The Baltimore Ravens saw running back Keaton Mitchell burst onto the scene during the 2023 NFL season. He became an instant impact playmaker after returning from a preseason injury, adding speed, burst and acceleration to Baltimore’s backfield.
Unfortunately for Mitchell, he suffered a torn ACL in a late-season Ravens win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, causing him to miss the remainder of the season and putting his status for the beginning of 2024 in doubt. Head coach John Harbaugh gave an update on Mitchell at OTAs, saying that it’s not a comeback during the first game type of deal.
“I don’t think he had anything after the season, Marcus Williams. He’s fine. Keaton is – it’s not a comeback during training camp or a first game type-of-thing. I think we all know that. It’s [going to be at] sometime during the season. So, it’s not right around the corner. We shouldn’t be biting our fingernails, ‘Is he going to get back?’ But, I will say, he’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 AlterG [rehab treadmill] next week. So, that’s a positive thing and we’ll see where it goes.”
Baltimore signed running back Derrick Henry to a two-year deal this offseason, so he will be the team’s No. 1 rusher in 2024. However, whenever Mitchell returns to the field, he’ll have a big role as a change-of-pace option and a player that can impact the game in many different ways.
