Ravens training camp: 3 key storylines to watch in 2020
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: Roles for Ravens’ Crop of Running Backs
It’s a good thing Baltimore is loaded at running back, and there’s little reason to assume Greg Roman’s innovative run-first offense will shift away from its primary M.O. entering 2020.
One of the most provocative and exciting moves during the offseason was to grab former Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins in Round 2 of the NFL Draft. The Ravens didn’t need another tailback during the draft, per se. But passing up on a player who was widely viewed as the draft class’ top runner after falling into the round was something general manager Eric DeCosta simply couldn’t do.
And with some good reason.
The Ravens’ presumed No. 1 rusher in 2020, Mark Ingram, will turn 31 years old by the end of the regular season. Yes, he was awfully productive last year en route to his third Pro Bowl nod. But the lifespan of a running back always gets tough to predict when approaching the 30-years-old marker, and Ingram’s time is limited.
Dobbins, meanwhile, is going to be too fun to watch.
It’ll be interesting to see how Roman and John Harbaugh evaluate their running back room, which also boasts Gus Edwards and Justice Hill competing for supplementary roles.