Second-Year RB Key To Unlocking Ravens' Potential?

Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell showed great promise last season before going down with injury.

Dec 17, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell (34) runs the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports / Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports

Lamar Jackson and newcomer Derrick Henry are the headliners of the Baltimore Ravens' top ranked rushing offense, but there's several other pieces that make the operation run so smoothly.

Of course there's the offensive line, but there's also depth running backs Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill. The former in particular turned some heads last season, as he rushed for 396 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 8.4 yards per carry in eight games. Unfortunately, Mitchell's rookie season came to an abrupt end when he suffered a torn ACL during a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Dec.17, and he's still recovering from said injury.

Once Mitchell does return, though, Darin McCann of Russell Street Report believes the second-year running back could be the key to unlocking the Ravens' full offensive potential.

"At some point, Keaton Mitchell is expected to return this season, and the hope is his fresh legs can take a big load towards the end of the regular season, allowing Henry to heal and recover a bit before the playoffs," McCann writes.

"At that point, assuming an offensive attack that remembers to include the run game, the Ravens could have a potential juggernaut of a running back rotation in January."

Henry was the textbook definition of a workhorse throughout his eight-year tenure with the Tennessee Titans, as he often accounted for well over half of the team's rushing yards in any given season. In fact, he's led the league in carries in four of the past five seasons, and the only one he didn't was when he missed nine games due to injury.

Carrying that much of a load is certainly impressive, but it takes a huge toll on the body. The Titans didn't have much depth behind Henry, but that figures to be much less of a problem with the Ravens. Rest assured, Mitchell should get his share of snaps even behind the best running back of the past five years.

The question then becomes whether or not Mitchell can return to his form last season once he recovers from injury. An ACL tear is hard to come back from for any player, let alone a running back who makes more cuts than any other position.

If Mitchell can pick up where he left off, though, the Ravens' rushing attack should be special next season.

Make sure you bookmark Ravens Country for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Ravens CB Explains Offseason Absence
• Ravens Safety Excited For New DC
• Former MVP Says Ravens' Lamar Jackson Isn't Face Of NFL
• Former NFL QB Recalls Choosing Ravens Over Steelers
• Ravens Star Projected To Lead NFL In This Stat