“A lot of people don’t know that I’m kind of a geek,” he said Tuesday afternoon.

Pollard has wanted to design a video game since his youth, when he watched his father take apart and rebuild computers. Pollard even studied computer technology at Purdue University.

On Friday, Pollard’s childhood dream finally launched. His card-game app, Bourre, is now available on the iPhone, iPad and iTouch for $1.99.

The idea stems from Pollard watching athletes play Bourre in their spare time. But one thing Pollard didn’t like was how much cash he saw exchanging hands.

While Pollard said he only plays for candy, he’s seen wagers of up to $80,000.

“It’s one of those games where you can either win big or you’re going to lose big,” Pollard said.

In Pollard’s game, users wager fake electronic money.

“I wanted to make it safe,” Pollard said. “When you’re talking about gambling and that much money changing hands, anything can happen. I wanted to come out with something where you can have fun on an app and not have to gamble money. You can just play for fun.”

Pollard discovered there was no app for the card game last Dec. 23, on his birthday, when talking with family members.

He immediately got in touch with a friend from his days with the Houston Texans, running back Ryan Moats. Back in 2009, while the two were playing the “NCAA Football” video game together, the two looked at each other and said, “Man, let’s make a game someday.”

Moats, who hasn’t played an NFL game since that time, worked a lot with EA Sports on the Madden series and now has his own company, Moatsworks Studios.

While Pollard fronted the money for the app and gave Moats the vision for how he wanted it to look, he backed off and let Moats execute the plan.

“It’s big to be able to show people that football is not the only thing we are capable of,” Pollard said. “We are capable of other things.”

Bourre is quickly taking over the Ravens locker room. Pollard says more than 30 teammates have downloaded it and are playing with each other.

Yesterday, tight end Dennis Pitta came to Pollard with a bunch of questions as he tries to learn the game. Since he’s out with a broken hand, Pitta’s had some time to play.

“It’s really cool to be honest,” Pitta said. “It’s similar to the game of hearts, which I’ve played a lot. I’m learning, but the app is great. It looks cool, it’s really well done.”

The app has a 4 1/2-star rating in the app store as of this morning. I downloaded it and must say, it’s pretty darn slick and mildly addicting.

For players looking to challenge Pollard, the Ravens safety’s username is: b33nutz. So download the game and take him on.

So much so that one year into his contract, Baltimore is announcing a three-year extension with its starting strong safety.

“Bernard showed last year that he is a Raven. He’s smart, tough and brings a passion to the games, our practices and in the weight room,” General Manager Ozzie Newsome said Tuesday.

Added in early August last offseason, Pollard fit in seamlessly with the Ravens’ secondary opposite free safety Ed Reed.

Pollard, 27, played in all 16 games and started 13, recording 55 tackles, two sacks, three forced fumbles and one interception.

The seven-year veteran became a vocal leader and also spoke loudly with his pads.

“His physical presence on the back end is very important to the way we play defense,” Newsome said. “He has indicated since the first day he stepped into our building last training camp that he wanted to be a Raven for the long haul.”

The Ravens have two pieces of its secondary for the long-term now with Pollard and cornerback Lardarius Webb, who inked a five-year extension. Cornerback Cary Williams signed his tender Monday and the Ravens also have last year’s first-round pick, cornerback Jimmy Smith, suited up long-term.

Now the two will be playing next to each other.

The Ravens selected Thompson in the fourth round (130th-overall pick) of the draft, adding to him to a secondary that was looking for depth at safety.

“We are extremely excited,” Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees said Saturday. “We had him very high on our board on defense and are really kind of shocked that he was still there in the fourth round. To get a guy that we had ranked as high as we had him ranked, I wanted to hug Ozzie. That was a great pick.”

Thompson (6-foot-0, 211 pounds), an Auburn transfer, will likely serve as a backup behind Reed and strong safety Bernard Pollard. He played both free and strong safety in college and was an All-Mid Eastern Athletic Conference selection last season, finishing the year with 66 tackles, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and two pass deflections.

The Ravens needed help at the safety spot after losing veterans Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura to free agency this offseason.  Bringing in Thompson fills an immediate need on the defense and he will also likely be expected to play on special teams.

“We always talk about taking the best available, but he wasn’t only the best available, but you get a two-run homer when you also get a need filled,” Pees said.

Thompson has solid speed and a reputation as a big hitter. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.50 seconds at the NFL scouting combine, where he was one of just two players invited from the HBCU (historically black colleges and universities).

“He’s big, physical,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s a hard hitter. He really gets after people.”

He reportedly visited with several teams and some draft projections had him rated as high as a second-round prospect.

Thompson will compete with Emmanuel Cook and Sean Considine for the backup safety spots.

Thompson initially went to Auburn to play linebacker, but he then moved to safety and transferred to South Carolina State.

“He ended up at South Carolina State for various reasons, but I think he’s learned from whatever mistakes he’s made, he’s a humble guy,” Harbaugh said. “He’s got a little bit of something to prove in his mind.”

And there are still players General Manager Ozzie Newsome really likes – including wide receivers.

The Ravens once again have the third pick on the new day (98^th overall). They could trade it, as Newsome said he expects to hear trade offers, or they could use it to address some remaining areas of need.

Baltimore did not select a wide receiver or returner in the first three rounds. They haven’t taken a center or a safety either.

The Ravens have five picks remaining: No. 98 (fourth round), No. 130 (fourth round), No. 169 (fifth round), No. 198(sixth round) and No. 236 (seventh round).

Newsome said the Ravens will sit down and regroup the board in the wee hours after Friday night’s second and third rounds.

“We’ll restack the board a little bit and there are several receivers still available,” Newsome said. “We still have some centers available that could very much come into our plans tomorrow.”

With that in mind, here are some players that could be of interest to Baltimore at No. 98 and beyond:

WR Chris Givens, Wake Forest
The focal point of the Demon Deacons’ attack, Givens caught 83 passes for 1,330 yards and nine touchdowns last year. He’s a 6-foot target who has a solid build, good balance, awareness and speed. He’s also a dangerous kickoff returner, which would add more value to the Ravens.

WR Joe Adams, Arkansas
Perhaps the most dynamic returner remaining, Adams notched four punt returns for touchdowns last season. He was second in the NCAA in average yards per return (16.89). The 5-foot-11 wideout creates separation with his speed and has explosive burst, which also made him stand out as a pass catcher at the Senior Bowl.

WR Tommy Streeter, Miami
Streeter has imposing size. At 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, he’s a matchup problem for any cornerback. He has a wide catching radius with long arms, and deceptive speed with long legs. He only had one year of production, however, with 46 catches for 811 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior. He has raw potential.

C Philip Blake, Baylor
Blake’s got great size at 6-foot-2, 312 pounds and is super strong (squats 600 pounds). He’s tough to move. He gives consistent effort and has solid character. He would be a 26-year-old rookie, however.

C Ben Jones, Georgia
A tough, smart blocker, Jones is a four-year SEC starter. So he’s seen some of the nation’s top pass rushers come at him. He would fit into the Ravens’ zone scheme too.

SS Antonio Allen, South Carolina
He’s a linebacker-safety mixture. The 6-foot-1, 202 pounder has good size and speed and has flashed playmaking ability. He logged 88 tackles and had three interceptions as a senior. His athleticism could make him a good special teams player.

FS Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State
He’s rangy, athletic and has strong character. He’s a three-year starter who has enough traits to perhaps one day make him a starter. Martin is more of a big hitter than a sure tackler, however.

FS Trent Robinson, Michigan State
More undersized than some of the other safeties, the 5-foot-9, 193-pounder makes up for it with good coverage skills. He could be looked at as a possible cornerback as well. He was a special teams ace in college and could be the same in the NFL.

ESPN’s Todd McShay believes they may do it again.

Although he admitted he struggled with the pick, the draftnik still projects the Ravens will select Fighting Irish safety Harrison Smith with the 29th-overall pick in this year’s draft.

“Smith is a good value pick who could provide long-term security at safety with the clock ticking on Ed Reed,” McShay wrote.

Smith has ascended draft boards since the season ended, going from a projected second-round pick to a possible first-round selection. He’s widely expected to be the second safety off the board behind Alabama’s Mark Barron.

The reason for Smith’s climb is his standout combine performance, a bounty of strong tape, and likely impressive team interviews.

Smith is a 6-foot-2, 215-pounder with a strong character makeup. The four-year starter does make some mental mistakes on tape, but he’s a student of the game and a vocal on-field leader.

“He’s very smart,” Ravens Director of Player Personnel Eric DeCosta said. “I think he’s a two-time captain at Notre Dame, which tells you about his personality, intangibles and leadership.”

Smith played a hybrid linebacker, safety role in 2009. Some pundits say he’s better suited to play in the box than in pass coverage because of man-coverage limitations and somewhat stiff movement.

Smith was transitioned into more of a secondary spot in 2010 and had his best season, recording 93 tackles and seven interceptions. He followed that up with 90 tackles, no interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery as a senior.

Smith put on a show at the combine, finishing in the top half of all safeties in every drill. He ran a 4.57 second 40-yard dash and had the fastest three-cone time of all those at his position.

“He’s a big, rangy safety who runs pretty well,” DeCosta said. “He’s got good ball skills.”

The question pundits – even McShay – have about Smith is whether he’s truly worth a first-round pick. McShay said he doesn’t see the Ravens reaching for a need position like safety in the first round, and Smith appears to be a borderline first-round choice.

“I see him late first-round, but more probably in the top half of the second round,” NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. “Somebody’s going to get a steal with Harrison Smith.”

With the departures of Tom Zbikowski (Indianapolis) and Huruki Nakamura (Carolina) in free agency, Considine fills an immediate need and will likely help on special teams.

The Ravens will be Considine’s fifth team his last five NFL seasons.

Considine spent his first four years, including three with Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh, in Philadelphia. He was originally drafted by the Eagles with the first pick in the fourth round in 2005.

The former Iowa product had his best season as a sophomore in 2006, recording 85 tackles, 1. 5 sacks, one interception and one forced fumble while starting a career-high nine games.

Philadelphia did not re-sign him after the 2008 season and Considine went to Jacksonville for two seasons. He started 11 games for the Jaguars and recorded 52 tackles, one sack and one interception in 2010.

Considine, 29, split the 2011 season between the Carolina Panthers and then the Arizona Cardinals.

The 6-foot, 212-pounder will join Baltimore safeties Ed Reed and Bernard Pollard. Baltimore also has exclusive rights free agent safety Emanuel Cook.

And they’ve also now had two defenders follow former Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano to Indianapolis.

Tom Zbikowski has agreed to terms on a contract with the Colts, he confirmed via Twitter. Zbikowski’s agent Ralph Cindrich tweeted Saturday morning that he signed a three-year deal with the Colts.

Zbikowski joins defensive end Cory Redding in Indianapolis as Pagano retools his roster. 

Zbikowski is the fifth unrestricted free agent to leave Baltimore since free agency opened on Tuesday, including the fourth on defense.

Safety Haruki Nakamura signed a three-year deal with the Carolina Panthers earlier in the day Friday, leaving the Ravens without a backup safety currently on the active roster behind starters Ed Reed and Bernard Pollard.

Drafted by the Ravens in the third round in 2008, Zbikowski was Baltimore’s top backup safety. He also spent time as the team’s kick returner.

When Reed missed the first six games of the 2010 season, Zbikowski stepped in as the starter and helped keep the secondary among the top in the league. When Reed missed four straight games near the end of 2009, Zbikowski started and made two interceptions.

Zbikowski, 26, began last year as the starting strong safety, but was overtaken by free-agent addition Pollard four games into the season.

Zbikowski finished the year with 23 tackles and one sack. The former Notre Dame standout averaged 23.2 yards on nine kick returns and was fourth on the team with seven special-teams tackles. He could also return punts.

A gritty player who took up professional boxing during last season’s lockout, Zbikwoski should be in line to start in Pagano’s secondary, which had David Caldwell and Antoine Bethea as its two starting safeties last season.

The Ravens do have reserve safety Emanuel Cook as an exclusive rights free agent. After signing him midway through last year after he was cut by the New York Jets, Cook was active for the final seven games.

Safety Haruki Nakamura says he’s trying not to stress out too much as he braces for unrestricted free agency for the first time in his four-year NFL career.

While he’s unsure of what the future may hold for him and his family, he has a clear set of priorities as he prepares to weigh the different options that may come his way.

Topping that list of priorities is the chance to make a bigger impact on a team, perhaps even find a starting role on another defense.

“If I could come back to Baltimore, yeah, I would love to come back to Baltimore, but at the same time, with personal goals, if I had the opportunity to go somewhere and get more playing time or even possibly start – just to compete to start – I’d be really interested,” Nakamura told the Norris and Davis show on 105.7 The Fan.

“It’s not just about money, but as far as my career goes, I would like to take the next step in my career.”

The Ravens selected Nakamura in the sixth round of the 2008 draft, and he has primarily contributed on special teams and served as a backup safety and cornerback. He saw action in 15 regular-season games last season, notching 12 tackles and nine on special teams.

He understands with Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed and hard-hitting Bernard Pollard playing in front of him, the opportunity for more playing time in Baltimore is limited.

“Here in Baltimore, we have obviously one of the best that’s ever played the game, and we have a guy who came in and played really well last year,” Nakamura said. “It’s going to be a tough decision to kind of figure out where things are going to land.”

The Cincinnati product said if he were to be offered the same amount of playing time at another team, he’d prefer to stick with the Ravens.

“But if it is an opportunity to make a name for myself and make an impact on a team – whether it’s as a starter or in some way just to make a team better – I’d probably be more than willing to make that step,” he said.

Nakamura’s agent has told him that other teams are interested in his services, but he knows nothing is guaranteed.

Until he signs a contract, he is trying to remain calm and manage the anxiety that comes during this temporary unemployment period.

“Interest doesn’t mean contracts. Interest is just talk,” Nakamura said. “We’ll see. The next couple of weeks will be interesting especially because it’s the first time I’ll go through it. I’m just trying not to stress over it too much.”

Pittsburgh TV Station Fooled By ‘Ward To Ravens’ Spoof

Whoops.

The 6 o’clock morning news at WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh reported yesterday that Hines Ward signed with the Baltimore Ravens.

Their source?

A BroCouncil.com spoof report that featured a photoshopped image of Ward in a purple Baltimore Ravens jersey and this awesome fake quote:

“Team president Art Rooney II didn’t have much to say after hearing the news, but he did say that he was sad to see him go to the Ravens and that ‘Pittsburgh Steeler football may not be the same without him, but his smile was pretty creepy anyway.’”

Never mind that the report came from a spoof website, the news station obviously doesn’t know General Manager Ozzie Newsome very well. It’s highly doubtful that he’d sign an aging veteran on the decline to a three-year, $9 million contract.

“We’re a little in shock,” morning anchor Todd McDermott said in the video below when they announced the “news.”

At 6:17 a.m., the TV station realized they had made an error.

“In a world of lightning-quick information, we erroneously used information from a spoof web site. We promise to be more vigilant and tighter measures have been put in place,” Mike Goldrick, WPXI news director, told the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette.

Eisenberg: At Least Give Moss A Look

With receiver Randy Moss, who is trying make a comeback from retirement, reportedly impressing in his workout with the New Orleans Saints, more teams may want to jump on the bandwagon and at least invite him to town to personally see what he can still offer.

John Eisenberg advocates the Ravens doing so, explaining there would be little to lose.

“Should the Ravens jump in and take a look?” the CSNBaltimore.com scribe asked. “I’m normally opposed to such fantasyland ideas, but this one might be worth checking out.”

The aging receiver won’t command a high price, says Eisenberg, because he has been out of the game for a year and probably won’t be a No. 1 receiver. That formula works well in Baltimore because it is looking for a less expensive No. 3 option behind Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith.

Moss could almost certainly reel in more than eight passes, the total caught by wideouts outside of their top two weapons. Plus, Eisenberg argues that the Ravens veteran locker room and a winning record would keep Moss’ diva attitude in check.

“If Moss’ price is right, the potential rewards are high for the risks involved,” Eisenberg wrote. “The Ravens want to upgrade their offense, but if they’re primarily going to consider second-tier free agent agents and rookies they might get in the second round of the draft, it wouldn’t hurt for them to at least explore the idea of adding Moss a little more seriously.”

Quick Hits

• If Moss doesn’t work out, Jamison Hensley points to another option to fill the No. 3 role … “A logical target is Broncos wide receiver Eddie Royal, who can fill the void as the third target on offense and the top returner on special teams. His numbers have drastically plummeted since his 91-catch rookie season in 2008 (Jay Cutler’s final season in Denver) but the Broncos have struggled to find consistency at quarterback during that time, too. The Ravens would make a bigger splash with the Colts’ Reggie Wayne, a former roommate of safety Ed Reed while the two were at the University of Miami. But coach John Harbaugh said the Ravens don’t have the cap room to sign a high-priced wide receiver.” [ESPN]
• Receiver Torrey Smith went to Washington yesterday to lobby congress in hopes of getting lawmakers to support a program that would give school districts and community groups resources to get kids interested in getting fit. Smith also advocated for the Personal Health Investment Today Act, which would offer tax incentives for people to get in shape. [The Baltimore Sun]
• Teams still don’t know what the 2012 cap number is. [ProFootballTalk.com]
• After Indianapolis released quarterback Peyton Manning from their team yesterday, a sportscaster declared that Manning is the “best player to ever play for the Colts.” But I’m sure there are a few Baltimore Colts fans that would disagree. Who was the best Colts quarterback ever: Johnny Unitas vs. Peyton Manning? Let the debate begin. [The Baltimore Sun]

He has been healthy this season and played in all 15 games, garnering three interceptions, which would be a career-low in seasons where he has played all 16 games, and just one of those has come in the last 14 games.

The statistics show it’s been a modest season for the future Hall-of-Famer, but Defensive Coordinator Chuck Pagano said he hasn’t seen a drop off in Reed’s impact on the games.

“If you look at everything, he’s played well,” Pagano said Thursday. “But you’ve got to look at how many times they have thrown down the middle of the field.”

Reed has made a living throughout this career roaming the center of the field and taking away the deep routes across the middle. His role hasn’t changed this season, but teams are simply choosing to avoid giving Reed an opportunity to hurt them.

“They’re taking him out of the game,” Pagano said. “He’s doing his job; he’s doing what he’s supposed to be. They’re just not giving him any opportunities.”

When teams have burned the Ravens this year with big yardage plays, they have typically come on passes down the sideline. Reed can shade over to help cornerbacks in some situations, but his primary responsibility is to protect the middle.

“Rather than just take some chances and hurt the defense, he’s playing the scheme,” Pagano said. “He’s playing the defense the way it’s supposed to be played.”

Having Reed as a threat over the middle of the field changes how teams attack the Ravens defense and also alters they way Baltimore’s cornerbacks and linebackers play.

Knowing that Reed is behind them is often a confidence booster.

“We have something that we like to call ‘The Fear Factor’ [Reed] that lines up behind us, so we’re pretty safe,” outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said.

Reed’s impact on the game also goes beyond the number of interceptions or tackles he’s made. Coaches and players routinely comment on the influence Reed has in the locker room and in team meetings.

“Ed knows everything that’s going on,” said strong safety Bernard Pollard, who is in his first season with the team.  “Ed knows it inside and out. For me, just to have a player like that next to you, it’s just exciting because you don’t have to worry about doing his job.”

And while his numbers are not what they have been in years past, Reed and the Ravens still have time to turn that around.

“He understands, like anybody else, that he’s got to be patient,” Pagano said. “And his plays will come.”