Aaron Rogers skipping JETS Mandatory MiniCamp | Robert Saleh | Ravens vs Zach Orr | SC ESPN

uh he had an event that was very important to him um which he communicated it's a great opportunity too for Tyrod um to get reps with the ones over the next couple of days but as far as Aaron I mean he's he's been in the league for a while he's played at a very high level I think it it'll be more beneficial for for Tyrod than a loss for Aaron NFL reporter Jeff Darlington and NFL analyst Marcus Spears joins us now on Sports Center let's start here with Jeff what more can you tell us about why Aaron roders is not at mandatory mini camp today well I can tell you at the very least that he's not there because he has decided that something is more important than the mini camp itself right now he has talked to the team Robert cah noting that this is an unexcused absence but I can tell you based on my conversations that he did make clear to the team that he would be missing these days of mini camp and ultimately the team is not upset with him the source echoed to me that look Aaron has been at everything throughout this offseason he communic IND ated this in advance just because it's an unexcused absence does not mean that we are upset about that absence so say what you will about it it certainly feels like something to talk about in June but the Jets at least trying to dismiss this as nothing to see here in terms of Aaron Rogers missing or mini camp okay uh you and I can debate and discuss and talk about this but from a player perspective swagu if you're in that Jets locker room how are you reacting to Roger not being there I mean it dep it depends on the individuals care but um for me I would think a lot of guys are like look yo man this Aaron rers two-time MVP in the last five years we know what kind of player he is he's been around to build some of those relationships with a lot of guys that are holdovers on this roster roster so I'm sure the sentiment is not negative I just think about it from having everyone together for the first time standpoint and obviously you have training camp coming in so I'm not going to have a visceral reaction to this unless something else develops and he misses something else or he misses something in training camp which I don't foresee and I don't think it's going to happen but the guys in the locker room are going about their business they're focused on making sure that they're ready making a good impression on the coaches and that's one of the B biggest misconceptions in the NFL is that we worry about what teammates are doing um how it impacts us and affects us the trust has been built by Aaron R just over the years of playing at a very high level and you are so Uber focused on what you need to be doing in order to get ready and The Impressions that you are making that you honestly don't have time to worry about it yeah and to your point uh if he shows up in July no one's talking about what happened in June so if you show up in July like you showed up in these other OTAs we just move on and turn the page to the next drama that surrounds this team Jeff Marcus thank you so much coming out see are these dogs on the team and it's just about staying hungry we hunt as a pack and just like I think of like uh safaris and things like that like a pack of hyenas like lions or whoever it is don't really want to run up on those guys so I feel like we got that kind of mindset um and guys on all three levels um and we play hard and effort is something that uh we'll never question and just being relentless and everything we do and I feel like if we do that our talent would take care of everything else back here with with Marcus Spears let's take a look at the off season with the Ravens they add running back Derrik Henry but then they lost all pro linebacker Patrick Queen and defensive coordinator Mike McDonald what are your expectations for this defense to hit the ground running C they kept Zack or who was in the organization he's now the newly uh Meed defense coordinator he's he's been on record as saying I don't need to change much we saw how phenomenal this defense was now I'm sure he's going to put his stamp on certain things but this is still a defense that's based off the ability of what your players can do those players that come to mind Kyle Hamilton the safety Justin matab the D tackle that was awarded a new contract and I'm really interested to see if Marlon Humphrey can get back to being one of the elite cornerbacks in this league but I think this defense stays very similar to what they did under Mike McDonald they were one of the best in the league so there is no need to change it and the Baltimore Ravens organization is known for that type of continuity that type of stability uh with Harbaugh leading leading the charge there so I I I think it'll be a lot of the same this team would be competitive in the AFC and should be vying for an opportunity at AFC Championship in Super Bowl let's stay in the AFC North here the Browns they began mini camp today looking to make another playoff run the key will be Deshawn Watson's Health Joe flacko came off his couch helped this team to the postseason as Watson was injured and Watson has something to say to the doubters I don't look at it in a negative way I don't look at it in a bad way you know each each and every fan each and every media person you know they want to see me at a level that I'm capable of doing so that's the standard and so um I got to make sure I hold myself to it so it's not a bad thing it's not anything like that I don't I don't get involved with you know people trying to rake me some you know places where you know they think I'm at the bottom of the list you know it is what it is if I was at the bottom no one would talk about me so obviously if anyone is talking about me and going continue to talk about me then I must be pretty damn good he was pretty darn good when we talk about what he did at Houston on the field now what you where's your confidence here when we talk about the Browns that contend for the AFC North title this is one of the Prime examples Kev of what you do speak so loudly I can't hear a damn word you saying and that's all that matters that's all that desan Watson uh should be thought of uh we know the heights that he reached in Houston and and that's why it was so much um to do about him coming over to the Cleveland Browns with this roster who showed you that they can go to the playoffs if they get competent quarterback play as Joe flacko did last year Health has been an issue for him obviously and you would like to see him healthy and hopefully you can determine what he is and if the $230 million guaranteed was worth uh where these guys can potentially go but when you think about this division with the Pittsburgh Steelers who's gotten better this off season if Cincinnati can stay healthy with Joe burrow obviously they have some things going on with t Higgins and we just finished talking about the Baltimore Ravens it's going to be a quarterback that determines the difference it's going to be him playing at a very high level so as much as deshun Watson has been