Ravens sign RB Devonta Freeman following Gus Edwards injury
By Justin Fried
The Baltimore Ravens are reeling following yet another running back injury, this time to Gus Edwards, on Thursday. To make up for the loss, the team is reportedly signing veteran Devonta Freeman.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Thursday evening, about an hour after the news of Edwards’ injury broke, that the Ravens had signed Freeman to their practice squad.
Freeman visited with the Ravens alongside Le’Veon Bell and Elijah Holyfield on Monday following the loss of both J.K. Dobbins and Justice Hill for the season.
The Ravens opted to sign Trenton Cannon — who was in for a visit on Tuesday — and add Bell to their practice squad. But with Edwards now presumably out for the season, they acted quickly and signed Freeman.
Devonta Freeman gives the Ravens depth and experience at running back
A fourth-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Freeman spent the first six years of his career with the Atlanta Falcons where he developed into one of the more productive running backs in the NFL.
He made the Pro Bowl in both 2015 and 2016 rushing for 2,135 yards and 22 touchdowns over that two-year span. Unfortunately, injuries and age would derail his career soon after.
After a poor 2019 season, Freeman was released and he went on to play in five games with the NY Giants in 2020. He averaged just 3.2 yards per carry on 54 attempts before being waived in January.
Following a brief stint on the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad, Freeman signed with his former NFC South rivals, the New Orleans Saints, where he spent the summer.
Freeman was released as part of final roster cuts, but he does have an advantage over Bell in that he actually played and practiced with a team this summer.
As such, while he’s initially on the practice squad, the assumption is that he’ll be promoted to the active roster once Edwards lands on the injured reserve.
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Freeman at least gives the Ravens extra depth and experience at the running back position. But it’s hard to imagine this signing moving the needle very much.