Eric DeCosta Opening Statement: "Welcome guys. Thanks for coming. We are excited to be here today. [Today is] a special day for us. I think I've said before, team building is a journey that goes in a lot of different directions. We are so excited to welcome Trey [Hendrickson] here today. [He is] someone we've played against who has caused a lot of problems for us over the last four or five years. He is a guy that I've always admired as a player. He is relentless, a great player [and] pass rusher, a game wrecker. [He is] a guy that can take over games in critical situations and help us finish. We are just very happy. This is a great day for the Ravens."
Jesse Minter Opening Statement: "Just to echo [executive vice president and general manager] Eric DeCosta, I'd like to welcome Trey [Hendrickson] and his family to the organization. This is a guy, again, [who is] game wrecker as a pass rusher and a game wrecker as a run defender. He is one of the most dominant players in the National Football League. One of the things that stood out to me – since 2021, Trey is second in the NFL in fourth-quarter sacks. There was a point in time this year where he was actually first, [and then] he missed a little bit of time, and [Danielle] Hunter ended up passing him up. But when we talk about being able to have a closer mentality and finish games and dominate in the fourth quarter, Trey is the epitome of that with how he's played the last four or five years. We couldn't be more excited to add him, and welcome to the family, Trey."
OLB Trey Hendrickson Opening Statement: "Thank you. [I feel] incredibly welcomed. I am thankful for the kind words. All glory goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I'm thankful to this family – [owner] Steve [Bisciotti], [executive vice president and general manager] Eric [DeCosta], [head coach] Jesse [Minter], 'Weave' [defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver], these people that believe in me. I take a lot of pride in proving people that believe in me correct, and I look forward to doing that. The standard is high here, and I'm excited for that challenge. [This is an organization with] an incredible defense, incredible people, and I am looking forward to this season."
Welcome to Baltimore. As you know, this team always has the goal of reaching the Super Bowl, especially QB Lamar Jackson talks about it a lot. How do you feel you can help this team get over that hurdle and get to that ultimate goal? (Jamison Hensley)
(HENDRICKSON) "I have a wealth of knowledge coming from coaches. It started with [Buffalo Bills defensive line coach] Terrance Jamison, who is the D-line coach in Buffalo, [Jacksonville Jaguars defensive line coach] Matt Edwards, D-line coach in Jacksonville – they were both at FAU – and [Notre Dame defensive line coach] Charlie Partridge, [who] just left the Colts. [They are] wonderful people. And then [Minnesota Vikings defensive running game coordinator] Ryan Nielsen, [Tennessee defensive analyst] Marion Hobby and [Cincinnati Bengals defensive line coach] Jerry Montgomery; everything I've been poured into with those guys, just in a D-line room, has molded me into the player I am today. And if I can pour that into my D-line room here, elevate the standard of what we call as linemen and setting the tone up front, let the rest take care of itself. It starts with one game, one win. Once you start stacking them, nobody's going to stop us."
In terms of coming to Baltimore, how much did getting to play against your former team (in the Bengals) twice a year factor into your decision? (Cordell Woodland)
(HENDRICKSON) "Not much. It's something that, I think it's ... I go into every game like it's the most important game. And when you're playing in the AFC North – this division specifically – it's tough. And that was almost more exciting – it was to stay in the North. It's gritty football, and it's the type of football I like to play. Winning games is the most exciting thing about being here in the Ravens building. There's a standard of winning here that's unmatched across the league. Getting to that and continuing to build in what this identity for this unique season is with new coaches, new faces, and me in a new uniform; I think that's what's most exciting about this opportunity."
Can you just sort of describe the whirlwind of the last week for you? Obviously, the Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby trade here was announced at the end of last week, and then you're in touch with executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta. When did you get the sense that this might come together and just kind of what was the week like for you? (Childs Walker)
(HENDRICKSON) "My wife and I evaluated all our options. We prayed about it. I'm in a 'win-now' window. Being at my career has been phenomenal, and I've been so blessed to meet great people and win a lot of games with Drew Brees and Joe Burrow, but this opportunity to hoist the Lombardi trophy and get into the win column and build something from the ground up is an amazing opportunity. So, a lot of things transpired. I've always been a 'control what you can control' type of guy. This is a great fit for me, and I'm excited for this season."
How crazy was the week for you? Seeing everything that went down, watching all the free agents go out the door and kind of standing there with nothing. And you had more information than we did, but how did that all play out for you? (Kirk McEwen)
(MINTER) "I think you trust the process. Building a roster is a process. I trust [executive vice president and general manager] Eric [DeCosta] and trust this organization [and] that all the decisions are made in the best interest of us building the best team for now, and into the future. And so, it's trusting the process. And then it's like, to me, when things happen, that you're stable, that you're willing to make decisions, that nobody panics, that everybody's in the right frame of mind. And for me, it's always about adding the best players possible. So yes, as many good players as we can add to this thing, I was all on board for."
You talked about having weapons on defense. How do you view OLB Trey Hendrickson kind of fitting into that mindset? (Garrett Downing)
(MINTER) "[Trey Hendrickson] is certainly a weapon. He's proven that; the sack numbers speak for themselves. And so, there's a lot of different things that he can do for the defense. He's going to draw attention. Sometimes you have guys that draw attention, which he's done before, and then other guys have the opportunity to make plays. Then you have other guys starting to make plays, and then less attention goes toward that. And then you want to get to the point where you can create as many one-on-one matchups for people as possible, being creative in how we operate and how we set our fronts. And we'll try to do as many things as possible to create opportunities for Trey to wreck the game."
It's been a while since this organization has given out a big money, multi-year contract to an edge rusher. Why did now feel like the right time for that? And why do you think OLB Trey Hendrickson is the right player? (Tim Barbalace)
(DeCOSTA) "Well, I think there's a lot of factors that go into it. We actually, this year, felt like we had more money than we normally have. We carried over more money this year. It was nice to have a little bit of a surplus. Normally, we're trying to finagle more money all throughout the process in the spring, and this year we actually had a little bit of a nest egg. We added to that. I think that in looking at the draft being positioned where we were, strategically, it was going to be challenging to probably get a guy that we thought could come in right away and really impact us at the edge. Not to say that there won't be guys, but just looking at it, we felt like the guys that we would probably covet the most in the draft would be gone maybe before [pick No.] 14; it's typically what happens. And we felt like this was a year to take a big swing. We saw some players that we thought could impact us [with] Trey [Hendrickson] being one of the main guys. And like I said, I love when you have a familiarity with a player that you've played against. That really resonates with me as someone that spends his life evaluating. Having seen these guys up close and personal – you guys know that I watch a lot of our games on the field a lot, and I have a chance to see these guys up close and how they compete and what they're able to do in the terms of the game. Trey's always been somebody that has really impressed me in that regard. I was talking to Trey the other day about the first time I saw him at the East-West [Shrine Game] practices. That's a game where I call that a 'sleeper' game. It's not like the Senior Bowl; guys go down there and [they're] maybe unheralded [and] maybe don't have quite the reputation of some of these 'big school' guys. This guy was flying around, and that left an impression on me that week, and we did more work on him. We weren't able to get him in the draft, but I'm not surprised by the trajectory of his career and what he's been able to accomplish. I think he has a lot left in the tank. I think one of the things about Trey is, he impacted the games when he was in New Orleans, but it took him a while to get going. And so, he's got fresh legs. I mean, look at this guy [points to Hendrickson]. He's going to be ready to roll, and he's fresh; he's healthy; he's strong, and he's ready to do some damage. I think that's a really important factor, too."
Speaking of that health, where are you physically? How do you feel, and what's that process been like from the surgery to now? (Brian Wacker)
(HENDRICKSON) "I had a great doctor, Dr. [William] Meyers, [with] a wealth of knowledge there, too. I was cleared in January. [I have] been fresh. [I have] been ready to go. I'm excited to have that humbling opportunity to rebuild my body and to mold it in the way I want it to play, and I feel great. I'm excited for the opportunity to play football. Going into Year 10, that's a dream come true coming out of a guy who, like you said, I played at the East-West [Shrine] Game. I was drafted the third round. It's a big year. It's a big season for me, so I'm excited to get it started."
What was your view of the Ravens while you were playing with the Bengals from the other side? And then just coming here yesterday, what's kind of your first impression of the building of the people and the culture here? (Ryan Mink)
(HENDRICKSON) "Well, I think I already hinted at that with like when you're talking about the AFC North, there's history. It's a nasty brand of football. It's punching you in the mouth. To be on the other side of the ball and experience that, I'm so excited to be in the building and experiencing it now. So, it's a phenomenal opportunity for me [and] a phenomenal opportunity for my family. There's nothing but class here; state-of-the-art facilities, great talented players and awesome coaching staff that's like-minded in winning and being a brand of football that we all – as a nucleus – will build and this being Day One."
What's it going to be like, because we asked you about the Bengals a little bit, but what's it going to be like when you have go against QB Joe Burrow? (Jamison Hensley)
(HENDRICKSON) "Joe [Burrow] is one of the best in the National Football League. Going against quarterbacks is something that I like to affect games. So, I don't go into it with a high or low standard – it's my standard. It's continuing to play the same brand of football. I played in the Super Bowl. I didn't go into it saying, 'This has to be my best game.' It's the standard I've carried from Day One of preseason all the way to the Super Bowl. So, getting back to a point like that, it doesn't matter who the quarterback is, [and] it doesn't matter who we're playing, the wins are important. And if you don't think they are, they'll sneak up on you."
It feels like the last year or so, when people talk about you, there's been a lot about the business side, maybe even recovering, trying to get back on the field. Is it a relief to kind of just be able to get back to just football at this point? (Cordell Woodland)
(HENDRICKSON) "Well, what I can say is I'm excited to go to OTAs. I'm excited to be at training camp. I'm a football player. I like to put my hand in the dirt. I like the smell of the grass. I like my cleats sweaty when I come in from a hard training camp practice. That's what I built my brand on. Like I said, I had a tremendous amount of good coaches, and it's hands, eyes, feet, all built through the process of learning the defense in those very valuable times in OTAs, very valuable reps in training camp. Going against a guy like Ronnie Stanley, I mean, can you believe what we can do as we sharpen each other for game one? And that's what I'm excited for. So, it's not to look backwards or say, 'What if?' or anything like that. I know the opportunity I have in front of me, and I'm excited to capitalize on that."
Do you have an idea of how many more years you might want to go? (Kirk McEwen)
(HENDRICKSON) "The Lord has blessed me with the reps I've taken and where I've been. So, it's something where I have been passionate about what I do and playing for the Lord. And those are conversations that'll take care of themselves after year after year of playing into the standard that I have for myself and being the best 'Trey Hendrickson' I can be, and we'll let the chips fall when they do."
What's been your impression just watching this Ravens defense kind of from afar guys like S Kyle Hamilton and ILB Roquan Smith? (Noah Trister)
(HENDRICKSON) "Well, I've seen a lot of Purple at the Pro Bowls over the last four years." (laughter) "It's something that I'm excited to play with those guys. I got to meet them and their families at those type of events, which what a blessing to be a part of that. You get to see the behind the mask; we're all people at the end of the day, but a place like this – the standard of defense is very high. I think we have a great defensive mind as a head coach [in Jesse Minter], [defensive coordinator] Coach [Anthony Weaver] 'Weave,' obviously, taking the next step as the DC. Getting to be a part of this [from] the ground up, talking about defense is something I'm really excited about."
OLB Trey Hendrickson is signed through his mid-30s. This is a position that requires a lot of great athleticism. What kind of gives you the confidence that this is going to be a contract that kind of ages well, considering the curves there? (Jonas Shaffer)
(DeCOSTA) "So, like what I said, if you just go off the tape, that's the first thing. Again, we look at, whatever [Trey Hendrickson] is, 31 – I'm 55, almost. I still feel fresh. This guy, when you watch him, I think he has, I don't know how many sacks in the last three years, 35, 36 or 37 sacks in the last three years. He was on pace this year for double-digit sacks before he got hurt. I just watched the tape. He's quick; he's fast; he's aggressive. He has great hand use. He can bend. He finishes; he chases, retrace – whatever you need him to do, he can do it. I love the passion he plays with. He knows our division. He's a student of the game. He knows the personnel. And listen, I've seen some of the best guys, especially at this position, play a very, very long time and do really well. We've had a few, and I think Trey's going to be the next guy to do that for us."
Instead of chasing around QB Lamar Jackson, now you get to be on the same team as him. What excites you about being able to see that vantage point of him make those plays, but now he's on your team, too? (Valerie Preactor)
(HENDRICKSON) "[Lamar Jackson is an] MVP quarterback. There are few quarterbacks in the league that can win it all, and I think it starts there. I was fortunate to play with Drew Brees, Joe Burrow, and now I get to say Lamar Jackson. That excites me as a defender trying to get the ball back to our offense. Put it in his hands, and we'll win games."
Head coach Jesse Minter mentioned OLB Trey Hendrickson's fourth-quarter sacks. What does it take, because it takes a lot for someone to be at their best late in games. What do you feel that quality is in you? (Jamison Hensley)
(HENDRICKSON) "I'm motivated intrinsically. [Winning] on defense and [getting] the ball back to your quarterback is something that I'm motivated to do, but I want the other 10 guys to count on me. If we're in a place, and it's a pinch, you have to have gas in the tank, and you have to be able to push when everybody else doesn't want to. That's something that was instilled in me by my father. He's always pushed me to be the best. I remember we were pushing his '92 [Ford Mustang] 5.0 when Tim Tebow was doing it, because it was cool in Florida. You want to quit the first quarter of a mile, but we finished every mile. That started way back in the day, so the fourth quarter is always when you push the most, you finish your gassers, and it's instilled in OTAs and training camp. Being in that position has been an incredible honor, and I plan on continuing to push myself to be the best I can be."
Eric, you watched a handful of your own free agents over the past couple years sign with AFC divisional opponents. Does this feel a little sweeter today that you get to take Trey from Cincinnati? (Nick Testoni)
(DeCOSTA) "I wouldn't say that. It's two separate things. We're excited to add [Trey Hendrickson]. He's a hell of a player. He's going to bring great value to the team. I think the community is going to love him. They're going to love his family, and he's going to be a force multiplier. On the other hand – and I should say this – we have lost a lot of good players. I mentioned this the other day; I love those guys. We love those guys. Those guys are Ravens, man. I've been texting some of those guys just to congratulate them. I'm super proud of those players that we lost. I'm disappointed and sad, but I'm super proud, too. They're going to be players I root for – unless we have to play them – but I'm going to root for those guys every single weekend. I'm confident that I'm going to be friends with those guys for the next however many years I'm alive. That's a tough part of this business, but it changes yearly. It changes daily. We've seen it. Things change quickly, and we're just so happy and fortunate that we could get Trey in here to help our team be its very best."
Executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta just used the term force multiplier. When you look at your defense, having a guy like OLB Trey Hendrickson who you know can get to the quarterback, whether you send extra guys or not, what does that open up for you overall? (Childs Walker)
(MINTER) "It gives you a lot of flexibility. The whole idea on defense is to not be predictable and know that you can, at times, get pressure rushing four, get pressure rushing five, get pressure rushing six [and] the threat of all those different things. Obviously, Trey [Hendrickson] is a guy that wins in a multitude of ways and has gotten a lot of sacks over the years in three-man rushes [and] four-man rushes, which allows you to then target coverages, take away guys [and] handle that. I had a really good rush last year where I was at [with the Los Angeles Chargers] with being able to rush four [players], so it's a major blessing to a guy designing defenses to know you have a guy like that that can win with four."
Trey, everybody talks about your ability to get after the quarterback. What is your emphasis on the run game? It seems like people look at you as mostly a past rusher. Do you feel like you're overlooked as a run stopper, as well? (Cordell Woodland)
(HENDRICKSON) "Yes, you have to win on first and second down to get those opportunities to rush the passer, and it's all about doing your job. The tape doesn't always show everything, and seeing 11 guys coming together and collectively [filling] their gaps. Sometimes I'm in the 'B' gap. Sometimes I'm in the 'D' gap. It's not always just in this specific gap, so it's how you fit into the defense that we're calling. There are places that I can grow, and there are places everywhere on tape that I want to be a better pass rusher, a better run stopper, run to the ball a little harder, and that's the stuff that excites me, is being the best Trey Hendrickson I can be. It's going to sound like that all year. It's my standard and how I can bring that to this defense and take care of myself and then bring the other guys with me."
As far as mentoring goes, you have OLBs Tavius and Mike Green on the team. Do you need them to come up to you and ask for advice? Or if you see them doing something, would you go up and tell them to maybe do it this way? (Kirk McEwen)
(HENDRICKSON) "Yes, I've been incredibly blessed, like I said, with learning from a lot of coaches, and it's not something [where] I'm just going to bite my lip and hold that knowledge to myself. If you see something, and when you've been playing for 10 years, you do know how to identify proper technique and things like that. I'm a believer in the process. The process is hands, eyes and feet, and getting into a place where you know the opportunity, and the quarterback will be there and trusting that every play is an opportunity to affect a game. When that opportunity comes, you close and capitalize, and that's what excites me. Knowing that, it doesn't take anything special. It doesn't take anything over the top like people think. My career is taking care of itself because of the discipline that I carry myself on and off the field."
Eric DeCosta mentioned on Wednesday that there is a possibility that he'd be able to unite you with DE Maxx Crosby, and obviously that field fell through. From your perspective, when did that possibility become alive to you, and what did it mean to see it kind of fall apart? (Jonas Shaffer)
(HENDRICKSON) "What a phenomenal opportunity that would have been. I have nothing but respect for [Maxx Crosby] and the way he carries himself on and off the field. The adversity that he's overcome in his personal life. And he's another guy I've met at Pro Bowls and stuff like that. [He's a] great person. At some point, you know that this was going to be something that I knew for myself and my family that this was a tremendous opportunity to rush on a great defense. Whoever's on the other side of the ball, you have guys that have been in this building that I'm excited to play with as well. And that's what's special about this is it seems so defensive minded, and that opportunity for me and my family is very special."
The Ravens don't typically go out and sign exterior free agents to big contracts like they did with you. I know you were seeking that kind of long-term contract. What does it mean to you for the Ravens to kind of break character a little bit and choose you as that guy? (Ryan Mink)
(HENDRICKSON) "Those talks about family, right? You'll hear it a lot [from me] this year. It's faith, family and football, and I had faith that God would open doors for me. My family is tremendously humbled by the opportunity to be Ravens. And football, man, if you can't get excited to play here, you need to check your pulse, because this is a tremendous opportunity for my family. We're excited and completely blessed and blown away by the welcoming."
How excited are you to ingratiate yourself in the community, be around the city and kind of get to know this area a little bit more? (Paul Mancano)
(HENDRICKSON) "It's exciting to start something fresh. I think that was overdue for me. My family probably took a lot of things [that have happened] more personally than I did, which is saying something. So, for everybody to just kind of get a fresh start and build on this opportunity, it starts Day One. I'm excited to get to work. I'm excited to embrace this city, embrace this culture and build from the ground up."
Free agency is a fluid situation. Stuff changes so quickly. What's next for you guys? Everyone knew you were wanting to take a big swing at a pass rusher. What do you view as kind of the priorities here as you get into the second week of free agency? (Jeff Zrebiec)
(DeCOSTA) "Well, we had a flurry of activity this week. I want to thank some of the people here today that helped with a lot of that paperwork and things over the last week. [Vice President of Football Administration] Nick [Matteo], [Vice President of Football Administration] George [Kokinis], [Director of Player Personnel] Mark [Azevedo], [Chief of Staff to the General Manager] Jenn [Hoffman] and [Football Administration/Salary Cap Analyst] Sophie [Cortese] and everybody that have done a great job. It takes a village, and free agency is hectic, as you guys know; you have to cover it. There are a lot of moving parts, and things change quickly. I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend, actually, with my wife, who hasn't probably seen me since the season ended in a lot of ways with all the stuff we've had going on. With the coaching [staff hiring] and then free agency and the combine. We've always been a draft-focused, draft-centric [team]. We have 11 picks. We have a lot of work to do. It doesn't mean that we're not going to be looking at some players over the next couple of weeks. We will be, certainly. We will probably have some players visit. We'll look at some guys. Are we going to go out and break the bank? Probably not. I think we've broken the bank in some ways over the last week, but we have opportunities to get better as a team with the draft. I'm excited about where we stand. I think we've filled some holes in the depth chart, which I know [head] Coach [Jesse] Minter likes. We don't have quite as many open boxes, and we've added a lot of talent at different important positions, which should make us more strategic and be more focused in the draft, which I think helps any decision maker just in terms of targeting certain players and positions and just not having quite as many holes in different things. So, I think we'll get into the later part of this month. Our coaches are going on pro days and working guys out, which is important. Our coaches are doing a lot of work on the draft and free agency still. Our scouts are busy. We will meet in April with our coaches to talk about the draft, which is probably our most significant set of meetings that we have. We'll get the board set up, and we'll be ready to go. So, I think we're excited about that. I can't wait for the offseason program to start in a few weeks. I think it's what, April 6th or 7th, something like that. It will be exciting this year having a new change with Jesse and the coaches, and players I know are excited – I've heard from a lot of players – so that's exciting as well. So, I think this team's going to look different come September. We're excited about it. There are a lot of opportunities for us to get better, and we plan to do that."
Could you talk about the new signings in S Jaylinn Hawkins, TE Durham Smythe and G John Simpson? (Jonas Shaffer)
(MINTER) "Jaylinn [Hawkins] had a great season this year. He was a starter for the Patriots, who obviously went all the way to the Super Bowl. He played really well [as a] deep safety. He does a lot of different things and plays with a lot of versatility. He's a guy that I'm really excited about, I would say. Durham [Smythe], again, has a lot of familiarity with [offensive coordinator] Declan [Doyle] from last year in Chicago. Man, [he's] just a great human being [and] a great guy that also fits what we were looking for at that tight end position, which we'll continue to add to as we go. And then John Simpson plays with an energy and a passion that I'm really excited about adding into the offensive line room. He had a great season here in one of the most successful seasons in recent memory here in 2023. He is kind of a force multiplier from an energy [standpoint]. It's very contagious how he operates, and I couldn't be more excited to have those three guys."
What do you make of Giants head coach John Harbaugh taking free agents from the Ravens. Did you talk to him at all about that? (Valerie Preactor)
(DeCOSTA) "Listen, people want our players. It's flattering. It means we're doing a good job. I wish Coach the best. I think he's a great coach. He's a special friend of mine, as I've said. He's currently still my neighbor. I love those guys, and those players that he's gotten – I love those players. As I said, I've been texting a few of those guys. I wish them the best. But again, I think it's hard to lose players, but it means you're doing a good job. And the credit goes to the scouts and the coaches and [Vice President of Football Administration] George [Kokinis] and [Director of Player Personnel] Mark [Azevedo] and [Vice President of Football Administration] Nick [Matteo], all those guys that had a huge part in bringing these guys here. It means we're doing a pretty good job. The challenge is to continue to do that. And we've talked a lot about that this week."
