Derrick Henry has never needed much help in the backfield, and he proved that again during his first year with the Baltimore Ravens. The star running back rushed for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns on 325 attempts. While he can clearly carry the load by himself, and with the help of Lamar Jackson, it’s also best to have more than one good running back. In 2025, the Ravens could have that.
Running back Keaton Mitchell, who was limited to just five games last season because of an ACL injury in 2023, is entering this training camp healthy. Considering the promise he showed as a rookie before his injury, CBS Sports recently named him as a comeback candidate. If he can deliver, he’d help create arguably the league’s best backfield.
CBS Sports names Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell as a comeback candidate
As a rookie, Mitchell carried the ball 47 times for 396 yards and two touchdowns, averaging an impressive 8.4 yards per carry. His speed and shiftiness made him an exciting new addition to Baltimore’s offense, but his injury halted his presence. Now, after just 15 carries for 30 yards last season, CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso details how he could officially get back on track in 2025, and be the perfect running mate for Henry.
"Of course, said ground-game brilliance is anchored by Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, but Mitchell has the juice to rebound as the ideal lightning complement to Henry's thunder. Remember, this is a back who ran 4.37 with a 38-inch vertical entering the league out of East Carolina just two years ago. He only turned 23 years old in January. The ACL shouldn't limit his explosiveness whatsoever by September, which will be the 20-month mark since the injury."
Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports)
This would be ideal for Baltimore. As great as Henry is, the team doesn’t want to run him into the ground, and having another productive back like Mitchell would help with that. If he can stay healthy, and demonstrate the skills he showcased as a rookie, he’ll certainly have a role in the Ravens offense.
Trapasso did highlight that Justice Hill is technically RB2 in Baltimore, but it’s fair to say that has a lot to do with Mitchell not being available last season. If healthy, Keaton Mitchell will likely secure the role of running back two this season for the Ravens.
READ MORE