Sunday, May 29, 2011

Baltimore Ravens Player Organized Workouts

Article first published as Baltimore Ravens Hold Player Organized Workouts on Technorati.

Several Baltimore Ravens players have been participating in a player organized team work out this past week at Towson State University’s Johnny Unitas Stadium.  The practice work out was organized by Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason. The workouts which were scheduled to last three days started on Tuesday. Twenty seven Ravens players attended the first workout. There were several key veteran Ravens players in attendance such as Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, and Derrick Mason.

Some of the rookies taken in this year’s draft also showed up for the workouts such as wide receivers Torrey Smith and Tandon Doss. Derrick Mason commented that the rookie wide receivers still have a lot to learn to compete on the NFL level, but he believes they will excel once the season starts and will help the team. He feels the addition of Torrey Smith and Tandon Doss will only help him and veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin during the regular season.

Some of the veteran defensive players in attendance included cornerbacks Josh Wilson and Domonique Foxworth. Jimmy Smith, who was the Baltimore Ravens number one pick, was not in attendance at the workouts and as a result stirred up some local controversy.

Many people have criticized Jimmy Smith for not being in attendance because they view the player organized workouts as an opportunity for him to show how serious he is about becoming a model player for Ravens. Rookie wide receiver Torrey Smith, who has befriended Jimmy Smith, took up for him tweeting that the workouts were mainly for offensive players and that Jimmy Smith did not miss a thing.

Personally, I do not blame Jimmy Smith for not attending the workouts. The risk of injury is just too great considering that he hasn’t even been paid yet and currently has no injury coverage by the NFL.