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OPPOSITION TERRITORY: Baltimore Ravens · The Philadelphia Sports Table | Philly Sports News & Views

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Hey there, it's Jeff. Wanted to let you know that we've recorded this
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Opposition Territory podcast on Wednesday, August thirtieth, twenty twenty three. By the
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time you hear this, some things may have changed here there, or some
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news may have broke, but we hope you enjoy the show. All right,
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folks, welcome to Opposition Territory here at the Philadelphia Sports Table podcast show,
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the longest running weekly Philly sports podcast show in the world. That's right,
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over ten years strong. We got a great discussion coming your way in
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a bit. I just wanted to let you know that next week on our
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Opposition Territory podcast, we are going to be getting back to because the regular
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season is almost tier, we're gonna be getting back to our Eagles game preview
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podcasts on Opposition Territory. So next Tuesday, our Opposition Territory podcast is going
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to be dropping. We're gonna have a guest on to talk about the Eagles
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and Patriots first game of the season. That's right. We are going to
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be getting into these Opposition Territory shows in terms of the Eagles games week by
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week. Cannot wait for that. But this week we're gonna be getting into
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the Baltimore Ravens. This is a team I think that is very interesting in
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the AFC North. What are they gonna show us? Can they potentially dethrone
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the division champs? We got a great discussion, let's get to it.
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It is great to have back on the podcast joining us to talk about this
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Baltimore Ravens team and what we're going to be seeing from them during this twenty
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twenty three and twenty twenty four season. We've got from the Baltimore Beatdown.
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That's right. You know we love our spnation sites Baltimore Beatdown dot Com.
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We've got the one and only Joshua Reid. How you doing, Josh,
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I'm doing great, thanks to Its great to have you back, my friend,
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and folks follow josh on Twitter. You're gonna get a lot of great
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information with regards to the Baltimore Ravens at josh Reid r Eed nine oh seven
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at josh Reid nine oh seven. He's a great, great follow And you
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know, as I was thinking about our discussion here, josh Im like,
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where do we like really want to start off? Because usually with the Opposition
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Territory podcast, we get into the quarterback position and blah blah blah, and
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like I'm thinking to myself, Lamar Jackson, like I kind of know who
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he is at this point in his career. I mean, yeah, yes,
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you know, coming off of the contract talks and getting signed and everything,
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you know, what type of quarterback is he going to be? I
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think we know who Lamar Jackson is. He is dominant. He is absolutely
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a quarterback that is poised to take this league by storm again. However,
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I wanted to go in a little bit different direction right off the bat with
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you this week because from a defensive standpoint, and I could be wrong about
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this, but it seems like a lot of Ravens fans are concerned about how
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the cornerback situation is going to look on defense, and I wanted to get
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your take on these players as this is gonna be, you know, a
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pretty tough division. I think we're gonna have some pretty good passers in Deshaun
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Watson, Joe Burrow, and some folks actually do believe that Kenny Pickett's going
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to be making some waves this season. So after Marlon Humphrey was a sidelined
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with a foot injury here, you know, I'm not sure how strong this
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cornerback room and the cornerback depth is really going to be for the Baltimore Ravens
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here. So I just wanted to get your initial thoughts about what you've been
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seeing and how we should be looking at this cornerback position here. Well,
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you're right in your astolations. A lot of Ravens fans are kind of pushing
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the panic button right now, and it as it comes to the cornerbacks,
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because it's kind of in a similar fashion to where the kind of put all
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their eggs in the statement basket of receiver last year and receive an injury to
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him would in a brail in their season at the position, which end up
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doing the kind of a similar approach to cornerback this year. You know,
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said Marlon Humphreys. You know he's been a really dulable guy since he'd gotten
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service into the starting lineup. Is you know, one of the one of
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the best cornerbacks in the league. But it was kind of like, you
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know, it was a Marlo or nothing, but it was like, okay,
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Marlin didn't after it was Marcus Peters. Marcus Peters is out with on
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an open market for the longest time, and then when he found the end
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up going to his childhood childhood team in the Raiders. Okay, that door
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was officially closed. And so the first move that they made post draft was
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bringing in Rocky as In former second rounder of Indiapolis Colts who played with the
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with the with the Raiders last season, and he's a fifth or cornerback,
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young guy, and the pretty much the money they hadn't set aside for the
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maybe bring back Marcus Peters, they pretty much games Rocky as sent Yeah,
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and everything was looking good. Everything was good. It's gonna be Rocky Cent
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and Marlin too young aggressive, you know, pressed man coverage corners coming to
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this season. And then rock got hurt at the onset of training camp and
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so it wasn't a serious injury anything. He's back at practice now, but
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he pretty much missed all of training camp, and most of the starters didn't
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pringing the free season anyways. But the fact that you know, he was
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already like a he wasn't even like pennsiledan as the concrete starter because he was
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still competing with guys like Brandon Stevens and some of the other guys that they
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brought in like Cavan Seen Moore, a guy who you know played for the
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Eagles briefly a few other teams really strong training camp. So if you asked
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from from the external standpoint, yeah, it's kind of like, oh my
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god, we're gonna be at cornerback. You know, we got Jamark Chase,
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you got Jamark Chason T. Higgins coming week two. You know,
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people really people an't really worried about week one so much as they are about
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week two. And because the Ravens played all three of the divisional opponents in
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the first five weeks of the season, and so even though Marlin Humphrey is
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not expected to miss much much time and corn j Hardball might not be any
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time, you know, but the divisional report was that he'd missed you know,
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the first few weeks of the season, meaning at least game one in
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game two, and you know, you don't want to you know, we
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all, we all saw what happened to them intil twenty twenty one when they
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played the Bengals with a bunch of backup cornerbacks and and you know, got
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roasted and the Bengals. Friends love to love to love to live on,
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live on that, like oh Joe drops went yards on on the Ravens when
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the Ravens were starting Ulber drivers in their secondary Yet that's when you drop five
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hundred yards on the Ravens. But I digress. But I thought how a
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cornerback position is looking at right now? I think they got rocked back at
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practice. They went out and got a guy like Ronald Darby who's played a
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lot of games in this league. I know Ronald Darby, well, yes,
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very experienced corners. So you got so you got rocked back, You
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got Darby back and came on. Seymour is coming off arguably the best Kimp
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of his entire career. I mean, this guy mighty can be pushing for
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a stuff starting spot. But I understand the angst and and you know,
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like frustration a little bit when it comes to the Ravens approach in the cornerback
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position. The fact that it didn't take a cornerback in the draft until the
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fifth round, and they ended up cutting that guy yesterday and now he got
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claimed by the Seahawks, you know, in Kyu Kyu Kelly. And so
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the fact that they didn't they neglected that, and especially given that it was
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a really really deep corner draft. The fact that you didn't take a guy
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until you know, midway through Day three. Yeah, it was. It
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was very surprising, Like you know, the fact that you took prioritized is
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off ball linebacker and I got Triton Simpson in the third round over a cornerback
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where there are still plenty of you know, starting caliber corners on the board.
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Rubbed a lot of Ravens fans the wrong way. But you know,
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I've I've come to learn, you know, to kind of trust the Ravens
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process is going to come to a lot of things, especially like you know
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that their plans. The fact that that I mean this really the veteran fragent
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market was so oversaturated, saturated, well saturated with players at premium positions throughout
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the off season, post draft and leading up in the training camp. I
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mean in fact that guy's like Marcus Peters and it wasn't weren't finding jobs until
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like you know, midway through late later in the summer. Tells you that,
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you know that the Ravens were maybe on the right track when it comes
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to like you know, evaluating the market and how it's going to look post
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draft. So they you know, they went and stay, they stuck with
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their best player available model and then got a guy like Tritton Simpson who may
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not have the most impact this year, but given the fact that Patrick Queen's
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playing on the last year if he's deal and probably not gonna pay two off
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ball linebackers, you know the bookoo bucks, so they're kind of maybe thinking
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of head and that one, and then figured they'd get a you know,
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starting caliber corner on the one deal, which they did in Lucas and post
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draft. So as far as how it starts the first to the season,
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you know, I understand it's a little bit of the nervousness, but I
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think they're gonna be just fine. And next that they have they have some
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pretty solid death now at cornerback. Now that the guys, most of the
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guys, most of the corners of the bang ding they're in training camp.
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But now that it seems the allows they're starting to get healthy. Now now
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that people can kind of like, you know, r e lax relax a
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little bit. Yeah, absolutely, Well, I mean moving along here,
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Josh, like I wanted to talk about the offense and defense and basically how
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you would assess them at this point as they're getting ready to start the season.
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We're talking about the defense here. So let's get into that from a
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defensive standpoint, whether you're looking at the defensive line, linebackers, type of
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scheme that we're going to be seeing from this team, how would you assess
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where the defense is actually at at this point? Is they're looking to remain
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competitive in this very competitive division. I'm very excited about defense. This is
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one of the defense that they're finished one of the best in the league,
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tops of the league second half of last year after they required Rokean Smith be
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a trade. So now we have a whole off season of ro Quan and
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Bachelor of Queen together. You know that there arguably be the best line inside
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litbacker dual second half of the league last year. So now you get a
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whole off season of the ghost guys working together, whole the whole off season
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of ro Quan in this Black McDonald's system. Back McDonald year two of this
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system, you just kind of figure things out first half of the last year
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as first year defensive coordinator at the NFL level, he's defensive coordinate in Michigan
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and in twenty twenty one, but you know, they're kind of really figured,
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I think figure things out now that they have the right pieces in the
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right places. Like I said, you know, cornerbacks are a little news
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shaky right now, but still solid. But the fact that they have two
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versatile, dynamic safeties in the back end and Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams,
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you know, that kind of that kind of covers a lot of stuff.
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And the fact that you have two guys at at the it's at the second
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level and linebackers Queen and Smith that can do so many different things. Those
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guys can add to the pastors. Those guys can excel on coverage, especially
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ro Quan especially, Yeah, especially in coverage. Man. So good,
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yeah, so good. Yeah. So as far as the defense goes,
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I'm really excited about the defense. Save a lot of verse, Kyle players,
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a lot of guys that can play different roles. You know, they
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went out and got a got Dave Ben Clowney by offense is gonna take some
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of the pressure off of a guy like David Jabo, who's coming off a
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bit of a quiet, really disappointing preseason, you know, compared to all
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the hype he was getting, you're leading up to, leading up to training
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camp. But gonna take some of the pressure off of him because you know
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Clowney's you know, he's kind of been a bit underwhelming as a pass rusher
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and comes to you know, sacks and everything. He's still equivocally one of
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the best run defenders in the league in the fact that he can set a
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strong edge and play those you know, early downs it gets the run and
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keep a job all fresh. So he can just be a situational guy just
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start off. You know, it's still basically his rookie year because he missed
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all all but like a handful of games last year coming back from the achilles
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he suffered out his Pro day last year. So I think that the Ravens
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have a well executed plan and they're gonna be I think I think they're gonna
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be one of the best units in the league again this year. All right,
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awesome, let's move over to the offense here. Wondering how you would
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assess this offense because it seems with the Ravens, as somebody on the outside
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looking in, year after year, they have their quarterback and it doesn't matter
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who who that quarterback is, and it seems like some of the pieces aren't
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always one hundred percent there for the puzzle and and I kind of feel like
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that possibly again this year. Although Mark Andrews is amazing, we know the
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connection between he and Lamar Jackson is gonna be there. It's gonna be prevalent.
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There are some new wide receivers in the receiving corps as well. The
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offensive line. I'm not sure one hundred percent sure how solid they will be.
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But how do you assess where this offense is right now? And I
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mean they're gonna be a run and pound offense, I think again, as
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they usually are. But what are your thoughts that? How do you how
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do you how do you assess where this offense is at right now? Josh,
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I'm very excited for this offense undernewth for offense Squarenet Marc. If you
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even an avid follower of college football in the past couple of years, he's
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been the guy pulling his strings for that Georgia offense. Yeah, you know
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your your team that the Eagles, I play at Georgia. Guys, we
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are Georgia, yes exactly, yea Georgia adjacent Yeah, yeah, So I'm
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really excited about what he's gonna bring to this, to this to the Ravens
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this year. You know from a from a diverse and just you know,
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it's kind of it's gonna be more of an evolved offense, you know,
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for like, like I know you said, you know, ground upound.
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The Ravens believe in running the ball first and foremost, but it's gonna be
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be a much more balanced attack. You know, they're gonna prioritize getting their
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players the ball in space. And when you have a lot of guys that
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can create a lot of plays in space, like a say Flowers, I
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can old to Beckham like or Shot Bateman. You know, it's it's I
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feel like it's gonna be a very exciting offense. And it caused turns off
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into blind. They're basically bringing back everybody except for Ben Powers. You know
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they had, yeah, they had a competition for the left guard spot,
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but that's kind of been the case the past couple of years. You know,
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they've been solid at slid at center. They got Tyler Underbad, one
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of the best young centers in the league. You know, they got Ronnie
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Ronnie Stanley, who some people kind of poop pooh on because he's he was
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hurt for you know, but people could we forget he had suffered like a
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devastating knee ankle injury. You know beck in that twenty twenty season has taken
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and took him a while to come back out of setbacks. But second half
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of the last year he was rob said looking like looking like regular All Pro
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Stanley and in fact he's had a whole off season nor rehab, just getting
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stronger. It's very confident in the left tackle spot. They have a lot
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of depth on offensive line. Morgan Moses, one of was one of the
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best offensive off regents free designing from last year to kind of from one of
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the radar fact that they got that guy started caliber right tackle for only five
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million year, three years, fifteen million, that's that's I mean, that's
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that's an absolute steal. And you know they got Kevin Zeisler, you know
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who. I felt it was kind of a Pro Bowl snub last year,
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but you know who cares about the Pro Bowl? And they don't even really
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play a game. They don't really play a game anymoreys the skills challenges,
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but you know the fact they're solid across offensive line. They had really good
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backups in Daniel Falle. He can play Bok left tackle on right tackle.
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They got good, They got good depth at at LA Patrick McCarry who can
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play all five spots, so offensive line if is gonna be rock solid.
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And I got faith in John Simpson, who started twenty one of his first
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thirty five career games with the Raiders. With the Ravens picked up last year,
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he went for me like a dark horse, to even like a launch
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it, to make the roster a dark horse, to be in a running
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first starting left ars. Lark Spot took being the clear front runner towards it
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in the training camp, and the Ravens official announced him as the starter starting
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left tackle after the free preseason finale against the Bucks on Saturday. So yeah,
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I mean, I'm really confident about that. But I'm really excited about
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this new direction. But the offense is taken because for the longest time he's
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like, oh, we don't know what the more Jackson looking the pro style
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offense. But if we watched them in college with Baldi Patrino, that in
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Louisville, that's all the dude. Grand was a pro style offense. So
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this notion that he's never done it before, we don't know what he's gonna
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look like. No, we've we've seen it. He was he was the
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most electronic, electrifying player and calls football history. Even guys like Michael Vick
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were balanced down to Lamar Jackson. You know, so like this whole notion
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that you know, he kept running Brothers offense, so we don't know what
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it looks like. Is is bogus to me? Yeah, And I'm so
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excited to see what he's gonna be like with with Todd, Monkey's giving him
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so much more freedom. With Greg Roman, it was everything was like it
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was like complex and kind of structured at times, and everything was so condensed.
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But with tough Monket, everything spread out. You know they're gonna they're
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gonna be doing a lot more loving firstonnel this year, and a lot more
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like you know, given Lamar and more space to operate and get the ball
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to his goot the ball to his to his playmakers in space, get the
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ball to running backs in space, get to walk to this tight end of
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the space. And the Ravens are three deep a tight end too. You
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know. They got Mark Andrews as Isaiah likely had a really strong rookie season
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last year, and Charlie Colar who missed a lot of time last year but
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was with them really good this preseason. So I'm really excited about the new
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direction of his offense. Man. I feel like they're gonna always say shock
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a lot of people because the people within the league kind of like are on
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I want to say high alert, but they're like, hey, you know,
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this Raven's office is not gonna be like the great Roman offense. They're
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gonna be condensed and trying to fight you in the phone with the guy's gonna
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spread you out, trying to check you apart. Right, So I'm excited,
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man, all right, I'm excited too. I honestly believe that this
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offense could do some good things this year and again really think they can challenge
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the Cincinnati Bengals for the division championship this year. I really do think so.
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So you know, again, as we're talking, folks to Joshua Reid
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here from the Baltimore Beatdown Baltimore Beatdown dot Com. Give him a follow on
15:48
Twitter at josh read nine h seventy is a great, great follow. And
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let's get into some categories here. I love doing categories every now and then
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bringing them back here on this Opposition Territory pod. Love this exercise where I'm
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gonna give you a few categories here, Josh, and I'd like for you
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to give me the player that you're thinking about and a brief explanation as to
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why you pick that player as we're looking towards this season here, So who
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is the breakout guy this season for the Baltimore Ravens. Who's that? And
16:18
give a brief explanation as to why. Well, if you ask most of
16:22
the pundits af there that you know, they're obvious answer would be call Hamilton,
16:26
given that he was the top grade of safety according to recording to PFF
16:29
last year. But I kind of want to want temperate expectations on him.
16:33
But like you know, he was the top grade safety although he's basically a
16:36
hybrid nickel defender. Last year. He's making the transition to full time safety
16:40
for the first time he was back in college. I order dame and so
16:41
I'd rather I'd rather go because you know, a lot of times people say
16:45
that people make the most jumps from the year one a year two, But
16:48
as always decay sometimes some guys, I wouldn't say late bloomers. Let me
16:51
take him a year or two to you know, get hit the ground running
16:52
and really elevate them toil that if they're d backs, especially if they're d
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backs, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
17:00
so I do. While I believe that Colims is gonna have a great
17:03
season, my breakout guy will be a daph Away the first rounder first rounder
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from twenty from from twenty twenty one. And I know a lot of people
17:10
were kind of hype up day with a job But okay, what you see
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a job all this year? Job of this year, don't forget about.
17:14
Oh, it's the Collie showed a lot of flash as a rookie. Had
17:15
a bit of a down year last year. But you know, like it
17:18
wasn't that he wasn't he wasn't getting to the quarterback. He just wasn't finishing.
17:22
He wasn't you know, getting those sacks. But he was still up
17:23
there as far as far as pressure than generating assistant pressure. He's a guy
17:27
who I feel like he's really gonna put it all together this year. And
17:30
the fact that, you know, like the job of played in every preseason
17:33
game, you know, on because he didn't play a lot of orkiy,
17:36
but also because they wanted to see him get more reps. The fact that
17:38
dah Alway didn't take a snap in the preseason, tells me that they've seen
17:41
all they need to know from about him and what he's gonna be this year
17:45
in practices alone, and I heard he heard he was tearing things up and
17:48
joint practices with with with the Commanders, and that he's really ready to take
17:52
that step. An underrated addition that the ray was made to the coaching staff
17:56
this offseason that I feel it's gonna expect, it's gonna explited the development and
18:00
growth not just the defense at the edge rushers, but also defensive lineman.
18:03
Is the hiring of Chuck Smith at the outside linebackers coach. So I don't
18:07
know if you were familiar with him. He's kind of the pass rsh drew.
18:10
He's worked with guys like Aaron Donald and Von Miller. He attends to
18:12
pass rush Summit every year, at least he used to before he gotting bullied
18:15
by the Ravens. He's a guy that's he's a guy who played in the
18:18
league and it's helped the best pass rushers, both interior and on the edge
18:23
elevate their game. You know, throughout his coaching career, he went from
18:26
being a past rest specialist. Now the Ravens outside linebackers coach. In fact,
18:30
he's gonna be grooming and teaching guys like Adafe and Aljabo and at Tavis
18:36
Robinson who they drafted this year and even and even got that clown helped him
18:38
elevate his game even more. I'm super excited about that. And that's he's
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he's he's really going to be the secret sauce this year for the Ravens on
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defense side of the ball. And I think that's a great breakout guy candidate
18:48
for sure. What about your candidate for the comeback kid? Who's the comeback
18:53
kid for the Baltimore Ravens this year? Man, it's go your side of
18:57
Bateman man. Everybody all right there you go? You know, like people
19:02
forget like before he went down, before he went down with that with that
19:06
list right foot entry. Last year, this dud was like leading the league
19:07
in yards and yards per catch. He was storing it up, man,
19:11
averaging like eighteen nineteen yards of a catch, I believe, and he especially
19:15
those first two games of the season's first three weeks of the season against Miami
19:18
and again against against New York. And know if it wasn't for that that
19:21
foot injuries. He's saying that. I think it was week four, week
19:22
week five against either the either the Build or the or the other Bengals.
19:27
I couldn't remember which one. Wasn't for that man. That guy was was
19:30
on his way to breaking out last year. And he's a guy that because
19:33
you know, the Ravens have been overly cautious worth trying to bring him along
19:36
this offseason, people haven't really seen him. And when you're when you're out
19:38
of sight, you're kind of out of mind. So while everybody's hyping up
19:41
Zave Flowers, who I think is going to be great this year, by
19:42
the way, every type of up save Flowers and Oldell Beckham, you know,
19:45
Rashad has just been, you know, been bragging along. So bring
19:48
along, but making no mistake, Lamar Jackson said him. So, rasha
19:52
Maybey's still wide receiver one. He's still you know, wh wide receiver one
19:56
in his eyes. And then I believe in eyes of this offense because you
19:59
know, he's he's a guy that can run of the route in the route
20:00
tree. You can take it, you can take it the distance. You
20:03
know a lot of things he may not be asked, sheafty as a guy
20:06
like like Zay Flowers in a little jitterbug, but you know, he's not
20:08
far off. And he's a guy that because a tank, the top off
20:11
a defense, run of a route, and may contested catches pretty much do
20:14
everything you need to start the number one receiver to do. He's a guy
20:18
who like may not hit the ground running just because you know, like they
20:21
might want to get some other guys involved early on in the season, like
20:22
you know, Za and Neil Dale. But I feel like by the end
20:25
of the year, people are gonna people are gonna recognize, for shout baby
20:27
as one of the better young receivers in the league. Awesome. Let's talk
20:30
about who the rising star of the Baltimore Ravens is gonna be next category rising
20:36
star. I wonder if you've just named him as you were explaining your comeback
20:41
kid. I wonder if it is because I was thinking of a certain person
20:45
for this category on the Baltimore Ravens. Who's your rising star this year?
20:48
So my Riley starts actually make a bit of an established guy Marcus. Marcus
20:53
Williams, the free safety, and he's been a guy who's been you know,
20:56
like talked about very highly round lease circles for for a number of years.
21:00
But he's a guy who, like, you know, like a true
21:03
freesa. He's the best free sacred Ravens have had since air Bital from twenty
21:07
through twenty sixteen and twenty seventeen, honestly, twenty eighteen, honest maybe even
21:11
like the best they've had since ed Red left. He's a guys who's a
21:15
true center fielder. And before he disipated his risk in the Week five last
21:18
year, he's a guy who's leading the league and picks the guy like he
21:21
had like four picks in his first three games with the Ravens. You know,
21:25
then he missed ten games because I disipated the risk. First game back,
21:27
got to pick against the Steelers. You know, he's a guy who's
21:30
like, you know, like never he never been I don't even think he's
21:32
been to a second team all been voted a second team All Pro, or
21:34
even a Pro Bowl. He's a guy that's true center fielder, a ball
21:37
hawk in every sense of the word. And I feel like, you know
21:40
what, the full season in this Ravens defense is Mike McDonald's defense. He's
21:44
gonna be a household name in short order. I thought you were gonna say
21:45
Za Flowers for some reason, free year rising star, because that's who it
21:49
would have been for me. But I love your pick right there and moving
21:52
along, Josh who needs to rebound? The category is needs to rebound this
21:59
twenty twenty three twenty twenty four season. Who is that for the Baltimore Ravens.
22:03
Well, I mean as far as I mean, there weren't there weren't
22:06
too many guys that you know that we're disappointed. I guess if I were
22:11
to say rebound not necessarily from a from a bad twenty twenty one twenty two
22:15
season, yeah yeah, yeah, but like I shot, baby might might
22:19
might be fall into that charategory too. But I thought a guy like David
22:22
a. Jaboy I mentioned a little earlier, you know, to go from
22:25
having all the hype leading in the training camp and then you know pretty much
22:29
nothing. You know, like, you know, that's the guy who might
22:32
need to rebound from a weather quiet create campment, disap disappointing preseason. I
22:36
mean, you have some Ravens fans out here like signing the alarm like,
22:38
oh a job might be a bus Now, I don't want to go nowhere
22:41
near that far to kind of lay a guy who's only played in four career
22:45
games of bus or anything like that. But you know, like I saw
22:48
some some some breakdowns of of his plays in the reseason where some people said
22:52
he kind of lack functional strength some other things. But I feel like with
22:55
a guy like like Chuck Smith, you know, in his in his coaching
22:57
corner, I feel like, you know, he can, he canna get
23:00
it turned around. And if he can, I think people want to make
23:03
too much, too much judgments that's very you know, and and disparaging things
23:07
based out of a couple of steps in the preseason. But I feel like
23:08
if this dude can rebound well from you know, quiet training camp in pre
23:12
season into becoming a you know in fact, especially if he gets played a
23:15
situational path rusher role that was alluding to earlier, that could be his niche
23:21
to start off his career. I mean, the Ravens have had plenty of
23:22
guys who were kind of late bloomers at the path rush spot, especially on
23:26
the edge. So he's a guy that I feel like could rebound from a
23:29
weather quiet training camp and and really blossom. Oh very good. All right,
23:32
we got two more categories before we get into the last segment, Under
23:36
the radar. Who do you think is going to be flying a little bit
23:40
under the radar this year that we need to keep our eyes on flying under
23:45
the radar? I mean there there's several I mean, there's so many good
23:51
candidates on the ravens. I said, I just used one in Marcus Williams
23:53
has been flying on the radar, but if you leave, he ends up
23:56
leaving the league in pixis again not again, but if he ends up leaving
23:59
the league fixed this year, he was definitely flying under the radar. I
24:02
feel I feel like a guy on the defensive line, Michael Pierce, the
24:06
guy guy he might have been eligible for the rebound thing and not going to
24:08
mention it. He's a guy that was off to a great start last year,
24:11
no tackle and he was, but then he ended up tearing his vice
24:15
steps and getting seasoned the vicetep injury. After thinks like the week like two
24:19
or three, maybe he's a guy that's He's the guy that went from being
24:23
an exclusive run stuffing nose tackle to showing great improvements as an interior pass rusher
24:29
and a guy who was on his face to have a career year last year.
24:32
He's a guy that you know, like maybe flying on the radar a
24:33
little bit, but I think I think in the in the league circles and
24:37
you know, prominent film watcher searchers, he couldn't be a guy that a
24:38
lot of people are gonna be cutting equips of, like, hey, Michael
24:41
Pierce, you know doing this, Michael Pierce doing that. He's a guy
24:45
that you know, he's also playing for contract, last year of his contract.
24:47
Be he's the guy's gonna be flying under the radar. But you know,
24:49
I think he's a guy that it's due for for a huge I wouldn't
24:52
say breakout because you know he's already you know, casting on free agency.
24:56
You know, like once or twice. Can't do breakout, you already did
24:57
your breakout guy. I'm I'm just getting no rack guy. But he's a
25:03
guy that I feel like it's gonna sell people this year that he's one of
25:04
the better into your bath rushers in the league this year. Yeah, absolutely,
25:07
all right, And a million dollar question here, who is the dark
25:11
horse MVP? Not the MVP because that could certainly be Lamar Jackson of course,
25:17
as we know it could be lamar Jack. He's already won it.
25:18
He already won the NFL MVP Award in his career. But the dark horse
25:25
MVP, who might that be? For you? Well, the Ravens are
25:27
just like running for the Ravens for the Ravens, Okay, like the best
25:32
best player for the Ravens. Yeah. But but somebody who's like a dark
25:34
horse guy. I mean it could be maybe JK. Dobbins. I don't
25:38
know. I'm just kidding. I don't know. No, I mean,
25:41
no, that's that's a good one. Man. Let me let me think
25:45
on that a little bit. I hope it's JK. Dobbins because I got
25:48
him in one of my fantasy leagues. That'd be great, very well,
25:52
might be Jacky Dobbins. Man. For me, it's like it could be
25:56
a two prong ens. It could be j K. Dobbins because you know,
25:59
like I really expect him. I kind of hit the ground running this
26:00
year. I know he missed a lot of camp, you know, doing
26:03
his weird quasi holding things. Yeah, he's a guy that could be good
26:06
guy that could I could really thrive in his top mucking offense, especially one
26:10
of that prioritizes getting the playmakers the ball in the space. He's a guy
26:12
that you know, he hasn't caught a water passes in his career up to
26:15
the date. But that's not because you know he can't do it, because
26:18
that just wasn't how he's been utilized in the Offinds. He's the guy who
26:21
caught the caught the ball wall in college and showed you in the times that
26:25
he's had been able to catch the ball for the Ravens. He could he
26:27
could definitely be an MVP thing. But I say because I anticipate the Ravens
26:32
making a deep playoff, right, I feel like a guy like like a
26:33
Nelson Agglor. I know, I know, Philip, I want to hear
26:37
that. There you go, here's the dude. He's been. He's been
26:40
the most consistently impressive receiver for the Ravens throughout offices and program, training camp,
26:45
all that. He's the guy. He's been a guys been consistently produced,
26:48
making making nice plays. And the fact that he has that you know,
26:52
championship pedigree along with him, and he's he's been to a couple of
26:55
different spots, and and the fact that he can not just stretch the field,
26:57
but also make those contests a catch is I could see Nelson agil Are
27:00
making some making some clutch catches for the Ravens, you know, late in
27:03
late season games or even in the in the postseason. So he's either him
27:07
or Jakie Dobbins would be my options for for Darkwrs MVP. Alright, very
27:12
good. Alright. Our last category here that we're gonna be getting into with
27:15
you, Josh, it's our standout and stepped on segments. So I'd like
27:21
for you to give me a player who you think is going to be a
27:22
standout this coming season on the Ravens roster. Then we'll get to the stepped
27:27
on one. But who do you think is going to be the standout player
27:30
this year on the Baltimore Ravens roster? Oh got you a little too early.
27:36
As a flowers man that dudes carrying it up, Yep. I can't,
27:38
I cannot, I cannot wait when this kid does with the ball in
27:44
his hands come regular season. I mean, in fact, the guy only
27:45
touched the ball three times in the preeason for thirty thirty yards, but has
27:49
has like captivated the hearts and minds of so many football owners out there.
27:55
You know, that's kind of kind of says it all. He's he's the
27:56
dude that can make make something of nothing, the guy who can you can
28:00
take a take a slant or screen to the house and make a guys miss.
28:03
I mean, anybody who watched them at Boston College or even just watch
28:07
some of the highlights stuff he's had joining the Ravens, whether it's been in
28:10
practice, you know, breaking guys off on the top of the route,
28:12
making the miss in the space, or even pre preseason and a limited action
28:15
he has seen it was just been so impressive and I can't I cannot wait.
28:18
He's gonna He's gonna He's definitely gonna stand out. He's gonna be a
28:22
standout for sure. I absolutely believe that. All Right, to close this
28:25
out here, give me a player that you think is gonna be stepped on
28:30
throughout the coming season. Every team has gotten one at least one. Who
28:33
do you think that's gonna be for the Baltimore Ravens. My step thought,
28:37
you mean like underwhelming A little bit kind of yeah, underwhelming, just somebody
28:41
who kind of gets the crap kicked out of them just because either they are
28:45
lacking some talent, maybe they're not being coached or the way that they need
28:48
to be. Just somebody who's kind of stepped on throughout the season. Well,
28:52
it might be who Love ends up starting obviously market Marlon Humphrey. Okay,
28:57
either either winning returns or you know, I think that's fair, yeah,
29:00
Yale or second cornerback spot. You know, because like a lot of
29:03
times, teams tend to sw shrywafe and throwing the Marlin said, I mean,
29:06
whoever is gonna be started opposite of him is gonna you know, beat
29:08
hell, hell, fire rain down upon him. So you know, even
29:11
if the guy, even if we got into get a bunch of touchdowns,
29:14
you know, he might be the guy that meets you know that the opposing
29:15
teams target a lot and it'll get you know, dragged dragged through by by
29:19
fans and media. But you know, overall might not have too bet of
29:22
a season. But as far as for stakes of this, of this segment,
29:26
I think whoever ends up starting opposite Mardlin hunt Frey might might be the
29:29
stepped on guy this alright, folks. Josh Reid at Josh Reid nine oh
29:33
seven on Twitter. Check out the work he and his colleagues are doing over
29:37
at the Baltimore Beatdown dot Com. Josh Man, it was great talking to
29:41
you. Loved having you on. Come back join us down the road.
29:44
I'd love to have you on the show again, my friend. Oh yeah,
29:45
I love it. Man, what a great time talking to Josh.
29:49
I absolutely have loved the stand out and stepped on segment with our Opposition Territory
29:55
guests, uh specifically that cover NFL teams during the course of this summer.
30:00
I'm not sure if I'm going to keep doing that during the course of the
30:03
NFL regular season with some of the other teams we're gonna be getting into.
30:06
We'll see, We'll see what happens. But that's gonna do it for us
30:08
this week on Opposition Territory once again thanks to Josh Reed. What a great,
30:14
great guest, and we got the Eagles regular season coming, folks,
30:18
a lot of great Opposition Territory podcast coming your way. If you are new
30:22
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30:55
We will catch you next time.