HOT TAKES: They Said It!

To kick off Training Camp 2025, three Ravens took to the podium to discuss camp and the atmosphere around Under Armour Performance Center (“UAPC”). Here are a few highlights from conversations with Mark Andrews, Nnamdi Madubuike and Ronnie Stanley along with my takes, using my secret players-speak decoder.

Mark Andrews

On if he allows himself to think about his impending contract extension:

“I talked to you about God, and you have to trust God. And for me, it’s not looking too far ahead, it’s living in the moment [and] being present. I’m thankful to be here this year, to be able to compete for this organization, compete for this city – it means so much to me. I just want people to know that. It really means everything to me, so I’m excited about it.”

MY TAKE: Leave it to some media members before training camp even begins, to pick at a scab, to try and disrupt a player’s focus, all reminding us that many are not fans, they’re just after the headline – whatever that’s worth!

On the adjustments he’s had to make over the years as more offensive weapons have joined the team:

“That’s the beauty of it. And I talked about this earlier, but [offensive coordinator Todd] ‘Monk’ [Monken] talks about just being able to be dynamic, be diverse and switch it up. You don’t ever want to have to rely on one person. And so, we have so many different guys that are so good at what they do. It’s really a beautiful thing. So, if we can take this time to get better, grow, be unselfish, and as an offense, just keep on pushing forward … I think that’s a good thing.”

MY TAKE: The team is focused upon winning – winning it all. Individual accomplishments are the byproduct of a successful season. They are a bonus if they win, an unfulfilling consolation prize if they don’t.

Nnamdi Madubuike

On what the hardest thing to take away from the Buffalo Bills loss at the end of the 2024 season was:

“Just the whole game. It just wasn’t our best play, and it wasn’t a good loss to digest in the offseason. So, we’re definitely hungry this camp to get our juices flowing, get back to playing the type of football that we know we can play.”

MY TAKE: That loss sits in the collective craw of the team, worsened by the helplessness of not being able to fix it for the better part of the next full season. The good news? It fuels the fire of motivation in the 2025 season and it all starts at training camp.

On what it is like to see DL Travis Jones be more vocal this year:

“Yes, ‘Trav,’ he’s a great player, a great competitor, great person as well, and he works really, really hard. I definitely see him being a bigger leader and growing in that as well. So, [I am] looking forward to it.”

MY TAKE: Jones played at less than 100% in 2024. Now healthy, now a more mature player, he looks to take the next step towards being a leader and enhancing his market value as a possible free agent in 2026. There’s a beast inside of Jones. We’ll get to see it unleashed in 2025 and Madubuike will benefit because those double-teams from 2024 will be less frequent. Opponents will have to pick their poison.

On the mood of the team stepping onto the field for the first time for Training Camp in 2025:

“The mood? Excitement. Excitement. We’re back to playing football again. It’s back to football season. It is exciting. It’s thrilling. Everybody’s ready to go, and I’m looking forward to it.”

MY TAKE…

Ronnie Stanley

On how long the loss to Buffalo in the playoffs lingered:

“I don’t think I necessarily flushed it quickly. It’s something that took time to process, and it kind of eats you up throughout the whole off season, but it’s motivation, nonetheless, to use for this season. I think everyone that was part of that team knows how tough that was, and it’s only going to make us better.”

MY TAKE: You’ve heard the Ravens credo, “embrace the grind”. That loss in Buffalo made the grind that much more intense, with uncommon steely-eyed focus.

On how to go about building chemistry with the LG position:

“You have to work a lot of time together. It takes time; it takes hours. I think stuff like that just can’t come overnight, or it can’t just happen talking to someone. It takes working together, and it’s going to take a lot of reps. Andrew [Vorhees] is a very smart guy, and we talk a lot, and I think we’re on the same page about a lot of things.”

MY TAKE: Ronnie just told the world who will start at LG. Not a surprise but it’s good to see that it’s Vorhees’ job to lose – a player who before his injury during The NFL Combine in 2023, was considered a second-round talent.

On what he’s seen in G Daniel Faalele’s development and growth in the offseason:

“Daniel [Faalele] is taking a really tough approach on himself this off season. He’s been working his butt off every day. He’s been pushing himself, and I’ve been very proud of how far he has gone.”

MY TAKE: I’ve been an outspoken critic of Faalele’s. He just hasn’t been very good and until proven otherwise, I see him as the weak link in the Ravens offense. But players aren’t static assets that are incapable of change. It’s great to hear that Faalele is putting in the work and trying to perfect his craft. Here’s to his journey and if successful, I’ll willingly eat crow. Please pass the pepper.

On if adding players like WR DeAndre Hopkins and CB Jaire Alexander shows how aggressive this front office is in trying to chase a Super Bowl:

“I know [executive vice president and general manager] Eric [DeCosta] is always going to be aggressive when trying to chase a goal, and he wants to win just as much as us, and I know he’s doing everything he can to make this team as good as he can.”

MY TAKE: EDC and Ronnie share a strong bond built on trust. There’s no other way to explain it after seeing Stanley willingly accept a healthy pay cut in 2024. As I’ve stated elsewhere on these pages, DeCosta won’t rest until he’s the best. And one day he will be. Hopefully, that’s in Santa Clara, CA on February 8, 2026.

Training Camp Notes are coming, beginning tomorrow…

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