The Baltimore Ravens are seemingly always searching for more big plays on offense, something running back Keaton Mitchell can provide once he’s fully healthy. Last season’s undrafted sensation is recovering from a torn ACL, but that hasn’t stopped Mitchell from being named a breakout candidate this year.
He’s one of the names put forward by Gordon McGuiness of Pro Football Focus. McGuiness believes even though Mitchell “won’t be ready for the start of the 2024 season,” the former East Carolina standout remains “a potential late-season breakout option.”
That prediction is based upon Mitchell’s “ability to create big plays” per McGuinness, who noted how the speedy and elusive runner “forced 15 missed tackles from just 47 carries while producing a 15-plus-yard run on 14.9% of his rushing attempts.”
Numbers like those show what Mitchell can bring to the Ravens’ offense in an expanded role. Yet, he may struggle to earn a greater workload now All-Pro Derrick Henry is in the backfield.
Even so, the upside is obvious for Mitchell, who used a small sample size last season to announce himself as a playmaker the Ravens can’t ignore.
Ravens Can’t Forget About Keaton Mitchell
The Ravens can’t forget about Mitchell after Henry’s arrival. Nor after drafting a speedster compared to a former NFL single-season touchdowns leader.
There’s more speed and power in the Ravens’ backfield, but Mitchell simply has the X factor that enables him to shred defenses on any given play. It’s what made him a breakout threat last season.
Mitchell’s stunning cameo included plays like this 40-yard touchdown run against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9.
The quick burst certainly caught the Seahawks off guard and began a trend of spectacular plays from Mitchell. His ability to surprise defenses represents his true value to the Ravens.
It’s never quite clear where Mitchell’s combination of quick feet and shifty moves will take him on any given play. The 22-year-old adds an extra layer of unpredictability for opponents already kept guessing by dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson to deal with.
This is why Mitchell generates such excitement and why his injury came at a cruel moment. Fortunately, the Ravens have enough resources to allow them to wait patiently for Mitchell to fully recover.
Ravens Can Be Patient With Big-Play Specialist
Those resources start with four-time Pro Bowler Henry. The two-time NFL rushing champion will form a potent double act with Jackson and punish defenses between the tackles, while incumbent Justice Hill and this year’s fifth-round pick Rasheen Ali offer breakaway capability on the outside.
There are enough bodies and versatility in this rotation for the Ravens to more than cope without Mitchell in the short-term. It means he can focus on getting back to 100 percent, a process that will naturally take time.
Head coach John Harbaugh explained the timeline during OTAs, revealing “It’s not a come back during training camp or first game type of thing. I think we all know that. It’s sometime during the season. It’s not like right around the corner. We shouldn’t be biting our fingernails, [wondering] is he going to get back,” per Clifton Brown of Ravens.com.
Those words struck a bleak-sounding chord, but Harbaugh did confirm Mitchell’s “on schedule, maybe ahead of schedule. He’s doing really well. He’s always got a smile on his face. He’s going to start jogging on the Alter-G (treadmill) next week. So that’s a positive thing and we’ll see where it goes.”
That more positive tone bodes well for Mitchell’s chances of making a triumphant return during the business end of the season and making good on McGuinness’ prediction.
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