The Baltimore Ravens will open the doors in Owings Mills for organized team activities this week and the questions about Justin Tucker’s “football decision” departure will begin the proceedings of getting ready for the 2025 season. Luke Jones and Nestor prep you for the football of OTAs and more kicking questions for the Ravens’ brass in Owings Mills.
Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the start of the Ravens’ OTAs, focusing on the absence of Justin Tucker and the potential impact on the team. They highlight the voluntary nature of OTAs, the importance of player attendance, and the upcoming contract negotiations for players like Kyle Hamilton and Tyler Linderbaum. Jones mentions the potential for a new kicker, Tyler Linderbaum, to step up, noting the team’s history with kickers. They also touch on the ongoing NFL investigation into Tucker’s conduct and the potential consequences for his career.
Luke Jones and Nestor get read…ons for Ravens in Owings Mills
Mon, May 26, 2025 10:30PM • 26:28
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Ravens OTAs, Justin Tucker, football season, Tyler Linderbaum, Kyle Hamilton, contract negotiations, NFL investigation, player attendance, training camp, rookie evaluation, injury updates, kicker competition, team roster, mandatory minicamp, Baltimore positive.
8
SPEAKERS
Speaker 1, Nestor Aparicio, Luke Jones
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
Welcome home. We are W, N, S T. Am 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We are Baltimore positive. And this is officially football season. I’m wearing my curio purple, uh, football gear. I’m geared up. It’s OTAs. We got many dude. I have to do something with the baseball team being on the skits at 15 games under 500 when it’s not supposed to be but Luke is going to take a little bit of a timeout from Oriole Park at Camden Yards this week. They are going to allow him out in Owings Mills and nobody with the OTAs are about this year a little later. You know rookies the calendars strained a little bit differently at this point, but they’re going to get back out there and there’ll be questions about Justin Tucker in his football decision. I’m sure, yeah,
Luke Jones 00:54
I mean, there’ll, there’ll be some questions I’m sure. I’m not sure how many answers there’ll be, as I and other reporters will point out, all you can do is ask the questions. It doesn’t mean you’re going to like the answer or you’ll get an answer. But yeah, we’re at the point now where we’re advancing to the final stages of the off season program. Of course, it always starts in mid April. You know, the first earliest weeks are just lifting and conditioning things of that nature. The last couple of weeks, they’ve done more of what, yeah, they’ve, I guess, in recent years, they’ve kind of coined it as football school. You know, they’re kind of teaching the young guys. They’re teaching newcomers how to practice, so to speak. They’re kind of teaching them, you know what, their systems all about all that kind of stuff. But you get to OTAs, and you’re at a point now where it’s still voluntary, but you’re finally at a point where you can start to play, you know, full team, 11 on 11 practice. It’s still, you know, it’s hardball. Is even said in recent years. You know, this time of year, you’re still not really full blown competing with one another. You’re working against each other, but you’re not going all out in the way that, hey, you can expose yourself to injury. You know, you’re still taking care of each other out there, but now this is when we get to the point where you’re starting to practice, albeit in shorts. Anyone who’s done this long enough knows that there’s not a whole lot to take away from this right now. I said this to you even kind of flippantly before we begin our segment in some ways, as a reporter, the these earliest OTAs. It’s kind of a little bit like babysitting, in the sense that you’re kind of out there in case, you know, heaven forbid, there’s a catastrophic injury, you need to be there and report on it if it happens, not that you want it to, but these earliest practices. I mean, you’re, you know, sure, I want to see what Malachi Starks looks like, and I want to see what some of these rookies look like, and sure, if DeAndre Hopkins is there, then great. You know, if he’s catching some passes and looks like DeAndre Hopkins, great. But
Nestor Aparicio 02:53
8if they get assigned numbers, it’s your chance to learn numbers, right? Sure, yeah, absolutely,
Luke Jones 02:56
that, that that is part of it, right? I mean, that that is part of you know, I used to do this professionally
Nestor Aparicio 03:01
for a long, long time, sure. So like that, that was always the thought, what number is he wearing? Where is he lining up? Who’s unavailable to practice? And I care which veterans around, what veterans aren’t.
Luke Jones 03:14
What’s funny is, I kid you not. I’m looking at the Ravens roster right now, and I’m already starting to notice, oh, Sanusi Kane changed his number. He’s wearing number 21 now. Like, so, like, those are the things that I’m kind of looking at. But in terms of, like, observations, in terms of who looks great, who doesn’t, who’s there, who isn’t, it doesn’t mean a whole lot. We know that, and I get it because of what you said the Orioles have been so miserable that, yeah, we probably, the typical fan, will be paying attention a little bit more. But in terms of anything that’s really going to be all that consequential, the only consequential things that happen, or what we found out about our Darius Washington, unfortunately, a couple of weeks ago, you know, with the torn Achilles, those are really the only truly consequential things that take place this time of year. But it’s still neat to see these guys running around. And you know, we’ll get an early idea of where the ravens are with, say, the number three safety spot, you know, which I still think they’re before it’s all said and done, I expect them to add a veteran to that mix after the Washington injury. But you know, you want to see that Malachi Starks belongs, and you want to see some of these other young guys do some good things. I mean, it’s better than the alternative. At the same time, I could go through and give you probably my all spring team over the last 15 years of covering the team guys that really impressed me this time of year never heard from him again. And then other guys who didn’t necessarily impress early on and ended up being really good.
8Nestor Aparicio 04:46
So Bobby Rainey, I mean that to me. That’s always going to be the bobby I’ll give you.
Luke Jones 04:50
I’ll give you a name. Dalen Hayes, who was a fifth round pick. What was that? 2021 maybe he looked really. Good in the spring, it never materialized, putting the pads on, you know. So I can give you names like that. I can, I can tell you vividly Mark Andrews was, in my eyes, very underwhelming his first training camp. And we he’s become one of the, you know, one of the better players in franchise history, you know, regardless of what his future holds after this year, but it just goes to show you, know it you’re playing football in shorts right now, and there’s just not a whole lot to take away that’s overly consequential, but it’s fun, and we’ll get to hear from some of these guys. We’ll see who’s out there. I will say this, from an attendance standpoint, I care very little other than I’ll be interested to see anyone that’s a pending free agent, like, for example, will mark Andrews be there for OTAs Where’s Kyle Hamilton going to be in terms of knowing that he’s going to be getting paid at some point here, whether it’s in the next two months or the next 18 months, that’s going to happen for him. But, you know, how does he handle you know, whether is he going to be here or not? So we won’t know if that’s imminent, right? That’ll just happen. Yeah, yeah. I mean, you know it’s not, I mean, they’re picking up his fifth year option. Well, that’s something for like, if we’re doing news today and we’re talking about what’s going on, people haven’t thought about the Raven since Justin Tucker or whatever, or since the draft even, no, I mean Hamilton being signed before August. Maybe. How do you put that percentage wise possible? You know, I think the more interesting one, though, is Tyler Linder bomb. Because keep in mind they declined his fifth year option. Because keep in mind for these fifth year options, when you’re talking about guys that have made Pro Bowls, like Hamilton and Linder bomb. Have they used? They basically use the franchise tag number. And we know offensive linemen. They lump them all together. So the problem with Tyler Linder bomb is, if you picked up the fifth year option, it was a left tackle number, basically. So they declined that. Now, push comes to shove. If you don’t get a deal done by next March, you could still franchise tag him, and it’s going to be the same exact number that the fifth year option was going to be. So Linder bomb, though, there’s a little more urgency to try to get something done with him, even if that’s not going to be as lucrative as what Kyle Hamilton, who, I think Hamilton is going to be fascinating, because that might not be easy to get done. No, no. Well, I think what’s interesting, like, if I were his agent, if I were Luke Jones putting on a sports agent hat right now, I’d say Kyle Hamilton’s not just the safety. So whatever you know in the top safety numbers, like 21 point 5 million per year, as far as AAV right now I would, I would try to to blow that out of the water saying this guy’s a hybrid player. It’s not just a safety. He plays nickel for you. He can blitz plays the run, plays in the box. He can play deep safety. He saved your bacon last year when Marcus Williams was a disaster. So I think that’s going to be a fascinating potentially could be a fascinating to go, what does he see a $30 million year? I mean, I don’t know if it’s 30, but I, I would say it ain’t 20. I, if I were his agent, I’d be looking for 25 at a minimum, like I’d be like, trying to in the same way that, remember, there was always, you know, when Terrell Suggs, way back when, there was that debate, you know, should, you know, should his franchise tag number be a linebacker or a defense. Ed Reed,
Nestor Aparicio 08:22
I mean, I vividly remember Sure, Brian saying to me, you know, Ed, your your safety, your your safety, but, but he
Luke Jones 08:30
8wasn’t just the safety, right? And that’s part of the that’s part of what’s tricky when you’re talking about transcendent players. So, but you know, just to bring it back
Nestor Aparicio 08:39
to Glenn, Eunice says too, by the way. So yeah, sure, no question, but,
Luke Jones 08:43
but that’s those are the types of players to me that not that it’s a big deal if they’re not there for OTAs, per se, because I’m sorry I’ve seen it enough times Now, assuming it’s someone that’s trustworthy, that you know they’re going to be in shape and do what they need to do. I don’t really care if they’re here this time of year. I don’t even Lamar, like we talked about this with Lamar the last couple years, Lamar didn’t go to, didn’t attend all the OTAs last spring, and he just had the best regular season of his career. So do I think that’s the do? I think the missing piece for him breaking through in January is attending a couple more OTAs, no, I don’t. I mean, I just don’t, you know, you’re not going to get me to change my feeling on that, but I do think it can be, attendance can be indicative of whether a player and the team is on, they’re on the same page. And we talked about that a lot with Lamar during his contract two, three years ago. So, so that’s where I think it’s interesting, you know, in terms of whether Andrews will be there or not, whether Hamilton will be there or not, whether Linder bomb will be there or not, those are the guys that you know, beyond the rookies and all the fringe guys that need to be there, because, hey, their jobs not guaranteed. You know, that’s what you’re kind of looking at. And again, I think it’s more something that can reflect. Reflect maybe a bigger issue at times, but you know, again, in most cases, everything that we’re going to talk about, everything that I’m going to write about. You know, when I do my 12 ravens, thoughts about the first OTA, which you know, people will read right now, because we’re all interested, we’re all curious, but none of us are going to remember any of it two weeks from now, let alone two months or four months from now, unless somebody gets hurt. And that’s where you just keep your fingers crossed and just say, hey, get through this. Get the work done you want to get done as a coaching staff, and then get these guys off the field. Luke
Nestor Aparicio 10:33
Jones will be running around Owings Mills, the Orioles are running around Oriole Park at Camden Yards in last place, which I think brings even more focus onto the Ravens. The Tucker thing will be the first questions, right? That’s, that’s where it starts.
8Luke Jones 10:46
Thinks so, right? Yeah. I mean, you would think so. I mean, I’m guessing John Harbaugh and we talked about this three weeks ago at this point, so it’s nothing new. I mean, they’re going to, I’m sure he will say something flattering about what Justin Tucker meant to the organization, as a player, as someone who was a seven time Pro Bowl kicker, it’ll be in the same vein of what Eric Decosta statement was when they released him three weeks ago. But I’m guessing there will be very much a sense of wanting to turn the page as quickly as possible. And you know, whether that’s two questions, three questions, whatever it is. I’m guessing it’s not going to amount to much, and I’m not judging that that’s okay or not okay or whatever. I think that’s just where it’s going to be. And then, you know, the proverbial page will be turned because then inevitably, it’ll be okay. How’s Tyler loop looking? How’s John Hoyland, the other kicker they brought in? How’s he looking? We’re going to be tracking their kicks between now and the end of August to see who wins the job, right? We’re going to be tracking whoever gets the job if they’re going to keep the job. But, yeah, I mean, I think, you know, there’s obviously questions to be asked about Tucker again. Does that mean we’re going to get any answers?
Nestor Aparicio 11:57
How’s that investigation going? Roger Well, and
Luke Jones 12:01
that’s, you know, and this is kind of gets into what we talked about a few weeks ago. I mean, you know, they said it’s a football decision. We know it’s not really. I mean, was part of it a football decision? Sure, in the in the vein that he had a bad season last year, it really is
Nestor Aparicio 12:15
8shame hardball’s nose doesn’t grow like Pinocchio. But, yeah, there’ll be, there’ll
Luke Jones 12:19
be a lot of coaches out there and have that problem, but, but,
Speaker 1 12:22
you know, at the same time, I mean, you know,
Luke Jones 12:27
I’m guessing they felt they needed to tread very carefully, because Justin Tucker also has his own legal team that is looking at the NFL investigation. You know, I’m guessing the ravens are trying to tread as carefully as they can in that regard. But
8Nestor Aparicio 12:42
in regard to Justin Tucker, it’s the rest of his career, and him getting his next job, and whatever this is going to be, that is newsworthy. It’s interesting. It’s journalism. What the Ravens knew in 2012 and 13 and 14 is still very interesting, even though, you know, these are all very legitimate questions, all of us legitimate. And you know, as is all of their lawyering up and running, and Chad Steele running and hiding, and the way they did this three weeks ago, on a Monday after Harbaugh did his no speak thing, which day after Yes, you read the tea leaves. Yeah. So, you know, it’s, it’s all very orchestrated. But the thing it’s not orchestrated is what Tucker’s next job is, and what the NFL is going to say or do in regard to suspensions and and time down. And also Tucker, who’s the whole way, said none of this ever happened, that he called the journalist scumbags. So you know, somewhere between the journalists or scumbags and I may have been inappropriate, or you were inappropriate. And take four games, six games, eight games a year, whatever, whatever they deem they’re going to deem, then he’s got to go get a get a gig, right? So, I mean, that’s still front page news here. Oh, no
Luke Jones 14:10
question. I mean, wherever he winds up, you know? And obviously there have been plenty of fans have joked about, oh, well, he could go to the Cleveland Browns, right? I mean, they already have Deshaun Watson, right? But, but I think, you know, you mentioned that, as far as, first of all, what is the timing of the investigation, concluding and the NFL putting out something, whether it’s a suspension, if it is a suspension, how long of a suspension, whether they put out any details or not? I mean, typically they, you know, they’re not going to,
Nestor Aparicio 14:39
typically, they get together with Tucker’s lawyers and negotiate whatever they’re going to release, right? I think what’s really going on, right? Think what’s,
Luke Jones 14:48
8what’s interesting about this? Let’s make the assumption that there’s a suspension of some length, you know, whether it’s a game or two, or whether it’s like Watson was, what, eight or nine games? What? Whatever it was, I think, for him and for his legal team, you know, to try to be strategic about this, from the standpoint of assuming you want to continue an NFL career somewhere, there’s going to have to be some expression of contrition, right? I mean, whether it’s you know, whether you know, it doesn’t mean a full blown confession, per se, but you know something along the lines of and where he can, where he can actually help himself in this way. Oh, it is so sleazy. I just need, I know. Well, I understand that Nestor but, but I’m also, I’m trying to be pragmatic talking about this. We’ve talked about this in a variety of ways over the last six months, but or five months. But I think where he can serve himself to earn another opportunity, receive another opportunity, somewhere is given the timeline of this, he can very much, and I don’t want to say hide behind but acknowledge I was young, I was not as mature. I clearly did not conduct myself in a way that I should have, regardless of what my intent was. If these individuals felt a certain way, I then that
Nestor Aparicio 16:16
I have to only issued a little bit of that.
Luke Jones 16:20
Yeah, when he, and that was his second one, right? I mean, that was what, the, what, what was the, it was the the I it was the article where, like, he was kind of quoted out, kick, whatever, whatever it is, drawing a blank on the, on the outlet. But I think he’s got to veer a little more in that direction, especially if another team, and let’s face it, at the end of the day, the 32 teams want to win, right? And we’ve talked about this with It’s why you and I, at various points were questioning if the Ravens were, in
Nestor Aparicio 16:56
fact, going to move on from him, as my wife said, he is really good kick, correct? And if
8Luke Jones 17:01
he had had a way different season than he did last year, we might be talking about Justin Tucker still being a raven at this point in time. But for him to continue a good football decision, then yeah, well, yeah, but, but for him to continue his career at some point, I do think there’s going to have to be a higher degree of contrition that that he shows in some shape or form, but, but what he does have working for him is the timeline of this, assuming the NFL does not have evidence of anything happening post 2016 which would change that dynamic a little bit. That’s something that he can, he can kind of default to, I I was young and dumb and I acted inappropriately. I don’t maybe if, even if I don’t necessarily agree with how all these were depict depicted, I still didn’t act the way that I should have, and I’m I apologize for that. I’ve grown a lot from that. I’m not the same guy that I was at age 23 in the same way that none of us are the same way that we are. We’re at age 23 regardless of what, what, what we’re talking about here. So I think he that’s where he probably can lean into that a little bit more and probably receive another shot, you know, with another team at some point in time. But a lot of it’s going to depend on what did the league find out? You know, is this? You know, is it in line with the banners reporting? Is it worse? Is it something they deem? Maybe some of it not as bad as accus accusations? I have no idea. Again, it’s pure conjecture at this point in time. But again, for it to be 16, you know, when you’re talking about that kind of number, he’s going to have to show more contrition. I don’t think there’s any way around that. And I’m guessing his legal team is going to tell him that too. You know, once this is out and once you’re serving whatever discipline the league deems here, you know you’re going to there’s going to be some damage control that needs to be done here if you want to kick again, or you can continue to deny, deny, deny, deny. And then, if that’s the case, I don’t know if another team will come calling, but showing some contrition, acknowledging, hey, I was young and dumb and did some things I shouldn’t have done. What? However, it’s going to be worded, you know. And again, I, I’m in agreement
Nestor Aparicio 19:18
with you that way, four months ago, and the Ravens might fell on him, maybe, maybe,
Luke Jones 19:22
I don’t know, maybe. And again, I’m not, I’m not saying any of this to make light of any of it. I’m, you know, I’m trying to put myself, I guess, in the trying to figure out what’s gonna happen the next four months for him, right? He wants the kick. I mean, he wants to continue his career, yeah. I mean, there’s going to have to be some of that, right? And I think I’m, I guess I’m thinking of it in the way that probably his legal team would be thinking about it right now, or anyone who’s doing publicity for him right now, there’s going to have to be kind of that, a little more contrition, a little more Yeah, I I messed up. And even, even if I don’t agree with you. Every way that it was characterized those interactions, I still didn’t act in a way that I’m proud of. And there’s a way to soft pedal that a little bit without, you know, I guess, fully admitting guilt. But also, you know, it’s kind of the, you know, it’s the whole what someone says they’re innocent, but they still apologize, and then say, well, if you’re innocent, what are you apologizing for? Right? I mean, that’s always the question, but there’s gonna have to be some of that. But until, until we get the league putting out something on this, the Ravens
Nestor Aparicio 20:32
8have really washed their hands of this. Oh, sure. The Costa had two questions in Indianapolis about it. Harbaugh dealt with a couple of seconds of it at the at the at the owners meetings, in a breakfast, and now they’re going to push it all away. And that’s that’s the end Well, and
Luke Jones 20:47
that’s where, and that’s where you kind of wonder why, you know, they could have just dealt with it back in the first the days after this came out. But as I said to you at the time, I’m guessing there was some wanting to have some semblance of due process. You know, obviously understanding it’s not actually due process, but the idea of what they would have, you know, what would be in mind for them, the idea of looking into it, hearing what, exactly what’s what. And, you know, I guess they wanted to go through that process. And as I said to you, I, for me. I, that’s why I always pointed to the draft. That was always for me. That was always the last to do anything until right. But, but, but from that point, if you were going to move on, that was kind of the cut off, because if you didn’t draft a kicker, if you didn’t, and then you’re making that move later on. Then that’s a, that’s a way different animal trying to replace them. Then, then you’re at the mercy of, okay, what veteran kickers are out there? Who’s cut, who’s released? You know, is there a trade to be made? Like, you know, that’s, that’s a much more slippery slope. Rather than they had Randy Brown do all the homework. They like Tyler loop a lot. They like this other kid from Wyoming as a, you know, someone to compete with him. And you know, we’re going to see how it plays out, you know, I mean, it’s possible six months from now, we’re talking about someone that isn’t even on the roster, that’s kicking for the ravens, because we’ve also seen how Steve Hauschka worked out replacing Matt Stover. You know, that lasted half a season, and then they brought in Billy Cundiff, and they did another competition the following summer. So, you know, when you’re talking about an organization that is entering its 30th year in Baltimore, and they’ve basically had two kickers for all but what? 2009 2010 2011 all but three years of their existence has been two kickers handling that. You know, I’m not going to bet against Tyler loop, because I have no ax to grind with Tyler loop. He seems like a nice enough kid talking to him a little bit that we’ve had a chance to talk to him since he was drafted, but history would suggest they’re not going to hit a home run with him in the way that they did with Justin Tucker, or the way they had Matt Stover all their well. And it’s a big job. It’s a bad fail job, especially for a Super Bowl contender, you know, a team that, you know, this isn’t a rebuilding, middling team where he’s gonna, you know, if he misses kicks, you know, if he misses a game winner in week two and and he misses, you know, a couple other big kicks against, say, Detroit on Monday Night Football, get the Brandon I treatment. He’ll, yeah, he’ll be gone, right? I mean, right. I mean, that’s why I said, I mean, I said, all along, even before they got rid of Tucker, I said, Tyler loop. Like, even if they get rid of Tucker, they’re not just handing Tyler loop the job. I mean, John Hoyland is the other kicker in camp. You know, the greatest
Nestor Aparicio 23:38
kicker of all time. The other guys a six round draft pick, yeah? But
Luke Jones 23:44
right, these two, and that’s the thing, I mean, a six round pick, yeah, they like him, yeah. If you ask John Harbaugh and Eric Decosta right now, who they think is going to be their kicker, week one, let alone week 11 or the playoffs, they want it to be Tyler loop, but it’s a six round pick. If this kid gets the yips the second week of training camp, he’s probably not going to be their kicker come week one, right? I mean, that’s just, that’s the nature of the beast. I mean, I said it for some perspective here the commanders who made it all the way to the NFC title game, they had four different kickers last year, I mean, and that’s a team that was really good, so it speaks to what this league is like, and that’s why, that’s why Justin Tucker is going to kick in the league again. It is. And that’s why the Ravens at least dragged it out as long as they did, you know, without just cutting him, even though they saw what the the allegations were. So, you know, we’re going to see how this plays out. I mean, it’s Tyler loops talented. I think they really do like him. I think that’s genuine, but until we see him do it with the lights on, and you’re not even going to learn that kind of learn that, no TAs, you’re not going to learn that in a preseason game. You’re going to learn that starting in September. And guess what? September is not going to be the same as December. Or January, when he’s kicking at Heinz Field in week 18, potentially in a game that could really matter one way or the other. So, you know, good luck to him. I mean, that’s those are big shoes to fill, regardless of any how anyone feels about Justin Tucker personally, that that’s still, that’s a big job that has to be filled. And I get it. Tucker wasn’t very good last year. I we all understand that, but that doesn’t mean that the next guy isn’t going to have really big expectations, because this football team has, yeah, they want to get to a Super Bowl, and you don’t Nestor. You don’t necessarily need to have the best kicker in the league to do that, but you’ve got to have someone you can trust. And Tyler loops got a long way to go to show that he can be that
Nestor Aparicio 25:39
guy that’s trustworthy. All right, I’m gonna make a football decision here and send Luke to the baseball stadium and then out to football. This week, it is OTAs. The ravens are back out on the field. This week, there will be questions for the organization, as well as first looks at Malachi Starks and a whole bunch of other players, as well as, you know, the Lamar and the Derrick Henry party and what the team is in the roquan Smith’s and the Ronnie Stanley’s in the you know, the veteran, Marlon Humphries, veteran players, working it out, chilling it out. The big mandatory is up in three weeks. Luke will be out there each and every week. You’ll get all that out of Baltimore. Positive, I am Nestor. He is Luke. Together, we are wnst am 1570 Towson, Baltimore, we never stop talking Baltimore, positive. I.
