Why Ravens should re-sign injury-prone RB

Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins suffered yet another season-ending injury in 2023, tearing his Achilles in Week 1. It was added to his growing list of injuries, including tearing his ACL in 2021 and suffering another knee injury in 2022 that forced him to miss half the season.

Baltimore still had the NFL’s best rushing attack in 2023, averaging 156.5 yards per game. However, here are three reasons why the team should give the injury-prone running back one more chance in 2024.

Upside

Dobbins was selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft after an impressive collegiate career at Ohio State. He rewarded the Ravens by rushing for 805 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie.

His injuries during the 2021 and 2022 seasons brought everything to a halt. However, after returning from his knee injury in 2022, Dobbins led the league in both rush yards (397) and yards per carry (7.0) from Weeks 14-17, per NFL Network’s Maurice Jones-Drew.

He was looking to pick up right where he left off this season but then he suffered yet another major injury. If Baltimore gives him another shot to prove himself, it could pay massive dividends.

Cheap

If Dobbins had never gotten injured in 2023, he may be one of the highest-paid running backs in free agency this offseason. That injury likely means Dobbins will be playing on a cheap, one-year deal in 2024.

According to Spotrac, Dobbins could receive a two-year, $4.36M contract ($2.1M per year). But that feels unlikely after his latest season-ending injury.

The biggest benefactor could be the Ravens as they are projected to have just $13.65M in cap space, per Pro Football Focus. The ability to bring back a potentially impactful player for a low price could help Baltimore contend for another Super Bowl next year.

Still young

Dobbins will be entering his fifth year in the NFL in 2024 and he is still only 25. Maybe the most positive outcome of his injuries is that he has just 234 carries over four seasons.

Veteran running backs Gus Edwards and Melvin Gordon III, who are also set to become free agents, can’t say the same as they’ve combined for 2,292 carries during their long careers.

During a time that running backs have never been valued less, Dobbins gives the Ravens a low-risk, high-reward option instead of paying a veteran, who has much more mileage and will demand more money.