Ravens rush linebacker Terrell Suggs traditionally doesn't dodge questions from reporters, but when it comes to his weight, he's a closed book.
The longest-tenured Raven didn't want to discuss what his weight ballooned to after months of inactivity following surgery to repair his torn left Achilles' tendon. And during his news conference following Thursday's practice, he also wouldn't disclose what his playing weight is now, even as he looks noticeably leaner and he's drawn praise from head coach John Harbaugh for being in "excellent" shape.
"I ain't going to tell you," said Suggs who is listed as 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds on the Ravens' roster. "We lost a lot, we worked real hard and we're out here."
Suggs' conditioning as he enters training camp has been a popular topic as he's entered the twilight of his career. But there was more focus on it this summer because he's playing on two surgically-repaired Achilles tendons. The 33-year-old spent a good portion of the summer at the team facility working on getting healthy and fit. He's also been forced to change his diet to make sure he keeps the weight off.
"I'm not a big fan of food, but when I do eat, I like to eat," Suggs said. "I like my fried chicken, my pizza, my peaches and my Gefilte fish. I had to cut all that out. I still eat the peaches, though, and a little bit of the fish but that's about it."
Suggs, who practiced for the first time in 11 months on Monday, did a little bit more each day in practice. He won't play Saturday night in the Ravens' second preseason game Saturday night in Indianapolis. However, Suggs said he would have "some interest" in getting into a preseason game. The most likely scenario would be Suggs playing a series or two in next week's third preseason game against the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank Stadium.
Suggs acknowledged that being in good shape and being in football shape are two different things, and he has a ways to go before he feels like he's in football shape. Still, he made no attempt to diminish what it has meant to him to be back on the field with his teammates, many of whom have credited Suggs' presence for increasing the energy level during the workouts.
"It feels good, man, because that's where I actually belong," Suggs said. "I don't need to be in a bed with my foot up. I need to be on a football field, so it definitely felt really good to be back out here."
A form of flattery?: The first thing you notice about Ravens new defensive line coach Joe Cullen is his intensity. As he presides over drills in training camp, Cullen gets down in a crouch and reacts to each movement by his defensive linemen. During 11-on-11 segments of practice, Cullen sprints toward the defensive front after each play to cajole, criticize or commend one of his players.
The next thing you notice – or hear – is Cullen's voice, which is probably best described as a shriek.
"My voice changes real drastically after three days of camp," Cullen said Wednesday.
Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is known for impersonating former teammate Ray Lewis and actor Matthew McConaughey. He's added a Cullen impression to his repertoire. "Tuck has a pretty good impression, from what I hear," Cullen said.
Cullen joked "if they are not talking about you, there's something wrong."
Asked about Cullen's voice, Ravens defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan compared his position coach to a character in the Adam Sandler movie, "The Waterboy."
"I think it's pretty easy to impersonate him," Jernigan said. "We all have fun with Coach Joe all the time about the way he talks."
End zone: Rookie fourth-round running back Kenneth Dixon is emerging as a legitimate candidate to return kicks and punts for the Ravens. He said he didn't play special teams at all at Louisiana Tech and the last time he returned kicks was in high school. … Thursday's practice marked the end of the training camp phase, and was the last one fans are invited to attend. "The fans have been great," Harbaugh said. "They've been here every day. They've been fun. The stands have been full. Kids have been numerous." … Nearly an hour after practice had ended, wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. was still on the field signing autographs for fans, posing for pictures and talking to military members.
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