Doss...can he be the chain mover?

[vmax]

He's the most likely candidate to fill in the roles Boldin and Pita had...

 

 

Departed wide receiver Anquan Boldin and lost tight end Dennis Pitta were two of the Ravens’ masters at it last year. They were the chain-moving crew.

Now that job may fall to wide receiver Tandon Doss, a player who’s unproven in that regard but may be increasingly thrust into that role.

“Third down,” Doss said, “I might take responsibility on shorter and intermediate routes, and getting to the sticks and stuff.”

Boldin led last year’s Ravens with 45 first-down receptions. They made up 69 percent of his total catches. Pitta had the third most with 22, behind wide receiver Torrey Smith.

Both Boldin and Pitta are big, physical, sure-handed pass catchers. They were perhaps the two most reliable targets for quarterback Joe Flacco.

Doss is trying to become the same.

He has good size at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds. He has flashed one of the best sets of hands on the team, even though he had a couple drops in last year’s playoffs and has had a few more thus far in training camp. Perhaps best of all, he’s spent the past two years learning how to play Boldin’s position.

Doss said Boldin’s trade to San Francisco impacts him more than Pitta’s season-ending injury will.

“Anquan leaving is more for me,” Doss said. “The way he played physical, going across the middle and reading the defense on the run, that’s on me.”

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Tandon-Doss-Could-Be-Third-Down-Answer/5b882b57-7270-42f0-a2e5-67f6ada74c00

 

He has the size and hands...now he needs the confidence...and nasty attitude.

Remember....he's in his 3rd year and a lot of WR's break out their 3rd year.

[Money]

I have more confidence in Doss than most. I also really, really like Deonte Thompson. Thompson actually reminds me a lot of Victor Cruz.

 

People can take this for what it's worth, because I was also a huge Demetrius Williams fan. I still have no idea how he didn't become a star.

[vmax]

I was a big Williams fan too. Once he caught a ball he immediately found the best running lanes. Don't know why he didn't make it either.

 

Here's the Ravens WR core challenge:

One guy has to set forward and grab this bull by the horns

 

 

There’s an art, or maybe a science, to the first down. It’s making the tough catches, knowing where the chains are, and being able to take punishment along the way.

 

The coaches have to train their best candidates to do this....maybe a playmaker emerges.

[Money]

Doss was a star in the Big 10. The Ravens have groomed him with this year in mind and will give him every chance to succeed.

[cravnravn]

I have more confidence in Doss than most. I also really, really like Deonte Thompson. Thompson actually reminds me a lot of Victor Cruz.

 

People can take this for what it's worth, because I was also a huge Demetrius Williams fan. I still have no idea how he didn't become a star.

 

Hey dont feel bad Money, TD Taylor was a no miss for me..

 

We get that 3rd security blanket for Joe, in Doss or Thompson and we wont miss a beat

[vmax]

 

Hey dont feel bad Money, TD Taylor was a no miss for me..

 

We get that 3rd security blanket for Joe, in Doss or Thompson and we wont miss a beat

 

Who's their #1 and #2 security blanket?

[cravnravn]

Honestly, I think Ray Rice will be his #1, then Torrey & jacoby, Dont know if joe has the confidence in Dickson, hes had some crucial drops

[Robjr83]

Luckily they have 4 preseason games to hammer out the TE spot. Dickson can be counted on to make a great athletic play early then drop a crucial 3rd down ball later. Joe and Harbs always seemed to like Doss. Hopefully he can stay healthy to see if anythings there. I'm routing for Thompson for wr#3.

[oldno82]

I think the best option might be to take Jacoby out of the return game and make him #2. He's got the experience and Joe's confidence. Then its up to Doss and Thompson for the number 3 spot. Where we're going to get hurt bad is if none of the trio of Dickson, Jacoby, or whoever is no good over the middle.

[Money]

I think the best option might be to take Jacoby out of the return game and make him #2. He's got the experience and Joe's confidence. Then its up to Doss and Thompson for the number 3 spot. Where we're going to get hurt bad is if none of the trio of Dickson, Jacoby, or whoever is no good over the middle.

 

I don't know about this. Jones has proven a couple things over the course of his career:

 

1. He is absolute playmaker and difference-maker in the return game.

 

2. He has never been able to step up and be a consistent #2 (even with a fantastic #1 opposite him in Andre Johnson).

[oldno82]

OK...after reading this, I'm inclined to change my mind:

 

Late For Work 8/1: Projecting How WR Depth Chart Unfolds

Posted 9 hours ago

Sarah Ellison

BaltimoreRavens.com Editor & Writer

All Sarah Ellison Articles

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Projecting How WR Depth Chart Unfolds

The Ravens' first wide receiver depth chart can’t come quick enough for curious Ravens fans.

Until then, the next best thing is an educated guess.

Jamison Hensley, the ESPN AFC North blogger who opened up his camp tour in Baltimore, was asked to give his projection on how the receiver battle will unfold. Here’s how he sees it:

1) Torrey Smith

2) Tandon Doss

3) Jacoby Jones

4) Deonte Thompson

5) David Reed or LaQuan Williams

Smith, 2011 second-round draft pick

6-foot-0, 205 pounds, 24 years old

Career stats (2011-12): 32 games played, 30 starts, 99 receptions, 1,696 yards, 15 touchdowns

Third-year Smith is a no-brainer as the top dog of the group. He’s one of the most experienced and is explosive, stretches the field and is working on becoming a more complete receiver. His route running appears to have come a long way.

Doss, 2011 fourth-round draft pick

6-foot-2, 207 pounds, 23 years old

Career stats (2011-12): 20 games played, 0 starts, 7 receptions, 123 yards, 1 touchdown

Why put Doss at No. 2 over Jones and Thompson? Hensley says it’s because Doss complements Smith better than the other two. Since Smith is an outside burner that takes the top off defenses, Doss can take over shorter and intermediate routes as a slot receiver, finding soft spots in the defense and getting the tough yards to move the sticks. Smith and Anquan Boldin were a similar complementary duo last season.

Jones, 2007 third-round draft pick

6-foot-2, 215 pounds, 29 years old

Career stats (2007-12): 91 games played, 24 starts, 157 receptions, 2,147 yards, 12 touchdowns

Not only does Doss complement Smith better than Jones, says Hensley, but keeping Jones at No. 3 allows him to be a full-time returner on special teams. Jones notched three touchdowns in punt and kickoff return duties last year, and added one more in the Super Bowl. It could be tough to give up that kind of play-making ability on special teams in order to get more snaps at receiver.

Thompson, 2012 rookie free agent

6-foot-0, 200 pounds, 24 years old

Career stats (2012): 6 games played, 0 starts, 5 receptions, 51 yards, 0 touchdowns

While Thompson has created the most buzz this offseason, Hensley’s top three naturally pushes Thompson to No. 4. He’s another burner, arguably the fastest player on the team. The former rookie free agent out of Florida can work both the outside and the middle of the field, but Doss may have the edge as the possession/slot receiver.

For Hensley, that leaves Reed and Williams clamoring for the fifth and final receiver spot (unless coaches decide to keep more). The ESPN blogger says this is really more of a special teams competition than a receiving battle. Reed has experience as a kickoff returner, but Hensley “gets the feeling” that even if Jones isn’t the primary kickoff returner, Thompson will get a crack at the role. Williams’ role on special teams has helped him earn a roster spot the last two seasons. He finished with a career-high five special teams tackles last season before being placed on injured reserve in late December.

Regardless of which receivers fill the spots behind Smith, Baltimore Beat Down’s Jason Butt explains that many of them will be involved in the passing game because the Ravens appear to be rotating them more than they ever have in years past. Jones, Doss, Thompson and Reed have all gotten reps with the first and second teams.

"More so this year there's going to be more of a rotation based on plays and situations in games with who's going to be in," Doss said, per Butt. "We have a talented group this year and we all bring something different."