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Keaton Mitchell

Ravens Activate Keaton Mitchell For Season Debut

November 7th, 2024 at 3:16pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Ravens have officially activated Keaton Mitchell from the Physically Unable to Perform list after his recovery from last season’s ACL tear.

The second-year running back electrified the league as an undrafted rookie, picking up first downs on 19 of his 47 carries for 396 yards and an average of 8.4 yards per carry. He ruptured his ACL in Week 15, ending his season and sidelining him into the 2024 regular season.

After dealing with major injuries to J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill in recent years, the Ravens took a conservative approach with Mitchell by ensuring that he would not take on a heavy load upon his return. Derrick Henry has served as Baltimore’s primary ballcarrier with Justice Hill taking snaps on passing downs, allowing Mitchell to slowly ramp up his workload as a change-of-pace back throughout the game.

If Mitchell is able to recapture his uncatchable speed from last season, the Ravens’ already-potent offense will become even more deadly. Lamar Jackson is a frontrunner for his third MVP, and Henry merits consideration of his own. Zay Flowers has at least 100 receiving yards in four of his last five games, bringing him to fifth in the NFL with 654 yards on the year. Adding Mitchell as a ballcarrier and pass-catcher out of the backfield may be too much for any defense to stop.

The Ravens waived edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue to make room for Mitchell on the 53-man roster ahead of their Thursday night matchup with the Bengals. Baltimore also used standard practice squad elevations on linebacker Kristian Welch and defensive tackle Josh Tupou, who spent his last six NFL seasons in Cincinnati.

Ravens Waive Yannick Ngakoue; Keaton Mitchell Could Return In Week 10

November 7th, 2024 at 12:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

Yannick Ngakoue returned to the Ravens in late September, and shortly thereafter he found himself on the team’s active roster. The veteran edge rusher’s time in the organization may be coming to an end, however.

Ngakoue is being waived, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. All players let go after the trade deadline are subject to waivers, putting them at risk of being claimed by an interested team. Should Ngakoue clear, though, Schefter notes the Ravens plan to retain him via a practice squad deal.

The 29-year-old had a quiet free agent market before electing to return to Baltimore early in the regular season. Between gameday elevations and time spent on the 53-man roster, Ngakoue totaled five appearances; over that span he recorded 1.5 sacks and five QB pressures. Having logged only a 25% snap share this season, the Maryland product’s limited role could help his chances of passing through unclaimed.

On the other hand, a number of teams were connected to the pursuit of an edge rush addition before this week’s trade deadline. The Cardinals (Baron Browning), Lions (Za’Darius Smith) and Steelers (Preston Smith) all made moves on that front. Other teams – such as the Falcons – have shown interest in that area, and with the Giants electing to retain Azeez Ojulari the waiver wire represents the last remaining avenue (aside from in-season free agency, of course) for teams to make roster additions.

The decision to waive Ngakoue hours before the start of Baltimore’s Thursday night matchup is an indication a corresponding roster move could be coming. That could very well be the activation of running back Keaton Mitchell; a Week 10 return had previously been pointed to by head coach John Harbaugh, and NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo noted this morning an activation could be in play (video link). Indeed, the second-year back practiced in full this week, leading to the expectation he will debut tonight, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

After signing with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent, Mitchell did not make his NFL debut until Week 6 last season. During his brief period in the lineup, the East Carolina product flashed considerable potential with a yards per carry average of 8.4. An ACL tear ended his promising rookie campaign, however, and he has remained on the PUP list since roster cutdowns.

The Ravens opened Mitchell’s practice window just over two weeks ago, so he does not need to be activated in time for tonight’s matchup with the Bengals. If that does take place, though, the 22-year-old will look join a backfield which has enjoyed considerable success in 2024 with Derrick Henry and Justice Hill leading the way.

Ravens Open RB Keaton Mitchell’s Practice Window

October 23rd, 2024 at 11:33am CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Ravens’ league-leading rushing attack seems like it could not get any better, but Baltimore has some additional backfield help on the way with Keaton Mitchell expected to open his 21-day practice window this week, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. This is now official.

Mitchell suffered a torn ACL in his left knee last December, ending his 2023 season and landing him on the reserve/PUP list to begin this year. Before his injury, he broke out as an electrifying undrafted rookie running back with 8.4 yards per carry across eight games and 47 rushing attempts.

Mitchell was a consistent presence on the sidelines during Ravens training camp while he was in the early stages of his rehab, and more recently participated in a workout on a side field during practice. Now, he’ll be able to ramp up his participation and gradually integrate into the Ravens backfield rotation.

Baltimore has an ideal situation for Mitchell’s recovery, with Derrick Henry firmly established as the lead back and Justice Hill filling third-down duties. Mitchell will not need to assume a major role in the offense and can work as a change-of-pace back as he ramps back up to full strength.

The Ravens will want to avoid any setbacks like they faced with J.K. Dobbins in 2022 after he recovered from an torn ACL the year before. Dobbins required an additional clean-up surgery during the 2022 season and did not regain his breakaway speed until the following year.

If Mitchell is able to bring even a fraction of his 2023 explosiveness to the Ravens this season, their run game could hit another level, even though the Baltimore ground attack’s 6.2 yards per attempt and 210.9 yards per game already lead the NFL by significant margins.

Ravens Let Go Of WRs Malik Cunningham, Anthony Miller On Way To 53

August 27th, 2024 at 9:39pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens have gotten down to the required 53-man roster. Here’s how they did it:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on IR:

Placed on IR (designated for return):

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

Baltimore will be without the veteran Maulet or electric Mitchell for at least four games to start the season. The other injured reserve placements, which includes two undrafted free agent signings, will miss the entire 2024 season.

For the second year in a row, the Ravens showed questionable draft decision-making as a draft pick from the current year failed to make the 53-man roster. Last year saw fifth-round cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly get waived, while this year sees sixth-round Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary get the early axe. Such occurrences were not common under former general manager Ozzie Newsome, and Ravens fans will hope that Eric DeCosta doesn’t make a habit out of wasting draft picks.

On the other hand, DeCosta continued a usual trend of analytical excellence as the Ravens continued what has become a tradition of seeing at least one undrafted rookie make the initial 53-man roster. This year, the honor goes to Maryland safety Beau Brade. Baltimore chose to enlist the young prospective talent of Brade over retaining the veteran experience of Worley, who has seen some decent time on the Ravens defense in recent years.

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.

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