Matt Elam, the Frugal Strong Safety

Matt Elam is like a lot of Americans in his eagerness to save money.

With rookie contracts fixed for the most part, Elam figured he'd form a team of those close to him so that he wouldn't end up owing a chunk of change to an agent.

“Yeah, I saved a lot of money. It was beneficial to me and my family, so I felt – like I said – I’m invested in the program and to the organization," Elam said after Baltimore's training camp practice on Tuesday. "And like I said, I built the team that helped me, that gave me the knowledge and taught me a lot of things for me to look over the contract and know it to a ‘T.’”

Elam signed a four-year deal worth $6.76 million that he agreed to a week ago on Sunday. His estimated savings are almost $203,000.

Elam has also done his part to be prepared for the rigors of camp. He's down to 200 pounds and has already made an impression in just one practice featuring rookies, quarterbacks and injured veterans.

“Nothing negative whatsoever – positive in every way," coach John Harbaugh said when asked about Elam. "Certainly young, certainly he’ll make a few mistakes here and there, but Matt will make them fast. He’s a very aggressive player, very smart, and he’s going to be a key contributor for us.”

One thing motivating Elam is seeing his teammates donning their Super Bowl rings around the facility. Seeing the hardware recognizing them as champions has made him want one of his own.

"It gives me hunger," Elam said. "It gives me desire. It makes me want to go out – and I see what they do and see how they work to get the ring – and that makes me want to go out and work the same way, so I can do whatever I can to help the team get another ring.”

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