We all know the inherent risk that comes with summer training camps, and we're all hoping for nothing bad to happen to the players through the least significant but at the same time most delicate part of the pre-season.
Even with a couple of days to spare for the Baltimore Ravens training camp to kick off (first practice is scheduled for Wed., July 26), the worst possible news already popped up on Monday.
Nick Moore, Baltimore's long snapper suffered a torn Achilles during a workout while getting ready for training camp and he's been ruled out for the season, Aaron Wilson of KPRC first reported.
Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic later echoed the news, confirming the worst possible news was indeed correct.
Ravens LS Nick Moore tore his Achilles while training in preparation for the season. That explains why Ravens had a long snapper tryout today that was won by former Seattle Seahawk and 2020 Pro Bowl selection, Tyler Ott. @AaronWilson_NFL first reported Ott's pending signing.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) July 25, 2023
"Ravens LS Nick Moore tore his Achilles while training in preparation for the season," wrote Zrebiec. He followed that up with another sentence explaining how Baltimore proceeded in rather short notice by holding "a long snapper tryout ."
The tryout reportedly featured three players: Ryan Langan of the USFL Stallions, Shane Griffin of the USFL Panthers, and Tyler Ott of the Seattle Seahawks, per Aaron Wilson.
#Ravens worked out long snappers Shane Griffin, Ryan Langan and Tyler Ott (being signed, per a league source)
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) July 24, 2023
Ultimately, the Ravens decided to go with the former Pro Bowler and member of the Seattle Seahawks, who missed the 2022 season entirely with a shoulder injury before becoming a free agent entering this offseason.
Moore (named an All-Pro last year) had already reached Pro Bowl-level production with Ravens after he took over Morgan Cox as the long snapper role with Baltimore. The Ravens are moving on to an equally talented player after replacing Moore with Ott.
The Ravens had put their faith for the long-snapper role on Moore's hands ahead of next season, though, as the veteran became a free agent earlier this offseason but he ended up re-signing with Baltimore for two years at $2.5 million last March.
Ott, aged 31 (Moore is 30 years old) comes from Seattle where he suffered a pre-season shoulder injury right before the start of the regular season opener in 2022. He didn't appear in any game after undergoing surgery shortly after suffering the season-ending injury.
The former Seahawk has appeared in 85 games throughout his professional career, reaching his peak in 2020 when he was named to the Pro Bowl that season. Before arriving in Seattle, Ott spent time with the Giants, the Bengals, the Patriots, and the Rams (in the latter two only as a member of their practice squads).