ExtremeRavens Posted September 26 Posted September 26 For three weeks, Keaton Mitchell has been mathematically eliminated from the Ravens’ game day roster — a truth that was harder to fathom watching the now-healthy running back cut up defenses in the preseason. “We just don’t have the spot right now,” coach John Harbaugh said. Baltimore carries three running backs for any given game. Two of those spots are reserved for starter Derrick Henry and backup Justice Hill. The third belongs to an insurance back relegated to special teams, which Harbaugh said “tilts the scale” in favor of second-year pro Rasheen Ali. Even after teammates and coaches lauded Mitchell’s post-surgery return to form, the 23-year-old former undrafted free agent is still waiting his turn for meaningful snaps. Is it frustrating? “Hell yeah,” the soft-spoken Mitchell said, his voice shooting up like a flare. “But it is what it is. Whenever they call my name, that’s when it’s gonna happen. I’m always ready.” Mitchell and Ali are comparable, speedy kick return options who play different positions on the punt team. Mitchell is a gunner, buried on the depth chart behind wide receiver Tez Walker and rookie cornerback Keyon Martin. Ali plays the slot, a blocking position on one end of the line of scrimmage. That special teams disparity is the primary influence in Baltimore finalizing its active roster. “It’s not so much that [Mitchell is] not getting better at the things that he needs to get better at,” special teams coordinator Chris Horton said, “it’s just like, ‘Where do we plug and play in that?’ That’s kind of how I see it.” Ali has 10 kick returns this season 272 yards, fourth most in the NFL with fewer attempts than any returner ahead of him. The 2024 fifth-round draft pick’s longest return was a 43-yarder, also a top-10 mark in the NFL this season. “Sheen’s doing a great job, obviously,” Mitchell said. “He doing good.” Ali went into the team’s concussion protocol after getting dinged up on the opening kickoff against the Cleveland Browns. He did not return and showed up at practice the next week wearing a red noncontact jersey, which could have opened the door for Mitchell. But Ali was back to full go a day later, avoiding any serious injury. In the preseason, Mitchell made light work of the Colts with 68 yards on nine carries and a touchdown. He was sidelined with a hamstring injury but returned to practice in the week leading up to the season opener. Horton called Mitchell a “heck of a kick returner” but was transparent in that the breadth of Ali’s job gives him the advantage. In addition to special teams, there’s also what Mitchell can do as a running back. In eight games during the 2023 season before he tore his ACL, he averaged 8.4 yards per carry and 10.3 yards per reception with two touchdowns as a change-of-pace option next to Gus Edwards. Mitchell was limited to just 15 carries for 30 yards in two games last season as he worked his way back from a significant knee injury, but he posted during the offseason that he hit 22.4 mph during a workout. “He looks good,” Harbaugh said during minicamp in June. “He looks way better than he did at the end of last season just as far as movement. I have hopes for him. I expect him to be really good.” Through three games, the Ravens rank 12th in the NFL with 122.7 rushing yards per game, with Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson leading the way. But Henry has rushed for 50 yards or fewer in each of the past two games while fumbling three times over the first three weeks, a surprising problem that he’s vowed to fix immediately. Running backs coach Willie Taggart said before that season that “we can try to find different ways to get [Mitchell] the football so he can do his thing,” but so far, it hasn’t happened. “I would have loved to have had [Mitchell] out there the last three games,” Harbaugh said. “But when he’s out there, we’re going to be excited to have him. He’s on our team and he’s practicing well. He had a great week of practice and really looked good. So yes, that’s part of the dilemma with the numbers.” Baltimore Sun reporter Sam Jane contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article Quote
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