Ravens 2024 place assessment: Operating Backs

With the 2024 season formally within the books and the beginning of the brand new league 12 months lower than a month away, it’s the right time to assessment the Baltimore Ravens one place group at a time earlier than utterly turning the web page ahead to gearing up for 2025.

Within the subsequent installment of this text collection, the working backs are up after a 12 months the place they have been spearheaded by the arrival of a future Corridor of Famer who elevated the play of your complete offense.

Derrick Henry

Picture by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs

The Ravens offense already proved to be among the many NFL’s elite within the first 12 months underneath Todd Monken in 2023 with Gus Edwards because the featured again. Henry’s addition took it to a fair greater stage as he supercharged their floor recreation and have become the primary participant not named Lamar Jackson to steer the workforce in speeding yards since 2018. His 1,921 yards on the bottom have been second within the league behind solely Saquon Barkley, he turned the primary participant in NFL historical past to have a number of seasons of 1,800-plus speeding yards, tied for probably the most speeding touchdowns within the league (16) and led all working backs in yards per carry (5.9).

Henry was nicely value each penny of the cut price two-year deal value $16 million the Ravens signed him for final offseason. He might’ve had an much more monster 12 months had he gotten the ball extra constantly in video games the place they need to’ve leaned on him extra. His legendary physicality was on full show all through the season with a number of viral stiff arms and he proved he nonetheless possesses the breakaway velocity to interrupt off lengthy runs for 20-plus yards and even home calls. He completed with the second-most scrimmage yards in a season of his profession (2,114) after hauling in 19 catches for 193 yards and tied his single-season profession excessive in complete touchdowns (18).

Justice Hill

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Whereas Henry headlined the Ravens’ gifted backfield, Hill was its unsung hero who flashed his dynamic playmaking capability as an ideal slashing complement to the five-time Professional Bowl hammer. The side of the sport the place Hill shined the brightest was on third down and apparent passing conditions each as a go catcher out of the backfield in addition to a go protector when he stayed behind to supply chip assist and choose up blitzes. His contributions in these areas helped make the Ravens among the best two-minute and up-tempo offenses within the league with the way in which they may transfer the ball down the sphere rapidly and in rhythm. Hill was a weapon on screens, checkdowns and working routes downfield towards outmatched linebackers.

Though he recorded greater than 150 fewer speeding yards than he did the 12 months earlier than (387-228), the six-year veteran nonetheless managed to set a brand new profession excessive in mixed scrimmage yards due to his uptick in utilization as a go catcher. Hill recorded profession highs in targets (51), receptions (42), receiving yards (383), yards per goal (9.1) and touchdowns (three). He additionally picked up 183 yards as a kick returner to carry his all-purpose complete to 794 together with an extended of 59.

Keaton Mitchell

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The 2023 undrafted free agent gem had his sophomore season debut delayed whereas the Ravens exercised excessive warning together with his rehabilitation course of following the key knee damage that reduce his electrical rookie 12 months quick. Mitchell spent the primary 9 weeks of the common season on the Bodily Unable to Carry out record and even upon his return, he didn’t see a lot motion on offense and was used extra within the kick return recreation as an alternative.

Mitchell was energetic for simply 5 video games within the common season and each playoff contests however solely noticed offensive snaps in 4 with probably the most in depth coming in a pair of blowout victories to shut out the 12 months. He solely obtained to hold the ball 15 instances and picked up simply 30 web speeding yards however he did handle to tear off a 28-yard acquire in his lone goal and reception on account of a well-executed display. As a kick returner, Mitchell recorded 156 yards on 5 alternatives for a mean of 31.2 with an extended of 47.

Keaton Mitchell someway obtained FASTER after that ugly damage he suffered, a real testomony to his work ethic and the developments in sports activities science!

Every time Keaton’s quantity is known as, one thing might occur, be it within the return recreation or the speeding recreation! #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/ptBdJzOmny

— Nic Mason (@British_Raven19) January 8, 2025

Rasheen Ali

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With the Ravens’ veteran two-headed monster, there wasn’t a lot of a job for the 2024 fifth-rounder as a rookie. A neck damage he suffered throughout the preseason prompted him to spend the primary 5 weeks of the common season on injured reserve earlier than being activated in Week 6. He performed completely on particular groups in his debut earlier than being a wholesome scratch for the following six video games. Ali didn’t get to take his first snap on offense till after the Ravens’ Week 14 bye and completed the season with 10 carries for 31 yards and no catches on two targets in six appearances and was inactive for each playoff video games. On particular groups, he lined and returned kicks, recording 107 yards on 4 kick return makes an attempt with an extended of 38 and made an assisted sort out.

Appreciated what I noticed from the Ravens’ reserves yesterday.

Rookie RB Rasheen Ali made some good cuts, ran with energy, made tacklers miss.

Ben Cleveland and Andrew Vorhees have been stout at heart and left guard. pic.twitter.com/Inyx4xFgDs

— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) December 16, 2024