The Baltimore Ravens have been hit extremely hard by injuries so far over the course of 2021, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Over the past week the team has lost two running backs to season-ending injuries in J.K. Dobbins and Justice Hill, leaving them with just two healthy rushers on their roster.
On Monday the team brought in five players for tryouts, three of which were running backs. Two of those rushers were veteran options, while one has very little experience at the NFL level. Either way, it makes sense that Baltimore is looking at outside options at the position considering how few bodies they have right now.
Ravens’ workouts on Monday:
RB Le’Veon Bell
RB Devonta Freeman
RB Elijah Holyfield
DT Reginald McKenzie
QB Kenji Bahar— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) September 6, 2021
Bell is the most accomplished of the group, carrying the football 1,556 times for 6,453 yards and 40 rushing touchdowns while also catching 394 passes for 3,259 yards and eight scores through the air. However, he isn’t the player he once was, and comes with some off-field concerns as well.
Freeman was recently released by the New Orleans Saints, but has seen success at the NFL level. He’s put up 4,144 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns on 1,005 carries while also being a threat as a receiver, catching 264 footballs for 2,073 yards and 11 scores.
Holyfield is a bit of a different story. He’s only played one game at the NFL level after signing with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He was cut and re-signed to Carolina’s practice squad that offseason, but hasn’t made a very big impact as a professional yet.
It remains to be seen if the Ravens will value special teams ability as well as proven ability out of their third running back. Hill was a good special teams player, but Bell and Freeman likely aren’t suiting up on that side of the ball. Baltimore needs a third running back (and probably another on the practice squad as well), so a signing or two will likely be coming in the next few days.