The Baltimore Ravens made history on Saturday night becoming the first team in NFL history to win 20 consecutive preseason games. But their accomplishment was somewhat overshadowed by the loss of J.K. Dobbins.
The Ravens made the decision to play the majority of their starters for the first time this preseason. It was nice to see Lamar Jackson, Ronnie Stanley, and others returned to the gridiron, even if only for one series.
Unfortunately, on their lone offensive possession, disaster struck.
Dobbins hauled in a screen pass from Jackson only to injure his left leg upon being tackled. The injury looked gruesome on replay and Dobbins was carried off the field unable to put any pressure on his leg.
Shortly thereafter, the second-year running back was carted to the locker room and immediately declared out for the game.
The extent of Dobbins’ injury is unknown at the time of writing. An MRI is scheduled for Sunday and that should provide more information as to how serious the injury is.
But if Dobbins does miss significant time, the Ravens might be forced to explore external options. After all, there’s only so much Gus Edwards can do. And it’s unlikely the Ravens trust Justice Hill or Ty’Son Williams to take on a featured role at the time.
Let’s take a look at five external options the Ravens could consider.
5. The Ravens could target Peyton Barber to replace J.K. Dobbins
This one might be more circumstantial than anything else, but Peyton Barber is a running back who the Ravens should be very familiar with.
If only because they just spent the last week practicing against him and watched him carry the ball four times for 12 yards on Saturday night.
Barber hasn’t impressed with the Washington Football Team this summer and could find himself squeezed out of a roster spot by undrafted rookie standout Jaret Patterson.
Patterson has been one of the stars of the summer for Washington while Barber has been anything but. However, the 27-year-old is a proven, capable veteran who could find success in Baltimore’s run-heavy offense.
Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic are guaranteed roster spots. Patterson has impressed and Jonathan Williams is also in the mix. There’s a chance Barber doesn’t survive roster cuts this Tuesday.
And if that’s the case, the Ravens could take advantage and add an experienced running back for nothing.
Barber would hardly be an exciting option as he hasn’t even averaged above 4.0 yards per carry in a season since his rookie year in 2016. But a lot of that has been due to poor offensive line play.
Barber’s skill set fits what Baltimore is looking for, even if his production is lackluster. Still, they could do worse than adding a five-year veteran for virtually nothing.
4. The Ravens could target David Johnson to replace J.K. Dobbins
When Dobbins went down, many immediately thought of the idea to turn to the Houston Texans and look to bring Mark Ingram back. However, it’s hard to see that being a realistic option.
Ingram is expected to split time with Phillip Lindsay as one of Houston’s primary running backs meaning that the Ravens might have to give up decent draft capital to make a trade work.
That probably wouldn’t be worth it, especially given that there’s another experienced running back who will likely come much cheaper.
David Johnson is still hanging around in Houston, but given his usage this summer, he seems likely to take a backseat role to Ingram and Lindsay. There’s even Rex Burkhead who figures to see many of the team’s third-down reps.
Johnson doesn’t have a defined role, and even though his guaranteed contract prevents him from being outright released, the Ravens could come calling with a late-round draft pick.
The former All-Pro quietly had a really solid season last year averaging 4.7 yards per carry behind a porous Texans offensive line.
Health has been a concern with Johnson as he’s missed time in all but one of the last four seasons. But a healthy David Johnson is still a good player, and he might be worth, say, a sixth-round pick.
Would Houston make that deal? It’s very possible, especially given Johnson’s current role on the team.
This is certainly an option worth exploring if Dobbins is forced to miss considerable time.
3. The Ravens could target Todd Gurley to replace J.K. Dobbins
This is the most obvious entry on this list.
Todd Gurley has been connected to the Ravens for months and, although talks have died down in recent weeks, the two-time All-Pro remains a free agent as we approach the end of August.
A potential Gurley/Ravens union makes all the sense in the world. Gurley is originally from the Baltimore area and his power-run style would fit like a glove in the Ravens’ offensive system.
That being said, his production in recent years has left much to be desired.
Gurley is fresh off an abysmal 2020 campaign that saw him average 3.5 yards per carry despite starting 15 games and receiving nearly 200 carries.
Since his back-to-back All-Pro seasons in 2017 and 2018, Gurley has fallen off a proverbial cliff with injuries mounting. He just isn’t the same player he once was.
But you could still make the argument that he’d provide value to the Ravens’ offense.
Gurley would bring added experience in a player the team knows they can rely on as a complement to Gus Edwards.
Ty’Son Williams impressed this summer, but he remains unproven. And as for Justice Hill, he might have been looking for a new place of work had it not been for Dobbins’ injury.
Gurley might not be the most appealing option out there, but he does seem to be one of the most likely. And that has to count for something.
2. The Ravens could target Wayne Gallman to replace J.K. Dobbins
Wayne Gallman is a good running back who deserves to be on an NFL roster. He proved that last year when he stepped in for Saquon Barkley and put together an excellent campaign.
Behind one of the worst offensive lines in football, Gallman rushed for 682 yards and six touchdowns on a highly efficient 4.6 yards per carry.
It was the best year of Gallman’s career, and he was rewarded for his efforts in the offseason with a new contract from the San Francisco 49ers. Unfortunately, the 49ers have one of the deeper running back rooms in the NFL.
Raheem Mostert and Trey Sermon aren’t going anywhere. Meanwhile, the likes of sixth-round pick Elijah Mitchell and former undrafted free agent JaMycal Hasty have both impressed this summer.
Gallman has looked good, but has he looked good enough to earn a roster spot? That much remains to be seen.
If Gallman sneaks free, he’s expected to be one of the more coveted running backs on the open market. Baltimore could either pounce on a recently-waived Gallman or act proactively and try to trade for him before final cuts.
General manager Eric DeCosta has already made a pair of trades in recent days proving that he isn’t afraid to get aggressive when it comes to roster management.
Gallman would be able to step in and immediately contribute in a Ravens offense that suits his skill set.
This is one of the more intriguing moves the team could make.
1. The Ravens could target Rashaad Penny to replace J.K. Dobbins
Rashaad Penny is another player who surprisingly finds himself on the roster bubble this summer. He likely won’t be outright released, but don’t be surprised if some teams come calling.
Chris Carson is the starter in Seattle while the likes of DeeJay Dallas and Travis Homer have been impressing the coaching staff. At the moment, Penny is slated to be Carson’s primary backup, but that could change.
Especially if a team is willing to send a draft pick Seattle’s way.
Penny is probably the most explosive running back in that backfield, but consistency has been a struggle for the former San Diego State star. Injuries have plagued Penny as a torn ACL cost him the end of his 2019 season and almost all of 2020.
He’s returned healthy again in 2021 and is in the best shape of his football career, but it seems clear that the Seahawks are already pushing him out of the equation.
The team opted to decline his fifth-year option meaning that he’ll be a free agent at the end of the year, and given the hype surrounding the aforementioned Dallas, it seems Seattle is prepared to move on from Penny sooner rather than later.
Again, he likely isn’t a cut candidate so the Ravens would have to give up a Day 3 pick to get him. But he might be the player on this list with the highest ceiling as well.
If J.K. Dobbins is forced to miss significant time, the Ravens should seriously consider calling the Seahawks about Rashaad Penny.