Ravens working out TE Jake Ballard

[edthehead]

Well, it's understandable because of a few reasons: 

1.) Local guy/terp

2.) He has a load of potential with a lot of athleticism and a very good 40 time. 

3.) He had a few nice catches.

 

The problem with those things is that: 

1.) Nobody cares if he's a local guy in the NFL. 

2.) His potential and athleticism are negated by how raw he is. Most supporters claim that his LB-QB means he has a load of potential. I point to how it hindered his development in his final year. 

3.) His few nice catches mostly came against third or sometimes second stringers, if memory serves me right. 

 

I'd rather have Juszczyk at TE than Furstenburg at this moment. 

thanks

[The Raven]

If he's healthy, great. He's something.

[HarleypsychRN]

I think we're in trouble...

[Ravenskid52752]

Why not just use Juice more in the receiving game?

i said that too why draft a guy who can play FB/H-backand TE as well as Slot WR but only use him for ST?????

[BaltimoreBean]

i said that too why draft a guy who can play FB/H-backand TE as well as Slot WR but only use him for ST?????

Because Cam is a stubborn control fre.... Wait, nevermind.

[pep_meister]

He's not ready for the NFL yet. Blocking is bad. Despite his speed, he's had issues getting open. He had a lot to work on.

well as long as he can catch a leather ball, i'm a happy camper after last week. dallas and dickson cant block for shit. why is bajema not getting any looks?

[ravensdfan]

blech on Ballard.

 

Heap says he's healthy and looking to return to football. If we're left with old/injured TEs I'd rather take a chance on Heap.

 

I'd much rather they give Bajema, Furst a chance or try out Juice at TE.

[ratedr]

I think we're in trouble...

We are, that much is clear.

[reediddy]

Promote Furstenburg over him, Bajema = Ballard essentially

[Purple_ICE 81]

If the TE needy Patriots cut him...there is a reason. He is slowwww, plagued by knee injuires, and more of a blocker than a playmaker.

 

Not going to help our passing game.

[Guest Miles John]

Dennis Pitta needs to go up to Elysium stat and get his leg fixed. Ballard though? I just cried.

[rmw10]

I wouldn't be surprised if this is a tryout for multiple players, Ballard just happened to be the only name leaked.

[SecretAgentMan]

I wouldn't be surprised if this is a tryout for multiple players, Ballard just happened to be the only name leaked.

Yep. Rhodes, Heap, Velasco. I wouldn't mind any of them

[Purple_ICE 81]

Maybe Ozzie will put on the pads and go andplay TE again, hes probably better than who we've got and all the FAs out there.

[jimjim5]

i said that too why draft a guy who can play FB/H-backand TE as well as Slot WR but only use him for ST?????

 

he ain't ready. if ever....

[rmw10]

Aaron Wilson is reporting that Ballard is one of many (all positions) expected to be tried out/evaluated tomorrow and the rest of the week.

[1/28/01]

Aaron Wilson is reporting that Ballard is one of many (all positions) expected to be tried out/evaluated tomorrow and the rest of the week.

Nothing like a retooling DURING the season. Ugh!!!

[PolishRifle]

Nothing like a retooling DURING the season. Ugh!!!

Most importantly, there  is really nothing out there worth trading for or signing. Is Ballard actually better than Clark? I kind of doubt that.

[sflegend89]

Can't possibly have worse hands then Clark or Dickson. Too little too late from our FO, where was the emphasis on offensive talent in the offseason? Just sad watching us scour the FA market for offensive talent this far into the season because we were too damn stupid to make any moves while the gettin' was still good. FA and the draft came and went and we don't have a single note worthy addition on the offensive side of the ball. Clark and Stokely are garbage at this point in their careers, way to drop the ball FO. Give Flacco a huge pay day and no one to throw the ball to.... that makes sense.

 

I watch teams like the 49ers play this year and they are on another level. First of all they actually play their 1st round pick and let him  find his role on the defense instead of sticking an average vet in front of him to waste his game reps and make his adjustment to the NFL overly drawn out and indirect. Not to mention they seemed think Q was worth the money he was asking for... hmmm I agree with the 49ers thought process yet again. Man am I  happy we played them at exactly the right time in the SB because they are showing they are a better coached and better managed team then us going forward.

[H8ME]

Can't possibly have worse hands then Clark or Dickson. Too little too late from our FO, where was the emphasis on offensive talent in the offseason? Just sad watching us scour the FA market for offensive talent this far into the season because we were too damn stupid to make any moves while the gettin' was still good. FA and the draft came and went and we don't have a single note worthy addition on the offensive side of the ball. Clark and Stokely are garbage at this point in their careers, way to drop the ball FO. Give Flacco a huge pay day and no one to throw the ball to.... that makes sense.

 

I watch teams like the 49ers play this year and they are on another level. First of all they actually play their 1st round pick and let him  find his role on the defense instead of sticking an average vet in front of him to waste his game reps and make his adjustment to the NFL overly drawn out and indirect. Not to mention they seemed think Q was worth the money he was asking for... hmmm I agree with the 49ers thought process yet again. Man am I  happy we played them at exactly the right time in the SB because they are showing they are a better coached and better managed team then us going forward.

 

This.^

 

It's starting to get embarrassing for the Ravens.  Ray is gone so this is the beginning of the Harbaugh regime, smh. 

 

   ...Harbaughs' insecurities (i.e. bad relationship w/core veterans), Flaccos' inflated contract, Boldin trade, signing Rolando McClain, Gradkowski taking over for Birk, Huff signing, Clark/Stokely signings, Rainey not getting through waivers, Trawick taking out Jacoby, bringing Jake Ballard in for a workout?..REALLY?, working out every old tired TE they can find, and Suggs taking the mic to tell everybody..."don't panic". 

 

Despite John Fraudbaugh, the Ravens will limp into the playoffs.  The defense will gel and play better and as usual the offense will be inconsistant.  Great on one drive.  Pathetic on the next.

[mgridda]

I think Dallas will bounce back next week. He expects more from himself.

 

 

Unlike Dickson.

[H8ME]

I think Dallas will bounce back next week. He expects more from himself.

 

 

Unlike Dickson.

 

He'd better.  Dallas is about to be bounced up out of here.

[H8ME]

I think Dallas will bounce back next week. He expects more from himself.

 

 

Unlike Dickson.

 

He'd better.  Dallas is about to be bounced up out of here.

[Tyler]

No one could have guessed that Pitta was going to be out with a dislocated hip. We can't fault the organization with Clark and Dickson when really, they are all we have to work with. What I have beef with, Is that the front office didnt put more emphasis on finding a better option in the slot. They DID neglect the position after Boldin was traded. Yes, they were confident In Smith and JJ, but those two guys will take the top off of the defense, not thrive in the slot. Yes, Tandon Doss did a face plant off of the map. My point is, the draft was LOADED with reliable slot guys, as well as early free agency, and They attempted to put the Stokley Band-aid on the situation. Out of all the criticism that has been thrown around toward the front office, that's really the only problem I have.

[T3hRaven]

Yep. Rhodes, Heap, Velasco. I wouldn't mind any of them

 

I can guarantee that Velasco is not on the list.  They're going with Gino and AQ Shipley backing him up.  Hopefully they're taking a look at Rhodes and he's one of the four teams that he's looking at.  I don't think Huff is as bad as he played on Thursday, but I don't think Ihedigbo is a starting caliber safety.  Heap was over the hill when he was cut though, I wouldn't expect him back.

[T3hRaven]

Most importantly, there  is really nothing out there worth trading for or signing. Is Ballard actually better than Clark? I kind of doubt that.

 

He's younger for sure and is probably faster, I'd say he has more upside.  I don't think taking a look is a bad thing considering how horrid our TE play was on Thursday.

 

I'd really like to watch the tape and see how Clark was before he got assaulted by the safety.  I don't remember if he was consistently dropping the ball before or after that mugging, and I wonder if him getting shell-shocked, so to speak, could be a factor in his poor hands display.  It might be time for the old man to start wearing gloves though.

[PolishRifle]

He's younger for sure and is probably faster, I'd say he has more upside.  I don't think taking a look is a bad thing considering how horrid our TE play was on Thursday.

 

I'd really like to watch the tape and see how Clark was before he got assaulted by the safety.  I don't remember if he was consistently dropping the ball before or after that mugging, and I wonder if him getting shell-shocked, so to speak, could be a factor in his poor hands display.  It might be time for the old man to start wearing gloves though.

People complain too much about Clark, because of that one TD pass he missed. He was targeted 11 times and caught the ball 7 times. That's decent for a guy, who was signed just recently. If he continues to improve like that, he will do much better next week. Also, Marlon Brown is for real, so I don't think we have as much trouble receiving in the next couple weeks as some might think.

 

We shouldn't blow Boldins stats out of proportions either. Yes, I said it. The 49ers used him in a totally different scheme against an already bad GB secondary, that was missing 2 of it's biggest playmakers.

The Packers probably prepared the wrong way for Q. Let's how well they do against the Seahawks next week. I predict vintage mediocre Boldin.

Kaep threw for more than 400 yrds and he still needed the refs to award him an extra down by accident to even win the game.

 

400 yrds passing and 3 TDs scored and the 49ers still have scored just 1 point less, than we did against the Broncos. While we needed a metric ton of drops and an injured Oher from scoring atleast one more TD, if not two. How the 49ers can put up this much stats and not win by a landslide, is kind of funny. Naturally the media will make a huge deal out of all of this.

[Ravenseconbeast]

He looked pretty awful for patriots this offseason. Obviously a last ditch effort move. But we got to do what we can i suppose.

[ThePurpleWall]

ok

[Ravenseconbeast]

So who do you suggest we bring in?

How about trying our matt furstenburg?

If not now, when? Im almost sure we'll draft a high pick WR/TE @ next draft. We have to see what we got on mellette, brown, furst.