HEAD COACH JESSE MINTER
Opening Statement: "I'm going to start off really by thanking everybody in the organization — facilities people, equipment staff, all the people that just help us be able to have this Training Camp, have the setup that we have, have the facilities that we have. They make it super easy and simple for us to be able to do our job from a football standpoint. So, major shoutout to them. Really good first day, really good energy. I felt like — [and I've] said this before — the offseason really gave us a foundation to be able to hopefully hit the ground moving. So, there's going to be a ton to learn off that first day's practice film. That's what Training Camp's about. We look forward to that. But, we have the mentality right now: one day at a time, one step at a time, one little process at a time. So, we'll go in, we'll be able to watch the film. We'll be able to walk through some stuff. We'll be able to install for tomorrow's practice and be ready to roll. So, with that, I'll open it up for questions."
We saw DL Nnamdi Madubuike out there today, which looks like a good sign. What did you see from him? Does this mean that if everything goes well, he will be ready for the start of the regular season? (Jamison Hensley) "Nnamdi [Madubuike] has now passed the physical and come off of the PUP list. Look, it's still a process to get ready to play football, and that's something we're going to work through over these next couple of weeks. I think everybody has a good feeling about where he's at and where it's headed. But again, those things — there's a timeline involved, and that could go wherever. So, [it's] super exciting to see that dude out there with his jersey on and his helmet. He looks great. He's been working really hard and I think there are positive things to come with him."
Is it possible that for a couple of weeks that DL Nnamdi Madubuike may just focus on individual drills and conditioning? Is that kind of what you're looking for? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Yes. Again, an individual coming off what [Nnamdi Madubuike]'s coming off of — our ability to get him ready for a long season when he's gone through the things in the offseason that he's gone through — I think that is our job: to protect the player and look out for the player. So, we'll try to do that to the best of our ability."
What is the biggest message you wanted to convey to your players on Day 1 heading into camp? (David Andrade) "Honestly, just the mentality that we're trying to take. It's a day-by-day process. We're not going to win because we're the Ravens. We're not going to win because we have X, Y, Z players. We're not going to win because I'm the coach. We're going to create our success based on the standards that we create, the process that we go through every day. How much better can we get between now and September? Then, how much better can we get between now and November, now and December, now and January, all the way through into February. So, that's really what we're focused on — competing with each other, making each other better, but also connecting and developing [a] real strong bond amongst the team. So, those are our main objectives."
With QB Lamar Jackson — probably more of an offensive coordinator Declan Doyle question — but broadly, have you seen how much he lifts the energy being out there? What kind of involvement have you seen from him on Day 1? (Brian Wacker) "Yes, [Lamar Jackson]'s incredible. Again, [he's] the best player in the league. When he's out there and he's obviously really engaged like he is, he makes everybody on the field better. So, he makes the offense better. He makes the defense better for having to defend that type of player. All he has to do is be himself. That's what he's proven that he is over the course of time. I do think sometimes when you're trying to learn new things, it really energizes you because you know that there's a requirement to get where you want to get between now and the game. So, I just appreciate the way he's gone about his business. He does a great job — just from being himself and the spirit that he brings — making everybody else better."
I know you've had some time to adjust to the head coaching role in the spring and minicamp, but especially on a day like today — do you kind of reflect on how different the approach is for you? It looked like you were overseeing the whole operation, kind of stepping back. How different is it from what you've done before? (Kyle Goon) "Yes, it's certainly a little bit different just from a job description standpoint — what I'm responsible for. I feel like I'm responsible for how the whole team plays. Whether [it's] all three phases, the style that we play — I'm not going to micromanage every scheme in all three phases of the game. You hire people to do a great job. Obviously, I'm going to have more of a focus on one side of the ball, but it's my job to get us to operate the way that we need to operate, to play the way that we need to play, to prepare the way that we need to prepare, and so that part is awesome. It's awesome to watch our offense operate in a ball security drill or routes-on-air, to see it go back and forth in team periods with different sides making different plays. The spring sort of gets your feet wet, but certainly — just the appreciation I have for this opportunity on the first day of Training Camp, when you realize that this is here and that all this is going on and all the fans are here — much appreciation for the opportunity."
Particularly with the defense, where do you hope to make the biggest strides? (Sam Cohn) "I think it's the first day and you're trying to communicate, you're trying to be on the same page when the ball's snapped. You're trying to execute a little bit — without pads on, in certain areas that's harder than others. But, I just want us to have a growth mindset on defense: come out here, learn from what happened, go in and study the film, get a little bit better. Look, we have a long way to go, and I don't think anybody would tell you otherwise that's a part of this group. We have a long way to go. We're here to work. We're here to improve every day as much as we can. But, I do feel like we have got the guys to do that and the guys to put a unit out there weeks from now that'll play the type of defense we need to play."
The only guy we didn't see today who's not on a reserve list was DL Calais Campbell. What's his status? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I would say similar, just in a sense of — obviously [Calais Campbell] dealt with personal tragedy over the summer. So, from a preparation standpoint, that took up a lot of his time and his mental focus and energy. Again, we're here for Calais to get ready at the rate that he can get ready at. This guy — it's different than a 25-year-old that's played maybe only a year or two. This guy has so many banked reps of experience of getting himself ready in camp. We're going to work together with Calais to have a great plan to, again, have him ready for September, December, January, February. So, that'll be a focus for us over the first couple of weeks of camp."
Reflecting a little on the big picture — to be able to share your first Training Camp with your dad, football analyst Rick Minter, to have him here — do you take a moment to appreciate that? (Pete Gilbert) "Here we are, Dad! This is just like — as a kid, I was going to Training Camp wherever he was coaching, and so [I was] the kids running around on the field after practice. So, now to have that with him — who I've learned so much from, who I share so many things with, who we talk about a lot of different things — obviously makes it really special. So yes, it's again just a ton of appreciation for what we have going on."
In terms of how you wanted to run your Training Camp — did you kind of pull pieces from all the different places you've been? Do you have every day of camp planned at this point? (Childs Walker) "Yes, it's definitely — I think, again, as you go through this — I do think when you have aspirations down the road to end up here, you start to keep notes and notebooks of things that you like and don't like, and scheduling ideas from different people that I've been around. So, yes, it's hopefully very intentional [in terms of] what we've put together for the players to be able to perform at their best. That's really the simple bottom line of all the decisions: does it drive performance? That's really — [yes,] I do have it all mapped out. I think, again, the ability of any good coach is the ability to adapt and adjust and move as it goes. But, you put a lot of time and study and energy and communication with people to try to find out the best way to do it. Here we are."
Have you decided when your first padded practice will be? Do you look at that totally different than what we're seeing out there without the pads? (Jerry Coleman) "I would say the first padded practice — not as much. It'll be on when the rules tell us we can be in pads. But again, just like you try to ramp into the first practice, I think once you have the pads on, there is a day or two of ramping into that. You don't all of a sudden want to start banging your heads against the wall. So again, everything's intentional. We need to practice at a physicality level that we want to play at, which will happen I think over the course of camp. I think sometimes you have got to really tame those guys down on the first day of pads to, again, try to have this thing be where longevity can win, not just today."
You've coached very high-level players at the Los Angeles Chargers, but there are so many veterans in this room that have been very close to the mountaintop — played in the AFC Championship Game a couple of years ago. Guys like QB Lamar Jackson, S Kyle Hamilton — do you sense anything about their intensity, their hunger to get to the Super Bowl? Do you sense other guys feel that? (Kyle Goon) "I think if you asked every single player in the National Football League right now, they have intentions of trying to help their team get to the Super Bowl. I do think your experience grows your focus and where your energy is at. So, this is a group that is, I would say, really hungry — not thinking about the end goal yet. I think they know that that's what we all want to do, but [there's] a willingness to go day by day and focus on the process and build this thing up so that when those moments happen, we'll be at our best. I have a ton of love and appreciation for those players and their experiences. I ask them a lot about things that they're thinking about. It's great to have a bunch of guys that have been through some battles and have some scars of getting close, or having seasons where they're way up there, and then it doesn't happen. So, I think all those experiences help you grow."
Just to alter that a little bit, focusing on QB Lamar Jackson — as players stack years, you think the urgency kind of increases. In your communication with him, have you sensed that urgency? Has the Super Bowl even come up in any of your conversations? (Jamison Hensley) "I think honestly for me to answer that is a little bit unfair, just because I haven't been around [Lamar Jackson] the last four years. He is really, really hungry. He has a lot of intent right now of what he's trying to get done. [I] can't speak for — I thought he was like that as a young player. So, I think he's such an elite competitor and [he] wants to do that — that's always been his goal. I do think, again, as you go through things and as you have ups and downs and you kind of learn that your career may not last forever, and you have these goals that you want to accomplish, sometimes your focus narrows. I would say that he has a real narrow focus on what we're trying to accomplish, and definitely appreciate that from your quarterback."
Obviously as a head coach, you have more say on situational stuff — clock management, timeouts, fourth downs. What sort of prep have you done this offseason regarding that? How important are the next five weeks regarding that? (Zachary Pereles) "That's a great question. All kinds of prep — just as far as Charlie [Gelman], our game management [coordinator], does a phenomenal job. [We] have these meetings every few days trying to create scenarios off of previous film and in our head, to talk through that with not only myself, but [offensive coordinator] Declan [Doyle] and 'Weave' [defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver] and 'Co-Cap' [special teams coordinator Anthony Levine Sr.]. So, that's something that we've had a major focus on between the end of the offseason program and now. Then you get a chance — situations — you get a chance to practice them all, but it's really hard to create the sense of urgency and the realness of that happening. So, [you] try to teach them as best you can, try to learn them as best you can, try to anticipate as things come up in a game what might happen. It's something that I think I learned a ton about when I was here the first time. This was always an organization I felt did a great job in that regard — ahead of the curve, maybe back in like '17, '18 and '19. I learned a ton here and have tried to do that at other places. So, it's definitely a challenge I'm excited about."
You guys made a pretty big addition at center with C Ethan Pocic. What did you like about him? Can you share with us what the plan is for him, knowing he's coming off of a major injury? (Luke Jones) "Yes, I think it's competition at a place where you have some good players — you might not have as established players as some other positions. So, you're bringing in a guy [Ethan Pocic] that's got some 'skins on the wall,' has played a lot of football. Again, another one of those guys — it's our job and his job and our performance team's job to help acclimate him back into football coming off the injury that he's coming off of. So, [he's] another guy we'll be working closely with as far as the amount that he's doing over these first couple of weeks. But I expect him to jump in there and compete for that position, and we'll see if the best man wins."
QB LAMAR JACKSON
Does it feel real that this is your ninth Training Camp? (A.J. Gersh) "Yes, it does feel real. I feel like I am a lot [more] comfortable. I feel great. It feels great."
As you have stacked those years, and you have always wanted to achieve the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl, does the urgency grow year after year? (Jamison Hensley) "Absolutely, it does. Each and every year I am getting older and not younger, so of course it increases — but it starts now. Like I said on The Lounge, it starts now in Training Camp."
What do you think of the new practice times? (Jerry Coleman) "I love it. We hit the film room and walkthroughs, [then] we lock in, practice and get better. We go to walkthroughs and meet and watch what we just did on the field [and] try to get better mentally. I am enjoying it. I like it."
As opposed to practicing in the middle of the day last year, how does this feel? (Jerry Coleman) "I really can't call how my body felt last year around that time, so I do not know. But right now, I am loving it. I am loving it."
We did not get to see WR Rashod Bateman out there with you guys in minicamp or OTAs. What did it feel like to get your usual starting group of pass catchers out there today? (Cordell Woodland) "I had my guy back, and [Rashod Bateman] looked great. He's running fast, great routes [and he has] great hands. One of them we should have hit, but it is practice. We are getting better. I am loving it. He looked great."
On the other side of the ball, seeing DL Nnamdi Madubuike out there and looking like himself, what does that mean for you knowing what he can bring on the other side? (Pete Gilbert) "Man, it is great to have [Nnamdi Madubuike] back on the defensive line. [He will] help our secondary out. It is phenomenal. We needed him back and thank God he is back, man. I cannot say 100% yet — I do not know about the medical — but he is back, and I am looking forward to seeing him get a lot of sacks and disrupt a lot of offenses. Not ours, though."
What has it been like developing relationships with your new centers, C Danny Pinter and C Ethan Pocic? (Josh Tolentino) "Those guys are grinders, man. [It's] good competition. Those guys are grinding and calling out the Mike [linebacker], identifying the Mike, calling out the defense. They are doing a great job. We do not have pads on, so I can't tell how they are blocking yet, but they are looking good. Mentally, those guys are sharp."
Not to bring up past years, just in the present — how much does it help to have a head coach who has prepared against you, who has game planned against you, and who is a defensive-minded guy? Have you tapped into that at all with head coach Jesse Minter? (Jeff Zrebiec) "That is funny you say that. I did not think about playing against Coach Jesse [Minter]. That never hit my mind. But, yes man, we talked about it. He pulled me to the side yesterday, and he was talking about just coming in and meeting with him so I can see defenses the way he calls it — other defenses, too, not just his. But, that is great."
Do you think you will meet with head coach Jesse Minter on the regular about that? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. I think that it's a good idea for me to meet with a defensive-minded coach." (laughter)
Along those lines, is there a real intentional focus on the mental aspects with the walkthrough practices? How do you feel about that as a guy who has been in this league this long? (Brian Wacker) "Absolutely. NFL, I feel like it's a mental game. It is good to be in shape and have all the physical aspects, but when your mind is faster than everything that is processing on the field, I feel like you have a head start with everything you are doing. So, I feel like the walkthroughs and everything like that correlates with getting on the field and playing each and every Sunday — even in practices. Definitely."
The new offense is obviously different, but just how different is it for you in terms of what you have to learn with terminology and different plays? Is there any special carryover from last year? (Brian Wacker) "No, I do not think we carried over anything, man. 'Dec' [offensive coordinator Declan Doyle] is like a wizard. He is trying to get the best out of all of us. Not just the quarterbacks, but every aspect of the offense, and I feel like he is doing a great job at that [by] challenging us each and every play. Even with the huddle, and how the huddle is set up, he challenges us to get to the line of scrimmage fast, execute, break down the defense and process everything fast so that it's a process of elimination when we get to the line of scrimmage. So, it is great."
Are you ready to start getting the contract questions out of the way, or is this going to play out throughout the year? (Jerry Coleman) "It is always you, Jerry." (laughter) "But yes, I will keep it the same way I have been keeping it. It's private between me and [executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta]."
Did you notice Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes' new deal? (Brian Wacker) "No, to be honest I really have not been paying attention to anything on social media. Except for this No. 69 thing, the [NFL Top 100] ratings, or whatever it is. I have seen that. People were tagging me in it, so that is why I was able to see it, but I really do not follow anything like that."
What are your thoughts on that No. 69 rating on the NFL Top 100 list? (Jamison Hensley) "It is what it is. I play football. I do not care about rankings."
With your yearly 'Fun with LJ' events, as a leader, how do you use that to inspire kids off the field? (David Andrade) "Just by being a good person [and] treating everybody the same. I do not care if they are homeless, rich — it really does not matter. Treat everybody with respect. That is how you show leadership."
Now that the season has started, do any of those contract discussions end as you focus on football, or is that ongoing with you and executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta? (Kyle Goon) "Yes, I'm focused on football, like I've always been."
You have already won two MVPs and done a lot. At this stage of your career, do you feel your best football is still ahead? And if so, why? (Cliff Brown) "Absolutely. Because each and every year you are getting older, your mind is getting sharper. Everything is slowing down even more. You've seen anything and everything a defense can bring at you. The only thing different now is just the new offense. So, once I get that down pat, I feel like there is no room for error with us. We'll keep stacking."
S KYLE HAMILTON
I know DL Nnamdi Madubuike still has some things to go, but he was out there fully dressed. As someone who has probably seen him a lot in that locker room, trying to get ready, what do you think it means to him? What do you think it means to the team to see him return? (Jamison Hensley) "Yes, I think it is a great thing. Just seeing [Nnamdi Madubuike] out here in the building and the locker room, he's such a vibrant personality and you realize when he's here [and] when he's not here. That is all for the better when he is here. He's never bringing any sort of negative attitude and [it's] just awesome to see him back out here going through the process."
Was that a surprise when DL Nnamdi Madubuike showed up or did you know he was going to be here Day 1? (Jerry Coleman) "During the time [Nnamdi Madubuike] was dealing with all of that stuff it was the middle of the season, so I was checking on him here and there. But, at the end of the day, that is his business. I am not trying to put myself in his business — also, HIPAA." (laughter) "I am not trying to violate any HIPAA rules, so I just do my job."
Knowing how dominant of a player DL Nnamdi Madubuike is and what he has accomplished in the past, how big of a boost would it be if he does get in? (Josh Tolentino) "Yes, [Nnamdi Madubuike] is one of the most talented people at his position in the league. I don't think it takes a genius to realize that we'll get better when he is on the field. It allowed for a lot of younger guys to step up and get some much-needed reps going into this year, but we are all hopeful to get him back as soon as possible."
Does it take some getting used to having your defensive coordinator not be the play-caller? The head coach is — is it a different dynamic? What is different about that, anything for you, personally, in that way? (Pete Gilbert) "I have never had that in my football career. [Head coach] Jesse [Minter] makes it somewhat seamless, and the adjustment process was minimal, if there was any. We came in, and [Jesse Minter] announced to the defense, I am calling it. 'Weave' [defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver] is going to help out a ton, and all these other guys in the room are going to be integral in every part of what we do, but he is calling the plays. At first, nobody was really thinking that much of it, really. It just kind of happens. He is over on the side calling the plays, and we are just doing what we have to do. At the end of the day, as long as the plays get called, I think we're having a good time."
What is your take or your perspective on the tone that head coach Jesse Minter has set at the start of camp? (Garrett Downing) "I think it is a very positive outlook. I think it is a glass-half-full, optimistic type of outlook. I think that is something that guys don't take lightly. It's a stressful league we play in. It's a stressful job, I mean as stressful as playing professional, I guess, tag for a living is, but it's kind of a pressure cooker that we live in on a daily basis and [head coach Jesse Minter] tries to take a lot of that out of it by maximizing our opportunities when we're out there — understanding that we have to work hard, but at the same time, he takes care of us and puts us in positions to be successful and does not put everything on our plate every single day. It's little things each time, and I can see us slowly crescendoing throughout the season. So, I'm excited for the outlook that he has and the outlook that everybody on the team has."
I know you guys are not hitting yet, but obviously two things you can check now is communication and whether guys are where they are supposed to be. I know you guys are going to look at film right now, see how you did, but just playing live in elevens, where do you guys feel as a defense in terms of that right now? (Kyle Goon) "I think we feel really good. The guys who have come in that have not been here, learning a new system, have learned it in record time since I have been here. You know, Jaylinn Hawkins comes in, and he is barking out calls like he has been here the whole time that I have been here. It is really helpful, and I think that kind of pushes me and pushes people who have been here to kind of keep a standard up. We are all pushing each other every day, and I feel like the defense, specifically, is at a level right now where communication is very high. At this point, like you said, that is really all you can do. Obviously, [you can] work technique and man-to-man stuff [and it] ramps up throughout camp, but just communicating and being on the same page. We have a bunch of qualities about a good defense that we preach in the meeting room that 'Weave' [defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver] always preaches and the first thing is communication, connection. You are not going to get very far if you do not have either of those, so I think we have done a great job of that so far."
You have been here, obviously, a handful of years and you have gone against QB Lamar Jackson in practice a billion times. What have you seen from him this year, maybe compared to past years? Has anything kind of stood out to you when you watch him? (Brian Wacker) "One, just technically, schematically, the under center, it feels very natural from my perspective for him — just play fakes, running out of every handoff like he has the ball. It is just little stuff like that that he has been very intentional about. From an ability standpoint, I feel like he might have gotten faster somehow. I don't want to age him, but he is turning a certain age next year, and it doesn't seem like that. We'll keep that age between us, what age he is going to be, but I feel like he got faster. I feel like he ran today really fast. I do not know if you guys saw that, but maybe that is just how he always runs. Just like our season, I feel like he's going to get better throughout the whole year. The more comfortable he gets in what [the offense] has got going on, which I have a ton of faith in, and talking to those guys they have a ton of faith in, I feel like he's just going to get that much better."
Why do you think QB Lamar Jackson has been able to have so much early, quick success with new offensive coordinators installing new systems as he's going to have to do again this year? (Ryan Mink) "I mean at the end of the day — schematics play a big part, but it's Jimmys and Joes, it's not 'Xs and Os'. You can have a bunch of bad players out there with the best scheme in the world, and it's going to look horrible. You could have some holes in a scheme, and if you have Lamar Jackson, you might win an MVP [and] go really far. So, I mean scheme is scheme, but Lamar is Lamar at the end of the day. He is a very gifted, talented human as well as athlete. You throw him the kitchen sink, and he'll make a good meal out of it."
You mentioned guys on defense learning quickly. Is there anything that surprised you about working with head coach Jesse Minter or defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver with how quickly some things have come together or what you have seen so far? (Sam Cohn) "Yes, there's been no abrasion or kind of friction between players and coaches with installing new stuff and kind of unlearning old stuff that we've had — that has been ingrained here for a long time. We have been running pretty much the same system since Ed Reed and Ray Lewis were here. We've just kind of tweaked it a little bit. It's kind of grown and evolved throughout the years. But, we give our two cents on stuff that obviously worked for Jesse [Minter] in LA and he is willing to compromise on it, in a sense, to make it easier for us to understand because, obviously, it is different players. It's been really refreshing to see that and [to] see that he's willing, and 'Weave' [defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver] and all of [the defensive coaches] are willing to kind of hear us out. Not saying that it was not like that before, but [with a] new coaching staff, you would think they come in and be like, 'This is how we are doing it now', but [it] hasn't been like that at all."
Is it like going to a new school at all where the routine just feels maybe a little bit off, a little bit different, or really not? (Childs Walker) "All the logistical stuff is obviously different. We practice at a different time. We might meet at different times. Meetings might be a different length. At the end of the day, it is still football. I think players win the games, and I think coaches prepare the players for the games. But, on Sunday it's us out there. So, not to discredit the coaching staff we have, the coaching staffs that we've had in the past, but at the end of the day, it's on us. They can only do so much. So, the day-to-day stuff is obviously different, but I still think we go out there and we make the plays."
Leaving during the Pittsburgh game and having to watch the defense struggle, how did that kind of resonate with you? What kind of lessons do you think this staff has taken to be able to be a little bit more foolproof if you are missing or ILB Roquan Smith is or OLB Trey Hendrickson is? (Jonas Shaffer) "I think it's very detail-oriented. It is very detailed with the ones, twos, threes, and whoever may be out there. Obviously, as you know, it is not an if but when injuries happen in our sport. Somebody is going to have to step up at some point this season. It could be halftime of Week 1 [or] it could be Week 18 to keep your season alive. To that point, [if] we lose people like Roquan [Smith] or whoever it is, leaders of our team [on] offense, defense, special teams, obviously those are going to be big holes to fill. But, at the end of the day, you are expected to come in there and do your job. So, I think it is a detailed thing that has been emphasized so far, and it is going to pay off later in the season."
What are your goals in training camp here? Do you have any specific aspirations as you adjust to this defense? (Ryan Mink) "I mean, I want to win. I am trying to do my best, whatever that may be, I don't have that down yet to a science. I haven't won anything, so I'm just trying stuff out, but do whatever I can to help [the] guys in there be successful. Young guys jumping into the second year, like Malaki [Starks], Keondre [Jackson], [Keyon] Martin, [I try to] help them throughout this camp because they are so talented. Malaki, I don't see a reason why he cannot be the best at his position in our league. He has all the talent, all the mentality, just the approach to the game that I mean — very soon here, I wouldn't be surprised if he is the best safety in our league. Seeing potential like that, I feel like throughout camp I try my best to raise those guys' level and bring the potential out."
