Ravens work out two former All-Pro running backs

The Baltimore Ravens are scrambling to add depth to their running back room. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has reported that running back Justice Hill has torn his Achilles and will miss the season. That on top of J.K. Dobbins’ season-ending injury has emptied out the talent at the position for the Ravens.

Baltimore is not waiting for an undrafted rookie to emerge, either. The league’s daily transaction wire shows the Ravens worked out former All-Pro Le’Veon Bell and Devonta Freeman.

Bell has remained unsigned since the start of free agency. The 29-year-old running back bounced around last season, playing for the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. He finished the year with 328 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 11 games. The Chiefs did not re-sign him after he carried the ball just twice for six yards in the playoffs; he did not appear in the Super Bowl. Adding the tailback could give the Ravens a talented tailback with an illustrious NFL career. In his six seasons with the Steelers, he was a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro.

The Michigan State product set Pittsburgh franchise records for most catches by a running back in a single season, receiving yards by a running back and most total yards by a Steelers rookie tailback.

Freeman spent six seasons with Atlanta, drafted by the Falcons in the fourth round out of Florida State. He was Atlanta’s featured back for a number of years, including 2015 and 2016 when he was an All-Pro. The Falcons released Freeman after the 2019 season. He spent part of last season with the New York Giants before signing with the Bills practice squad. The Saints scooped him up for training camp but was then released.

The Oklahoma State product was drafted by the Ravens in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In two seasons, the running back has carried the ball 70 times for 285 yards and two touchdowns. He also has 13 receptions for 90 yards. 

Ravens running back tears Achilles

Hill played at Oklahoma State from 2016 to 2018. In his three seasons with the Cowboys, he had two 1,000-plus yard seasons. He finished with 3,539 yards and 30 touchdowns. 

Hill was expected to be Baltimore’s No. 3 running back this season. With Dobbins’ injury, he was going to share carries with Gus Edwards.

JK Dobbins status

Tthe Ravens placed JK Dobbins on injured reserve before the final day of the preseason.

By placing Dobbins on the injured reserve list before the regular season starts, he will be ineligible to return to the Ravens had he recovered quicker than expected. The new NFL rules regarding injured reserve went into effect for the 2020 NFL season and were renewed for the 2021 season again earlier this month.

Losing Dobbins before the season begins was a major blow to the Ravens. Even more upsetting for Dobbins and fans is wondering what he could have done in his second NFL season following a great rookie effort.

The Ravens selected Dobbins with the 55th-overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Dobbins played in 15 games, running for 805 yards and nine touchdowns on 134 carries. He had a solid six yards per carry.

Without Dobbins, the Ravens must now replace their expected starting running back. Former starter Mark Ingram is now with the Houston Texans. Fourth-year running back Gus Edwards is poised for a major increase in volume with Dobbins now out. In each of his three NFL seasons, Edwards has run for at least 711 yards. Last year, he set career highs with 144 carries for 723 yards and six touchdowns along with nine receptions on 13 targets for 129 receiving yards.