The Baltimore Ravens aren’t lacking for much on offense, but another sudden-strike playmaker would be welcome, especially in the backfield. Fortunately, a genuine “home run hitter” is tipped to be back at full strength and among the team’s “most-improved” players during the 2025 NFL season.
Third-year pro Keaton Mitchell needs a positive comeback story following almost a year rehabbing a torn ACL. The injury took the potential breakout star out of the fray while All-Pro Derrick Henry dominated and earned a new contract, but Mitchell can still find work in Baltimore’s running game, according to Glenn Erby of Ravens Wire.
Erby believes “There are only so many carries with Derrick Henry and Justice Hill on the roster, but Mitchell is a home run hitter. Mitchell will look to get back to full speed after missing much of the season recovering from a knee injury that ended his 2023 campaign.”
The description of Mitchell as a “home run hitter” is apt because of the former undrafted free agent’s game-breaking speed. Proving he still has plenty of that left while running on a surgically reconstructed knee will be crucial to Mitchell’s chances of staying relevant.
Those chances already appear strong thanks to bold promises from the player himself and head coach John Harbaugh.
Keaton Mitchell Hype Train Is in Motion
Mitchell’s boss is in awe of how quickly the 23-year-old bounced back from injury in “almost like miraculous” fashion. Harbaugh is “almost certain, as much as you can be sure, he’s gonna be a whole other level coming back in the spring and then again into training camp.”
That’s a bold claim given the severity of Mitchell’s knee problem. There’s also the former East Carolina star’s quick-cutting running style, something always tough on the knees.
If Mitchell is concerned about how his knee will hold up, he’s not showing any signs of worry. Not based on what he told Ravens Vault co-hosts Bobby Trosset and Sarah Ellison.
Mitchell explained how he “Got some time off to be able to really take care of my knee and do the things to get back to my normal self. Now I feel 100% back to my old self, running with the guys full speed. Nah, it’s gonna be a movie this year for sure.”
This is the level of confidence the Ravens want to hear from a back who’s able to change a game on any carry. His breakaway talent can dovetail superbly with Henry’s brute force and the every down savvy of Justice Hill.
Ravens Can Field Dominant RB Committee
Henry will remain the workhorse, but easing the load on a 31-year-old who’s had his share of 300-plus carry seasons will be important. Hill can do his bit, but the veteran’s value shows up more situationally, particularly on third downs.
A fully healthy Mitchell will give defenses something different to think about. Putting him and Henry together in the same backfield can be a new wrinkle for last season’s top-ranked offense.
Henry is excited about working with Mitchell, referring to him and Hill as being “like brothers to me,” per Carita Parks of Double Take Sports.
A thunder and lightning combo between two-time NFL rushing champion Henry and the swift Mitchell would make the Ravens even more explosive in 2025. It might even be the X factor that finally pushes this team closer to winning a championship.
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