Twice during a two-minute drill in Thursday?s voluntary workout, Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller found receiver Derrick Mason on a perfect fade pattern in front of the end zone.
Both times Mason touched the pylon, looking as though he had scored a touchdown. Head coach Brian Billick, as if to heighten the drama, looked on for several seconds before calling Mason out of bounds, which brought laughter from onlookers a day after a pair of fights at practice.
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Overall, it was reflective of a light atmosphere for the Ravens, who ended their series of off-season voluntary workouts. The team will reconvene in late July for training camp at McDaniel College in Westminster.
“The groundwork has been laid,” Billick said. “They?ve got to take hold the next five weeks. This is just the starting point for [the players]. They?ve got a lot to do over the next five weeks. That curve still has to be going up.”
“I like the balance,” Billick said. “I?m always worried about depth, always. I?m always worried about the lack of experience in some areas, which is going be forever and a day the perspective you have at this point.”
One position that does not appear to have a depth problem so far is quarterback. Boller looked extraordinarily sharp during the open practices this week. At the close of practice, Boller walked side-by-side with his replacement, Steve McNair to the locker room.
Like with most off-season workouts, there was a sense of optimism among players as everything ended.
“I think everybody?s really excited about what we did at camps, so it?s time for a well-deserved break,” linebacker Dan Cody, who is returning from a season-ending injury in his rookie campaign, said.
Rookie defensive back David Pittman said he learned a lot by playing with Pro Bowlers Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle the past few weeks.
“For me, there?s nothing better than just being out here and doing one of the things that you love,” Pittman said. “I?m just trying to soak it up and learn as much I can from the guys that I am surrounded with.”
