It is believed that Ravens second-year running back J.K. Dobbins suffered a season-ending knee injury during last night’s preseason matchup against Washington, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds that an ACL tear is the expected diagnosis. Dobbins is presently undergoing an MRI to confirm (Twitter link).
This is, of course, a devastating blow to Baltimore’s offense. Although the Ravens made several high-profile additions to their WR corps this offseason, their attack was still going to be predicated on a fearsome ground game spearheaded by Dobbins, fellow RB Gus Edwards, and quarterback Lamar Jackson. Now, Edwards suddenly finds himself atop the depth chart, with third-year scat-back Justice Hill and 2020 UDFA Ty’Son Williams — who has played well this preseason — behind him.
Dobbins, a first-round talent whom the Ravens snapped up with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2020 draft, was gradually eased into professional action. He did not receive double-digit rushing attempts in a game until Week 8 last year, but once he became a featured piece of the team’s offense, he was tremendous. He finished the season with 134 carries for 805 yards, good for an excellent 6.0 yards-per-carry average, and he added nine rushing TDs.
It will be next to impossible to replace the production that the Ravens expected to get out of Dobbins this year. Edwards has been a strong performer in his own right, as he boasts a 5.2 YPC average over three years in Baltimore. However, he is not the receiving threat that Dobbins was projected to be, and his success has generally come as a complementary piece, not as a feature back. He is a former UDFA himself, so maybe the Ravens can spin more hay into gold with Williams or 2021 college free agent Nate McCrary.
If the organization looks for external options, Todd Gurley could be a target. Gurley visited the Ravens back in June, and he remains unsigned. Knee injuries have derailed his career, and though he managed to play 15 games in each of the past two seasons, he could not reach the 4.0 YPC threshold in either year. Still, if he were to be deployed as part of a timeshare with Edwards and Hill/Williams/McCrary, he may be more effective.
Speculatively, a player like the Colts’ Marlon Mack could also be an option. Mack suffered a torn Achilles in Week 1 of the 2020 season, but he eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in 2019 and came close to doing so in 2018, despite playing in only 12 games that year. The injury depressed his market this offseason, and he re-upped with Indy on a one-year, $2MM pact. The Colts, however, have Jonathan Taylor entrenched as their RB1, and they are also rostering Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins. If GM Chris Ballard feels he has enough depth there, perhaps he and Ravens GM Eric DeCosta could swing a deal.
I know he’s old and not good anymore, but I could see Adrian Peterson signing with the Ravens too.
Besides Edwards, there’s another Rutgers alum out there who had success with the Ravens and has rehabilitated his image as a motivational speaker – Ray Rice. Peterson’s transgressions were worse than his but AP’s career kept going. Rice has as much chance at returning as Kaepernick does.
Yeah, Tiki Barber is still out there too lol.
Rice hasn’t played in seven years and has been officially retired for three. If no team was going to touch him in 2014 for domestic violence, I can guarantee you that’s even more true in 2021.
This a take that is just awful.
Hasn’t played in almost a decade and we’re comparing which is worse at this point? Dumb.
Totally disagree about who’s transgressions were worse. Rice intentionally punched a woman in the face. Peterson unintentionally underestimated his strength when he was switching a child, a form of punishment common, especially in rural areas, not all that long ago.
I never understood why key starters or stars play these pre-season games. They know the system inside and out. Dobbins isn’t a rookie so there’s obvious comfort level there. They practice all of the time. They scrimmage against other teams. I understand that there’s nothing like a real game experience, but how much of a difference does a few carries make in a player’s progression?
Agreed. Baltimore should try and pry A.J. Dillon away from your Packers. Hill looks like he would be a capable backup to Jones.
Sure, for a couple No. 1 picks and a starting DT. Not going to happen.
AJ Dillon is effectively a career backup in GB after signing jones long term. Packers won’t be able to get anything for him the longer they wait.
Injuries can happen at any time, practice, training camp or game. It literally makes no difference that this one happened in a preseason game versus it happening in week 1. There’s a reason why the players need those reps, you cant run game speed in practice. Hell these guys hardly practice anymore as it is.
Frank Gore says hi.
Yep keep playing your star players in meaningless games. Now you have just used up your best RB. Great move Harbaugh.
He played for what, four snaps this preseason? Let’s play the hindsight game after four snaps. Makes total sense.
Crazy how far Le’Veon Bell’s career has tanked that he still remains unsigned and no one mentions him as a possible replacement for Dobbins.
Bring back Mark Ingram