Clarence Moore took a long and sometimes tedious road to Monday afternoon?s Ravens training camp practice at McDaniel College. His journey was a frustrating one, as he was sidelined by a sports hernia. Moore worked out on the side of the field all training camp, trying to inch his way back to putting on the pads and helmet once again. He watched as other players battled for a receiver position spots on the team, unable to do anything about his situation, other than heal.
“It just feels good to be back and feel like I?m a part of the team again,” Moore said. “That?s the biggest thing for me.”
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Moore says he?s 100 percent healthy, and on Tuesday, he stayed after practice for half an hour to work on his catching with the team?s coaches.
“Mentally, there?s nothing going on with the injury anymore,” Moore said. “I?m just moving on.
“Obviously, I?ve got to get someconditioning in to get back to football shape,” he continued. “I was just trying to get my stomach right before, and now I?ve just obviously got to get into football shape, but that?s the easy part.”
Moore had surgery in the offseason to address the injury, and the scar tissue still remains.
Moore, drafted in the sixth round in 2004 out of Northern Arizona University, has struggled to find his role on the team during his two previous seasons. Last season, he played in just four games with one start after playing in 15 games his rookie season.
In 2004, he scored a career-high two touchdowns in a win over the Jets. That day started to seem like a distant memory for some, as many fans and coaches have become enamored with the ability of rookie Demetrius Williams and third-year player Devard Darling, both of whom have caught passes from new quarterback Steve McNair.
“It obviously hurts to not be here from day one,” Moore said. “But I feel like I?ve just got to get the confidence back in the quarterbacks. You know, obviously they?ve had some other guys that they?ve been throwing to. I?ve got to win that confidence back. I?ve got win a spot back. Period.”
Head coach Brian Billick is itching to see what a healthy Moore can provide to an upgraded offensive unit. Billick said Moore will still sit out Thursday?s preseason game with the Eagles.
“I don?t know if he?ll be available this week, but we need [him] to get beaten around a little bit,” Billick said. “He needs to fall and catch and fall on it and get hit around a little bit to really get confident, and hopefully he?ll be ready to go next week.”
