Dobbins looks to him coming back from injury:"My man looks great. He's been looking great. We've been working out here in the offseason, too, and it's his time. He's ready to come back and show what he can do. Coming off of an injury is a big thing for me, him, Gus [Edwards]. So, when we get out here, we just want to show that we're good and ready to go."
On if there is now a special bond between himself, RB J.K. Dobbins and RB Gus Edwards due to their recovery process:"We've always had a good bond, but definitely having to go through a battle together, having to go through surgeries and all of this stuff, the whole process, it definitely brought us all together. We all just want to see each other succeed now. Coming back healthy and not having a hiccup. It definitely brought us all together, close."
On the competition within the running backs group:"We're all family. We all just want to see each other succeed. We all come out here, we bring different things to the table and we're just going to compete. We all bring different things. We're going to help each other whenever we need it, and that's always been a thing here. From when I first got here, we all help each other. That's all we want to see, is each other succeeding."
On if he thought it would be possible for him to be on the field at this point when he was first injured:"Yes, I just took it day-by-day. As long as I'm progressing every single day, I knew I was going to be ready by the time OTAs came around. So, that's what I did. Just train hard every single day, and by the time we came around, I was ready to go full speed."
On if there are any challenges associated with rehabbing an Achilles injury: "It's challenging with everything, but you've just got to take it day by day. There are going to be ups and downs, but when you keep that end goal in mind, always working towards that end goal, every day is a blessing, honestly."
On if he's getting any information on the Bengals' defense from his brother, S Dax Hill: (laughter)"Yes, he's giving me a little insight. He's giving me a little insight on what they've got going. But no, he's having fun up there." (laughter)
On his impressions of RB Tyler Badie: "Tyler [Badie] is a great back. He comes to work every single day, and it's going to be exciting to see what we all do in the preseason, especially him, too. And so, he's a great guy, just [as] a person in general, and a great running back, as well."
On how valuable these preseason snaps will be, given the running back competition: "Preseason is good for all of us. We just want to get out there; especially us coming back from injury, too, just being able to get our feet back under us and just really show what we can do. And so, preseason reps, it's going to be fun. I'm just going to go out there … We're all going to go out there and just have fun."
On how weird it felt when his brother S Dax Hill got drafted by the Bengals and what it will feel like to play against him:"It's going to be fun, man. We've never played against each other, and so, it's going to be, actually, fun going out there and playing with him."
