Last year when the New England Patriots claimed tight end Jake Ballard off waivers from the New York Giants, no one was more surprised than Ballard himself and after spending the past season recovering from a knee injury suffered in the Super Bowl, the tight end is ready to contribute in 2013 and he may be pressed into action early and often.
Ballard played against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI and also had a huge catch against the team earlier in the 2011 season when the Giants came to Foxboro, but when New York tried to stash him on waivers in a roster move after he suffered a major knee injury, Bill Belichick got back at the team and claimed him. It was a surprise move for the Giants, who knew the risks of doing it, and was something that it sort of an unwritten rule, as he knew he wouldn't play in 2012, but he had an eye for 2013 anyway and now the Ballard move may pay off big time.
According to NFL.com, tight end Rob Gronkowski will undergo a fifth surgery this offseason after having four on his forearm, as he will have back surgery in June and will miss a chunk of training camp. Gronkowski isn't expected to miss the beginning of the year, but there is a chance he could miss Week 1. The team is glad they have Ballard for that reason and also because their other young tight end Aaron Hernandez is also going to be out until training camp after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Both players were injured last season at various points, as Hernandez has an ankle injury while Gronk was out with forearm issues two different times. Ballard has spent his rehab learning the offense and he said to ESPNBoston.com that he feels much more comfortable now than he did when he first joined the team and feels that he is "a Patriot". He met with the media for the first time and said that he would be ready to contribute as much as the team needs him and although Ballard has dealt with injury issues, he is hoping to stay healthy.
Ballard said that he has spent a ton of time reading the playbook and said that he is getting close to 100 percent. Ballard has 38 catches and four touchdowns in his career and despite the fact that the Giants lost him, they were fine at the position with Martellus Bennett last season and signed free agent Brandon Myers this past offseason after he signed with the Bears. Ballard has played 15 games in his career and could play a huge part with Gronkowski injured. The 24-year-old will have back surgery and over his career he has been prolific, scoring 38 touchdowns in 43 career games. Gronk has a Hall of Fame pace going with his stats, but if he can't stay healthy he could fall off that.