tsylvester

He has the speed to play anywhere on defense, the smarts & instinct to take advantange

Malaki Starks' education at OTAs has included staying after practice, watching extra film, and sideline discussions with teammates and coaches. Starks is going the extra mile because the first-round safety from Georgia is willing to pay the price to be everything the Ravens expect and more. "The more you learn, the faster you can play," Starks said following Monday's practice. "You can be free, and I think I just want to keep expanding my knowledge and keep diving into the system." Starks made a similar transition at Georgia, where he started as a true freshman and helped the Bulldogs win the national championship in 2022. Helping the Ravens win a Super Bowl in his rookie season would be quite an encore for Starks, but that's his goal, and he's embracing that challenge. His versatility is a major reason the Ravens wanted him. They envision Starks joining safety Kyle Hamilton and cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins in an elite secondary that can morph into different looks at any time. "I like being anywhere, if I'm being honest," Starks said. "We talk about a positionless defense. I've been playing a lot of free safety, but I've also been the other safety, and I got some reps at dime, as well, so just being able to move around." To take full advantage of his skillset, Starks must master the defense to avoid making coverage mistakes in a secondary with so many moving parts. At 5 a.m. before Monday's practice, Starks said he received a text message from Senior Defensive Assistant/Secondary Coach Chuck Pagano, who sent film from last week's practice. "I woke up, and I was like, 'OK, cool. That makes sense,'" Starks said. "That's how I want to be coached. I received that very well, so just being able to have somebody like that in my corner, it's a blessing." Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr has been impressed by Starks' willingness to engage in conversation and communicate on the field. "I've already seen the impact that 'K-Ham' has had on Malaki with his communication, his knowledge, and just his football savvy," Orr said. "I have a great vision for those guys. I think they're going to help us out and play great football for us." After early-season struggles in 2024, Baltimore's pass defense took a major leap when Ar'Darius Washington became a starter and Hamilton stayed primarily at free safety. Unfortunately, Washington suffered a torn Achilles last month that is expected to keep him out and play great football for us." https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/malaki-starks-otas-learn-faster-marlon-humphrey-kyle-hamilton-zach-orr-chuck-pagano

Wiggins, Tampa, Starks, Hamilton, yeah, and nice secondary forming for a few years

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore Ravens secondary coach Chuck Pagano didn’t wait for the play to officially end. As cornerback Nate Wiggins headed upfield, setting up his blocks along the way, following an interception of an overthrown pass during Friday’s organized team activity, Pagano broke out the celebratory dance moves on the sideline. The 64-year-old coach shuffled up and down and waved his right arm in the air as if he were riding an imaginary horse. It doesn’t take much to get Pagano going, but the sight of Wiggins securing the football and using his speed to race toward the end zone was enough to get anybody associated with the Ravens excited. Wiggins, a first-round pick in 2024, had a strong rookie season. He played in all but two games, broke up 13 passes and held quarterbacks to a 66.7 passer rating when they targeted him. Wiggins allowed just 31 receptions on 62 targets, forced a key fumble in Dallas and had a pick six in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Cleveland Browns. Yet, it was hard for Ravens coaches this offseason not to think about how much better Wiggins could get when he became a little stronger and had a better grasp of the fundamentals of the cornerback position and how offenses were attacking him. “Last year, he was just running like a chicken with his head cut off, trying to figure out what to do,” Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr said last week. “Now, he understands the system. He understands the defense. He’s been in the league for a year, so he understands formations from offenses. Now, he can really just hone in on his technique. Man, that guy right there, he takes his technique to another level on a consistent basis. The sky’s the limit for him.” Wiggins, who had an interception and a pass breakup in the Ravens’ last OTA on Friday, is off to a solid start this offseason. He’s added 10 pounds after prioritizing getting bigger and stronger. Possessing a better understanding of the position, he’s playing with more decisiveness and confidence. And he no longer has to wonder about his role on a week-to-week basis. The Ravens, influenced partly by health issues for Wiggins in the first half of the season, somewhat eased the rookie in. He played more than 75 percent of the team’s defensive snaps just twice over Baltimore’s first 10 games. But those days are over. He’ll enter the 2025 season as a starting outside corner and one of the Ravens’ core defenders. He says he’s ready for that. “Last season, I didn’t feel like I was really a pro yet,” Wiggins said Friday. “Now, I’m knowing how to be a pro. I feel like now it’s going to pay off.” The Ravens lost some key pieces from last year’s defense, which started agonizingly slow but turned things around and was playing at a high level by season’s end. Nose tackle Michael Pierce retired. Starting cornerback Brandon Stephens departed to the New York Jets in free agency. Malik Harrison and Chris Board, part of the linebacker rotation, signed elsewhere. Baltimore’s cornerback depth thinned out with veterans Tre’Davious White and Arthur Maulet not returning. Safety Ar’Darius Washington, whose ascension into the starting lineup was a catalyst for the defensive turnaround, tore his Achilles during a May workout and will miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6410680/2025/06/09/ravens-nate-wiggins-organized-team-activities/

Yes, yes, for sure. But having Pags as a teacher will help him tremendously as well

It may just be camp, but Starks is recognizing and making plays all over the field. Really nice to hear and cant wait for him to get game action. Yes, Tampa has been hurt which slowed his chances of play. Now that he is healthy the big corner is flashing his talent.

The Ravens kicked off their third week of organized team activities Monday afternoon with temperatures feeling closer to training camp. Baltimore is scheduled for four straight days of practice during this final week of OTAs. Lamar Jackson was one of about a dozen veterans who didn't practice Monday, including players who are currently dealing with injuries. The Ravens' injury report may have grown, as safety Beau Brade left practice early after inadvertently colliding with a defensive teammate on a deep throw down the sideline. Brade slowly walked off the field with the help of a trainer. Head Coach John Harbaugh was not scheduled to speak with reporters after practice, so there was no update on Brade's status. The Ravens are already without safety Ar'Darius Washington, who suffered a torn Achilles earlier this offseason. Here are more notes from Monday's practice: Cornerback T.J. Tampa made an impressive interception on a throw down the seam from Cooper Rush that was intended for tight end Charlie Kolar. The ball was a bit behind Tampa, but he reached back for the snag. Tampa also broke up an end zone pass later in practice. The 2024 fourth-round pick is looking to stand out after injuries limited his rookie season to just seven games. Fresh off his contract extension, Rashod Bateman led the wide receivers with an active practice, making several nice grabs over the middle, including a big gain between the hashes on the first 11-on-11 play of practice. Rookie wide receiver LaJohntay Wester made the best catch of practice, diving to haul in a pass over the middle with a defender on his back. His interception was a bit of a gamble, but Rush had a particularly sharp practice leading up to that throw. He was dialed in and accurate. Rookie safety Malaki Starks crashed down to break up a short pass intended for tight end Isaiah Likely, who Starks called the toughest offensive player to cover thus far during OTAs. Likely also caught a long touchdown pass despite a hold from a defender later in practice. The Ravens worked on their screen game for a good chunk of the early portion of 11-on-11 work. Keaton Mitchell made a one-handed snag on one out of the backfield. Rookie outside linebacker Mike Green was in perfect position to blow up another intended for Rasheen Ali. Green also stopped Wester on a jet sweep. https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/beau-brade-injury-tj-tampa-interception-ravens-practice-report-otas-2025

We shall see what type of player he is, by that I mean, is he interested in being paid the most, assuming he is among the best,? Take some of these guys, they get the top pay one year, as soon as the next best at position gets more, player A wants to redo his contract. Take Dallas, waiting on doing a contract for their top edge rusher. He strikes me as the type as had Dallas given him his big deal 2 years ago, he would now be asking for more since he would no longer be the highest paid. Tough choice, pay in year 3 or wait.

Not mention a cheap one until his rookie deal is done

We can hope, been a while since they drafted a monster at olb

Roger's sparks marriage rumors with a ring around his finger. Sources say that he married himself... more to come.....

It’s never easy to know exactly what you have in a player during unpadded, non-contact practices in the spring, but Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr has been impressed by what he’s seen from second-round pick Mike Green thus far. Green led FBS players with 17 sacks while playing for Marshall last season, but wound up falling to the Ravens in the second round after facing sexual assault allegations during his time in college. Orr’s seen enough from Green over the last few weeks to believe that Green’s pass rush ability will translate to NFL games. “I see a guy that comes out here and works, but from a physical standpoint, [Mike Green’s] get-off is real, and he understands the level of the quarterback,” Orr said, via a transcript from the team. “So, I think he’s going to be a really valuable piece for us. He’s strong. He’s explosive. He can rush on the outside, and he can rush on the inside. One thing we always say [is] you can never have enough rushers, and he’s going to add to that room, and it’s going to be a great valuable piece for us, but I’m happy with Mike. I think that he’s doing a good job with what he can do right now, given the restrictions with the pads and everything, but I think [during] training camp and preseason, you guys will really start to see what abilities he really has.” The next step for Green will be showing that Orr is right about how his skills will transition to game action. If they do, there will likely be a lot of talk about him being one of this draft’s biggest steals. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/ravens-dc-zach-orr-mike-green-will-be-a-real-valuable-piece-for-us

An interesting read Accordingto Jeremy Fowler, reason for this new contract in Baltimore is that Bateman asked the Ravens for an extension this offseason, the team told him no, but then allowed him to search for a suitor who would via trade before ultimately choosing just to pay the receiver. Per Fowler, three teams that showed interest in Bateman when he was on the trade block were the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers. The fact that these were the teams linked to an available receiver isn’t surprising. The Cowboys traded for George Pickens this offseason, the Patriots signed Stefon Diggs to a $63.5 million contract in late March and the Packers ended up drafting two receivers in the top 100 picks of the 2025 draft with Texas’ Matthew Golden (23rd overall) and TCU’s Savion Williams (87th overall). Despite what the Packers have said about just taking the best player available this offseason, they were clearly in the receiver market leading up to the draft. With Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs in contract years in 2025, and Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks following in 2026, the team’s actions haven’t suggested that they’re willing to pony up extension money for their homegrown pass-catchers in an exploding receiver market. Bateman recorded career highs of 756 receiving yards and 9 receiving touchdowns in 2024 as a 25-year-old. It’s also worth noting here that at 6’1” and 195 pounds, he has the frame that Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has typically looked for, as the LaFleur-era Green Bay offenses have prioritized size as the unit’s most important trait. https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2025/6/8/24445289/green-bay-packers-news-rashod-bateman-trade-rumors-baltimore-ravens-receiver-dallas-cowboys-patriots

The numbers are in. And, to no surprise, quarterback Aaron Rodgers won’t be playing for only $10 million this year. Even though he said he would. Via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, it’s a one-year deal with a maximum value of $19.5 million. The base amount is $13.65 million, with $10 million guaranteed. And, of course, only $10 million is guaranteed so Mr. Yeah I’ve Been Immunized can claim he said he’d play for $10 million, and he’s playing for $10 million. He’s not. He’s playing for $13.65 million plus incentives. The full base amount is guaranteed as a practical matter. As of Week 1, any non-guaranteed salary becomes fully guaranteed under the labor deal. Which means that the only way he gets only $10 is if he’s cut before Week 1 The deal has $5.85 million in playtime and team performance incentives. Without having the specifics (and we’ll eventually get them), it’s hard to know how easy or hard it is to get to $19.5 million. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/aaron-rodgerss-one-year-deal-is-worth-up-to-19-5-million

Yeah the biggest take away obviously is health.

Good to hear about Walker, I'm really pulling for this kid https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/ravens-otas-week-2-devontez-walker-nate-wiggins-tyler-loop-practice-report The Ravens concluded their second week of organized team activities Friday, and while there were several starters not present, other players who stepped in made the most of the opportunity. No one took advantage of the extra reps more than wide receiver Devontez Walker. The second-year pass-catcher made several impressive grabs as the Ravens worked in the red zone most of the afternoon. He beat a defender to the ball for a toe-dragging TD catch in 11-on-11 drills and later made an over-the-shoulder grab in the end zone. Walker has continued to make plays throughout the first two weeks of OTAs and will look to compete for offensive snaps in a crowded wide receiver room led by Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and DeAndre Hopkins. The Ravens will have their final four OTAs practices Monday-Thursday next week. Here are other notes from Friday's practice: Defensive tackle Travis Jones made his best Michael Pierce impression on the first 11-on-11 play of the day, coming up with an interception after batting the ball up in the air near the line of scrimmage. Malaki Starks nabbed an interception in the flat during 7-on-7 red zone drills. Nate Wiggins joined in on the takeaway party with an interception of his own during the last period of the day. Rookie kicker Tyler Loop was perfect on live kicks, converting on a 60-yard attempt and finishing 6 for 6 on field goal attempts. Running back Keaton Mitchell showed off his receiver skills on an over-the-shoulder catch near the back of the end zone on a well-placed ball from Devin Leary. Safety Beau Brade broke up a pass intended for Charlie Kolar near the goal line. Undrafted rookie cornerback Reuben Lowery had an interception for the second day in a row

One good dude https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/rashod-bateman-you-get-paid-for-doing-the-right-things “I’m happy to be here, blessed, and fortunate,” Bateman said, via the team’s website. “We’ve had some good, transparent dialogue throughout this whole process. It’s kind of how this league works — you get paid if you’re doing the right things, on and off the field. It’s a respect thing, showing this organization believes in me. I’m definitely hoping to continue that mindset and that work ethic to continue to prove to the coaches that I’m worthy.”

True, but how much more could he maybe have gotten in 2 years when he is what, 27, 28? He is not a number 1, a solid number 2 in the right system but he is not a Higgins

1 year deal, pending a physical, no money mentioned as of now.

I can't wait, there is a small chance it works out, but a great chance that he truly is washed up

And if he out performs the contract he will get more, here or elsewhere. Chief reporters are already saying this contract will muddy the waters for them trying work out a new deal with Hollywood. Lots of luck to them with him

Not sure he got robbed, he chose to stay with a winning franchise for good money rather than risk getting less from a bad team

Welp, he has suposedly agreed to sign with the Stillers, though that still remians to be seen https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45459152/aaron-rodgers-plans-sign-steelers-sources-say

Elway had 27 tds and 21 picks in his 22 playoff/super bowls combined, going 14-8 in them. Great quarterbacks turn the ball over in the playoffs. Does Lamar need to clean up some of his picks, his fumbles? Yes, but not for the reason, perhaps, some think. Maybe his turnovers are forcing pressure on other players who try to do too much and also turn the ball over. Football is a true team game. It isn't basketball with five players on the court and one of them getting hot or cold = a win or loss. Nor Hockey, same. You know that I have been hard on Lamar, you are in the game threads, see my reactions with each play, read my posts, post game. Even so, I am so glad to have him as the Ravens quarterback, as we have seen the past few years, his passing has gotten so much better. This means that when his legs start to go, he will still be able to throw. It is the difference between him and all of the other running quarterbacks who came before him. Only Steve Young really stopped using his legs to gain yards and worked on his passing. The rest either got hurt, ending their running, and could hit the broadside of a barn with a hand grenade. Washed out.