Tag: Chris Hewitt

Ravens pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt discusses deep and versatile secondary

Ravens pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt discussed the potential packages that the team’s 2024 secondary can run

The Baltimore Ravens will have plenty of options over the course of the 2024 season when it comes to their secondary. The talented group is flushed with incredible players, especially those with key NFL experience.

When speaking to the media, Baltimore pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt discussed the potential packages that his group could possibly run. He mentioned safety Kyle Hamilton in his answer but also made sure to talk about the depth that the unit has, as he’s not expecting anything to change drastically.

“I don’t really think that it changes anything more than what we’ve been doing over the last couple [of] years, [we have] a lot more talent and a lot more depth so that we can do some things, but as far as changing this or that, I really don’t see that. Kyle [Hamilton]’s going to be who he is. He’s going to be the guy who’s a Swiss Army knife. We’re going to continue to keep on moving him around. I don’t see that changing much. But again – to what you were talking about – we do have a lot [of] more depth where we can do a little bit more, but I don’t see it changing drastically.”

Hamilton is a do-it-all player for the Ravens, and should play a massive part of what the team is trying to do on the defensive side of the ball this season. Along with the rest of the players surrounding Hamilton such as Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Williams and others, Baltimore’s secondary is expected to once again be near the top of the league in terms of both talent and production.

Ravens pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt compares Kyle Hamilton to a mythical creature

Ravens pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt compared safety Kyle Hamilton to a mythical creature

The Baltimore Ravens found a star in safety Kyle Hamilton. The team invested the 14th overall pick in the 2022 draft in him, and he has paid off in the biggest way, bringing high-level play, intensity, and energy to the field every week.

Baltimore pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt spoke to the media and was asked about Hamilton and what he brings. He compared the third-year safety to a mythical creature, calling him a unicorn that’s one-of-one.

“I think Kyle [Hamilton] is a unicorn. He’s a one of one. There are not many guys who [can] come along like that. He’s like a generational-type player. You don’t see many guys who are six-foot-four, who can run and change direction the way he does. He still plays with violence; he’s not a finesse player. He’s got it all. He’s a different player, and he is very unique. There are not many players in the league or coming into the league that I see that look like that.”

The comparison is a good one for Hamilton, who you can’t find anyone like in the league. He is the team’s Swiss army knife, and he can play almost any role on the defensive side of the ball that is asked of him while doing it at an extremely high level.

5 defensive coordinator options for new Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh

Here are a few potential candidates for the Chargers’ defensive coordinator position under Jim Harbaugh.

The Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh to be the new head coach on Wednesday.

While Los Angeles still needs to find a general manager, the next thing on the to-do list is to fill out the coaching staff. Harbaugh will make the decision on who he wants on his staff in 2024.

That said, here are five options for the team’s defensive coordinator.

Every coach reportedly connected to Jaguars’ defensive coordinator job

The Jaguars are on the hunt for a new defensive coordinator after firing Mike Caldwell earlier in January.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are on the hunt for a new person behind the wheel of their defense. After allowing at least 28 points in four of their last six games during a disastrous tailspin that ended their 2023 season, the team fired defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell.

While the team wasted no time lining up interviews, it’s also possible the Jaguars’ search for someone to fill the vacancy could take some time. As head coaching positions fill up, some of the high profile coaches who missed out on those jobs could be prime candidates to join Doug Pederson’s staff.

For now, there’s still a handful of names who have already emerged as potential defensive coordinator choices for the Jaguars.

Here’s a running list of every coach who has reportedly received interest from Jacksonville in the search for Caldwell’s replacement:

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt expresses excitement about new additions

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt expressed excitement over the new additions that the team has made

The Baltimore Ravens approached the 2022 offseason with the goal of improving their team, which they were able to do through multiple avenues. They secured multiple high-profile free agents while also having a phenomenal draft in which they selected 11 talented players.

Following one of Baltimore’s mandatory minicamp sessions, Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt was asked about how excited he was about the team’s new additions. He said that the story has yet to be written, but he’s happy with where they’re at right now.

“That story’s yet to be written. But, as of today, as we went out there on the field, I’m happy with where we are right now. But, we have a long way to go as a secondary and just putting all of those pieces together. We’ll see where we end up first game. The one thing I can say is this; when you have good players it makes you a good coach. I don’t know that there’s a good coach out there that doesn’t have good players, and we have a lot of them. So, I expect to be a good coach this year.”

Baltimore added former New Orleans Saints safety Marcus Williams and former Denver Broncos cornerback Kyle Fuller in free agency while selecting safety Kyle Hamilton as well as cornerbacks Jalyn Armour-Davis and Pepe Williams in the 2022 NFL draft. Each has the potential to contribute to the team in a different way, and as a whole the secondary looks upgraded compared to where it was last season.

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt discusses value of versatility in Baltimore’s secondary

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt discussed the value of versatility in the team’s secondary

The Baltimore Ravens value versatility in a big way on the defensive side of the ball. They have players that can line up at multiple different positions and provide value in a multitude of different roles, which opens up an incredible amount of options for what packages they can successfully run on the field.

Following one of Baltimore’s mandatory minicamp practices, Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt was asked about how much the versatility of players such as cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey, Pepe Williams and Kyle Fuller help. He talked about how that kind of interchangeability helps with disguises, as well as the flexibility that it brings.

“Well, it gives us the element of surprise. I’ve always believed in guys that are interchangeable; guys that are able to do different jobs and go out there and go play. It keeps the offense on their toes and not knowing what that particular guy is going to be doing, you can’t always find out where he’s going to be at. So, it’s going to help us as a defense, help us with our disguises. We’ll really be able to match up guys against certain players, so it’s going to give us plenty of flexibility that we’ll actually … We’ll definitely use that to our advantage.”

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt discusses what he’s seen from S Tony Jefferson II

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt talked about what he’s seen from safety Tony Jefferson II

The Baltimore Ravens have made many moves in their secondary in order ensure that the group has plenty of depth and many different contributors that can make an impact when called upon at both cornerback and safety. One of those players is safety Tony Jefferson II, who had a strong end to the 2021 season after being brought back by the team in the middle of the year.

Baltimore’s pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt spoke to the media after one of the Ravens’ mandatory minicamp practices, and was asked about what he’s seen from the veteran safety. Hewitt said that Jefferson hasn’t missed a step, and he’s happy that the former Oklahoma star is back in Baltimore.

“Tony [Jefferson II] hasn’t missed a step. Once he got back here and he was coming off the ACL [injury], he has no lingering effects from it. He looks like the Tony Jefferson that we signed whatever amount of years ago … What was that, 2017, or whatever it was? He’s still young and spry. I don’t believe – he might have just turned 30, I think. But, Tony brings a lot of energy and just like what you talk about, a lot of experience. He’s a leader, and he brings all the other guys together. [He] talks to anybody on the team, including the kicker. _(laughter)So, I’m really happy with Tony being here and we’ll see what happens going forward. But, I love having Tony around.”

Jefferson played in four games with the Ravens in 2021, but impressed in a big way. He finished with 17 tackles and one sack while also providing great run support and being solid in coverage. He also spent 2017-2019 with the team after signing a four-year contract during the 2017 offseason.

The veteran will be relied upon to be quality depth at the safety position, as well as one of the leaders on the team. He was able to earn himself another deal in Baltimore with his play in 2021, and hopefully he can build upon that during this upcoming year.

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt reveals why team wanted to add CB Kyle Fuller

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt talked about why the team wanted to add cornerback Kyle Fuller

The Baltimore Ravens made a solid late-offseason addition by signing cornerback Kyle Fuller to a one-year contract. The veteran has a plethora of valuable NFL experience under his belt, and should be able to provide quality depth behind fellow cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters.

After the second day of mandatory minicamp, Baltimore pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt was asked about the reasons why the team wanted to add Fuller to the mix. Hewitt talked about the need for a veteran corner, and the fact that he thought Fuller was the best available player that was left at his position.

“I just think that we needed a veteran corner. With our corner problems that we had last year, you could never have too many good corners and he was available … And I thought that he was the best available guy that was left. He’s going to be a great veteran presence to help us going forward, and I think that the guy has a lot more play left in his body.”

Fuller can play both on the inside or on the outside, which is extremely important to a team like the Ravens. Baltimore values positional versatility in a big way, and Fuller can provide depth at multiple different positions while also being able to step up in the event of an unforeseen injury.

Chris Hewitt talks about Ravens tackling issues on defense

Ravens pass game coordinator/secondary coach Chris Hewitt went into detail about the team’s tackling issues

The Baltimore Ravens have put together a 5-2 record through seven weeks of the 2021 season. Right now they are in the middle of their bye week, which means that they have an opportunity to learn about themselves and get better so that they can put together a good string of football in the second half of the season

One of the key issues for Baltimore has been their tackling. The team has missed countless tackles, giving up extra yards on plays that should only go for short gains. Ravens pass game coordinator/secondary coach Chris Hewitt went into detail about how good tackling happens, and what Baltimore can do to improve.

“Tackling really starts with a mindset, and it’s a ‘want to,’ and we’ve just got to get that put across to our players. We’ve just got to have that mentality all the time. And to answer your question, there are a lot of times where … There are all kinds of issues where it’s a guy not pointing [towards] the ball, or a guy not containing the ball, a guy thinking that he’s tackling by himself. You never want a guy to go out there and think that he’s got to make the tackle by himself. There are 11 guys out there, and we’ve just got to play with our leverage and play with the great effort that we have always had. But what we’re doing is … There are just a bunch of things that happen on each individual play. When every play is graded individually, it’s all different. So, that’s just something that we’ve just got to get better [at]. We’ll keep on coaching it, and our players are going to continue to keep on getting better, and again, it’s a mindset.”

While the Ravens have certainly been one of the worst tackling teams in the NFL through seven weeks, they have the talent to improve that area of their game. Tackling should be a major point of emphasis for the team during their bye week, and hopefully during the second half of the season the defense will make the necessary changes to wrap up ball carriers and bring them to the ground at a much higher rate.

CB Tavon Young is back healthy and playing better than ever before

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Tavon Young has been turning heads at training camp after missing all of last season with a neck injury.

The Baltimore Ravens might have the most dangerous secondary in the entire NFL right now. Even though the team just cut Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas following a fight with fellow safety Chuck Clark, it’s hard to ignore just how deep and impressive the roster is on the backend. What makes the group even more exciting is getting cornerback Tavon Young back healthy and playing at a high level again.

Young missed the entire 2019 season with a neck injury, but he has done nothing but turn heads with his performances in camp so far. Baltimore pass defense coordinator Chris Hewitt said earlier this week that having Young back on the field was like “having another first-round draft pick coming back.”

Speaking to the media on a Zoom call on Tuesday, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh remarked that Young “looked great,” noting that he looked “like he picked up right where he left off before.” Harbaugh also added that he “can’t wait to see him play this year” and believes Young is a “special kind of guy.”

It wasn’t only the coaching staff that had words of praise for Young. Outside linebacker Tyus Bowser also had nothing but good things to say about his returning teammate.

“He has a strong mindset. He has great pride in himself and he’s definitely confident in himself to go out there and come back and be who he is. I feel like he’s even better than what he was before. You can see it out there. He’s playing fast, he’s moving fast, and it’s great to see that. It’s great to see him back on the field. I missed him from these last couple of years. I’m definitely looking forward to this year to see what he can do.”

Defensive end Derek Wolfe is a newer member of the Ravens after coming over from the Denver Broncos this offseason via free agency. But just because Wolfe is a newcomer to the team, he wasn’t shy about what he has seen so far, noting that Young’s ability “is unbelievable” and that “the sky is the limit” for him.

Young certainly seems to be enjoying himself and performing like a top cornerback throughout training camp. He’s stuck to his assigned receivers like glue, according to BaltimoreRavens.com writer Ryan Mink, despite seemingly being outmatched at times physically. Young has beaten bigger guys like tight end Mark Andrews, and faster guys like Marquise Brown, according to Press Box’s Bo Smolka.

If Young can pick up right where he left off, both he and the Ravens will be in good shape. Though Young has missed two of the four years he’s been in the league, he’s been productive when he’s been on the field. In 31 games, Young has come down with three interceptions, four fumble recoveries (including two returned for touchdowns), two sacks, and 90 combined tackles.

Young has also taken a bit of a leadership role as well. After the unfortunate situation with Thomas, Young was quick to point out that the secondary would move on after the unfortunate events of the weekend.

“We all have a tight camaraderie and we’re a tight group. The main thing is communication, and we all have that. Everybody knows the playbook. It’s been cool.”

The Ravens defensive backfield will certainly look a little different in 2020 than it did a year ago. But if Tavon Young can continue in his current vein, that may not be such a bad thing.

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