The Baltimore Ravens are going to need a borderline miracle to make the NFL playoffs at this point, and even if they think they can pull it off, they could still sell off a piece or two before the trade deadline.
The 1-5 Ravens might have to lose another game or two after Lamar Jackson returns if they’re going to go into full sell, but they might be one of the more active teams before the Nov. 4 NFL trade deadline regardless.
ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler believes overlooked running back Keaton Mitchell could be a player Baltimore trades before the deadline, especially given how he has fallen out of the rotation.
“And here’s a change-of-pace option: Baltimore’s Keaton Mitchell,” Fowler wrote in his weekly “latest buzz” story when identifying potential running back trade options across the league. “He has game-changing speed but is the odd man out in the Ravens’ backfield. It’s worth noting that Chargers GM Joe Hortiz was with Baltimore when the team signed Mitchell as an undrafted free agent in 2023.”
Ravens Back Keaton Mitchell Listed as Trade Option
Mitchell, who some saw as a breakout candidate entering the year, has been a complete non-factor this season. That’s despite the fact that the Ravens can’t get their run game going. The 23-year-old has just three carries and one reception, having appeared in only two of Baltimore’s first six games. While he remains a contributor on special teams (22 snaps in his two games, 50%), he has logged just six offensive snaps for the entire season.
It has been a rough couple of seasons for Mitchell after a nice rookie campaign in 2023 when he scored a pair of touchdowns while rushing for 396 yards on just 47 carries. He then suffered a season-ending knee injury at the end of that 2023 campaign that left him on the PUP list to start the 2024 season. He wasn’t activated until Week 10 and only got 16 touches over five games.
Ravens’ Run Game Has Struggled Despite What Stats Say
That he hasn’t been able to crack the rotation this season is telling, too. He’s stuck on the Ravens depth chart behind former All-Pro Derrick Henry as well as Justice Hill. The Ravens have had success running the ball on a per-carry basis, ranking second in the NFL with 5.3 yards per carry. However, that is still down from a year ago when Ravens backs (including Jackson) rushed for 5.8 yards per carry.
More importantly, the game script hasn’t been conducive to establishing a dominant run game. The Ravens’ defense has been ravished by injuries, allowing an NFL-worst 32.3 points per game through six weeks. On top of that, losing Jackson for two weeks allowed opposing defenses to further key in on Henry and Hill, and the offense has been nonexistent. Only the Jets, Browns and Titans were worse on a yards-per-play basis in Week 6 than the Ravens, who mustered a measly three points in a home loss to the Rams.
As for potential landing spots, Fowler didn’t note any teams that might have specific interest in Mitchell, but there are a handful of clubs looking to add backfield depth. The Chiefs, Texans, Chargers and Patriots — all AFC rivals — were listed as teams who might try to add a running back before the deadline.
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