Raekwon McMillan – September 5, 2019
Thursday, September 5, 2019
LB Raekwon McMillan
(What was the toughest part about sitting out and not being able to get out there with your teammates and being part of the grind as you are heading into the season?) – “You just are not out there with your guys. You come to work every day and want to go hard with them; but I wasn’t able to, so I had to sit back and get my body right. Now that I am back, I am going to go out there and try to make up for it.”
(Do you know yet if there are certain situations where you are going to be wearing the headset again with the linebackers?) – “No, I really don’t know yet. I don’t know what is going to happen; but whatever coach says – there is only one guy out there that can have it on so whatever happens, happens. I am all in for it.”
(What did you see from this front seven during the preseason, just getting to watch them? It seems like it is just preseason, but they were creating pressure a little bit more than you guys did last year – just the whole group.) – “I don’t want to speak on last year or anything that happened last year, but I think we definitely came together during the preseason. Game to game (we) progressed and rolling into the season, I think we are getting ready for it.”
(What does DE Charles Harris look like out there? I know they are moving him around, defensive end and playing a little linebacker.) – “Charles is looking real good. He is everything that everybody said he would be. I think he is going to go out there and make plays. He has a chance to be one of the best in the league if he puts it all together.”
Brian Flores – September 5, 2019
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Thursday, September 5, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(There was a report today about players saying that it’s been really tough around here and it could be mentally draining under you and your coaches. What do you say to that?) – “I can’t really speak to the accuracy of that report, to be honest with you. I think when these guys are in the building and we’re in meetings and walkthroughs and practice, I see a group that’s high-energy, that’s motivated. Their thoughts, their efforts – the direction is on Baltimore and trying to get prepared to play a tough, physical, well-disciplined team. I can’t really speak to the accuracy of that. What I see is a group that’s motivated, is working hard and trying to prepare for a tough contest on Sunday afternoon.”
(Would it matter to you if that was the case? Is it a deal of you either get on or get off?) – “It’s not something I’m thinking about at all. We could talk about what would matter or what wouldn’t matter. What matters to me right now is Baltimore and preparing for them. We can sit here and make things up all day and think about things – would this matter? Would that matter? The things that matter to me are that my wife is happy, which I think she is (laughter) and my kids are happy. Those things matter, and the Baltimore Ravens, and that’s kind of where I’m at.”
(On the field, how do you see WR Albert Wilson being used? I know you’re not going to give away strategy, but is he at the level where he can be a starter and play a full load?) – “I like where Albert is. He’s come a long way from where he was early in training camp. He’s worked day after day after day, and he’s gotten better. Again, we’re getting starters, backups – a lot of guys play. When you enter the game, you’re in there for a reason. When guys enter the game, whether they’re a starter or backup, we want to go in there and execute and have good communication, play with good fundamentals and technique and play fast and try to go out there and help us win.”
(How would you describe TE Mike Gesicki’s progress from spring throughout?) – “I think he’s definitely progressed. That’s another young, talented player. I think he’s gotten better in a lot of different areas: blocking, conditioning, catching the ball consistently, route running. The goal right now is for him to take it one play at a time and try to execute every play in practice, every play in walkthrough, every mental rep he takes in a meeting and try to get better. The big thing is execution on Sunday.”
(Have you decided on a starting offensive line for Sunday?) – “For the most part – yes, for the most part. Yesterday gave us a good look. (Our) practice in pads gave us a good look at the entire group. We have a starting lineup in mind, yeah. We feel good about it. We’ll work that group again today. That could change; but yeah, we have a group in mind.”
(How close to being able to play a lot do you think do you think T Julién Davenport is?) – “I think all of those guys are in good shape and good condition. I think all of those guys are good condition, and all of those guys are ready to play. We have a good group of guys who have played a good amount of football. From (Danny) Isidora to (Evan) Boehm to (Julién) Davenport to (Daniel) Kilgore to (Michael) Deiter to (Shaq) Calhoun, we’ve got a good group there. We’ll play the five best guys. We may play more. I thought we had a good practice today. We saw a lot. We learned a lot about the new guys. Again, today’s practice is important as well.”
(QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has a history of being a little bit of a gunslinger. Is that something that you want to embrace or for him to curb that?) – “I think every good quarterback has a little bit of a gunslinger mentality to him. That’s part of playing the position. The thing you want at every position is to make good decisions – smart decisions. You don’t want guys to sit back and just check it down on every snap. That’s not going to get it done. You’ve got to make good decisions. When the opportunities are there to throw the ball down the field and guys are open and you want to give a guy a chance, yeah. I think that’s the right way to play and not just for ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick), but for any quarterback. We’ve got to make good decisions. We don’t want to throw the ball into traffic. We don’t want to force things that aren’t there. We’ve hit that hard. We never want to turn the ball over. We want to play a smart, tough, disciplined game. We don’t want to turn the ball over. We want to limit the penalties. Every team is saying the same thing this week, so hopefully we can execute.”
(How is QB Josh Rosen and his gunslinger mentality going with the second team and the backups this week at practice?) – “Josh – he’s doing well. He’s improving every day. He made some good throws yesterday. He made some good decisions yesterday. He just needs to continue that. As long as he does that and he keeps building, he’s moving in the right direction.”
(When you bring in a guy like CB Eric Rowe – obviously on the field what he does, but off the field, the culture stuff – how important was it to bring in a guy like that who knows what it takes to win at the highest level?) – “I think we’ve got a few guys. I think we’ve got a few guys who have that exact same mentality that brings some leadership and do the right things off the field – not just Eric (Rowe), but Bobby McCain, Reshad (Jones), Minkah (Fitzpatrick) – I think that entire group, they take it seriously. They’re in there meeting. They’re in there preparing. They’re practicing the right way. I could say that about a bunch of offensive guys, too – (Dan) Kilgore. They’re bringing some of these young guys along as well – (Michael) Deiter, Shaq (Calhoun). That’s part of growing as a team. Eric’s (Rowe) part of that. Obviously I’ve had some experience with him. I know what goes into his preparation, but these other guys – the guys here – they prepare well, also.”
(But to have a guy who’s actually won a Super Bowl. That has to go long way, no? Especially with such a young group.) – “I’m trying to win today. That’s the goal: to win today, have a good practice, have a good meeting. Hopefully they’re – which I know they are because I saw them yesterday – they’re meeting a little bit afterwards and trying to get a little bit more – trying to get prepared a little bit better on their own as groups. That’s where the focus is.”
(What’s your confidence level with how the front seven is shaping up for you on defense?) – “I’m confident. We’ve got some disruptive players in there. We’re preparing against a tough, physical team. The run game’s going to be a big part of this. We’ve got to do a good job with our fundamentals, our technique. We’ve got to set the edge. We’ve got to handle the quarterback. There’s a lot here. They’ve got backs, the quarterbacks, they’ve got receivers, they’ve got tight ends, they’ve got a big ole offensive line. It’s going to be a challenge. (laughter) It’s going to be a challenge.”
(I wanted to ask about T Julién Davenport’s progress. He started at left tackle for the Houston Texans against the New England Patriots, and the Patriots defense – you’re familiar with, I think – had two sacks against him and a bunch of hurries. How far has he progressed from that?) – “The first thing I’d say is what’s happened in the past is in the past. Our thing is – like everything – we’ve got to move on to the next play. That’s my message to the team on a daily basis. I think he came in these last few days, and he’s worked hard. It’s important to him. He’s got ability. He’s working really hard to get it right and improve and get better on a daily basis. That’s the conversation we had when he got here. I think that’s a good thing. Sometimes failure is a good thing. It’s something that, ‘Hey, look. I now this happened, and this is how you can correct it.’ That’s part of coaching, too. That’s kind of my feeling on that.”
(Brian, do you have a general philosophy on going for it on fourth down and how much do you imagine gut feeling coming into play?) – “Yes, I have a general philosophy on going for it. We will see how the game plays out. A lot of that is a feel, understanding the other team, a feel of where we are at offensively. Again defensively, we are always expecting them to go for it on fourth down. So, I am not going to give out any secrets today. (laughter)”
(When you have a quarterback like Lamar Jackson, and typically teams that just kind of use one player to kind of spy on that player, does that kind of get you out of the 11-on-11 and things that you have been working on during the preseason and the scheme that you want to run when you have to account for one player or have one player account for a guy like him?) – “Yeah, I mean look, when you play against a guy who can make that much of an impact, your scheme changes a little bit. Again, at the same time, you want to be aggressive. You don’t want to take the aggressiveness, the physicality, away from any player. Sometimes you’ve just got to let it rip and whatever happens, happens. I am not saying that is the game plan; but again, you don’t want to take the aggressiveness away from the team.”
(Talking about QB Ryan Fitzpatrick – Finding that perfect balance between when to chuck it down field and when to check it down and play it safe. Based on what you have seen from him in the past, do you think he was at that right balance or do you think he needs to dial it back or dial it up?) – “Again, when we go into the past and what has gone on, really – Yes, there is some. We talk about it, we talk about some decisions that have been made. The hope is that the good decisions – you continue to make those decisions. The bad ones, hopefully we have learned from them. That is not just the case in quarterbacking. That is the case in life. I think a lot of us – hopefully you learn from your bad decisions and the good decisions you make, you continue to do those. So, I think that is the case with every player. I think with the quarterback position, that guy handles the ball on every snap. So, the decisions he makes affect the team on a holistic standpoint. Their decisions are very important. But yeah, decisions of the past – good and bad – are things we talk about and are things we say. We don’t just point out the bad. I don’t think that is how you coach it. You say ‘hey, you have done this, this, this, and this. Those are good decisions. Let’s keep doing those. This and this? Not so good. Let’s stay away from those. Here they are, you have seen them. Let’s try not to do those again.’ Hopefully, they make the right decision.”
(We have seen nickel, dime, sometimes seven and eight defensive backs. Will you need as many guys on the back end just to not only defend against pass but also catch QB Lamar Jackson?) – “Again, this is as dynamic of a player as there is in the league. So, whatever we feel like we need, we try to put it out there on the field. Again, if you put seven DBs out there and (they’ve got) Mark Ingram and they’ve got two tight ends, you probably don’t want to do that. So we will see. I think our coaching staff has worked hard to try to put a plan together to give us a chance to win and hopefully we execute it and we tackle well and play penalty free and play the game the right way and give ourselves a chance.”
(You have coached dozens and dozens of games in your career – This is the first time you are going into the regular season as the guy. What is your schedule going to be like and what is your preparation going to be like addressing the team, keeping a snack, things like that.=? What is your weekend going to look like?) – “Well, I spent a lot a time on that in particular. I kind of take it from the game back. So I have got a plan and schedule and I know when I am going to speak, and I have an idea of what I am going to say, but that changes. That changes based on what happened in practice, the pulse of the team, and you have to be fluid. I can’t just lock it in and say ‘I am going to say this on Saturday night.’ That may not apply at the time. I think that is part of being in this role is you have to be fluid. You have to have a little bit of a pulse of the team and try to give them the right words that will motivate them and put them in the right mindset to get them to play at their best on Sunday afternoon.”
Brian Flores – September 4, 2019 (Conference Call)
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Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(There’s been a lot of talk – not just around these parts, but around NFL-wide about the Ravens offense and what it could look like. You’ve played against Ravens teams before. Has this been a tough team to prepare for in that way, or is it always tough Week 1, no matter who you’re preparing for?) – “This is certainly a very tough opponent, really across the board. Offensively, obviously you start with the quarterback. (Lamar Jackson is) about as dynamic an athlete as there is in the league. I think as a pocket passer, (he is) much, much improved. That’s what I kind of noticed watching the preseason tape. This will be a very tough test for us – not just the quarterback, but really the entire offense. It’s a big offensive line, physical across the board. The tight end position – they’ve got a trio of guys there who are solid players. ‘Solid’ is probably not giving them enough credit. These are good players, and then the backs and receivers. All the way across the board, it’s a strong team.”
(Do you expect this Ravens offense to still be a team uses the run to set up the pass?) – “This is a team that has historically run the football very well. (Baltimore Ravens Offensive Coordinator) Greg Roman is very, very – he does a really good job of scheming up the run game. He has for a long, long time; but by no means are we sitting here saying that this is going to be a 9-on-7 run drill. They’ve got very, very capable receivers and tight ends. Willie Snead is one of my favorite players. He’s tough, he’s physical, he catches the football. He makes tough catches. He blocks. I really have a lot of respect for him and the two rookies they’ve got. We liked those guys coming out. And Chris Moore as a returner. I think they’ve got a lot of good players.”
(What went into the decision – and I’m sure you’ve talked to guys down there about it – what went into the decision to pick QB Ryan Fitzpatrick as your starter? A lot of guys here have said he’s a streaky player. How do you think you can get him to maybe be more consistent in his age-36 season?) – “I think for our team, we felt like he gave us the best chance to win. This is a guy who has started a lot of games in this league. He’s got really great leadership qualities. He knows how to handle an offense. At the end of the day, we just felt he gave us the best chance to win. We’re excited about this opportunity to play a really tough, well-coached, disciplined team. We’re going to have to really play lights-out to have a chance.”
(I know you’re not going to give away any secrets, but when you’re preparing for them offensively, do you go back and look where Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman’s been? Do you go back and look at college stuff for QB Lamar Jackson, or is just all across the board?) – “Yeah, I’m not going to give away any secrets. (laughter) We look at everything. I watched him coming out of college for sure; so yeah, we watch college tape. I’ve been a fan of Greg’s for a long time, so I’ve watched a lot of his film over the years. You do a little bit of everything. What they did last year, college tape – at the same time, you don’t want to watch too much and get to a point where – They do a lot. They really do. Greg’s done a great job for a long time. Lamar’s a really good player. They’ve got good players across the board, so we’ll just try to put our team in the best position to make some plays offensively, defensively and in the kicking game, and play hard, play with good fundamentals, technique, have good communication and try to play a good team game. Hopefully if we do that, hopefully we’ll be okay.”
(There’s been a lot of talk about you guys and some of the trades you’ve made and where you are as a franchise. Has it been challenging just to keep guys focused on the field, just preparing them for Week 1 and not worrying about any of the other stuff and all the questions you’re probably getting down there?) – “Not at all. I think we’re really worried about what’s going on inside the building in our meetings, at our walkthroughs, at practice. Our guys are motivated. They’re focused. I thought we had a strong practice today. We got off to a good start. Hopefully that continues over the course of the week. We’re going to need that. If our efforts, our attention or anything are anywhere else but the Ravens – they deserve all of our attention. I’ll tell you that much. This team is a team I have a lot of respect for. (Baltimore Ravens Head) Coach (John) Harbaugh is someone I have a great amount of respect for. I think they have a tough, disciplined style that I admire, so this will be a tough test for us. My guy Jerry Rosburg, I know he’s a consultant now, but we go back. We go way, way back. I met him back when I was at Boston College, so he’s a good friend and a great coach. I always look forward to seeing him.”
Jakeem Grant – September 4, 2019
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Wednesday, September 4, 2019
WR Jakeem Grant
(With all the changes on this team, can you tell me how you’ve helped solidify when there’s a guy like QB Ryan Fitzpatrick who’s breaking records for, what, his 15th year here as quarterback?) – “It’s just great. I mean, just learning from him and just being able to ask him how is the defense going to play? How is this and that? And just piggybacking off of him and just having open ears. Just him telling me, ‘Hey, this blitz might come. I just need you to be ready for it. Just in case I don’t see it, you point it out and just give me a heads up because everything counts.’ Communication counts. We’re a young team. We’ve got a lot of talent, and I feel like we’re going to go out there and shock a lot of people.”
(What’s your best QB Ryan Fitzpatrick story so far?) – “He told us a little joke, but honestly, I couldn’t even repeat it if I wanted to. (laughter) There’s a lot.”
(What’s QB Ryan Fitzpatrick’s demeanor like then?) – “He has a great personality. I would say he’s an easygoing guy. Don’t take his kindness for weakness. He’s a leader. He sets the tone. Whenever we’re out there on the field, he’s there to execute and make sure we get ready for game day, but he also likes to have fun. He loves to let people know, ‘the next play mentality.’ That’s what I love about him. He’s been around for a long time. He’s an old guy, but he’s still got a young soul. That’s what I love about him. His personality is outstanding.”
(Do you remember watching him in like sixth grade or something?) – “Man, I definitely did. It’s crazy because I remember watching him on TV. I would’ve thought he’d have been out of the league by now, and now he’s my quarterback and I’m catching balls from him. That’s kind of like a dream come true because it’s like, I watched him when I was in elementary (school), and now I’m playing alongside him. I’m like, ‘dang man, you’re still here?’ Like, come on. It’s exciting just to play with him.”
(I don’t know if you saw the depth chart, but you were listed as a starting receiver. What does that mean to you?) – “I would say just the message I’ve been trying to push and let people know that I’m a receiver and then a returner, so I’ve got to continue to push that message because I’m an undersized receiver. Nobody’s going to take me seriously, so I’ve got to go out there and put it on tape.”
Kenyan Drake – September 4, 2019
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Wednesday, September 4, 2019
RB Kenyan Drake
(Head Coach Brian Flores said earlier today that he feels you are physically and mentally ready to have a lot of touches. How do you feel about all that?) – “I just go out there and make true to the sentiment. That is all I can do. Take everything a day at a time. Harness my routine, focus on the things I need to do from a daily basis standpoint, step by step and go out there and just handle my business.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores said that he believes you are one of the most talented players on the roster. Talent – when you hear that, what goes through your mind?) – “My hard work needs to mirror that sentiment that he is trying to echo to me. Like I said, continuing to harness my process and making sure that I am healthy to go out there and have those touches to help this team win games.”
(What does it mean to you to be listed first on the depth chart which came out?) – “What matters to me is starting the season off 1-0, so my ultimate focus is Baltimore no matter what my role is. I keep trying to tell you all from the day I stepped foot on this team, especially with (Brian) Flores at the helm now, it is just about going out there and proving yourself every day that you can go out there and help this team win games and do from there.”
(How do you put into words, the level of excitement that the regular season is here and it starts for real?) – “Well I haven’t played for three weeks, so there is a different sentiment obviously for me to go out there and prove myself. I have one drive under my belt in four games. So, I obviously want to go out there and get started into this season in a fast way. I sound like a broken record, but continue to help this team win games no matter if it is special teams, catching the ball, running the ball or whatever.”
(What went through your mind when you learned that T Laremy Tunsil and WR Kenny Stills had been traded?) – “It is a hard-nosed business. I’ve got those guys in a group chat from earlier in this year, so I wish those guys nothing but the best of luck. I’ll try to keep in contact with them, through their career, and through this season, because it means a lot for me to see them have success. But what we can focus on right now is Baltimore and going out there and putting everybody in the best position to win these games no matter who steps up.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores said earlier today he plans on giving you a lot of touches. As a running back, when you hear a coach say that, what goes through your mind?) – “Just making sure that I put myself in the best position to make the most of those touches and the opportunities. What I have learned mostly from being in the league is it doesn’t matter necessarily what you do with the ball in your hands, but there are another 50 or so times when you don’t have the ball in your hands – like plays in general. So it is all about going out there to make the most of those opportunities when you’re on the field to help this team win games no matter if you touch the ball, no matter if you are blocking somebody that is touching the ball. You can be the block that springs somebody for a touchdown or just set somebody up by having two people go to me because they think I am getting the ball on the play. So, however the coaches draw the game plan up, I am going out there to execute it to the best of my ability.”
(Do you feel fully healthy?) – “Yeah, I am good.”
(What excites you about this offense?) – “Just the opportunity to go out there and make plays. We have a multitude of athletes on the field that can touch the ball and go the distance. Per usual, we just all have to stay healthy and bring that culmination together and have a good season.”
(What is the calming effect that QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has on the offense?) – “He has done this for 10-plus years and been with a multitude of teams. We are just the latest team that obviously sees he has the ability to go out there and lead an NFL organization. From me to the linemen to the defense to the coaching staff, we have the utmost trust and respect in his game and what he brings to this team, so we look forward to him going out there and leading the charge.”
(Considering the fact that you haven’t played in three weeks, are you looking forward to getting hit early to get yourself back into the feel of the game?) – “Yeah. If you all paid attention in camp, we were hitting a lot regardless, and it doesn’t really change with this season. Even today, we were out there in full pads. You can only have a certain amount of full-padded practices during the season; but regardless, we are all thudding out there and we have shoulder pads and there is a physical way that we kind of practice. So, I don’t really feel like I have to go out there and press the subject in terms of getting hit or trying to feel my way around the game. Just go out there and play ball like I always do.”
Ryan Fitzpatrick – September 4, 2019
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Monday, August 5, 2019
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
(Now that Week 1 is here and you’re the starter, what is your main objective heading into this week?) – “I’m fired up. I’m really excited to be out there leading this team. The big thing for us this week is communication – getting everybody on the same page, making sure that we’re crisp and executing. I think so far, we’ve got a great plan in place, and we took a step in the right direction today with practice. (We had) good tempo, good energy and there was great communication out there, so we’ll continue to do that throughout the week. I think we’re trending in the right direction right now.”
(How did you find out that T Laremy Tunsil had been traded and what was your reaction?) – “With that stuff, (we) usually (find out) just like you guys or from you guys. You just kind of see it or get a text or a call from somebody. It’s just one of those things, you never know what’s going to happen in the NFL, and that’s probably the thing I’ve learned most. Expect the unexpected, and just go from there. The biggest thing right now is putting our focus and attention on Baltimore, who had the No. 1 defense in the NFL last year, and trying to figure out the pieces to that puzzle of how to do our best on offense and put ourselves in a position to win the game.”
(Do you know who is – I’m not asking you to tell us if you don’t want to – but who the starting left tackle will be on Sunday? Is that still being decided?) – “Yeah, that’s up to Coach (Flores).”
(Can you talk about from a personal standpoint what this means to you? You’re starting for your eighth team at your age. It must be a very rewarding, satisfying feeling. Can you put that into words?) – “You know what it is? It’s something that’s never been done before. Just in terms of who I am and the career that I’ve had and the different places that I’ve been, this means a lot to me. I think being able to do it here with a younger group where it’s going to rely so much on communication, and I’ve got to make sure that I’m at my best on every single play, whether it’s during the play, before or at the line of scrimmage, I’m going to put a lot on myself this week to make sure that everything goes smoothly. I think in terms of me being in this spot and this place right now, I think my career has led me to this, and I fit well in the role I’m being asked to play right now.”
(Is there an extra level of excitement for a season opener when it’s with a new team from the year before?) – “I think in general, just the fact that football’s back and opening day, it’s so much fun. There’s so much energy. We’ve worked so hard throughout the year for this. You work so hard for these games. The Sundays are why we do it. We love being out there, but opening day is always that much more special because of that added element – the energy and being the home opener and everything else is going to be pretty special.”
(You’ve been around for a long time. You know what it should look like from very many different perspectives, so the 2019 Miami Dolphins are going to look like what?) – “I’ve got to do my best (Head Coach Brian) Flores impression, I guess: tough, disciplined, hard-nosed, smart. (laughter) Yeah, smart, tough, disciplined. But, you know what? I think we do. We have to be a smart team, but we’ve got to – the communication part of it. All the stuff – especially offensively – there’s so much in this offense. It’s worked, and you’ve seen it work in so many different places, in so many different ways and the communication between players is so key. A lot of that falls on the quarterback, and that’s why I enjoy playing the position.”
(You all are all competitors, so I know that you want to win. Do you think this is a good team?) – “The Ravens? Yeah, I think they’re…”
(No.) – “Look, here’s the deal. We do (want to win). We’re all professional athletes, and we all love playing. That’s the reason I made the decision to come here because I wanted to be out on the field playing. Some guys either don’t want to do that or pass on that; but that’s who I am, and I think the group that we have in our locker room – we’re all competitors, and we’re here for a reason. We’re ready to go out there and fight.”
(When you were making that decision to sign here, I’m sure you had asked about the vision of this franchise…) – “No.”
(You didn’t?) – “No. I saw it as a job – a chance to get out there and play, and I love playing football. So that was all I needed: a chance to compete.”
(What, if anything, have you or can you tell the very young players on this youngest roster in the NFL about…) – “Gosh, that makes me feel really old. (laughter)”
(About the business side of things and how it may or may not be possible to get past that and like you said, focus on Sunday?) – “I think the biggest thing that I’ve learned is no one is going to feel sorry for you on Sunday. No other team is going to come in and say, ‘Man, they don’t have this,’ or, ‘they have this,’ or, ‘they look different from last year.’ Nobody is going to feel sorry for you in this league, so that’s where all our energy and focus has to be put on: going out there and putting on the best performance that we can. There was great energy at practice today, so I think we’re headed in the right direction.”
(Have you had a chance to meet all 13 new players?) – “Maybe. I don’t know. (laughter) I’m trying.”
(What do you see as the biggest challenge this Ravens defense presents?) – “They’re stout up front. They’ve got a great secondary. A lot of playmakers back there and guys that have done it for a long time. They’ve got very fast linebackers – guys that make plays. There’s not really a weakness on their defense. They’re very multiple in what they do, so that makes it tough, too, on a quarterback. They were No. 1 in the league for a reason last year, and they’ve shuffled some guys in and out, but the core of it is the same. They’ve obviously got to replace a few guys – big name guys – but, it’s impressive to watch. Being in Tampa last year, (Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB) Jameis (Winston) started that game, but I got to see firsthand how talented they are, so it’ll be a huge challenge for us, and nothing but respect for those guys.”
(In other words, seeing that defense without LB Terrell Suggs?) – “I played against Suggs in high school. He was a tailback. (laughter) He was a tailback at Hamilton High School. He’s a year older than I was, and ever since then, I’ve been in awe of him and what he does; but yeah, I’m glad he’s on the Cardinals now.”
Minkah Fitzpatrick – September 4, 2019
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Wednesday, September 4, 2019
S Minkah Fitzpatrick
(Is getting ready for the first game of the season different than before or is it about the same?) – “No. It’s still football, we’re still focusing on Baltimore, doing what we’ve got to do. We just keep getting better every single day, and obviously keeping the focus on Baltimore.”
(They have you moving around a lot.) – “Yeah. Like I said, wherever they need me, that’s where I’m going to be at. We’ve got a lot of people going in and out. There are a lot of different needs and a lot of different holes and stuff. Like I said, wherever they need me, that’s where I’m going to be at.”
(You were pretty outspoken during training camp about those who don’t believe in this team. There has been a lot of moves. What do you still say to those people that look at this team figuring with all of those moves, how good can they be?) – “It doesn’t really matter. (Head Coach Brian Flores) tries to express that a lot to the team. It doesn’t really matter what anybody says outside of this building. Whether it be the fans or other teams, coaches, players – it doesn’t matter what anybody else says outside of this locker room because nobody else is working, nobody else is doing what we are doing, nobody knows what we are doing and nobody knows the focus that we have or the intensity that we have. All the focus is on the negatives and everything else like that. I think we have great potential even though we have a bunch of new pieces. There is still a lot of talent in the room – defensively, offensively and special teams. We have a real high ceiling.”
(You talked about the potential. What are your expectations for this defense this season?) – “My expectations are high. I said this earlier, I think we have a whole lot of talent. Whether it be the secondary, linebackers or d-line, we have a whole lot of talent. (We have) a lot of guys that can do a lot of different things. I think that the expectations are always going to be high no matter where we are or what we are doing. We’re going to make sure that standard of play, of practice, of physicality, discipline, is high.”
Brian Flores – September 4, 2019
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Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(I know you’re getting ready for the Ravens this week, but what would your first NFL win mean to you as a head coach?) – “It would mean a lot. It’s going to take a lot to get that done against a really good team. We’re going to have to prepare at a high level, and we’re going to have to practice at a high level. There’s a lot that goes into that. This is a really good team we’re playing that’s physical, that’s tough, that’s well-coached, that’s disciplined. We’re going to have to play well against this team.”
(How physically and mentally ready do you think RB Kenyan Drake is for the start of the season?) – “I think he’s both physically and mentally ready. This is a guy who has as much talent as we have on our team. He’s fast. He’s physical. He’s explosive. He makes a lot of plays, and we’re looking forward to getting him a lot of touches this week.”
(You’ve had so many players coming and going in the past several days. How hard is to incorporate all these new faces into the team and get them up to speed for Sunday?) – “We have had some turnover here. The one thing I’d like to say is I like that we’ve been aggressive trying to bring in players that we feel will help this team and better the roster. I like that aggressive approach. As far as getting them ready, we’ve got to coach them. That’s part of our job. We’ve got a good staff. It’s something we talk about as a staff and finding the best way to get these new guys up to speed in roles where they can play fast.”
(Does that mean for some of those guys you’ve had to simplify things as far as game plan, so they know what’s going on?) – “I think every week it’s a little bit different. Some guys, could – you’ve got to see how much a guy can handle. Sometimes there’s – conceptually, football, it’s the same, pretty much. Cover 3 in Pop Warner is Cover 3 in college, is Cover 3 in the NFL. You can have a few exotic forms of Cover 3; but at the end of the day, it’s three deep. I think conceptually, there’s some things that some guys can get both offensively, defensively and in the kicking game. If they can understand the concepts, that kind of tells you how much we can or how far we can go as far as how exotic we can get with looks and schemes both offensively, defensively and in the kicking game.”
(Have you had any players in the last few days – looking at all the turnover you’ve had – and say, “What’s the vision here? I’ve lost a lot of teammates, a lot of friends. What’s going to happen here?” LB Jerome Baker was kidding but said he’d like to ask you, but he’d be afraid that he’s next. Have you had any of those interactions with your players, and what was your message?) – “I think these guys are focused on Baltimore. That’s what I see. I think the attentiveness, the preparation – guys were in here yesterday watching film. It’s their day off; but they’re in here, and they’re in here lifting and watching film and getting a workout in. I think that’s where the focus is, and I think that’s where it should be. Again, this is a tough team. This is a physical team. This is a well-coached team. We’re going to have to play well in all three phases in this game to have a chance, so I think that’s where their focus is – not on anything else, not on turnover. I don’t think it’s on that, so no, I haven’t had any conversations that way.”
(Can you give us your impressions of Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and the challenges he presents?) – “He presents a lot of challenges. (laughter) He’s an explosive player. (He’s) dynamic. I think he’s throwing the ball a lot better than – I think he’s improved in that area. This is not a one-trick pony. Let’s put that out there right now. This guy has had a good preseason. He’s throwing the ball well. Obviously, we know what he can do. If he gets outside of the pocket, he’s as explosive a playmaker as they have on their team. We’ve got our work cut out for us against this particular player and the entire team. They’ve got a really good offensive line. They’ve got good backs. They’ve got good receivers. They’ve got tight ends who block and are good pass-catchers, so we’ve got our work cut out for us defensively.”
(What’s the most encouraging on-field thing you’ve seen from DT Christian Wilkins?) – “Well, he’s played with a little bit of a better pad level the last few weeks, so that’s been good. Hopefully we continue to do that. This is a guy who’s getting better and developing on a daily basis. Again, he’s still a rookie, but he’s working to improve and get better. I’m sure he’s looking forward to playing his first NFL game Sunday afternoon.”
(What was it about T Julién Davenport that made you guys want to include him in that trade package and have him out there now as the left tackle?) – “He’s athletic, good length, smart player. I think he’s got a lot of potential, so we’re excited to have him. We’ve got to get him up to speed as quickly as possible, get him out there and hopefully we get a productive player.”
(You have so many newcomers on the offensive line. Is the situation now just to stay with the consistency that you have on the four other positions or will those guys like G Danny Isidora get an opportunity to get in the mix to compete for that starting spot?) – “Yeah, I mean we had all (of our) guys practice Monday. We worked a few different groupings. The good thing with this group is that there is a lot of versatility, so (Michael) Deiter has played right and left guard. He has played left tackle as well. (Julien) Davenport has played left tackle, right tackle. Jesse (Davis) has played right guard, right tackle – he has played left tackle in the past. So there is a lot of versatility with this group. So, we have an opportunity here where we can mix and match it and see what the best group is. So, we will work that in practice today, practice tomorrow, practice on Friday. We will put what we feel is the best group out on the field on Sunday.”
(On the same question, obviously the three back-up interior games have all started NFL games – C/G Chris Reid, G Danny Isadora, C/G Evan Boehm – do you go into the season saying Dieter and Calhoun we would like to see how they do but obviously these three veterans will compete with them, or is this week an open competition among the five of them to be your starting guard?) – “Well you guys know I love competition, so we will start right there. I do think that competition brings out the best in every individual. I think in this situation, we have brought in a couple of veteran interior players to push the rookies. The rookies have done well. I think how they respond will tell us a lot this week. Again, all of those players we have talked about, they have position flexibility as well and we will put the best five out there.”
(On Sunday, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will be starting for his eighth different team. I guess this has never been done before. Can you discuss the magnitude of doing something like that?) – “Well, that is a testament to Ryan Fitzpatrick. It is hard to start at quarterback in this league, so that is a testament to him and the work he has put in. He is a really good player, he is a good leader and I am excited to have him. I am excited to watch him go out there and play.”
(Do you have season captains selected that you can share with us?) – “Not yet. We will vote on captains this week.”
(There were two front seven guys you added who might need to play defensively right away. DT John Jenkins has obviously been around and DE Avery Moss. Can you talk about what you like about each of them and do you feel like they can come in and contribute defensively on Sunday?) – “Well, Jenkins is a big guy, physical, interior d-lineman. He has some athletic ability that I like. (He’s) got some quickness. I like the film we saw from the preseason. (It) was good. So, we were excited to get him. Avery (Moss), again, he is an edge player. I like what we saw from him as well. He is physical, does a good job setting the edge. He has some pass-rush ability that we felt like would help us, so I’m excited about both guys.”
