Head Coach John Harbaugh
Opening statement: "Thanks for hanging around. It's starting to rain now, so everybody is moving, but [it was a] great practice – intense again. I thought the guys did a great job of taking care of one another and getting the most out of practice. That's what we tried to do. It is a credit to both teams. We're happy to be moving on to the next part of this."
**What is the next part, John? What do you have planned for tomorrow? *(Jeff Zrebiec) *"Tomorrow we're going to work together. It's going to be a short, shadow practice where we work on situations – a mental-type practice. So, that will be good."
John, do you think the Eagles got a little taste of … When you talk about an intense player like WR Steve Smith Sr., do you think they got a little of what Steve is all about today? (Jamison Hensley)"I don't know. It was just a good practice. The Eagles are intense. They practice really hard – all our guys are the same way. Steve [Smith Sr.] is a unique personality – that's who you brought up – and he's always going to be Steve. It was fun. I think everybody enjoyed it."
John, I saw you talking to Mr. Jeffrey Lurie out there. What is it like to be back here at NovaCare and [does it] bring back memories? (Reporter) "With Mr. Lurie, we talked about – let's see – we talked about the championship game in St. Louis, we talked about golf tournaments that we had – staff against staff. He was bragging about how they won the one this year. His team won. His team wins a lot over the years. (laughter) *[Mr. Lurie is] *just a great guy, awesome organization. It's amazing, [senior vice president of public and community relations] Kevin [Byrne] and I were just talking: Just to have a chance, an opportunity, to work for what I would think have to be the two best organizations in the National Football League – I'm going to be biased, the only two I've been with – but to be with such amazing organizations for 17 years, 18 years now, is just an incredible blessing. I'm very thankful for and grateful to the Luries for what they've done for me and the opportunity they gave me way back when. [I am] grateful to [Ravens owner] Steve Bisciotti for the same opportunity. You pinch yourself when you get a chance to do something like this every day."
John, I know it's far from your priority, but in watching tape – or even out here in practice – [have you] noticed QB Sam Bradford at all? Have you gotten a look on how he looks so far for a guy coming off what he's coming off? (Reporter) "I watched the tape. I've stayed with the [Ravens'] offensive field, because Chip [Kelly] was with our defense and their offense, so I didn't watch him today during practice. I watched [Sam Bradford] on tape. I thought he looked good – good arm strength, gets the ball out quick, very accurate, very poised. He's a big presence in there, so he looked very good."
*John, I know you never use the word comfortable, but are you … Do you like where you're at now with cornerbacks after what you guys did this offseason – add some and extend CB Jimmy Smith? *(Jeff Zrebiec) "Yes, I feel good about our cornerbacks. I feel good about our team, but I feel good about our guys. They're getting better every single day. They're competing, getting in people's face. They're playing press [coverage]. They're playing off [coverage]. They're playing aggressively, and that's what we want them to try to do, and they're doing it."
WR Tom Nelson – you usually don't see too many safeties converting to wide receivers at this level. What has impressed you the most about his ability to be a wide receiver? (Jamison Hensley) "I didn't know anything about [Tom Nelson], really, in all honesty. [Director of pro personnel] Vince Newsome did a great job. It's amazing, he was in camp in Chicago last year with [offensive coordinator] Marc [Trestman], so Marc knows all about him as a defensive back. But he's a very good route runner for a guy that has never played wide receiver. He has a good feel for getting in zones, getting open, very good hands. He has done a nice job. He has put himself in the conversation."
Another guy is WR Darren Waller. It seems like he had a big day. Where have you seen him take his game during this camp? (Ryan Mink)"For Darren [Waller, it's about] just being aggressive and going and making those catches. Here's a 240-pound guy out here in this heat – really all through camp – who pushes through and makes plays at the end of practice, [which] is pretty telling. I thought he took a big step out there today."
With the schedule early on in the season, you guys have some extended road trips. What does a road trip like this do for camaraderie and building the team together out of Baltimore? (Peter Schrager) "That's a great point. To me, it's kind of a practice run. It's good for everybody – the video guys, the training room guys, the weight room guys – but also coaches and players just to get a chance to be away from home and be together and see how we'll work together. [We have to] just make sure we like each other enough to be on the road together. (laughter) So far, so good."
A lot of flux in quarterback the last four or five years. Do you look across the field and see just the opposite for you guys? What does it mean to have a guy like QB Joe Flacco who is that talented, that grounded and that accomplished at such a relatively young age? (Reporter) "It's a blessing. We all talk about it. You can't do it without a quarterback. You can overcome a lot, and you can overcome it for a short period of time, but to have a guy here from the beginning – from the beginning of his career, local guy here, mature, just a stud of a guy – it's great."
John, with someone like G Kelechi Osemele who has established himself, especially last year, is it difficult to balance getting him reps in training camp and resting his Achilles issue? (Jon Meoli) "It's a tough balance, because I think we're going to err on the side of making sure [Kelechi Osemele] is ready to go. We do that with everybody, really. 'K.O.' [Osemele] can always use the reps. He and Eugene [Monroe] can definitely work together. By the same token, you need him ready to go when you need him ready to go. We've been kind of doing that balancing act with all of our guys."
TE Nick Boyle has come on strong as far as the receiving game. I know he's a guy that you guys look at his physical side of things. Can you talk about his progression, how he has come on throughout camp? (Turron Davenport) "Case study would be today: He caught a pass, and it got stripped out, right? Then he came back the next play and made a circus catch on third down behind him and put it away and got upfield. That's probably what you'd expect from a young guy. You just want to keep on the ledger of the good-play side [and have it] outweigh the ledger of the not-so-good-play side, and turn that into production during the season."
John, we haven't seen G/T Jah Reid out there for a few days. Anything you can let us know about him? (Jamison Hensley) "Yes, Jah [Reid] had back spasms three days ago just doing nothing. It just locked up on him, so they're trying to loosen those things up right now."
**Other players that are out today, T Rick Wagner. *(Ken McKusick) *"We sat a lot of guys out today, as you noticed; it wasn't just Rick [Wagner]. It was [Terrell] Suggs, Darryl Smith, [Chris] Canty – just a number of guys out. Rick has been rehabbing a foot. He had foot surgery in the offseason. He fell into a pile yesterday, so we decided to give him a little rest."
You talked earlier about DT Brandon Williams and the expectation that he's going to dominant on every play. DT Timmy Jernigan seems to be getting in the backfield a lot. Do you see him in a similar light? (Ryan Mink) "[They are] different kinds of players. Obviously, Timmy is the kind of guy that he can play at the point of attack, but he can also step and run behind two blocks and go make the play like he did yesterday a couple times. You just never can be sure where he's going to be exactly. That's really what we like about him. We didn't want to talk ourselves out of a guy like that. He has done a nice job."
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RB Justin Forsett
Opening statement:"It was a good practice; we enjoyed ourselves. It was tough, physical. We sweat, and we work. It's good to come out and compete against other guys, and it was a great practice – we did a great job."
On the level of intensity during today's practice:"We wanted to make sure that we came out with more intensity. We knew it was going to be tough to come out the second day. [The] bodies were sore, but we wanted to step it up a notch, and I think it was good competition today."
On running downfield after every play, his leadership in the RB group and being a "tone-setter" this season:"I've been trying to do it every year. I usually do it when it's getting closer to the season, just to get the body in shape and the muscle memory of breaking those long runs. So, that's what I try to do every year, every run play."
On his interaction with the Eagles' running backs.:"I passed and said, 'What's up?' with [Darren] Sproles briefly, and I know [Kenjon] Barner. I saw some of those guys on the offense, but it has been tough getting on the opposite side of the ball."
On his takeaways and the biggest benefits of joint practices:"Just competition. We go up against the same guys every day. So, to go up in a new face and new competition with high-caliber players that they have – especially on defense – it's good to go up against those guys."
On the Eagles' defensive line's ability to fill holes and prevent the inside run:"For our run scheme – the zone run scheme – it's tough to do it when you're in practice, even against our guys, just because we can't cut [block]. We can't cut the backsides, so we don't get a really realistic look. But, it's good going against competition like that, because we go up against a great defense. We come here and play against these guys and then on Saturday, so we'll be able to really go live. It's a good place to [assess] where you're at."
On how important it is to have G Kelechi Osemele back in practice:"K.O. [Kelechi Osemele] is a beast for us; he's a tone-setter, one of those nasty guys up front for us. With him and [Marshal] Yanda – and the rest of the guys – they're tone-setters. It's good to have him back."
On the steady influence of QB Joe Flacco on the rest of the offense in the huddle:"He's a huge influence, he's calm and he's cool. You really don't hear any inflection in his voice. Good or bad, he's going to be Joe; he's going to lead us. He's a guy to follow."
On how much playing time he prefers in preseason games:"I want to knock the rust off. For seven years now, I've been playing every quarter, basically, in the preseason. It's been nice to be able to go in and get some work in and be able to let other guys get some work in, too."
DT Timmy Jernigan
On returning to practice after missing time due to injury during training camp: "It's definitely feels good – just being able to get back around the guys. Then, being able to come out around the time right now, being able to go against Philly and their different schemes, it's a pretty neat thing."
On his ability to consistently get into the Philadelphia backfield during practice:"I always knew I could play like that. I feel like I've been doing it all along. Here, it's just a matter of getting on the field where I can do those types of things. But, [it's] just the way I play."
On missing time in the first preseason game, knowing he has a bigger role on the defensive line this year:"It was tough, but at the end of the day, we have three games left in the preseason. That's plenty of time for me to make up and get things back on the right track."
On if he expects to be a fixture in Baltimore's four-man front in third-down situations:"I expect just to be dominant every down. Whenever I'm on the field – whether it's first down or fourth, whether it's goal line or a pass situation – that's what I'm prepping myself to be. You can't really be one-sided in this league; you can, but it's really no fun. I love the game of football. I want to be on the field every play that I can and be dominant on every play."
On the Ravens' defensive line program, and how every member of that group for Baltimore ends up being a good player:"To be honest with you all, I think it's very simple: It's just the way that we work here. I don't think [anybody] works like we do. We outwork everybody. We've got a coach who, if he sees something wrong with what you're doing, he's going to say something, whether it's 'C.B.' [Clarence Brooks, defensive line coach] or coach [John] Harbaugh. They expect things to be perfect around here. It really doesn't matter who comes into the program, I feel like you have to withstand it."
On how he feels he has been practicing to this point:"I feel like I've been practicing pretty good. Of course, there are things that I see that I could do a little bit different. But for the most part, I feel like I've been practicing pretty good – probably the best practices since I've been here. The biggest thing is just to keep going and getting better every day on top of it, stacking them up."
On if he did the "Bernie" dance after a play during practice:*(laughter) *"Yes – just having fun. You've got to have fun out there. That's part of the game."
On if the joint practices with the Eagles have been a good experience overall: "Yes, it's fun. I remember last year when we went against the 49ers. I remember how fun that was. So, I was really looking forward to coming here, especially going against a different offense with Chip Kelly. My friends back at home – who did go against Oregon last year in that final game at FSU – they told me his offense is pretty tricky. I looked forward to coming here and going against it."
