HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening Statement: [It was] a big day [and] a hot day. I thought our guys did a really good job of answering the bell. It was a challenging practice, and they got to work. [There] was a lot of third-down work, fourth-down work, a lot of physicality in there, and I'm proud of the way the guys practiced. I always am – today was an example of that."
I know you're not game-planning for the preseason opener, but is there an excitement building a little bit, that guys will hit some other guys? (Jamison Hensley) "No question. [It's] very exciting. It gets to that point and time in camp where you really need to do that. It's kind of part of the evolution – you have to take another step, you have to go tackle, you have to go play a game, you have to go feel and understand the tempo of a game, not a practice. So, we're looking for it."
I saw in individual drills, you guys focused more on tackling and wrapping up to get ready for actual live to the ground tackling on Friday for the first time? (Morgan Adsit) "We do a lot of drills – we really work on the angles. A lot of times, good tackling is a function of being in good position to make a tackle, which has to do with getting there quickly, in other words, playing with great effort, getting off blocks the way you're supposed to, [and] taking a proper angle. If you do that, you're generally going to make tackles, and then your partner is there to help clean the tackle up – that's what ends up being good tackling. Within that, we try to teach good technique, and then we'll coach it on the film and tape once we get into the game."
How important is this first preseason game as far as getting the starters for the offensive line figured out who those guys are going to be? (Todd Karpovich) "I think we'll get a lot of questions answers in this game in terms of where everybody's at at this time in a real game situation. Blocking, tackling, catching the ball, how we handle our assignments, things like that will be very interesting."
We saw G Ben Cleveland at center. Is it just of matter of just trying to increase his versatility to see where else you could use him? (Jeff Zrebiec) "He's been at center now since the first day of OTAs, he's been working in there. He continues to work in there. Tyler [Linderbaum] is out right now – they're kind of evaluating him – he had some discomfort, and we're going to hold him out. We're going to be very cautious with Tyler, obviously. There is not anything he needs right now in terms of practice, so we'll kind of rest him up there. We're going to work Ben [Cleveland], we're going to work [Andrew] Vorhees in there. We're going to work all of those guys."
I know after he made that catch, WR Rashod Bateman kind of went down and then didn't come back in, but stood on the side. Is Rashod Bateman OK? (Morgan Adsit) "I haven't been told anything yet."
Do you see backup center as a significant open competition right now? What are you seeing from that? (Kyle Phoenix) "Yes. It is an open competition right now, and you have Patrick Mekari in that mix, too, obviously. To the question that was asked last week, it kind of goes to that. I'm confident that we've got guys that can do it and do it well, but we are going to want to hone in there in the next some period of time soon."
We saw a simulated scrimmage on Saturday. What are your thoughts on the things that you saw that jumped out that you liked? (Brian Wacker) "I don't have my list with me right now, but I do think that they played hard. They kind of understood the situations they were put in, which was good. They understood what it meant to win a situation. The way we scored it was based on which side of the ball won the situation, and that's kind of how the game breaks down a lot of times. It breaks down into parts. So, whether they were coming off of the 25 [-yard line] to start the series, whether they were in the field goal area, in the red zone [or] backed up – those are kind of situations you want to get them in."
LB MALIK HARRISON
On being moved around at the linebacker spot and seeing time both inside and outside: "Last year, that's where I started to move around, but I'm used to it. Like, in high school, I played damn near 10 positions, so I'm used to playing around a whole bunch of positions. It's nothing too hard on me or anything."
On if his versatility at both linebacker spots has given him a greater understanding of the defense: "Oh, yes, definitely. Just learning all those positions, I get a bigger picture, I get to know – basically – what everybody is doing, and it just helps me out. I just have to ... When I go out there, I'll be like, 'I'm playing dime,' or 'I'm playing SAM [linebacker],' or 'I'm playing end.' I've got to just turn my brain into, 'I've got that.'"
On the Ravens valuing versatility and how playing multiple positions is to his benefit: "I feel like, with this defense, the more you know, the better you're going to get on the field. So, me playing [more] positions, gives me the opportunity to get on the field more."
On if he aspires to be a guy who survives in this league by being a factor on special teams and contributing on defense when his number gets called: "Yes, definitely. To be honest, any way to get me on the field, that's just how I feel. [If] they want me to play inside, I'll play 3-Technique. I'll play anything they want me to play."
On which positions he's made the biggest strides: "I feel like, right now, I've got a pretty [good] understanding of all the positions. But I'll say, since this is going to be my third year playing SAM [linebacker], I feel like SAM, is my strongest [position] right now."
On if the defense has enough pass rush skill players to be as successful as last year: "I feel like the guys that we've got right now ... Add in [David] Ojabo, who's coming back; we've got 'K.V.' [Kyle Van Noy] back. I feel like the guys that we've got now ... Odafe [Oweh] ... I feel like everybody that we've got right now ... It's a good group of guys that can get off the ball, and we can have the same success that we had last year."
On the most challenging aspect of playing inside linebacker for a young player stepping into a bigger role, like ILB Trenton Simpson: "As a young player coming in, regardless, you're getting more snaps, and you're seeing things different, [so] it's going to be challenging. But 'Trent' [Trenton Simpson] has been doing great this whole [training] camp, so I can't wait until the season and see how he is this whole season."
On if he prefers playing inside or outside linebacker: "No, I don't. I don't. Just anything they give me on the field ..."
On the new kickoff rule: "It's different than what – obviously – I'm used to, but I feel like it's going to be fun. Just being five yards [away from the other team in the setup zone], I feel like a lot of people [are going to] get to make a lot of plays."
On if the preseason will help the team better understand how to play the new kickoffs: "Yes, definitely. Just out here, we're just trying new things just to get a feel for it, but the real test is going to be when we play in a game, so we try to make it seem like it's like game-night scenarios when we're out here."
On how important this season is for him: "It's a critical year for me; [I'm] on a one-year deal. I'll just try to get on the field more, make more plays and just have people feel my presence."
On if he is excited for the preseason and how he approaches the practices leading into the game and the game itself: "I treat it like a game – like a regular season game. You never know who's watching you; you can get promoted [from] a preseason game. You never know, so I treat it just like a [regular season] game."
S AR'DARIUS WASHINGTON
On him getting a pick-six in practice: "It felt good. It was my first play – well first pick, so it felt good definitely to get on the board, too."
On if the Olympics inspired his backflip after his pick-six: "Maybe a little bit. But I've been doing that since I was like six years old. I wanted to bring it out here, why not."
On if feels he's stacking up competition in the safety position: "The more you can do – competition is great, [and] it brings out the best in us and everything like that, but I feel like I've been doing [a] pretty good job; [I'm] still learning a little bit [and] flying around and making some plays."
On how he makes his imprint in the secondary: "I just keep it simple; just do my job. Every time I go out there and whatever opportunity I get, [I'm] just going out there and representing myself well and representing this team. The main thing for me is [to] just do my job."
On if he will build from last year's success in the regular season: "I just stay confident in myself. That was last year; [I'm going to] keep that [in the] last year. Every day I come out here [and] stack every day [to] make the most of my opportunities, and I feel like I'm going to do the same thing when I go back out there again."
On if he wants to be in the slot corner competition rather than the safety competition: "Like I said earlier; competition is good. Whatever [the Ravens coaching staff] feel like they [are] going to put me at; I'm going to compete, [and] I'm going to do my job and do the best I can. The more you can do it, the better; it really doesn't matter to me."
On where he feels his skill sets have improved and if he has a preference as a safety or nickel slot: "Well [with] safety, you've got to learn it. You are the quarterback back there, so you're calling out the plays and everything like that and telling the other guys around [you]. At safety, you've more so got to know the defense and understand what [defensive coordinator] 'Z.O.' [Zach Orr] is going to call, and when he's going to call it and everything like that, so that'll help out the other guys and help yourself out."
On how valuable preseason is to him: "Preseason is huge. That's kind of how I got my starting job and everything like that. You go out there, [and] you get to lace up against a different opponent. You want to go out there and play and bang around. You get tired of going against our team all the time; so, go out there and compete against some other guys [to] put it all out there on tape."
On if he is treating this week as if it was the regular season: "It's always ... like I said, you're lacing up against someone else; so of course, it's game week for me, for sure."
On how he handles pressure in the secondary room: "I came in as an undrafted guy, so it's already there, [the] pressure. So, whoever they bring in, or whatever's going on; I just don't let that faze me or get in the way of anything. I just focus on me and focus on my job and [play] one play at a time."
On what WR Rashod Bateman has done to impress him: "[Rashod Bateman]'s done really well – especially [when] we saw that catch in the end zone – he's making the tough catches, he's giving us a lot of good releases off the line and everything like that. But 'Bate' is going to be explosive this year, [and] he's going to make a lot of plays for us for sure."
