Ravens may finally have to cut their losses with injury-prone running back
J.K. Dobbins expressed during the offseason that he has zero desire to play for any team other than the Baltimore Ravens.
While an admirable sentiment, a decision whether or not to extend Dobbins, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, may have already been made for the Ravens after the 24-year-old running back suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Baltimore’s 25-9 season-opening win over the Houston Texans on Sunday.
It’s the third time in Dobbins’ four-year NFL career that he’ll miss significant time. He was sidelined for the entire 2021 season after suffering an ACL injury in Baltimore’s preseason finale and limited to just eight games last year while battling two knee injuries.
Dobbins also missed the first 14 practices of training camp this year while on the physically unable to perform list, before being cleared to return to on-field activity.
“I feel like J.K. has been busting his behind to get back on that field and show the world what he’s capable of,” quarterback Lamar Jackson told reporters. “I spoke highly of him this offseason, just letting everybody know like we need him man. For him to go down with a season-ending injury that’s just very unfortunate for us; not just him but for all of us because he’s our brother.”
Dobbins has been effective when healthy. He averaged six yards per carry while rushing for 805 yards and nine touchdowns in 15 games as a rookie and added 520 yards and two scores last year. Before his injury against the Texans, Dobbins had logged eight carries for 22 yards and a touchdown plus two receptions for 15 yards.
The problem is that by the time Dobbins becomes a free agent next offseason, he will have played in just 24 of a possible 67 games during his rookie contract. The Ravens invested the 55th overall pick on Dobbins in 2020, but it might be time they cut their losses and search for a more permanent replacement.
Baltimore, which has had a top-three rushing offense each of the last six seasons, has been one of the more run-dependent teams in the NFL over the last few years. The franchise may finally decide it’s not wise to make a significant financial investment in a starting running back who can’t stay healthy.
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