OWINGS MILLS — The Baltimore Ravens took a pass on former starter Kyle Boller, opting instead to sign former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Curtis Painter to a one-year contract.
The Ravens worked out Boller, Painter and former Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback Dennis Dixon on Thursday at team headquarters.
Although all three performed well by all accounts, Painter had a strong tryout and has a background with Jim Caldwell, the Ravens’ quarterbacks coach. Caldwell coached Painter for the past three seasons in Indianapolis prior to being fired by the Colts and hired by the Ravens this offseason.
Painter, 26, is slated to compete with Tyrod Taylor for the backup job behind starter Joe Flacco, who has never missed a start in four NFL seasons.
The Ravens have gambled a bit by carrying just two quarterbacks on the roster for the past two seasons, but are expected to have three quarterbacks this year.
Plus, the Ravens needed to get another arm on the team for their offseason practices. Flacco is expected to be absent from some of the workouts and practices as his wife is due to give birth to their first child in June.
Painter is a 6-foot-4, 230-pound former sixth-round draft pick from Purdue who started eight games last season for the Colts when Peyton Manning was out for the season after undergoing neck surgery.
Painter was winless last season as he passed for 1,541 yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions for a 66.6 quarterback rating.
Painter was ultimately benched late in the season and replaced by Dan Orlovsky.
In three NFL seasons, Painter has completed 51.7 percent of his throws for 1,624 yards, six touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
At Purdue, Painter passed for 11,163 yards, 67 touchdowns and 46 interceptions.
Boller arrived in Baltimore with significant fanfare, hailed as a potential savior for a dormant passing game.
However, the 30-year-old former first-round draft pick was heavily criticized during a disappointing five-year tenure in Baltimore.
Boller won only 20 of 42 starts for the Ravens with 45 touchdowns and 44 interceptions on 56.9 percent accuracy.
He was unseated by the late Steve McNair and spent his last year with the Ravens on injured reserve during Flacco’s rookie season.
Boller has been a journeyman since leaving Baltimore, playing for the St. Louis Rams and the Oakland Raiders with mixed results.
He threw no touchdowns and three interceptions last season for the Raiders, starting one game before Carson Palmer took over for the remainder of the year.
