ExtremeRavens Posted October 8 Posted October 8 There were noticeable bags under Alohi Gilman’s eyes. The Ravens’ new safety seemed tired and withdrawn Wednesday, which makes sense considering that he’s been awake for 21 hours since Tuesday afternoon. Gilman said that he wasn’t prepared for Tuesday’s trade between the Ravens and the Los Angeles Chargers that sent the 28-year-old defender to Baltimore. He flew to Baltimore three hours after the trade was completed, immediately began practicing with the team Wednesday and coach John Harbaugh said that he should be available to play Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. “It’s been a long day, still processing everything,” Gilman said. “[The trade’s] been tough on me and my family … It’s a whirlwind of emotions. It’s a little bittersweet.” Gilman has a young daughter and a pregnant wife, which made relocating midseason challenging. Still, the safety said that he’s excited to join the Ravens and return to Maryland, where he began his college career at Navy. Harbaugh said that he didn’t speak with his brother, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, until after the trade was finalized. He noted that the deal came together quickly and was driven by the teams’ general managers. Chargers GM Joe Hortiz was the Ravens’ director of player personnel when Baltimore drafted Oweh in 2021. Gilman has experience both as a deep safety and in the box. He’s played a majority of his 277 snaps at free safety this season, which should allow Ravens All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton to move down into the box more. Gilman was a key contributor to the Chargers’ top-ranked defense last season and his role as a deep safety allowed Derwin James Jr. to play close to the line of scrimmage, a move Baltimore will likely try to replicate with Hamilton. Gilman has experience playing in the Ravens’ defensive system, as Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter runs a similar scheme to defensive coordinator Zach Orr and former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. Gilman is also familiar with a pair of Ravens defenders. As a senior, he played at Notre Dame during Hamilton’s freshman season. He was teammates with linebacker Kyle Van Noy in Los Angeles, and Van Noy called Gilman a “natural leader.” Gilman also spoke with current Chargers safety and former Raven Tony Jefferson about the organization before arriving in Baltimore. “That’s my brother,” Gilman said about Hamilton. “He was having a hard time as a freshman, wanting to quit. But I’d keep him in shape and now he’s an All-Pro.” Gilman has been a reliable tackler throughout his career, posting a 15% missed-tackle rate this season and in 2024. The Chargers signed him to a two-year, $10.12 million extension in 2024 after he had established himself as a multi-season starter in Los Angeles. In five-plus seasons with the Chargers, Gilman appeared in 73 games (39 starts) and had 252 tackles, five interceptions and 21 pass breakups. “Alohi is going to give us a lot,” Harbaugh said. “He’s a proven player. Had a really good practice today and I think he’s a good fit for us.” The Ravens clearly felt that they needed help in the back end of their defense, as they traded away an established pass rusher in Odafe Owen to get Gilman. The team also signed veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson on Tuesday, reshaping their safety room in one day. Both players practiced Wednesday. “They wanted me to be here to help this team win,” Gilman said. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Jane at sjane@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Sam_Jane230. View the full article Quote
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