Ravens’ running game might hit another gear
OWINGS MILLS — The Ravens already lead the NFL with 210.9 yards rushing per game behind Derrick Henry.
They could become even stronger in the next few weeks.
Keaton Mitchell, who showed exceptional explosiveness before sustaining a season-ending knee injury last year, returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time this season. Mitchell was wearing a brace on his left knee as he began the 21-day practice window to be added to the 53-man roster.
“I don’t expect him to be back this week,” coach John Harbaugh said. “You never know. He’s been away quite awhile, so we want to get him going, get him moving, get him practicing football and, hopefully, get him ready within the three-week window. That would be the goal.”
Mitchell, who signed with the Ravens as an undrafted rookie out of East Carolina, became a breakout player when he ran for 138 yards and a touchdown in his first extensive playing time against the Seahawks on November 5th.
Mitchell was poised for another big game against the Jaguars with 73 yards rushing before he was tripped up by a defender and landed awkwardly on his left leg in the fourth quarter. He had to be carted off the field and was lost for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He has spent the past year rehabbing the injury.
The potential return of Mitchell could take some of the burden off Henry, who leads the NFL with 873 yards rushing, and Justice Hill, who has been a perfect complement. Henry also leads the league with 134 carries and the Ravens want him to be healthy for the final stretch run of the regular season and into the playoffs.
“We didn’t bring Derrick in here to be the guy that gets the ball 30 times a game,” Harbaugh said, via the team’s official transcript. “He’s done that before. That’s really not the plan.”
