Baltimore Ravens roster bubble profile: Larry Donnell
By Dustin Cox
Heading into the fourth and final game of the preseason means that several players will be fighting hard for their spot on the roster. Tight end Larry Donnell is one of these players and he needs to prove his worth against the Saints if he wants to make the final cut.
Remember when the tight end group was a strength of the Baltimore Ravens roster? Doesn’t seem that long ago, does it? That’s because it wasn’t. Season ending injuries to Dennis Pitta, Crockett Gillmore and the suspension of Darren Waller quickly thinned this once strong group.
That is when Larry Donnell was brought in. The Ravens signed the former Giants tight end in late July. At this point, the tight end group was a giant question mark. As I mentioned before, Dennis Pitta, Crockett Gillmore, and Darren Waller were all gone for the year. The 36-year old veteran Benjamin Watson was coming back from a season ending Achilles injury sustained last preseason and third year player Maxx Williams was coming off of a rare knee surgery.
This left Nick Boyle as the only clear answer at the tight end position. This is why the Ravens went out and signed Larry Donnell. Nobody knew how either Benjamin Watson or Maxx Williams would look in their return, but so far they have looked pretty good. With three tight ends that look to be set for a solid year, this makes Donnell the odd man out.
What Larry Donnell must do Thursday night to prove he’s worth keeping.
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Donnell is a large man, coming in at 6’6″ and 269 pounds. He could provide a good red zone target for Joe Flacco. He has proven this once already in the preseason when he caught a touchdown pass from Ryan Mallett. That being said Donnell’s best days seem to be far behind him.
He had some good years, but can he recapture that level of play with the Ravens? He’ll have to recapture at least some of it if he wants to make the team. As of right now, he doesn’t provide anything that the other three tight ends ahead of him don’t. Nick Boyle and Maxx Williams are both young and have promising upside. Benjamin Watson is a proven player and provides veteran leadership to these two.
Larry must impress in both the passing game and with his blocking ability Thursday night against the Saints. If he impresses in these areas then his chances of making the team could definitely increase. Scoring another touchdown would be huge for him in proving how valuable he could be in the red zone.
The Bottom Line:
I personally like the upside that Donnell presents as both a pass catcher and blocker. He has shown that he can be a good tight end in the past, but can he prove it again? It has been very hard for me to guess if he will be on the final 53 man roster or not. I guess it could also boil down to if the Ravens want to keep four tight ends or not. This spot on the roster could go to a player at a different position, such as a defensive lineman. Thursday’s game could be huge for Larry Donnell.
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