Ravens notes on RB J.K. Dobbins’ future, RB Gus Edwards’ health, WR Zay Flowers’ ‘tweak’ and more
Next stop, mandatory minicamp.
The voluntary portion of the Ravens’ offseason came to a close Tuesday with organized team activities. Coach John Harbaugh said that he expects everyone to be at the team’s facility in Owings Mills for next week’s required three-day camp, and that presumably includes running back J.K. Dobbins.
Last week, the 2020 second-round draft pick sent out a series of cryptic tweets expressing, among other things, his love for the Ravens and a desire to finish his career in Baltimore before adding “IDK tho sadly,” which he later deleted.
Dobbins, 24, is entering the final year of his rookie contract and was absent from the entirety of the Ravens’ voluntary offseason program. The last time he spoke to the media, nearly five months ago following an AFC wild-card-round loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, he expressed his displeasure with his lack of carries in that game.
That included a critical fourth-quarter play near the goal line on which backup quarterback Tyler Huntley fumbled as he dove for the end zone and defensive end Sam Hubbard returned the loose ball 98 yards for the decisive touchdown. “He should never have been in that situation,” Dobbins said of Huntley. “I believe I would have put it in the end zone, again.”
As for Harbaugh’s reaction to the tweets, he said he didn’t see them but that a member of the Ravens’ staff informed him of them.
He didn’t try to read too much into it.
“We want him back, but who knows the future?” Harbaugh said of Dobbins, who has rushed for 1,325 yards and 11 touchdowns over two seasons but has also missed 27 of 50 regular-season games because of injuries. In the 2021 preseason finale, he tore his ACL, LCL, meniscus and hamstring, leading to 13 months of grueling rehabilitation.
Dobbins also missed six games in the middle of last season after having arthroscopic knee surgery to remove scar tissue before returning in December.
When healthy, he’s been one of the NFL’s best backs, averaging 5.9 yards per carry. In his past four regular-season games, he ran for 397 yards on 57 carries. In the playoff loss to the Bengals, he had 62 yards on 13 carries, along with four catches for 43 yards and a touchdown.
But staying on the field has been the issue for the former Ohio State standout, and the market for running backs is a tough one, with few teams willing to give top-of-the-market contracts to even the most productive players.
“Nobody knows the future,” Harbaugh said. “If somebody can tell me whether J.K. is going to be back next year, I’d like to know, if you’re certain about it.”
Other running back and wide receiver questions
Dobbins isn’t the only running back with question marks.
Gus Edwards has been working off to the side during the media viewing portions of the Ravens’ offseason program. That might continue during next week’s minicamp.
Harbaugh said that the 28-year-old will be “partially ready” next week and won’t be “fully ready” until training camp at the end of July.
Edwards wasn’t activated until late October last season after suffering a torn ACL in 2021. He played in just nine games, rushing for 433 yards on 87 carries with three touchdowns.
“He wasn’t quite ready to get back out and practice yet,” Harbaugh said. “No setback. Maybe they’re being a little cautious, but that’s what they’re doing.”
Among the many players also not on the field during the lightly attended practice was rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers. Though the reason didn’t sound alarming, it might be something worth monitoring.
“He had kind of a tweak, soft tissue thing,” Harbaugh said. “He should be back next week.”
Agholor, Treadwell impress
With so many players absent from the final voluntary session, there was an opportunity for others to step up. New wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Laquon Treadwell did that Tuesday.
The two former first-round picks who signed as free agents this offseason have both made an impression on Harbaugh so far.
“He’s been on point,” Harbaugh said of Agholor. “He’s a talented guy … rangy, good catch radius.”
On Treadwell, whom the Ravens signed Monday, Harbaugh said: “He’s really a determined guy, wants to be really good. Physical at practice, worked hard in the workout. He came out here and pretty much knew what he was doing after getting here less than 24 hours ago. He didn’t make a mistake out there, and I think that says a lot about who he is. He’ll be in the mix.”
Left guard competition
With the free-agent departure of Ben Powers, who signed with the Denver Broncos earlier this year, the starting left guard job is once again up for grabs.
On Tuesday, second-year tackle Daniel Faalele, whom Harbaugh had previously mentioned as a possibility for the spot, got some work in at left guard.
“We want to try to give him every opportunity to see where he flashes,” Harbaugh said, adding that he wanted to see what the 6-foot-8, 380-pound 23-year-old looked like in the role before the end of minicamp. “He looked good. He could stay a little more square, but his feet looked good, his hands looked good, he’s able to punch quickly with his hands. I wouldn’t rule him out as a potential left guard.”
Two others vying for the job are John Simpson, who joined the team from the Las Vegas Raiders late last season, and 2021 third-round pick Ben Cleveland, who also got some work at right tackle Tuesday.
“It’s going to be quite a fight for that spot,” Harbaugh said.
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