EVP & GENERAL MANAGER ERIC DECOSTA
Opening statement: "Hello everyone. Thanks for coming out. As you guys all know, it's an extremely busy 48 hours or so for us in scouting. We have a lot ongoing. In fact, probably right now we should find out our players that are getting claimed [and] that list should be coming out. So I'm actually doing you guys a great service at the expense of myself being here at noon. I also wanted to announce, and this is going to be fun, that we have reached a four-year contract extension with Kyle Hamilton. He actually just signed it about an hour ago. [I am] excited about that, [and it] makes him the highest paid safety in the NFL. [It's] well deserved, as you all know. [He's a] phenomenal player, phenomenal person, a great leader, [and I am] very, very proud of Kyle [and] everything he brings to the community on and off the field, his family, and we think that this really recognizes his impact on our team and in the community. We're thrilled to get this done and get this off my plate. I also want to thank [vice president of football administration] Nick Matteo, who has been working on this contract for quite some time, [and] Athletes First – Kyle McCarthy, Brian Murphy, those guys – it was a phenomenal job by them as well, so I am excited about that. Any questions on that?"
Did the negotiations with S Kyle Hamilton pick up momentum over the last couple of weeks or was it really sort of a culmination of a long process? Looking at the bigger picture, do you see him as maybe joining that line of very special names to what we see as building blocks of the Ravens? (*Childs Walker)* "Well, we started really kind of engaging with Kyle [Hamilton] and his group just before we broke [after minicamp] on vacation, but I would say that talks started to heat up about three weeks ago. I appreciate the dialogue that we had with those guys, and I think the deal really does speak to how we feel about Kyle, [now being the] highest paid safety in the NFL. That's a responsibility that we don't take lightly. We've had a few players over the years become the highest paid at their position, and I think when you are the highest paid, that's an important distinction. I think Kyle has proven that he's going to carry that very well, and we expect him to continue to be an impact player on our defense for years to come."
How happy are you to get this done before the start of the season? (*Cordell Woodland)* "Oh, I'm happy. As a GM, my job is really to look at the short term of the team and build the best team we can, but also to look out in the future and look at what the team's going to look like in 2026, 2028 and 2030. So anytime you can take one of your very best players and get them to sign a long-term contract extension, I think is a great thing. I know [owner] Steve Bisciotti is very happy about it. I think it's a great day for the Ravens. It's a great day for Kyle [Hamilton] and a great day for the fans."
From where the defense started last season to how you guys finished being one of the best secondaries in the NFL, what role did S Kyle Hamilton play in that? What about that transformation of the secondary maybe gave you some insight into his value for this team? (*Kyle Goon)* "Well, I think one of the things you love about Kyle [Hamilton] is [that] he's kind of a unicorn. He can do many different things. He does them all very well. He can be used in a lot of different positions. We've had to move him around quite a bit. I wouldn't say that really the improvement of our defense was strictly tied to Kyle last year, but he made it easier for us to put players in different positions. I think our coaches did a phenomenal job last year of making adjustments, as well, and I think guys stepped up. I think you'll see that continue as we get into the regular season this year as well."
Along those lines, where are you at with other extensions conversations, be it C Tyler Linderbaum or QB Lamar Jackson? (*Brian Wacker)* "Those are ongoing. I like to work kind of in the dark, quietly and try and get as much done as we can. We've got a lot of different things going on. We've got a lot of really good players. It's a blessing and a curse. I think we do a pretty good job drafting, and so that means we've got players that deserve to be paid well, and we're trying to keep those guys knowing that. As I've said a thousand times, we can't keep everybody and so unfortunately, you're going to see some good players probably in the next couple of years play for other teams. We've seen that. That's going to be something that continues. Back in 2019, we really kind of said we were going to try and keep as much of our talent as we could. We've tried to do that, but we are in a salary cap league, and so that's the reality. We'll try to get as creative as possible. I think [vice president of football administration] Nick Matteo does a great job helping to be proactive [by] looking at these deals, staying on top of trends and trying to be as aggressive as possible throughout the year to bring our players back. It takes two to tango, certainly. We'll continue to be aggressive, but we also understand that at some point we're going to see some good players leave."
Specifically, I know there's a lot of tension, especially with the QB Lamar Jackson situation where his cap number goes over $70 million next year. Is there anything you can tell us about where that stands with Lamar? (*Jamison Hensley)* "Probably not. I appreciate the question, but I think it's good to keep these kinds of things with the players and these business things as quiet as possible. That'll continue to be the way we operate, generally speaking. I really wouldn't want to get into any specifics in regard to any of our players in their contract negotiations right now because I think it hurts the process."
Roster Decision Statement: "I will kind of segue into the roster. [There were] very, very tough decisions this year, again, which speaks to the amount of talent we feel like we've got on the roster. It was an emotional day yesterday [with] tough decisions to make. As you all know, we kept three undrafted guys on defense; I'm excited about those three guys. What I would say is that those guys clearly seize the opportunity every single day. They earned it. I didn't go into this training camp, this time of the year, expecting three undrafted guys to make it. It hasn't happened in a long time. I think our defense was pretty talented, as you guys can look across and see, we have a lot of talent, so for three guys to make it speaks to what those young men did. I am very excited about them and very excited about the team that we have in place. We'll be in the process of getting our practice squad signed in the next two hours. I would expect that we're going to lose some guys just based on the amount of phone calls that we've received over the last two or three days about the roster and about our players. We investigated some trades. Nothing came to fruition, unfortunately, but we feel really strong about the roster. We're balanced 25 [players] on offense, 25 [players] on defense along with the three specialists. We're relatively healthy, which also ... It's a great situation but it also makes it tougher sometimes with the roster because you don't have the ability to just put a guy on injured reserve and then keep somebody else and then stash that guy, essentially, until he becomes healthy. We weren't faced with that situation this year, which is good, but it also meant that we were going to have to cut some talented to young players."
You guys have kind of become the poster organization for having undrafted guys make the team. How does that keep happening? (Cordell Woodland) "Well, I think we've got a great process that, when you've been together for 30 years, or 25 years or 20 years, you have a chance to really kind of build on something. I go back to my first and second year [with the Ravens, when] guys like Priest Holmes made it. Lional Dalton was another guy I can think of. We've had so many guys – Mike Flynn – I mean there has been so many guys, back in the early days, and we really just refined the process. I think [director of player personnel] Mark Azevedo, [director of college scouting] Andrew Raphael, [assistant director of college scouting] Joey Cleary, those guys are scouts. I want to shout out to the area scouts. All those guys, [west coast area scout] 'Q' [Houegnon Attenoukon], [national scout] Chas [Stallard], [southeast area scout] Patrick [McDonough], [national scout] 'Beans' [Brandon Berning], [central area scout] Terrell [Parker], all those guys that are part of that process. When the draft ends, those guys go to work, and they do just a great job; the organization, the communication with the coaches. We spend hours on those guys evaluating those players and talking about their backgrounds and their mentalities. We really are just hoping to hit on one guy every year. And this year, we hit on three guys, really more than three guys. We had some other guys that could have made it as well, really. Honestly, we probably had five guys, legitimately, that we thought had a chance to be on this team that were undrafted this year. Only three guys had a chance to make it, but there were a couple of other guys that played well enough to make the team as well. So, it was a great year. I didn't think we did a good job last year. I made that abundantly clear, but I think our guys really kind of rallied this year, and like I said, the scouts and coaches did a phenomenal job."
How surprising is it to have three undrafted guys on the team, especially when you consider how much came back from last year and how many draft picks you guys had? (*Kyle Goon)* "We didn't expect it for sure. I think these guys, just when you think about the games, I mean you look at those guys and look at what they did, the production, the big plays and just the consistency. How could they not be on the team? Then, honestly, teams call and ask about these guys and ask if I'd trade these players. We could have traded these three guys. Teams were calling left and right, and that's kind of validation for what you think you might see on tape. It just became abundantly clear that these were talented players that for whatever reason were overlooked by the entire league, including us, and deserved to be on teams and who can help us be our best."
G/C Corey Bullock wasn't drafted this year, but he was drafted last year. Did you expect him coming into camp to make a play for the roster or did he surprise you? (*Giana Han)* "Well, [Corey Bullock]'s worked very hard over the last couple of years. He had a great offseason. I think he's a really coachable player. He's worked so hard in the offseason program, getting his body stronger, quicker and everything else. He's a sponge, and I think he's worked extremely hard. He put himself in this position, and I think it speaks to the development that these guys receive in the offseason program being here with our strength coaches. I think [strength and conditioning coordinator] Scott Elliott and all of his staff do a remarkable job with our guys and really put these guys in the best possible shape to be their very best. I think he's a great example of that."
Last year you talked to us here at this point and you said you expected some hiccups with the offensive line. What are your expectations for 2025 for that group? (*Jonas Shaffer)* "Hopefully [the offensive line] can continue to get better and better, and I think they will. I am thinking about Roger [Rosengarten] just in his second year now, he's going to be a better player. It's just a natural kind of progression. I think [Andrew] Vorhees, he seized the job [at left guard]. He did a great job. I'm very proud of him coming off that knee injury that he suffered and how he's responded. I think Daniel [Faalele] will play better and better and better and continue to improve. Of course, we've got Ronnie [Stanley] and Tyler [Linderbaum], those are kind of the linchpins, but look at that group as a whole. We think the best is yet to come. Then looking at even some of the younger guys, we've seen a lot of growth and maturation throughout training camp. Some of these younger players, we feel really strong about those guys. That's without Emery [Jones Jr.], who at some point, probably in the near future, is going to come out, and we invested the third-round pick on him. We're excited about him and what he brings to the table. I think he's going to be a fun player to watch."
What went into the decision to waive CB Jalyn Armour-Davis? (Bo Smolka) "That was a tough one because Jalyn [Armour-Davis] had a great camp. I think, in the end, it's just kind of a nuanced, tough decision. You have these younger players that you probably have more control of long-term roster wise and contract wise, and you have Jalyn in the last year of his deal, but there's really a lot that goes into it. It was a really tough, tough roster this year to make, and the reality of it is, looking at it, I think Keyon [Martin] and [Reuben] Lowery [III], those guys played well enough to be on the team, so it's just a tough thing. We agonized about it. You look at all the different position groups, and is it better to keep seven corners and four safeties, [equaling] 11 DBs versus, say, four defensive linemen or four inside linebackers or five receivers or whatever it might be? And so, you just have to try and figure it out and balance it out and make decisions, and you have a crystal ball, and you look [to] try to see what it might look like next year and the year after. But there's really no right or wrong answer. It's a puzzle, and we may feel really good about it today, and we may feel really bad about it next week. And, also, we might say next week, 'Thank God we kept this guy at that position,' because we've got injuries. And so, until we really play the games, you're not really going to know. I think for me, the one thing was [that] you're talking about a corner in the last year of his contract versus a corner that you have on your team who's going to be with you for a few more years."
When you look at this roster, which is highly regarded around the league, what is the biggest question or two in your mind that's maybe not a concern, but just kind of an unknown for you when you look at the roster going into Week 1? (Luke Jones) "I really kind of have questions about everything; it's just the nature of what I do. I'm super excited to see our special teams, but we have some young guys in pretty important positions. I'm excited to see [Tyler] Loop, and I'm excited to see [LaJohntay] Wester. Those are important spots those guys are in. So, you have a rookie punt returner, and you have a rookie kicker. Both guys showed in the preseason that they're up to the task. We're very excited about both guys. In most cases, they performed great throughout, but they're still young players, and so, that first game's a big deal, but I firmly believe they're the right guys to kind of handle those jobs."
You made a decision to have K Tyler Loop be the only kicker on the roster about halfway through camp. What at that time made you feel like you guys were good moving forward with Tyler as the kicker, and what has he shown you since then? (Kyle Goon) "It's a good question. I would say [that] I listen to the coaches, right? I'm not a kicking guru by any stretch. I can scout a lot of other positions better than I can scout kickers, and so, [special teams coordinator] Chris Horton and [senior special teams coach] Randy Brown and [head coach] John Harbaugh, those guys felt that Tyler [Loop] was ready. So that resonated with me and allowed us to bring in a player at a different position."
What has K Tyler Loop shown you since making him the starting kicker? (Kyle Goon) "Well, [Tyler Loop] is resilient. He seems to come back from a miss. He's got a really, really strong leg. He works very hard. He's just a good, young prospect. [That's] kind of what we're looking for. I think at every position, [we like players] having a growth mindset, coming to work every day with the intention of getting better and being talented."
Do know when you drafted T Emery Jones Jr. that he had an injury issue, or did this surprise you? (Jeff Zrebiec) "No, we knew [Emery Jones Jr.] had an injury issue."
Did you know he was going to need surgery? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Yes, [Emery Jones Jr.] actually had surgery maybe the week after the Combine."
Is there a possibility that you could see T Emery Jones Jr. contributing at a high level on the field this year? (Josh Tolentino) "I'd hope so. At some point, [Emery Jones Jr.] is going to get a chance to play this year. He'll be back this year, and he'll practice. He's going to be a physical guy. The one thing I can tell you about Emery is he's a physical, combative player. We saw that at the Senior Bowl. We saw it on tape. This guy loves to play. He kind of fits our mentality. I can't wait to get him out there and practice just to see what he looks like."
There's a lot of talent in the secondary. How excited were you to sign CB Jaire Alexander and what's your expectations for that unit? (Garrett Downing) "I was excited, man. I think you guys saw [Jaire Alexander] when he was out there and what he can bring to the table. We're being careful with him, for sure, but he's a talent. I think that group in general, if you look across the board, you see those guys [and] what they can do. I'm excited. Honestly, we were super excited about [Bilhal] Kone and [Robert] Longerbeam, too, before those guys got hurt, and if you had put them into the equation, we would have had some really, really hard decisions to make. And so, I feel really good about where those guys are going to be next year coming back, but I think just across the board, if you look at the secondary – I think [senior defensive assistant/secondary coach] Chuck [Pagano] might've said it – they're a talented group. In saying that, we have very, very high expectations for them as well, and we want to hit the ground running, and we want to play fast, and we want to come out of the gates, and we want to live up to that reputation."
What can you say about where TE Isaiah Likely is at with his rehab, and do you have an idea of when you can expect him back? (Alex Glaze) "I don't like to talk about injuries much, but the fact that we didn't put [Isaiah Likely] on IR, I think, speaks to when we can expect him back. We think he'll be back at some point in the early part of the season. I think his attitude's great. I see him, and I spend time with him. I think he will be a really, really big part of our team this year, for sure."
You guys have four running backs and five inside linebackers, so that obviously squeezes the roster elsewhere a little bit potentially. Does that kind of speak to the belief in what you guys have at some of those other positions, particularly the secondary? (Brian Wacker) "Yes, I think when you're looking at your roster, generally speaking, most teams will keep somewhere between nine and 11 defensive backs. Certainly, we have some talented players on offense, too, and we're trying to create a balanced roster. I've seen rosters where you may have potentially 27 players on one side of the ball and 23 on another side of the ball. I don't think that's exactly what you want. You'd really like to try and be as balanced as possible, so [we] certainly had some tough choices to make. The fact that we kept four running backs, I feel like, with those guys, they're proven [with] what they did, what we've seen from those guys. I think specifically with Keaton [Mitchell] and Rasheen [Ali], we saw what they could do this preseason. We certainly know Justice [Hill] and Derrick [Henry], and I think last year, as you guys remember – early in the season especially – we had a hard time finding three running backs to play. And the way that we run the football, we made a decision, I think, to keep those four running backs because we're a physical running team, and it made sense to do that at this time. And when you do something like that, when you keep three tight ends, and you have a fullback, then it forces you to probably go a little bit lighter at other positions. So, it's challenging and, in the end, I think one of the things I've learned from [executive vice president] Ozzie [Newsome] – one of a million things – is really just [to] keep the best players. That's what I try to do. I try not to get too caught up in [the idea that] you've got to have this many players at this position and this many players at that position. All things being equal, you'd like to do that, you'd like to be balanced, but in the end, I think you want to just keep the best players, and if that means you're a little bit unbalanced, that's OK, because, at some point, it's probably going to take care of itself because guys are going to get hurt, and you're going to be glad you kept certain guys."
S Beau Brade was an undrafted free agent last year, and you decided to give him opportunity. What did you see from him, and what went into your decision to move on? (*Giana Han)* "I thought Beau [Brade] did a great job. Again, I think it just speaks to the talent that we have back there. I love Beau, love everything he does. I love what he brings. Hopefully we can keep him on the practice squad. Again, [these are] really, really tough kind of nuanced decisions, [that are] really challenging to make because I really admire Beau in many ways. Physically, he's just a tough guy, has a great mentality. He's all football [and is a] local kid. I hold him in very high regard. Like I said, we'd love to have him on the practice squad. That's one of our goals coming out today, and we'll see what happens."
When you look at the offseason and now S Kyle Hamilton getting the extension, with also RB Derrick Henry, WR Rashod Bateman, does this go back to when you were talking about trying to be proactive to keep these guys not waiting until they hit even get close to free agency? (*Jamison Hensley)* "I think so. I sort of equate it to that old game we used to play where – well, maybe some of us played; I don't think they play it anymore – but musical chairs where we have a lot of really good players, and we're just trying to get as many guys signed as we can until we can't. That's really what it amounts to. Like I said, it's a good problem to have. I think the roster speaks for itself, but it is a challenge, and it does keep me awake at night. I feel really, really good about this team, but I want to feel as good about the 2027 team and the 2030 team as I feel about this team."
If you look at your top two draft picks, do you feel like those guys have both sort of demanded to be on the field right away with the way they've performed? (*Childs Walker)* "I would say [yes]. I think [Malaki Starks and Mike Green] both had, I think you guys would probably agree, good camps, but again, until they play, it's hard to say. They have to play in real games. They're both excited. [I am] super excited about both players. [Their] mentalities have been outstanding; the maturity, the way they carry themselves every day. To me, they don't feel like rookies. They feel like guys that have been here and that really speaks well of what we should expect for those guys this year. I think they're ready to play. It's just a matter of going out there and doing it."
Without a deal for QB Lamar Jackson, would an impasse there prohibit you guys from being able to lock down big-money extensions for other guys, or you able to forecast it without that in place? (*Jonas Shaffer)* "I don't think so. Basically, it just comes down to who are those guys going to be? We have opportunities to sign more players, and we'll try and do that. It's just a matter of who can we get a deal done with. At some point, we're probably going to have to kind of recalibrate and say, 'We have got to nail these draft picks.' We need these younger players to really be good because we can't sign every single guy back, and we're OK with that. I mean, I'm not OK with it, but I understand it. It's kind of like when I was just hired [to become the GM], and we lost those four guys on defense. I've talked about that, but losing 'Sizzle' [Terrell Suggs], [Eric] Weddle, Za'Darius [Smith] and C.J. [Mosley]. That was really tough, really tough, but that's the nature of this business and what we do. So, we'll keep trying to sign as many guys as we can. I think [vice president of football administration] Nick [Matteo] does a great job with me of explaining what our cap situation's going to look like this year, potentially next year, trying to forecast out so that we have a sense for what we can do [and] what we can't do with the goal of really never having a true window that's open or closed. I hate that idea of just a closed window. Being a GM on a closed window team gives me anxiety, and I don't want to be that GM."
You talked about S Malaki Starks and OLB Mike Green, but what are just your overall impressions of this rookie class, even including the undrafted guys that you all had. I know it's early, but what's your impression of the group? (*Ryan Mink)* "I mean, so far so good. I am optimistic, but I'm also cautious again because [the rookie class] hasn't done it yet. So, I think, generally speaking, these guys have shown in glimpses in practice what they can do and what they may become. I think we'll have contributors this year, so one of my goals is always to find at least two or three guys that can contribute right away. I know everybody wants all of the guys to contribute right away, but certain guys just develop at different paces. Again, it's one of the byproducts of having a strong team. Some guys really don't get the chance to contribute as soon as other guys might, but from what I've seen with these guys, I think our scouts did a great job, and our coaches did a great job of lining guys up. I think we'll have some guys that contribute quickly and make plays right away in different ways, and there'll be other guys that may not do a lot this year, but then next year you'll see them and go, 'Wow, that guy looks pretty good.' We can all think about guys like that in the past who kind of fit that definition, and that's just what we do. So, it's a little different from baseball. We don't have a minor league system, but we expect our guys to contribute right away because that's what our sport is; but in a way, some of our guys are in the minor leagues right now, and it might take them a couple of years before they make it to the big leagues."
S KYLE HAMILTON
On what it feels like to be the highest-paid safety in the NFL: "It's crazy. It's a dream come true. First, I just want to thank a lot of people. I want to thank God, first and foremost. [There are] so many situations and things that have happened in my life that have gotten me to this position. I think back to Draft night, and some people have said some things about where I was drafted, this and that, and where I could be drafted. And at the time, I think I was the least mad out of anybody. I knew that I came to the right place, and I think that's how God works sometimes. You have to see the bigger picture and [that he] has bigger plans for us. So, thank you to the man above. And also, to my family, my parents, my brother, [my] fiancée, all my friends [and] everybody [who played] a part in this. It takes a village, and I truly mean that. I truly feel that way. To Mr. [Steve] Bisciotti, to 'EDC' [executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta], to [head] Coach 'Harbs' [John Harbaugh], and everybody who has gotten me to this point and developed me; I really feel like I've been kind of molded into the player I am today by them. It goes to show why this organization is the way it is and why it's such a great organization. They do a great job, and it's good to be rewarded."
On if he felt a lot of pressure to have his contract extension signed before the season started: "I wanted to get it done. I feel like it would've been a distraction. It's just human nature to kind of think about those things even though I try not to. But no, I think the Ravens – and credit to them and everybody upstairs – they did a great job just engaging in conversation. And my agents as well, Kyle McCarthy, Brian Murphy, everybody at Athletes First did a wonderful job. I was included in everything going on and [it was] really professionally done, on both sides. They wrote some really good emails, too. It was really cool to see the ins and outs of the contract negotiation. So, to answer your question, yes, I wanted to get it done, but if it hadn't gotten done, it wouldn't be a huge deal. But I'm glad it did."
On the reactions from the locker room following his contract extension: "It's pretty cool. I love every one of those guys in there. And it's kind of funny – on a day like yesterday, where guys are getting cut, and guys are getting signed back to practice squad .... Seeing guys who got signed to the practice squad come in the walk-through and congratulate me. Knowing that everybody's in a different situation, it shows how much love there is in that locker room. So again, I've been saying that a lot, but I really would not be in the position I am in right now without everybody in the locker room sacrificing for each other. It makes it easy to go out there and make plays when your three-technique [defensive lineman] is taking two guys up in a block, [and] you'll get a TFL. It all boils down to stuff like that, and it starts in camp, [it] starts at dinners off the field. It's a brotherhood in there, so I'm happy to be a part of it."
On if he is driven by the idea that he is following in the footsteps of legendary Ravens players and Hall of Famers like S Ed Reed and ILB Ray Lewis: "A little bit, but mostly no. I think I'm trying to carve my own path. Obviously with those guys, I don't think it can be replicated, what they did. They set the bar for, not only the Ravens, but the NFL – what it means to play the position that they played. I'm lucky to even be in the same breath as them. [I'm] not saying that – me personally, I don't think I'm even close to there yet, but it would be cool one day looking back on it [to tell my] kids [and my] grandkids, to kind of show them my body of work and be proud of it. But as of right now, it sounds cliché, but I'm worried about [playing] the Buffalo Bills [Week 1], trying to get onto that and get our season started. That's so far down the line, it's not even in the front of my mind at all."
On what the team asks him to do and what the value of his versatility means to him: "First off, just the amount of trust they've entrusted me with in that stuff, helping to run the defense with 'Ro' [Roquan Smith] and just playing my part, whatever that may be, on a snap-to-snap [or] game-to-game basis. I feel like I'm talented enough in different areas to do what they ask me to do, but they also have to feel like that, too. And then I have to go out there and produce. So, it's a group effort, but I'm willing to play wherever, whenever they need me to. Whatever job responsibility I have during a play, I'm all for it. And credit to Notre Dame, I kind of dabbled with that, a little bit, in college. So, when I got to the League – I feel like my rookie year we were kind of trying to find a spot where I fit in at; and then, [we] figured that out at nickel. And then, I was always able to play safety, so it kind of just came naturally."
On what it is about the outlook for the Ravens franchise makes him feel good about signing an extension for the next four years: "[No.] 8 [Lamar Jackson] helps that a lot. If we have [No.] 8, we have a chance. We could put whoever around him, I think we go as he goes. And I think everybody in the building kind of agrees with me. As long as he's here, we have a chance to be lifting that trophy at the end of the year. That's not hyperbolic at all, he's one of the best to ever do it, and he's him for a reason. So yes, that just kind of goes with being a Raven right now, in this era. You're going to play with Lamar Jackson; you're going to play in some big games; you're going to play, hopefully, for some championships in the future. I think that goes for coaches, players, staff [and] people in the cafeteria; expectations are high because of that guy right there. I know it's a lot of pressure on him, but I don't think he really feels it."
On how quickly his contract extension came together: "I think everybody's experience in situations is different, when it comes to that stuff. Some guys get it done right after the season. I wasn't in a huge rush. I knew that it was probably going to get done before the season. Talks really ramped up, probably, a few weeks ago. And like I said, the Ravens, [vice president of football administration] Nick Matteo – everybody – and 'EDC' [executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta] have done a great job just engaging with us and having constructive and real conversations, and for lack of better word, just not 'B-Sing' each other on both sides. And I think earlier in the spring, I was more so focused on just getting my body [and] getting my mental [outlook] right for the season. They had Draft stuff and free agency, all this stuff going on. So, it was like, 'I'm not really about to bother them right now. I know I'm going to be here, so we'll get it done at some point.' But I think both sides wanted to get it done before the season; that ultimately helped it come to fruition."
On how the contract extension helps him mentally entering the season: "I don't want to sound ungrateful. Obviously, I am [grateful]. It's a crazy amount if you're just talking about money, a crazy amount of money, and I am blessed to be in the position I'm in. But my mom always told me, money just makes you more of who you already are. So, I think it's a blessing and I'm excited to help my family [and] help others with it as well. But I don't think it really changes my outlook or my perception of who I am as a person. I pride myself on that. No matter what you're talking about, whether it's money or experiences or accolades, I try to just stay the same Kyle. For me personally, I don't want to change a whole lot about myself, maybe get a watch or something. But other than that, I'm just going to put it in a piggy bank and save it for a rainy day."
On what his involvement in the negotiation process was like, what he learned about how the league works and if it was important for him to be the highest-paid safety in the NFL: "I don't think we were necessarily going off highest-paid safety. Not to get into it too much, but it's just whatever my team thought my value was compared to other people [and] other positions in the league. I think the Ravens did a great job of honoring that as well. And at the same time, I think to answer your question about just the business side of it – because I was interested in it – and obviously, going through contract negotiations, my team says A, and they say B. Reading those emails, sometimes it might be triggering to somebody, but I honestly respected it, and they were very well-written emails and [there was] even a little humor in it. So, it made it enjoyable for both sides. [I'm] not trying to divulge too much information, but I think you can grasp from that. It's just pretty cool to see the business side of it. If I ever did want to be a GM one day, which I don't foresee for myself right now, but it's kind of a cool little tidbit [to know]."
On if he has plans to celebrate: "No. Maybe [I'll buy] a new driver or something. I know everybody is getting mini drivers right now, so I might have to do that. My boy works for Callaway, Alex Spiegel, [I'll] give him a shoutout. Maybe I'll try to get a little discount on a mini driver." (Laughter) "But [I have] nothing [planned], as of now. I want to do some philanthropic stuff, obviously, and try to just give back because like I said, it takes a village, and there are numerous people that have gotten me to this point. So, [I'm] just doing my best to pay it forward. That's probably the plan."
On philanthropic causes that are close to his heart: "I've done some stuff at the Y. I grew up going to the Y a little bit, me and my brother. I feel like experiences like that make it a little more genuine. And then TUFF, which is an organization [created by] Adam Shibley, [who] went to Notre Dame with me and was a walk-on for the football team; he started TUFF. And its premise, pretty much, is to provide shoulder pads, cleats, all this stuff for underprivileged kids who don't have them. So maybe a little something like that, I'm not 100 percent sure yet. I've also been interested in financial literacy for people and some stuff with single mothers, as well. But I mean, this is just me spit-balling right now. Hopefully, I get around to all those things, and hopefully we make it happen. But off the top of my head, that's where I'm at."
On if there's a next step that he wants to take as a player: "Super Bowl, really. I think you check a lot of boxes off, hopefully, throughout your football career. And not toot my own horn, but I feel like I've checked a good bit [of those boxes] ever since high school, and a Super Bowl still has yet to be checked. So, that's the next one that I want to check off. All the personal accolades and stuff, that's cool. But I feel like, as a team [and] as an organization – I've talked to Mr. [Steve] Bisciotti – and it's just that [we want to win] a Super Bowl, and we're not trying to wait anymore. So, we want to get greedy with that. We want to do that now, as soon as possible, and stack them."
