Baltimore Ravens' WR Tryouts - D.J. Hackett vs. Drew Bennett
by Bruce Raffel on Jul 22, 2009 11:27 AM EDT
75 comments
The Baltimore Ravens are holding a closed door, private tryout for four wide receivers this Friday at their Owings Mills Training Complex. Reportedly, there are four receivers attending the session, but only two names have been released to the public so far. Both D.J. Hackett and Drew Bennett are veteran receivers, but are they the guy that the Ravens need to either fill the void left by the alleged retirement of Derrick Mason, or even as another body for additional depth at the position?
Let's take a look at their stats in comparison over the past few years:
D.J. Hackett: Age: 28; 6'2", 208 lbs.; Experience-6th season
Year Team Rec. Yards Avg. TD's
2008 Carolina 13 181 13.9 0
2007 Seattle 32 384 12.0 3
2006 Seattle 45 610 13.6 4
Hackett's rookie year was 2004, but he didn't get in a game. The 2006 season was his best year, but while that type of production might be an upgrade for a number 3 or 4 wideout, it is certainly nothing to warrant a better move than what we already have in camp.
Drew Bennett: Age: 30; 6'5", 196 lbs.; Experience-9th season
Year Team Rec. Yards Avg. TD's
2008 St. Louis 1 4 4.0 0
2007 St. Louis 33 375 11.4 3
2006 Tennessee 46 737 16.0 3
Bennett's best year was in 2004, when he played all 16 games and was QB Steve McNair'sfavorite target, catching 80 passes for 1,247 yards, a 15.6 average with eleven TD's. However, he's dropped off significantly every year since then and was injured and missed most of last season, leaving me to wonder that at age 30, is he durable enough to make a difference?
The bottom line to me is that neither of these guys poses enough of an upgrade to warrant their addition to this roster. If Mason does indeed retire, then Mark Clayton would move to the number one slot and one of these guys figures to be the second option for QB Joe Flacco. That pushes guys like Demetrius Williams and Marcus Smith, who figure to get the most reps (without either or Bennett on the team) down on the depth chart and unnecessarily retards their growth and any legitimate opportunity to show the coaches (and fans) whether they have what it takes to be worthy of starting in the NFL. This would be a mistake, in my opinion, and the only way I'd support that philosophy was if they went out and got a true number one via the trade and we all know that's just not happening. Besides, as we've debated here on The Beatdown so often, the aquisition of an Anquan Boldin or Brandon Marshall would surely signal the future departure of a Jared Gaither or Haloti Ngata, based on the salary requirements it would require to keep them all as Baltimore Ravens.
Over the next day or so, we'll find out the other players being brought in to make enough of an impression on the coaching staff to sign a contract. However, don't expect any major names to appear at The Castle anytime soon, and more than likely the team will turn its eye on what they already have, with a glance to keep abreast of what other teams are releasing once roster trimming begins next month prior to the regular season.
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Hackett sounds like the better bet.
Sure he might not set the world on fire, but I feel better about a 28-yr old who is supposedly recovered from injuries than I do about a 30-yr old who is supposedly recovered from injuries. He’s physically stronger and had better speed. His only disadvantage to Bennett is probably that he’s not as tall/long and may not have as good of hands.
In any event, we’re probably looking at a receiving corps something like this:
1- Clayton
2- Hackett
3- Williams
All the pundits will say that this receiving corps is a glaring weakness and that the Ravens cannot expect to go deep in the playoffs with this set of guys. I would say that it wouldn’t be the first time that an unheralded set of receivers had a half-decent season simply due to the fact that they have a half-decent QB. I think Flacco is a special player and he’ll be able to spread the ball around much more nicely this season. I’m not that worried.
If we suffer injuries and D-Will becomes a starter, I may get a little nervous. But while this receiving corps isn’t superb, it’s not awful either. That’s why they’re not gunning for Amani Toomer or Marvin Harrison.
Dude
I’m going to pull my hair out about this Marvin Harrison crap. Do you think we would actually pick him up? He’d want a multi-year contract and he won’t even work out for us. We need work ethic and teamwork; not laziness, arrogance, and douchebaggery. I mean, i remember watching him two years ago, and there wasn’t a more acrobatic NFL receiver i would want. But I watched him last year, and no thanks. He doesn’t even communicate with his teammates. He’s over the hump, over the hill.
by Ravens Boner on Jul 22, 2009 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Did you just read the last two words of jackmca’s post and decide to reply to whatever you thought he might have said? He specifically said that the Ravens weren’t going to try to pick him up. Good job, Chief.
Water covers 2/3 of the Earth's surface. Ed Reed covers the rest.
Let me clarify
“Do you think we would actually pick him up?”
was not directed toward him. My fault
by Ravens Boner on Jul 22, 2009 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Either way
Harrison is injury-prone and won’t help us sitting on the sidelines, just like Toomer, who played against the Ravens in SB35, so that’s how old he is! I agree w/ jackma (!) that Flacco will spread the ball around to whoever is there and that might set up the opponents defensive coverage to our benefit, if they disrespect us and our wideouts w/ limited coverage. Flacco’s arm will make them pay, regardles of who is on the receiving end!
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jul 22, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Will
other teams double-cover anyone with Mason gone? Will they have to? If our receivers can’t get open because of poor route running (route running skills – which come from experience), then Flacco won’t be able to throw to them. If they are all mediocre, then Flacco’s interceptions are going to go up, our defense will play too long and get tired (unless they totally dominate with turnovers), we will be FORCED to run the ball, and we can’t take any risks in the passing game. Isn’t that how it works? I’m honestly not that worried right now, but I haven’t seen our present starting team play yet, and traing camp is just getting here. We need a guy like Anthony Gonzalez to emerge, and we don’t have Peyton Manning to throw to him.
by Ravens Boner on Jul 22, 2009 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions
i half agree with you.
I think we’re somewhere between having receivers who are total bums and never get open, and having a Drew Brees who can spread the ball around to any set of receivers not confined to wheelchairs. Clayton had a good season with mcNair under center and he gets sufficient separation to give Flacco some target on that side. To me, Williams is not an ideal guy for the other side because I’ve only seen him run deep and he doesn’t seem apt to play through many injuries. So, that leaves us with the need to pick up a legit #2 receiver (even if Clayton isn’t a true #1), which is a void that hackett or Bennett could fill serviceably.
So I’m not in panic mode about our receivers, as so many other people seem to be, but I do recognize that we need to get some new people. Assuming we plug one hole there with Hackett and/or Bennett, we can survive.
Even Mason said
that Clayton is a younger version of himself, a clone. That may be true, but remember in Multiplicity when he kept making clones and they got worse and worse? Clayton’s numbers aren’t there yet. Mason got good in his fifth season. It’s Clayton’s fifth season this year, and his numbers are already better than Mason’s were. But it could be like Multiplicity. It’s something to think about.
by Ravens Boner on Jul 22, 2009 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions
run that by Bill Simmons
he might like a movie reference like that. Actually, wait, scratch that, Bill Simmons doesn’t pay any attention to Baltimore sports unless one of our teams forces him to.
Yeah I think a lot of Clayton’s lack of looks last year stems from the fact that Flacco was a rookie and he just kept looking for Mason regardless. I can think of a couple of times in the early going when Clayton seemed to have separation but Flacco wasn’t looking. That will change. I’d say Clayton is good for a 60-catch season. Thing is… one of our receivers catching 60 balls may not do it. We’ll need a legit #2, which is why I’m happy with getting Hackett and/or Bennett.
Thak you with the Clayton comments
Guys, remember that Clayton was our #2 receiver, which also means he gets looked at only AFTER Mason isn’t open, which wasn’t often. Remember how many passes Clayton dropped las tseason? No, because there weren’t much of any at all. He’ll be a fine first read for Flacco and the two can grow old together in this offense, which would be fine by me. If DWill stays healthy and gets his shot, along w/ Smith, then they should be able to put up decent numbers as a #2 or 3 read. Remember, now Flacco will be able to “slow” the game down a bit more to make other reads besides his first which is what he did last season w/ D Mase and why Clayton started to look a lot better towards the end of the season. Not too many #2 receivers put up GREAT numbers, other than a Boldin.
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jul 22, 2009 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh yes
I am not going to put TOO much faith in Mark Clayton. He was getting second looks, and rookie quarterbacks may only watch their first receiver. When he is as good as Mason, why watch #2 at all? Remember D williams 2 years ago? he looked real sharp in some games as #3. He was getting open and looked great. Heap used to look sharp, but something happened. Too many shots over the middle? D Will is coming back, and I hope he makes us happy so we won’t have to badmouth him on Batimorebeatdown.com.
by Ravens Boner on Jul 22, 2009 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions
2004
McNair was only the QB for 6 of the Games that year. Billy Volek stepped in and lit it up with Bennett. I remember him having 175-200 yards receiving in multiple games that year.
Bennett seems like a better fit IMO. He has a little more experience and if he can put up 80 catches with Volek, I do not see why he cant give us 50+ with Flacco.
Big target, reliable hands and knows how to get the job done. Hackett is alright, but I do not see him even being competition for Marcus Smith.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
a 30-yr old coming off a toe injury
could have significant difficulty pulling in 50 catches.
That’s why I’d take Hackett. He also has a foot-related injury, having missed significant time with ankle problems, but I’d trust the 28-yr old to run on a rehabbed ankle before the 30-yr old and his toe. Toe injuries can be brutal to rehab, easy to re-injure, and most players are never the same if the injury happens in their late 20s or later.
This is like arguing
about which of the ugly girls still sitting alone at the bar at 3am is the one you’d take. Sad, so sad. I’ll take the girl anxiously waiting for me at home. Notice the similarities to the wide receiver situation?
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jul 22, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah I hear you.
But sometimes, when you’ve just been dumped, and you desperately need a rebound (like the ravens do), you have no choice but to deliberate over which ugly girl sitting alone at the bar you want to take home. You just have to do some educated guessing about which girl is less likely to be in the middle of a herpes outbreak (analogous to which receiver will re-injure his foot) and leave your dick burning in the morning.
Bruce, as far as the girl anciously waiting for you at home, I’m not sure who you mean by that. Mason is like the girl who dumped you but you want her back just for a little while longer because her sex is so good. D-Will is like the hoodrat who you’ve been smashing on and off for a while but she’s never that great in bed and she isn’t always available, plus she’s always tripping about some bullshit that you don’t need to hear about.
No, Clayton is the one back home,
along with her younger sisters, DWill and MSmith, who want a chance to prove their just as good as their older sister.
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jul 22, 2009 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions
But
Even if your analogy is true, its still better to bring a girl home to add to the one whose already there, if you catch my drift…
Since we don’t have many sure things outside Clayton, I believe there is strength in having options. That way if your girl at home isn’t cutting it, you push her off the bed and try out the new girl you just picked up. There is a better chance that your needs will be fulfilled when you have more options, right? Since neither the new girl or the girl at home are proven, might as well give them both a go. What is there to lose?
About Mason and retirement
From another blog. Definitely worth reading:
http://ravens24x7.blogspot.com/2009/07/mason-and-agent-paint-ravens-into.html
very good piece.
And why I think mason will come back. How does this receiving corps sound?
1-Mason
2-Clayton
3-Hackett
4-Williams
5-Smith
Not much better than last year's
but another year of experience for Clayton, Smith and a healthy DWill will be better than even 2008’s. Add in a full off season with a year experience for our QB and it will all be fine. Stop worrying.
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jul 22, 2009 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions
it's definitely not much better than last year's,
but it’s at least a functioning group of arms and legs.
Add to that
An improved O-Line, an improved Flacco, more options at TE, and more Ray Rice, who is a good pass catching HB, and I’d be really happy with our pass offense as a whole. Sure, we are no Zona’ Cardinals in regards to passing the ball but our running game and D are far superior. We can win a SB with that group.
Agreed +1
We came 4 minutes away from it this past year and another year of experience plus a better o-line, with or w/o Mason we are a better team and will compete all season long.
I realize this isn’t baseball, but wouldn’t the O’s fans be satisfied with playing “meaningful” games late in the season, like the Ravens always seem to do? (I know the answer is that the O’s would love to play meaningful games in JULY!).
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jul 22, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions
as far as the O's go,
you just have to avoid getting depressed by the W-L totals. The important thing is that young pitchers seem to be developing, the minor league talent is there, and Reimold seems to be getting hot again.
Weiters needs to find his stride too, but again, no rush. Baseball isn’t like football where you can just do a 180 degree turnaround in one offseason.
Chris Tillman
might pitch Monday, but that’s not for this site.
by Ravens Boner on Jul 22, 2009 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Wow, neither is winning it so far
Surprised that everyone here would rather us not sign either of these guys than 1 of them. I mean, its way better to sign one of these guys then to have Yamon Figurs as your 4th WR.
I do not think we should sign either of these guys IF Mason comes back. I like the group we would have just with him back rather then having him back and signing Hackett or Bennett. Plus I really want to see Marcus Smith step in there.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
We really don't know anything about Marcus Smith
except that the coaches are impressed with his work ethic. So we shouldn’t get too pumped about him.
I am similarly dumbfounded that most ppl don’t want either hackett or Bennett. I’d take one of the two with or without Mason, I’d rather have one of those lanky guys as our #3 with Mason and Clayton at 1 and 2 if I could have it my way.
Marcus Smith
is a potential YAC dynamo. I remember him going after a ball last year, and it looked like it was covered in butter. Let’s see what happens. But, we have every intention of bringing in another receiver, that’s why we’ve invited them in.
by Ravens Boner on Jul 22, 2009 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Figurs will be lucky to make the team!
Much less 4th WR? With Carr and Webb as possible upgrades at kick returner, Figurs better have a great summer camp. Otherwise, all of Clayton, DWill, Smith and even some of the other long shot WR’s are a better fit than Yamon to me!
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jul 22, 2009 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions
OZZIE NEWSOME CONTACTS JOE HORN
Ozzie Newsome has apparently contacted Joe Horn’s agent to tell him that the Ravens will be in touch with him FOLLOWING the friday tryouts. Perhaps he’s the insurance policy if they come to think that both Bennett and Hackett are bums.
I voted Neither
But i see this as yet another good way for the Ravens to prove to everyone that they are not in danger of a slump, and prove they have a little more moxie in them then everyone gives them credit for.
I mean come on, Hackett…..Bennett, even if one of these two are signed…they have a whole playbook to learn, which Hackett failed at doing so in Carolina….are you really gonna be better off with either? I think not
Keep on keeping on Ravens…..
Bleeding Black and Gold.....forever
I mean nobody said they were going to set the world on fire
but its a stopgap before we get some actual wide receivers we can develop long term.
Joe Horn could be a good pickup… but he’s 37 and a year removed from the pro game. Can he even play?
Steeler is right. These guys are in a free fall talent wise and no better than our division 3 bunch. look at the terrible stats heading in the wrong direction. LOL. derrick mason has exposed the crappy receiver recruiting we are capable of. i think he might come back to a raise now. nice negotiating ploy. mason probably wanted some respect and said see if you can get someone better. point proved.
You say it better then I can. Right there with you.
But I think the whole McNair stuff had alot to do with Mason’s situation.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
Finding a good receiver
is one of the most difficult things to do. It is the 2nd hardest position to scout (#1 is QB). I don’t think we have bad receiver recruiting. We find better players than any other team in the NFL. Why did Colston go in the 7th round? Boldin in the second? Marshall in the 4th!? Buying a good receiver is a shot in the dark. As for new receiver learning a new playbook; training camp has only just begun and NOW is the time to get Bennett and/or Hackett. Or Mason can just come back.
by Ravens Boner on Jul 23, 2009 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions
A WR still has to get the ball thrown in his direction
Mason had a ton more balls thrown at him than anyone else on the team, mainly because he was the firsrt read and Flacco was a rookie. If Clayton takes over Mason’s role, then he’ll get a ton of balls thrown to him and has excellent hands and will put up Mason-like numbers w/o a doubt. The key issue is who steps up to the #2 or 3 slot and does Joe look their way. No question in my mind that defenses will be laying off of our #2 and slot receivers and if Joe has the time (which he should due to a better o-line) and more experience to “slow” the game down now that he’s had a full season plus a full off season, then he’ll spread it around and both DWill and MSmith will catch and run as good or better than Hackett, Bennett….or Horn!
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jul 23, 2009 10:06 AM EDT up reply actions
Agree
Like I said before, Mason got good in his 5th year. It’s Clayton’s fifth year now. It’s time to step up and fill that role. Oh, and Mike Duffy said Marcus Smith is the most improved year-to-year Raven.
http://www.baltimoreravens.com/News/Articles/2009/07/The_Competition_-_WRs.aspx
by Ravens Boner on Jul 23, 2009 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions
i'll believe what I hear about Marcus Smith
when I see it on a Sunday in September. I’m not saying I DONT believe it, I’m just saying I’m waiting to believe it.
Same goes for Clayton. All of our receivers right now, except Mason, are on notice: show us what you’ve got this season!
Any college football buffs in here? who could be available at WR in next year’s draft?
It depends
on how many games we win this season.
by Ravens Boner on Jul 23, 2009 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions
Check out htis site for WR's to look for in college football 2009
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jul 23, 2009 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions
One more time - got it right now!
http://www.intersportswire.com/archives/2070
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jul 23, 2009 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions
a lot of those guys are underclassmen who won't go pro,
such as ND’s Michael Floyd. he’s a soph. thanks for the link though.
I’d watch ND’s Golden Tate too. He has NFL written all over him, even if he isn’t as big as the younger Floyd is.
We need Grisham
The TE from Oklahoma. He is a stud.
Since we will be picking last in the 1st round, I doubt we will be able to get him though.
I think WR has to be the priority,
seeing as we’re pretty set at TE for at least two or three more years.
oh well. For now, I’m just going to daydream about Mark Clayton turning into the next Steve Smith.
Innocent until proven guilty. We will cross that bridge when we get there. Most of us arent too worried and our optimistic he’ll come off fine. No point getting too rattled till their is something in concrete
Bleeding Black and Gold.....forever
Strictly a money issue
as the government has chosen not to prosecute.
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jul 23, 2009 10:06 AM EDT up reply actions
i voted for hackett
but there should be a way to vote for “either.” I’d take either one of them just to get Yamon Figurs off the team.
i am totally impessed with the Ravens drafting and player development. i can also fairly say that receiver development stinks. my biggest issue is that we practice guys, talk them up and then give them little chance to prove it on the field as our coaches (especially billick) get tight and shrink the field and guys don’t get reps. we might have had good guys but they never gained any confidence which is huge early in a career.
Matt Jones
I just don’t understand why we just don’t bring him in and sign him to a 3 year deal league minimum contract loaded with incentives. The guy led the Jag’s in receiving last year and only played 12 games. The Jaguars were predominantly a run team. Also it was Jone’s 3rd season playing receiver and I from what that tells me he will only get better. Yes the guy has had some legal issues but he went to rehab and just finished with high marks from the rehab facility which stated Jone’s was proactive in everything he did at treatment.
On top of this Free agent Matt Jones has spent more than $15,000 of his own money on performance training with IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida for the past three months. Jones’ agent has spoken with several teams, but character concerns and a reputation for laziness are scaring potential suitors away. A now contrite Jones has finally seen the light and is working feverishly to prove he can still be an asset. He’s out of legal hot water and remains the best receiver available on the market.
Someone will get desperate and sign him
either before or during the season, due to an injury. Then they will see what a steal they got and make everyone else scratch their heads and wonder why they didn’t grab him earlier.
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jul 24, 2009 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Easy fellas!
Let’s give Ozzie a little more respect! Check the records, he has made some franchise changing decisions (check the draft history)
This is sarcastic, right?
No GM has ever been right 100% of the time in the 1st round. Oz has been damn close.
Yea, he is still the best.
But for someone who is the best at evaluating talent of college players, I find it a little strange that we miss out on guys like Boldin, Marshall, Colston.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
Marshall went in the 4th and Colston in the 7th
so bascially, everyone missed them in the first round. Even Boldin went in the 2nd round b/c people were scared about his slow 40 time (shows you how irrelevant 40 times can be).
You need to relax about us not having a WR. We’ll get dumb lucky with some superstar at some point just like Buffalo got lucky with lee Evans, Carolina with 89, NO with Colston, NE with Welker, etc.
Evans was a first round draft pick. It is too hard to get lucky in this league and we should not live in that world of hopes and prayers. Go after someone who is a proven talent and stop being a pussy about it, Ozzie.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
my bad on Evans
but you see my point.
It’s easy for you guys to call Ozzie a pussy and say he should have gotten a new receiver by now. It’s much more difficult for you to mentally engage the complexities of his job and understand his other concerns. He’s working on the WR thing. He can’t just snap his fingers and invent a new receiving corps.
You are right
But he sure as hell could have made a deal for Boldin or Marshall. That’s where it pisses me off.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
So you'd give them money
At the risk of losing Gaither or Ngata, and fully realizing you might piss off other guys who were coming up for extensions. Or draft a possibility at WR, while leaving the BPA on the board who just so happens to fill a glaring hole at RT?
Oz sticks to his game plan. He has for 13 seasons, with pretty damn successful results. You are asking him to alter his method of operation just so we can be like other teams and have a true #1 WR. How far has that gotten a lot of other teams? I’d rather roll with Oz though the good and the bad b/c I know the Ravens are run as a top notch franchise and I would not want him to change his style just to appease fans and the media, who will never be totally satisfied.
If you don’t believe that he would upgrade the WR’s if he felt it was the best decision for the team in both the long and short run, then you don’t understand Ravens football. Right player, right price, and price means not only monetary value, but also the effect on the cap, leadership, locker room, and character implications.
He showed signs of…well, nothing. Who made that recruiting trip? One of the Model boys. I do not miss seeing that little shit Model in his coke bottle glasses running around the field like he had anything to do with our success. Like Billick.
I always thought that little weasel would take over for Art one day. Whenever I looked at him, I just saw a Cleveland like ran franchise. David Modell would have driven this team into the ground. He had no business skills what so ever and Bisciotti makes him look like a McDonalds stock boy.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
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