Overview
- Starks told The Athletic that he plans to work again with former coach Jon Gruden, a reunion he described as a return to the pre-draft relationship that helped prepare him for the NFL.
- He has added muscle in the offseason, moving up from about 202 pounds last season to as high as 214 in training and weighing 207 at a recent check, and has incorporated pilates into his routine to improve movement.
- The decision comes as the Ravens begin Year Two under head coach Jesse Minter, whose NFL work with the Chargers used safeties in more varied roles and is shaping how Starks is preparing.
- Gruden remains a Super Bowl-winning coach who has not led an NFL team since 2021 and is a controversial figure because of offensive emails revealed in 2021 and a lawsuit he filed against the NFL.
- If Starks translates this work into on-field play, it could change his snap usage and physical role next season and affect the team’s rotation with Kyle Hamilton and Jaylinn Hawkins, so observers should watch how Minter deploys the safety group in training camp.