The Baltimore Ravens received a bit of good injury news when running back J.K. Dobbins was activated off the PUP list and returned to practice on Monday. The same, however, can’t be said for fellow running back Gus Edwards.
While Dobbins made his triumphant return to the practice field on Monday, Edwards remains on the PUP list, and the latest update regarding his injury isn’t a positive one.
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec is reporting that Edwards is “doubtful” for Week 1 and is likely the “furthest away” from returning of all the team’s injured players.
Dobbins’ return means that he should be good to go for the Ravens’ Week 1 matchup with the New York Jets. As for Edwards, however, the team likely won’t have him to start the season.
The Ravens will likely be without Gus Edwards to start the 2022 season
Edwards suffered a torn ACL just prior to the start of the 2021 season last September on the same day that star cornerback Marcus Peters tore his ACL. Peters seems to be on track to return by the middle of August, but it’s a different story with Edwards.
Zrebiec went as far as to say that Edwards was a “long shot” to play Week 1. Evidently, his knee injury was more severe than those suffered by his teammates.
The good news is that Dobbins’ return should help alleviate the absence of Edwards. The Ravens also made it a point to bolster their running back depth this offseason, signing veteran Mike Davis and adding rookie Tyler Badie in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Dobbins, Davis, Badie, and the returning Justice Hill give the Ravens enough talent at the running back position to get by without Edwards for the time being, barring any other injuries.
A former undrafted free agent, Edwards put together three highly efficient seasons from 2018 to 2020 in which he averaged 5.0 or more yards per carry each year — the only running back in the NFL to accomplish such a feat.
The Ravens hope that Edwards can return to full health before long and provide the team with the 1-2 punch they envisioned alongside Dobbins.
Until then, however, the team will lean on Dobbins, Davis, Badie, and Hill to hold down the proverbial fort.