Jul 23, 2025; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback DeAndre Hopkins (10) warms up during training camp at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

Ravens Defense Hopes to Benefit From Veteran Receiver

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 7:00 AM ET

While the vast majority of the Baltimore Ravens fanbase remains concerned with which of their fringe-NFL players will survive the final round of late-August roster cuts, the team's coaching staff is locked into how they can tweak the on-field product they'll debut in next week's season opener.

Senior Defensive Assistant and Secondary Coach Chuck Pagano is already working with a stacked deck, inheriting arguably the league's best cornerback room and working for one of the best front offices at acquiring talent, but he's still remaining dogged in maintaining the position group's edge.

The former Indianapolis Colts head coach has plenty of experience attempting to shut down top opposing pass-catchers like DeAndre Hopkins, and now that they're sharing a locker room, Pagano is already attempting to integrate the former star's experience into his preparatory tactics.

"He frustrated us for a long, long time, being in the AFC South, having to go against him all those years...he's just so crafty, and such a great route runner, and so savvy, and he knows every trick in the book on how to get open, how to create separation, you can cover him with a blanket and he'd still come down with the ball," Pagano told reporters on Tuesday.

“You could cover @DeAndreHopkins like a blanket and he’d still come down with the ball. ” Coach Pagano pic.twitter.com/LVrc9ZvxNq
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 26, 2025

"It's great for our guys, because they know if they can line up against him in practice and do a good job and hold him down and make a play... and just to have a chance to sit down with him and say, 'Hey, what are you seeing? What am I giving away from a technique standpoint, a leverage standpoint? What am I doing wrong in press against you? What can you tell me about this guy that you played with?' There's so much knowledge and so much wisdom there to be had."

Those close to the Ravens' training camp know that Baltimore is looking for in-game production beyond whatever tips Hopkins has to provide, but his presence alone has already done a number on how the already-talented secondary can approach their season of meeting expectations. He's not only emerged as a mentor for younger wide receivers, as he's begun providing his thoughts to coordinators on both sides of the football.

The 3x First Team All-Pro wideout has already added fuel to Nate Wiggins' fire, sparking the hot young cornerback's competitive spirit as fellow Clemson alumna-turned-teammate.

The cornerback rotation already has plenty of accolades to go around between longtime Raven Marlon Humphrey and newcomer Jaire Alexander, and giving them a former star to still test them can make them even stronger in preparing for the Bills in Week 1.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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