Ravens Facing Challenges After Losing Dobbins For Season

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — It took 1 bid past play for J.K. Dobbins to injure his knee, ending his season.

That’s the hazard the Baltimore Ravens were taking by putting him connected the tract — and manager John Harbaugh understands the 2nd guessing.

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“It’s a just conversation,” Harbaugh said. “We played the full discourtesy for 9 plays I deliberation it was. Those guys played for nary much than 23 plays the full preseason — that’s what J.K. had.”

Dobbins was wounded connected a surface walk successful Saturday night’s preseason finale astatine Washington, and present the Ravens person to regenerate a large portion of their offense. Baltimore led the NFL successful rushing past season, with backmost Lamar Jackson starring the way. Dobbins ran for 805 yards arsenic a rookie, and chap moving backmost Gus Edwards wasn’t acold down astatine 723.

The Ravens enactment Dobbins connected injured reserve Monday. Now Edwards and the remainder of Baltimore’s extent volition beryllium tested. The Ravens could besides adhd assistance from extracurricular the enactment — but they’re improbable to find anyone with the benignant of committedness Dobbins has shown since arriving successful the NFL retired of Ohio State.

“He’s conscionable the hardest worker, and he’s the astir passionate guy,” Harbaugh said. “He volition beryllium acceptable to spell adjacent year. There’s nary question astir it. He’ll beryllium acceptable to roll. He’ll astir apt beryllium acceptable to rotation successful OTAs.”

The Ravens bushed Washington to acceptable a grounds with their 20th consecutive preseason win, but that evidently wasn’t the large communicative of the night. Baltimore has dealt with injuries and absences passim grooming camp, from Jackson and Edwards investigating affirmative for COVID-19 and missing the commencement of camp, to a new-look receiving radical struggling to enactment healthy.

Receiver Rashod Bateman, a first-round draught prime this year, has been retired due to the fact that of groin problems. Marquise Brown, the team’s apical returning receiver, has been constricted by hamstring issues, though Harbaugh said he’d beryllium astatine signifier Monday.

Baltimore could person held Dobbins and different cardinal players retired of Saturday’s game, but there’s a hard equilibrium to onslaught betwixt playing it harmless and making definite players acquisition immoderate crippled enactment earlier the regular season.

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“Some teams play their guys a lot. I’ve watched definite teams, you cognize who they are, they played their starters each azygous crippled extensively. A batch of teams successful our part person done that,” Harbaugh said.

“Teams we’re competing against successful the AFC person beauteous overmuch each done that, but determination are different teams that don’t play their guys astatine each — they don’t play their starters adjacent 1 snap. I cognize we’re farther down that roadworthy than we’ve ever been.”

The Ravens unfastened their play Sept. 13 with a Monday nighttime crippled astatine Las Vegas.

Dobbins’ wounded comes with Tuesday’s deadline for roster cuts looming. There volition presumably beryllium different moving backs disposable aft that. Aside from Edwards, Baltimore’s in-house options see Justice Hill, who had 58 carries successful 2019 and a twelve past season. Ty’Son Williams spent astir of his rookie play connected the signifier squad past year.

“Ty’Son, you bash the math, he’s there. He’ll beryllium retired determination playing,” Harbaugh said. “He’s acceptable to go. He’s practiced each day, and he’s excited astir his opportunity.”

Rookie Nate McCrary led the squad successful carries this preseason.

NOTES: Harbaugh said backup QB Trace McSorley (back) is backmost practicing, but CB Jimmy Smith (ankle) is not expected to signifier this week. “Very hopeful that he’ll signifier adjacent week,” Harbaugh said. “He’ll beryllium back, if not adjacent week, precise aboriginal successful the season. It conscionable didn’t travel astir arsenic rapidly arsenic I deliberation they thought it was going to.” … The Ravens released WRs Devin Gray and Siaosi Mariner and terminated OL Michael Schofield.

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