Head Coach John Harbaugh
Opening statement: "OK, good to see you guys. I appreciate everybody being here. [It was] a good practice after the game on Saturday, getting back at it. [We're] getting ready to go down to Carolina on Wednesday and Thursday to practice – we're looking forward to that. That'll be a great opportunity to compete and test ourselves a little bit and try to continue to improve. A couple of injury things; Trace McSorley is the main one. He actually has … He was picking up a box or something the day of the game. We said he had the back spasms, [it] turned out to be something in his back. It's an issue. He wrenched it in some way, so he's going to be out for a few weeks with that situation. You can ask me about the other guys. I can't think of who they are right now, but nothing else serious. OK, what questions do you have?"
We did see WR Sammy Watkins leave early. Any update on him? (Jamison Hensley) "Yes, Sammy [Watkins] and I think Brandon [Stephens] went in, too. Nothing serious with either one of those guys."
What are you seeing from FB Ben Mason? It looks like he's gotten more comfortable as camp goes on. Does he look like he can contribute on special teams? (Todd Karpovich) "He does. He had a good special teams game. He ran down there and made a tackle on kickoff. He really knows what he's doing. He is kind of what you expect him to be. He's a really good blocker. When the pads came on, he blocks well. He's learning all the other stuff, [and] he's doing fine with it. So, blocking and special teams will be his thing, and we'll see how he does."
The physical talent of OLB Odafe Oweh was clearly on display Saturday night. As far as where he is in understanding the game and where he's supposed to be in the defense, how are those things marrying? (Pete Gilbert) "They're marrying really well. He knows the defense. He knows what he's doing. He doesn't make assignment mistakes. He knows where to line up. It's just a matter of repetition and playing the game to learn the game – that's probably the biggest thing. [Ask] any player; you learn as you go. The veterans, they're crafty and wise for a reason – they've had a lot of experience. So, he'll get a lot of plays. He's going to play a lot, and he's going to be a really good player."
With QB Trace McSorley being out, how much of an opportunity now is it for QB Tyler Huntley out there? It looks like he'll get an extended look in preseason as well. (Jamison Hensley) "Correct. Tyler [Huntley] played well. … Trace [McSorley] played well. [If] you go back and watch it, Trace played well – just talking about the two quarterbacks. Especially given the circumstances, he was under duress a few times. He got hit a few times. Tyler came in and played excellent. He just played excellent. He made plays with his arm, with his feet and with his head. I thought he did an excellent job. He took a big step in that direction to be the backup quarterback, I thought. We'll just see where it goes."
Will you bring in another quarterback? (Kirk McEwen) "We had Kenji [Bahar]. He came in; he knows the offense. So, he'll practice, and he'll play, also."
With you holding out some of the veteran D-linemen on Saturday night, how did you think DT Broderick Washington and DT Aaron Crawford looked? Both those guys played quite a bit for a preseason game. (Luke Jones) "Yes, they played well. Broderick [Washington] and Aaron [Crawford] were very physical. They were very physical at the point of attack. They had a couple plays that got through, the wide zone plays that were … That's always a group effort defending that play. Those guys could've been better on some of those, too. But all in all, they graded really highly, and they played well."
With joint practices, head coaches always have different philosophies with them. Is it always kind of interesting to talk to another coach and say, "OK, this is what we both want to try to get out of these practices?" (Jamison Hensley) "Absolutely. I've talked to [Panthers head coach] Matt [Rhule] about what we're going to do. We'll talk when we get down there again. We need to be on the same page as a team. We're coming down there to practice. We're coming down there for football. That's what we're coming down there for. I know the Panthers will be in the same mindset. We expect them to be in the same mindset. Every time we've done this, I mean, how many fights have we ever had? Very few. I think we had one in Indianapolis with Albert McClellan on special teams. (laughter) So, that says everything, right? Yes, we're looking forward to it."
Can you tell us what's going on with G Ben Cleveland? He's been out since last week. (Luke Jones) "Yes, he had a concussion. So, I expect him, hopefully, back by Wednesday. We'll see; concussions are a little unpredictable."
We asked you about the taunting penalties, and you actually had one in the game. How much of that is a teaching point going forward? (Jamison Hensley) "Exactly. We'll call that a teachable moment. … Chris Westry was wrong, but he acknowledged it right away. He acknowledged it. He pointed, and that's going to be called this year. It probably should be called – I mean, that's what taunting is. We understand that. We know how the rules are, and we're just going to try to do the best we can to not put ourselves in a bad spot. You don't want drag; penalties create drag. Penalties make it harder to do your job. Penalties are something to overcome that sometimes it's the cost of doing business, [and] sometimes it's just a foolish penalty. That obviously goes in that category of foolish penalty."
How have you seen T Ronnie Stanley develop? It seems like today he stayed out there and had his longest practice. Obviously, G Kevin Zeitler was out there, too. What kind of positive is that that both of them are back and kind of moving stuff in the right direction? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Very positive. It's kind of what we expected with both those guys, hopefully, for this week. We'll ease them in this week a little bit, too. But they're both doing very well."
WR Devin Duvernay
On the mentality of the wide receiver room with veteran players out: "We just have to keep going. We know we all have an opportunity here. We all look at it as an opportunity and just keep trying to improve every day on those extra reps."
On how much more comfortable he feels in Year Two after a full offseason program: "[I feel] 100 times more comfortable. Having another year under my belt has done nothing but help me. [Being] able to do OTAs helped tremendously. I feel really comfortable in the offense. I feel like I know everything, and I can play almost any position."
On how much wide receivers coach Tee Martin and pass game specialist Keith Williams have helped in the passing game: "A lot. Just technique, route running, blocking, everything has helped us all improve, be better receivers [and] better football players. Big shoutout to them."
On how much he's looking forward to showing his deep game: "Just whenever my number is called, I look forward to making the play. I'm ready for every opportunity I'm given."
On where he thinks he's made the biggest stride from Year One to Year Two: "Just mentally and continuing to improve route running. I feel like I've upgraded those two things a lot, and I think those things will help me have a successful season."
On his impressions of QB Tyler Huntley: "Just overall, he's a playmaker. He can throw it. He can run it. He can do it all. He has a good deep ball. Overall, he's electric. So, I like seeing him on the field."
On his impressions of WR James Proche II: "He's pretty good. He doesn't have a better one-hander than me, but … (laughter) But no, he's not bad. He's been doing good. He's been doing his thing out there." (Reporter: "Who is your favorite teammate?") "My favorite teammate? Probably No. 11 [James Proche II]." (laughter)
On the bond between him and WR James Proche II: "[We have] great chemistry. [He's a] great dude, my friend [and] my brother. I'm super excited we came in together and get to work together, learn together [and] mess up together. It's been a dream come true."
On what it's like to go up against CB Chris Westry with his stature: "[He's] super long. Super long. You definitely have to approach him differently. … From the smaller guys to the taller guys, they all have their own problems [you have] to deal with. I just attack it like another guy out there."
On how exciting it is to have joint practices with the Panthers: "It'll be cool. It'll be cool to do. I've never done it, so I'm looking forward to the opportunity to see what joint practices are about."
On if preseason games are significant to him in Year Two and what he looks to get out of them: "Yes, I definitely wish I would have had them last year, since with COVID and everything, I didn't get the opportunity to. Just to have that chance to get your feet wet, [and] kind of see and feel how the game is going, I think preseason is a big help for a lot of the young guys."
WR James Proche II
On his strong training camp performance: "It's just a byproduct of the work I put it. God gave me a vision, and I'm just trying to execute it, day by day. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow doesn't exist, so I'm just trying to focus on today – every day, take that 'one percent better each day,' mindset and just keep it moving. I'm just doing my job."
On if he'd consider last year a lost season and how much better he feels this season: "No, it wasn't a lost season, but I feel much better, just because the Ravens are able to do their job in preparing me. I was all on my own last year, just like the rest of the rookies, and to have an offseason with the Ravens – OTAs, minicamp, a training camp, preseason games – I feel much [more] prepared getting up to speed."
On the genesis of his work ethic: "It's kind of like a popular thing now, but my idol – almost look at him like dad – is Kobe Bryant. So, I kind of take that 'Mamba Mentality.' Before I knew what the word 'mentality' was, as a little kid, I was like, 'Damn, I want to be like that.' And I kind of took it to heart, and that's all I know – is work, work, work, work, work, work, work – and that gives you results. So, if it isn't broke, don't fix it."
On advice he's received regarding work ethic and staying active even when he's not involved in drills: "As you grow up, you get advice from older guys in college, in the league, and you can call them cliché, but they're clichés for a reason, right? So, I just listen. They're like, 'Do this while you're waiting,' or 'Get out there early. Take extra reps.' I'm like, 'OK, you're where I'm at, so let me do that.' It's really all just listening, opening up my ears and then putting it into action."
On the longest he's gone without catching a pass: "Oh, no. I don't really think about it like that. I just try to get in as many balls, as many reps as possible."
On his process even away from practice: "I've got a ball with me all the time. Even when I thought I was going to the NBA, I had a basketball with me. I don't know. I just love the process. I love this whole lifestyle, and not the outside stuff – the lights, the girls, the money. I love being in the process, really grinding, getting better. That's me. That's in my DNA."
On if he's anxious to see the results of his work ethic in games: "Of course, I'm anxious. When you put in all this work … In the summer, getting up at 4:30 [a.m.], working out at 11 [a.m.], working out at 1 [p.m.], working out at 5 [p.m.], it's all for the game. So, you kind of pray and hope that that work comes to fruition. I'm so excited. I'm so blessed to be … I get paid to play football. What kind of … It's crazy. So, I'm blessed, and I'm grateful."
On waking up early to maximize the day: "Yes, in the offseason, I was getting up at 4:30 [a.m.]. Now I get up at 5:25 [a.m.] – get a little sleep – but in the offseason, I was getting up at 4:30 [a.m.] I'm just trying to maximize the day, man. I hate wasting the day, so I just try to maximize the day as much as possible."
On what time he goes to sleep: "I go to sleep at 9:30 [p.m.]. Well, I'm in bed by 9:30 [p.m.]. I try to be asleep by 10 [p.m.]."
On his impressions of QB Tyler Huntley: "The same thing you all saw – the boy is balling. A lot of the passes [that] I'm on the catching end of, you look back, 'Who threw that? No. 2 Tyler Huntley.' So, I'm just proud of him. We put in a lot of work when we could this offseason. We got back a little early, put in some work. We were here [for] minicamp. I'm always with Tyler [Huntley]. That's my guy. It's good to see him shine."
On wide receivers coach Tee Martin and pass game specialist Keith Williams: "What's crazy is I've been wanting to work with Coach 'Dub' [pass game specialist Keith Williams] [since] when he was at Nebraska, but I'm a college kid, don't have any money, [so] I can't fly to Nebraska and just stay there. I was looking when we hired him, I said, 'Keith Williams?' I went to my Instagram, I was like, 'Oh, [shoot], dang, I get to work with him now, every day.' So, I just kind of try to take advantage of the opportunity I have right now, including [with wide receivers] Coach Tee [Martin]. He's been around Randall Cobb, [played] with the Steelers. He has so much knowledge, so just to be able to pick their brains every day is a blessing, for sure."
On having to wait his turn last season: "It was the same thing as … My freshman year of college, I got redshirted, because I was ineligible. It was something out of my control. So, all I do is do my job, and something me and my brothers always talk about is trusting your journey. I saw a clip where this dude got drafted into the NBA, and he was 24, and Devin Booker is 24 and been in the league [six] years. You've got to trust your journey. It's not one single script for everybody, so everybody has a different story, different script, [and] everybody is on different chapters; I trust mine wholeheartedly, and the plan that God has for me."
OLB Odafe Oweh
On how it felt to play in his first preseason game: "Yes, it felt good. I had a little pre-game jitters, but getting that first snap out of the way cleared it all, and it was just regular football. But it felt good."
On his eagerness to get a sack: "That's always my mentality – just to be disruptive, cause havoc, whether I'm in the backfield or trying to get someone at the line. But I'm really eager just to get someone on the ground, whether it's the QB, TFL [tackle for loss] – anything like that."
On if he's ever been a gunner in punt coverage before: "No, I've never done it before. I'm learning how to do it right now. I'm still trying to get better with it – trying to take long strides into short strides and then breaking down and making the play. But it's fun just trying to showcase my athleticism and stuff like that, and hopefully I can make a play out there."
On how he earned the role as a gunner: "At first, I showcased something in practice that made it look like I can run down the field, disengage and try to make the play, and then they were like, 'Oh, snap. (laughter) Let's see what he can do.' And then I tried it, and I was like, 'I like it.' I can show my long-distance speed and then break off and make the play. So, it was a little bit of both ways; he asked me if I wanted to do it, and I said, 'Yes, I can do it.'"
On if he was disappointed that the returner called for a fair catch: "Yes, I was. I thought he was going to try to run it. He waived, and then I nudged him a little bit." (laughter)
On how he tries to contain QBs Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley when they scramble: "It's just, you have to show your speed, you have to get up to them fast, but then you've got to be alert with them being shifty and trying to break you off. So, it's a little bit of both – trying to get there first, but then being cautious, especially with Lamar [Jackson], because he's twitchy; he can break you off that way or that way. So, it's fun showing your speed against them, seeing guys that little [and] me, this big, trying to move with them, and me getting it a lot of times. So, it's fun."
On the biggest adjustment to the NFL: "Probably just game-speed, situational football. Understanding what the down and distance is – everything. Just understanding that it's not just you reading your keys; you've got to understand everything around you. Like I said, just game-speed."
On taking reps against T Ronnie Stanley in practice today: "Yes, I've been trying to go against Ronnie [Stanley] for the longest [time], but obviously, he's going through some stuff. We want him to get better and want him to compete during the season, but it was good getting some work against him today. He has that vet set, so you've got to be on your 'Ps' and 'Qs' for everything. [He has] strong hands, and he has good feet, so you can try to break him down, but you've got to be fast with the hands, as well. So, it was a good rep, it was a good rep."
On OLB Justin Houston: "He's Yoda, man. He's like Yoda. He just knows everything, and I try to ask him questions about different sets, how to approach that, how to attack that, and he'll have the answer right away. I really appreciate that, because like I said, I'm new to the game, so I'm trying to pick up something different every single time. I try to work with him after practice – hands, just learning. Learning stuff and picking every little thing. With film too, how to take care of your body – just that vet mentality, being a pro and everything. So, he's really helped me with everything."
On his near sack in the preseason game: "You could tell I wanted it a lot, because I just jumped out of there. I was like, 'Oh, yeah. I'm not letting you go away.' But, next time, I'm going to try to run through him – rip through, get more stable, in terms of me being upright and everything. But I was able to cause a sack for my teammates, and that's the type of player I am. I like to be disruptive, whether I get the sack or I [help] my teammates get the sack. So, it was a good play for the whole team."
On his progress since the start of training camp: "It's obviously encouraging – just to get better and stuff like that – but I know there's a long way to go. Like I said, I've got Justin [Houston], I've got Calais [Campbell] teaching me up on the field, outside the field. But I'm really happy with my progression, in terms of the play calling and just playing faster, getting off the ball faster, but I know I've got a long way to go. I know I've got more steps to take, and I'm fine with that. The future is bright. I'm good with that."
On relying on his athleticism: "Yes, that's what [caused] the little jitters coming into the game – knowing if my athleticism was going to be matched and everything. But I still feel an edge, in terms of my athleticism and stuff like that, and it's just giving me the confidence to even show it even more. I feel like my athleticism, plus with some technique, with some more technique, with what I already have, can go a long way. My athleticism is elite to some points, but it can also get better. So, I'm grateful for where I'm at, and I can just always get better."
On OLB Daelin Hayes: "He's really smart – not just with the playbook; he's playing SAM [strong side linebacker] right now – but in terms of just reading sets and everything. He has a very good ghost rush, which is what he did – manipulating leverage, seeing if the guy is going to rush to you, show that you're going to engage [with] him and then hide the shoulder. So, he did that pretty well. I wish they gave him the sack on that. But 'Twinion' – that's what I call him – he's really good, and I'm really happy for him and for him to show what he can do in the future, too."
On the 'Twinion' nickname: "I don't know. I guess … They call us twins, obviously. I don't know if it's because we look alike, because we're both outside linebackers … But the Minions, and we're twins now, so it just made 'Twinions.' I don't know where it came from, but it stuck." (laughter)
