OLB MIKE GREEN
On his takeaways from the season: "The big picture takeaway is we had exactly what we thought we had. We had a team that came together as one, we had a team that cared about the game so much, and we had a team that [everyone] was trying to go to the ultimate same goal. What we had was special, and what we had was true, so I think that's probably the biggest takeaway. I think just going forward, we all know there's going to be whatever changes come. We just have to make sure that we're taking care of ourselves this offseason and get ready to come back here next season. Of course, take the time off, get your mind and body right and enjoy your time off, but ultimately, just whenever it's time to come back, we just are ready by then."
On what he learned about himself this season: "I'll say the first [thing] for myself is that I'm just capable of doing everything that I think I can do. [Being a] rookie coming in to fill big shoes, it definitely wasn't easy. It came with its own trials and tribulations, of course. I think I did good for the most part doing that. Just coming in here and trying to make a name for myself the first year – which a lot of rookies really can't – was pretty tough. For my first year here, I left a mark. There are plays and things that we wish that we can get back, but I think it shows your true personality when you're able to overcome everything that you've been through. I'll just say as a team, I just think that things didn't really go our way, of course. Just something that we can just start to acknowledge and realize is that, like I said, we just had something special."
On what he wants his physical transformation to be like this offseason: "I think [it's] a little combination of just all [those] things – get in better shape, put on more muscle mass – but I don't think I need to get any bigger or smaller. I think my size and my speed come with its own advantages, and it comes with its own disadvantages, as well. Just putting on more muscle mass and just getting my physique right are probably the two biggest things that I'm focused on this offseason. That's going to come with, of course, the hard training, but as well as eating a good diet."
OLB DRE'MONT JONES
On his emotions from the last 12 hours: "Just overwhelming disappointment. You work so hard. You prepare so much, and then the outcome doesn't turn out to be what you want it to be. It just sucks."
On his takeaways from his time with the Ravens this season: "I couldn't do anything but just show my appreciation and respect to this program and how they handle everything. Everybody in here, when I first came here, they [welcomed me with] open arms and brought me in and made me feel like I've been here since July and OTAs. They were drilling into me and making sure I understood the gameplan from Day One. Overall, they were just taking care of me, and I can do nothing but appreciate that."
On how he plans to approach free agency: "Like I have before: with open arms, a clear mind and a clear head. I'm not going to think too much in-depth about it until the time [comes], which is probably March, and we'll see what happens from there. I love being a Raven, and it'd be great if that continues, but it depends on what they see."
On if he's proud of the tape he produced this year: "Yes, I'm proud of my tape that I put on film. I think I missed a lot of sacks, and I think that is probably my biggest disappointment for myself. I don't know how many quarterback hits I had – a lot it felt like – but I wish those hits were sacks. You just have to build upon this year, and I know what I need to do. I've already gotten ready to dissect myself and how I can be better for next year. I'll probably take a couple weeks off and get to working out and get prepared for the season coming up next year."
On how much he weighs how well the situation fits him versus just the pure numbers: "I weigh everything – situation, scheme, success [and] money. Everything comes into factor. My family is also included into that. I have to think about a lot of things, and hopefully, everything fits in my favor, so I can be wherever I need to be."
On starting the season with a team that wasn't winning as many games and then being traded to a team that's fighting for a playoff spot: "At the beginning of the year, I wasn't here. I was in a situation where I was kind of just riding a wave and seeing how the season can go. I knew we had a young team in Nashville, and I wasn't expecting to go to the playoffs, but I was expecting for us to be competitive every game. To get traded and be in [this] situation, it completely changed my whole thought process. I did a complete 180. My preparation was still good, but it turned up a notch, because I knew the championship mentality was throughout this building. It's been a crazy year. I'm happy that I got to be a part of this thing here at the Ravens."
TE CHARLIE KOLAR
On processing the end of the season: "It's hard to process the day after. We just didn't do enough things to consistently win games this year. The last game was kind of like the encapsulation of the whole season. The saying [goes], 'Good teams find a way to win.' And we just didn't do that enough this year just on all three phases. We have to find ways to play complementary football [and] help each other out. It hurts, but we just didn't do quite enough."
On the message in the team meeting today after getting some sleep last night: "I don't think anyone slept too much. I can't say much. We try to be grateful for the team and stuff. One of the saddest parts about the NFL is if you return to the same team, 40% of it is different, and then a lot of guys [will be] on different teams [next year]. A lot of guys, like myself, are in contract situations and don't know what it is, so [head coach John] Harbaugh does a good job trying to tell everyone to be grateful. Tell everyone that you can't take away the pain. Yes, but it was a tough year. It's just a tough year. I don't have great words for it."
On his individual performance this season and moving forward as a free agent: "I'm proud of the work I did. I'm proud of the improvement I showed. Obviously, I wish, physically, I had more, but I think everyone does; this is football. But no, I'm really proud of the growth I showed in blocking. I feel like I was able to really take a step forward, try to be more dominant on the edge, try to open holes for Derrick [Henry], Lamar [Jackson] and the running backs. In the passing game, I think I made [the most of] the opportunities that came my way. [I'm] proud of that. Obviously, I'm hard on myself. I just look back at the plays that I didn't make [including] a couple blocks last night [and] a couple of [things] throughout the year. I'm really proud of special teams, and I feel like I played a role. I love [special teams coordinator] Chris [Horton] and that unit. I feel like, obviously, we're all hurting for Tyler [Loop] right now. You never want the season to end like that, especially for a guy who works so hard. But as a unit, I feel like we made a lot of plays throughout the year. I think of the [Minnesota] Vikings game; we forced two fumbles. I think of other games where we had a huge impact, so I'm proud of that. It's tough to say, but I'm proud of this team. There are no real words to put into it. It's really hard to process, because we all thought we were going to win that game [last night], and then 12 hours later, it's the team meeting, and the season is over. I wish I had better words, but I try to be grateful, try to be present."
On if he felt the team underperformed in the big picture: "Of course, we underperformed. We believed that we could contend, and we didn't do that. We're a team that had back-to-back deep playoff runs, and then we didn't make the playoffs this year. It's disappointing to say the least. I think it's hard sometimes. You put in so much of your life, and you pour so much sweat, effort, blood, tears [and] love into this game, and then, obviously, it's just a game. There are bigger things that God has in store for us, but it doesn't make it hurt less. Yes, we underperformed. Of course, we underperformed. We were preseason Super Bowl favorites, and we didn't make the playoffs. It's hard to swallow."
On how he will handle free agency: "Actually, I've never gone through it, so I'm not sure. I know it starts in a couple months, but I'll just take this week [to] decompress, sleep, get back with Madie, get married in April, so that'll be exciting. I look forward to starting that life with 'Mads.' No one wants to hear it, but the sun is going to rise. Try to go spend time with your loved ones and be grateful. But, personally, I'll take some time off, get healthy, and then just get back to training. I'm unemployed now, so I have to go get a job."
On if there is a possibility the Ravens could re-sign him: "Yes, of course. I'd love to play here. It just depends what the situation is. I'd love to be back as a Raven, but at the end of the day, I have to do what's best for my family and myself, so we'll see what they say. We'll see what happens. I'm excited for it. I feel like I've gotten better [and] where I've grown in the last four years is controlling the things I can control, and I have no control over that, especially right now. Even today, there's a really good chance I'll never see half of these guys again, whether I'm on this team or not, so I'll try to just spend time with them and try to be present as much as [I can]."
TE ISAIAH LIKELY
On how he is processing the suddenness of the end of the season: "I'm really just understanding what we have all been through this year. I'm really just trying to look forward, how to move really keeping one [foot] in front of you. You understand that you have to watch the film, be honest with yourself and really just understand that the next day comes."
On how he plans to navigate free agency: "I really just [plan to] leave it to my agent. I feel like everybody says a vanilla answer like that, but it's honestly my first time ever not knowing [where I'll be]. So, I'm just really just keeping one foot in front of the other, and I'm blessed to be getting out of the season healthy, being able to just put everything I do on tape, and I'm really just going from there."
On if this day is tougher knowing the team may not be the same team next year: "For sure. And I feel like that's what a lot of fans don't understand. You never have the same team twice. You always have people that leave, whether it's free agency, whether it's people retiring, or whether it's people just not here anymore. Injuries happen, people go get money, everything, et cetera, et cetera. I feel like having the talented team that we had and coming up short, it's always devastating."
C TYLER LINDERBAUM
On how he would describe his disappointment after yesterday's loss: "Obviously, I am disappointed about last night, but I am thankful for the season and for the guys. We've been through a lot. Obviously, it's not the season that we wanted. The one thing about the team is we never quit. [We] always keep fighting until the very end, and that's why you appreciate it."
On what his overall message to the team is: "Just [that] I am proud of the guys for the season. [It's] kind of just what I hit on. Just not the season that we wanted, but we never wavered."
On what is his evaluation of how the offensive line played this year: "Yes, I definitely saw some growth. Just one of the things that's hard about our position is to try to play as consistent as possible for 17 games. I am just proud of how we came to work every single day to try to get better, and that's all you can ask for."
On when his thoughts will transition to his future with his contract being up: "I'll take some time off and then worry about that at a later time."
On why he thinks the team has had issues being at its best when its best is required: "That's the unique and hard thing about football – when you have to be at your best, you have to be at your best. Obviously, in the past few years, we haven't been able to kind of get over that hump. I think the guys in this locker room [and the] coaching staff – we're doing everything possible to try to get over that hump."
On if he wants to be back in Baltimore: "Yes, absolutely."
On if this locker room cleanout is different than in years past knowing his future is up in the air still: "I think that's a part of our business. Each and every year, each and every week, everything's up in the air. But we have the best job in the world playing professional football and have to be grateful for that for sure."
On if he wants to test free agency or get a deal done before then: "I'm not really worried about that right now, but I'll talk to my agent and see what's the best fit."
On what the process of deciding his future and his approach: "I think biggest thing, obviously, is what's best for me and the family. Then, obviously, get input from other people, and then your agent. But yes, [it'll start with] the people closest to me, people that I care about their opinions and go from there."
On what QB Lamar Jackson's performance last night demonstrated about him as a player: "[Lamar Jackson]'s the most electrifying player there is in this game. Shoot – I cut a nose guard loose, and he somehow slipped out of it and threw the ball 80 yards for a touchdown. That's the kind of ability he has. So, he's fun to play for. [He's an] ultra competitor, and any time that ball is snapped to him, and it's in his hands, you know something electrifying can happen."
FB PATRICK RICARD
On if it gets easier dealing with another season that comes down to a pivotal play: "I don't think it gets any easier. It just shocks you, just that the whole season comes down to one play, and just especially this year [with] how we started out 1-5 and so many guys dealt with injuries early on in the year, and we were able to put ourselves in the position to make the playoffs on the last play of the game. It just hurts. I feel for the fans of the city, just the heartaches after years after years, and it always seems like to start the year, we always have a great group that I feel like we underperform just with the talent that we have. I feel like the fans deserve better, and it's just hard. It's hard to always seem like it's just one play that ends up defining our season. It's never just one play. There are 17 games that we felt like we should have won a majority of."
On playing for head coach John Harbaugh and what he's like as a coach: "I'm super grateful and appreciative of [head coach John] Harbaugh. He's a big reason why I'm here. He's a big reason why I even had a chance to play fullback. I was an undrafted defensive lineman out of Maine, and he could have just looked at me as that, but he saw something in me and gave me the opportunity to make this team. I just have a lot of respect for him. I think he's a great leader. I think he's a great coach, and I would love to keep playing for him. I know how much he means to the guys in this locker room and to this organization. He just loves football, and he loves us, so that's all you really want out of a head coach."
On why the team has underperformed recently: "Just throughout the years of how our season ended and how our season went, you always just think, 'What is it? What is the reason why we're not getting over the hump?' I said 'underperforming,' [but] what is the reason? It's so hard to pinpoint it. There are just so many things that play into it, and it's really hard to explain. In moments, we just have to just execute and make the plays, and unfortunately, it just doesn't seem in those games that we do that, and it's disappointing, but sometimes this is how football goes."
On if the close losses over recent years leave scars and if that could eventually help them get over the hump: "I guess it depends on the person. I think, if anything, you just have to look at it as a lesson, something to fuel you [and] to drive you to improve so that when you get in those moments again, it doesn't happen. But I think it depends on the person. Some people take it way harder. Some people need time. Some people might need therapy. Some people might need God. It's just [a way] to mentally get over it, because we put a lot into this game. [We sacrifice] our bodies, our mind and our spirit, and we all want to win. We all want a Super Bowl, and when we fall short, you have to look in the mirror and [at] yourself and try to think of what you could have done better. That's what I always try to do; I always try to look at myself and not point fingers at any coaches or any players or anything like that. For me, I missed six games to start the year, and I felt like if I was healthy, and I was able to play, I personally don't think we're going to be 1-5. I think we would have won some of those games, so that's what I look at, myself."
On if he feels like they are one offseason away from playing at a Super Bowl level: "Yes, and that's what I mean. We have so much talent on this team, and it's just disappointing that we're not able to be the team that's able to execute and win games when we need to win games. As long as we have Lamar Jackson, I feel like this team can win a Super Bowl. I guess the biggest thing is [Lamar Jackson] makes this thing go. And then also to have Derrick [Henry], just having those two, that's a big reason why I even signed back last year is because that's a dream backfield to have Lamar and Derrick and to play with those guys. I feel like, as long as they're here, this team has a shot, no matter who else is playing."
On what he sees for his future with the Ravens: "I would love to come back. I would love to retire as a Raven and be here for my whole career, but that's obviously not up to me. It's up to who's here, who wants me here, and I would love to be here."
On if he thinks his offseason contract negotiations could play out similarly to last year: "Yes, the last two times I was a free agent, the Ravens wanted me back right away, so I feel like that could happen again if history repeats itself. I think I had a good year. I think I showed my value to this team, and I showed that I want to be back, so there are conversations that need to be had."
On tight ends coach George Godsey taking the offensive coordinator job at Georgia Tech and his impact on his development here: "We found out a couple days ago on [X]. [Tight ends coach George Godsey] didn't tell us yet. I think he was just waiting to tell us. These are just my words, not his; I think he just didn't want to be a distraction to us, because obviously we had a big game. But yes, he's coached me for four years. He coached our group. All of us were here with him, and it felt like he was a coach that coached us hard, coached us lightly, didn't take it too seriously, but made sure that we were all together and made sure we knew what we were doing. I felt like he was a great coach, and I'm excited for him. 'The goose' is back in Georgia Tech. He played there, and for him to get the opportunity to be the offensive coordinator, we're all excited for him. We all wish that he would continue to be our coach, but I'm excited for him and excited for his family. I think he's going to do a great job down there."
On if he gets a sense that it's an ending for the tight end group that has become so tight over the years: "You just never know. Especially [with] Isaiah [Likely] and Charlie [Kolar], I feel like they played really well. I feel like they've had great careers here. Hopefully, they sign back, but I think they're all going to have a good market when they hit free agency, and I'm excited for them. I'm excited for their families. I'm excited to see how their careers play out. I think they all deserve great contracts. I'm going to miss those guys, regardless of whatever happens. Hopefully, we're together, but yes, I'm just really excited for them. I feel like they deserve what they've put out as a product for themselves [and] for this team. I'm just really just excited for their future. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with them."
OLB TAVIUS ROBINSON
On what he thinks will be his next step in his game: "Yes, I think just being here in the offseason and learning from [outside linebackers coach] Matt [Robinson] and [pass rush coach] Chuck [Smith] – just getting better. And I think every year, learning from the coaches and learning from the vets has allowed me to just grow and get better every year, so I look forward to taking another step next year for sure."
On the struggles with the pass rush this season and how they'd like to improve in that area: "I think just again, working in the offseason and us all being here together from the start is going to be huge. I know we just got 'Trav' [Travis Jones] back on a deal, and we have young Mike [Green] here, who had a great season. And so, all of us just kind of grinding together this offseason and coming in with a plan – looking to dominate the next year."
On the challenges of playing with a disjointed pass rush unit that dealt with injuries this year: "I think it's just a matter of guys just had to step up, that's kind of how it was all year, all around. And that's what we did. But again, it's just [about] looking forward to next season."
On his takeaways from the season: "I think it was a season of adversity. Adversity is a bad thing to waste, so there's lots of lessons. And my situation – the injury – just reminded me to, again, never take that for granted for the rest of my career."
On his process and approach this offseason: "For me, it's honestly only like a week or two off, and I'm back at it. So, it's just about getting better, and it starts now. The work we do in the winter and all that is what will show up."
T ROGER ROSENGARTEN
On his emotions after the season ended: "It was definitely surreal going to sleep last night, but definitely waking up in the morning – this morning – it definitely hurt. It stung a little bit more, not getting another opportunity on a Sunday to get after it with the boys. That's the worst part; not going out there, [and] like I said, [not] getting another opportunity, that stinks. But lots to look back on the season, but no regrets for me."
On the key to being consistent across the offensive line and as an individual: "Consistency as an offense lineman is one of the hardest traits to instill in yourself. That starts upfront with the boys. From Game One to Game 17, if you could be the most consistent offensive line, that's going to translate to winning a lot more games. It just all starts in the offseason, being mentally disciplined and physically disciplined. We should keep that train rolling."
On how much it would hurt the offensive line to lose C Tyler Linderbaum to free agency: "That would sting. I think Tyler [Linderbaum] is best in the league. Like I said, that one is out of control of the players, but to see a guy like that walk would really hurt. It's kind of the same situation as Ronnie [Stanley] last year, so I'm going to be calling him, making sure I can do whatever I can to keep him, because this offensive line runs through him, and he's the tip of the spear."
On what C Tyler Linderbaum has helped him with personally: "[Tyler Linderbaum] is one of the smartest – the center is the smartest guy on the field. He's helped me read defenses [and] see certain things that he reads. When he's up there calling [signals with] his hand, he's at the control of it. Tyler's the best of the best. He's the best in the NFL, so I just really hope he can stay here."
On if he expects changes on the offensive line this offseason: "Like I said, I don't think that's in any of my control. I know what I can do is control what I could control, so [I'll] start the offseason training and offseason program hitting the weights hard, hitting the speed training hard, and I think the cards will fall from there. There is a lot to take away from this season – a lot of good, a lot of bad – but I cherish those ones that were good, and I have no regrets."
OLB KYLE VAN NOY
On how he would describe the journey this season: "Honestly, for me, it's not exactly a fun journey going through. Just because we've been battling from just the standpoint all season, just behind the scenes stuff that no one sees and different things like that. If you don't win the last game, it's a failure. Especially with expectations that we have for ourselves, not the outside world, but individually where we have, collectively, the standard and what we wanted to accomplish."
On what he thinks contributed to the pass rush unit's difficulty finding consistency: "That's a long-winded question, but I just think complementary football stands out to me. Turnovers in games, to not getting turnovers in games. There's so much that goes into it – I can't pinpoint one thing. Sorry, that wasn't a very good way to answer the question."
On what he hopes to accomplish this offseason: "To come back to the Ravens."
On what his contract negotiation conversations will look like: "Conversations, I don't know. I've been in this situation a lot of times, and every time it seems like it's different. So, it's kind of a wait-and-see game. And yes, we'll see."
On if he wants to play football next season: "I believe so. I don't want to make any decisions right now, it's too early to say, especially after an emotional game like that was last night, to say, 'I'm retiring, or I'm going to keep playing.' I think I'm just going to keep my options open and keep an open mind. Just have conversations, but I definitely would like to be back with the Ravens if that was a possibility. Hopefully, it will be. Conversations will be had."
