HEADLINES

Keaton Mitchell

Ravens Place RB Keaton Mitchell On PUP

July 15th, 2024 at 6:49pm CST by Ben Levine

As Keaton Mitchell continues to rehab from a torn ACL, the Ravens are playing it slow with their second-year running back. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, the Ravens have placed Mitchell on the active/physically unable to perform list.

As Ryan Mink of the team’s website notes, assuming Mitchell remains on PUP throughout training camp, he’ll automatically move straight to the reserve/PUP list. This would require him to miss the first four games of the 2024 season, but that always seemed to be a likely scenario. Mitchell will only be eight months removed from his injury by the team Week 1 comes around.

John Harbaugh hinted back in May that Mitchell would likely miss the start of the season, but the head coach expressed optimism in the player’s recovery.

“But I will say he’s on schedule, maybe ahead of schedule. He’s doing really well,” Harbaugh said (via Mink). “He’s always got a smile on his face. He’s going to start jogging on the Alter-G (treadmill) next week. So that’s a positive thing and we’ll see where it goes.”

Mitchell was a notable member of Baltimore’s RB carousel in 2024. The UDFA started his career on IR but finally made his debut in October. Between Week 9 and Week 14, the rookie collected 480 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Mitchell finished his first season with an eye-popping 8.4 yards per carry. A torn ACL ended his season in December.

When Mitchell returns to the field, the running backs room will look a bit different. Derrick Henry was brought in this offseason to replace the likes of Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. Justice Hill joins Mitchell as one of the team’s RB holdovers, and that duo could compete for RB2 reps when everyone is healthy.

Zrebiec reports that the Ravens also placed cornerback T.J. Tampa on PUP and linebacker Adisa Isaac on NFI. Per Mink, Isaac has been dealing with a hamstring injury that forced him to miss minicamp and OTAs. His placement on the non-football injury list certainly raises some eyebrows, but the details of the linebacker’s injury are unknown. Tampa’s injury hasn’t been reported.

Ravens Expect RB Keaton Mitchell To Return During Season

May 22nd, 2024 at 2:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Injuries defined Keaton Mitchell‘s rookie season. The explosive running back did not debut for the Ravens until Week 6 and was done by Week 15. In between, the UDFA displayed promise.

Albeit on just 47 carries, Mitchell finished his rookie year with a monster yards-per-carry number (8.4) and offered Baltimore a new dimension in its backfield. But the East Carolina product’s ACL tear brought more of the same for a Ravens backfield that had dealt with significant J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards maladies in recent years. Mitchell, 22, is on track to follow Dobbins and Edwards in seeing a prior year’s injury cost him time the following season.

John Harbaugh said Wednesday that Mitchell is on track with his rehab, but the second-year RB will not be ready for training camp. Mitchell is also expected to miss some time in-season, with Harbaugh indicating a return is expected “sometime during” the 2024 campaign. This aligns with what GM Eric DeCosta said in March. The 5-foot-8 ball carrier appears a prime candidate to begin the season on the Ravens’ reserve/PUP list. That would sideline him for at least four games, but the Ravens have since made a bigger investment at running back.

The Ravens lost both Dobbins and Edwards for the 2021 season’s entirety, leading to a brigade of aging veterans stopping through. Dobbins did not land on the reserve/PUP list the following season, but the former second-rounder was not ready to go until Week 3 of the 2022 slate. He also ran into more knee trouble that year, requiring an IR stay. Edwards did land on Baltimore’s PUP list and did not start his 2022 season until Week 7 of that season. Both veterans reunited with Greg Roman in Los Angeles, and the Ravens are now a Derrick Henry-centered backfield.

Baltimore gave the two-time rushing champion a two-year, $16MM deal. With $9MM of that fully guaranteed, the Ravens have the chance to reevaluate the ninth-year veteran’s form after this season. Mitchell figures to factor into that process, with he and Justice Hill the Ravens’ primary Henry backups going into the 2024 season. The team also used a fifth-round pick on Marshall’s Rasheen Ali, providing more insurance while Mitchell rehabs.

He of a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the 2023 Combine, Mitchell gave a Dobbins-less backfield an immediate jolt midway through last season. He totaled 138 rushing yards on nine carries in a Ravens rout of the Seahawks. The Ravens used Mitchell as a change-of-pace option last season, keeping his carry count under 10 in each of his outings, but his injury in Jacksonville certainly hurt the eventual No. 1 seed’s offense.

Mitchell can be retained — through the ERFA and RFA process — through the 2026 season, giving the Ravens a low-cost option. For now, the team will await on the Henry complementary piece’s recovery.

Ravens Rumors: OLBs, Mitchell, Dobbins

March 26th, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens defense saw a number of surprise contributors in 2023. From backup safety Geno Stone leading the AFC in interceptions to Justin Madubuike, Jadeveon Clowney, and Kyle Van Noy exploding to help the team lead the NFL in sacks, Baltimore excelled thanks to contributions from players other than All-Pros like Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, and Patrick Queen.

All four of the surprise contributors mentioned above had expiring contracts when the Ravens fell short of their Super Bowl aspirations. Madubuike received the franchise tag before ultimately signing a massive four-year, $98MM extension after his 13.0 sack-season. Stone earned a nice deal of his own, branching out to the division-rival Bengals as he searched for an opportunity to start full-time, instead of sharing the stage with Hamilton and Marcus Williams.

Clowney and Van Noy, on the other hand, remain free agents on the open market. Clowney saw a bounce-back season following a disappointing exit from Cleveland. Despite joining the roster in the middle of the preseason, Clowney would start 15 games for the Ravens, matching his career-high in sacks (9.5) while tallying nine tackles for loss, 19 quarterback hits, five passes defensed, and two forced fumbles. Despite early reports that both sides were interested in a new deal, the Panthers and Jets have swept in as teams with massive interest in signing Clowney.

Van Noy exploded for the rare career-year at 32 years old. Despite only starting three games as a rotation player, Van Noy finished third on the team with a career-high nine sacks. Van Noy hasn’t been nearly as active in free agency visits, but his stellar 2023 season all but ensures that he will earn at least one more NFL contract.

Head coach John Harbaugh recently claimed to be optimistic about the prospects of bringing one or both of Clowney and/or Van Noy back in 2024, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. If they aren’t able to do so, though, the Ravens continue to have faith in former first-round pick Odafe Oweh and former second-round pick David Ojabo. According to Harbaugh, Ojabo, who has only appeared in five games over his first two seasons, is healthy. The long-time head coach predicted a breakout season for the 23-year-old in 2024.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of Baltimore, where our thoughts and condolences are after the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge:

  • The Ravens certainly lost a massive offensive chess piece when J.K. Dobbins suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in Baltimore’s season opener. Their losses compounded late in the season when, in the midst of a run towards the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Keaton Mitchell, an explosive undrafted rookie who was helping to replace Dobbins’ lost production, suffered an ACL tear in Week 15. General manager Eric DeCosta spoke on his recovery recently, saying that the team feels Mitchell is on track “to come back this season,” per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
  • Speaking of Dobbins, though he’s not currently a Raven after the team allowed his rookie contract to expire, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network informs us that the 25-year-old rusher has been cleared for football activities. His surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, said in a letter to select teams today that Dobbins looks “outstanding” coming off his torn Achilles. Dobbins is expected to begin taking visits soon, though the Ravens have not been mentioned much as a candidate to land his continued services.

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.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/19/23

December 19th, 2023 at 7:06pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Los Angeles Chargers

With Keaton Mitchell done for the season, the Ravens are adding a veteran to their active roster. Gordon has spent the entire season with the Ravens organization, compiling 99 yards on 16 touches in two games. He’ll now have a spot on the 53-man roster for the rest of the season, serving as the team’s RB3 behind Gus Edwards and Justice Hill.

Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell Suffers ACL Tear

December 18th, 2023 at 1:25pm CST by Adam La Rose

1:25pm: An MRI confirmed Mitchell suffered a torn ACL, Rapoport tweets. The news confirms he will be out for the year, though Rapoport notes a full recovery is expected.

9:47am: The Ravens became the first AFC team to clinch a playoff berth on Sunday, but the team lost another key offensive contributor in the process. Running back Keaton Mitchell is out for the remainder of the season, head coach John Harbaugh said after the game.

Harbaugh also indicated, via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, that Mitchell will require surgery due to the “serious” knee injury he suffered in the fourth quarter of last night’s game (video link). Rapoport notes Mitchell’s availability for the beginning of the 2024 campaign could be in the air, but in any case, his absence will be acutely felt for the remainder of the current season.

Mitchell joined Baltimore as a UDFA this spring, and he was unable to find playing time for the early portion of the season. The Ravens’ backfield suffered a blow in Week 1 when starter J.K. Dobbins tore his Achilles, however, which helped pave the way for Mitchell to carve out a role for himself. The 21-year-old recorded at least eight carries in five of his six appearances once he found himself in the lineup, showcasing an explosive ability and impressive speed.

The East Carolina product recorded 396 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 47 carries, good for an average of 8.4 yards per carry. Mitchell also added nine catches for 93 yards in his brief stint as a focal point of the Ravens’ offense. Baltimore will still have a strong ground game in his absence, but losing Mitchell in addition to Dobbins and All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews (who is likely out for the rest of 2023) will deal another notable blow to the team’s skill-position group.

The Ravens will move forward with Gus Edwards and Justice Hill atop the RB depth chart. The pair rank second and fourth on the team in rushing, respectively, and they are now in line to see their workloads increase. Baltimore will add Melvin Gordon to the active roster from the practice squad, Harbaugh added (via Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo). The veteran has logged 13 carries across two games this season, his first with the team.

With quarterback Lamar Jackson leading the way, the Ravens own the league’s top rushing attack (averaging 164 yards per game on the ground). With Mitchell no longer in the picture, though, it will be interesting to see if they can maintain a strong ground game through the rest of December and into the postseason.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/14/23

October 14th, 2023 at 9:51pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions heading into the Week 6 weekend:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Dean took the starting role the Eagles had in store for him in Week 1, but a foot injury interrupted his second NFL campaign. The 22-year-old was poised to return ahead of Sunday’s game by returning to practice earlier this week, though, and a first-team role is expected to await him upon suiting up. Dean taking on a heavy workload will relegate Nicholas Morrow (who was promoted from the practice squad) to backup duty despite the latter’s strong performances so far.

Seattle has seen fellow corners Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen enjoy considerable success, but the team’s secondary will be shorthanded without Bryant. The latter will miss at least the next four weeks as a result of the IR move as he recovers from a toe injury. The 2022 fourth-rounder, who has seen his defensive snap share jump from 65% to 77% this year, has not played since Week 2.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/4/23

October 4th, 2023 at 8:04pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed to active roster: TE Rodney Williams

Tennessee Titans

Mitchell could be a key piece back for Baltimore in the offensive backfield. After the season loss of running back J.K Dobbins, the Ravens have been operating with a committee that includes Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, Melvin Gordon, and Kenyan Drake. While just an undrafted rookie, Mitchell could immediately relieve the need for the use of Gordon or Drake off the practice squad. The East Carolina product flashed serious potential in the preseason and led the FBS last year with 54 runs of 10 or more yards.

Denver will certainly be hoping to add Browning back to its ailing defense soon. Especially with Randy Gregory finding himself off the roster today, Browning’s pass-rushing ability could be just what the team needs to get its defense back on track.

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.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/31/23

August 31st, 2023 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a busy roster deadline day on Tuesday, teams continue to reshuffle their rosters. Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

  • Placed on IR: TE Stephen Sullivan

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

The Ravens brought back a trio of veterans to their 53-man roster. Brent Urban is probably destined for the biggest role, with the veteran lineman serving as the top backup to Broderick Washington at defensive end. Urban got into 16 games for Baltimore last season, collecting 21 tackles and one sack. Veteran QB Josh Johnson will slide behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley on the depth chart, and Kevon Seymour will continue his role as a key special teamer.

The Cardinals are temporarily losing some production with offensive lineman Dennis Daley and linebacker Myjai Sanders being placed on IR. Daley joined the Cardinals on a two-year deal this offseason after starting 15 of his 17 appearances for the Titans in 2022. Sanders had a productive rookie campaign, with the third-round pick collecting 23 tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble.

Julian Okwara has turned into a productive pass-rushing option in Detroit. The former third-round pick has collected seven sacks over the past two seasons, but he’ll now be sidelined for the start of the season while recovering from a knee injury suffered during in the preseason finale.

Load More Posts