OWINGS MILLS, Md. — DeShon Elliott’s challenge goes beyond getting thrust into his first starting role just three weeks before the start of the regular season.

With the Baltimore Ravens hastily dumping Earl Thomas, Elliott is being tasked to replace a seven-time Pro Bowl safety, an expected Hall of Fame talent and a founding member of “The Legion of Boom.”

There are plenty of questions that surround Elliott taking over as the center-fielder of the Baltimore defense, from his injury-filled history to his inexperience. What no one has any concerns about is Elliott shying away from supplanting one of the team’s biggest star players.

"I respect Earl and his game, but I’m not worried about Earl; I’m worried about me and what I can bring to this team for my teammates,” Elliott said. "I know I’m going to make my plays, [and] I know we’re going to strive to be great. So, whatever I have to do to do that, that’s what’s going to happen. Whether it’s eight picks, 10 picks or no picks, whatever I need to do to help my team be great and win every game we need to win to accomplish our end goal, that’s all I care about.”

While the casual NFL fan probably hasn’t heard of Elliott, anyone who lives in ear shot of the Ravens facility has likely heard him. Elliott is audible whether he’s on the field or off it, despite being a second-year player who’s been limited to six games in two seasons.

Lined up in the back of the defense, Elliott shouts out instructions. On the sideline, he’s playfully trash-talking teammates. His voice is the dominant one on a Ravens team that features a dozen Pro Bowl players from last year.

"He likes to talk,” coach John Harbaugh said. "It’s a good thing, most of the time. Sometimes, you have to tell him, ‘OK. I’ve heard enough.’”

It's rare to see Elliott quiet. He talks to coaches about coverages. He talks to his fellow defensive backs about the plays that just occurred on the field. Toward the end of Tuesday's practice, Elliott was talking to Jaleel Scott, trying to console the just-injured wide receiver.

Elliott is a spirited player for someone who has a lot of reasons not to be. After falling to the sixth round in the 2018 draft, he suffered a season-ending forearm injury in the second-to-last preseason game. Elliott fully recovered and played in Baltimore’s first six games last season before sustaining a season-ending knee injury.

That hasn’t done anything to diminish his brashness. Elliott goes by the nickname “Joker,” which was given to him by a college coach, who noticed the large Joker tattoo (Heath Ledger version from “The Dark Knight”) has on Elliott's left forearm.

"Just like the ‘Joker,’ you never know what’s going to happen,” Elliott said. “ We’re both going to come crazy, we’re both going to come wild, [and] we’re going to handle our business – no matter what.”

Ravens pass defense coordinator Chris Hewitt isn’t surprised by this type of chatter.

"He’s definitely a confident young man – sometimes too confident,” Hewitt said. "But he definitely doesn’t lack for confidence in any endeavor. He’s just been that kind of kid. He’s an energy bunny. He comes in the building and he’s just ready to go. When he gets out on the field, he brings the energy to the rest of the defense. He’s just one of those guys. I love the way that he plays.”

Thomas wasn’t the same playmaker in his only season in Baltimore. But he is one of 12 players in the last 40 seasons with at least 30 interceptions and seven Pro Bowl selections, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Of the other 11, all but one are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (only exception is Charles Woodson, who is eligible in Class of 2021).

That's the magnitude of this change at free safety for Baltimore. Thomas has more Pro Bowls (seven) than Elliott has games played (six).

In comparison to Thomas’ 8,398 career snaps, Elliott has played 36, including 17 on defense. What Elliott has to prove is the ability to cover in space. The Ravens are excited about Elliott’s upside and aggressiveness. Coaches rave about how he’s a hard-charging defensive back who attacks whatever is in front of him.

And, unlike Thomas, Elliott knows the defense, plays with discipline and has great chemistry with his teammates, who’ve been clamoring for him to get more playing time.

“It’s his time,” Harbaugh said. "So, here we go.”