Dalvin Cook or JK Dobbins? Which Ravens Runner Should Re-Sign?

Despite the signing of Derrick Henry in free agency, the Baltimore Ravens haven't declined the idea of bringing back a veteran player from last year's backfield.

Nov 22, 2020; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back JK Dobbins (27) celebrates / Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

Trying to find which backup running back to sign is a good problem to have when your starter is an All-Pro like Derrick Henry.

Henry's free agent signing allows the Baltimore Ravens to be judicious in how they solve the remainder of their offensive holes, but keeping him fresh should also be of focus. As the running back room continues to dry up in free agency, two runners remain on the open market: Dalvin Cook and JK Dobbins.

The bigger question is which of their former running backs would the Ravens be more inclined to bring back?

Dobbins is coming back from an Achilles injury he suffered early during the 2023 season. Cook, once a consistent Pro Bowl runner, has since struggled to show consistency over the last season with the New York Jets before joining Baltimore before their playoff run.

As with any tough decision like this one, the Ravens must turn to their front office leadership, partiucarly general manager Eric DeCosta to figure out which players the franchise will be interested in bringing back.

"We're just going to see how that shakes out," Harbaugh said at league meetings in Orlando. "There are some moving pieces to that part, and I'll just let Eric [DeCosta] handle that. If we bring one of those two guys back, I'd be happy to do it. If we're not able to do it, we'll find some young guys."

As the market continues to decrease, the odds of Baltimore being able to re-sign one of their former runners will increase. There is also the 2024 Draft where late-round prospects like Dylan Laube, Frank Gore Jr., and Carson Steele could provide the Ravens with the kind of depth they are looking for at the position.

Addressing depth on a roster loaded with talented players isn't easy. For the Ravens though, the addition of Henry means the organization must do everything possible to to keep the former All-Pro fresh as possible. That means finding a quality backup to give him a breather every once in awhile.