The Baltimore Ravens enter the 2020 NFL Draft with some pretty specific needs for this season, and a running back isn’t at the top of the list. With Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill returning after breaking a 41-year old rushing record, it seems as though the Ravens are in good hands. But that shouldn’t completely remove running back from Baltimore’s draft board, even in the first three rounds.
Just taking a look at the Ravens’ playoff game against the Tennessee Titans should be enough evidence of their need at running back. With Ingram reinjuring the calf that held him out of Week 17 and half of Week 16 and Edwards not being used very much, the majority of the rushing attack fell on Lamar Jackson’s shoulders, which clearly made Baltimore’s offense a little one dimensional with the end result being an early exit from the postseason. If we’ve learned anything of the Ravens’ strategy from their offseason moves to date, it’s that they’re looking to fix the problems that held them back in the playoffs: running the ball, both for and against them.
But Baltimore has to look to the future as well where their need will become even greater. Edwards is on a one-year ERFA contract and while he’s still set to be a restricted free agent next offseason, there are no guarantees he’ll be back for 2021. Ingram could easily be cut after the 2020 season, saving Baltimore $5 million on their salary cap for 2021, according to Over The Cap. Even Hill, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, is far from a sure thing even though he’s shown flashes during his rookie campaign.
The Ravens have never been the type of organization to turn their entire focus on the short term and have often bucked immediate needs in favor of a player they love in spite of having depth already on the roster. Look no further than when cornerback Marlon Humphrey was selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The Ravens had far bigger needs at other positions but grabbed the player they had rated higher, who turned into an All-Pro cornerback. Not a bad strategy, right?
The reality when looking at the Ravens’ roster is that they might not have any of their three running backs on the team for 2021. While they could wait to select one in the next draft, that puts them into a bind where they have to fill a need early on to find a guaranteed starter. When looking at how Baltimore tends to handle the draft, the strategy is to often fill a need before it becomes one.
Many mock drafts have seen running backs fall into the Ravens’ lap in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Guys like D’Andre Swift and Jonathan Taylor have been available at No. 28 often enough to see analysts make a habit of picking them. But the second and third rounds have solid running backs that work with Baltimore’s offensive scheme as well. J.K. Dobbins, Cam Akers, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Zack Moss should all be available on Day 2 of the draft and would look good in purple and black.
Though it’s tempting to want the Ravens to only pick players at their biggest needs for this season, looking a little further into the future could help Baltimore continue to evolve as an offense without skipping a beat.
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