Gus Edwards

RB Gus Edwards Addresses Chargers Deal

April 8th, 2024 at 4:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

Gus Edwards was one of several running backs who found a new home early in free agency. The former Ravens producer inked a two-year, $6.5MM deal with the Chargers, giving him the chance to operate as his new team’s lead back.

That agreement also gave the former UDFA the opportunity to reunite with Greg Roman, who is in place as offensive coordinator on Jim Harbaugh‘s staff. Roman was the Ravens’ OC for much of Edwards’ career, during which time he played under Jim’s brother, John. That familiarity, to little surprise, played a role in his free agent decision.

“I just thought it was a great opportunity,” Edwards said during his introductory press conference (video link). “The coaching staff they’ve been putting together is incredible. [I’m] real familiar with coach Roman and his game. And I just wanted to be part of it because I already know what his mindset is. And same with coach Harbaugh, I already know what his mindset is: being a physical team. And I just want to be a part of that.”

Edwards, 28, proved to be extremely consistent during his first four seasons on the field (from 2018-20, along with 2022, having missed the campaign in between due to a torn ACL). The Rutgers product averaged between 5.0 and 5.3 yards per carry in that span, but his efficiency dropped to 4.1 in 2023. In spite of that, Edwards totaled career highs in yards (810) and touchdowns (13) last season.

Coming off that production, he is now positioned to take over from the departed Austin Ekeler atop the Chargers’ RB depth chart. While additions in the backfield could still be made – the Bolts recently hosted J.K. Dobbins and the team will have the opportunity to select a rookie in the upcoming draft – Edwards will face notable expectations with his new team. Having a familiar face on the sideline will help his transition to Los Angeles as the Chargers aim to install a productive run game under Harbaugh.

Chargers Host RB J.K. Dobbins

March 27th, 2024 at 5:39pm CST by Ben Levine

After adding former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers were quick to sign Gus Edwards. Now, the Chargers are eyeing another former Ravens running back in J.K. Dobbins, with Howard Balzer reporting that the free agent visited the organization today.

After letting Austin Ekeler walk as a free agent, the Chargers didn’t waste time adding Edwards to their RBs room. The veteran is the most accomplished player on the positional depth chart, a grouping that also includes Isaiah Spiller, Elijah Dotson, and Jaret Patterson. Considering the overall lack of experience, it’s not a surprise that the Ravens are targeting more reinforcement at the position, and they’re continuing their trend of eyeing contributors from Roman’s former offense.

Dobbins was a second-round pick by the Ravens back in 2020 and contributed immediately. Despite splitting carries with Edwards, Dobbins finished his rookie campaign with 925 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns. An ACL tear and a subsequent knee injury wiped out his entire 2021 season and half of his 2022 campaign. He averaged an efficient 5.7 yards per carry following his return, not a huge drop from his six yards per carry in 2020.

The 25-year-old was eyeing the most significant role of his career in 2023. However, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 1, ending his season after only 10 touches. It’s been relatively quiet on the Dobbins front since he hit free agency. The Ravens seemed to shut the door on a potential reunion by adding Derrick Henry to a room that already included Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill.

Dobbins’ injury history certainly makes him a question mark in free agency, and he’ll likely have to settle for a prove-it, one-year pact to show he’s back to full strength. For a Chargers RB corps that lacks top-end talent, that wouldn’t be a bad gamble for the organization.

Contract Details: Young, Awuzie, Taylor, Rams, Cards, Chargers, 49ers, Lions, Texans

March 20th, 2024 at 10:12am CST by Sam Robinson

With free agency’s first wave in the rearview mirror, here is a look at some of the contracts authorized by teams in the days since the market opened:

Chidobe Awuzie, CB (Titans). Three years, $36MM. Contract includes $22.98MM guaranteed. Awuzie’s 2025 base salary ($11.49MM) is guaranteed for injury at signing, with $7.51MM of that total fully guaranteed. Awuzie being on Tennessee’s roster on April 1 of next year locks in the other $3.98MM. The veteran cornerback is a due a $1MM bonus on April 1, 2026, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.
Darious Williams, CB (Rams). Three years, $22.5MM. Commanding a market, the recent Jaguars cap casualty’s second Rams contract can be worth up to $30MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
Chase Young, DE (Saints). One year, $13MM. The deal includes $7.99MM in per-game roster bonuses, CBS Sports Jonathan Jones notes. Including a $2.7MM base salary and a $1.86MM signing bonus, Young’s New Orleans pact is still heavily tilted toward games active. That will make the defensive end’s recovery from neck surgery worth monitoring more closely.
Tyrod Taylor, QB (Jets): Two years, $12MM. Taylor will see $8.5MM fully guaranteed, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan tweets. An additional $6MM in incentives are present in the veteran QB’s deal. Three void years are included here, dropping Taylor’s 2024 cap hit to $2.8MM.
DeeJay Dallas, RB (Cardinals): Three years, $8.25MM. Dallas will see $2.4MM guaranteed, Wilson tweets. The final two base salaries on this contract — both worth $2.4MM — are nonguaranteed. Rushing yards-based incentives run up to $750K per year in this deal.
Javon Kinlaw, DT (Jets): One year, $7.25MM. The ex-49ers first-rounder will receive a $5.5MM signing bonus, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson indicating the deal also includes $1.75MM in incentives.
Gus Edwards, RB (Chargers). Two years, $6.5MM. The ex-Ravens back will see $3.38MM guaranteed, Wilson tweets. Edwards’ $3MM 2025 base salary is nonguaranteed, with Wilson adding he is due a $125K roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2025 league year.
Noah Brown, WR (Texans): One year, $4MM. Brown re-signed with the Texans for $3MM guaranteed, per Wilson. The wideout’s second Houston contract can max out at $5MM.
Jon Feliciano, G (49ers). One year, $2.75MM. Feliciano will receive a $925K signing bonus, and Wilson adds $1.25MM in incentives are present in this accord.
Emmanuel Moseley, CB (Lions). One year, $1.13MM. Moseley will stay in Detroit for the veteran minimum, via the Detroit News’ Justin Rogers. Coming off a second ACL tear in two years, Moseley will receive a $1MM signing bonus. He received $6MM in 2023.

Chargers To Sign RB Gus Edwards

March 11th, 2024 at 3:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

Gus Edwards will not be playing under John Harbaugh in 2024 for the first time in his career, but he will be working alongside his brother Jim in Los Angeles. The veteran running back has agreed to a two-year deal with the Chargers, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Edwards started with the Ravens as one of their usual finds in the undrafted free agent market. He benefitted from injuries to starting quarterback Joe Flacco and the late Alex Collins. With Flacco injured, the Ravens turned to then-rookie Lamar Jackson. Without a full offseason to mold the offense into what it would eventually become under Jackson, Baltimore resorted to lots of read-option plays in which the big, bruising “Gus the Bus” would either rumble forward for an average of 5.2 yards per carry or allow Jackson to run it himself.

After earning the team’s trust over longer-tenured backups like Kenneth Dixon and Javorius Allen, Edwards found himself returning each year alongside Jackson. Though he was never considered a premier back, often serving as a second, short-distance option behind Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins, Edwards routinely got his due. The only time Edwards rushed for fewer than 711 yards was when he missed half the year in 2022 with injury. In a contract year with Baltimore in 2023, Edwards delivered career numbers, scoring 13 times with 810 rushing yards.

Baltimore has been expecting the exit. They are currently only set to return Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell, so running back has been noted as a high priority for them this offseason. Many high-profile free agents are coming off the board, but Derrick Henry looms large, and the team could always choose to bring back Dobbins. If not, the draft should provide plenty of talented options to pair with Hill and the electric Mitchell.

In Los Angeles, Edwards may finally get his opportunity to be a main starter. He reunites with former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who should have quite a bit of trust in the bruising back. With Austin Ekeler headed to Washington and Joshua Kelley also a free agent, Edwards seems to be the guy in the Chargers run game. The team should return young backups like Isaiah Spiller and Elijah Dotson, but they’re likely to remain backups. Depending on how the Chargers view Spiller and Dotson as secondary options, it may make sense for Los Angeles to continue and monitor the draft and free agency for additional supplements to the position.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

RBs A Priority For Ravens In Offseason

March 1st, 2024 at 7:04pm CST by Ely Allen

We noted something similar back in February, but the Ravens have made it clear lately that additions to the running backs group will be a priority in the offseason. Whether that comes through re-signing expiring deals, signing veteran free agents, or pursuing a rookie prospect, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic’s quote from general manager Eric DeCosta says it best: (they) need more than two running backs.

The Ravens have lots of work to do in the coming weeks with expiring contracts all over their 2023 roster, but DeCosta is fully aware of which potential departures leave them most bare. Both former undrafted veteran Gus Edwards and former second-round pick J.K. Dobbins are set to hit free agency this spring, as will late-season addition Dalvin Cook and practice squad backs Melvin Gordon and Owen Wright, though Wright, an undrafted rookie, has signed a futures deal with the team. That leaves only Justice Hill and another undrafted rookie in Keaton Mitchell as the only two running backs with in-game experience on the roster moving forward.

Hill signed a two-year deal a year ago and will now play out the final season of that contract. He had the best season of his career in 2023 but has still failed to surpass 400 rushing yards or 4 touchdowns in a season. He expanded his role this year by adding 206 receiving yards. Mitchell was a pleasant surprise as a rookie, touting an outstanding 8.43 yards per carry average in eight games played. The diminutive back flashed elite speed and play-making ability when healthy, but a torn ACL midway through December leaves the team without their explosive second-year player for likely the entire offseason.

In our previous discussion on the subject, we laid out the cases for Dobbins and Edwards. Dobbins showed incredible upside as a rookie but has since struggled mightily to stay on the field. Edwards had been a reliable short-yardage and goal-line back in the early days of Jackson’s career, backing up Mark Ingram before teaming up with Dobbins and Hill. The big-bodied back with the nickname “Gus the Bus” has six years under his belt but showed no signs of slowing with a career-high 990 scrimmage yards and 13 rushing touchdowns this season. At the NFL scouting combine DeCosta made it known that the organization has not shut the door on the idea of bringing the two back. In fact, DeCosta claimed the team was “hopeful (they) can get something done with those guys,” per Ravens staff writers Clifton Brown and Ryan Mink.

We also explored the idea of free agency in our previous post. There are a number of big names hitting the open market this offseason, and Baltimore has already been connected to a few. Titans bell-cow Derrick Henry has been linked to the team since the days of the trade deadline. Other notable names like the Giants’ Saquon Barkley, the Raiders’ Josh Jacobs, and the Cowboys’ Tony Pollard have been mentioned, as well.

In the draft, there a couple intriguing names to look at like Michigan rusher Blake Corum or Texas running back Jonathon Brooks, but Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen is a name that has been making the rounds in Baltimore. If the team fails to sign any of the above veterans, expect the Ravens to pursue one of these players early in the draft. If a big name puts pen to paper, though, Baltimore will likely be content to take a late-round addition or even peruse the undrafted dregs once again.

Regardless, additions are going to be necessary in 2024. Especially with Mitchell coming back from a serious injury, the team can’t well expect to find success with only him, Hill, and Wright heading into the 2024 NFL season. Whether they bring back Edwards or Dobbins, sign a big-name in free agency like Henry or Barkley, or draft a high-end prospect, somebody will have to join the three currently in the running backs room.

Latest On Ravens’ Backfield Injuries

September 30th, 2023 at 10:28am CST by Ben Levine

The Ravens are dealing with injuries throughout their offense, with wideouts Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman having already been ruled out for tomorrow’s game against the Browns (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). While Baltimore’s receiving corps may be in doubt, the team did get some good news regarding their running back depth.

Justice Hill is expected to play on Sunday against Cleveland, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. A toe injury kept Hill off the field for last weekend’s loss to the Colts.

The Ravens were really forced to dig into their running back depth against Indy. J.K. Dobbins, of course, has been ruled out for the season, and with Hill missing the contest, the Ravens were expected to lean heavily on Gus Edwards. However, the veteran suffered a concussion during that contest, and the Ravens ended up giving Melvin Gordon and Kenyan Drake a combined 40 snaps.

While Fowler notes that Gordon is still expected to be called up from the practice squad for Baltimore’s Week 4 game, it sounds like the team should be able to roll with their top-two options at the position. Edwards returned to practice this week, an indication that he’s cleared concussion protocol and should be good to go for this weekend.

With Hill also expected back, it will be interesting to see how the Ravens divvy up the RB snaps. Hill outsnapped Edwards when the two played alongside each other in Week 2 (43 to 32), and Hill also got more snaps when Dobbins went down during Week 1.

Ravens Not Looking Externally For RB Help

September 11th, 2023 at 9:43pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens were forced to swallow a heavy pill when starting running back J.K. Dobbins suffered a torn Achilles tendon during the team’s win over the Texans this weekend. For solutions, many thought to look at the free agent or trade market, both of which are ripe with talented veterans, but head coach John Harbaugh said today that Baltimore will not be looking externally for running back help, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.

With options like Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette in free agency and a player like Jonathan Taylor reportedly available via trade, no one would blame Harbaugh and company for bringing in an experienced starter to tote the rock. Instead, the Ravens feel confident in the options they have in-house to take over with Harbaugh even indicating that they will be operating with a committee in the backfield.

When Dobbins exited Sunday’s game, fifth-year backup Justice Hill stepped in and immediately scored a touchdown, his first since the 2019 season. While he later scored a second touchdown, matching his career-high for a season, Hill only amassed nine yards on eight carries. Veteran backup rusher Gus Edwards, who has filled in as a starter at times in his career, was a bit more productive with his eight carries, racking up 32 yards.

Adding veterans didn’t quite deliver the desired result two years ago when Dobbins, Edwards, and Hill all missed the 2021 season with season-ending injuries before the year even began. That year, Baltimore turned to a committee featuring veteran backs like Devonta Freeman, Latavius Murray, and Le’Veon Bell in conjunction with Ty’Son Williams. Freeman and Murray each reached 500 rushing yards and delivered six scores apiece, but overall, the running game was dependent on quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Still, the Ravens added veteran rusher Melvin Gordon in the offseason, ultimately cutting him and signing him to the practice squad before the regular season. Gordon seems like an obvious callup to help carry the load without Dobbins. The Ravens also saw some impressive preseason performances from undrafted rookies Keaton Mitchell and Owen Wright, landing both on the team’s roster in some capacity to start the year. Mitchell currently resides on injured reserve himself, so he’s unable to contribute at this time. Wright, though, landed on the practice squad and may also hear his number called up to the active roster this season.

Dobbins is now expected to undergo surgery to repair his Achilles tendon this Friday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Pelissero points out that Rams running back Cam Akers recovered from a similar surgery in less than six months two years ago. Dobbins will be aiming for a similar timeline, bringing him back shortly after the start of the 2024 league year.

In other injury news, Harbaugh confirmed that starting free safety Marcus Williams “will be out for a while” after suffering a pectoral muscle injury, according to Ravens editorial director Ryan Mink. Williams missed seven games in his Baltimore debut last year and will be forced to miss more in 2023, but the team is holding out hope that he will not be out for the season. He’ll be forced to make a decision soon on whether or not he will undergo surgery, as well.

In Williams’ absence, the team turned to Geno Stone yesterday. Stone started the seven games missed by Williams last year, as well. The team also has versatile defensive backs Brandon Stephens and Ar’Darius Washington that they can turn to. Stephens recently moved back to safety after spending time at cornerback when the depth chart was thin there. Washington has always been a safety but got extensive work in the slot this offseason.

Starting left tackle Ronnie Stanley and center Tyler Linderbaum suffered a sprained knee and ankle, respectively, forcing them both to leave the game early, as well. Both players are reportedly “week-to-week” but could miss the trip to Cincinnati this Sunday. Versatile sixth-man Patrick Mekari stepped in for Stanley yesterday and is an easy choice to start as an injury replacement as he’s done so often in the past. Offseason addition and practice squad callup Sam Mustipher filled in at center and will likely continue to do so, if needed.

The team will certainly hope that they won’t need to rely on Mekari and Mustipher for too long, and though they are clearly missing many bodies for the upcoming matchup with their division-rival, they’ll hope to get some back, too. Both cornerback Marlon Humphrey and tight end Mark Andrews will have a chance to play this weekend. There’s still work to be done, but things have been looking up recently for both players.

Latest On Ravens’ RB Situation

June 30th, 2023 at 10:01pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens’ offense has produced a top-three rushing attack in each of the past five seasons. This certainly doesn’t mean that the team had have its fair share of issues at running back, namely injuries.

Dating back to 2018, when a rookie, Gus Edwards, was forced to start in place of an injured Alex Collins, nearly every back on the roster, from Edwards to Mark Ingram to Justice Hill to J.K. Dobbins has missed time due to injury. Will that affect the way they fill their roster this season? Not exactly, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.

In the past, the serious nature of some of these injuries have forced Baltimore to invest in inexpensive veterans with starting experience like Devonta Freeman, Latavius Murray, and Le’Veon Bell. Veterans with starting experience are available in bulk this year with Dalvin Cook, Kareem Hunt, Ezekiel Elliott, and Leonard Fournette all available on the free agent market. None of those options are necessarily cheap, but according to Zrebiec, the Ravens aren’t looking for an option that would take snaps away from their top tandem, anyway.

The Ravens are extremely confident in their one-two punch of Dobbins and Edwards. The two are impressive, each with starting ability in their own right while providing different attacking styles and running traits. When both are healthy in the backfield behind quarterback Lamar Jackson, it’s easy to predict yet another strong rushing performance in Baltimore.

The injuries have held the duo back in recent years, though. Dobbins has missed 26 games in the past two years, including the entire 2021 season. Edwards missed 25 games in the same time period after also missing the entire 2021 season. The fact that the Ravens aren’t looking for anyone to take significant carries in free agency, though, bodes well for their prognoses for 2023.

The team isn’t looking for potential starters in case of injury, but they are looking for camp bodies who can keep Dobbins and Edwards off their feet throughout the preseason. Currently on the roster, Baltimore is home to the veteran backup Hill and undrafted rookies Keaton Mitchell and Owen Wright. The Ravens re-signed Hill back in March to a two-year, $4.51MM deal, and while his special teams prowess should guarantee him a roster, he’s never contributed significantly on offense. Mitchell and Wright, on the other hand, are great camp bodies, but unless one of them breaks out this preseason, neither is likely to make the initial 53-man roster.

So, what is Baltimore looking for in a free agent addition? The Ravens could really use another camp body or two that can serve as injury insurance throughout the season, as well. Zrebiec suggests a strong option in former-Raven Kenyan Drake. The veteran running back spent his seventh season in the league in Baltimore last year and ended up leading the position room in carries, trailing only Jackson for the team lead. Drake provided some solid depth to a team gingerly returning from significant injuries to its top three running backs and would likely be an affordable option to bring back in for the 2023 season.

Drake would already be familiar enough with the team, despite a new offensive coordinator in Baltimore, but J.D. McKissic and Marlon Mack provide similar potential as roster additions. James Robinson provides a younger option after his recent release from the Patriots. All three have shown flashes of starter potential but don’t necessitate a contract befitting a starter. Adding one or two of these backs could provide the Ravens with a little insurance heading into the season with a hopefully healthy tandem for the first time since 2020.

Ravens RB Gus Edwards To Be “Partially Ready” For Minicamp

June 8th, 2023 at 6:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Gus Edwards returned from a torn ACL last season, getting into nine games for the Ravens. The team will be counting on a healthy season from the running back in 2023, and as a result, it sounds like they’re bringing him along slowly.

Coach John Harbaugh told reporters that Edwards will only be “partially ready” for next week’s minicamp and should be “fully ready” for training camp in July (per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley on Twitter). The running back was present at OTAs but didn’t participate in team drills.

“I think minicamp, partially ready I’m hearing,” Harbaugh said (via the team’s website). “Training camp he’s supposed to be fully ready.

“He just wasn’t quite ready to get back out and practice yet – no setback. Maybe they’re being a little cautious, but that’s what they’re doing.”

Edwards was a dependable member of Baltimore’s backfield for the first three seasons of his career, with the running back averaging 5.2 yards on his 414 carries while scoring 10 touchdowns. A torn ACL wiped out his entire 2021 season, and after returning this past October, Edwards added another 433 yards and three touchdowns.

The Ravens running back corps will also feature J.K. Dobbins, who made his way back from his own 2021 ACL injury to get into eight games last season. The 24-year-old also missed a chunk of last year after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Justice Hill is the only other RB with any experience on the depth chart, as the team is otherwise looking at UDFAs Keaton Mitchell and Owen Wright for depth.

NFL Restructures: Watson, Gage, Edwards, Hines

March 13th, 2023 at 9:03am CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, the Browns have restructured the contract of quarterback Deshaun Watson, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). The move saves Cleveland just under $36MM in cap space, and avoids Watson breaking the NFL record for the highest cap hit in a single season (he was due to count for $54.9MM in 2023).

As was recently noted, the Browns did not require Watson’s permission to convert base salary into signing bonus, though he was reportedly open to the idea. His historic, fully-guaranteed pact signed last offseason upon his acquisition from the Texans was always seen as a financial burden beginning in 2023 due to its structure. While this move thus comes as no surprise (and will, of course, affect his cap hits in future years), it will give Cleveland the spending power needed to make at least one or two notable additions in free agency this week.

Here are some other recent contract restructures, as teams look to carve out much-needed cap space for the coming free agent frenzy:

Buccaneers receiver Russell Gage took a slight pay cut for this year to remain in Tampa Bay. Per Rapoport (on Twitter), the 27-year-old agreed to lower his salary from $10MM to $7MM – the latter figure now being fully guaranteed – with incentives in place to earn it back. After a slew of recent cost-cutting moves and financial maneuvering, Tampa Bay is now slightly under the cap ceiling in time for the start of the new league year.
Backup Ravens running back Gus Edwards has been seen by many as a potential cut or trade candidate, as the team looks to add financial wiggle room. He will remain in the fold for the coming season, however. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the 27-year-old has agreed to drop his base salary (set to be $4.4MM) by roughly $1MM (Twitter link). He, too will have the chance to make back that amount and more if he hits the new incentives in place in his deal. Edwards is entering the final year of his contract.
The Bills will have Nyheim Hines in the backfield at a different cap number than he was originally scheduled for. Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo tweets that Hines is re-working his contract to move part of his base salary into a signing bonus. The midseason trade acquisition was due a base salary of $4.45MM in 2023, and set to carry a cap hit of $4.79MM. Garafolo notes that Hines will have the chance, via incentives, to earn more than the latter figure this season. He is on the books through 2024.

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