Anthony

Allen

The Sun believes Pierce will play a “large role,” contributing immediately in short-yardage situations. Pierce will likely have to “compete” with 2011 seventh-rounder Anthony Allen in camp, but the Ravens didn’t use a third-round pick on Pierce to stash him on the bench. Pierce had a nose for the goal line in college, but his lack of passing-game skills should limit his deep-league value.

“Anthony Allen goes from third to potentially No. 1 if something happens,” Harbaugh said of the Ravens’ current backfield depth chart. “We think a lot of him, but we’ve got to look at some insurance, too.’' The Ravens have just three running backs under contract, and franchise player Ray Rice has yet to sign his tender. Third-stringer Damien Berry went undrafted in 2011.

Pierce spent the offseason behind Anthony Allen on the depth chart, but it looks like he’s already pushing for the primary backup job. For Ray Rice “handcuff” purposes, it’s a situation to monitor over the next few weeks.

Allen, a 2011 seventh-rounder out of Georgia Tech, ran with the first-teamers for much of the spring. But when the pads went on, he was outclassed by Bernard Pierce and struggled in pass protection. Pierce and Bobby Rainey will continue to compete for snaps behind Ray Rice.

The Ravens didn’t use a third-round pick on Pierce to sit him behind the likes of Anthony Allen and Bobby Rainey. If this “battle” is close at all, he’ll win out and settle in as a low-end handcuff to Ray Rice. Pierce is now over the pesky hamstring strain that cost him the early portion of camp.

Pierce didn’t stand out during offseason workouts and will enter training camp behind Anthony Allen on the depth chart. But once the pads go on, we’d expect Pierce to emerge. He has far superior speed and vision, and the Ravens saw enough to use a third-round pick on him. It’s still a situation for Rice owners to monitor come August.

Getting snaps with the first-team offense, Pierce actually reeled off runs of six and seven yards, but lost an astounding 14 yards on a 2nd-and-4 late in the first quarter when he couldn’t get around the edge. He had a nine-yard catch nullified by a penalty. Third-stringer Anthony Allen’s night didn’t go much better, as he lost two yards on his only carry, and got overpowered in pass protection by S John Wendling on a second-quarter sack. Allen added a catch for 12 yards. He has just six carries for seven yards thus far this preseason. The favorite to back-up Ray Rice, Pierce was inactive for Baltimore’s opener.

The struggles in pass protection won’t endear him to the coaching staff. Allen lost two yards on his lone carry in Friday’s game, and muffed one of his three pass targets. He’s rushed for seven yards on six carries through Baltimore’s first two preseason games, adding one catch for 12 yards. Barring injury to Bernard Pierce, Allen will open the year no higher than third on the depth chart.

Running with the first-team offense, 2011 seventh-rounder Anthony Allen “had some nice moments” while “everyone from the coaches to Joe Flacco have done nothing but praise him.” Damien Barry, who spent last season on the practice squad, “did as much as any player to improve himself,” adding quickness and strength. We don’t advise placing too much stock in OTAs, but it’s far from guaranteed that Pierce will enter the season Ray Rice’s “handcuff.”

Third-rounder Bernard Pierce may have pushed Allen for first-team reps this week had he not tweaked his hamstring in Tuesday’s practice. Allen will enter training camp as Ray Rice’s primary backup, though Pierce has the talent edge to climb the depth chart by the end of preseason action.