HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening Statement: "We're off to a good start. As you can see, [we have] a lot of guys here, well over 60 players for the rookie minicamp at all levels. We go from the draft choices to the undrafted signed free agents to the tryout guys, and the tryout guys ... We've got a lot more guys now in the tryout deal than we used to have. The Cowboys used to bring like 200 guys to training camp, right? We're not quite there, but these guys are great guys who are looking for a shot, want their opportunity, and we're here to provide an opportunity and see how they do, and I was really pleased with the first practice. I just told them; I said, 'You came in here, you're a football player. Once you make your first tackle [or] your first block,' [as] my dad always used to say, 'When you do that, whatever level it, you might be in third grade, you make your first tackle, you're a football player.' That's what my dad says. And you'll always be a football player. These guys come in here, as football players, and now, after this practice they can call home, call their mom, their dad or girlfriend, their brother, whoever, their buddy and say, now I'm a pro football player. I'm a pro football player, because they're a little nervous. It's the first practice ever in a pro field. What's it going to be like? And it's rookies. The next phase is in front of them, but it's a big step for these guys, and it means a lot to them. They had a really good practice. It was clean, didn't have a lot of mistakes, didn't have a lot of pre-snap issues [and] didn't have anything that was out of line with the tempo of the practice. Guys are on their feet taking care of one another, still practicing, rehearsing quickly and fast and getting things right. So, it's a smart group of guys, so we feel really good about where we're at after Day One. Alright, what questions do you have?"
There are six draft picks who are on the defense side, including your top two. I know it's very early, but how much potential do you think they could make an impact on this defense? (Jamison Hensley) "Well, I mean all those guys are really good players – they're draft picks – and you start with Malaki [Starks] and down through, and we drafted all those guys for a reason, and they're guys who made plays at a high level in college, disruptive-type players, every one of them. So yes, we'll see. I think they can ... They all have a shot. We'll see how they do."
We saw Emery Jones Jr. was sidelined for practice. Is he alright? (Jonas Shaffer) "Yes, it's going to be a little while. [Emery Jones Jr.] had a labrum shoulder issue that I think you guys are aware of. I don't think it's going to clear up now; we're probably going to be looking at training camp, maybe earlier, but we'll just have to see how it goes. He's not going to practice in the immediate future."
You don't think minicamp's a possibility for Emery Jones Jr.? (Jonas Shaffer) "I don't think we'll probably push it. I mean if he can do it, we'll do it, but I'm not thinking about pushing it, if it's not totally ready yet."
Yesterday, you guys signed T Joe Noteboom, an offensive lineman, swing tackle, especially in the wake of Patrick Mekari leaving and knowing how versatile he was, how nice is it to bring someone in who has played I think four of the five offensive line positions with the Rams. (Luke Jones) "And he's the Baltimore now, so maybe we get five out of five, right? To get Joseph Noteboom in here – a veteran, talented guy, who's played on both sides, really to focus probably as a swing tackle as much as anything for us, and that's kind of where we really, really need that veteran presence – as a swing tackle, play both sides – and then yes, he can pop down there at guard, but I think we'll be focusing on tackle. But [it's] a really big signing for us. We're really excited. I talked to him last night. He's fired up, excited to be here."
It's one thing to watch these guys on tape now. You get to see him on the field itself with a guy like OLB Mike Green. What stands out when you actually see him live? "Yes, I think you see it kind of up close and personal, the explosiveness and the size. He's a big guy, and as much as anything, I just like seeing the faces of the guys, how excited, the fact that it's just something that they've been dreaming of and working for, and here they are, and they're so excited and so nervous to get out there and get after it and get started, and then at the end of the practice, they feel like, 'Oh, I feel good about it. I got through it. I can do this.' And Mike [Green]'s no different than all the guys that way the first time through. So it's good to see."
You had an offensive lineman as a free agent this year in Patrick Mekari but next year, with all the tight ends – their contracts are up after this year. How much do you concern yourself with that as opposed to letting GM Eric DeCosta worry about it? (Ken McCusick) "Well yes, I'll let 'EDC' [Eric DeCosta] worry more about it than I will. I mean it's always, everything's in the back of my mind, but it's [a] year-to-year, week-to-week, day-to-day operation, really. So, we build a team for this year, one year at a time. And then EDC – Eric – he's got to be thinking in terms of the long term with the contracts and things like that, which nobody does it better, so I'll let him worry about it."
I know senior special teams coach Randy Brown did a lot of kicking scouting. What was it like for you, special teams coordinator Chris Horton and the other guys to see K Tyler Loop live kick? (Giana Han) "Yes, it was good. It was good to see it. It was good to hear it. I think as much as anything, it's good to hear a kicker, and the way the ball comes off his foot is impressive, and both kickers, I thought, looked really good today. So, we got them out there behind the line with the snap and everything, and I think they made them all, didn't they? You guys were watching, so that's good to see. So, it's a good start that way."
With a guy like OLB Mike Green who plays in the trenches. I know you guys aren't doing a lot of physical stuff these days, but are you able to kind of see a little bit of what you're hoping to see with him once he does get here? (Cordell Woodland) "It is a great question. It's like, we tell these guys, 'This is not practice in the sense it's not competitive, it's rehearsal.' So really, what you're competing against, is your execution. We're looking for execution. If you saw the practice, we built it from no helmets – without even running the play – just coming up to the line of scrimmage and getting the snap. Then we built it in to doing everything fast, but then go half speed. Then we put the helmets on and we did it fast, but it wasn't competitive, and that's kind of the, I guess, the ramp up we try to do. So, can we see things? Sure. Can you see everything? No, can't see everything."
With Carson Vinson's traits, did anything kind of stand out to you about him? (Jamison Hensley) "Yes, traits about Carson [Vinson]. I mean he's big, he's rangey, he's got long arms, he's high cut, and he can really move. He moves his feet really well. And then the thing is you see how young he is, I guess I look at that frame, and you say, man, we can grow so much into that, and he's got to get in that weight room and get to work right away. And he's kind of like a young colt out there, trying to learn how to control that frame."
Collin Schlee is a Maryland kid who's trying to potentially earn a spot in your quarterback room. Did you have any early impressions of him? (Greg Swatek) "Yes, [he has an] arm, man. What an arm. He was throwing some BBs out there, especially on the outbreaking routes on the sideline, and he's kind of striking – I didn't realize how big he was. He's great looking athlete."
John, what do you hope that S Malaki Starks can not only learn from this offseason, but also from the safeties in your room right now with S Kyle Hamilton and S Ar'Darius Washington? (Caleb Nixon) "Yes. I hope [Malaki Starks] learns how to be like an All-Pro. That's kind of what you hope [for]. You hope for the best, and plan for the best, too. I expect him to do really well. He's our first-round pick. To whom much is given, much is required, and nobody understands it better than him as a young guy. I'm really impressed with his maturity. He broke the huddle today. That's not an easy thing to do your first time. So far, so good."
Coach, what would you like to see as the next progression for this group going forward? What's the next step? (Jerry Coleman) "That's a good question. I think the next step is probably recovery, and then taking what they learned in the meetings post-practice out to practice the next day and see what gets cleaned up. So, they're going to be a little sore tomorrow. They haven't been moving in a football practice for a while. Can they get back out there and repeat it and move around and then build on today?"
John, I think there are websites that say that you guys might have joint practices here with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Is there anything you can say about that? "Yes, I would just say it's all up in the air right now. We've talked to the Buccaneers about that; we've talked to the [Washington] Commanders about that. But the League controls who you end up playing, so we're still waiting to hear from the League in terms of what our preseason games will actually be. I've actually talked to some other coaches who we maybe could be playing to see if they'd be interested, and there's expressed interest, so I think we will be having joint practices. Hopefully, we'll have a day here. We'll just have to see if it works out."
We asked executive vice president & general manager Eric DeCosta a lot after the draft of K Tyler Loop's situation, K Justin Tucker still being here. There's going to be a lot of attention on that dynamic. How do you perceive that time in terms of both those guys being in the building, possibly at the same time? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Great question. As you know, Justin [Tucker] has been in the building the last couple of weeks kicking and everything, and I've had a chance to talk to him a little bit, and he's been working hard. I would just say from the standpoint of the investigation and all that, we don't know anything. We haven't been given any information, as it should be. It's all done the way it's done. So, we don't know anything along those lines, so you can't make any decisions based on that. Every decision we make has to be based on football. There's a lot of layers to that. You've got a rookie kicker [Tyler Loop] in here. We took him in the sixth round, early in the sixth round. He's a talented guy. Just from a football standpoint, salary cap, all the different things that you just take into consideration – whatever we decide to do over the next few weeks would be based on football."
John, I think you mentioned at the end of the season that maybe WR Zay Flowers would get surgery for his knee. Did anything ever come of that? "Good question. It did not go to surgery. Actually, [Zay Flowers] was doing a little dance in the weight room this last week, and he said he's feeling great, and his knee is back. But he did it with rehab, and, yes, he should be ready to go."
The mental part is so important with the kicker position. Is that something you can really evaluate in this kind of setting? Or do you kind of have to wait and see how a guy does in the game? (Noah Trister) "That's a good question. You probably can evaluate it to a degree. There's pressure out here, especially when you're trying to win a job, and you go back to when Justin [Tucker] won the job, how he handled it. But, I don't think you're ever going to really know. Everything guys do in their first year is like a new day. So, if it's a kicker, every kick is going to be the first time he's done it over the course of his rookie season. So, it's always going to be a little bit of – certainly going to be an unknown. Whenever you go with the rookie kicker, that would be an unknown."
Do you feel that rookies in particular show up more prepared and knowing their craft already? There's so much more information out there going from, whether it be your Elite 11 type of camps all the way up to now, and the way you approach what you can do with them on Day One? (Pete Gilbert) "I think that's a great point, Pete. I would say, yes, they are more prepared than ever for whatever reason. Maybe it's coming up through high school, and you've got all the camps with all the little helmets on and all the flag football and all the passing leagues. I don't know what it is, but these guys come in ready, and the college programs do a great job of preparing them."
OLB MIKE GREEN
On being drafted by the Ravens and what that means to him: "Yes, it means a lot. This team has a lot of great culture that's been going around, and you have to think about the guys who have been through here: Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, and so forth. It means a lot more since I'm a defensive player, as well. And just seeing all those great defensive players walk through here, it means a little bit more, for sure."
On his emotional phone call with executive vice president & general manager Eric DeCosta when he was selected: "Yes, I really just wanted to get picked up. I didn't care if that was the first pick of the draft, or if that was 'Mr. Irrelevant.' I just wanted to get picked up. When I met with [executive vice president & general manager] Eric DeCosta, he told me when I came on my [Top] 30 visit if I see a '410' [phone] number, that's him. So, we laughed it off or whatever, and it's crazy, because everything just came full circle. I'm sitting down on the couch and I see that '410' [phone] number, and I knew it was him, so it meant a lot. Me and my family got to celebrate that, and it was great."
On if it was tough having to wait for his name to be called on draft night and if being drafted by a team with a rich defensive tradition eases that: "Yes, of course. Of course, it's tough. Just knowing that you have first-round potential, and just knowing that regardless [of] what team that you were going to go to that you just wanted a chance to get out of the first round, and that was a goal that I set for myself. I didn't really get to [achieve] that goal, but coming to the Ravens was a blessing in disguise, and I live by that, and I mean that. I honestly can say, I don't think there's a better program or franchise that I can be a part of than the Ravens. So, I'm blessed to be here. It's an honor, and I'm ready to get to work."
On if having to wait to be drafted can serve as a motivator for him: "Yes, a lot. I feel like all my life, I've been able to keep a chip on my shoulder, and I feed off of that. I feel like just being able to go out there with a chip on your shoulder, it means a little bit more. I feel like just going through that process of knowing that I have potential to go somewhere and go to a certain pick, but [didn't], it is just something I'm going to keep on the back of my [mind] when I'm able to go against these other teams."
On if he keeps track of the teams who didn't select him in the draft: "Every single team. Every single team, yes."
On how much he worried that previous sexual assault allegations were going to cost him in the draft process: "Throughout the draft process, you really just need one team to choose you, and that happened to be the Ravens, and I'm just blessed to be here. Unfortunately, I didn't get picked up in the first round like I wanted to, but like I said, this is a blessing in disguise. I'm glad to be here, and I'm just focused on moving forward with my life and with my career, and that's going to be here with the Ravens."
On how much the Ravens asked him about the accusations: "Every team asked me, and I've been completely open about everything, and it is something that I had to go through, and I got through it. And like I said, at this point forward, I'm just focused on moving on with my career at the Ravens."
On having two separate sexual assault allegations: "Yes, great question. Like I said, I'm just focused, right now, on moving forward with my career at the Ravens. I'm blessed to be here. It's an honor, and like I said, I'm glad to see what the future might hold for me."
On if he has done any separate training or therapy programs to avoid this situation in the future: "Yes, I feel like throughout the pre-draft process, you've got a lot of things going on, and I feel like I was able to [seek] many resources that not [only] helped me on-the-field, but [with the] mental aspect as well. And I feel like regardless, those were resources that I was going to use."
On if the coaching staff has talked to him about what his role might be: "Yes, they talked about my role, and like I said, there's no better place that fits me [better] than the Ravens. They were first in run defense, second in pass rush, or sacks. So, you've got to think about, 'What more can you add to your defense?' And I feel like the Ravens did a great job of picking somebody up that had previous success at getting to the quarterback. So, I mean, I feel like they just did a great job of adding to the skillset that the pass rush room already has. So, I'm just glad to be here, man."
DL AENEAS PEEBLES
On his first impressions of life as an NFL player: "I'd just say it's everything I dreamed of. It really takes me back to when I was a young kid playing in the backyard, envisioning all those fourth-and-longs, and third-and 15's, 'for the win' [plays]. Just being here and being in this amazing football environment and this culture of winning, it just takes me back to when I was a child, so I'm loving it."
On how excited he is to be able to work with DL Nnamdi Madubuike and if he feels like there's a pathway to really be able to make an impact on the defensive line: "Yes, just to be able to come in and watch those kind of guys, like you said, like [Nnamdi] Madubuike, guys who I've watched my whole college career. [I'm] always going out there and trying to emulate their game. It is going to be special. I'm going to be a little starstruck, but I'm going to try to hold it in to make sure I'm getting back to work."
On having a chip on his shoulder after waiting to be drafted longer than he would have liked: "Yes, that's the same chip [on my shoulder] that I've had my whole life. Whether that had to do with the NFL Draft, or whether that had to do with just how I came up in high school, I just feel like I've always had that chip on my shoulder, and it's helped to get me here. So, I just continue to let that fuel me."
On his go-to move as a pass rusher: "It is kind of just [depending] on what the offense linemen give me. I kind of pride myself on being able to do a lot, and with that being said, it kind of just goes against who I'm going against, the personnel, the kind of ball player he is and the film I watched earlier that week."
On his emotions after seeing his NFL jersey for the first time: "It almost brought tears to my eyes, and I'm not just saying that. Like I said earlier, it just reminds me of my childhood, the thing I dreamed of my whole life, and it just coming to fruition. And I told my parents that this is just the beginning, and my job to them, and the standard I have to uphold is this is going to be the last time they see. So that's just what I try to go through every day."
On the biggest surprise he's encountered since being drafted: "Yeah, just being able to be so close to, I guess I could say, 'legends' and guys I looked up to. Just being able to reach out and call guys like [DL Nnamdi] Madubuike, and being able to reach out and know that hopefully one day I can turn around and see [ILB] Roquan Smith behind me. Those things like that. That's probably the biggest shock to me."
On how much he's been asked about the post he put out on X after the draft was over: "Not much."
On coming from a football family and the messages that he's gotten from his family about what it takes to get there: "Yes, I mean from [as early as] I can remember, I always imagined playing in the NFL, and thankfully, something I'll take for granted is [that] I had a lot of good role models. Like you said, my grandfather being one of them, my dad being one of them. So just having those kind of role models growing up was just always a huge thing for me. So, it was always a dream for me growing up and I'm just proud of myself, and I owe it to him to keep this thing going."
On doing 'the worm' as a possible sack dance: "You never know. You'll have to see when we get there."
On the inspiration behind his name: "Yes, so I was named after [Pro Football Hall of Fame DB] Aeneas Williams, so growing up, like I said, I've always been in a big football family, so seeing one of the legends named Aeneas Williams, it was just something that my parents just thought was amazing. With that being said, my brother, he is named after [former NFL WR] Braylon Edwards, so we have a whole big football family, and I hope to keep that tradition going on."
On his nickname, 'Fub:' "Well, I got the nickname 'Fub' when I was a little kid, so I rarely hear my government name nowadays. But, when I was a baby, I was fat and chubby, so they always called me 'Fubby' growing up, and now that I got older it got shorted to 'Fub,' so I ran with it."
S MALAKI STARKS
On how exciting it is to be on the field and breaking down the huddle after practice: "It's just a great opportunity to be here, [with] an organization like this, and we've got a really good group of guys here. So, just being able to go out there today, get on the field, move around, communicate, just kind of get a little taste of what it's going to be like – I think it was good for everybody."
On if he expected to break down the huddle after practice: "No, [Coach Harbaugh] threw me off with it, but it was an honor, and I don't take it lightly. I'm happy I got to do it, and hopefully I can do it again."
On the advice he would give another player about getting into the playbook for the first time: "Yes, honestly, just really dive into it. You move so much faster in the game of football when you know what people around you are doing. So, just being able to pick up on what your other safety is doing, and then your corner, and then your nickel, and then the linebackers, and then when you get to the front, you know your fit. Then at that point, you know [the] defense. So, now you're just playing with the offense, 'OK, what's the offense giving me? They're going to give me this. How can I beat that?' So, at a certain point you just get to where you're playing defense, but you're playing with the offense while you're playing defense."
On what his message was to the team after practice: "Yes, like I said earlier, it was a really good day. Guys had really good energy. Everybody was on time to meetings. I told them just to be on time again and come out tomorrow with the same energy and just keep having fun. We're all here chasing our dreams, so we're all supporting each other and just keep it going."
On if he's seen a difference in the John Harbaugh he met during the draft process versus Coach Harbaugh the coach on the field: "He's the same guy, day in and day out. He really is. And just like his energy when he's out there, and just what he brings to the practice and to the team. I mean, it's crazy. He walks out there, and he starts talking, and it's like everybody's just, 'Boom, let's go to work.' So, it's a huge blessing to have him as a coach."
On if having him break down the team today was a good reminder of what is expected from a first round pick: "Yes, but I already knew it just kind of coming in. We had talked about it, just being that leader. I keep being myself, who I was when I came from the University of Georgia, so just being able to continue to be myself and really dive into being a pro and bringing guys along with me, as well. I think it's huge for me."
On when his leadership qualities first took root: "I think it's always been there, but I think when I got to the University of Georgia, I just followed the right people, the leaders that were there before me. I watched them and I saw what they did, and then I figured out how I wanted to lead myself. I feel like you should always lead by example, so that's what I do. But I've learned different styles and techniques that people use and I kind of pick it up and put it into my own leadership. So, just being able to watch people the right way and the right guys has helped me a lot."
On who some of those guys he looks up to are: "Nolan Smith, Chris Smith, Dan Jackson, who's in this process with me. A lot of guys like that just really helped me out."
On what it means to him to leave a successful program like Georgia and join another successful program in the NFL: "Yes, I love winning, so I'm excited – I really am, and I'm excited to learn. I'm excited for the vets to get back, and even the guys I'm here with now, just learning from everybody and just really diving into the whole process."
On what he can learn from veteran S Kyle Hamilton and S Ar'Darius Washington: "Yes, I just want to be a sponge. They know so much football, and watching tape, you see it. They just move so fluidly. Like I had talked about earlier, they're on a different level of [having] knowledge of football, and I want to get there. So, just being able to be a sponge and listen and really just dive into it with those guys, and everybody in the room, too, as well. I'm excited."
On if he's had a chance to speak with any of his new veteran teammates yet: "I had reached out to Kyle [Hamilton] and texted him. He had texted me back, and then I texted Roquan [Smith] as well, so I've had the chance to talk to a few guys."
