- September 8, 2021
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The Baltimore Ravens were dealt a difficult blow earlier this preseason when J.K. Dobbins went down with a season-ending injury.
Debates raged on about the fact he was playing in the exhibition game, but the fact remains the team needs help at the position.
Veterans get tryouts around the league on a regular basis and a few names visiting Baltimore stood out in a big way.
Those two belong to Le’Veon Bell and Devonta Freeman.
Le’Veon Bell among those working out… https://t.co/raWVAKPdDZ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 6, 2021
The Ravens are exploring all options because they also recently suffered yet another season-ending injury at running back with Justice Hill.
Source: #Ravens RB Justice Hill tore his Achilles at practice recently. He’s out for the season. That’s why they are working out backs.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 6, 2021
Bell and Freeman are two intriguing options.
A Potential Return To The AFC North
Bell was a star with the Pittsburgh Steelers before sitting out a season and becoming obsolete on the New York Jets.
He then joined the Kansas City Chiefs in a limited role.
The 29-year-old last ran for over 1,000 yards in 2017 with the Steelers and could even be fresh given his lack of use in 2020.
The exciting aspect of Bell’s game is his ability to be a dynamic option as a pass-catcher in addition to being a great runner.
But the Ravens have Gus Edwards as the top back and Lamar Jackson will be running a lot as well.
Bell would just need to thrive in a reserve role in relief of Edwards.
The Ravens could get creative with him running routes, yet again, he is a veteran now and may not be capable of his old ways.
His experience is intriguing and going up against the Steelers twice this season would provide some solid storylines.
Seeking Another Chance
Freeman went from being a star runner with the Atlanta Falcons to being an afterthought with the New York Giants in 2020 due to an injury suffered early in the season.
He is a player who had over 1,000 yards from scrimmage as recently as 2019 and who may fit in great with a dynamic Ravens offense.
As with Bell, he would only be needed sparingly throughout the game and could use his strengths to his advantage in short bursts.
The same is true for a player like Todd Gurley, whose name seemingly trends on Twitter every few days.
He did get a workout with the Ravens earlier this year, but his lingering health issues could scare teams away when players like Bell and Freeman are also available.
NFL rosters being so compact makes it tough to add Gurley if the team isn’t confident he is capable of staying healthy on a contending team.
The Ravens need reinforcements in the backfield.
Who should they pick?
This article first appeared on The Cold Wire and was syndicated with permission.
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