Jarret Johnson retired a Raven in May. It’s now late-July and he’s already come out of retirement – kinda.
The former outside linebacker will be a Ravens scouting intern for two weeks during training camp.
Johnson is joined by former Ravens cornerback Duane Starks and former Ravens wide receiver Patrick Williams as part of the Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowship, which was created by the NFL in January 2015 to educate former players interested in a career in professional scouting.
It will be the first internship Johnson has ever had in his life. Newsome offered Johnson the gig while the Alabama native was in town for his retirement ceremony.
“Hell yeah! How can I miss out on that?” Johnson told Newsome. “It’s a little different, but it’s a learning experience. It’s fun seeing the other side of the game.”
“The Ravens have far-and-away the best scouting department in the game. To come in and learn from [General Manager] Ozzie Newsome and [Assistant General Manager] Eric [DeCosta] and [Director of College Scouting] Joe Hortiz and all those guys, it’s big.”
Johnson played with the Ravens from 2003-2011 and embodied what it means to “Play Like A Raven.” So he should have a keen eye for what a true Raven looks like on the field.
Starks is a former first-round pick who played in Baltimore from 1998 to 2001 and was a key member of the team’s Super Bowl XXXV-winning defense. He scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XXXV. Williams spent some time on the Ravens’ practice squad in 2011.
The three new interns will be doing a bit of everything. That includes watching practice on the sideline, studying practice tape, giving their evaluations on Ravens and other players around the league, looking at college prospects and all the day-to-day duties of a scouting intern such as meal checks and player weigh-ins.
“We want to immerse these guys because it’s about teaching them the business of scouting to see if this is something they want to pursue, career-wise, moving forward,” DeCosta said.
“We’re proud of these guys. It’s great to give them an opportunity to see what we do and see if this is something they want to do the rest of their lives. They have the experience as a player and they know our organization. … They’ve earned it.”
It may be tough for Johnson not to throw on some shoulder pads. After all, he started 14 games last year for the San Diego Chargers. He’ll likely have some tips for Ravens defenders, and will be reunited with good friend 
At his retirement press conference, Johnson said he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do in retirement.
He said he was enjoying getting up early in the morning with a different goal every day. He enjoys fishing and is staying busy taking care of his two daughters. He said he didn’t want to make any big predictions or close any doors.
“I would love to have a connection with this organization and with this game, because I love it,” Johnson said in May. “There’s nothing better.”
Johnson is following his nose back to football, but still isn’t sure what path he ultimately wants to take. Asked whether he envisions himself diving into scouting rather than coaching, Johnson said he wasn’t sure.
“I don’t know. Maybe [scouting],” he said. “I’m just doing this to keep my options open and learn. Not many guys get this opportunity, so why not take advantage of it?"
Starks has also been around the game since retiring. In May 2014, he participated in the NFL sports journalism boot camp. That summer, he was a part of the NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship program with the Cincinnati Bengals, working for his former defensive coordinator, Marvin Lewis.
Starks has been looking for a way back to Baltimore. This was his third year applying for a scouting position with the Ravens.
“I’ve always wanted to be a scout,” Starks said. “I think Ozzie’s been testing me to see if I’m serious or not.”
Starks said he’s had teams call him to get his evaluation on different players over the years. He feels he has a knack for spotting talent.
“Me being a smaller player, I’ve always had to study guys and understand their weaknesses and strengths,” Starks said. “Despite my disadvantages, I was able to have success against guys because I was able to know what they do.”
Williams is also an offensive graduate assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Colorado. He first worked for them as the assistant director of recruiting before moving into coaching in his second year.
