HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening Statement: "[It's] good to see everybody; I appreciate you being here. Once again, [we had] an enthusiastic crowd – you can hear the people. [We have] a bunch of football teams here, and kids are here everywhere, so we're enjoying that, and they were loud during practice. [It was] a good practice, [and it was a] tough practice. [It was] hot, and the guys did a good job working through it, and we got some good work done."
When it is this hot, do you ever think about, 'Oh, maybe we'll cut off the period here,' or do anything like that? (Jamison Hensley) "No."
Did any guys try to persuade you? (Jamison Hensley) "No." (laughter)
TE Isaiah Likely looked pretty good out there. What do you see him progressing on during training camp? (Todd Karpovich) "I think Isaiah [Likely] is doing a really good job. He's a guy that understands how to fight through these kinds of days. His legs are little tired, [so he] focuses on technique, tries to lock in on his assignment, and he had a good day as a result. It's one of the things you try to get out of a day like this."
Have you gotten any sense if WR Rashod Bateman is OK, or is it too early? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Yes. I don't think it's a serious thing, it's just kind of a little soreness deal. They took him in to be safe."
Likewise, WR/RS Deonte Harty wasn't out there today. (Giana Han) "Same thing. Same kind of thing. It's the little things they probably want to approach it with an abundance of caution."
OLB David Ojabo had a pretty good practice today, had a couple pressures. What are you seeing from him since he's healthy and through this first week of practice? (Kyle Phoenix) "Yes. [I'm] kind of ramping him up now. More and more reps, [and] more and more drills. [It] won't be long before you'll see him in one-on-ones. He did, he had a lot of energy and looks good out there."
Back in minicamp, you said the hope was maybe after two weeks of training camp you would know a little bit more about your offensive line. Are you on pace with that, or do you think that you need some more time with that? (*Morgan Adsit)* "We are with some guys, some cases, but not the whole thing. It's probably going to be as we go. Once we get to the [Philadelphia] Eagles game – I think the game itself is important, too. You want to see what you see in practice confirmed at least in a game, if somebody is really on track, and then the other guys will show up in the game, and we'll see what they can do. We're on pace in some cases, and other cases, [we're] not. That would be the ideal, and if it happens that way great, but we still have a lot of time between then and now."
With QB Lamar Jackson, it seems like over his career, like, once every year, he's missed some time because of illness, and I'm not sure what the specifics of each illness has been, but is there any concern that this could be a chronic condition with Lamar Jackson? (Jamison Hensley) "With all of our players, [and] with all of our employees ... I get these physicals every year, they do a great job. When they stop giving me my physical every year, I'm going to start worrying." (laughter) "It's like, 'Don't you care anymore?' So, Lamar [Jackson] gets tested, Mark [Andrews] gets tested, all of our guys get tested thoroughly, especially when you're sick, so they look at every possibility."
You have a lot of bodies in your secondary; you seem to constantly rotate in all of these guys. How deep into your bench, in terms of these secondary guys do you feel like you'll be playing them on a regular basis? (Cordell Woodland) "Well, it's a great point and question, because I feel like we're very deep in the back end, and I think we're deep throughout our team. We have a lot of guys we've got a lot of confidence in, even some guys that aren't practicing. With T.J. Tampa [Jr.], you haven't even seen out there with his sports hernia, and he'll be back in a couple of weeks. We just want to see those guys keep doing well, keep growing [and] keep getting better, and see where it takes us."
QB LAMAR JACKSON
On how he's feeling: "[I'm] feeling wonderful man. [It's] good to be back; back out with my guys; back out with the coaching staff – [it's] good to be back in August man, [it's] football season."
On if he feels fully recovered from illness: "I feel good. I feel good."
On what happened that caused him to miss practice time: "I don't know, I kind of just got a bug – you really never know when a bug [will] hit you. I got hit with a bug, and I'm good now."
On how impressive TE Isaiah Likely has been: "Ever since Day One, I've just seen the potential in Isaiah Likely. He [shows] it each and every day – each and every day he [wants] to be a better player, and then you know, he [has] a guy like Mark [Andrews] in his [tight end] room who's showing him the ropes and stuff like that. Him being himself at the same time; it's just magic happens, and he's just got to keep going, [and] keep bringing that each and every day – keep trying to be a better player."
On how he stays locked in after missing time: "I mean, just because I was down, [I was] still locked in – I know what time [it is] right now – it's camp time. With me going down for a couple days – my mind was still in it, like, 'I've got to hurry up and get better so I can be out there with my guys.'"
On how he feels about head coach John Harbaugh's comments on him eventually becoming the greatest quarterback of all time: "I wasn't paying attention to it. I was out, so I wasn't really paying attention to it, but I appreciate that coming from Coach [John Harbaugh]."
On how he will go about trying to become the greatest quarterback of all time: "Keep doing what I'm doing; keep trying to get better; keep trying to win these games; keep trying to reach that goal."
On what he's seen from the offensive line, particularly with the three open spots: "Guys just getting after it – they're busting their tail out there. They [are] trying to get better [and] trying to win a position. I really can't pay attention to them because I'm paying attention to the defense [to] see what [they're] doing – see what [they're] giving me and just trying to get the ball out [of] my hands. From what I do see, guys are fighting and busting [their] tails."
On if he likes where he's at physically after losing weight in the offseason: "Do I look lighter?" (Reporter: Yes.) "I appreciate it, so I think I did the right thing."
On head coach John Harbaugh having his back by saying he can be the greatest of all time: "I'm not the GOAT, Tom Brady [is] the GOAT. Tom Brady [is] the GOAT. Yes, I believe that's motivation – I appreciate that; I'm still on my way."
On how he builds communication with TE Isaiah Likely: "It's within plays; it's inside the locker room – we're talking about plays that went on on the field – telling him what I'm seeing from defenses and saying where I see he should be on the field – things like that; just talking about ball, talking ball, and playing games sometimes, too – that builds chemistry, and communication as well."
On if he realized that fans were waiting for him to return to the field: "No, I'm not thinking they're missing me; I'm missing them. I'm trying to get back out to those guys and just be happy around my teammates, that's all – but them missing me – the kids missing me, I love it; I love it all."
On how he's feeling: "[I'm] feeling wonderful man. [It's] good to be back; back out with my guys; back out with the coaching staff – [it's] good to be back in August man, [it's] football season."
On if he feels fully recovered from illness: "I feel good. I feel good."
On what happened that caused him to miss practice time: "I don't know, I kind of just got a bug – you really never know when a bug [will] hit you. I got hit with a bug, and I'm good now."
On how impressive TE Isaiah Likely has been: "Ever since Day One, I've just seen the potential in Isaiah Likely. He [shows] it each and every day – each and every day he [wants] to be a better player, and then you know, he [has] a guy like Mark [Andrews] in his [tight end] room who's showing him the ropes and stuff like that. Him being himself at the same time; it's just magic happens, and he's just got to keep going, [and] keep bringing that each and every day – keep trying to be a better player."
On how he stays locked in after missing time: "I mean, just because I was down, [I was] still locked in – I know what time [it is] right now – it's camp time. With me going down for a couple days – my mind was still in it, like, 'I've got to hurry up and get better so I can be out there with my guys.'"
On how he feels about head coach John Harbaugh's comments on him eventually becoming the greatest quarterback of all time: "I wasn't paying attention to it. I was out, so I wasn't really paying attention to it, but I appreciate that coming from Coach [John Harbaugh]."
On how he will go about trying to become the greatest quarterback of all time: "Keep doing what I'm doing; keep trying to get better; keep trying to win these games; keep trying to reach that goal."
On what he's seen from the offensive line, particularly with the three open spots: "Guys just getting after it – they're busting their tail out there. They [are] trying to get better [and] trying to win a position. I really can't pay attention to them because I'm paying attention to the defense [to] see what [they're] doing – see what [they're] giving me and just trying to get the ball out [of] my hands. From what I do see, guys are fighting and busting [their] tails."
On if he likes where he's at physically after losing weight in the offseason: "Do I look lighter?" (Reporter: Yes.) "I appreciate it, so I think I did the right thing."
On head coach John Harbaugh having his back by saying he can be the greatest of all time: "I'm not the GOAT, Tom Brady [is] the GOAT. Tom Brady [is] the GOAT. Yes, I believe that's motivation – I appreciate that; I'm still on my way."
On how he builds communication with TE Isaiah Likely: "It's within plays; its inside the locker room – we're talking about plays that went on on the field – telling him what I'm seeing from defenses and saying where I see he should be on the field – things like that; just talking about ball, talking ball, and playing games sometimes, too – that builds chemistry, and communication as well."
On if he realized that fans were waiting for him to return to the field: "No, I'm not thinking they're missing me; I'm missing them. I'm trying to get back out to those guys and just be happy around my teammates, that's all – but them missing me – the kids missing me, I love it; I love it all."
On the chemistry with the offensive line after Day Two: "Yes, absolutely. I was here early on in voluntary [camp], so that helped out a little bit. [With] me being down, it really didn't slow me down. For me not being with my guys each and every day — I'll take that as a slow down — but other than that, it was pretty good."
On if he wonders why he maybe gets sick more often than others: "I think that sometimes, because [when I was in college] in Louisville, I never got sick. I never was sick. But it comes and goes."
On if he thinks he has a chronic illness: "No, Dr. Jamison [Hensley]. No, I don't think anything."
On his thoughts of the lawsuit with Troy Aikman: "We're going to keep it [about] football. We're going to keep this about football. That's outside noise. We're sticking with [talking about training] camp, football, and that's it."
On how comfortable he feels with the offense in Year Two: "I'm very comfortable. We're talking a lot inside the building, saying things on the field, talking to Coach [offensive coordinator Todd Monken] and the guys. [We're] making checks, here and there. I'm getting very comfortable with the system. Very comfortable."
On where he sees WR Zay Flowers potential in Year Two: "I always tell [media members] – the sky is the limit. I really don't know what his potential can be. He shows day-in and day-out what type of player he is. As he gets older and matures, the time will tell."
On why he decided to go and speak WR Zay Flowers days after the AFC Championship: "[It's] because I know how important it is to him – that moment, how important it is to all of us and how people would be about what went on during the game. But all of us play a part – it's a team sport at the end of the day, and I was letting him know that."
On if the Super Bowl is his last goal after winning the MVP award twice: "That's been the first checkbox for me since 2018. I said that [on] April 26 – whenever I was drafted – I said that, and I meant that. This is the highest level of the game we play. You've got to go out a champion, and that's what I want to be labeled as – a champion. [I don't] just want to be labeled as MVP [Most Valuable Player] here and there; I want to be a champion."
On how quickly WR Zay Flowers earned his trust: "It was pretty easy. I'm seeing him attack the ball, [and] I'm seeing him when the cornerback has outside leverage on an out-breaking route; he's dropping him, and he's winning. Off back, he's had my trust. [With] him catching the ball and doing what he does, that's all a quarterback wants."
On how he keeps his perspective positive: "Patience is key. Only a few quarterbacks have won a Super Bowl in the last few years. A lot of people haven't won. But I'm focusing on me, and I just want [a Super Bowl] really bad. I focus on what I can control and go from there."
On what he said to the defensive huddle during last Saturday's practice: "I was telling them to slow [it] down a bit. They were flying around; we've got guys flying around and doing what they [are] supposed to do. But then I was talking trash to them. I believe iron sharpens iron. We've got one of the best defenses in this league. We're talking trash to those guys, [and] those guys are talking trash to us. We [are] just going after each other, [and] I believe that's what builds a great team."
On if CB Marlon Humphrey is one of the ones talking trash: "Yes, I told Marlon he needs to get his hands right. That is why I'm throwing interceptions to him; he dropped a few last year, so I'm hoping that's helping him out." (laughter)
On Zach Orr's defense: "Man, those guys [on defense] look like the throwback Ravens defense. [It's] bloodshed, a lot of smack talk and a lot of big hits. We're seeing it all from our defense. Guys are actually tackling out there – I don't think we should be – but we're looking good. I'm loving it."
T RONNIE STANLEY
On if he's started a new stretch routine: "Yes. I'm trying to get a good stretch in after every practice. I think it's the right time to get a good stretch, when you're already pretty warm."
On what today's hot practice was like: "Yes. It was a grinder today. It was just one of those days, one of those camp days. We call it the dog days, so it's one of those days you go through. We got better today as a team; that's for sure."
On how much of the outside noise and perception he listens to: "Absolutely none, [for me] personally. I'm pretty sure my guys in the room are the same way. Having new guys on a line, that's nothing new to the Baltimore Ravens. I think every year, you play with at least a couple of new guys every year, so this is the time where we're building our chemistry and getting better as a unit."
On how much responsibility the offensive line puts on its back and if that's the mantra of the group: "Yes. That's always the mantra. We know we're the start of it all. We're the tip of the spear, so us and the D-line, we're the ones setting the line, so we set the tone on both sides of the ball. We take pride in that and knowing that we can help 'L.J.' [Lamar Jackson] make all these fantastic plays that he does, and we can make these things easier for him, [and] give him less anxiety to where he can really perform at the highest of levels."
On his relationship with G Andrew Vorhees: "I think Andrew [Vorhees] is great. Ever since he got here, he's been a student of the game and has just been trying to learn. Even the times he couldn't really be on the field for practice, he's been in all the meetings, he's been here throughout all the offseason, and I come out ... I'm very impressed with how fast he's learning things, how fast he's getting up to the speed of the game [and] how good of a shape he's in. Everything is moving really fast for him., but he's also adjusting really fast, and he's getting better and better every day."
On some of the stunt handoffs on the left side of the line and if G Andrew Vorhees has been good with those: "Yes. There are going to be struggles and passing off twists. That's why the defensive line runs those twists, because we have to be on the same page – the tackle and guard. Every single time we've run it, every single day, [Andrew Vorhees is] getting better and better. It gives me confidence as a tackle, knowing that the guard is going to make sure he's stopping the penetration – and vice versa – each way it comes."
On his kindship with G Andrew Vorhees and the conversations they had about being sidelined due to an injury: "I feel like if there was [conversations about his injury], that probably happened during his injury. It was probably more as he was going through the rehab process. But now, we're just talking about football. We're not really talking about injuries, and he's not complaining about anything. He's been full go. I think everything has been good from that perspective, but yes. Right now, we've just been focused on football."
On the importance of being out here practicing: 'It's been great, just being able to come out here – I go through the same soreness as everyone. But, to be able to come out here and work through it and be able to perform day after day in these hot days against our defense is very reaffirming to me."
On if it's fair to say that this is the most motivated he's ever been: "Yes, I would say that's pretty fair. I mean, I think the last couple years have not been my best, and I haven't really been happy about it since a long time – since I can remember as a football player – so, I feel like I have a lot to prove to myself [to] just be the player I know I can be. And they say there's no testimony without a test, so I'm very fortunate to just have the opportunity to prove myself and to prove what I know I can do."
On if he can build off the way he ended last season, and if he felt himself improve towards the end of last year: "I definitely felt it get better, but still not to the level where I'm comfortable [and] where I came out of the game knowing I felt like I played at the level that I'm capable of, so I still thought there was room to improve in that aspect. And last year was tough just battling through a multitude of injuries and whatnot, and things happen – it's a part of the game – but right now, everything that I was feeling last year, [I'm] not feeling, so it's been good. Like I said, [I'm] just having the normal soreness and aches, but other than that, everything is just pretty solid."
On if he feels like he's playing better than he did last year in the padded practices during training camp: "Oh, yes. I feel like I'm already playing better than I was at any point last year – for sure."
On who have been the biggest headaches to block out there: "I mean, 'Dafe' [Odafe Oweh] is always a headache; [Justin] Madubuike is always a headache. You've got 'Jabo' [David Ojabo] on the outside; you've got Kyle [Van Noy] on the outside. Those guys are always ... They create different problems, they're all great at different things, and they've got a great coach [pass rush coach Chuck Smith] there giving them great advice. So, it's been good. It's been good to get all these reps and just learn from each rep."
On how important this part of training camp is for a guy like T Roger Rosengarten: "[Roger Rosengarten] is going through those same things that any rookie would go through – just adjusting to the speed and learning the new plays – and as those things come along, the game will just slow down for him. But all in all, Roger is a pro. He's a pro football player, and he definitely belongs in the NFL. I see it in the way he prepares, the way he thinks about the game, his I.Q. and just his tenacity – the way he's not scared to go after blocks – and he does it in a controlled way."
On if 'ballhawk' CB Marlon Humphrey is any different than 'non-ballhawk' Marlon Humphrey: "I think Marlon Humphrey is the most authentic person you'll ever meet, so whatever you see from him, that's how he is all the time."
