HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening Statement: "[It is] good to see everybody. I appreciate everybody being here. [That was a] really good, spirited practice. [It was] very intense, which is great [with it being] two days after a game. And then I thought [it was also] pretty darn sharp. This [period of time] is an important stretch. This particular part of camp is really about taking that execution to [another] level. That's really what we're [being] intentional about right now in everything we do – getting as good as we can at what we do [and] how we do it. We had a good game; the tape was good. We're in a great place. I think we're right on schedule. Now, we have to take the next step and have a really good week of practice here."
We haven't seen that drill before at the end of practice before, is that something you've done before? (Jeff Zrebiec) "We've done it in camp here, once or twice already. We did it at the stadium [practice] and then one time, before, so it's our third time doing it. [It's] our fourth-quarter pass-rush drill [and] our pass-protection drill.
We don't remember them circling up that close to each other before. (*Laughter)* (Jamison Hensley) "Right. We did that at the stadium, but we didn't do it the first day here. That ramped it up, right? The stakes definitely go up. It was fun. It's a fun drill. That's been a good drill."
We saw RB Keaton Mitchell come out briefly, but not dressed. Is there an update on him? (Bo Smolka) "The guys that weren't out here, Keaton [Mitchell], Kyle [Hamilton] and T.J. [Tampa Jr.] do not have serious injuries, [but they] just weren't ready to go today. Keyon Martin [is] another one that didn't go today."
The other day, defensive coordinator Zach Orr called CB Jalyn Armour-Davis one of the smartest DBs in the room. What have you seen from him in the game and during camp? (Giana Han) "I'd agree with that. I think Jalyn [Armour-Davis] has been that kind of guy. He can play really every position. I'm pretty confident he could play safety, if we wanted to put him back there, but he plays all three corner spots and knows what he's doing. He's had a really good camp."
Obviously, you watch a lot of football. RB Derrick Henry, he's going up the ranks right now among the all-time great rushers. With his style, is there anyone comparable to him? (Jamison Hensley) "I'm sure there are. [I could] probably think of one or two off the top of my head, but really, I would probably compare them all to Derrick Henry at this point. That's how I'd look at it. [I am] pretty impressed [with] the player [that he is]. Having seen him from both sides; having to defense him and now having him on our side and having him run the offense that we kind of set up for him and see how versatile he is, knowing that he can do these different things that he's doing in this offense that he hadn't done before, it's very impressive."
We saw that you kind of yanked the whole offensive line there after some false starts. Is that just sort of saying, "Hey, you've got to clean these up" sort of thing? (Brian Wacker) "Yes, the second line. That was kind of early in practice. We had like three out of four or something like that, so we started over. And then the next period, I think after that we yanked them all. So that's what we did. [It] seemed effective, [they] cleaned it up after that, did you notice? It seemed like it worked, for the most part."
What happened to making guys run laps for false starts? (Jonas Shaffer) "We've done it before. There are a lot of options; we could have them do log rolls. We've done that in the past. That was more [in] college. We had [inaudible], and we used to make them run stadium steps. [There are] not enough steps out here that would make it worthwhile. [There are also] up-downs. Up-downs are always a good punishment drill. We can make them do up-downs. So, we've got lots of options."
What have you seen out of CB Reuben Lowery III so far? (Brian Wacker) "I have to say, [I am] pleasantly surprised. I hate to say it, because [Reuben Lowery III] was a heck of a player in college, too, but to come out here and play at the level he has – [he has been] on point [and to] know what he's doing so well has been really impressive. He's played every position. He played all three corner spots, [and] he's played both safety positions, so can't wait to see him in Dallas [in the next preseason game] and see how he plays down there."
We've seen a couple of receivers make plays in practice that they weren't necessarily able to make in the game. How would you evaluate the receivers from this past game, considering how rough the passing game was? Was it tough to evaluate the receivers? (Cordell Woodland) "Well, yes, of course it was. How many chances did they have to catch passes? Now, [we are] evaluating [their] blocking, [and] you can evaluate the route running. Of course, we grade all that. You just evaluate everything you can evaluate. But your question is, how do you evaluate when they don't get passes thrown or accurately or whatever? Obviously, it's impossible, probably, to evaluate that part of it. [There were] a couple good catches, though. A couple guys made some great catches. How about [LaJohntay] Wester? He had a great catch. To your point – that kind of game is like, what are you going to do? You just go, 'Wow, that's kind of shocking to throw for that few yards.' So, I hope we never see that again."
Along those same lines, how do you think your quarterbacks responded today following Thursday's game? (Giana Han) "Cooper [Rush] and Devin [Leary], I thought they practiced well today. Cooper didn't have too many chances to do much [in the game], so I'm not really down on Cooper. [With] the first pick, he threw a box fade up against a big corner, and [the] guy made a nice play. I'm not in love with it, but that's really the play, and it's not like it was a bad pass. And then the other ones, Devin just didn't have a good day, and he'll be the first to tell you that. So, you have to bounce back. You have to come back today and have a good day, which he did. So, that's just football."
I know you mentioned that going into the first game, obviously you didn't play many of the starters. Is there any chance you'll play more starters Dallas, or is that still to be determined? (Brian Wacker) "I think we'll just wait and see. I'm kind of relying a little bit – we're having conversations with the leaders about that throughout [the preseason]. [We'll] see how practice goes this week, see how we feel about it toward Wednesday-ish. We'll see how we feel about it."
CB JALYN ARMOUR-DAVIS
On if he feels like this is his best Training Camp since he was drafted in 2022: "I would think so. I always want wherever I'm at now to be the best of me. I always want to be better than any other year before now. I would say so just continuing to find something new to work on every day. [I try to keep] staying consistent, staying available, and just showing up. From there on, God [will] take care of the rest. I'm happy right now."
On if he has made any physical changes to stay healthy this season: "Yes, really my entire offseason was dedicated towards that, whether it was change of nutrition or workout routine, I believe just the team that I have around me, from my trainer to my Pilates teacher to management, everything that's around me, I think has been very healthy for me this offseason. I've seen great results from it. So being able to continue to do those things throughout the season and even building on top of that is something that's still a main goal for me. That's another area that I'm happy where I'm at right now. So [it has been] good progress."
On his performance flexibility with practicing at the safety position: "For sure. I'm never going to say 'no' to an opportunity to play on his defense. So, if that's where the coaches think that I would be able to excel at, then I'm going to give that a shot. It obviously helps just knowing almost [that] safety would be the last position for me to complete in the secondary. So, at that point, really understanding the entire defense, knowing what everyone's job is, so whenever it's my turn to be in a certain spot, I understand what everyone else is doing, which helps me be able to adjust on the fly, be able to plug-and-play at any point in time. I view it as a great thing that my coaches trust me to be able to plug-and-play anywhere. Of course, I want to be able to develop into a spot and grow into it, but I'm never going to turn down an opportunity to step onto the field for sure."
On what the biggest challenge has been from year-to-year with different injuries: "I think every challenge is different in their own different ways. [The injuries have] all been setbacks in some ways, but I don't really approach any of them the same, and I don't really look forward to them at all in the future. I don't want anymore. Every situation was different. I was able to learn something different from it, whether it was something I could have done differently or just a lesson that I could learn in that moment to prevent something going forward or just a moment to learn from where my feet are. So, I think my main focus is just being wherever my feet are in that moment, even if it's something I don't like, or even if it's something I love. Then [it's] just finding the best thing out of it and continue to push forward. So that's just my mindset all the time."
On how to mentally be strong while being injured: "It's always tough having to watch the game that you love [and] watching something that you dream of since you were a child. That's always the toughest thing. Not being around your teammates consistently and not being out at practice. Even the days that are hard and the days that you feel like suck are the days that you miss the most when you're not out there. So, it's always tough mentally and of course physically because you have to get back to where you are and figure out how to get stronger, so it doesn't happen again. I have a great support system. My family supports me very well: my mom, my sisters, my daughters – everyone around me. I have great people that I can lean on whenever I need them to or whenever I need to, my teammates and the people around this building. So, I'm very grateful for everyone around me to figure out ways to continue to go forward when it's tough."
On his confidence in his ability to cover on the field: "Oh, 1,000%. I wouldn't be here if I didn't think that. I wouldn't be here if they didn't think I could do that. So that's never a doubt at all. Just be available, believe in myself, go out there and let it go."
On what it is like to work with senior defensive assistant/secondary coach Chuck Pagano: "Oh, [it has been] outstanding. I think being around [senior defensive assistant/secondary coach] Coach Chuck [Pagano] is just a blessing. [he is] someone that's so smart, so intelligent and just eager to teach. You know what I mean? He just loves being around the guys. He loves teaching people. He just loves to see improvement. To have someone like that behind you that really believes in you and wants to push you forward, it [has been] nothing but a blessing. It's been a joy to be around him. I love being around him every day. He'll text you at any point in time, and I'm always welcoming [of that]. I'm always ready for that. So, I love being around both him and [defensive backs coach] 'Double D.' [Donald D'Alesio]. It's a great blessing."
On if senior defensive assistant/secondary coach Chuck Pagano has taught him something unique compared to past coaches: "For sure. I don't want to put that out [to the public], but 1,000%. I feel like I've learned something from him almost every day, really. It's never really a review. He always has a new pointer, [or a] 'new something' to look at on the smallest thing, so I love it."
On what the earliest or latest time has been when he's received a text from senior defensive assistant/secondary coach Chuck Pagano: (laughter) "It might be anywhere around 3:00 AM or so. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only DB that'll say that, but that's great. When you have someone that is that dedicated to you watching a play of yours, whether it was good or bad play, and send it to you and have tips on it, what else would you want as a player from your coach?"
On if the 3 a.m. texts from senior defensive assistant/secondary coach Chuck Pagano are at the time when he is waking up or before bed: "That is a good question. I don't know. I have no idea, but he gets it done."
On what his impression of CB Jaire Alexander has been so far: "[Jaire Alexander] and Marlon [Humphrey] are like twins, but it's good, though. It's like every room, not just [the] DB room, specifically [the] DB room, but every room needs at least one or two of those guys. [He is] just expressive, confident and just, not wild, but you all know him. I love being around both of them. It's a joy to be around every single day for sure."
On his offseason work with football trainer Kevin Allen: "Yes, we started working in the pre-draft [process] as I was entering the Draft, and we had the hip [injury] my rookie year, so I wasn't able to see him that year. But outside of that year, we've been working ever since. So, we've continued to build our relationship and stack sessions whenever we're able to have free time to work with each other. So, [he's a] person that I view as family, and [I'm] very grateful for and [will] continue to work [him] with going forward."
CB CHIDOBE AWUZIE
On how training camp has gone so far: "It's been fun. Anytime you get to play football ... I'm in [my ninth] year now, so you're definitely just grateful to be on this field and to be with a great set of guys [and] a place where it has a great culture. So, it's truly a blessing, and [I am] just enjoying every second of it."
On his decision to come join the Ravens: "It was interesting. I had an opportunity to have options, but when I talked to [head] Coach [John] Harbaugh, or my agent told me that Ravens were calling, there was something in my heart that was like 'Ravens.' It was a little bit intimidating, but also excitement. Just surrounding the culture that they built here, and it was like a gut feeling that just told me to run after it. And obviously, talking to Harbaugh, [and I] had a chance to talk to some guys like Marlon [Humphrey], Nnamdi Madubuike, and then some players that have played here previously, and they all said the same thing. So, it was just really that gut feeling that made me want to just run here, and it's been great so far."
On working with senior defensive assistant/secondary coach Chuck Pagano: "It's been amazing. He's from Boulder, [and] I went to college in Boulder, so we have a special connection there. He's a football guy, obviously being a [former] head coach, being around DBs for a long time, [he has a] wealth of knowledge, wealth of experience, and he keeps things light. Chuck is a guy that everybody in the room can lean on for just a good vibe and also just [for] great coaching. So, he's been amazing."
On what it is like working alongside other talented players in the cornerback room: "It's like a standard that we're trying to build. It's an opportunity to be great. We're basically great on paper right now, and we all know that, but we know that there's a long road to actually be great. [There is going to be] a lot of time spent in the film room, a lot of time spent off the field building that chemistry. We've been talking already about starting to figure out how we're going to be watching film during the season and stuff like that. So, I think there's a lot of things that we could pick each other's brains just in the whole unit. We've all come from [and] been pretty successful in our careers so it's an opportunity to be great, but we know that it's going to take a lot to get there."
On his perception of the organization and how it has changed: "I'm a '90s baby, and I guess we getting the old now or something. But when I grew up, seeing Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs [and] the offenses they had with Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith ... There [were] so many great players; the running backs ... It's always been a standard [to be great]. Like I said, [when] you played Madden, it's like, 'Oh, you're using the Ravens, bro? Oh, you can't use the Ravens.' It's like cheating almost, you know what I'm saying? It's like, they have that aura about the team. And then you put on the black jerseys. I played here Sunday night, on the other side, when I was on the Bengals and [I am] just like, 'Dang, this is crazy.' So being on this side of it, again, it's really exciting. It's a real opportunity, like I said, and I don't want to take it for granted."
On what it was like to go up against RB Derrick Henry: "[Derrick Henry] is one of those players. There [are] certain players in this league where you think about them the week before. Certain players have garnered that respect where you're like, 'OK ...' Maybe you spend 10 minutes just in a meeting, [and] you have to game-plan for them. He's one of those guys where you see them on the schedule. You have to get ready to tackle that week, or there's going to be a certain gameplan to try to stop him. But, being on this side is lovely, obviously. We get to face him in camp and practice, but we know that he's definitely going to have to be game-planned for against other teams. And yes, it's always a wealth of respect for him."
On previously playing against RB Derrick Henry: "There's actually a clip, I think [in] 2021 when I was on the Bengals. We played the Titans, I think in the Divisional Round, and [Derrick Henry] tried to put it out there. He didn't get me, though, but he tried. But yes, definitely my life flashed [before me]. You don't want to end up on Twitter for the wrong reasons."
On where he is starting to fit into this defense that has a lot of talent and personality: "I guess I'm still fitting in. I think everybody's personality is starting to show. Jaire [Alexander] came and just brought a burst of energy for real. And, we already had Marlon [Humphrey]. Everybody's just really starting to gel together, and honestly, I don't know where I fit. I just exist. I'm a fun guy, but I'm also serious when I need to be. So yes, I think the good thing about it is that you can see that we're all bouncing off of each other. Everybody's energy is bouncing off each other, and when you do that, and when you make plays, you start to celebrate, and it's just going to keep building."
On what the secondary has done outside of practice to build chemistry: "Obviously, we hang out when we're in the locker room and [during] meetings. We actually went to Jaire [Alexander]'s house last week, and we all kicked it. He didn't have any activities for us, but we all just hung out, ate some pizza and wings, played some card games, watched some shows and stuff. It was a good vibe, and it kind of showed. Everybody was there. On some teams, and [with] some guys, maybe they had stuff to do, but you could tell that it matters to everybody to try to get close with each other."
On his impression of CB Jaire Alexander compared to his expectation: "I always knew Jaire [Alexander] was nice. [I would say that] regardless if he played here or not. He's been nice. I remember when I first got drafted, I was on the Cowboys, and he was coming out I think 2018, and the Draft was in Dallas. So, I got a chance to meet him back then, and he just has this confidence about him, just [a] real confidence, and it's infectious. When he's on your side, he kind of lets everybody be at rest because he's going to be the one who has the energy; he's going to be the one who's prepared so [that] everybody can just relax knowing that you have a guy like that on your team and on your side."
On what has contributed to him having a good training camp: "Honestly, it's just health, really. It's just health. I think the past couple of years I have had some struggles with my health, but now this training staff has done an amazing job with me, working with me, getting me capable and confident with my body and going out there and just trying new things. Obviously, it's practice, so you're trying new things, trying new techniques, working through different defenses, working on chemistry and all that stuff. So, I don't know if it's good or not, but I know that with more repetitions, it's going to get there."
On if there's anything he's had to change or do differently to stay healthy: "Yes, I've always [stayed] pretty on top of my body, but I would say just you kind of fit into a bucket when you have soft tissue injuries or stuff like that. You have to be preventative. You can't be reactive. Not only just doing the hot tubs, the cold tubs, the regular stuff, Normatec boots – really pinpointing key areas on your body to prevent injuries – that's been something that the training staff and I have been working on."
On the similarities and differences between this Ravens defense and the Dennard Wilson-led defense he played in last year in Tennessee: "Yes, [it was a] very similar defense and, obviously, there's a wealth of respect for [Titans defensive coordinator] Dennard Wilson, too. He's over there [and has] great energy [and is a] great leader. But yes, a lot of the defensive concepts are very similar. A lot of the ways they approach the meetings, the energy, the approach, you could tell that he was trying to bring that there. After being here now, it's like, 'OK.' And again, this Baltimore Ravens team, this is a standard and a culture to follow around the NFL. This tree has produced a lot of great players, great coaches, great systems and rightfully so. People are going to bring that wherever they go, and I'm blessed to now be a part of that. And I feel like no one will understand what 'Train Like a Raven,' means, 'Play Like a Raven,' [until you get here]. But it really resonates with your soul. So yes, [there are] definitely some similarities there."
