Head Coach John Harbaugh
Opening statement:"Good seeing you guys. Thanks for being here – a beautiful day. It's a great camp day; a little cloud cover helped us. I thought we had a very good practice – a very tough, physical practice, training camp practice. The guys came to go to work, and they did a really good job."
Any word on TE Maxx Williams and TE Daniel Brown? (Ken McKusick) "[No.] 87 [Williams] got a non-contact; I don't think it's serious, but … I don't really know, to be honest with you. I'm here at the press conference. I haven't talked to the trainers."
What have been your impressions of the camp that RB Terrance West has put together so far? (Ryan Mink) "I think it's been really good. He's done a really good job. He's in great shape; he flashes talent, he's very determined, is all business. I really appreciate it. He's done well."
Coach, how could he fit in as a kick returner? (Brent Harris) "He could fit in as a kick returner. It's just a matter of … He has to learn how to catch it, first of all, the timing of it, and just get reps at doing it. We'll see how he does with it, but historically, at least my experience, has been that running backs are pretty good at that. Those guys have a knack; they understand schemes. They're not afraid to hit holes. I'd love to see a running back back there if we can find the right guy."
Coach, the collision that happened near the end of practice, you addressed the team afterward. Was it just, "Be careful, guys. Don't try to kill each other."? (Jerry Coleman) "We had one play left. I didn't run the last play, because I thought it was a great opportunity to make a point, basically. We were in a fourth-down situation; we were working fourth-down situations. Fourth down at the end of the game we want to get off the field on defense. We don't need that kind of a penalty right there. That's where it starts, number one. [The defender] didn't do it intentionally. I don't even know if he saw Dan [Brown] until the last second. That's what the other players told me; he was looking at the ball. I don't think he had any intention on getting him high. And then the referee told me he didn't get him high. The one said he did, and the one say he didn't, which goes to my point about reviewing those plays, actually – side note. (laughter) Dan seemed OK; he seemed fine. We try to do the best we can't to take care of one another in practice and avoid those kinds of things."
Have you decided if QB Joe Flacco is going to play Thursday? (Jeff Zrebiec)"We have. We've decided about everybody, but I'm not going to make any announcements. We're just going to go play the game and do it that way."
John, is WR/RS Michael Campanaro dealing with something? I know earlier in camp you gave him a couple of days, but it seems like he's missed a few more. (Luke Jones) "He has been. He's been dealing with little strains here and there. That's what he's dealing with."
With G/T Alex Lewis and putting him in at left tackle, what do you like about him there? (Jamison Hensley) "He's played more tackle, so he probably looks more natural there. [Offensive line coach] Juan [Castillo] made this point yesterday. I would agree with him; he's probably a better tackle than he is a guard right now because he's played it so much more. Juan believes he's going to be a starter in this league, and I would agree with that – at some point in time, hopefully sooner rather than later. There's a lot to learn. He's done a nice job at tackle. We just put him out there two or three days ago, and he's done fine."
ILB C.J. Mosley talked about working on his coverage skills and learning how to dissect offenses. How have you seen him make strides in this camp? (Garrett Downing) "C.J. continues to improve. C.J. is quiet, no nonsense, comes to work every day and does his best. He didn't practice that much in the spring, so I think he's really knocking a little rust off. The last couple of days, you start seeing what you expect to see from C.J. In terms of coverage stuff, that's experience. Ray [Lewis] was like that. The great linebackers, it's like they have eyes in the back of their head. They know the routes that are running behind them; they can see the routes, for whatever reason, somehow, without even looking at them. That's where C.J. is working to get to where he knows, 'If I have one in front of me, this time I have one behind me. This other time I don't have one behind me.' He understands the formations, the stems and the backfield actions to tie those things together. He's doing a really good job with it. He's smart, and obviously, we have high, high hopes and big expectations for him."
Obviously, with a player like RB Terrance West, coaches are going to push and prod to get the most out of him, but at some point does a player just have to rely on himself out there? (Joe Platania) "Sure. We haven't had to do that with Terrance West at all. There's no pushing or prodding, other than just the coaching. You guys watch [running backs coach] Thomas Hammock out here. He pushes and prods with the best of them; that's what he does with everybody. Terrance has reacted to the coaching very well. He listens and he tries to do what he's asked to do. We haven't seen any issues with that at all."
There's a lot of attention on RB Terrance West and RB Kenneth Dixon and how they're done recently, but not a lot of talk about RB Justin Forsett. Where do you see him? There's even some speculation that he might be fighting for a roster spot. How do you see that? (Jeff Zrebiec)"Justin is quietly having an excellent camp. He looks to me like he did two years ago. I see the same running back that we had two years ago, in terms of his speed, his explosiveness, his vision. He really looks good. I know there's a lot of talk about the other guys, but he's playing really well."
**How about FB Kyle Juszczyk? Does it seem like there is a spot for him or as many opportunities for snaps per game? *(Ken McKusick) *"The snaps per game is always something with Kyle that I'm always inquiring about, in what ways can we use Kyle and how can we get him on the field, because he's a Swiss Army knife. He can do a lot of different things really well. We need to do a great job of finding things for him to do and get him on the field. There's a place for him for sure. I think it's up to our creativity to make sure we've got him out there enough, because he's a really good football player."
What about WR Jeremy Butler? He made plays for you guys at the end of last year. How's he looked? I guess he's probably a guy that might get some opportunities in the preseason. (Cliff Brown) "Jeremy will play a lot. He's right there. Jeremy, Chris Matthews, unfortunately, is another guy right in the Jeremy spot. [Michael] Campanaro is in that place. Keenan Reynolds is in that place, and others. It's just a matter of … Part of it is being out there. Part of it is being out there so you can prove yourself, and Jeremy has been out there, and he continues to improve. I can't wait to see how this shakes out on Thursday, but also for the next three weeks seeing who the guys are. I'm looking for the guys to make plays. Who is going to make the plays? That's it. We have a bunch of guys with potential who are definitely talented enough to do it. Some guys, in some cases, we've been waiting for – Jeremy is a great example – whether it be injury or whether it be performance of opportunity. Really, to me, that's all gone now. It's just: Who is going to make the plays? If you make the plays, there's a place for you on this team, because we need guys out there making plays to help us win games. That's what we're going to find out in the next couple of weeks."
John, talking about being out there, is there a concern with a guy like WR/RS Michael Campanaro that he has missed a lot of time in training camp so far. How does missing time affect someone like that? (Don Markus)"It's kind of along the lines of what I was just saying. If you're not out there, then you're not making plays. You have to show us not only that you can do it, but that you're going to be there to do it. Michael Campanaro is one of my favorite guys. I love the guy, because his work ethic is outstanding and his attitude is just outstanding. Now he needs to get out there and play. He's working in the training room to get himself back. I'm confident he will be back. I'm not sitting here thinking he won't be back, but like everybody else, it's like … He's the one that will tell you. He's the most frustrated guy out of anybody right now, because of all the work he's put in. Certainly, he has to get out there and do it and show us he can do it. The best guy is going to make it. The roster is way too tight for anybody to be a project right now; it's going to be [about] guys making plays."
John, are you still feeling good about T Ronnie Stanley not having a serious injury? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Yes – feeling good about it."
Was CB Shareece Wright a day off? He seemed OK on Saturday (Ken McKusick) "Day off, yes. We gave Jimmy [Smith] the day off one of those other days, and felt like Shareece needed a day off."
Running Backs Coach Thomas Hammock
RB Terrance West has earned a lot of praise for how he looked in camp. At what point did he kind of open your eyes? (Joe Platania)"He has had a great offseason, OTAs and training camp. Obviously, he posts a lot of videos on Instagram, so I can see his offseason workouts. He has done a great job of studying the playbook, and he is in great shape. He is really competing hard."
Are you looking forward to seeing these running backs in the preseason? They have stacked practices and guys have looked pretty good, but does it give you a little context to go up against another opponent? (Luke Jones)"Definitely, you want to see them get tackled and have production and break tackles. [You want to see them] block linebackers and go out there and show their teammates what they can bring to the team."
What have been your impressions of RB Terrance West in camp? (Ryan Mink)"He has had a great camp, as well as a bunch of other guys in our group. Competition brings out the best in everybody, and without the competition in the room, I'm not sure he would be having the type of camp he is having."
Do you think the starting role is up for grabs? (Ryan Mink)"I think there are a lot of jobs on our team up for grabs. So just to single out the running backs, I don't think that is fair. There are a lot of guys out there competing on defense, offensive line, wide receiver. Nothing is etched in stone, and they have four games to show what they are about."
With all the talk about RB Terrance West and RB Kenneth Dixon, there hasn't been too much said about RB Justin Forsett. How have you seen him come back and where do you see him right now? (Jeff Zrebiec)"Well, I think that sometimes the media have their people that they like, their biases, which is fine. But Justin has had a great camp; 'Buck] [Javorius] Allen has had a great camp. I read some things about how [Allen] is having a quiet camp. I know he is a much better player this year than he was last year."
Who is the one running back you would like the others to emulate in terms of pass-blocking? (Ken McKusik) "That is a good question, because you want me to single somebody out. I'm going to go with Kyle Juszczyk; he is a great blocker. But he is a fullback."
With so many young running backs, how important is it to have a guy like RB Justin Forsett to have that experience to kind of help the other guys?* (Luke Jones)*"It is invaluable. For a guy like Kenneth Dixon to try and go out there and emulate what Justin does on a day-to-day basis … As a coach, that is what you look for. Because those guys are motivated by that guy going out there every day and competing and working hard, play-in and play-out."
What is it about RB Javorius Allen? Why is he much better now this year than he was last year? (Garrett Downing)"Last year he gave me some ulcers. (laughter) This year, I feel a little bit better about him going out there and being confident and ready to play. I thought he improved as the season went along last year. I really feel like he picked up from where he left off at the end of the season, up until this point."
I know it has been a limited view because of the injuries, but what have been your impressions of RB Kenneth Dixon? (Ryan Mink)"He is an explosive runner. He is conscientious; it is important to him. He comes from a town of 500 people, so I'm sure he is anxious to represent his family and the people in that town."
ILB C.J. Mosley
On how he is progressing through training camp:"Right now, I feel pretty good. I feel confident about the defense. The two practices we had at the stadium, we caused turnovers – fumbles and interceptions. We have these next two days to try to get better as a team and just put it all on when preseason starts."
On assuming more of a leadership role this season:"I feel like I haven't done too much different. As far as calling the plays on defense, I did that last year. I feel like the only big difference would be just playing in the middle. I feel like I've been making more plays in the middle. I noticed a lot that I've gotten better in my pass coverage, because I actually see more route combinations. It's a little bit different from playing WILL and dime, because I'm playing on number two more, so now I'm looking up three and pretty much playing from the inside out instead of the outside in."
On if he feels ownership over the defense since he is in charge of the huddle now:"I guess, in a way, because I'm second- or third-oldest in the inside linebacker room, and it's only my third year. We all have respect for each other, as far as an inside linebacker group. We all can rotate and play each position. It's all about trying to get each other better, whether I'm playing at MIKE or I'm playing at WILL, no matter where we are. At the end of the day, we all want to make plays and be a great inside linebacker room."
On rookie ILB Kamalei Correa's versatility: "That's his big attribute. He's playing pretty much every single linebacker position right now. Coach 'Wink' [Don Martindale] has him moving all around. Sometimes it's a little rough on him just being a rookie and learning the whole defense. That's part of it. That's part of being a rookie once. That's a good thing on his part that coach trusts him that he can play all of these positions, so when he gets in preseason games, whatever position he's at, he just has to focus on that and just try to do his best."
On if he feels better physically now than he did this time last year: "It just feels good in general that I don't have to play with a wrist brace on. I have a little small brace, but not like a big plastic hard brace. I don't have to worry about taping it up and hammering down on people. It feels good to be free from it."
On if his wrist brace bothered him last year: "No, it didn't bother me."
On what part of his game he wants to improve on:"I feel like being at MIKE you can see more. I saw a lot with Daryl [Smith] last year. He was just great at knowing route concepts, breaking up walls and having a lot of pass interceptions. As far as training camp, just looking in, I feel like I've done the things I'm supposed to do right – made tackles, make plays and coming down on blocks. My biggest thing going into the preseason is try to make more explosive plays – interceptions, pass breakups, coming out on pressure and sacks, those types of things."
On how he improves in coverage: "Knowing the routes, seeing things faster and being able to break on balls. Just having that quick explosiveness just to get there one step quicker so you can have a chance to make that play."
RB Terrance West
On if he attributes his success to a matter of refocusing or dedication:"I've actually been focused throughout my career. I just put more time in, as far as food and what I put in my body. I just come out here and take one day at a time, one play at a time."
*On his hat, which says "BWI – Balling With Intentions" on it: *"I'm from Baltimore. When you think of BWI, you think of an airport. I think it was a good concept. Just 'Balling With Intentions' speaks for itself."
On how to build off a good training camp:"Like I said before, take one play at a time, don't overthink things. Never get too big, never get too low. Stay level and just play hard."
On if he has been pleased with how camp has gone:"Yes. I'm very comfortable with the playbook. Last year towards the end of the season, I was OK with the playbook, but now I'm perfect with the pass protection; I know everything."
On if this is the best shape he has been in:"Yes. In college, I was about 220, 225 [pounds]. Now, I'm like 215, 217."
On how his power feels:"I feel good. I feel powerful – more explosive. I can hit more big runs."
On if this is where he feels like he was always meant to play:"Yes, growing up in Baltimore, I always was a Ravens fan. Coming out of the draft, the Ravens were going to draft me, but the Cleveland Browns traded up and picked me."
On if he was upset being drafted by the Browns, as opposed to the Ravens:"Never upset. It's another opportunity; it is hard to get in the NFL. When my name was called, I was just happy to be in the NFL."
On how much he can rely on himself in his hometown around family and friends:"I limited all the distractions. I just had two daughters. I have a son, too, so I have three kids. I just limit all my distractions and focus on football first, then my family. While I'm in camp, I just focus on football."
On if he has the tools to be a starter in the NFL:"Yes, I have all the tools. I can catch, I have gotten way better in pass protection; that is the main key to stay on the field at all times. I have picked up in that, and now I feel like I'm comfortable to be on the field all times."
On what he is doing differently in pass protection, compared to last year:"[Last year I was] overthinking. Knowing who I have, before the play even happens, so I know how the defense lines up [and] where the blitz is coming. Last year, I knew where it was coming, but I was second-guessing myself. Now I'm getting to the line and making contact at the line of scrimmage. Now I can get Joe Flacco some room to throw the ball."
On if he is comfortable with his route tree in terms of catching passes out of the backfield:"Yes. They have the running backs very involved in the pass game, catching the ball. I have good hands, so I'm excited."
On how his twin daughters have impacted him:"Great motivation. That puts another chip on my shoulder. I don't want my kids to depend on anybody; I want them to depend on me, so I'm just trying to put the work in now."
On if he feels more driven this year:"Throughout my career – high school, college – I've always had obstacles I have had to overcome. This year, I have limited opportunities. I was in Cleveland, I went to Tennessee, now I'm with the Baltimore Ravens. I want to make this my last stop."
CB Tavon Young
On how much nickel he played in college:"In college, I played a lot of nickel. I started outside, [and] depending on the team and the wide receivers they had, I played inside. I played both in college, and now I'm getting a lot of nickel reps – more than I have ever gotten."
On having a high confidence level as a rookie:"You have to play with confidence. When you are a cornerback, you have to play with confidence; you can't be scared. If you play scared, you are going to give up plays. If you have confidence, you give up a play, and you come back and make a play back. That is just the life of a cornerback. You have to have confidence, and that is what I bring to the game."
On if the speed of the game has overwhelmed him:"No, the speed is normal to me. In college, I was always used to fast-paced, no-huddle [offenses]. At this level, it is just more of a mental game. You have to know the system and be perfect at your technique."
On how he has embraced playing special teams:"You have to play special teams. I'm a young guy – that is the way you make the team, and that is what I'm trying to do. Wherever I fit in, that is what I'm trying to do, to help everybody, so I can make the team."
On how he plays with confidence, despite everything being new:"It comes from watching film and learning from the vets. They always give me tips, during practice and in the meeting room. My coaches [help me play with confidence]. It is just part of the game, just learning. You have to have confidence as a part of you. It just has to be a part of you."
On who he has learned from the most out of the veterans: "I would say Lardarius Webb. He always talks to me during practice all the time. If I give up a play, he tells me what I did wrong [and] what I could have done, in the film room. I learn from everybody – Jimmy Smith, [Eric] Weddle – they all teach me."
