Ravens' Keaton Mitchell a Surprise Inactive vs. Bills

Mitchell, 23, had seemingly recovered from his devastating knee injury in December of 2023, which also caused him to miss the first half of last season and hampered him for much of the second half as well. He even had an excellent performance in the preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts on Aug. 7, rushing nine times for 68 yards (7.6 yards per carry) and a touchdown while also making plays as a kick returner.

However, head coach John Harbaugh said the next week that Mitchell was dealing with a hamstring injury, which kept him out of the final two preseason games.

"He's got a little hamstring. Those have to heal," Harbaugh told reporters on Aug. 16. "He's working on that. I think there's a chance [he returns to practice] this week. If not this week, he'll be fine for the opener."

Apparently, Mitchell is not fine for the opener.

Mitchell joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of East Carolina in 2023, and he quickly became a key piece of the offense. In eight games, only two of which he started, he rushed for 396 yards and two touchdowns while averaging a staggering 8.3 yards per carry. His incredible speed made him a threat to go the distance each and every time he touched the ball, and he helped the Ravens finish as the league's best rushing offense once again.

Sadly, Mitchell suffered a gruesome knee injury in a prime-time win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Dec. 17, 2023. As mentioned, that injury continued to affect him well into the 2024 season, and he was even a "healthy" scratch on multiple occasions. He seemingly was entering this season with a clean slate of health, but that unfortunately isn't the case.

The Ravens' other inactives are safety Reuben Lowery III, fullback Patrick Ricard, offensive tackle Carson Vinson, tight end Isaiah Likely and edge rusher David Ojabo. Ricard and Likely were both ruled out with calf and foot injuries, respectively, and the offense will definitely feel their absences.

For the Bills, notable inactives include wide receiver Curtis Samuel and cornerback Tre'Davious White, who spent time with the Ravens last season before returning to Buffalo this offseason.