Baltimore Ravens: 3 takeaways from OTAs press conference
By Joe Schiller
John Harbaugh and players took the podium for their first media session of OTAs. Here are three takeaways from what we heard.
The Baltimore Ravens just completed their first week of OTAs. Thursday marked the third day of a ten-day process for the purple and black as the entire team officially took the field together for the first time this offseason. These are voluntary workouts but a time for coaches and young players especially to lay the foundation for the upcoming season.
The media got their first look at practice today and a chance to speak to head coach John Harbaugh, along with Joe Flacco, Brandon Williams, Matt Judon and Marlon Humphrey.
Here are my three takeaways from the press conference.
3. Joe Flacco handled the media like we expected him to
He’s earned the “Joe Cool” nickname for a reason. Flacco’s reserved demeanor has held true on and off the field. It wasn’t any different when bombarded by an array of questions from reporters today asking about his relationship with rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson. And as expected, Flacco answered every one of them without much pause.
“We welcome Lamar with open arms,” said Flacco to reporters. The two took the field for the first time on Monday and by all accounts, there was no apparent rift, despite reports that Flacco failed to answer any of Jackson’s texts following the draft. There was no Ben Roethlisberger kind of quote. Flacco handled it like a 10-year veteran.
Flacco reiterated his desire to win football games this season and acknowledged the lack of guarantees the NFL provides, even for a Super Bowl-winning quarterback like himself. But that doesn’t change what was said coming into this season. No. 5 is the starting quarterback until otherwise noted.
Flacco isn’t going to be a drama queen in front of the microphone and it’s unfair to make something out of nothing.