The Baltimore Ravens kicked off their mandatory minicamp Tuesday, and it didn't take long for veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins to make an impression on his new quarterback.
"That guy's dope. He's different," Lamar Jackson said of Hopkins. "I threw him a shallow today, (he) caught the ball so smooth. I don't even think he put his other hand on the ground to get up. ... That's some super vet-type stuff.
"I'm looking forward to throwing a lot of touchdowns to him this year."
Hopkins, 33, signed a one-year contract with Baltimore this offseason after finishing the 2024 campaign with the Kansas City Chiefs. The three-time first-team All-Pro caught 56 passes for 610 yards and five touchdowns last year during stints with the Tennessee Titans (six games) and Chiefs (10).
The seven-time 1,000-yard wideout said Tuesday he's excited about joining the Ravens, highlighting the team's chemistry.
"The camaraderie, how close guys are," Hopkins said when asked what stands out about Baltimore. "That's what makes a great football team. They do things not just on the field but off the field together."
Hopkins is joining a Ravens depth chart highlighted by a pair of former first-round wide receivers in Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. Flowers led the club with 74 receptions and 1,059 yards in 2024.
The Jackson-led Ravens have won 25 games over the past two seasons. However, the team lost to the Chiefs in the AFC title game in 2024 and fell short in the divisional round versus the Buffalo Bills in January. The two-time NFL MVP believes his team is on the right track, though.
"Before, it was like, 'Oh, you can't win a playoff game.' Then, we won a playoff game. We got to the AFC championship," Jackson explained, according to ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "We just fell two games short this year. We're going to bounce back. And when we come back, I feel like we're going to have vengeance on our mind."
Jackson and Co. will have an early chance for revenge when they kick off their new season against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 7.
