Since the beginning of the 2024 offseason, the Baltimore Ravens have been anticipated to look to the free agent market for the running back who will be their starter following season.
It’s been a while since the team had a top-tier option at the position, and there are some holes on the roster right now.
It has been speculated that they would attempt to recruit a big name running back this offseason, with Derrick Henry being the betting favourite.
Despite the evidence pointing to a major shift for the Ravens, it appears like the organization may still be looking to re-sign some familiar faces.
During his press conference at the NFL Combine, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta stated that the team is still in talks with Gus Edwards and would speak with J.K. Dobbins.
“We’re still talking with Gus. We’ll talk to J.K. — we had a couple of free agents,” DeCosta told Baltimoreravens.com. “We’re hopeful that we can get something done with those guys.”
Dobbins’ and Edwards’ Ravens Careers
Dobbins and Edwards have followed very different routes in their NFL careers.
The Ravens signed Edwards after he went undrafted in 2018. In 2020, they selected Dobbins in the second round.
Injuries have prevented Dobbins from ever living up to the expectations that accompanied his draft pick. In his four seasons with the league, he has only played 23 games.
On the other side, Edwards has emerged as one of the league’s most reliable backup running backs.
He has been called upon numerous times since joining the Ravens, and he has always delivered. Edwards has never started a season at the top of the team’s depth chart, although he has accumulated more than 700 yards four times.
He also averaged more than 5 yards per rush during the first five years of his career.
Both of these running backs are now free agents, and it would be unusual if they returned to the Ravens in 2024.
Why does this not make sense?
Re-signing one of these running backs would not come as a surprise to the Ravens. Their depth chart presently includes Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell.
Mitchell is rehabbing from an ACL tear suffered late in the season, which may mean he will not be ready for the 2024 season.
Hill has primarily served as a depth option throughout his career.
This could leave the squad feeling as if they require a familiar face to fill the backup role.
They don’t need both guys if they want a huge name. They do not have the roster or cap room to accommodate it.
The Ravens now have $16.47 million in cap space and are losing a number of contributors to free agency this summer.
After abandoning the run in the AFC Championship Game, it’s evident that the Ravens must go out and find an exceptional option at the position.
While it may not be as crucial to other teams in the league, few teams in the NFL have been as run-heavy as the Ravens since Lamar Jackson was drafted.
To enhance the efficiency of that technique, they require a reliable RB1.
Keeping too much of last year’s RB depth chart may prohibit them from doing so.
If they want to make a major splash at running back this summer, they’ll have to choose between Edwards and Dobbins before free agency begins.
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