Juan Castillo can be heard from across the field during practice and Pernell McPhee Enjoying New Role

 

The Ravens’ new run game coordinator is active and energetic, barking out commands as he runs the offensive line through drills. He makes his way from player to player, critiquing them and pushing them on every rep.

“His passion for the game is very evident,” second-year center Gino Gradkowski said. “I think it’s contagious. Guys are buying into his passion, his energy.”

The longtime Philadelphia Eagles coach joined the Ravens during the playoffs last season, teaming up with Offensive Line Coach Andy Moeller. Castillo has a reputation as one of the premier line coaches in the NFL, and the players gravitated toward his instruction almost immediately.

“He tries to simplify everything as best he can,” Gradkowski said. “I know Coach Moeller built me a great foundation my first year. Coach Castillo, I think, is just taking my game to the next level, and I’m very excited about where I’m going as a player. I think a lot of players feel the same way.”

In addition to the energy he brings, Castillo is known for his attention to detail. A number of players have praised Castillo’s focus on the fundamentals, which has been a point of emphasis during the offseason.

Left tackle Bryant McKinnie, a 12-year veteran, said that working with Castillo was part of the attraction to participating in the entire offseason program.

“He focuses on our technique, and that’s something that I kind of get away from sometimes,” McKinnie said. “Right now is a great time for us to work on our technique and me in pass protection – sitting straight back. So, Juan’s been a great help.”

Castillo works with everyone on the line, but he’s spending a good deal of time with the young linemen. He had a knack for developing a number of small-school prospects during his 10 years with the Eagles, and he’s looking to continue that trend in Baltimore.

Castillo played at Texas A&I in college and eventually went on to coach there, which is part of his attraction to coaching players from small schools.

“I never coached at a big school. I went from Division II to the NFL,” Castillo said. “Throughout my years, the biggest thing that I enjoyed coming from a Division II school is that at our place what we learned is that it didn’t matter who you got; you developed whatever you got, because you didn’t have that many players.”

The Ravens currently have eight rookies or first-year offensive linemen on the 90-man roster, including a number of undrafted or late-round prospects, and Castillo is relishing the opportunity to coach them.

“I really enjoyed developing players, and I think that’s something that throughout my career at Philadelphia that I’ve done, especially college free agents,” Castillo said.

That excitement is mutual for the players.

“We have fun with him,” Gradkowski said. “We work hard, but we have fun at the same time. He’s a very intelligent guy. He’s very intelligent and I think it’s going to be good for all of us.”

Pernell McPhee feels like he’s undergoing “a new change in life."

He has shifted from playing defensive end to outside linebacker, playing more of a stand-up role in the Ravens defense behind Terrell Suggs.

After a tough 2012 season, the change has McPhee thinking big.

“It’s a new style of play, new position coach, new year, new everything,” McPhee said at the conclusion of minicamp. “There are zero stats. You can be Defensive MVP, a Pro Bowler. Who knows? Why not?”

McPhee was a big-bodied college defensive end. At 6-foot-3, 280 pounds, he added bulk last season, when he competed with Arthur Jones for a starting position.

The change didn’t work out largely because of injuries. McPhee, who finished second on the team with six sacks as a rookie in 2011, notched just 1.5 sacks and 21 tackles last year.

Knee injuries erased McPhee’s offseason last year, then flared up and caused him to miss four regular-season games midway through the year. Now McPhee is healthy, and focused on getting back at the quarterback.

His change to more of a rush linebacker should help with that. McPhee said he’s the same weight he was last year, but trimmer and more muscular.

Asked for his opinion of his new position, McPhee said, “It’s cool, it’s good.”

“I won’t know until we put on pads and we have to cover people,” he said. “Anybody can be a football player without pads. When you put on those pads, that’s going to determine it. It comes down to how fast can I move with the pads on, cover and get in my drops, know my reads.”

But most of all, McPhee anticipates seeing more pass-rush abilities this year.

It’s where he has excelled in the past. Before his six sacks as a rookie, McPhee posted seven sacks at Mississippi State. In 18 games at Itawamba Community College, he logged 32.5 sacks. He led the nation with 13.5 sacks in 2008.

“That’s how I eat and I’m going to keep it like that,” McPhee said. “Put me down in that three-point stance and go after the quarterback.”

Veteran addition Elvis Dumervil, who sits at the locker next to McPhee, has taken the young linebacker under his wing. The two lift weights together and spend extra time after practice doing football exercises.

The work seemed to pay off, as McPhee looked to have good burst and still held the edge well during the Ravens’ three minicamp practices.

“The guy’s been working really hard, man,” Dumervil said.

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The game's best rivalries?

It's not just a good game; it's good theater, with drama, passion, angst and hyperbole injected into a series that suddenly threatens to become the West Coast version of Baltimore-Pittsburgh. I know, it's not there. Not yet. But it gets closer with every Harbaugh spitball. In the meantime, let's just say it's a rivalry that has everyone's attention, which means it just entered rarified air -- along with these guys:

Pittsburgh-Baltimore

These two not only regularly compete for the AFC North championship; they regularly compete with New England for ownership of the AFC, period. One or the other has appeared in four of the past five conference championship games (with both in the 2008 game), and they've been to three of the past five Super Bowls. But there's more than that. Look at the series history: Seven of the past nine games between these two were decided by three points. Three frickin' points. Moreover, look at what their players say about each other. It's not pretty, with Terrell Suggs once suggesting the Ravens had a "bounty" out on Pittsburgh star receiver Hines Ward -- a comment he later said was made in jest. Ravens' coach John Harbaugh calls the series "a defining type of rivalry," which makes sense if the definition is the best of the best of the best. This is Boston vs. the Yankees in baseball, UNC vs. Duke in basketball and Tiger vs. Phil on the back nine. The two teams are built around suffocating defenses, winning quarterbacks and organizational stability, and they bring an intensity and respect for each other rarely seen elsewhere. "If there is one place you want to play as a football player," Suggs once said, "it's definitely being the bad guy in Heinz Field." Now that's how you light a fuse.

Peyton Manning-Tom Brady

They're two of the best quarterbacks in pro football, and the only thing safer than their enshrinements at the Pro Football Hall of Fame is that they meet each other next year. You can look it up: Manning-Brady is on target for national TV Nov. 24 at Foxboro, the 11th time since 2001 they've met -- with 2008 and 2011 the only leap years. But there's a catch: Their teams did, in fact, meet in each of those seasons. It's just that their quarterbacks couldn't make it. Brady was hurt in 2008, and Manning was out in 2011. So they've been scheduled to play in each of the past 11 years, meaning they're one of the few stories with more sequels than Rocky. So Brady is 9-4 head-to-head vs. Eli's older brother. Only once in the last five times they met has the gap between the two been more than four points. Plus, now Manning has Brady's favorite receiver. Brady's been to five Super Bowls; Manning to two. Manning has four MVP awards; Brady has two. I think you get the idea. These are two of the most decorated quarterbacks in history, and enjoy them while you can. They won't last forever.

Chicago-Green Bay

Of the rivalries mentioned here, none goes back further than this one. It's not the meanest. Baltimore-Pittsburgh qualifies there. Nor is it the most competitive. While the series is close (92-88-6 in favor of the Bears), it hasn't been close lately. Green Bay won eight of the last nine. It's just that there's something about Green Bay-Chicago, and it's more than memories of Halas and Lombardi, Butkus and Nitschke, Sayers and Starr. It's 22 NFL championships (including five Super Bowls) and 48 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It's 186 games and fierce hitting and bitter cold and Super Bowl Shuffles. Granted, there haven't been a lot of championships lately. But look at the NFC North: Nine of the last 11 titles have been won by one of these teams, with the Packers -- which didn't win the 2010 title -- running the table that year in the playoffs before winning Super Bowl XLV. When you think of the division this season, you automatically think Green Bay. But then whom? Minnesota? Not unless you believe Adrian Peterson runs for another 2,000 yards. Nope, it's Chicago, and, yeah, OK, so the Bears lost Brian Urlacher. They're still the team Packers' fans love to hate.

Atlanta-New Orleans

The last four years these two took turns at the top of the NFC South, with Atlanta winning it last season while the Saints' Sean Payton was on sabbatical. So there's balance. But that's not what I like about this series. This is: It's charged with as much emotion as it is superb play. Remember when Drew Brees broke Dan Marino's single-season passing record? It was against Atlanta, and the Falcons didn't like how it went down. Up 38-16 with under five minutes to play, New Orleans passed on the chance to kill the clock with running plays and, instead, had Brees pass to gain the 30 yards he needed to set the record. Afterward, Payton explained the situation, saying he thought it was "appropriate," but the Falcons weren't buying it. "That's just who they are," one of their players told our Pete Prisco. "We'll see them down the road. We won't forget any of it." Turns out, he was right. It was the Falcons who ended Brees' record of consecutive games with a touchdown pass at 54. That was a 23-13 Falcons' victory last season where Atlanta intercepted Brees five times, a first in his career. It was also after New Orleans had broken the Falcons' unbeaten record and airport workers in Atlanta egged the Saints' team bus when their charter arrived. Hey, if you can't beat 'em, egg 'em.

Jim Harbaugh-John Harbaugh

Following Super Bowl XLVII, Baltimore's John Harbaugh said, "There's no greater coach in the National Football league -- or in the world, as far as I'm concerned" -- than his brother, Jim, which is a nice thing for Big Brother to acknowledge. Only it begs this question: What does that make John? He played his brother twice and beat him both times -- including that 34-31 defeat in Super Bowl XLVII when the 49ers couldn't go five yards in three plays. These two have a total of seven years coaching in the NFL, with seven playoff appearances, four division titles, a combined record of 90-39-1 and five conference championship-game appearances. Nope, they don't hate each other, but neither is OK with losing -- which is good because, as the numbers tell us, neither one of them does much losing. I understand this is a stretch because the rivalry doesn't exist in head-to-head play. They've only met twice, for crying out loud. But don't tell me it doesn't exist in their bodies of work, because it does -- with one brother trying to outdo the other. Advantage, John.

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No Plans For a Veteran Wide Receiver Addition

And just like that, the offseason programs for the Baltimore Ravens are over. With the conclusion of mandatory minicamp, the only thing that separates the team from now and training camp is rookie workouts.
For the veterans, all they can do is prepare for training camp and get ready for another Super Bowl run.
With training camp just around the corner, what are some of the noteworthy stories surrounding the team post-minicamp?
No Plans For a Veteran Wide Receiver Addition
According to NFL Network via The Baltimore Sun, the Ravens do not have any current plans to sign a veteran wide receiver. Despite a need to add depth and talent to the wide receiver position, it appears as if the team will wait until the beginning of training camp to make a roster move.
Waiting allows the team to see the contenders for the second starting job compete in camp while being able to assess the trade market and pounce on a veteran released during camp if necessary.
Right now, the top veteran receivers on the market include Brandon Lloyd, Laurent Robinson and Austin Collie.
Cornerback Moe Lee is an Undrafted Free Agent Standout
Last year, two undrafted free agents, kicker Justin Tucker and wide receiver Deonte Thompson, made the final roster for the Ravens.
There may not be any undrafted rookies who make the team this year, but one player with a legitimate chance is cornerback Moe Lee.
The former Utah defensive standout earned praise from his seconday coach, Teryl Austin. With immense depth at cornerback, the Ravens may not have a need for Lee this year. But if his offseason success translates into training camp notoriety, he could at least be a practice squad option.
Terrell Suggs Is In Better Shape for 2013
After what seemed like a bit of a lot season in 2012, outside linebacker Terrell Suggs appears primed to return to his 2011 form, the year he won the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Suggs missed the first eight games of the 2012 season and managed to record just two sacks in the regular season. With his achilles back to normal, Suggs has dropped a significant amount of weight as well.
There is no indication as to how much weight Suggs has lost, but for a player who looked noticeably larger last season, any weight loss was necessary. With the injury in his past and more dedication to staying in shape, Suggs could return to 2011 form this season.
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Lewis was the lone player who was able to wear the two rings the franchise has earned

The Baltimore Ravens may have lost the two most important players in franchise history in Ray Lewis and Ed Reed this offseason, but that certainly wasn't bringing anyone down on Friday. Just about everyone on the team that won Super Bowl XLVII received the ultimate tangible reward relating to such a victory -- Super Bowl rings. Lewis, who retired after the win, and Reed, who signed with the Houston Texans, attended the ceremony at the team's headquarters in Owings Mills, Md.

"I always told them I wanted them to really feel what the confetti felt like," Lewis said. "Now to be here, to have something that symbolizes it, it's the ultimate because now it connects us forever. It took me 12 years to get back and get another ring. I want them to cherish what this moment feels like right now while we're world champs."

Lewis was the lone player who was able to wear the two rings the franchise has earned -- this new one, and the one the 2000 team won with a 34-7 thrashing of the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV. For the younger guys, it was the first ring, and the experience was surreal.

"To have it so close, it finally hit me, what exactly we accomplished together," defensive end Terrell Suggs said after the rings were presented. "It didn't take a year. It took me 11 years to get it. It took Coach [John] Harbaugh [from] when he got here in 2008. It finally paid off, all that blood given. There's not a word that describes what I'm feeling and all the emotions. The journey was long, but it was worth it. I will tell you this -- I damn sure want to feel like this again."

Lewis and quarterback Joe Flacco, who put up an MVP performance in the Ravens' 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers, had input on the design of the ring. Designed by Jostens, the ring has 40 round-cut diamonds outlining the Ravens' logo, and the franchise's two Lombardi trophies. Inside the ring, one will find one of Harbaugh's mottos -- "The team, the team, the team" -- and the scores of the Ravens' playoff wins.

"It's kind of un-wearable," Flacco said with a smile. "When I see people for the first time, I'm sure they're going to have some interest in seeing it or at least I'm going to have some interest in showing it off to them. So, I'm definitely going to bring it a couple of places. I wouldn't necessarily say I'm going to wear it, but it's pretty special."

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti ensured that John and David Modell, sons of the late former team owner Art Modell, were present for the ceremony and received rings. However, receiver Anquan Boldin and safety Bernard Pollard did not attend. Boldin was traded to the 49ers in the offseason, and Pollard signed with the Tennessee Titans, Those were two moves in a post-Super Bowl roster shake-up that also saw star outside linebacker Paul Kruger sign with the Cleveland Browns.

"It really symbolizes that this is the last time we're all going to be together as a team, and it's definitely a special moment," receiver Torrey Smith said. " I didn't cry or anything, but I can see how women feel when they get a ring. It has a lot of different meanings. There will never be another season like this. We can win the Super Bowl every year while I'm in the league, and there will be nothing like this one."